Doctor Who Series (First Doctor) The Reign of Terror
"A Land of Fear" 8 August 1964
"Guests of Madame Guillotine" 15 August 1964
"A Change of Identity" 22 August 1964
"The Tyrant of France" 29 August 1964
"A Bargain of Necessity"
"Prisoners of Conciergerie"
This was an interesting DVD because the missing parts were animated. I was really pleased with another well done historical. There were no monsters or anything, they were just trying to get around in Revolutionary France. I also loved that the Doctor without any companions just started acting however he liked. It was a great episode. Let me get into the plot:
At the beginning, the Doctor believes he has brought Ian and Barbara back to 1963 England. After saying good-bye to Susan, they realize they are not actually in England, but in France during the French Revolution! Susan says that this is her grandfather's favorite part of Earth history.
They run across two soldiers who are trying to escape from Robespierre. A group of soldiers loyal to Robespierre comes to the house (which is part of an escape route) and in a battle, kills the two runaway soldiers after they determine there is a traitor that is leaking information. Ian, Barbara and Susan are captured and marched to Paris where they are to be executed by guillotine. The Doctor has been knocked out in the house, which had been set fire to. Susan believes he has been killed but Barbara is confident the Doctor is still alive.
A young boy rescues the Doctor from the fire and when the Doctor wakes up, tells him his friends have been sent to Conciergerie prison in Paris. The Doctor decides to rescue them and sets off walking to Paris.
Susan and Barbara are sent to one cell and Ian to another. Ian meets an Englishmen who is dying and the man begs Ian to finish his mission: to find an English spy named Stirling and have him return to England. A government official named Lemaitre keeps asking Ian about the conversation he had with Webster prior to his death but Ian reveals nothing. Lemaitre crosses Ian's name off the execution list.
Susan and Barbara are due to be executed, but on their way, they are rescued by two men who make arrangements for them to escape. I was a tad confused as to whether they intended to rescue Susan and Barbara or if they just hijack random prisoners and rescue them.
At the safe house, Susan has become ill and Barbara wants a doctor to be sent for. Unfortunately, they are told that doctors may report them to the regime. Barbara also doesn't want to leave France without Ian and the Doctor, whom Barbara still believes is alive.
The Doctor comes across a man in charge of prisoners who are working on roads. He chats with the man who believes the Doctor is a traitor and puts him to work. The Doctor and the rest of the prisoners trick the man into believing there is buried treasure and the Doctor knocks the man over the head with a pickaxe looking thing.
When the Doctor arrives in Paris, he barters with a tailor for clothes that would make him look like an official. It's quite funny the way the Doctor plays himself off and gets away with it without psychic paper! He arrives with this outfit on to the prison:
Ian, at this point, believes Susan and Barbara have been executed. He has stolen a key and escaped. So when the Doctor arrives, none of his companions are there. The Doctor is summoned to a meeting in his capacity as a senior official with Robespierre and leaves in a rage after Robespierre refuses to listen to any of his advice.
Ian is searching for the English spy Webster mentioned before his death. It turns out the English spy Ian is looking for is the same man who is hiding Susan and Barbara. The traitor is killed in a scuffle and Ian remains free. Barbara has brought Susan to a doctor, and he reports them so they are sent back to prison.
The Doctor releases Barbara saying that she may be able to lead them to more traitors against France. Robespierre wants to meet with the Doctor again the next day, but he's not too keen on it. Robespierre's fall is coming.
Barbara poses as a bar maid in a tavern and they are there for Napolean's planning of a coup against Robespierre. Lemaitre reveals himself to Ian as the English spy Webster was looking for.
The coup against Robespierre has begun and Susan is released from prison. Stirling heads back to England while the Doctor, Susan, Barbara and Ian return to the TARDIS. Susan puts on the Doctor's hat as they are recapping their adventure and it's super cute but I couldn't find a photo online.
The animation was good and not a distraction. I really enjoyed the serial. I watched it a few days ago so I may be missing some plot points. It was a lot of fun though.
