Doctor Who Rewind - The Smugglers

Kicking off the fourth season, circa 1966, a Cornish romp with much skulduggery and piracy. Unfortunately long lost from the BBC archives, I have again been firing up youtube and viewing the Loose Cannon reconstructions in the very twilight of the small hours. I think I have a problem!

I must admit, I found this story a bit hard going, partly due to watching stills (with the odd surviving 5 second clip very neatly patched in every now and again) and audio over the top. But mostly though, down to its very talky nature, with not enough action.

We are in seventeenth century Cornwall, the Doctor, Polly and Ben are rapped up in a plot to find the gold treasure of diseased pirate captain Avery by his former crew, Joseph Longfoot, Cherub and captain Samuel Pike.

Along the way, Ben And Polly are charged with murder by the local Squire , the Doctor is kidnapped and a smuggling ring is in-covered.

As I said, there's an awful lot of plot to this episode, the only trouble is I didn't find it particularly exciting or engaging. I think to really appreciate this involving story it really needs to be seen as it was originally broadcast. Pictures and sound alone only seem to confuse the plot. After episode two I had no idea who was who, who was good, who was bad. Or for that matter, who I was.

It's a wonder that I made it through to the end, and only by limping, bruised, battered and scarred by tele-snaps and enough dialogue to fill a Death Star did I make it through.

The new companions Ben and Polly seem an adequate double act for the Doctor in this story, but their willing acceptance of the fact they are now travelling on a time ship is just a bit to much to swallow, considering they have just stepped out of the swinging sixties.

I look forward to re-reviewing this story when it is found in some far flung corner of the world. Until then I'm afraid, onward and upward.

Next time on Doctor Who Rewind, it's the end of the road for the first Doctor, but it's by no means the end for me when we visit The Tenth Planet.