Who has been putting aliens and other sci-fi hijinks into its historical episodes for so long that I think it’d probably feel weird if new Who suddenly threw in an alien-less pure historical, but back at the beginning, it was a staple of the series. The very first serial of the show sent our heroes back to meet a prehistoric tribe, and after spending its first season flitting through the past, the future, and far-flung intergalactic locales, the season ended with this six-parter set during the French Revolution.
For the First Doctor, Susan, Ian, and Barbara, seeing Earth’s history come alive can be exciting and fascinating, but there are times when the past isn’t so inviting When the TARDIS lands in France, deep in the revolution, the Doctor and co. are quickly thrust into a web of intrigue involving a network of conspirators. It’s all they can do to stay alive amid the brutality on the streets.
This serial is nearly intact, with four of the six episodes preserved and the other two given the animated reconstruction treatment on the DVD. It’s a real treat to watch this story—in the early days of the show when the budget was infinitesimal, 18th- and 19th-century period pieces often got the best bang for their buck, given that I’m sure the BBC’s frequent costume dramas provided a steady supply of cast-off costumes and sets to reuse. As such, the production is able to match the ambition of story. Whether it’s Ian and Barbara casing a pub as part of a political conspiracy or the Doctor acquiring a particularly resplendent public official getup, everything looks pretty darn good.
And the story on offer is a strong, suspenseful one. Who often plays with the fun of historicals—dressing up in the period clothing, meeting famous figures from the past—but it can be dangerous too, and “The Reign of Terror” obviously leans into that. Team TARDIS spends much of this serial separated into assorted subgroups as they’re arrested, recruited into undercover work, or trying to help their friends out of perilous situations, and it really makes you think about how scary the prospect of being trapped in the past would be. While it can be cool and exciting to visit, it would be really freaky to be separated from your friends, not sure where to find them or how to get back to the TARDIS. Even without the prospect of possibly getting your head cut off in the revolution, it’s an unsettling thought. I think “The Reign of Terror” is fairly unique in the series when it comes to capitalizing on that notion (the closest new Who counterpart would probably be “Rosa”—if it weren’t for the timeline-tampering they have to prevent, that would’ve been a story where they probably would’ve gotten out of there as quickly as they possibly could. Poor Ryan.)
The Doctor himself has the best showing here. It’s in series 2 where we see more of One’s trickster qualities coming out—he and Vicki are so much fun together!—but this story gives us a little of that mischievous glint, and I love how he schemes to ensure his companions’ safety. Susan spends a bit too much time being damseled, but Ian and Barbara both have some good stuff to contribute. And speaking of Ian and Barbara, it’s interesting to contrast this story with “The Aztecs.” Whereas previously, Barbara argued with the Doctor over the notion of changing history, they have a more Zen idea of it here, realizing that what’s going to happen will happen regardless of what they do (even if they’d prefer not to get caught up in it themselves!)
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