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Sunday, October 20, 2013

Doctor Who Rewind - The Savages




They've been tracking the Doctors travels for centuries, and they live in an idyllic civilisation set in the distant future. But under the surface of their placid nature is a cruel and dark secret, and there is only one man who can expose it. Yes, it's the completely missing story DW story, The Savages.

This story is essentially one of division and exploitation. The Elders, whom the TARDIS crew meet first, have been secretly conducting hideous experiments on the so called wild savages who live out beyond the city. The experiments involve draining the life force of the captured savages and using it to power their elaborate and high living life style.

For some reason the Elders, led by their charismatic leader Jano, all have pretty intense sun tans. It's not just that the black and white picture bringing out the contrast more, they really do look like they have been baked on gas mark 6 for a couple of days. Whether the decision to have them so tanned was to make the distinction between the two peoples more pronounced, or to show how better well off they are than the tribal savages is really anyone's guess.

What the Elders have in store for the Doctor though, when he finds out their horrible secret, is to subject him to a bit of a personality transfusion. The life force of the Doctor is transferred into Jano, whose mannerisms take on the Doctors, while the Doctors body is reduced to a grunting zombified looney.

Eventually, the Doctors magnetic personality is too much for Jano to cope with and he soon realises the errors of his ways, and that he must help the savages.

Stephen plays a big role in this story and ultimately when asked by leaders of the new and improved civilisation, to stay on and help rebuild, agrees. The Doctor supports him his decision, and touchingly tells him how proud he is of him. There's even a surviving clip, which was beautifully inserted into the Loose Cannon recon I watched, that shows Peter Purves final moments with the Doctor.

I must say, I've enjoyed Steven's quarrelling character over the episodes he's been in, and the sparring between him and the Doctor has been a joy.

This story, on the whole, was well conceived and executed. It could have resulted in a predictable bloodbath between the two fractions, but thanks to the Doctor, a non violent resolution, and refreshing positive message of goodwill and harmony resulted.

Next time on Doctor Who Rewind 1960's London and a computer with big ideas!

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