Doctor Who 2.04 The Romans
First Doctor with Ian, Barbara and Vicki
Follows on from Season One, Planet of Giants, The Dalek Invasion of Earth and The Rescue
VICKI: "But they might try and kill you again."
DOCTOR: "Well, of course they might. But who am I to worry about such little things like that?"
Overview
Oh, The Romans is fun Doctor Who's first real foray into outright comedy. The historical setting of Nero's Rome doesn't provide the most obvious subject matter for comedy, and the humour of this serial is often at odds with the grimness of the story being told, but strangely enough that dissonance between tone and subject is what makes the serial work so well. Taking this light, humorous approach is the only way Doctor Who could get away with telling such a dark and bleak tale, packed full of danger, trauma and moral ambiguity.
The Romans is a pure historical, probably my favourite First Doctor genre, and, for such a low budget show, the attention to detail is lavish even if treated as farce rather than serious drama. This serial suffers from all the drawbacks one expects from the show in this era flimsy sets, theatrical production values, and so on yet somehow none of that matters because on the flip side it is also very cleverly written and creatively directed, stuffed full of witty word-play, with beautiful costumes, a highly entertaining story and characters who have never been more engaging.
Since the show was heavily serialised in this era, this story was set up at the end of the last adventure, The Rescue, which saw the TARDIS materialise on the edge of a cliff and promptly fall off. The Romans picks up where that scene left off, showing us the TARDIS lying at the foot of that cliff at a precarious angle before revealing that we have actually had the show's very first significant time jump between adventures, as it turns out that several weeks have passed. Having found themselves in Italy during the reign of Nero, the Doctor and his friends have decided to take a holiday and have moved into a vacant villa to immerse themselves in the local culture, leaving the poor old TARDIS where she fell. At this stage in his life, the Doctor had no trouble settling on Earth for significant periods of time and Team TARDIS really does spend a significant period of time in ancient Rome during this adventure, which spans at least two months, not counting the weeks that passed before we join them there. Watching the group just living their daily lives in what to them is a completely alien culture at the beginning of the story is just adorable, but then old hand Barbara warns impatient newcomer Vicki that adventures come without anyone having to look for them, and, sure enough, they are soon up to their eyeballs in adventure and intrigue. The Doctor and Vicki travel to Rome under an assumed identity and instantly become embroiled in court conspiracy, while Ian and Barbara are sold into slavery and spend the rest of the serial battling to survive, find each other and escape.
This was a time of transition for the show, with the Doctor's beloved granddaughter Susan having been left on Earth in the 22nd century two serials previously, while cute-as-a-button space-age orphan Vicki was picked up in the last adventure, The Rescue. With Ian and Barbara well into their second season with the Doctor, young Vicki now takes on the role of audience identification figure, asking all the obvious questions the first time a non-contemporary character took on that role. This serial is used to develop Vicki's fledgling relationship with the Doctor, who has taken her under his wing as surrogate granddaughter, so they spend most of their time together, navigating the politics and intrigues of Nero's court and having an absolute blast so doing. This is the oldest body the Doctor has ever had, yet he has never seemed as young as he does here; the First Doctor is more famous for being a grumpy old curmudgeon, but watching this serial with the benefit of hindsight drives home just how very young he really was at the time. He will never be this carefree again. This story also sees the start of a shift in the Doctor's policy on non-intervention, as he starts out by lecturing Vicki about not interfering with the course of history before accidentally (or maybe not so accidentally) doing just that and is highly entertained by the part he played in Nero's story. From this point on, he becomes ever more willing to become involved in influencing events as they unfold.
The pattern of the show over the last 50 years has predominantly been that characters come aboard the TARDIS as companions of the Doctor and therefore their primary relationship is always with him. Ian and Barbara are almost unique, therefore, in that their primary relationship has always been with each other. They were already good friends before they met the Doctor and their adventures with him have strengthened and deepened that bond; their scenes together in this serial are playful, flirtatious and intimate. Upon being captured and sold into slavery, they are anxious that the Doctor might leave without them, but it is each other that they rely on to get out of their predicament, not him, and, having been separated, each is wholly focused on finding the other. Their faith in each other is deeply touching and their delight when they are finally reunited, safe and sound, is beautiful to watch. I don't think they miss the Doctor or Vicki at all during their time apart, since they are so wrapped up in each other!
Observations
Random thoughts while watching:
We see a lot of Ian's bare legs in this serial. This is a good thing. Seriously. We kick off the story in episode one, 'The Slave Traders', with a good look at naked knees beneath artfully draped robes and the trend continues from there. Also, I absolutely adore his boots. Yep, yep, Ian is at his finest in this story!
Oh, so much banter. The writing for this story is really strong, and it's one of those serials where you can really see how much fun the actors had making it the chemistry between the four leads is excellent. They are so relaxed and at ease with each other, it's just lovely to watch them bouncing off one other. The jokes come thick and fast, some obvious, others more subtle my favourite is the latest riff off the recurring gag of the Doctor getting Ian's name wrong.
I think this must be the most relaxing adventure the Doctor ever has. Ian and Barbara have a pretty traumatic time of it, but the Doctor himself has the time of his life, matching wits with Nero (not difficult) for him, this really is a holiday! He just seems to be enjoying himself so very much throughout, full of youthful exuberance and playfulness a far cry from the worn-down, angst-ridden figure he has become in the rebooted show. This is the Doctor in his youth, before all the wars and the loss.
