The Savages

Episode One

What a strange story this is. It barely feels like Doctor Who. It's Ian Stuart Black's first script and Gerry Davis was just settling in. Maybe neither of them had ever seen the show before? That certainly seems how it is, as they use Dodo criticise the departing Steven for always doing whatever the Doctor tells him to do, which is the exact opposite to his actual character. Dodo screams, too, which is rather bizarre. Maybe they have seen the show, but just not since Susan left? Dodo doesn't scream. What I would say is that the score by Raymond Jones is possibly my favourite so far. It's brilliant, and yet, it's also not really Doctor Who either. There hasn't been a score like it before or since. And, strangest of all, where have the episode titles gone? Episode one is the most boring title imagineable. 

The Doctor is rather bizarre, too. He goes off to do some sciency thing that isn't actually explained, and ignores his companions. He also has a "reacting vibrator," which doesn't sound particularly appropriate for a family show. He also tells the Elders to, "find my young people for me," which is also very strange. It's all just a bit disjointed. Still, it is interesting that the Doctor is an honoured guest, and appears to have landed at his own fan club.

Okay, Black and Davis clearly haven't seen any stories featuring Steven or Dodo. They're given a guided tour by the interestingly named Flower and Avon, and Dodo is the one who is suspicious and realises they're being given a sanitised version of the society, while Steven of all people is innocent and naive and criticises Dodo for questioning their hosts. That is so far from his previous characterisation it's ridiculous. But there you go. And then Dodo bloody screams again for the cliffhanger! Not promising signs from this production team that they seem to think female companions must scream. No wonder Polly was a bit wet at times. Anyway, it is really weird, but the weirdness and the brilliance of the score means it is at least very interesting, for now, and this is well worth a 7/10.

Episode Two

Steven is rather harsh about Dodo here, first saying, "not even Dodo would be as stupid as that," and then, "if it isn't allowed, Dodo would be the first in the queue". Considering how stupid he's been in this story, it seems rather cheeky of him. Considering he's leaving, you'd think they'd have made him a bit more impressive here.

So, the Elders extract the life force from people. Interesting enough idea, but I'm not sure why that means they have a lovely, idyllic life. The Doctor helps Wylda, one of the savages, giving him something. Edal, one of the guards, stops the Doctor from helping him, and the Doctor calls him subhuman as a result, which is quite fun. The Doctor is very angry in this episode, and Hartnell performs it all very well, with no fluffs. "How dare you call your treatment of these people progress," he angrily proclaims to Jano, in a great scene of righteous Doctor anger. It's a fairly uneventful episode, but it's still very strange. I can't quite work it out, and the score is still brilliant. 6/10.

Episode Three

The Savages have a temple in a cave, which is an interesting idea. The Elders have light guns, which aren't explained brilliantly, and very easy to counter, as Steven uses a mirror to defeat one! I like the way the Elders think of themselves as morally upstanding. They don't throw the Doctor out of the city, as he's not a savage and wouldn't be able to care for himself. And yet Jano says that Steven and Dodo are dangerous as they are, but as a source of energy would be of great value. Not much actually happens in this episode, though, apart from that, although the scenes in the cave are interesting. It's Jano taking the Doctor's life force that dominates this episode. He's doing it alone because it's apparently risky, and he doesn't want to risk anybody else. As if. And yet, it is risky, as Jano becomes overwhelming by the Doctor's personality, and starts doing a Hartnell impression. That's quite an interesting plot development. In spite of having virtually nothing to do except moan, Hartnell himself is great in this episode. It's a rather weak episode, frankly. 4/10.

Episode Four

There is a pivotal Doctor Who moment at the start of this episode. The Doctor, Steven and Dodo are reunited and have a chance to go back to the TARDIS and escape, but the Doctor says, "we can't leave yet, we've got a lot of work to do. I don't intend to leave these people in this oppressed state". This seems to be where the Doctor really admits to himself that he is going to be the Doctor we all know, who "fights evil" and saves planets and the like. Hartnell's doing a superb job at avoiding fluffs. He even says intransference correctly! Jano under the Doctor's influence pulls a clever trick on the Elders, pretending to be on their side and fighting down a very poor take-over by Edal, just so they can all get to the laboratory, for the great scene of destruction. The Doctor's "there's something very satisfying in destroying something that's evil, don't you think?" is superb, as is Dodo's screamed assent.

So we get to Steven's departure, and it's the most rushed departure so far for any companion who has lasted more than two stories. There apparently needs to be a mediator between the Elders and the Savages, and Steven is apparently the only person both sides will trust. "You're the only man who can, my boy," claims the Doctor. It's easily the worst handled exit we've had, and it is actually worse than Katarina, frankly. At least she had a speech in her honour! It's a sad moment, and the three regulars play it well, but it would have been nice to have a bit more. 6/10

Conclusion

The Savages is a bizarre story. It's like it's been written by somebody with only a vague idea of what Doctor Who is. But that in itself makes it interesting. It's a very unusual story, the like of which hasn't really been seen before or since in Doctor Who, and as variety is the spice of life, that is something to be celebrated. Additionally, as I've said a couple of times, the score is one of my favourites from the Hartnell era. It's very strange too, and there's never really been another score like it, which also works in its favour. In spite of all of that, it's really only a pretty average story, with a dreadfully slow third episode, and only comes above average due to how much I like the score. I'm sad to see Steven go. He was a strong character and Peter Purves was never less than excellent. His relationships with both Vicki and Dodo worked really well, as did his argumentative relationship with the Doctor. I'll miss him very much.

Average rating: 5.75

Old Rating: 6

New Rating: 6