The War Machines [4.8]

The TARDIS lands in 60's London, right outside the newly completed Post Office tower. The Doctor is convinced that there is an alien menace lurking in the tower and is immediately welcomed in and shown round the marvellous new computer system, which goes by the sinister name WOTAN.

WOTAN is not long in causing havoc. Thinking the world would be a lot more efficient without human beings, it hypnotises a workforce of slaves to build him an army of war machines in the centre of London. The Doctor needs all the help he can get to save the day – Sir Charles, Ben the Sailor, Polly the ‘cracking typist’ and Dodo, who decides to go on holiday to the countryside...

The Majesty

Perhaps it’s only when you are watching "Dr Who" through in order that you appreciate just how ground-breaking “The War Machines” is. For the first time ever, the dangerous enemies are not somewhere out in space or deep in history but in the middle of contemporary London. For the first time ever, we see the Doctor teaming up with the establishment – police, army, politicians and journalists – and being easily accepted by them. Indeed, as he stays lounging around at Sir Charles’ town house drinking coffee and reading the newspapers, or later as he casually cruises around in a Rolls Royce, you get the feeling that he feels completely at home in upper class 60's London.

At the same time, this really does feel like the swinging sixties – Ian, Susan and Barbara couldn’t be imagined hanging out in the Inferno nightclub, but it’s the perfect setting for Ben and Polly, and the Doctor fits in anywhere. “I dig your fab gear!”, coos the barmaid. Indeed, Ben and Polly are easily the best companions since the original trio and they bound on screen oozing charisma.

This new endeavour is matched by a nice budget – we have planes, cars, guns, location filming. It feels like we are seeing the highest production values since “The Dalek Invasion of Earth”.

The Misery

The War Machines themselves are very clunky. In comparison to the sleek look and maximum firepower of the Daleks, the War Machines look like oversized contestants from Robot Wars. They fire a gas which seems to have a very variable effect depending on circumstances, and frequently does nothing at all. They have two clunky little ‘head-bonkers’ that are connected to the body by far too slender an arm to look dangerous. And the way their lights and radiator vaguely resemble a grimacing face makes them look more comical that alarming. Even the fact that they are so big makes them look weak – it’s just too easy to dodge behind them, and their only serious weapon is on the front.

Despite "The War Machines" being one of the better performances of her run, Jackie Lane’s Dodo is out of her depth. She was always the poorest of Hartnell’s companions and I’m glad to see her depart. However, the fact that she simply disappears half way through the story and goes off to her aunts house without ever saying Goodbye comes across as rude and lazy - both on the part of the character and of the writers.

Magical Moments

• The new graphics for the title cards at the beginning of the episodes are great - letting us know we are about to see something special.
• The Doctor gets carried away into the biggest fluff. “You know there’s something alien about that tower. I can scent it. I- I- I- I can feel eh... eh... eh... it’s got something, um, sort of... powerful- Look at my skin! Look at that! I’ve got that prickling sensing... sensation again, yes... the same … just as I had when I … thought these Tareks... eh Daleks were near.”
• Dodo tests out the abilities of WOTAN: “What does TARDIS mean?”. WOTAN replies instantly, with the (almost) correct answer. It’s very dramatic, and almost seems illogical. How can a computer possibly be able to calculate the meaning of a word it has never heard? But of course it’s seeding in the concept – WOTAN is telepathic, and is simply able to read Dodo’s mind... Creepy!
• The scenes where first Professor Brett and second Professor Krimpton are sucked in by the machine are very enjoyable.
• "Doctor Who is required." Nobody but WOTAN ever calls the Doctor 'Doctor Who'. How did no script editor ever pick up on this glaring mistake?
• The Doctor’s hysterically OTT response to WOTAN’s attempted hypnosis is worthy of a meme. “It was as if... as if... as if something enormous and terrific was trying to absorb me!” I mean there’s no way to say that line well, but Hartnell just goes all-out with shrieks and gasps and cries and it’s quite sublime!
• The strategically vital factory where the War Machines are being created has got no locks on the doors.
• In episode three, the same truck comes past three times in single file to make it look like a whole convoy.
• At the end of that episode, with the War Machine advancing on the retreating army, the Doctor steps forward like an action hero, taking on the power of the machine by the sheer force of his Furious Stare.
• The War Machine destroying it’s own creator in the factory is a lovely ironic touch – very Frankenstein.
• The Doctor stands up so fast in episode four that he bangs his head on the War Machine.
• There a good stand-off between Ben and the Doctor. The Doctor reverts to type by ignoring the life of one girl to save a whole city, while Ben is ready to drop everything to save Polly. “This bird saved my life, see!” is perhaps not the worlds best battlecry, but it is very Ben.

In Summary

This is definitely one of my favourite William Hartnell stories – not because it’s typical of his era, but because it foreshadows everything that Dr Who will become under Troughton and especially Pertwee. The old-school London setting, the alliance with the military and the government, the baddies attempting to take over the world – it’s great and I love it.

Combined with that we have a major step forward with Ben and Polly taking over from Dodo, and there is a sense of real progress within the show as a concept. As a threat, the War Machines themselves are laughably poor, but it gives us a chance to see the Doctor as both a strategic general and a brave fighter, and overall it’s a lot of fun.

Overall: 4.8