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| season_type = season
| season_type = season
| bgcolour = #8D3D63
| bgcolour = #8D3D63
| image = File:Doctor Who Season 1 DVD.jpg
| image = File:Doctor Who logo 1963-1967.png
| caption = Cover art of the Region 2 DVD release for first serial of the season
| caption = The show's logo used for the first season
| starring = {{Unbulleted list|[[William Hartnell]]|[[Carole Ann Ford]]|[[Jacqueline Hill]]|[[William Russell (actor)|William Russell]]}}
| starring = {{Unbulleted list|[[William Hartnell]]|[[Carole Ann Ford]]|[[Jacqueline Hill]]|[[William Russell (actor)|William Russell]]}}
| country = United Kingdom
| country = United Kingdom
| num_stories = 8
| num_stories = 8
| num_episodes = 42 ([[Doctor Who missing episodes|9 missing]])
| num_episodes = 42 ([[Doctor Who missing episodes|9 missing]])
| network = [[BBC One|BBC TV]] / BBC1{{efn|name=BBC1|[[BBC One|BBC TV]] was renamed BBC1 midway through the season, on 20 April 1964, following the launch of [[BBC2]].{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=119}}}}
| network = [[BBC One]]
| first_aired = {{start date|1963|11|23|df=y}}
| first_aired = {{start date|1963|11|23|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1964|9|12|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1964|9|12|df=y}}
| episode_list = List of Doctor Who episodes (1963–1989)
| episode_list = List of Doctor Who episodes (1963–1989)
}}
}}
The first season of [[British television|British]] [[science fiction on television|science fiction television]] series ''[[Doctor Who]]'' began on 23 November 1963 with the first ever story ''[[An Unearthly Child]]'' and ended on 12 September 1964 with ''[[The Reign of Terror (Doctor Who)|The Reign of Terror]]''. Only 33 of a total of 42 episodes survive in the BBC archives; 9 [[Doctor Who missing episodes|remain missing]]. As a result, 2 serials remain incomplete.
The first season of [[British television|British]] [[Science fiction on television|science fiction television]] programme ''[[Doctor Who]]'' was originally broadcast on [[BBC One|BBC TV]]{{efn|name=BBC1}} between 1964 and 1964. The series began on 23 November 1963 with ''[[An Unearthly Child]]'' and ended with ''[[The Reign of Terror (Doctor Who)|The Reign of Terror]]'' on 12 September 1964. The show was created by [[BBC Television]] head of drama [[Sydney Newman]] to fill the Saturday evening timeslot and appeal to both the younger and older audiences of the neighbouring programmes. Formatting of the programme was handled by Newman, head of serials [[Donald Wilson (writer and producer)|Donald Wilson]], [[C. E. Webber]], and [[Rex Tucker]], as the initial character details were conceived. Production was overseen by the BBC's first female producer [[Verity Lambert]] and story editor [[David Whitaker]], both of whom handled the scripts and stories.


The season introduces [[William Hartnell]] as the [[First Doctor|first incarnation]] of [[The Doctor (Doctor Who)|the Doctor]], an alien who travels through time and space in his [[TARDIS]], which appears to be a British [[police box]] on the outside. [[Carole Ann Ford]] is also introduced as the Doctor's granddaughter [[Susan Foreman]], who acts as his [[Companion (Doctor Who)|companion]] alongside her schoolteachers [[Ian Chesterton]] and [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara Wright]], portrayed by [[William Russell (actor)|William Russell]] and [[Jacqueline Hill]], respectively. Throughout the season, the Doctor and his companions travel throughout history, visiting significant figures such as [[Marco Polo]] and events such as the [[Reign of Terror]], as well as into the future, where they encounter alien creatures such as the [[Dalek]]s and the Sensorites.
==Casting==
{{See also|List of Doctor Who cast members}}


