The Reign of Terror

 Reign of Terror (episode 1)
A Land of Fear

Armored brigades engaging their lines
Regain control of black gold
Your reign of terror will come to an end
Forcing you out of control


Thank you, Saboton.

So the Doctor was in a plot induced huff and wanted to abandon Ian and Barbara. But first we see cloaked figures walk through a forest. Written by Dennis Spooner is a promising early announcement. Funny seeing the TARDIS land without the grunting groaning sound we all know and love.

BARBARA: Susan, we've visited many places together, had lots of adventures, but you always knew we intended to return home when we could.
SUSAN: Yes, I know, but
BARBARA: Look, I know it's hard to say goodbye, but one day you'll understand why we had to.
SUSAN: But Grandfather can bring you back any time now.
IAN: Don't you see, Susan, the longer we leave it the harder it'll be.

It's just put on there, really.

The Doctor suggests they have landed in Somerset to try and get them to feck off.

IAN: Maybe you have succeeded. Maybe we are where you say we are. But I remember an occasion when you took us home once before.
BARBARA: Yes, and we met Marco Polo.
DOCTOR: Entirely different circumstances! I'm rather tired of your insinuations that I am not master of this craft. Oh, I admit, it did develop a fault, a minor fault on one occasion, perhaps twice, but nothing I couldn't control.
IAN: I know that. Of course you're in control. You're always in control. And I'm sure you could revisit us at any time.
DOCTOR: Very simple. Quite simple.
IAN: Exactly, quite simple. But you have your important researches to complete. You may not find the time. There's a chance that we won't meet again. Don't you think it would be better if we parted under more friendly circumstances, say over a drink?
DOCTOR: Yes. Yes, well perhaps, since you put it that way, an hour or two won't come amiss. Susan, bring my stick will you?

Ian quickly calms down the Doctor with his diplomatic skills. He also seems sceptical they are in modern Britain, which is probably just as well.

Off screen, the TARDIS crew hear a horse.

"Chesterton is quite jumpy" says the Doctor about a man who has saved his life 6 times this series so far. Ian finds a young boy, who tells them they are in France, not far from Paris. The Doctor calls this a tremendous success in time travel!

Meanwhile the boy rushes off to a decrepit farmhouse.

The TARDIS crew see the abandoned house, and the Doctor wants to explore it, against Ian's misgivings. The crew explore the house, which is bathed in darkness. The Doctor lights a candle.

Ian and Barbara and Susan find bunch of maps and documents and clothes as if the place was a hiding place.

BARBARA: You know, there's a whole wardrobe here. Look, they're all different sizes too.
IAN: Look at these bundles. Bottles of wine. Bread. A bit stale.
BARBARA: There's another bundle over here. Hey, look at all these maps. There's a whole bunch of daggers down here.
IAN: These documents. Official documents. Undated and the name is left blank. They're passes, Barbara.
BARBARA: Yes, but nobody lives here. I mean, look at the dust everywhere.
IAN: This is a stopping-off place. A link in some escape chain. Here, look at this.
BARBARA: Ian, this is signed by Robespierre!
IAN: Robespierre? Must be a. Oh, wait a minute. The Doctor's put us down right in the middle of the French Revolution.
BARBARA: Yes. The Reign of Terror.

And suddenly both Ian and Barbara go "Oh ¤¤¤¤!" in the best moment of the episode so far.

Meanwhile the Doctor is happily wandering around an abandoned house with a candle, as if hes a ghost hunter on Bravo, only to get knocked out by a sudden club. That never happened to Derek Acorah!

Two men burst into the room with the others brandishing guns.

They are Rouvray and D'Artangan, aristocrats on the run.

ROUVRAY: In France now there are only two sides. You're either with us or against us. Our sympathies are obvious. We want to know yours.
BARBARA: We appreciate what you say, but we have no side. We're not even French.
ROUVRAY: A word of warning. If you intend to stay in France you will have to choose.
D'ARGENSON: We cannot trust them now!
ROUVRAY: If we are to escape from France, we must have faith. If all people are incapable of our trust, we shall take the Terror with us.

But then a revolutionary mob arrives, and D'Argenson (not a musketeer after all) goes to pieces while his pal tries to calm him down. I wonder if the mob spotted the Doctor's candles?

SERGEANT: You. Round the back.
SOLDIER: Go yourself, citizen!
(The other soldiers laugh.)
SERGEANT: And if they run, you'll have the chance of stopping them.
SOLDIER: Yes. It's a long time since I had a royalist to myself.