Vicki is just the cutest thing, but she also kind of makes me sad because the way she is written highlights just how poorly Susan was served by the writing. The initial concept for Susan had so much potential. She was presented to us as this ethereal, otherworldly girl, mysterious and well-travelled, every bit as much an alien as her grandfather but after those promising beginnings she quickly degenerated, written mostly as weak, anxious and clingy. This characterisation served a purpose, as Susan's intense vulnerability provided the first common ground between the Doctor and his reluctant human companions, but all the potential behind the concept of Susan's character was completely wasted. The way Vicki is written shows us what Susan could have been, her sweetness and naivety combined with energy and enthusiasm, curiosity and the desire for adventure and exploration. In that sense, Vicki is a much better match for the Doctor than Susan was, as their mutual glee over their escapades in this story demonstrates. Unlike the restless Vicki, Susan would have been perfectly happy to live for a while in a quiet, sleepy little Roman village and certainly wouldn't have become bored so quickly!
Barbara was always very motherly with Susan, an extension of her role as the girl's teacher, and she seems to have fallen very much into the same dynamic with Vicki I love that scene of the two of them shopping together in the forum, Vicki all excited about the pretty things while Barbara acts as a brake on the girl's exuberance and tries to teach her how to haggle!
We learn that Team TARDIS are supporting themselves by selling garden produce from their borrowed villa. For some reason this little factoid pleases me immensely. The Third Doctor made a big deal about not needing a salary when he was exiled on Earth, because he still had the TARDIS, which supplied all his needs it was his way of resisting the full implications of his exile, holding himself aloof from the society in which he was trapped. That choice there stands in stark contrast to the choice the First Doctor and his companions have made here to become part of the community in this way, learning how Roman society worked by immersing themselves in it and contributing to the local economy instead of just relying on the TARDIS to supply all their needs.
The Doctor might be at his most light-hearted in this story, but he is still imperious and easily affronted that's just who he is! He's very mercurial. One moment he's trading banter with Ian, the next he's taken umbrage at some perceived slight and uses it as an excuse to take himself off on a private little excursion of his own except that he relents to allow Vicki to come with him, as his petted surrogate granddaughter. It really is just an excuse, as well he's been living in one place for several weeks now, long enough for him to grow restless and want to explore further afield.
Ian and Barbara are left with the villa to themselves and are just impossibly cute. I never normally 'ship' couples in the shows I watch, because I enjoy seeing a wide variety of different relationships play out and so tend not to imagine romance where none was intended, but I defy anyone to watch these two horsing around in this story and not ship them! Lounging around enjoying one another's company, playing jokes on each other, Barbara combing a reluctant Ian's hair to make him look more Roman (a bit late, if they've been there weeks already) they are just too cute for words!
Also, Barbara looks gorgeous in her floaty Roman dress. She tends to be quite a serious-minded character, so I love that we get to see her laughing and having fun in this serial, if only at the very beginning and end.
Barbara is a bit rubbish in a fight, however in keeping with the farcical tone of the story, when she and Ian are attacked by slave traders, she manages to hit Ian over the head with an urn instead of his attacker, just when Ian was holding his own in the fight! And thus they are both captured.
So Ian and Barbara find themselves sold into slavery. Barbara is deeply distressed, and who can blame her? Ian remains stalwart for her sake, but both are worried that the Doctor might not wait for them if he gets back to the villa and finds them gone. I can't imagine any of his later companions harbouring such concerns, but the First Doctor really was that contrary and unpredictable! Then when Ian is quickly sold, leaving Barbara alone, she is distraught it's a great performance by Jacqueline Hill. In a mostly comic serial, this moment is allowed to be completely serious, as Ian is dragged away yelling to Barbara that he will find her, and Barbara can only scream after him in distress.
The Doctor and Vicki's storyline is far more light-hearted, seeing them stumble upon the corpse of murdered lyre player Maximus Pettulian, prompting the Doctor, suspecting foul play, to take the man's place, travelling to Rome to play the lyre before Caesar Nero himself. Since Maximus was murdered to prevent him reaching Rome, however, their journey is not without incident, episode two 'All Roads Lead to Rome' providing the Doctor with a rare opportunity for this his First incarnation to indulge in an actual fist-fight, which he does with aplomb followed by a spot of his favourite past-time: name-dropping! I love how amused Vicki is by his boastfulness. He really is in high spirits in this story, although he is also totally projecting Susan onto Vicki.
We are told that it takes 34 days for Barbara's slave convoy to reach Rome 34 days of forced marching and privation, fear and dread and despair. No wonder they gloss over that part!
One of Barbara's primary characteristics is her dignity, which she maintains throughout her ordeal as a slave. Another is her compassion, which is what ultimately saves her, as her attempt to care for a sick fellow slave is what catches the eye of Caesar's procurement officer Tavius, who first secures a relatively cushy position for her in Nero's palace and then later aids her escape. Tavius turns out to be one of the very earliest Christians in Rome, which is the motivation for his humanitarian efforts.
We aren't told what Ian has been doing for the bulk of the 34 days that Barbara spent on the road, but we are told that the last five of those days were spent at sea, chained to a pair of oars as a galley slave. The First Doctor's companions had it pretty rough at times! Disappointingly, although the majority of the slaves in the galley are bare-chested, Ian still has his top on. He is flashing a lot of leg, however, and is all stubbly and scruffy and grim, which looks good on him.