The first eight serials were written by six writers: Whitaker, [[Anthony Coburn]], [[Terry Nation]], [[John Lucarotti]], [[Peter R. Newman]], and [[Dennis Spooner]]. The show was developed with three particular story types envisioned: past history, future technology, and alternative present; Coburn, Lucarotti, and Spooner wrote historical episodes, Nation and Newman penned futuristic stories, and Whitaker wrote a "filler" serial set entirely in the TARDIS. The serials were mostly directed by junior directors, such as [[Waris Hussein]], [[John Gorrie (director)|John Gorrie]], [[John Crockett (director)|John Crockett]], Henric Hirsch, [[Richard Martin (television director)|Richard Martin]], [[Christopher Barry]], and [[Frank Cox (director)|Frank Cox]]; the exception is experienced director [[Mervyn Pinfield]], who directed the first four episodes of ''[[The Sensorites]]''. Filming started in September 1963 and lasted for approximately nine months, with weekly recording taking place mostly at [[Lime Grove Studios]] or the [[Television Centre, London|BBC Television Centre]].
=== Main cast ===
* [[William Hartnell]] as the [[First Doctor]] (credited as "Dr. Who")
* [[Carole Ann Ford]] as [[Susan Foreman]]
* [[Jacqueline Hill]] as [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara Wright]]
* [[William Russell (actor)|William Russell]] as [[Ian Chesterton]]


The first episode, overshadowed by the [[assassination of John F. Kennedy]] the previous day, was watched by 4.4 million viewers; the episode was repeated the following week, and the programme gained popularity with audiences, particularly with the introduction of the Daleks in the second serial, which peaked at 10.4 million viewers. The season received generally positive reviews, with praise particularly directed at the scripts and performances. However, many retrospective reviewers noted that Susan lacked character development and was generally portrayed as a [[damsel in distress]], a criticism often echoed by Ford. Several episodes were [[Wiping|erased]] by the BBC between 1967 and 1972, and only 33 of a total of 42 episodes survive; all seven episodes of ''[[Marco Polo (Doctor Who)|Marco Polo]]'' and two episodes of ''The Reign of Terror'' remain [[Doctor Who missing episodes|missing]]. The existing serials received several [[VHS]] and [[DVD]] releases as well as tie-in novels.
Prolific actor [[William Hartnell]] was cast as [[The Doctor (Doctor Who)|The Doctor]], a mysterious alien traveller; his interpretation of the character has since come to be known as the [[First Doctor]]. In the series, the Doctor is accompanied by three companions: his granddaughter [[Susan Foreman]] ([[Carole Ann Ford]]), and her schoolteachers [[Ian Chesterton]] ([[William Russell (actor)|William Russell]]) and [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara Wright]] ([[Jacqueline Hill]]).


== Serials ==
== Serials ==
{{See also|List of Doctor Who episodes (1963–1989)}}
[[Verity Lambert]] was producer with [[David Whitaker (screenwriter)|David Whitaker]] serving as story editor and [[Mervyn Pinfield]] as associate producer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/season1.shtml |title=Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide – Season 1 |publisher=BBC |date= |accessdate=2012-08-20}}</ref>

A full years of production was recorded but it was decided to hold over last two stories for transmission as the start of season 2.<ref>[http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/j.html "Serial J: Planet Of Giants"] A Brief History of Time Travel 27 June 2012</ref>

