Project: Who - The Chase
The Chase
Written by Terry Nation
Directed by Richard Martin
Part 1 - The Executioners
In the Tardis, the Doctor plays with a giant machine he acquired from the Space Museum. Vicki whistles, annoying him. Ian reads a book and Barbara works on a dress for Vicki.
The machine is giving off a loud warning noise, so the others rush in to see what it is. It's some sort of time television, showing various events in history, time and space. Anything they want to see, they can. Ian gets to see Lincoln's speech at Gettysburg. Barbara sees a meeting of the Queen and Shakespeare (foreshadowing The Shakespeare Code?). *In the UK version, Vicki sees the Beetles. It's edited out of this version. Jerks.*
The Tardis lands on a hot planet, which has two suns. Vicki and Ian go exploring while Barbara and the Doctor get to work on their tans.
The Doctor sings ... badly. The machine makes a noise and Barbara asks what that awful noise is. The Doctor asks if she's complaining about his singing. Her response: "No. Not that awful noise. The other one."
She goes inside, and finds the machine is showing Daleks. They have their own time machine. They are coming for the Doctor personally ... They are coming to exterminate the four time travelers.
Vicki and Ian find a ring. Ian picks it up and a trap door opens below them. She goes down to investigate. The Doctor and Barbara desperately look for their friends so they can get the heck out of there.
The trap door closes and a tentacle monster lunges towards them.
On the surface, a sandstorm causes havoc for the Doctor and Barbara. When it's over, they discover the Tardis is gone and the whole landscape has changed. Directly in front of them, a Dalek rises from the sand!
Part 2 - The Death of Time
They are surrounded by Daleks. The Doctor and Barbara find the fish-like Aridians, learning more about the planet's history.
There is an explosion. Ian is knocked out. Vicki runs to find help. The Doctor and Barbara go down into the tunnels. The Doctors force the Aridians to take the Doctor and Barbara prisoner.
The Daleks find the Tardis. Vicki finds them guarding it. She rushes back to find Ian, but finds the others instead, then helps them escape.
Ian wakes up, also finds the Daleks outside the Tardis, then goes back inside and reunites with the others. They trick the Dalek guard and slip inside, quickly departing the planet.
Part 3 - Flight Through Eternity
They arrive in New York City, inside the Empire State Building. American accents are hilarious. They talk with a guy then depart. Almost immediately, the Daleks show up.
Next up, the Mary Celeste. Barbara goes out to get some air, then is captured as a stowaway. Vicki helps her escape. They leave. Then the Daleks show up. Every one of the sailors abandons ship.
Part 4 - Journey Into Terror
They land in a spooky old mansion. The men go off exploring, leaving the frightened women behind.
They find Frankenstein's monster as the women find Dracula. As they explore, the Daleks arrive.
After a chase, the Tardis takes off - without Vicki.
The Daleks depart. They are creating a robot duplicate of the Doctor. They have no idea Vicki is on their time ship.
The Tardis lands in a swamp.
The robot duplicate is to infiltrate and kill the Doctor and his companions.
Part 5 - The Death of Doctor Who
The Doctor, Barbara, and Ian go out to explore the swampy area. They think it would be an excellent place to fight the Daleks.
Vicki explores too, starts screaming, then attracts her companions.
After their brief reunion, Vicki, the real Doctor, and Ian are together. Barbara is with the robot Doctor, who tries to kill her.
The Doctor and his duplicate fight each other.
Later, they discover a beautiful city in the distance. A mechanoid helps them escape the Daleks, presumably taking them to the city.
Part 6 - The Planet of Decision
In the city, they meet Steven Taylor, the new companion.
The Daleks fight the mechanoids while our heroes escape.
The Doctor and Vicki go inside the Daleks ship. Ian and Barbara decide it's time to go home.
Barbara and Ian use the Dalek ship to return to London, 1955, and destroy the ship.
* * *
Damn. This one was painful. Not because it's bad, but because Ian and Barbara are gone. Sure, there have been dozens of companions over the years, but (with Susan) these were the first. And now they're gone, leaving only the replacements Steven and Vicki. Sure they're ok, they're no Barbara and Ian.
As is usual with Terry Nation scripts, it could have easily lost two episodes and not lost a single story beat. He likes to pppppaaaaaadddddddddd his stories. The only time I can recall watching one of his stories and not thinking "this is padding right there" was during Destiny of the Daleks, during the Fourth Doctor's era.