One of Ian's chief characteristics is his determination, which shines through here. He has made friends with fellow slave Delos and together they make every effort to escape before they lose sight of land. Their plan is feeble and fails at once, but at least they tried! And then fate takes pity on them and allows a shipwreck to achieve what they couldn't. The effects used for the shipwreck are as feeble as Ian's escape plan, but, you know, it was 1965, so we can forgive that.
With the Doctor, Vicki and Barbara all in Rome at the same time, near misses become the order of the day, with the action carefully choreographed so that they come close but never actually see each other, passing like ships in the night these are among the most farcical elements of the plot, but the comic timing of all involved makes them work.
Ian seems quite fortunate in his new friend Delos he wouldn't have survived that shipwreck without him! I love the faces he pulls as Delos uses a rock to break his chains. I like Delos. He's very loyal to Ian, choosing to support him in journeying to Rome in search of Barbara instead of making a run for it while the going is good. Of course, upon arrival in Rome they immediately get themselves captured again and this time face the unnerving prospect of fighting against stock footage of lions in the arena!
Poor Barbara. No sooner is she ensconced in her supposedly safe and easy new job as handmaiden to the Empress Poppaea, as episode three 'Conspiracy' opens, than she finds herself having to fend off the unwanted sexual advances of Nero himself this serial might take a darkly humorous approach, but it doesn't shy away from the barbarity of this era of human history. Barbara is in an awful position here, trapped and helpless, and so is Ian only the Doctor and Vicki are still having a good time.
I love Poppaea's headdress and hairdo.
I love how careful Barbara is, playing along with the position she finds herself in, biding her time, waiting for an opportunity to escape, her resolve absolutely unwavering.
Nero and his incompetence and pratfalls are all a bit Carry On, really, but actor Derek Francis does a great job with the role his comic timing is excellent.
Stubbly despondency looks good on Ian.
The Doctor and Vicki's sub-plot revolves around court intrigue and attempted assassination, with Vicki unknowingly thwarting Poppaea's jealous attempt at poisoning Barbara by swapping her cup for Nero's, admitting what she has done to the Doctor with blithe unconcern, and the Doctor then hastily saving Nero's life in order to preserve history, so that Nero casually gives the poison to an annoying slave instead! The darkness and moral ambiguity in all this is very much skated over, with the tone remaining comedic throughout. This is the Doctor at his most irresponsible and teenage!
The sight of the towel-clad First Doctor lounging around in the sauna with Nero is one that'll stick with you!
The 'Emperor's New Tunes' trick that the Doctor plays on Nero and his court by way of avoiding having to admit that he can't play the lyre is hilarious because absolutely nobody is fooled but none of them can admit it court etiquette won't allow it! So he gets away with the outrageous ruse, name-dropping happily to his heart's content.
Ian and his friend Delos are told that they must fight each other in the arena for Nero's entertainment, and this is one of those scenes that are taken completely seriously by this otherwise highly comedic serial. Delos belongs to this culture, takes it for granted, and so accepts their fate without question, solemnly promising Ian that if he wins, he will make it a quick death. Then Ian and Barbara finally catch sight of one another, under the worst possible circumstances, as Nero has brought Barbara to watch the entertainment and she can only stare in horror as Ian and Delos fight. Ian does pretty well, considering, but Delos soon gets the better of him, providing us with our dramatic episode three cliffhanger which is resolved in the opening seconds of episode four, 'Inferno', as friendship wins out over custom and culture. Rather than kill his friend, Delos chooses the apparently suicidal option of charging at the guards instead. Miraculously, he and Ian manage to successfully fight their way out of the arena to freedom! Alas, though, they are forced to leave Barbara behind. It all has to be taken with a large pinch of salt, given the low production values and very stagey choreography, but on an emotional level it's all excellent stuff topped off by a wonderfully suspenseful moment when a furious Nero takes a sword from a guard and for a second it really, really looks as if he has stabbed Barbara with it. But no, it was the guard he killed, and Barbara lives to plot escape attempts another day.
The seemingly shady Tavius turns out to be a rather lovely character, in the end he is certainly the only person Barbara can turn to for help, and since he knows that Poppaea wants to get rid of her, he is only too happy now to help her escape. I love how confident she is that Ian will find a way of reaching her, now that he knows where she is those two have so much faith in each other.
I love that moment when Ian tells Delos that he is going to take a leaf out of the Doctor's book and just dive in, rather than worry about planning for contingencies! The Doctor's love of improvisation was one of his earliest characteristics, and is one that has stayed with him ever since!
After all his lecturing of Vicki about not influencing the course of history, the Doctor manages to accidentally give Nero the idea of burning Rome down so that he can rebuild it to his own design. The fire, of course, was a terrible catastrophe for Rome, which doesn't sit well with the Doctor's self-satisfied glee when he realises what he has done, but I do love that little moment he and Vicki share, as they watch the city burn and Vicki marvels over this incredible opportunity to actually watch history unfold.
With the help of Delos and Tavius, Ian and Barbara are reunited at last and their joy is just adorable. They then, of course, face a long and arduous journey back to their borrowed villa in Assessium, Delos travelling part of the way with them, but that journey is very much glossed over. If it took 34 days for Barbara's slave convoy to travel to Rome, though, one has to assume that it must take about the same length of time to make the reverse journey they make it back without further incident, however, and somehow avoid running into the Doctor and Vicki along the way, despite the fact that they should all be following roughly the same route at the same time!