Season 1 is one of the more complete seasons of ''Doctor Who'' from the 1960s, as all but two of the serials are complete in the BBC archive. The only serials that have episodes missing are ''Marco Polo'' (all 7 episodes) and ''The Reign of Terror'' (2 episodes). ''Marco Polo'' is one of three serials that has no surviving footage at all from any source (the others are "[[Mission to the Unknown]]" and ''[[The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve]]'', both from [[Doctor Who (season 3)|Season 3]]). ''The Reign of Terror'' has had its two missing episodes reconstructed using animation for its release on DVD.
<onlyinclude>{{Episode table
<onlyinclude>{{Episode table
|background = #8D3D63
|background = #8D3D63
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|overallT = Story
|overallT = Story
|seriesT = Serial
|seriesT = Serial
|aux4T = [[Appreciation Index|{{white|1={{abbr|AI|Appreciation Index}}}}]]
|aux4T = [[Appreciation Index|{{abbr|AI|Appreciation Index|style=color:white}}]]
|aux4R = <ref name="AllRatings" />
|aux4R = <ref name="AllRatings" />
|viewersR = <ref name="AllRatings" />
|viewersR = <ref name="AllRatings" />
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|OriginalAirDate = <br />{{Start date|1963|12|21|df=y}}<br />28 December 1963<br />4 January 1964<br />11 January 1964<br />18 January 1964<br />25 January 1964<br />1 February 1964
|OriginalAirDate = <br />{{Start date|1963|12|21|df=y}}<br />28 December 1963<br />4 January 1964<br />11 January 1964<br />18 January 1964<br />25 January 1964<br />1 February 1964
|ProdCode = B
|ProdCode = B
|ShortSummary = The Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Susan are captured by the [[Dalek]]s, and learn they are in the aftermath of a neutronic war between the Daleks and the [[Thals]]. |LineColor = 8D3D63
|ShortSummary = The TARDIS lands in a petrified jungle, where they find an advanced city and decide to explore it. Barbara becomes separated from her colleagues, threatened by an unseen creature. Before long, the entire crew is captured by the [[Daleks]], and learn they are in the middle of a war between the Daleks and the [[Thals]]. |LineColor = 8D3D63
}}
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|Doctor Who (season 1)
{{Episode list/sublist|Doctor Who (season 1)
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|OriginalAirDate = <br />{{Start date|1964|2|8|df=y}}<br />15 February 1964
|OriginalAirDate = <br />{{Start date|1964|2|8|df=y}}<br />15 February 1964
|ProdCode = C
|ProdCode = C
|ShortSummary = The [[First Doctor|Doctor]], while attempting to correct the TARDIS's faulty navigation circuits, causes a small explosion. The Doctor, [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara]], [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]] and [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] are all temporarily rendered unconscious. After they awake, Ian and Susan appear to have slight cases of [[amnesia]] and everyone begins to act strangely.
|ShortSummary = The [[First Doctor|Doctor]], while attempting to correct the TARDIS's faulty navigation circuits, causes a small explosion. The Doctor, [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara]], [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]] and [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] are all temporarily rendered unconscious. After they awake, Ian and Susan appear to have slight cases of [[amnesia]] and everyone begins to act strangely.
|LineColor = 8D3D63
|LineColor = 8D3D63
}}
}}
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|EpisodeNumber = 4
|EpisodeNumber = 4
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|RTitle = ''[[Marco Polo (Doctor Who)|Marco Polo]]''<br />"The Roof of the World"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"The Singing Sands"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"Five Hundred Eyes"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"The Wall of Lies"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"Rider from Shang-Tu"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"Mighty Kublai Khan"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"Assassin at Peking"{{ref|a|†}}
|RTitle = ''[[Marco Polo (Doctor Who)|Marco Polo]]''{{efn|name="MP"|The serial was erased by the BBC on 17 August 1967; the entire serial is [[Doctor Who missing episodes|missing]] as a result.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=78}}}}<br />"The Roof of the World"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"The Singing Sands"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"Five Hundred Eyes"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"The Wall of Lies"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"Rider from Shang-Tu"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"Mighty Kublai Khan"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"Assassin at Peking"{{ref|a|†}}
|DirectedBy = [[Waris Hussein]] and [[John Crockett (director)|John Crockett]]
|DirectedBy = [[Waris Hussein]] and [[John Crockett (director)|John Crockett]]
|WrittenBy = [[John Lucarotti]]
|WrittenBy = [[John Lucarotti]]
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|OriginalAirDate = <br />{{Start date|1964|4|11|df=y}}<br />18 April 1964<br />25 April 1964<br />2 May 1964<br />9 May 1964<br />16 May 1964
|OriginalAirDate = <br />{{Start date|1964|4|11|df=y}}<br />18 April 1964<br />25 April 1964<br />2 May 1964<br />9 May 1964<br />16 May 1964
|ProdCode = E
|ProdCode = E
|ShortSummary = The Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Susan are forced to find and retrieve the five keys of the Conscience of Marinus, a lawmaking computer on the planet Marinus. The keys are scattered across the planet and must not come into the wrong hands of the Voord, Yartek.
|ShortSummary = After arriving on an island of glass surrounded by a sea of acid, the TARDIS crew are forced to find and retrieve the five keys of Marinus. Each key is scattered across the island and must not come into the wrong hands of the Yartek and Voord Warriors.
|LineColor = 8D3D63
|LineColor = 8D3D63
}}
}}
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|OriginalAirDate = <br />{{Start date|1964|5|23|df=y}}<br />30 May 1964<br />6 June 1964<br />13 June 1964
|OriginalAirDate = <br />{{Start date|1964|5|23|df=y}}<br />30 May 1964<br />6 June 1964<br />13 June 1964
|ProdCode = F
|ProdCode = F
|ShortSummary = In 15th century Mexico, [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara]] is mistaken for a female [[reincarnation]] of the ancient high priest Yetaxa, and assumes her guise and identity. From her new position of power, Barbara sees her chance to bring an end to [[human sacrifice]].
|ShortSummary = The [[TARDIS]] crew arrive in [[Mexico]] in the 15th Century. With the TARDIS trapped in a tomb, [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara]] is mistaken for a female [[reincarnation]] of the ancient high priest Yetaxa, and assumes her guise and identity. From her new position of power, Barbara sees her chance to bring an end to [[human sacrifice]].
|LineColor = 8D3D63
|LineColor = 8D3D63
}}
}}
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|EpisodeNumber2 = 7
|EpisodeNumber2 = 7
|RTitle = ''[[The Sensorites]]''<br />"Strangers in Space"<br />"The Unwilling Warriors"<br />"Hidden Danger"<br />"A Race Against Death"<br />"Kidnap"<br />"A Desperate Venture"
|RTitle = ''[[The Sensorites]]''<br />"Strangers in Space"<br />"The Unwilling Warriors"<br />"Hidden Danger"<br />"A Race Against Death"<br />"Kidnap"<br />"A Desperate Venture"
|DirectedBy = [[Mervyn Pinfield]] and [[Frank Cox (director)|Frank Cox]]
|DirectedBy = [[Mervyn Pinfield]] and Frank Cox
|WrittenBy = [[Peter R. Newman]]
|WrittenBy = [[Peter R. Newman]]
|Viewers = <br />7.9<br />6.9<br />7.4<br />5.5<br />6.9<br />6.9
|Viewers = <br />7.9<br />6.9<br />7.4<br />5.5<br />6.9<br />6.9
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|OriginalAirDate = <br />{{Start date|1964|6|20|df=y}}<br />27 June 1964<br />11 July 1964<br />18 July 1964<br />25 July 1964<br />1 August 1964
|OriginalAirDate = <br />{{Start date|1964|6|20|df=y}}<br />27 June 1964<br />11 July 1964<br />18 July 1964<br />25 July 1964<br />1 August 1964
|ProdCode = G
|ProdCode = G
|ShortSummary = The TARDIS travellers land on a spaceship and find the crew apparently dead. However, other crew members regain consciousness and Ian Chesterton fully revives them. These two tell the travellers that they are on an exploration mission from Earth and are orbiting Sense-Sphere. However, its inhabitants, the Sensorites, refuse to let them leave the orbit.
|ShortSummary = In the 28th century, a human spaceship is forced by the Sensorites to never leave the orbit the orbit of the mineral-rich Sense-Sphere.

