Doctor Who Rewind - The Gunslingers
Doctor Who Rewind
The Gunslingers
After the disappointing Celestial Toymaker, we find ourselves in Tombstone Arizona, and a western with a twist. The twist being that all four episodes not only survive the BBC's butter fingers, but are also extremely watchable.
The Doctor initially less enthusiastic about being in cowboy country than Steven and Dodo, who really throw themselves into the era with costumes and all, probably because he's got a tooth problem. Yes, unfortunately the Doctors teeth don't regenerate and he visits a local dentist of sorts. This being the infamous outlaw Doc Holiday, who is being sought by the Clanton brothers over the settling of an old score.
Cunningly, Holiday, after extracting the offending tooth, gives the Doctor a gun and let's him wonder into the Last Chance Saloon, taking his place when the Clantons come looking for him, inviting him for a slug of sipping whisky.
Fortunately, Kate, Holiday's lover rescues the Doctor and local marshal, non other than Wyatt Earp, places him in the safety of the jailhouse.
Steven and Dodo encounter the Clanton's in the bar, who insist on having them entertain them with a ditty. It's "The Last Chance Saloon" song that we here right at the top of the story and consequently before each new scene. It's a novelty scene watching Perves trying to sing a rootin' tootin' verse or two, but having the song repeated every several minutes is a little bit of an overkill to be honest.
Dodo gets embroiled with Doc Holiday when he splits town with Kate to avoid capture by Earp and has no chance but to leave with them.
The enigmatic Johnny Ringo rides into Tombstone and promptly shoots the barman of The Last Chance. He's looking for Holiday himself and gets Steven to ride out with him to find him.
Steven and Kate end up being taken by Ringo to the Clanton ranch where the Clantons recamp and tell their father, Pa Clanton, that they have killed an Earp. Wyatt Earp swears vengeance and starts to build a posse of lawmen to deal with the Clantons once and for all. Doc Holliday returns to Tombstone with Dodo, and offers his services to his old friend Earp too. Attempts by the Doctor to defuse the situation amount to little: there will be a gunfight at the O.K. Corral. On the one side are the three Clanton brothers and Johnny Ringo; on the other, the two Earps and Doc Holliday. At the end of the gunfight Ringo and the three Clantons are shot dead. Shortly thereafter, the Doctor, Steven and Dodo slip away in the TARDIS.
Of note in this story are the wonderfully detailed sets, even for early Doctor Who these add to the setting of the story and really add authenticity. One is reminded of those old black and white cowboy films we all watched when we were kids.
The acting throughout is solid, but the American accents are hit and miss. Ranging from Mid Western to East Endin'.
There are some great lines in the script too, real comical moments and it's nice to see Hartnell embracing the spirit of the story despite coming to the end of his time as the Doctor.
Next time on Doctor Who Rewind, the distant future and discover a dark secret.
The Gunslingers
After the disappointing Celestial Toymaker, we find ourselves in Tombstone Arizona, and a western with a twist. The twist being that all four episodes not only survive the BBC's butter fingers, but are also extremely watchable.
The Doctor initially less enthusiastic about being in cowboy country than Steven and Dodo, who really throw themselves into the era with costumes and all, probably because he's got a tooth problem. Yes, unfortunately the Doctors teeth don't regenerate and he visits a local dentist of sorts. This being the infamous outlaw Doc Holiday, who is being sought by the Clanton brothers over the settling of an old score.
Cunningly, Holiday, after extracting the offending tooth, gives the Doctor a gun and let's him wonder into the Last Chance Saloon, taking his place when the Clantons come looking for him, inviting him for a slug of sipping whisky.
Fortunately, Kate, Holiday's lover rescues the Doctor and local marshal, non other than Wyatt Earp, places him in the safety of the jailhouse.
Steven and Dodo encounter the Clanton's in the bar, who insist on having them entertain them with a ditty. It's "The Last Chance Saloon" song that we here right at the top of the story and consequently before each new scene. It's a novelty scene watching Perves trying to sing a rootin' tootin' verse or two, but having the song repeated every several minutes is a little bit of an overkill to be honest.
Dodo gets embroiled with Doc Holiday when he splits town with Kate to avoid capture by Earp and has no chance but to leave with them.
The enigmatic Johnny Ringo rides into Tombstone and promptly shoots the barman of The Last Chance. He's looking for Holiday himself and gets Steven to ride out with him to find him.
Steven and Kate end up being taken by Ringo to the Clanton ranch where the Clantons recamp and tell their father, Pa Clanton, that they have killed an Earp. Wyatt Earp swears vengeance and starts to build a posse of lawmen to deal with the Clantons once and for all. Doc Holliday returns to Tombstone with Dodo, and offers his services to his old friend Earp too. Attempts by the Doctor to defuse the situation amount to little: there will be a gunfight at the O.K. Corral. On the one side are the three Clanton brothers and Johnny Ringo; on the other, the two Earps and Doc Holliday. At the end of the gunfight Ringo and the three Clantons are shot dead. Shortly thereafter, the Doctor, Steven and Dodo slip away in the TARDIS.
Of note in this story are the wonderfully detailed sets, even for early Doctor Who these add to the setting of the story and really add authenticity. One is reminded of those old black and white cowboy films we all watched when we were kids.
The acting throughout is solid, but the American accents are hit and miss. Ranging from Mid Western to East Endin'.
There are some great lines in the script too, real comical moments and it's nice to see Hartnell embracing the spirit of the story despite coming to the end of his time as the Doctor.
Next time on Doctor Who Rewind, the distant future and discover a dark secret.
posted by Nic Treadwell at 11:07 pm
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