Sunday, November 6, 2011

100,000 B.C.





These two men are not friends.

So the first adventure starts off with The Doctor and Susan having seemingly made amends going over the instruments of the TARDIS. Barbara and Ian soon wake up. Ian doesn't trust The Doctor at all thinking that when the doors open they'll still be in the junkyard on Totter's Lane. Barbara however seems to have accepted her fate and believes the time-travellers; though she doesn't like their situation anymore than Ian. Eventually The Doctor decides to prove that he isn't playing a game (this time) once and for all and finally opens the doors.

The first thing you'll realize about this three-parter is that it would've made for a much better two-parter. Because at least in the world of Dr. Who; cavemen talk too damned much. Guess we haven't evolved as a society past that one.



Za played by
Derek Newark


There are two power struggles that're showcased in these episodes. Both are the fight for leadership and resistance to change. Among the cave people this battle takes place through lengthy and at times boring debates between the leader of the cavemen Za and a stranger to the tribe with odd ideas; Kal. Both of them want to bring fire to the tribe to cement their place in it as leader.

Of course the power struggle we're really interested in during the course of 100,000 B.C. is the one between our travellers. Kal isn't the only stranger with odd ideas because The Doctor assumes he's the leader of his party too. And of course this brings him into contention with our representative from the "real world;" one Ian Chesterton. Ian is naturally protective of both Barbara and Susan and he really doesn't trust The Doctor. And why should he trust a man who so callously uprooted him from his world? But Ian just doesn't want to be leader, he's still internally struggling to maintain his hold on the reality he knows and being in charge gives him some glimmer of hope to do this. Good luck with that Mr. Chesterton.

The odd thing to me is that the action of this story starts out with the kidnapping of the most experienced traveller on the show. The Doctor is out getting herbs and rocks (one of which he's smoking?) when Kal comes along and knocks him upside the head in what he later claims was an epic struggle. Kal has seen The Doctor make fire and he wants him to do so for the cheap win over Za. And The Doctor would. He isn't too concerned about changing history here. But he's lost his matches. Silly Doctor.

Soon the rest of the gang realizes he's missing and run off in search of him only to be captured themselves. From here on out we get long-winded speeches on why the cavemen should or shouldn't kill the strangers until they inevitably escape with the help of an old woman. Women seem to like to cause trouble in 100,000 B.C. The strangers take off through the jungle where we get a heated debate between Ian and The Doctor about who is actually the leader of their little party. It's one of the gems of this serial. Meanwhile Za's woman (whom I think is actually named "Her") has talked him into chasing down The Doctor and company, this way the old man can make fire for them instead. (see? women=trouble)

 

Za and his woman are catching up to the time-travellers when Za is attacked by a creature of some sort. We don't see it just hear it. Barbara hears it too and wants to go back and help. The Doctor is outraged by this show of compassion and then he and Barbara have it out in the second highlight from these episodes. Barbara calls The Doctor selfish and immoral. She's right. Ian as usual is with Barbara and the two of them along with Susan help the bloodied Za. This confuses both The Doctor and Za's woman. And that rascally Doctor not only suggests to Susan that they should head back to the ship and escape without the school teachers; but also attempts to smash an unconscious Za's head in with a rock. The Doctor is a dangerous man indeed; especially when you take into consideration the implication of Susan's line "he's always like this when he doesn't get his way."
Kal played by
Jeremy Young
is outwitted by The Doctor.

The Doctor begrudgingly helps the others get Za back to the TARDIS to fix him up only to be recaptured again by Kal and the rest of the cavemen. This sparks; you guessed it; more caveman debate! Yawn. Though during the course of this one three interesting things actually happen. Both power struggles come to an end. The time-traveller's when Ian gives up and tells Za that The Doctor is their leader and the cavemen's when Za kills Kal. (Ian got off easy that time. Not that the Doctor would ever... oh wait... he would.) And last we get the first glimpse of The Doctor using his superior intelligence to help the crew when he tricks Kal into exposing himself as a murderer which in turn gets the tribe to turn on him.

Za then has the quartet of heroes tied up again and while awaiting their fate Susan picks up one of the skulls in the cave and this sets off a plan which she and the others hatch to escape once and for all. And just in time if you ask me. I thought I might have to listen to the caveman debate team again.

Sliders
another crew
looking for a way home. 
Once back inside the TARDIS Ian demands that The Doctor take him and Barbara home only to learn there's another kink in that plan. Not only does The Doctor not really want to do so; but he doesn't know how to either. He's doesn't know what desitination he's headed to until he gets there and doesn't know how to direct the ship to a specific point in time. Oh boy. (this is a premise other sc-fi shows such as Sliders and (i think) Quantum Leap would use quite effectively years later)

And that's the first adventure. Though it should be pointed out that this is the adventure where we learn about the TARDIS' Chameleon Circuit which is supposed to camoflauge the TARDIS turning it into a variety of things depending on the time period/place they arrive at. It remains broken for most (if not all) of the show's 50 year run. But it is with this adventure that it actually broken according to Susan who finds it strange that it isn't working.

Next up join us as the time-travellers aboard the TARDIS (they aren't a crew just yet) arrive at...

No comments:

Post a Comment