It's much like the Sensorites, only with humans, appealing to their vested interests.

Ian already suspects someone has betrayed the French Aristocats (everybody wants to be a cat?) but before that can be sorted out, the new French wave friends are gunned down. That was abrupt.

LIEUTENANT: Take him!
ROUVRAY: You'll listen to me!
(he steps in front of D'Argenson)
LIEUTENANT: So Rouvray, your voice still carries authority, even to my soldiers.
ROUVRAY: You. Come here. Give it to me.
(he takes a musket from a soldier and throws it away)
ROUVRAY: You can give them uniforms, Lieutenant, but they remain peasants underneath.

It's all very Full Metal Jacket. Rouvray had some influence, but assumed more than he had. He was a good role, while he lasted. D'Argenson is shot off screen, to the soldiers laughs.

Ian, Barbara and Susan are captured, and as the Doctor groggily gets to his feet slowly, his companions are sent to Paris to be guillotined. They've had very little chance to say anything, but how easy innocents get swept up in events out of their control.

The mob then set the farmhouse on fire, no one realising the Doctor is still trapped inside.

Grim, grim 25 mins of Doctor Who...

 

 Reign of Terror (part 2)
Guests of Madame Guillotine

 

 

I forgot to mention, I loved the fire playing over the end credits. It looks nasty. And what a nasty episode title too. As the Doctor is left for dead, we cut to Paris, and hear the baying crowds, and the swish of the guillotine.

Susan and Barbara are sent to a judge who sums up 1790s Paris justice.

BARBARA: Are we to be allowed to tell our story?
JUDGE: Prisoners are not required to speak. I have the charges here. You were found in the house with Rouvray and D'Argenson and arrested by a platoon of soldiers. I am satisfied as to your guilt as being in the company of wanted traitors. The sentence, immediate execution.
BARBARA: We demand the right to speak.
JUDGE: You have no rights! You will be guillotined as soon as it can be arranged. Take them to the cells!

Guilt by association. Mind this madness nearly bumped off Thomas Paine, it was at pure eat itself mania by Robespierre's later period.

Barbara is sent to jail, and the jailer immediately pervs all over her. So she slaps him. He's an odious sort. He then orders to the cell for special guests, which is the most ramshackle and rat infested.

Incidentally, Jack Cunningham as the loathsome jailer was considered for decades the dubious winner of First Doctor Who Actor to die in real life, as he died aged 55 in 1967. Even more unfortunately in recent years it turns out one of the young women in Dalek Invasion of Earth died in a car accident before her episodes were even broadcast on TV. Others on this grim list of Hartnell era guests who didn't even make it to 1970 include Michael Peake (more on him later) and the previously mentioned Keith Pyott as poor old Autloc, who was build up quite a film and TV momentum before his death aged 66 in 1968. If this is terribly sad, or the fact that we still remember these actors thanks to Doctor Who is something to be cherished, is up to the individual.

Barbara and Susan try to escape but the bars are solid.

Meanwhile, the Doctor was saved by that young boy from episode 1. That's a relief, I thought he were a goner there. The boy plotsplains stuff we already know to the Doctor. Including stuff he wasn't there for. So the Doctor goes to their farm after a wee chat with the young boy.

DOCTOR: Yes, I must rescue my friends.
JEAN-PIERRE: But you mustn't do that, sir! You'll be captured, sent to the guillotine.
DOCTOR: You saved me, my boy, so I must rescue them. Now you can understand that, can't you?
JEAN-PIERRE: Yes. I wish I could come with you, but since my father was taken away, he told me to look after my mother.
DOCTOR: Yes, yes, yes. Now, you're the head of the house. Yes. Yes, well I oh, thank you. Thank you for everything. And what's your name?
JEAN-PIERRE: Jean-Pierre.
DOCTOR: I shall remember. Yes. Jean-Pierre. Au revoir, Monsieur Captain.

Ah, the Doctor is great. He sets off for Paris.

Yes, we aren't seeing scenes in chronological order, but in dramatic order. So what? He looks so dapper walking down the cobbled road.

Back in Paris, everyone else is locked up. Barbara expects an escape to appear. Susan has inherited the "its all hopeless" genes from Carol.

