The Romans

IAN: You never told us you were going away.
DOCTOR: Oh? Well, I don't know that I was under any obligation to report my movements to you, Chesterfield. 
BARBARA: Chesterton.

DOCTOR: Oh, Barbara's calling you.

VICKI: Oh, the poor man.
DOCTOR: Yes, he's dead, and it doesn't look a natural death to me.

(No duh, Doctor!)

DOCTOR: Yes, yes. Oh, the child, she travels with me. She keeps her eye on all the lyres.

(As if the line wasn't great enough, Vicki's reaction makes it truly fab)

IAN: I've got a friend who specialises in trouble. He dives in and usually finds a way.

DOCTOR: Caesar Nero, I've always wanted to put on a good show, to give a great performance.

• I find it slightly odd that they've been living there for a month and Vicki hasn't yet learnt that you're supposed to haggle. Surely Ian and Barbara haven't been doing all the shopping up to that point? Though surely Barbara also knows better than to go babbling about being from Britain everywhere she goes? 
• I love how much fun the Doctor is having with his impersonation and with all the events happening around him. He's constantly laughing and joking, and making Vicki laugh through it all as well. Hartnell is still seriously underrated as a comic actor. It's a real strength of his, and his Doctor is at his best in stories like this, I think. 
  
• It's poor old Ian and Barbara who have to face the more serious end of the story. Ian is a slave on a galley for five days while the Doctor and Vicki are living it up! At least Barbara gets the "privilege" of being a slave for Poppaea. 
• The poisoner Lucasta is known to everyone. So you'd think Poppaea would be a little more subtle than bringing her out into a fairly crowded room and pointing very obviously at Barbara! Rather dim from the Empress, that. Still, Kay Patrick is brilliant. She also gives Tavius one hell of a smack in the final episode. I wonder how much they rehearsed that? 
• I've never noticed before that one of the "Men in Market" is called John Caesar. What an appropriate name! 
• I like all the guest cast here. Derek Francis is an excellent Nero. Childish, petulant, arrogant and deadly on a whim. Sounds about right to me! I've already mentioned how good Kay Patrick is, but she deserves another mention. As does Michael Peake as Tavius. In spite of being "our hissing friend" to the Doctor, he actually puts in a fairly subtle turn. It takes a while before you can be certain he's trustworthy. Admittedly, I do think Peter Diamond is a bit earnest as Delos, but that's being a little picky. 
• I also love that the Doctor doesn't even realise he's supposed to be assassinating Nero until right at the end of the story.

 

Verdict

Right from the start this story is relaxed and full of jokes and silliness, while somehow enforcing what a dangerous and brutal time Nero's reign was. Nero's murders of Tigellinus and the unnamed soldier simply for the sake of it highlight that. Silly as it is, everyone is playing their roles seriously and the danger is all perfectly real. I like Doctor Who like this. Not saving entire planets, just interacting with people and trying to get out alive. I unashamedly love the Romans. It's cosy, funny, fast-paced and just perfect Doctor Who. Definitely an all-time top five for me.