Written by Terry Nation
Directed by Richard Martin
Part 1 - The Executioners
In the Tardis, the Doctor plays with a giant machine he acquired from the Space Museum. Vicki whistles, annoying him. Ian reads a book and Barbara works on a dress for Vicki.
The machine is giving off a loud warning noise, so the others rush in to see what it is. It's some sort of time television, showing various events in history, time and space. Anything they want to see, they can. Ian gets to see Lincoln's speech at Gettysburg. Barbara sees a meeting of the Queen and Shakespeare (foreshadowing The Shakespeare Code?). *In the UK version, Vicki sees the Beetles. It's edited out of this version. Jerks.*
The Tardis lands on a hot planet, which has two suns. Vicki and Ian go exploring while Barbara and the Doctor get to work on their tans.
The Doctor sings ... badly. The machine makes a noise and Barbara asks what that awful noise is. The Doctor asks if she's complaining about his singing. Her response: "No. Not that awful noise. The other one."
She goes inside, and finds the machine is showing Daleks. They have their own time machine. They are coming for the Doctor personally ... They are coming to exterminate the four time travelers.
Vicki and Ian find a ring. Ian picks it up and a trap door opens below them. She goes down to investigate. The Doctor and Barbara desperately look for their friends so they can get the heck out of there.
The trap door closes and a tentacle monster lunges towards them.
On the surface, a sandstorm causes havoc for the Doctor and Barbara. When it's over, they discover the Tardis is gone and the whole landscape has changed. Directly in front of them, a Dalek rises from the sand!
Part 2 - The Death of Time
They are surrounded by Daleks. The Doctor and Barbara find the fish-like Aridians, learning more about the planet's history.
There is an explosion. Ian is knocked out. Vicki runs to find help. The Doctor and Barbara go down into the tunnels. The Doctors force the Aridians to take the Doctor and Barbara prisoner.
The Daleks find the Tardis. Vicki finds them guarding it. She rushes back to find Ian, but finds the others instead, then helps them escape.
Ian wakes up, also finds the Daleks outside the Tardis, then goes back inside and reunites with the others. They trick the Dalek guard and slip inside, quickly departing the planet.
Part 3 - Flight Through Eternity
They arrive in New York City, inside the Empire State Building. American accents are hilarious. They talk with a guy then depart. Almost immediately, the Daleks show up.
Next up, the Mary Celeste. Barbara goes out to get some air, then is captured as a stowaway. Vicki helps her escape. They leave. Then the Daleks show up. Every one of the sailors abandons ship.
Part 4 - Journey Into Terror
They land in a spooky old mansion. The men go off exploring, leaving the frightened women behind.
They find Frankenstein's monster as the women find Dracula. As they explore, the Daleks arrive.
After a chase, the Tardis takes off - without Vicki.
The Daleks depart. They are creating a robot duplicate of the Doctor. They have no idea Vicki is on their time ship.
The Tardis lands in a swamp.
The robot duplicate is to infiltrate and kill the Doctor and his companions.
Part 5 - The Death of Doctor Who
The Doctor, Barbara, and Ian go out to explore the swampy area. They think it would be an excellent place to fight the Daleks.
Vicki explores too, starts screaming, then attracts her companions.
After their brief reunion, Vicki, the real Doctor, and Ian are together. Barbara is with the robot Doctor, who tries to kill her.
The Doctor and his duplicate fight each other.
Later, they discover a beautiful city in the distance. A mechanoid helps them escape the Daleks, presumably taking them to the city.
Part 6 - The Planet of Decision
In the city, they meet Steven Taylor, the new companion.
The Daleks fight the mechanoids while our heroes escape.
The Doctor and Vicki go inside the Daleks ship. Ian and Barbara decide it's time to go home.
Barbara and Ian use the Dalek ship to return to London, 1955, and destroy the ship.
* * *
Damn. This one was painful. Not because it's bad, but because Ian and Barbara are gone. Sure, there have been dozens of companions over the years, but (with Susan) these were the first. And now they're gone, leaving only the replacements Steven and Vicki. Sure they're ok, they're no Barbara and Ian.
As is usual with Terry Nation scripts, it could have easily lost two episodes and not lost a single story beat. He likes to pppppaaaaaadddddddddd his stories. The only time I can recall watching one of his stories and not thinking "this is padding right there" was during Destiny of the Daleks, during the Fourth Doctor's era.