Overview: The Second Doctor

Patrick Troughton's place in Doctor Who was crucial, and the series could have ended in disaster in so many different ways. Had he attempted to perform the same character as William Hartnell, he would have come across as a poor imitation. Had he been completely different, he would have alienated the fans. Somehow he managed to hold the line between these two, and with his particular charm opened up the potential for the Doctor Who show to continue growing and evolving year after year.

This is a little overview of all of the Second Doctor's stories – what I liked, what I didn't, and why.

The Stories

Many of the Second Doctor's stories have a similar formula – a base/colony/village/group under siege from an exterior powerful alien threat. By my count, 12 out of 21 stories follow this formula – more than half of all Troughton's adventures. While this sometimes arguably gives a certain sense of deja vu, it is a surprisingly strong and versatile formula that allows for some very good stories. Doing a little data-crunching, I gave an average score of 3.4 to these stories over against an average of 3.6 for the Troughton years, so perhaps the formula did get a little worn out, but it's not a major difference. Interestingly, I went back to check my maths from William Hartnell's stories, and got an overall average score of 3.2, so either I enjoy the Second Doctor's stories more, or I've become a more generous judge.

And here's the famous graph, depicting the rise and fall of my appreciation levels over the course of the Troughton era.

With a three-way tie for first place it's a little hard to decide the winner, but a winner there must be. And so:

1. Evil of the Daleks
2. The Invasion
3. The War Games
4. The Enemy of the World
5. Power of the Daleks

Once again, a Dalek story comes top, which surprises me a little. But it's nice to be surprised sometimes!

Evil of the Daleks certainly deserves the top spot. Even in a missing condition, with only tiny snippets left, it's captivating. The story crosses two planets, three time periods and involves numerous characters with different motives and murky moralities. The Daleks appear at their most cunning and deceptive, and the Doctor must be equally cunning to beat them, even at the risk of alienating his best friend.

The Invasion is another epic, with a complex plot and a highly textured array of supporting cast. Isabel is lots of fun, and Vaughn is one of the great villains, but the show-stealer has to be the Brigadier, now kitted out with U.N.I.T. and Sergeant Benton. It's bristling with action and comedy and it's a joy to watch.

The War Games takes the idea of the Doctor Who epic to a new level, with 10 jam-packed episodes, and a world that's both vast and highly textured. The characters – both villains and allies – are among the most charismatic in Troughton's era, and the alien's plot is delightfully complex. The additional introduction of the Time Lords and the forced regeneration only increase the impact of this story, through it always leaves me feeling a little sad.

For those more mathematically inclined, such as myself, I present my graph again, this time in order of preference. However, in a fit of nerdy exuberance, I have decided to include the data from William Hartnell's time as well, to compare the spread.

I think overall, Patrick Troughton has less flops than William Hartnell, and also has a little cluster of six standout stories. In my estimation, however, none quite match “The Dalek Invasion of Earth”. One key thing to remember is that there are about 25% more stories from the First Doctor than there are from the Second. One thing that I always feel sad about is that so many of the Second Doctors stories are missing. Reconstructions or photonovels simply can't replace the originals. Quality animations can do so, but only a few of these have been done so far. Here's hoping there's going to be many more!

The Macra Terror earns the dubious honour of being the worst of Patrick Troughton's stories. It's maybe not in the same league as The Web Planet, but it's not far off from it. As monsters, the Macra are utterly unconvincing – about as threatening (and as mobile) as an abnormally large loaf of bread. The colony itself is populated by a completely forgettable range of characters and the potential for satire is completely lost in the nonsense. The fact that it's missing is only the icing on the cake.

The Companions

As always, the Doctor is nothing without his companions. The Second Doctor has far fewer companions than the First, but typically they are a lot more engaging and rounded as characters. 

Here they are, ranked from Best to Worst. (NB: Although we meet the Brigadier at this time, he is not a proper 'companion' until later in the show, so he is not on the list.)

#1 Jamie

There's no real competition for first place. Jamie is surely in the top five companions across all of Dr Who, and appears in all but one of the Second Doctor's stories. A man of action, Jamie is always up for tackling whatever monster crosses their path. He is also intensely loyal, and sometimes acts as a conscience to the Doctor, who can take a more clinical stance. He combines a charmingly old-fashioned attitude to ladies with an insatiable curiosity with modernity, and readiness to learn. As a freedom fighter, he's the perfect fit for the Second Doctor's chaotic approach to adventure.

#2 Zoe

While Jamie was cast as eye-candy for the ladies, Zoe was clearly eye-candy for the men, and appears in one bold costume after another. At the same time, however, she is a great character – a scientist who can equal the Doctor on occasion, with the same insatiable curiosity and anarchic streak that makes her a stellar addition to the TARDIS crew.

