The War Machines
Story 27, Episodes 123-126, Season 3 Episodes 42-45
Doctor: The First Doctor
Companions: Dodo Chaplet, Polly Wright, Ben Jackson
In the Season 3 finale, technological advancement has gone too far. The Doctor faces off against WOTAN in a battle for supremacy of the Earth.
The Review
This story is an odd one to talk about. It probably goes about an episode too long, but the early stuff is tantalizing. Dr. Brett has created WOTAN, a supercomputer that will link up the various computing systems worldwide. Of course this is a big problem because WOTAN decides that humanity is bad and hypnotizes people. These people make war machines that are to be set loose on London. However, the Doctor with the help of ‘Sir Charles’ catches wise and disables two of them, and reprograms one to head to the GPO Tower and destroy WOTAN and free Dr. Brett. The necessity to get a second war machine drags on the story a bit too long, and there’s only so much beeping I can handle.
The story serves as a goodbye for Dodo, who first meets new companion Polly. A hilarious jump cut with Dodo wanting to go to the ‘hot spot in town’ lands them both at the Inferno dance club where Polly cheers up glum sailor Ben. They’re both pretty flirty, and the chemistry is immediately evident. Dodo is freed from her hypnosis and sent off to the country, and she only sends word via Polly that she’s done traveling. Polly also gets hypnotized but manages to save Ben’s life, and Ben becomes critical in stopping WOTAN. The companion departure is quite abrupt if you weren’t expecting it. Polly goads Ben into investigating the TARDIS, and off they go. Finally, Hartnell puts on a classic performance, looking more Doctor-y than ever.
In what amounts to a proto-UNIT tale, the story gets a lot right. Sir Charles is an excellent guest character, but the clumsiness of the War Machines themselves become grating at times, and the final destruction of WOTAN is too easy. But man, it is fun to see the Doctor on the streets of present-day (50 years ago!) London.
8.5/10 A fine finale falls short of perfection
Reviewing Doctor Who from Start to Finish 