Back in the relative safety of their still-vacant villa, Ian and Barbara are back to being impossibly cute, teasing each other and horsing around and just generally being happy to be together and grateful for the chance to finally relax once more which sets up the final joke of the serial, as the Doctor and Vicki return to find them both asleep, assume that they have been lounging around doing nothing the whole time, and won't let them get a word in edgeways to tell their story. At least they can see the funny side!
I am very amused by the way Ian and Barbara very gently try to explain to Vicki that the Doctor can't actually steer the TARDIS and then, of course, we get the standard cliffhanger ending to lead us into the next story: The Web Planet.
Quotable Quotes
VICKI: "Come on, Barbara."
BARBARA: "Oh, Vicki, there's no need to be in such a hurry. The village isn't going to run away."
BARBARA: "The adventures come without us looking for them."
VICKI: "French isn't invented yet."
DOCTOR: "How many times do I have to tell you that the TARDIS is quite safe where it is it can take off from any angle."
VICKI: "Well, it's all right living here, but it's boring! No wonder he gets irritable."
IAN: "Ha. That's got nothing to do with living here, believe me."
IAN: "You never told us you were going away."
DOCTOR: "Oh? Well, I don't know that I was under any obligation to report my movements to you, Chesterfield."
BARBARA: "Chesterton."
DOCTOR: "Oh, Barbara's calling you."
BARBARA: "No, I was just thinking what a splendid looking Roman you make."
IAN: "Oh. Well, yes, if I wasn't so modest, I'd agree with you."
BARBARA: "It's a pity there's just one thing out of place."
IAN: "Oh, where?"
BARBARA: "That hair."
IAN: "What about another drink?"
BARBARA: "Oh, yes, I'd love one. Thank you."
IAN: "No ice, I'm afraid."
BARBARA: "There's some in the fridge."
IAN: "Ah. [starts to leave the room before the penny drops] Very funny, very funny. "
BARBARA: "You went!"
IAN: "Well, here's to the first fridge."
BARBARA: "Cheers."
VICKI: "But Doctor, you don't even know your own name."
DOCTOR: "You know, I am so constantly outwitting the opposition, I tend to forget the delights and satisfaction of the arts, the gentle art of fisticuffs."
VICKI: "I realise you're a man of many talents, Doctor, but I didn't know fighting was one of them."
DOCTOR: "My dear, I am one of the best. Do you know it was I that used to teach the Mountain Mauler of Montana!"
VICKI: "But they might try and kill you again."
DOCTOR: "Well, of course they might. But who am I to worry about such little things like that, hmm?"
DELOS: "Now what?"
IAN: "To tell you the truth, Delos, I hadn't really thought."
DELOS: "Well, I suggest you start."
DOCTOR: "And remember, we're only here as observers. We must not interfere with the course of progress, or try to accelerate man's achievements or progress."
VICKI: "Oh, I'll do what you say, Doctor, but it does seem a bit of a waste."
DOCTOR: "It's the old fairy story, child. The Emperor's New Clothes. Yes, I gave it as an idea to Hans Anderson."
IAN: "I've got a friend who specialises in trouble. He dives in and usually finds a way. I think I'll take a leaf out of his book for once."
VICKI: "I didn't think that was going to work."
DOCTOR: "Wasn't going to work? What next. I never had any doubt in my mind, my dear."
VICKI: "Doctor. Look."
DOCTOR: "Oh. The great fire of Rome, my dear."
VICKI: "My first real sight of history."
DOCTOR: "Yes, a most memorable occasion."
VICKI: "Isn't it strange to think that people will read about that in books for thousands and thousands of years and here am I sitting here actually watching it. It's a pity they got it all wrong."
DOCTOR: "Hmm? Got it all wrong? What do you mean, child?"
VICKI: "Well, they didn't mention you."
DOCTOR: "Of course not. Why should they?"
VICKI: "Well, it was you who gave Nero the idea, wasn't it?"
DOCTOR: "I? Gave him ?"
VICKI: "Honestly, Doctor, and after that long talk you gave me about not meddling with history, you ought to be ashamed of yourself."
DOCTOR: "It's got nothing to do with me."
VICKI: "You burnt his drawings."
DOCTOR: "Oh, yes, an accident."
VICKI: "Well, maybe it was but if you hadn't "
DOCTOR: "Well, he could have he could have he would have been told by someone else. You can't possibly accuse me of that."
VICKI: "All right, you have it your way, I'll have it mine."
IAN: "Barbara, there must be a bit of that cold peacock of yours left in the fridge."
BARBARA: "Hey, you're right!"
IAN: "Why don't you have a look?"
BARBARA: "Oh, very funny!"
DOCTOR [upon finding Ian and Barbara asleep]: "Oh, what zest, what youthful exuberance! Try not to look at them, child. Their outburst of energy could make you go dizzy."
VICKI: "Where will we go next? Has the Doctor told you yet?"
BARBARA: "Oh, no, he never does that."
VICKI: "You mean it's a surprise?"
IAN: "Er, yes. To everybody."
VICKI: "But the Doctor can work the ship can't he?"
BARBARA: "Er, yes."
IAN: "Sort of."