Barbara plans to dig her way out of the cell. Meanwhile a bleeding dying man is put in Ian's cell, who lives long enough to tell Ian the plot:

WEBSTER: One day soon, France will stop this madness and turn her full attention across the channel. We must be ready for that day. There's a man in France, Englishman, working to that end. He will tell us when that day is near. You understand?
IAN: England at war with France? Yes, I know that.
WEBSTER: I was sent to bring him home to England. The day nears that his information is important. Find him if you can. Try to escape. Try. Promise to find James Stirling, and home. Promise! Promise!
IAN: Yes, yes. James Stirling. Find James Stirling and tell him to get back to England. He has important information. I understand and I promise. Where shall I find him, Webster?
WEBSTER: Jules Renan.
IAN: Jules Renan, yes.
WEBSTER: The sign of Le Chien Gris.
IAN: Le Chien Gris.

Then he dies, but his great-great-great grandson Basil Exposition rose to high society...

Doctor bumps into a crew working on the road and gets cheeky with the overseer.

DOCTOR: I'm sure you're very experienced at this job, my man. But, as an impartial onlooker I think I might have a bit of an advice to give you.
OVERSEER: Well, I'll listen to anything that'll get this job finished quickly.
DOCTOR: Well, if you were to expend your energy helping with the road, instead of bawling and shouting at them every few seconds, you might be able to get somewhere. Good day to you, sir!
OVERSEER: I suppose you think you're very clever.
DOCTOR: Well, without any undue modesty, yes! Now, would you mind standing aside?

Genuinely laugh out loud funny. William Hartnell is so good at smug. Then the overseer captures him. Barbara's efforts aren't working, and the jailer spots the escape attempt. And then Lemaitre shows up at the prison and interrogates Ian.

Ian refuses to say what the dead prisoner said, so Lemaitre crosses his name off the execution list. The jailer is bloody terrified of Lemaitre too.

Meanwhile, Barbara and Susan eat some gruel, and Susan is shocked that the prison contains rats. Susan decides facing the guillotine is more bearable than seeing rats.

The Doctor ends the chain gang by bomping the overseer on the head with a shovel!!! I like how the other guy closes his eyes at the blow. The Doctor then full on Bond quips his fallen opponent: "Sweet dreams" who snores to prove to the kids Doc didn't straight up kill a guy.

But in Paris, Ian looks in horror as Susan and Barbara are sent to the guillotine...

JAILER: All right you two, come on out. Stand in line.
SUSAN: Where's Ian?
JAILER: Was that your friend? He was lucky. LeMaitre crossed him off the list. You're not so fortunate. This batch for the guillotine! Take them away!

So far, so good with this story.

 

 Reign of Terror (part 3)
A Change of Identity.

 

 

So Susan and Barbara are off to the guillotine! That'd give you a pain in the neck.

The Doctor walks by a coughing extra and stares curiously into the camera.

Two cloaked men in cloaks whisper. They have big cloaks and hats, this is quite standout. They wish their pal Leon was with them, but he was unavoidably detained on secret business.

Lemaitre interrupts the jailer giving food to Ian and he rushes off with the key stuck in the jail door.

LEMAITRE: Didn't you hear me calling you?
JAILER: I'm sorry, citizen, I came as fast as I could. I was busy with the food.
LEMAITRE: Prison food is unimportant! You realise that Robespierre will be asking to see the execution figures?
JAILER: I have them ready, citizen.
LEMAITRE: I hope for your sake that they're satisfactory. Otherwise, instead of being jailer here, you could find yourself a prisoner.

The real life Reign of Terror summed up in a few words.

Ian manages to get his own key out of the lock, and then puts the rest back so nobody would notice. Then he has some prison gruel because espionage is hungry work.

This is a slow moving opening, tbh.

The execution cart carrying Susan and Barbara stops because the horse is grumpy. Cue laughing woman from an upstairs window, in a random bit of extra work which adds some verisimilitude to proceedings. Well, I say some, these streets are very empty for revolutionary Paris. Barbara says they should escape but Susan says she can't as she has a headache. Yes, and a bigger one on its way, miss. Luckily the two men in cloaks show up and kill the two guards so they escape.

The Doctor meets a tailor, played by regular TV actor John Barrard, who over the course of 50 years appeared in all things from Hitchcock to One Foot in the Grave.

