Doctor Who Rewind - The Sensorites

It feels like I've been trapped in the Sensephere for weeks now trying to get this DW serial watched. I started just before going to Russia, I managed a couple of episodes while there and i finished the remainder when I returned.

Among DW fandom this particular serial doesn't get much kudos. It's a shame as the basic story arc and idea for the Sensorites is ok. But it is let down by a meandering plot and the poor the laugh out loud costume design of the Sensorites, who have what looks like toupees stuck to their chins. There faces are actually masks that cover the entire face, and they all look pretty much look like chimps with shrivelled skin, and the chin toupee. It's a bit confusing when you are trying to work out who is who. The only identifier really is their voices.

The Doctor and TARDIS crew encounter the chin toupee wearing aliens when the TARDIS lands on a space ship (from the future) which is unable to leave the Sensorites region of space.

All the occupants of the space craft are under the influence of the Sensorites, who have an ability to bring on a kind of hypnosis in them. One member, John - is so effected by the power of the Sensorites that he is literally losing his mind.

Obviously, the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan are able to resist the Sensorites powers, even when they materialise inside the craft and swipe the whole locking mechanism of the TARDIS from under their eyes.

It turns out they have been preventing the ship and its human occupants from leaving because of a worrying encounter previously with other humans. This encounter ended badly when the Humans tried to leave the planet in a rocket, which exploded.

Bargaining with the Sensorites the Doctor persuades them to let him, Ian and Susan visit the Sensephere. There, they meet with the elders and administrators. The later of which are not convinced that Human/Sensorite society is such a good idea, and plot to kill the dishonest unworthy humans.

Meanwhile, Ian gets poisoned by drinking some rather suspect water from the aqua duct, which launches Hartnell on a quest to find a cure, and the source of the poisoning.

Hartnell is hindered at every step by the untrusting Sensorite who has it in for Humanity, but he does eventually pin point the source of the nasty water to an aqueduct, where it is said, lurk nasty monsters.

Eventually Ian gets better and joins the Doctor to search for who ever has been poisoning the Sensorites with the deadly nightshade.

By this point the bad Sensorite has worked himself up the power chain to become the esteemed second elder and has supplied the Doctor and Ian with, both weapons (that are useless) and a map of the aqueduct (that gas been tampered with).

With Barbara and Susan using the Sensorite telepathy technology, they are able to safely guide Ian and the Doctor out of the Aquaduct.

But not before they meet the vicious monsters, who turn out to be non other than the remains of the previous humans, who, are convinced they are embroiled in a war with the Sensorites.

The Doctor convinces the disheveled humans to come up to the surface and stop the war with the Sensorites.

To be honest, the conclusion to the story is a bit if an anti climax and could have been made more of.

There are some funny moments throughout though. John, the character who is slowly going mad with the Sensorite control over his brain, really does overplay his part. I think he must have been going for a BAFTA or something. His hair too is fantastic, looking as mad as he does.

William Hartnell gets to wear a cape at one point, as his coat is damaged when he is attacked in the aquaduct. He relishes the chance to wear the cape and has a laugh and joke about it with his companions in a rare lighthearted moment.

And, when the Doctor and Ian are being threatened by the remaining Humans in the aquaduct, Hartnell hands Ian the rolled up map for protection! I mean, what's he going to do with that? Show the Humans where to get off I suppose.

Again, the positives of this story are both the set designs, which look surprisingly good, and as always, the music from the Radiophonic Workshop - from the high pitched wail of the Sensorites telepathic power to the manic percussion of the menacing dark damp aquaduct. It's inspired stuff.

Until recently, the writer of this story, Peter R Newman remained pretty inconspicuous as no one really knew much about him, apart from his other claim to fame, writing a film for Hammer Films called Yesterday's Enemy. The Sensorites was his only DW writing outing and his last for TV as he struggled with writers block up until his sudden death in 1975.

The very end scene of the story has Hartnell snapping at Ian for making a lighthearted remark about his ability to get the TARDIS to go where he wants it. Hartnell practically threatens to throw Ian out at the next stop.

Next time on Doctor Who Rewind we reach the end of series one in of all places, Paris in the French Revolution.