The Verdict
All in all, this is a delightful, irreverent and highly entertaining serial, one I would recommend to anyone!
written November 2012, slightly revised July 2013
Follows on from Season One, Planet of Giants, The Dalek Invasion of Earth and The Rescue
VICKI: "But they might try and kill you again."
DOCTOR: "Well, of course they might. But who am I to worry about such little things like that?"
Overview
Oh, The Romans is fun Doctor Who's first real foray into outright comedy. The historical setting of Nero's Rome doesn't provide the most obvious subject matter for comedy, and the humour of this serial is often at odds with the grimness of the story being told, but strangely enough that dissonance between tone and subject is what makes the serial work so well. Taking this light, humorous approach is the only way Doctor Who could get away with telling such a dark and bleak tale, packed full of danger, trauma and moral ambiguity.
The Romans is a pure historical, probably my favourite First Doctor genre, and, for such a low budget show, the attention to detail is lavish even if treated as farce rather than serious drama. This serial suffers from all the drawbacks one expects from the show in this era flimsy sets, theatrical production values, and so on yet somehow none of that matters because on the flip side it is also very cleverly written and creatively directed, stuffed full of witty word-play, with beautiful costumes, a highly entertaining story and characters who have never been more engaging.
Since the show was heavily serialised in this era, this story was set up at the end of the last adventure, The Rescue, which saw the TARDIS materialise on the edge of a cliff and promptly fall off. The Romans picks up where that scene left off, showing us the TARDIS lying at the foot of that cliff at a precarious angle before revealing that we have actually had the show's very first significant time jump between adventures, as it turns out that several weeks have passed. Having found themselves in Italy during the reign of Nero, the Doctor and his friends have decided to take a holiday and have moved into a vacant villa to immerse themselves in the local culture, leaving the poor old TARDIS where she fell. At this stage in his life, the Doctor had no trouble settling on Earth for significant periods of time and Team TARDIS really does spend a significant period of time in ancient Rome during this adventure, which spans at least two months, not counting the weeks that passed before we join them there. Watching the group just living their daily lives in what to them is a completely alien culture at the beginning of the story is just adorable, but then old hand Barbara warns impatient newcomer Vicki that adventures come without anyone having to look for them, and, sure enough, they are soon up to their eyeballs in adventure and intrigue. The Doctor and Vicki travel to Rome under an assumed identity and instantly become embroiled in court conspiracy, while Ian and Barbara are sold into slavery and spend the rest of the serial battling to survive, find each other and escape.
This was a time of transition for the show, with the Doctor's beloved granddaughter Susan having been left on Earth in the 22nd century two serials previously, while cute-as-a-button space-age orphan Vicki was picked up in the last adventure, The Rescue. With Ian and Barbara well into their second season with the Doctor, young Vicki now takes on the role of audience identification figure, asking all the obvious questions the first time a non-contemporary character took on that role. This serial is used to develop Vicki's fledgling relationship with the Doctor, who has taken her under his wing as surrogate granddaughter, so they spend most of their time together, navigating the politics and intrigues of Nero's court and having an absolute blast so doing. This is the oldest body the Doctor has ever had, yet he has never seemed as young as he does here; the First Doctor is more famous for being a grumpy old curmudgeon, but watching this serial with the benefit of hindsight drives home just how very young he really was at the time. He will never be this carefree again. This story also sees the start of a shift in the Doctor's policy on non-intervention, as he starts out by lecturing Vicki about not interfering with the course of history before accidentally (or maybe not so accidentally) doing just that and is highly entertained by the part he played in Nero's story. From this point on, he becomes ever more willing to become involved in influencing events as they unfold.
The pattern of the show over the last 50 years has predominantly been that characters come aboard the TARDIS as companions of the Doctor and therefore their primary relationship is always with him. Ian and Barbara are almost unique, therefore, in that their primary relationship has always been with each other. They were already good friends before they met the Doctor and their adventures with him have strengthened and deepened that bond; their scenes together in this serial are playful, flirtatious and intimate. Upon being captured and sold into slavery, they are anxious that the Doctor might leave without them, but it is each other that they rely on to get out of their predicament, not him, and, having been separated, each is wholly focused on finding the other. Their faith in each other is deeply touching and their delight when they are finally reunited, safe and sound, is beautiful to watch. I don't think they miss the Doctor or Vicki at all during their time apart, since they are so wrapped up in each other!
Observations
Random thoughts while watching:
We see a lot of Ian's bare legs in this serial. This is a good thing. Seriously. We kick off the story in episode one, 'The Slave Traders', with a good look at naked knees beneath artfully draped robes and the trend continues from there. Also, I absolutely adore his boots. Yep, yep, Ian is at his finest in this story!
Oh, so much banter. The writing for this story is really strong, and it's one of those serials where you can really see how much fun the actors had making it the chemistry between the four leads is excellent. They are so relaxed and at ease with each other, it's just lovely to watch them bouncing off one other. The jokes come thick and fast, some obvious, others more subtle my favourite is the latest riff off the recurring gag of the Doctor getting Ian's name wrong.
I think this must be the most relaxing adventure the Doctor ever has. Ian and Barbara have a pretty traumatic time of it, but the Doctor himself has the time of his life, matching wits with Nero (not difficult) for him, this really is a holiday! He just seems to be enjoying himself so very much throughout, full of youthful exuberance and playfulness a far cry from the worn-down, angst-ridden figure he has become in the rebooted show. This is the Doctor in his youth, before all the wars and the loss.