#3 Ben/Polly

As a transition team, Ben and Polly are not usually thought of as Second Doctor companions, but actually did twice as many stories with Patrick Troughton than with William Hartnell. Ben's tough talking sailor gets shifted to one side with Jamie's arrival, and there's something a little awkward about the division of story-beats among the three of them: maybe there's no room in the TARDIS for two alpha-male companions. They remain steady and strong companions throughout their time.

#4 Victoria

Victoria is another beautiful companion, but unlike Zoe, she rarely gets to shine as a protagonist. Introduced to us as a damsel in distress, she never strays too far outside that mould in the upcoming stories. At the same time, she's still a good companion. She allows for a hint of melancholy emotion to come through in the show as she mourns her father, and she brings out a new tenderness in the Doctor that we don't always see. Sadly, she is rather underused and underdeveloped, and is more remembered for her piercing scream than for any more empowering quality.

The Villains

As before, I'm only looking at individuals, rather than groups like the Daleks. These are the people who go up against the Doctor, scheming, plotting and creating all sorts of trouble.

#5 War Lord, "The War Games"

Philip Madoc is a top-rate actor, playing four different roles across Doctor Who and stealing the show every time. As the War Lord, he doesn't play a man of action or a ranting megalomaniac. The War Lord is quite the opposite – quiet, understated and thoughtful. In another actor's hands, the War Lord may have been rather dull, but with Madoc's sinister silky voice and delicate behaviour he appears even more threatening. An unassuming man with thick glasses, the War Lord exhales such supreme self-confidence, that those around him are filled with dread.

#4 Maxtible, "The Evil of the Daleks"

Looking a bit like Karl Marx, Maxtible owns his every scene, even with all his footage missing. As an archetypal Victorian scientist he is fuelled by pride and ambition, convinced that the end always justifies the means, and ready to sacrifice everything on the altar of discovery and development. His own personal tragedy is just how comprehensively he has been blinded by the Daleks, and how vastly he has overestimated his own importance.

#3 Vaughn, "The Invasion"

Unlike Maxtible, Vaughn never completely trusts the Cybermen, even going so far as to develop a secret weapon against them, just in case. Vaughn is one of Dr Who's long list of power-hungry villains determined to rule the Earth. Believing it weak and divided, he wants to unite it under one leader – naturally that leader has to be him. Vaughn may be as suave and sophisticated as any supervillain, but it is his ruthlessness and sadism that really make him stand out.

#2 War Chief, "The War Games"

Perhaps it's a bit of a cheat for one story to provide two of the top villains on this list, but who could deny that the War Chief is one of the Troughton era's most charismatic villains. When the Doctor first sees him, he reacts in terrified recognition, and from that moment on, we are desperate to discover the identity and backstory of this charming and fascinating Time Lord. It is no surprise that a whole corpus of untelevised adventures have been written to fill out his story. (After all, it only makes sense that he regenerates off screen in secret and comes back full of revenge!)

#1 Salamander, "The Enemy of the World"

Perhaps the only one who could top the War Chief is Patrick Troughton himself – to be precise: Salamander. Sporting a nomadic Mexican accent, dark make up and greasy hair, Troughton's Salamander is delightfully cavalier. There's something particularly joyful about watching him with his boots up on the table, smoking a cigar and reading the newspaper. His plan to take control of the world by volcanoes while feeding the survivors with superfood is both bonkers and totally unique. He doesn't merely want power or wealth. He wants to be hailed as the Saviour of the World. Thanks to the Doctor, he doesn't quite make it, but as a compensation he gets to be hailed as the #1 Villain of the Troughton years.

The Most Magical Moments

It's a very difficult task to choose the ten best moments out of 3 years worth of television, and if you ask me the same question next year I may have totally different answers. Nevertheless, here are my favourite moments from the Troughton era, in ascending order!

#10 - in "The War Games"

The cliffhanger ending of each episode has been a feature of Dr Who from day one, but few are as memorable as the first episode of The War Games. Tied to a post, the Doctor faces a line of soldiers: Ready! Aim! Fire! Shots ring out and the Doctor's body shoots backwards. Roll credits.

#9 - in "The Evil of the Daleks"

We first meet Victoria Waterfield doing her very best Snow White impression, feeding the birds on the window ledge of her cell. Then a Dalek glides in with the immortal line: “You will not feed the flying pests outside. That is an order!” I love that even Daleks get annoyed by pigeons.

#8 - in "The Tomb of the Cybermen"

It's a moment that is inevitable as soon as the title of the show pops up for episode one. Nevertheless, when the Cybermen finally do emerge from their tombs, it is one of the classic iconic images in all Dr Who history.