|LineColor = 8D3D63
|LineColor = 8D3D63
}}
}}
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|EpisodeNumber = 8
|EpisodeNumber = 8
|EpisodeNumber2 = 8
|EpisodeNumber2 = 8
|RTitle = ''[[The Reign of Terror (Doctor Who)|The Reign of Terror]]''<br />"A Land of Fear"<br />"Guests of Madame Guillotine"<br />"A Change of Identity"<br />"The Tyrant of France"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"A Bargain of Necessity"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"Prisoners of Conciergerie"
|RTitle = ''[[The Reign of Terror (Doctor Who)|The Reign of Terror]]''{{efn|The original prints of the serial were [[Wiping|wiped]] by BBC Enterprises in 1972. The sixth episode was returned to the BBC by a private collector in May 1982, and the first three episodes were located in Cyprus in late 1984; the fourth and fifth episodes remain [[Doctor Who missing episodes|missing]], existing only as off-air recordings from 1964.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=79}}}}<br />"A Land of Fear"<br />"Guests of Madame Guillotine"<br />"A Change of Identity"<br />"The Tyrant of France"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"A Bargain of Necessity"{{ref|a|†}}<br />"Prisoners of Conciergerie"
|DirectedBy = Henric Hirsch and John Gorrie
|DirectedBy = Henric Hirsch
|WrittenBy = [[Dennis Spooner]]
|WrittenBy = [[Dennis Spooner]]
|Viewers = <br />6.9<br />6.9<br />6.9<br />6.4<br />6.9<br />6.4
|Viewers = <br />6.9<br />6.9<br />6.9<br />6.4<br />6.9<br />6.4
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|OriginalAirDate = <br />{{Start date|1964|8|8|df=y}}<br />15 August 1964<br />22 August 1964<br />29 August 1964<br />5 September 1964<br />12 September 1964
|OriginalAirDate = <br />{{Start date|1964|8|8|df=y}}<br />15 August 1964<br />22 August 1964<br />29 August 1964<br />5 September 1964<br />12 September 1964
|ProdCode = H
|ProdCode = H
|ShortSummary = The [[Doctor (Doctor Who)|Doctor]], [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]], [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara]] and [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] arrive in 18th-century France during the [[French Revolution]].
|ShortSummary = The [[Doctor (Doctor Who)|Doctor]], [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]], [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara]] and [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] arrive in what they believe to be England. However, it is soon clear that they have travelled back into Earth history yet again, this time to 18th Century [[France]], during [[The French Revolution]].
|LineColor = 8D3D63
|LineColor = 8D3D63
}}
}}
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{{note|a|†}} [[Doctor Who missing episodes|Episode is missing]]</onlyinclude>
{{note|a|†}} [[Doctor Who missing episodes|Episode is missing]]</onlyinclude>