DOCTOR: That's very impressive.
TAILOR: Yes, citizen. It signifies the position of regional officer of the provinces.
DOCTOR: Yes, I'm quite aware of that. Yes, quite aware. Yes. In fact, it's a post that I myself personally occupy.
TAILOR: I see. I'm sorry, citizen.
DOCTOR: Don't apologise. I want to try that on.
TAILOR: Certainly, citizen. The quality is unmatched, and in comparison, the price
DOCTOR: The price is of no matter. I haven't any money.
TAILOR: No money?
DOCTOR: No. No, I though possibly we could arrange an exchange.
TAILOR: For this?
DOCTOR: What's wrong with it?
TAILOR: Nay, it's little better than a fancy dress outfit.
DOCTOR: A fancy dress? My dear sir, I doubt that you've seen a coat like it.

William Hartnell loves having an actor with solid timing to bounce off in these small scenes so he shines through with wit here. The Doctor gains the clothes of a senior in the Revolution.

Barbara is introduced to Jean, leader of the Revolutionary. Christian names only so people can't be introduced, before noting that Danielle is his sister. Isn't a family tree information? And what about Dogtanian and the Mouseketeer from episode 1?

Ian escapes from prison, only for Lemaitre to show up and tell the TV audience that he plans to follow Ian to see what he knows.

Now the Doctor and Barbara are both planning to free Ian even as he escapes.

JULES: Did you meet two men there?
BARBARA: Yes. How did you know?
JEAN: Their names?
BARBARA: D'Argenson.
JULES: And Rouvray.
JEAN: They must have discovered our escape route, Jules.
JULES: They may have just been unlucky. We'll wait till we've heard from Leon. The route is his responsibility. Were d'Argenson and Rouvray brought back with you?

Hmm, this Leon hasn't even shown up yet and sounds very suspiciously in the know about things.

Meanwhile Susan is very under the weather.

There's a knock at the door, and its Leon. He's played by Edward Brayshaw. I think that surely sums up his villain credentials. Barbara meets Leon and is pretty instantly "well, hello there". Poor Ian.

DOCTOR [OC]: Let me in, you fools! I could have you shot at dawn. Get it open, will you?

Ah, this episode might drag a bit but its for a lack of Hartnell who is positively enjoying himself, and now has the over the top outfit to prove it.

DOCTOR: And while we are about it, why wasn't I met, hmm? Do you realise that I walked through the whole of Paris without a guard? Me?
JAILER: We would have arrange an escort had we been advised of your
DOCTOR: You were advised! I forwarded the communication myself. What if Robespierre hears about this?
JAILER: Robespierre? Why, I don't think you should worry the first deputy, citizen. He's a very busy man. I am at your service, citizen. Anything you wish to know.
DOCTOR: Very well. Very well. Thank you. Yes. You seem a capable man and I'm sure this misunderstanding is none of your doing.
JAILER: Oh, indeed citizen. I am most conscientious, but when you're assisted by idiots.
DOCTOR: Of course, of course. And I'm glad we understand each other.

The Doctor runs rings around the jailer. Key to his look of horror when he hears the women were sent to the guillotine which he covers by pretend anger at the jailers own screw up. But then Lematire shows up, and the Doctor does an amusing double take. Lemaitre takes the Doctor to see Robespierre, and the Doctor appears to be hoist on his own petard for now.

Leon chats up Barbara, by claiming that he doesn't see England as the enemy despite their own going wars.

Meanwhile the tailor from earlier sees the jailor and says he has evidence of a traitor. In his hand is the Doctor's ring.

A mediocre episode lifted solely by the Doctor's two scenes and Barbara and Leon clearly engaging in a bit of mutual fancying.

 

 

 Reign of Terror (episode 4)
The Tyrant of France

 

I wonder who that could be.

We immediately meet Robespierre, and he seems so.... just there. Also, I forgot this episode is missing, and this episode is witnessed through the use of telesnaps.

ROBESPIERRE: Danton planned to restore the monarchy. I had the proof, I knew! I had to dispose of him. And the Girondins. Even now, Convention members are at work, plotting my downfall. But I will triumph, even if I have to execute every last one of them! Death, always death. Do you think I want this carnage? Three hundred and forty two executions in nine days in Paris alone. What a memory I shall leave behind if this thing lasts. You must come again, Citizen. We never did talk about your province.
DOCTOR: No we didn't, did we, and I was so looking forward to it. It's a pity we talked for so long about Paris.

History lesson plus Doctor snark.

Leon and Barbara flirt before noticing Susan is very sick and needs a doctor. But all doctors report things to the militia. That must be their hypocritic oath. Geddit?