#7 - in "The Invasion"

Professor Watkins has been forced to work for the sadistic Vaughn under threat of torture. “If I get the chance,” he cries in desperation, “I will kill you!” Laughing, Vaughn hands him a gun and tells him to shoot. “Come on... haven't you got the courage?” After a strangled moment, Watkins does... but Vaughn only laughs, the bullet holes black on his chest.

#6 - in "The Mind Robber"

At the end of episode one, the TARDIS explodes. It's walls detach and float away surreally, leaving Jamie and Zoe clinging helplessly to the console, rotating aimlessly in the void. It's a sequence straight from a nightmare, and is in itself excellent. It will forever be overshadowed, however, by the following close-up slow-motion shot of Zoe's posterior. To call it a magical moment may perhaps be cynical, but it's certainly unforgettable!

#5 - in "The Web of Fear"

In the London Underground, two soldiers decide to walk into a strange patch of mist. They tie ropes round themselves, leaving the other end with their comrade, under orders to pull them out if anything goes wrong. They step out into the mist and disappear. After a second we begin to hear them screaming. Then silence. Their comrade panics, pulls the ropes and their bodies slide back out, dead and covered in cobwebs.

#4 - in "The Enemy of the World"

It's not so much a moment than a full scene. Having just arrived at an idyllic beach, the Doctor fancies a swim. Inexplicably, three men in a hovercraft want to shoot him. The only solution – to escape by helicopter. Filled with guns, explosions and intrigue, it's Dr Who's answer to James Bond! And it's actually remarkably good.

#3 - in "Fury from the Deep"

In the residential quarters of an engineering base, an unwell woman waits alone for her husband to come home. Suddenly two men barge into her house, claiming in weird monotone voices to need to check the meters. Shuffling closer to her than feels comfortable, she backs away, but they keep advancing, pinning her up against the wall. They open their mouths in a silent scream, and poison gas pours from their throats. It's a moment so disturbing as to be cut by the censors, and because of that it has survived when almost all the rest of this chilling story has been lost.

#2 - in "The Power of the Daleks"

In his first outing as the “new” Doctor, Patrick Troughton is pitted against the oldest foes – the Daleks. Coming face to face with a living Dalek for the first time, as it glides menacingly into the Governor's office, the Doctor is frightened out of his wits. Hartnell would rarely, if ever, have looked truly terrified, and it's strangely unsettling to see the Doctor so deeply afraid. “It could end the colony's problems,” gloats Lesterton. “Yes,” cries the Doctor, “It will end the colony's problems, because it will end the colony!” It's an excellent character moment: the Doctor is the same as before (he is the sworn enemy of the Daleks) but at the same time has a totally new personality.

#1 - in "The War Games"

Jumping from Troughton's first episode to his swan-song, my final pick for the most magical moment of the era is the Doctor's defence when on trial by his own people. “While you have been content to observe the evil in the galaxy, I have been fighting against it... But of course, you're above criticism, aren't you...” We get flashbacks to past adventures – the Quarks, the Yeti, the Ice Warriors, the Cybermen, the Daleks. “All these evils I have fought, while you have done nothing but observe. True, I am guilty of interference, just as you are guilty of not using your great powers to help those in need.” It's a great speech, but the Time Lords are unimpressed. “Is that all you have to say?”. “Well isn't it enough?” cries the Doctor.

There's something about the impudent anarchic righteousness of the second Doctor that makes you love him and admire him in equal measure. He has the poise and confidence to make jokes and shout at the most godlike of all the peoples we have yet met in the Universe. He has the passion and zeal to make even them reconsider. And yet he does it all in clothes that don't fit, pulling faces and rolling his eyes at court proceedings.

In Conclusion

It's an unspeakable shame that so many episodes from Troughton's era are missing. When I first became a fan of Doctor Who, it was the Second Doctor who became my favourite. So the fact that two thirds of his adventures are partly or wholly missing is really really sad. I love the new animated versions of these stories, but it's not the same as having the originals.

In finding a formula that works – the “base under siege” - the show ran the risk of becoming repetitive, and was arguably in need of the Jon Pertwee reboot by the end of Troughton's period. But at the same time, it brought to the series a focus and a purpose, summed up in the Doctor's final speech to the Time Lords.

There has been a huge transformation in the character of the Doctor from the first story with William Hartnell to the last with Patrick Troughton: the Doctor is now a heroic freedom fighter condemning his own people for doing nothing in the fight against the evils of the Universe. Wherever he goes, the Doctor works to heal, to protect, to do good – a galactic knight in not-quite-shining armour.