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Only just had an opportunity to watch this (shown Sunday before last in the 'Doctor Who Day') - tbh I've been waiting for hubby to be available to watch with me but he didn't feel like it and agreed I could watch these without him. Finally!
I was really curious to see the first ever episode of Doctor Who, because first episodes are so interesting: they have to introduce show and characters, and give you some idea of what to expect in the future. And this was a fascinating first episode, and not at all what I expected.
For a start, the Doctor himself didn't appear until over half way through! In fact, even Susan wasn't in the first (longish) scene, which was just the two teachers discussing how odd she was. It hadn't occurred to me that she would turn out to be the 'unearthly child' in the title. And very unearthly she was too. (Actually, the weirdest thing about her was her incredibly long neck - I wonder if she was supposed to be descendent of a swan? :-))
The whole thing seemed very, very slow by today's standards, but it kept my interest, which wasn't bad for an episode with just four scenes and just four characters (unless you count the policeman wandering around in the teaser). And it was fascinating to hear the original theme tune, which again sounded very lightweight compared today's, but it was all there already, right from the start. And the TARDIS sounded exactly the same. And I liked Mr Chesterton walking all the way round it on the outside, before getting inside and discovering how big it is.
Other points to note:
The Doctor has a big carriage clock placed prominently in the first look round the TARDIS. Guess he's always been into clocks. (Yes, I know, he is a Timelord.)
Iirc, the word Timelord wasn't mentioned. I wonder how long it was before it was?
The Doctor was really scary and not at all likeable. I think I'd have given him a glimmer of likeability if I was writing that pilot!
Susan's from the 48th Century - so just a bit before Jack, then :-) And she refers to the Doctor as 'Grandfather' even after admitting she's not from around there, so presumably he is her grandfather. I'd love to see some more of these to see how that all panned out. In fact, I want to see the next episode, and find out what creature that huge shadow coming towards the TARDIS belonged to!
I was really curious to see the first ever episode of Doctor Who, because first episodes are so interesting: they have to introduce show and characters, and give you some idea of what to expect in the future. And this was a fascinating first episode, and not at all what I expected.
For a start, the Doctor himself didn't appear until over half way through! In fact, even Susan wasn't in the first (longish) scene, which was just the two teachers discussing how odd she was. It hadn't occurred to me that she would turn out to be the 'unearthly child' in the title. And very unearthly she was too. (Actually, the weirdest thing about her was her incredibly long neck - I wonder if she was supposed to be descendent of a swan? :-))
The whole thing seemed very, very slow by today's standards, but it kept my interest, which wasn't bad for an episode with just four scenes and just four characters (unless you count the policeman wandering around in the teaser). And it was fascinating to hear the original theme tune, which again sounded very lightweight compared today's, but it was all there already, right from the start. And the TARDIS sounded exactly the same. And I liked Mr Chesterton walking all the way round it on the outside, before getting inside and discovering how big it is.
Other points to note:
The Doctor has a big carriage clock placed prominently in the first look round the TARDIS. Guess he's always been into clocks. (Yes, I know, he is a Timelord.)
Iirc, the word Timelord wasn't mentioned. I wonder how long it was before it was?
The Doctor was really scary and not at all likeable. I think I'd have given him a glimmer of likeability if I was writing that pilot!
Susan's from the 48th Century - so just a bit before Jack, then :-) And she refers to the Doctor as 'Grandfather' even after admitting she's not from around there, so presumably he is her grandfather. I'd love to see some more of these to see how that all panned out. In fact, I want to see the next episode, and find out what creature that huge shadow coming towards the TARDIS belonged to!