== Production ==
==Supplemental episodes==
=== Conception ===
{{Episode table
{{See also|History of Doctor Who}}
|background = #8D3D63
In December 1962, [[BBC Television]]'s Controller of Programmes [[Donald Baverstock]] informed Head of Drama [[Sydney Newman]] of a gap in the schedule on Saturday evenings between the sports showcase ''[[Grandstand (BBC)|Grandstand]]'' and the pop music programme ''[[Juke Box Jury]]''. Baverstock figured that the programme should appeal to three audiences: children who had previously been accustomed to the timeslot, the teenage audience of ''Juke Box Jury'', and the adult sports fan audience of ''Grandstand''.{{sfn|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1994|p=3}} Newman decided that a science fiction programme should fill the gap.{{sfn|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1994|p=166}} Head of Serials [[Donald Wilson (writer and producer)|Donald Wilson]] and writer [[C. E. Webber]] contributed heavily to the formatting of the programme, and co-wrote the programme's first format document with Newman;{{sfn|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1994|p=182}} the latter conceived the idea of a time machine larger on the inside than the outside, as well as the central character of the mysterious "Doctor", and the show's name ''Doctor Who''.<ref name="Origins"/>{{efn|[[Hugh David]], an actor initially considered for the role of the Doctor and later a director on the programme, later claimed that [[Rex Tucker]] coined the title ''Doctor Who''. Tucker claimed that it was Newman who had done so.{{sfn|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1994|p=173}}}} Production was initiated several months later and handed to producer [[Verity Lambert]] and story editor [[David Whitaker (screenwriter)|David Whitaker]] to oversee, after a brief period when the show had been handled by a "caretaker" producer, [[Rex Tucker]].<ref name="Origins"/>
|overall = 6 |series = 6 |title = 20 |director = 14 |writer = 18 |airdate = 16 |prodcode = 5 |viewers = 9 |aux4 = 6 |country = UK