Vicki is just the cutest thing, but she also kind of makes me sad because the way she is written highlights just how poorly Susan was served by the writing. The initial concept for Susan had so much potential. She was presented to us as this ethereal, otherworldly girl, mysterious and well-travelled, every bit as much an alien as her grandfather but after those promising beginnings she quickly degenerated, written mostly as weak, anxious and clingy. This characterisation served a purpose, as Susan's intense vulnerability provided the first common ground between the Doctor and his reluctant human companions, but all the potential behind the concept of Susan's character was completely wasted. The way Vicki is written shows us what Susan could have been, her sweetness and naivety combined with energy and enthusiasm, curiosity and the desire for adventure and exploration. In that sense, Vicki is a much better match for the Doctor than Susan was, as their mutual glee over their escapades in this story demonstrates. Unlike the restless Vicki, Susan would have been perfectly happy to live for a while in a quiet, sleepy little Roman village and certainly wouldn't have become bored so quickly!
Barbara was always very motherly with Susan, an extension of her role as the girl's teacher, and she seems to have fallen very much into the same dynamic with Vicki I love that scene of the two of them shopping together in the forum, Vicki all excited about the pretty things while Barbara acts as a brake on the girl's exuberance and tries to teach her how to haggle!
We learn that Team TARDIS are supporting themselves by selling garden produce from their borrowed villa. For some reason this little factoid pleases me immensely. The Third Doctor made a big deal about not needing a salary when he was exiled on Earth, because he still had the TARDIS, which supplied all his needs it was his way of resisting the full implications of his exile, holding himself aloof from the society in which he was trapped. That choice there stands in stark contrast to the choice the First Doctor and his companions have made here to become part of the community in this way, learning how Roman society worked by immersing themselves in it and contributing to the local economy instead of just relying on the TARDIS to supply all their needs.
The Doctor might be at his most light-hearted in this story, but he is still imperious and easily affronted that's just who he is! He's very mercurial. One moment he's trading banter with Ian, the next he's taken umbrage at some perceived slight and uses it as an excuse to take himself off on a private little excursion of his own except that he relents to allow Vicki to come with him, as his petted surrogate granddaughter. It really is just an excuse, as well he's been living in one place for several weeks now, long enough for him to grow restless and want to explore further afield.
Ian and Barbara are left with the villa to themselves and are just impossibly cute. I never normally 'ship' couples in the shows I watch, because I enjoy seeing a wide variety of different relationships play out and so tend not to imagine romance where none was intended, but I defy anyone to watch these two horsing around in this story and not ship them! Lounging around enjoying one another's company, playing jokes on each other, Barbara combing a reluctant Ian's hair to make him look more Roman (a bit late, if they've been there weeks already) they are just too cute for words!
Also, Barbara looks gorgeous in her floaty Roman dress. She tends to be quite a serious-minded character, so I love that we get to see her laughing and having fun in this serial, if only at the very beginning and end.
Barbara is a bit rubbish in a fight, however in keeping with the farcical tone of the story, when she and Ian are attacked by slave traders, she manages to hit Ian over the head with an urn instead of his attacker, just when Ian was holding his own in the fight! And thus they are both captured.
So Ian and Barbara find themselves sold into slavery. Barbara is deeply distressed, and who can blame her? Ian remains stalwart for her sake, but both are worried that the Doctor might not wait for them if he gets back to the villa and finds them gone. I can't imagine any of his later companions harbouring such concerns, but the First Doctor really was that contrary and unpredictable! Then when Ian is quickly sold, leaving Barbara alone, she is distraught it's a great performance by Jacqueline Hill. In a mostly comic serial, this moment is allowed to be completely serious, as Ian is dragged away yelling to Barbara that he will find her, and Barbara can only scream after him in distress.
The Doctor and Vicki's storyline is far more light-hearted, seeing them stumble upon the corpse of murdered lyre player Maximus Pettulian, prompting the Doctor, suspecting foul play, to take the man's place, travelling to Rome to play the lyre before Caesar Nero himself. Since Maximus was murdered to prevent him reaching Rome, however, their journey is not without incident, episode two 'All Roads Lead to Rome' providing the Doctor with a rare opportunity for this his First incarnation to indulge in an actual fist-fight, which he does with aplomb followed by a spot of his favourite past-time: name-dropping! I love how amused Vicki is by his boastfulness. He really is in high spirits in this story, although he is also totally projecting Susan onto Vicki.
We are told that it takes 34 days for Barbara's slave convoy to reach Rome 34 days of forced marching and privation, fear and dread and despair. No wonder they gloss over that part!
One of Barbara's primary characteristics is her dignity, which she maintains throughout her ordeal as a slave. Another is her compassion, which is what ultimately saves her, as her attempt to care for a sick fellow slave is what catches the eye of Caesar's procurement officer Tavius, who first secures a relatively cushy position for her in Nero's palace and then later aids her escape. Tavius turns out to be one of the very earliest Christians in Rome, which is the motivation for his humanitarian efforts.
We aren't told what Ian has been doing for the bulk of the 34 days that Barbara spent on the road, but we are told that the last five of those days were spent at sea, chained to a pair of oars as a galley slave. The First Doctor's companions had it pretty rough at times! Disappointingly, although the majority of the slaves in the galley are bare-chested, Ian still has his top on. He is flashing a lot of leg, however, and is all stubbly and scruffy and grim, which looks good on him.
