BBC Audio adventure, September 10 - October 1, 1966
Interestingly enough, this is the first Ben and Polly episode but the second-to-last for William Hartnell as the Doctor. They are the first companions to witness the Doctor regenerate into another person. It’s a great way to keep the series going with another person in the title role but what do they do when they reach regeneration #12? That will be mighty tricky as the technology to regenerate is gone forever, according to the current TV show. Something is bound to happen but it can’t be a matter of the Doctor deserving more regenerations. Just how many times do you have to save the universe in order to get more life? And just how many years will the Doctor be 900 something years old? He’s been there since Colin Baker’s time now. Perhaps he’s just got this girly thing going where he doesn’t want to admit hitting “the big 1000.”
Except for the dopey townspeople believing the pirate over Ben and Polly, this adventure has a lot to recommend it. There’s swordplay, gun fighting, witchcraft, and back stabbing galore! I think if I watched this story, I wouldn’t rate it nearly so high but the hidden tunnel, the fights to the death, the rescues are all just great fun. The Squire in particular is the most monumental idiot as he’s all about “you are strangers here!” in not trusting Polly, Ben, and the Doctor. Yet he’ll turn around and treat a pirate, dressed up in the clothing of a ship’s captain (I’m assuming), as an honest man because he’s willing to haul their smuggled goods. All of the crooked townspeople either come around to the law or get killed for their greed in the end. Greed is the final factor for all of the bad guys here. So much for the 1980s and greed is good! But this is Seventeenth Century and the politics of the era are mired in standards of gentlemanly behavior, though this story is sorely lacking in gentlemen, that’s for sure.
It’s a lovely story set in Cornwall. Holy Joe Longfoot sure is trusting, too. The villagers are just goofy in their whole trusting everyone thing, except for the Doctor and companions, of course. Enjoy the stumbling dialog and go along for the ride! It’s a rocketing good time.
William Hartnell, Anneke Willis, and Michael Craze
writer: Brian Hayles
director: Julia Smith