We have a clip of a door shutting. Random censors gonna random.

Jean and Jules bring an unconscious Ian into the house. He was outside the house so they knocked him out. What lovely allies they all have.

LEMAITRE: No, far from it. I'd say you created a favourable impression on Citizen Robespierre.
DOCTOR: I didn't say half the things I wanted to say. He twisted my words.
LEMAITRE: Politicians usually do. Still, you are going to have another opportunity.

Hah!

Meanwhile the tailor tells Lemaitre the Doctor is a traitor. Lemaitre seems to know all the plots.

Ian and Barbara reunite.

Ian realises this is Jules Renan who the prisoner wanted to talk to.

JULES: Well, there is one question I would like to ask you. How did you know Barbara and Susan were here?
IAN: I didn't.
JULES: But I thought when you were asking for me.
IAN: That was for an entirely different reason. Do you know a man called Webster?
JULES: No.
IAN: I shared a cell with him in prison. Unfortunately he died. He asked me to contact a man called James Stirling.
JULES: James Stirling. No, I'm afraid that name means nothing to me either.


So Jules is the anti-Lemaitre, he knows nothing of the storyline.

So James Stirling is somewhere nearby and is an English spy. Not many parts in the play it could be.

JEAN: I'm not sure I like the idea of being used by the English. You shouldn't either, Jules. We're at war! And they're our enemies, and here we are helping their spies.
JULES: England is at war with the people ruling France, Jean. So are we. When the tyranny ends, so will the war.
IAN: I suppose the chances of finding Stirling are pretty slim.
JULES: We can try.

This is Doctor Who, Ian. I think the chances are 100%.

A doctor will be sent for Susan as shes getting worse with her unnamed presumed pneumonia.

Meanwhile Lemaitre knows the Doctor is an imposter but the Doctor doesn't know that yet.

Susan is sent to the Doctors house instead. That's Ronald Pickup, the doctor, not the Doctor as in Doctor Who. Two doctors, but not Two Doctors. This was one of Pickups very first TV roles, apparently, and he still appreciates the show giving him a break right at the start of a strong acting career.

This doctor instantly tells from their appearances that Susan is escaped from the jail. You can also tell its a promising young actor too from tone and line reading alone but alas this is entirely missing.

Pickup sells out the companions to the soldiers. As Jules predicted.

Ian goes off to meet Leon, whom he doesn't know has a thing for Barbara.

Susan and Barbara are sent to the prison again.

Ian meets Leon in a church crypt, only to find out that Leon is a villain all along. I'm stunned. Genuinely knocked over with a feather.

No, wait, the complete opposite.

 

 

 Reign of Terror (part 5)
A Bargain of Necessity

 

Great episode title.

IAN: You never know who your friends are.
LEON: My association with Jules was bound to come to an end. He already suspected that a traitor, if you want to use those words, was working in the organisation. But it's no matter. We're ready now to close in on him, too.
IAN: So what do you want with me?
LEON: Information. You will cooperate, Ian. Think about it. We have plenty of time

So he fancies Barbara and ties up Ian. This Leon is positively Byronesque.

Barbara and the Doctor are reunited, but Lemaitre listens outside the door. Such a spy.

Wouldn't it be funny if the jailer was actually a cover for James Stirling master spy instead?

LEMAITRE: Yes, yes. Has the young girl been locked away?
JAILER: She has. I saw to it myself, just as you ordered, Citizen.
LEMAITRE: Good. She shall remain in her cell, do you understand? Under no circumstances is the door to be opened.
JAILER: Just as you say, Citizen.
LEMAITRE: And if that order is disobeyed, I'll have you guillotined.

No wonder the jailer is permanently drunk. He's not long for this revolution.That's another topic. Doctor Who characters almost certainly bumped off 5 mins after the final episode...

DOCTOR: No, no, no, this matter can't wait. It's urgent. I've just been interrogating that young woman, and I'm convinced she's a member of that dangerous Traitor's Party.
JAILER: Oh, I see, I see.
DOCTOR: And do you know, she could tell us the names of every traitor in this country.
JAILER: Perhaps we should make her talk?
DOCTOR: No, no, chance of that. No, she'd rather die first than betray her friends. No, I think, if there's only some way of using her. If only we could get through her to her friends.
JAILER: Perhaps.
DOCTOR: Hmm?
JAILER: Perhaps.
DOCTOR: Perhaps what?
JAILER: Well, if she were to escape, she could be followed. She'd meet these traitors, then we'd arrest them. LeMaitre once did this.
DOCTOR: My dear, what an excellent idea! What an excellent idea! Yes, of course, now why didn't I think of that? Yes, that's what we'll do, and LeMaitre will be delighted! Now look here, Mister Jailer, I want you to open those prison doors. Keep out of sight.