One of Ian's chief characteristics is his determination, which shines through here. He has made friends with fellow slave Delos and together they make every effort to escape before they lose sight of land. Their plan is feeble and fails at once, but at least they tried! And then fate takes pity on them and allows a shipwreck to achieve what they couldn't. The effects used for the shipwreck are as feeble as Ian's escape plan, but, you know, it was 1965, so we can forgive that.
With the Doctor, Vicki and Barbara all in Rome at the same time, near misses become the order of the day, with the action carefully choreographed so that they come close but never actually see each other, passing like ships in the night these are among the most farcical elements of the plot, but the comic timing of all involved makes them work.
Ian seems quite fortunate in his new friend Delos he wouldn't have survived that shipwreck without him! I love the faces he pulls as Delos uses a rock to break his chains. I like Delos. He's very loyal to Ian, choosing to support him in journeying to Rome in search of Barbara instead of making a run for it while the going is good. Of course, upon arrival in Rome they immediately get themselves captured again and this time face the unnerving prospect of fighting against stock footage of lions in the arena!
Poor Barbara. No sooner is she ensconced in her supposedly safe and easy new job as handmaiden to the Empress Poppaea, as episode three 'Conspiracy' opens, than she finds herself having to fend off the unwanted sexual advances of Nero himself this serial might take a darkly humorous approach, but it doesn't shy away from the barbarity of this era of human history. Barbara is in an awful position here, trapped and helpless, and so is Ian only the Doctor and Vicki are still having a good time.
I love Poppaea's headdress and hairdo.
I love how careful Barbara is, playing along with the position she finds herself in, biding her time, waiting for an opportunity to escape, her resolve absolutely unwavering.
Nero and his incompetence and pratfalls are all a bit Carry On, really, but actor Derek Francis does a great job with the role his comic timing is excellent.
Stubbly despondency looks good on Ian.
The Doctor and Vicki's sub-plot revolves around court intrigue and attempted assassination, with Vicki unknowingly thwarting Poppaea's jealous attempt at poisoning Barbara by swapping her cup for Nero's, admitting what she has done to the Doctor with blithe unconcern, and the Doctor then hastily saving Nero's life in order to preserve history, so that Nero casually gives the poison to an annoying slave instead! The darkness and moral ambiguity in all this is very much skated over, with the tone remaining comedic throughout. This is the Doctor at his most irresponsible and teenage!
The sight of the towel-clad First Doctor lounging around in the sauna with Nero is one that'll stick with you!
The 'Emperor's New Tunes' trick that the Doctor plays on Nero and his court by way of avoiding having to admit that he can't play the lyre is hilarious because absolutely nobody is fooled but none of them can admit it court etiquette won't allow it! So he gets away with the outrageous ruse, name-dropping happily to his heart's content.
Ian and his friend Delos are told that they must fight each other in the arena for Nero's entertainment, and this is one of those scenes that are taken completely seriously by this otherwise highly comedic serial. Delos belongs to this culture, takes it for granted, and so accepts their fate without question, solemnly promising Ian that if he wins, he will make it a quick death. Then Ian and Barbara finally catch sight of one another, under the worst possible circumstances, as Nero has brought Barbara to watch the entertainment and she can only stare in horror as Ian and Delos fight. Ian does pretty well, considering, but Delos soon gets the better of him, providing us with our dramatic episode three cliffhanger which is resolved in the opening seconds of episode four, 'Inferno', as friendship wins out over custom and culture. Rather than kill his friend, Delos chooses the apparently suicidal option of charging at the guards instead. Miraculously, he and Ian manage to successfully fight their way out of the arena to freedom! Alas, though, they are forced to leave Barbara behind. It all has to be taken with a large pinch of salt, given the low production values and very stagey choreography, but on an emotional level it's all excellent stuff topped off by a wonderfully suspenseful moment when a furious Nero takes a sword from a guard and for a second it really, really looks as if he has stabbed Barbara with it. But no, it was the guard he killed, and Barbara lives to plot escape attempts another day.
The seemingly shady Tavius turns out to be a rather lovely character, in the end he is certainly the only person Barbara can turn to for help, and since he knows that Poppaea wants to get rid of her, he is only too happy now to help her escape. I love how confident she is that Ian will find a way of reaching her, now that he knows where she is those two have so much faith in each other.
I love that moment when Ian tells Delos that he is going to take a leaf out of the Doctor's book and just dive in, rather than worry about planning for contingencies! The Doctor's love of improvisation was one of his earliest characteristics, and is one that has stayed with him ever since!
After all his lecturing of Vicki about not influencing the course of history, the Doctor manages to accidentally give Nero the idea of burning Rome down so that he can rebuild it to his own design. The fire, of course, was a terrible catastrophe for Rome, which doesn't sit well with the Doctor's self-satisfied glee when he realises what he has done, but I do love that little moment he and Vicki share, as they watch the city burn and Vicki marvels over this incredible opportunity to actually watch history unfold.
With the help of Delos and Tavius, Ian and Barbara are reunited at last and their joy is just adorable. They then, of course, face a long and arduous journey back to their borrowed villa in Assessium, Delos travelling part of the way with them, but that journey is very much glossed over. If it took 34 days for Barbara's slave convoy to travel to Rome, though, one has to assume that it must take about the same length of time to make the reverse journey they make it back without further incident, however, and somehow avoid running into the Doctor and Vicki along the way, despite the fact that they should all be following roughly the same route at the same time!