"Guests of Madame Guillotine" 15 August 1964
"A Change of Identity" 22 August 1964
"The Tyrant of France" 29 August 1964
"A Bargain of Necessity"
"Prisoners of Conciergerie"
This was an interesting DVD because the missing parts were animated. I was really pleased with another well done historical. There were no monsters or anything, they were just trying to get around in Revolutionary France. I also loved that the Doctor without any companions just started acting however he liked. It was a great episode. Let me get into the plot:
At the beginning, the Doctor believes he has brought Ian and Barbara back to 1963 England. After saying good-bye to Susan, they realize they are not actually in England, but in France during the French Revolution! Susan says that this is her grandfather's favorite part of Earth history.
They run across two soldiers who are trying to escape from Robespierre. A group of soldiers loyal to Robespierre comes to the house (which is part of an escape route) and in a battle, kills the two runaway soldiers after they determine there is a traitor that is leaking information. Ian, Barbara and Susan are captured and marched to Paris where they are to be executed by guillotine. The Doctor has been knocked out in the house, which had been set fire to. Susan believes he has been killed but Barbara is confident the Doctor is still alive.
A young boy rescues the Doctor from the fire and when the Doctor wakes up, tells him his friends have been sent to Conciergerie prison in Paris. The Doctor decides to rescue them and sets off walking to Paris.
Susan and Barbara are sent to one cell and Ian to another. Ian meets an Englishmen who is dying and the man begs Ian to finish his mission: to find an English spy named Stirling and have him return to England. A government official named Lemaitre keeps asking Ian about the conversation he had with Webster prior to his death but Ian reveals nothing. Lemaitre crosses Ian's name off the execution list.
Susan and Barbara are due to be executed, but on their way, they are rescued by two men who make arrangements for them to escape. I was a tad confused as to whether they intended to rescue Susan and Barbara or if they just hijack random prisoners and rescue them.
At the safe house, Susan has become ill and Barbara wants a doctor to be sent for. Unfortunately, they are told that doctors may report them to the regime. Barbara also doesn't want to leave France without Ian and the Doctor, whom Barbara still believes is alive.
The Doctor comes across a man in charge of prisoners who are working on roads. He chats with the man who believes the Doctor is a traitor and puts him to work. The Doctor and the rest of the prisoners trick the man into believing there is buried treasure and the Doctor knocks the man over the head with a pickaxe looking thing.
When the Doctor arrives in Paris, he barters with a tailor for clothes that would make him look like an official. It's quite funny the way the Doctor plays himself off and gets away with it without psychic paper! He arrives with this outfit on to the prison:
Ian, at this point, believes Susan and Barbara have been executed. He has stolen a key and escaped. So when the Doctor arrives, none of his companions are there. The Doctor is summoned to a meeting in his capacity as a senior official with Robespierre and leaves in a rage after Robespierre refuses to listen to any of his advice.
Ian is searching for the English spy Webster mentioned before his death. It turns out the English spy Ian is looking for is the same man who is hiding Susan and Barbara. The traitor is killed in a scuffle and Ian remains free. Barbara has brought Susan to a doctor, and he reports them so they are sent back to prison.
The Doctor releases Barbara saying that she may be able to lead them to more traitors against France. Robespierre wants to meet with the Doctor again the next day, but he's not too keen on it. Robespierre's fall is coming.
Barbara poses as a bar maid in a tavern and they are there for Napolean's planning of a coup against Robespierre. Lemaitre reveals himself to Ian as the English spy Webster was looking for.
The coup against Robespierre has begun and Susan is released from prison. Stirling heads back to England while the Doctor, Susan, Barbara and Ian return to the TARDIS. Susan puts on the Doctor's hat as they are recapping their adventure and it's super cute but I couldn't find a photo online.
The animation was good and not a distraction. I really enjoyed the serial. I watched it a few days ago so I may be missing some plot points. It was a lot of fun though.