C026 The Savages

Before, I referred to “The Celestial Toymaker” as a favorite of the Hartnell era stories. After having re-listened to the audio book for “The Savages” I feel forced to amend that statement. At the very least, “The Savages” may be my favorite William Hartnell story that actually features William Hartnell.

The main reason for this is because, on my second listen, it occurred to me that this serial, more than any other I can think of, highlights how the First Doctor has developed over the course of his run. Perhaps because this episode also features cave people, the question that came to my mind was “can you imagine the Doctor we met back in ‘An Unearthly Child’ being as disgusted with the Elders as he was here?” Even if he disapproved, would he have tried to lead a revolution on the planet to put an end to it? Or would have high-tailed it back to the TARDIS? The Doctor at the start of the series would probably have been more concerned with letting the Elders stroke his ego or getting off that planet before the Elders’ life drain was used on him. Here, the enjoyment of flattery stops as soon as he realizes what’s going on and, if anything, he counts on that life drain happening in order to get one of the Elders to his side.

Another highlight was watching the Elder Jano, so serious when introduced, suddenly take on the mannerisms of the Doctor. A fun fact I remember that I’m sure jD can confirm is that this was another attempt at replacing/regenerating Hartnell that went unused. Also, while Jano had to be forced to see his actions through the Doctor’s eyes to recognize them as wrong, we have the soldier Exorse, who actually manages to pull it off entirely on his own with the help of the savage Nanina. Steven also handled himself well when going up against the soldiers and their light guns. He also got a good, proper, and heartfelt farewell from the Troupe. Neither rushed off like Vicki, nor suddenly killed like Katarina or Sara, Steven is able to bid his fellow travelers a heartwarming farewell.

This serial is also the first to show signs of the Doctor’s eventually monumental reputation. The Elders are the first people with no prior connection to the Doctor to show that they are aware of who and what he is. The Monk came from the same planet as the Doctor, and the Daleks knew him from prior encounters. The Elders had never seen the Doctor in person (indeed, didn’t even know he traveled with companions) but were aware of his travels in Time and Space.

This serial is not without its flaws. I felt there was an early inconsistency with the citizens of the city, as they seemed inclined to keep how they maintained their civilization a secret, or at least were reluctant to mention it, yet later these same characters seem unable to comprehend why what they’re doing is even wrong. It makes one wonder why they would worry about keeping it secret. I also feel like the “militant and distrustful second in command who hinders the heroes” (in this case Edal) is something that’s been used in Doctor Who enough times that it ends up feeling cliche, with other examples that come to mind being the #2 Monoid in “The Ark” and Gaston from “The Massacre.”

Such flaws were not enough to dampen my enjoyment of the story. Listening with the thought of how this shows the Doctor’s change over time made me enjoy it even more than I did the first time I listened. I’m giving this story a 4.2.

One last thing I want to mention is another reason I enjoyed the episode, separate from the episode itself: It brought to mind a book written by one of my favorite authors, Terry Pratchett. Any Pratchett fans will probably be able to guess which one I refer to but to give some detail, the book is called “Carpe Jugulum” and features the main character, witch Granny Weatherwax, being bitten by a vampire with much the same end result as here with the Doctor and Jano. I can even imagine the Doctor’s version of her own line in that story: “I have not been Savaged, my dear fellow. Oh, no. Instead, you have been Doctored, hm.”

(The original line was “I ain’t been vampired. You’ve been Weatherwaxed.”)

Doctor Who Classic Series Review – Season 3 Episode 9 “The Savages”

Engage Reconstruction Mode. Reconstruction Mode engaged.

Morality is in the blood. Or life essence, whichever gets your vibrator reacting.

Arriving on an unnamed, seemingly idyllic planet, The Doctor, Steven and Dodo encounter two groups living at odds with each other. Again. The first group, viewed initially at a distance, are The Savages, a tribe of suppressed yet compassionate humanoids eeking out life amid the wilderness. The second, The Elders, live within comfortable and highly technological surroundings, keeping the rabble at bay, because being higher on the local food chain means they know better. The Elders have apparently been tracking The Doctor, “The Traveller from Beyond Time”, through Time and Space, knowing he would one day visit. (NO EXPLANATION GIVEN).

When the leader of the Elders, Jano, steals some of The Doctors life essence, he is imbued with The Doctors morality, and begins to change his ways.

Despite the reconstruction, this is a somewhat dark, yet straightforward morality tale, not out of place for The First Doctor. Specifically, the idea that our morality, our conscientiousness, can be contained within our genes, and even shared via transfusions, either literally or figuratively. It acts somewhat as a positive spiritual precursor to stories where transplant patients receive parts from a serial killer, and begin uncontrollably attacking innocent victims.

While this serial was important for being the first without individual episode titles, it also marks the departure of Peter Purvis as Steven, who stays behind to lead the now mixed bag of Elders and Savages. In addition, the attack on The Doctor via the Light Beam Life Essence Removal System (patent pending), was another in a series of increasing number of causes which will have long-lasting effects through the next two serials, and indeed, the rest of the shows history. (SPOILER ALERT: REGENERATION)

Something to mention: Every time the guard Exorse was mentioned or shown, i couldn’t help but think of Exorcism (from Greek ἐξορκισμός, exorkismos – binding by oath), which is the practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or an area they are believed to have possessed.

The life essence is effectively exorcised from its hosts – though without the nefarious connotations. Likely not related but i thought it was interesting.

Finally, the score. 2.5 out of 5. It’s always difficult scoring recons, missing the very important parts of dramatic portrayal and emotional inference. So i try to grade them as if they are radio dramas with accompanying pictures. This serial wasn’t too bad. Not too hot, not too cold. But still somewhat pedestrian in content and storytelling. Frederick Jaeger took acting lessons from William Hartnell to nail down those elements of The First Doctors mannerisms, and it was a quaint, if curious method to show in transferrence. I also had no idea that The Doctor left so much of his DNA lying about the universe. First a tooth; now some of his life essence – where will it stop?

Having wrote this before the broadcast of “The Gunfighters” episode, this bit of pan-global mind melding is for Ponken: Imagine if an unscrupulous ne’er-do-well rogue Time Lord or Lady wished to do ill towards the universe by collecting the bits of The Doctor throughout Time and made a patchwork clone to do his or her bidding?

Nah – that’s too crazy.