There is a great joy in seeing the Doctor run rings round a lesser character like this. Mind its exactly how The master would later win over gullible fools too.


JULES: Ian, Barbara, Susan? Ian? Ian?

That is an actual scene, verbatim.

IAN: You're wasting your time with me. I'm very small fry.
LEON: Surely you don't expect me to believe that? We learned of the existence of James Stirling two months ago. We've been searching for him ever since.
IAN: We?
LEON: Yes. I've been loyal to the Revolution from the beginning. If you'd known what France was like six years ago, before the Bastille, you'd understand.
IAN: I do understand, but I can't help you.
LEON: Or you won't. France will never be anything until we're rid of these high-born leeches who've been sucking the life-blood of France for so long.
IAN: You must believe me, I can help you in no way.

They'd have got on in other circumstances not involving a bloody revolution, up to the point both realised they wanted the same woman.

Ian tells Leon he is a time traveler but before he takes this information in, Jules shows up and kills Leon and the two guards. All this action, lost. Meanwhile we got 20 minutes of nothing in episode three preserved. Of course I'd prefer both existing in the archives but the wrong one is missing if anything has to be.

Someone yells "You're a dirty whore!" and I was shocked until I realised an automatic advert trailer had started playing in one of the other Firefox tabs.

JAILER: Didn't you collect the soldiers and follow the released prisoner?
DOCTOR: Me? Certainly not!
JAILER: But, whatever, why not?
DOCTOR: But I was under the impression, my dear man, that you were doing so. I'm hardly dressed in the proper clothes to go skulking after people, now am I?
JAILER: I couldn't have gone. I can't leave the prison.
DOCTOR: Well why didn't you say that in the first place? Well, did you?
JAILER: No, Citizen.
DOCTOR: No, and what do you think LeMaitre will say? He's bound to want to know whose idea it was.
JAILER: It was mine. Citizen, you must help me.
DOCTOR: I'll try. Now, don't worry, I'll cover up for you.

Did I mention Hartnell is having great fun? Because he is. His voice which is all we have is magical and mischievous, and conspires with the audience.

The jailer refuses to open the door to Susans cell as he doesn't want to join the headache club.

ROBESPIERRE: I have been warned that certain influential Members, traitors, all of them, are planning to bring an indictment against another Member.
LEMAITRE: You have their names?
ROBESPIERRE: Oh, I realise they are forever plotting, but this latest information suggests that more and more of the Paris Commune are taking sides. The plan is that even I shall not be allowed to speak. They're out to destroy me.
LEMAITRE: All is not lost, Citizen. You still have many friends sitting in the Convention.
ROBESPIERRE: But can I trust them? If this motion gets underway, they will turn against me to save their own necks. Mark my words, LeMaitre. If this plot is successful, tomorrow, the 27th of July 1794, will be a date for history.

*googles 27th July 1974*

30 pages on The Fall of Robespierre come up.

Ian and Barbara are reunited and Barbara finds out Leon is dead and was a traitor.

IAN: It was the only way, Barbara.
JULES: He deserved to die. He was a traitor.
BARBARA: What do you mean, he was a traitor?
IAN: When I got to the church, he turned on me. He was going to kill me.
JULES: He betrayed us, Barbara.
BARBARA: He was a traitor to you. To his side he was a patriot.
IAN: Barbara, we've taken sides just by being here. Jules actually shot him. It could just as easily have been me.
JULES: And what about Robespierre? I suppose you think
BARBARA: Well just because an extremist like Robespierre
IAN: Oh, Barbara, Jules is our friend. He saved our lives!
BARBARA: I know all that! The revolution isn't all bad, and neither are the people who support it. It changed things for the whole world, and good, honest people gave their lives for that change.
IAN: Well, he got what he deserved.
BARBARA: You check your history books, Ian, before you decide what people deserve.

Why is this scene missing FFS? Poor old Ian. Poor upset horny Barbara, her French fancy went and got shot.