Back in the relative safety of their still-vacant villa, Ian and Barbara are back to being impossibly cute, teasing each other and horsing around and just generally being happy to be together and grateful for the chance to finally relax once more which sets up the final joke of the serial, as the Doctor and Vicki return to find them both asleep, assume that they have been lounging around doing nothing the whole time, and won't let them get a word in edgeways to tell their story. At least they can see the funny side!
I am very amused by the way Ian and Barbara very gently try to explain to Vicki that the Doctor can't actually steer the TARDIS and then, of course, we get the standard cliffhanger ending to lead us into the next story: The Web Planet.
Quotable Quotes
VICKI: "Come on, Barbara."
BARBARA: "Oh, Vicki, there's no need to be in such a hurry. The village isn't going to run away."
BARBARA: "The adventures come without us looking for them."
VICKI: "French isn't invented yet."
DOCTOR: "How many times do I have to tell you that the TARDIS is quite safe where it is it can take off from any angle."
VICKI: "Well, it's all right living here, but it's boring! No wonder he gets irritable."
IAN: "Ha. That's got nothing to do with living here, believe me."
IAN: "You never told us you were going away."
DOCTOR: "Oh? Well, I don't know that I was under any obligation to report my movements to you, Chesterfield."
BARBARA: "Chesterton."
DOCTOR: "Oh, Barbara's calling you."
BARBARA: "No, I was just thinking what a splendid looking Roman you make."
IAN: "Oh. Well, yes, if I wasn't so modest, I'd agree with you."
BARBARA: "It's a pity there's just one thing out of place."
IAN: "Oh, where?"
BARBARA: "That hair."
IAN: "What about another drink?"
BARBARA: "Oh, yes, I'd love one. Thank you."
IAN: "No ice, I'm afraid."
BARBARA: "There's some in the fridge."
IAN: "Ah. [starts to leave the room before the penny drops] Very funny, very funny. "
BARBARA: "You went!"
IAN: "Well, here's to the first fridge."
BARBARA: "Cheers."
VICKI: "But Doctor, you don't even know your own name."
DOCTOR: "You know, I am so constantly outwitting the opposition, I tend to forget the delights and satisfaction of the arts, the gentle art of fisticuffs."
VICKI: "I realise you're a man of many talents, Doctor, but I didn't know fighting was one of them."
DOCTOR: "My dear, I am one of the best. Do you know it was I that used to teach the Mountain Mauler of Montana!"
VICKI: "But they might try and kill you again."
DOCTOR: "Well, of course they might. But who am I to worry about such little things like that, hmm?"
DELOS: "Now what?"
IAN: "To tell you the truth, Delos, I hadn't really thought."
DELOS: "Well, I suggest you start."
DOCTOR: "And remember, we're only here as observers. We must not interfere with the course of progress, or try to accelerate man's achievements or progress."
VICKI: "Oh, I'll do what you say, Doctor, but it does seem a bit of a waste."
DOCTOR: "It's the old fairy story, child. The Emperor's New Clothes. Yes, I gave it as an idea to Hans Anderson."
IAN: "I've got a friend who specialises in trouble. He dives in and usually finds a way. I think I'll take a leaf out of his book for once."
VICKI: "I didn't think that was going to work."
DOCTOR: "Wasn't going to work? What next. I never had any doubt in my mind, my dear."
VICKI: "Doctor. Look."
DOCTOR: "Oh. The great fire of Rome, my dear."
VICKI: "My first real sight of history."
DOCTOR: "Yes, a most memorable occasion."
VICKI: "Isn't it strange to think that people will read about that in books for thousands and thousands of years and here am I sitting here actually watching it. It's a pity they got it all wrong."
DOCTOR: "Hmm? Got it all wrong? What do you mean, child?"
VICKI: "Well, they didn't mention you."
DOCTOR: "Of course not. Why should they?"
VICKI: "Well, it was you who gave Nero the idea, wasn't it?"
DOCTOR: "I? Gave him ?"
VICKI: "Honestly, Doctor, and after that long talk you gave me about not meddling with history, you ought to be ashamed of yourself."
DOCTOR: "It's got nothing to do with me."
VICKI: "You burnt his drawings."
DOCTOR: "Oh, yes, an accident."
VICKI: "Well, maybe it was but if you hadn't "
DOCTOR: "Well, he could have he could have he would have been told by someone else. You can't possibly accuse me of that."
VICKI: "All right, you have it your way, I'll have it mine."
IAN: "Barbara, there must be a bit of that cold peacock of yours left in the fridge."
BARBARA: "Hey, you're right!"
IAN: "Why don't you have a look?"
BARBARA: "Oh, very funny!"
DOCTOR [upon finding Ian and Barbara asleep]: "Oh, what zest, what youthful exuberance! Try not to look at them, child. Their outburst of energy could make you go dizzy."
VICKI: "Where will we go next? Has the Doctor told you yet?"
BARBARA: "Oh, no, he never does that."
VICKI: "You mean it's a surprise?"
IAN: "Er, yes. To everybody."
VICKI: "But the Doctor can work the ship can't he?"
BARBARA: "Er, yes."
IAN: "Sort of."
The Verdict
All in all, this is a delightful, irreverent and highly entertaining serial, one I would recommend to anyone!
written November 2012, slightly revised July 2013