BBC Audio drama, October 8 - 29, 1966
The story has some serious rough spots as the Cybermen come and go on the base, taking it over, then losing control, then taking over again. Things get chaotic and a bit crazy at times, which would be fine except it’s almost like they’re throwing the story together as they go! The storyline seems pretty set in general—Ben, Polly, and the Doctor end up at the base at the South Pole, Mondas shows up, and all hell breaks loose. William Hartnell’s irascible nature is in full form here. He’s almost not acting but spitting out his lines like “why should I be bothered.” I like how Ben and Polly step up to the challenge and take charge at times, which the Doctor would normally do.
In true classic, BBC story style, lines are flubbed, timing is off on lines, Cybermen are apparently barely foaming when they die, and radiation is now their main enemy that can kill them. I guess I should say that it IS their weak point in this tale but that doesn’t make much sense and certainly doesn’t fit in with the rest of the Cyberman mythology in Dr. Who. That’s forgivable since it’s the first story that they’re in but with Mondas’s history, of wobbling away and its inhabitants being exposed to the radiation of the galaxy, why would radiation kill them off? I can sort of buy it as they should now be immune to most things like that but they just, perhaps, didn’t think of that one? But it still doesn’t make sense as the planet’s come back around to drain Earth and they’ve been exposed to radiation on the way! Plus the people just walk right into the reactor and pick up the fuel rods to kill the Cybermen. Then they just leave them sitting around in the hallways? Oh my but that seems to be a level of crazy, voodoo science to me… They knew about radiation and it’s affects back in 1966 already! Come on, guys.
Since the Cybermen are my favorite Dr. Who villain, it’s difficult to give them such a low rating but honestly, though the voices make me laugh, The Moonbase is a much better story in general, not quite so disjointed. I think the primary downfall of this story is due to the acting, though William Hartnell was suffering from arteriosclerosis at this point. He didn’t die until almost 10 years later, on April 23, 1975. He did acting work directly after leaving Dr. Who and later claimed that he didn’t want to leave the job but the truth has been lost to history. Wikipedia has a very interesting article on him. But it’s a mess, this story. The first time Patrick Troughton shows up and his personality gradually will take over to make things a bit more stable around the set, at least. He’s definitely one of my favorite Doctors! Colin Baker and Patrick Troughton. The Two Doctors!
William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Anneke Willis, and Michael Craze
writers: Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis (episodes 3 & 4)
director: Derek Martinus