|overallT = Story
=== Casting and characters ===
|seriesT = Serial
{{multiple image
|aux4T = [[Appreciation Index|AI]]
| footer = Ford was chosen to portray the Doctor's granddaughter [[Susan Foreman]], while Russell plays her teacher [[Ian Chesterton]].
|aux4R = <ref name="AllRatings" />
| image1 = Caroleanneford86.jpg
|viewersR = <ref name="AllRatings" />
|episodes =
| width1 = 158
| caption1 = [[Carole Ann Ford]] in 1986
{{Episode list/sublist|Doctor Who (season 1)
| image2 = Williamrussellatbafta1998.jpg
|EpisodeNumber = –
| width2 = 150
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
| caption2 = [[William Russell (actor)|William Russell]] in 1998
|RTitle = ''[[An Unearthly Child#Pilot episode|An Unearthly Child]]''
|AltTitle = Pilot
|DirectedBy = [[Waris Hussein]]
|WrittenBy = [[Anthony Coburn]]
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1991|8|26|df=y}}
|ProdCode = A
|Viewers = 1.7
|Aux4 = –
|ShortSummary = The original recording of the first episode of ''An Unearthly Child''. It was rerecorded following problems with the scenery and issues Sydney Newman had with the performance of William Hartnell. For the summary of this episode, see above.
|LineColor = 8D3D63
}}
}}
{{Episode list/sublist|Doctor Who (season 1)
{{See also|List of Doctor Who cast members}}

|EpisodeNumber = –
[[William Hartnell]] portrayed the [[First Doctor|first incarnation]] of [[The Doctor (Doctor Who)|the Doctor]] (referred to as "Dr. Who") in this season. The role was originally offered to [[Hugh David]], [[Leslie French]], [[Cyril Cusack]], [[Alan Webb (actor)|Alan Webb]] and [[Geoffrey Bayldon]]; David, Cusack and Webb turned down the role as they were reluctant to work on a series,{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=38–40}}{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=53–54}} while Bayldon wished to avoid another "old man" role.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=53–54}} Lambert and director [[Waris Hussein]] invited [[William Hartnell]] to play the role; Hartnell accepted the role after several discussions, viewing it as an opportunity to take his career in a new direction.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=55}} Hartnell had always wished to play an older character in his work, but failed to do so, becoming typecast as a "tough" actor due to his roles in ''[[Carry On Sergeant]]'' (1958) and ''[[The Army Game]]'' (1957–61).<ref name="DID"/> Although portrayed as grumpy and antagonistic in early episodes, the Doctor warms to his [[Companion (Doctor Who)|companions]] as the show progresses.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=10}}
|EpisodeNumber2 = –

|RTitle = ''[[The Daleks]]''
The Doctor's granddaughter [[Susan Foreman]] was portrayed by [[Carole Ann Ford]], a 23-year-old who typically played younger roles. Lambert was originally in talks with actress Jacqueline Lenya for the role,{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=58}} and several actresses auditioned for the part, including Christa Bergmann, Anne Castaldini, Maureen Crombie, Heather Fleming, Camilla Hasse, Waveney Lee, [[Anna Palk]] and [[Anneke Wills]].{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=48}} Ford felt that the character of Susan deteriorated throughout the series; although the show's initial pitch depicted Susan as a strange alien creature, she often played the [[damsel in distress]] role, panicking at minor events.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=11}} Susan's school teachers [[Ian Chesterton]] and [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara Wright]] were played by [[William Russell (actor)|William Russell]] and [[Jacqueline Hill]], respectively. Russell was the only actor considered by Lambert for the role of Chesterton.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=57}} While Sally Home, [[Phyllida Law]] and Penelope Lee were considered for Barbara,{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=48}} Lambert chose Hill, her friend, for the role.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=59}}
|AltTitle = The Dead Planet