The Doctor frees Susan but runs right into Lemaitre. The man is a walking plot device! Master spy Lemaitre wants a chitchat.

Lemaitre decides to release Susan so the Doctor will take her to Jules house.

And that is the bargain of necessity, I take it.

JULES: Try and be patient, Ian. Oh, I know these long hours of waiting only too well. I've had my share.
BARBARA: Jules, when I spoke to you before, I. The things I said.
JULES: You said because of Leon the man. Yes, I know. But I did what I had to do because of what he represents. Do you ever wonder why I'm doing these things, hiding in shadows, fighting in corners?
IAN: We took it for granted you belonged to the other side, the aristocracy.
JULES: No. No, I have no title or position. I belong, well, in the middle. But I hate to see order thrown out of the window like so much dust. There can be no loyalty or honour where anarchy prevails.
BARBARA: And Leon was your friend.
JULES: There are only two sides today, Barbara. Those who rule by fear and treachery, and those who fight for reason and justice. Anyone who betrays these principles is worse than the devil in hell!

Then the Doctor walks in the house with Lemaitre.

Sadly missing episode full of action.

 

 

 Reign of Terror (episode 6)
Prisoners of Conciergerie

 

 

And the moving pictures are back! Hooray!

As I said that the tracking went funny.

Lemaitre shows up and announces that he helped Ian escape. Then he announces that he is master spy James Stirling in surprise.

When Stirling goes into exposition he starts to sound like a Thomas the Tank narrator.

Stirling wants the Doctor and Ian's help to take down the revolution in return for Susan's freedom. Jules and Stirling agree to send Ian to a pub to spy on a member of the revolution.

Ian and Barbara go to the pub and secretly see Napoleon.

Lots of chat, mostly expositionary, not much quotable, not much action. Paul Barras is in cahoots with Napoleon! In fact Barras jumped sides 3 times during the revolution, which is why he was allowed to retire a rich old man whilst most of his companions lost their heads.

Barbara dressed up as ye old barmaid is very funny because it just looks Blackadder level ridiculous.

Ian is as excited as Bugs Bunny in a carrot patch to see Napoleon.

Barras and Napoleon set up the events of history we know will happen, even if they didn't quite happen in this way.

So that was 12 mins of the episode.

STIRLING: Napoleon? Napoleon as ruler of France?
BARBARA: Yes. As one of three consuls.
STIRLING: He won't be content with that. I've watched his promotions. Bonaparte's clever and ambitious. If he gets a foothold to power, one day he will rule France.

So Barbara and Ian save Susan from the prison, and the plot against Robespierre takes over. He got shot in the jaw, you know, then he complained about a head ache so was given a cure at the guillotine.

DOCTOR: What is it? What do you find so amusing, hmm?
BARBARA: Oh, I don't know. Yes, I do. It's this feverish activity to try and stop something that we know is going to happen. Robespierre will be guillotined whatever we do.
DOCTOR: I've told you of our position so often.
BARBARA: Yes, I know. You can't influence or change history. I learnt that lesson with the Aztecs.
DOCTOR: The events will happen, just as they are written. I'm afraid so and we can't stem the tide. But at least we can stop being carried away with the flood! Now, Susan and the prison.

Robespierre, Napoleon, Barass, all historical names, but all are just sort of there.

I feel like Dennis Spooner balanced all this better with The Romans.

Anyhow, everyone gets away to the TARDIS.

DOCTOR: Well, I can assure you, my dear Barbara, Napoleon would never have believed you.
IAN: Yes, Doctor, but supposing we had written Napoleon a letter, telling him, you know, some of the things that were going to happen to him.
SUSAN: It wouldn't have made any difference, Ian. He'd have forgotten it, or lost it, or thought it was written by a maniac.
BARBARA: I suppose if we'd tried to kill him with a gun, the bullet would have missed him.
DOCTOR: Well, it's hardly fair to speculate, is it? No, I'm afraid you belittle things. Our lives are important, at least to us. But as we see, so we learn.
IAN: And what are we going to see and learn next, Doctor?
DOCTOR: Well, unlike the old adage, my boy, our destiny is in the stars, so let's go and search for it.

A nice way to end a series which aimed for the stars and so often succeeded. You can see why we still go back and look at Doctor Who 56 years later. A shame this was it for...

What's that? 288 other stories in the next half century plus? They kept *that* quiet...

 

 

As ever, thanks to the Transcripts Project (chakoteya.net).