The Invasion

(Series 6, Episodes 11-18)

Summary: The Brigadier and his bristling moustache are back, swivelling in his swivelly chair and laying on tea.  The Cybermen are having another crack at invading the Earth, this time with the assistance of a half-converted Steve Jobs and his hapless henchman Packer.  Zoe defeats a computer and a rocket with a spot of algebra whilst Jamie, after a romantic canoe trip with the Doctor, takes a nap for the rest of the story.  All to a 70s’ porno soundtrack.

Watch it because: Zoe finally gets to demonstrate her smarts, even if it is tainted by some hideous 60s’ sexism.

Original Air Date: 2 November – 21 December 1968.

Doctor: Patrick Troughton.

Companions: Jamie McCrimmon (Just Frazer Hines this time) and Zoe Heriot (Wendy Padbury).

Writer: Derrick Sherwin, from a story by Kit Pedler.

Director: Douglas Camfield.

Producer: Peter Bryant.

Available on DVD? Yes, although episodes 1 and 4 are animations.

The Mind Robber

(Series 6, Episodes 6-10)

Summary: Team TARDIS become trapped in a piece of experimental theatre based on The Times cryptic crossword and Gulliver’s travels.  Jamie falls foul of some temporary but disturbing plastic surgery and Zoe makes an audition tape for the part of Screaming Victim in a Hitchcock film.  Everything descends into the mother of all crossover fanfiction until Jamie and Zoe save the day through the tried and tested method of pressing all the buttons at random.

Watch it because: Jamie’s wee face when he hears the pipes of home.

Original Air Date: 14 September – 12 October 1968.

Doctor: Patrick Troughton.

Companions: Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines & Hamish Wilson (Because when one of your leads get chicken pox, naturally you re-cast him for one episode)) and Zoe Heriot (Wendy Padbury).

Writer: Peter Ling.

Director: David Maloney.

Producer: Peter Bryant.

Available on DVD? Yes.

The Dominators

(Series 6, Episodes 1-5)

Summary: Dominators by name, dominating by nature. This pair appear to have been travelling together too long, however, as their downfall is largely due to their incessant bickering.  They arrive on Dulkis, planet of impractical pinafores and pacifism, where Zoe takes over screaming duties, but thankfully isn’t very good at it, Jamie and the Doctor play Chuckle Brothers in space and we meet the Chumblies’ sinister cuboid cousins.

Watch it because: The Doctor and Jamie’s developing bromance.

Original Air Date: 10 August – 7 September 1968.

Doctor: Patrick Troughton.

Companions: Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines) and Zoe Heriot (Wendy Padbury).

Writer: Mervyn Haisman & Henry Lincoln.

Director: Morris Barry.

Producer: Peter Bryant.

Available on DVD? Yes.

Lost Episodes VIII

Fury from the Deep

(Series 5, Episodes 29-34)

Significant for: The first appearance of the sonic screwdriver and the last appearance of Victoria.

 

The Wheel in Space

(Series 5, Episodes 35-40)

Significant for: Return of the Cybermen, the arrival of new companion Zoe Heriot and the first time the Doctor refers to himself by the alias “John Smith”.

The Web of Fear

(Series 5, Episodes 23-28)

Summary: The Great Intelligence is back and it’s taken over London with giant glowing bubble wrap.  All that stands in the way of the Intelligence and its Womble-like Yetis is the refreshingly competent and level-headed Anne Travers.  Victoria gets her quota of screaming in, Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart, Jamie and the Cowardly Lion set up an Englishman, Scotsman and Welshman joke, and we learn that journalists are unscrupulous.  In the final act, the Doctor throws a wobbly because Jamie’s well-meaning yet gung-ho rescue means he doesn’t get to show off his terribly clever idea.

Watch it because: The London Underground sets.

Original Air Date: 3 February – 9 March 1968.

Doctor: Patrick Troughton.

Companions: Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines) and Victoria Waterfield (Deborah Watling).

Writer: Mervyn Haisman & Henry Lincoln.

Director: Douglas Camfield.

Producer: Peter Bryant.

Available on DVD? Yes, although Episode 3 is only available as a reconstruction.

The Enemy of the World

(Series 5, Episodes 17-22)

Summary: The Doctor has a doppelganger!  A ruthless, charming, psychopathic Mexican one, no less.  It’s James Bond meets Doctor Who, as everyone engages in a spot of espionage, there are double-crossings galore and finally some strong female characters.

Watch it because: The plot is rather gripping.

Original Air Date: 23 December 1967 – 27 January 1968.

Doctor: Patrick Troughton.

Companions: Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines) and Victoria Waterfield (Deborah Watling).

Writer: David Whitaker.

Director: Barry Letts.

Producer: Innes Lloyd.

Available on DVD? Yes.