Vicki is interrogated about a potential rebellion…

Producer Ian Atkins notes that there’s a theme across this new box set of First Doctor adventures regarding heroes, but there also seems to be a certain amount of fixation on people being imprisoned as well – although, to be fair, that is something that does constitute a rather large part of Doctor Who generally. This time it’s Maureen O’Brien’s Vicki who’s being interrogated by Clive Hayward’s Examiner – someone she’s been warned to fear.

John Pritchard’s script jumps between past and present, as Vicki recalls (internally) the events leading up to her questioning, with Lisa Bowerman’s direction ensuring that we’re totally clear exactly where and when we are at any particular moment. The story is set in an interesting gap – Vicki has memories of dealing with the Moroks in the Space Museum, but Ian and Barbara are still travelling with her and the Doctor – but in story terms, it’s more important to recognise Vicki’s affiliation with rebel groups than necessarily adhering strictly to what’s on screen.

O’Brien brings across Vicki’s earnestness as well as ever, and the heartache that the lessons she learns in this brings with the story carefully maintaining the theories of time travel that the series had at this point

Verdict: Some thought-provoking moments pepper an intriguing Hartnell era tale. 8/10

Paul Simpson

Click here to order The First Doctor Volume Three from Big Finish