|DirectedBy = [[Christopher Barry]]
=== Writing ===
|WrittenBy = [[Terry Nation]]
Three particular story types were envisioned for the show: history of the past, technology in the future, and alternatives of the present.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=11}} Historical stories were intended to educate viewers about significant events in history, such as the [[Aztec civilisation]] and the [[French Revolution]]; futuristic episodes took a more subtle approach to educating viewers, such as the theme of [[pacifism]] in ''The Daleks''.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=12–13}}
|OriginalAirDate = {{TableTBA|N/A}}

|ProdCode = B
The programme was originally intended to open with a serial entitled ''The Giants'', written by Webber,{{sfn|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1994|pp=181–2}} but was scrapped by June 1963 as the technical requirements of the storyline—which involved the leading characters being drastically reduced in size—were beyond the technical capabilities, and the story itself lacked the necessarily impact for an opener. Due to the lack of scripts ready for production, the untitled second serial from Coburn was moved to first in the running order.{{sfn|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1994|p=186}} The order change necessitated rewriting the opening episode of Coburn's script to include some introductory elements of Webber's script for the first episode of ''The Giants''; as a result, Webber received a co-writer's credit for "An Unearthly Child" on internal BBC documentation.<ref name="handbook">{{harvnb|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1994|p=}}</ref> Coburn also made several significant original contributions to the opening episode, mostly notably that the Doctor's time machine should resemble a police box, an idea he conceived after seeing a real police box while walking near his office.<ref name="handbook"/>
|Viewers = –

|Aux4 = –
{{multiple image
|ShortSummary = The original recording of the first episode of ''The Daleks''. For the summary of this episode, see above.
| footer = Some of the first season's stories feature historical figures such as [[Marco Polo]] (left) and [[Maximilien Robespierre]] (right).
|LineColor = 8D3D63
| align = left
| image1 = Marco Polo portrait.jpg
| width1 = 148
| image2 = Robespierre crop.jpg
| width2 = 150
}}
}}

The second serial of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' was always planned to be futuristic due to the historical nature of the first. Comedy writer [[Terry Nation]] had written a 26-page outline for a story entitled ''The Survivors'' at his home, influenced by the threat of [[Racial policy of Nazi Germany|racial extermination by the Nazis]] and the concerns of advanced warfare, as well as taking influences from [[H. G. Wells]]' novel ''[[The Time Machine]]'' (1895).{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|pp=117–118}} Newman and Wilson were unhappy with the serial, having wanted to avoid featuring "bug-eyed monsters"; however, with no other scripts prepared, they were forced to accept the serial for production.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=123}} Due to other sudden commitments, Nation quickly wrote the scripts for the serial at the rate of one per day.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=120}} National also wrote the show's fifth serial, ''The Keys of Marinus'', to replace ''Dr Who and the Hidden Planet'' by [[Malcolm Hulke]], which was deemed problematic and required rewrites. Nation and Whitaker decided to base the serial around a series of "mini-adventures", each with a different setting and cast; Nation was intrigued by the idea of the TARDIS crew searching for parts of a puzzle.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=96}} Nation was also set to write the show's eighth serial, ''Doctor Who and the Red Fort'', a seven-part story set during the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]], but other commitments prevented him from doing so.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=57}}

Newman suggested writer [[John Lucarotti]] to the production team during the show's early development. Lucarotti, who had recently worked on the 18-part radio serial ''The Three Journeys of Marco Polo'' (1955), penned a seven-part serial about the Italian merchant and explorer [[Marco Polo]] titled ''Dr Who and a Journey to Cathay''.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=48}} Later known as ''Marco Polo'', the serial was moved from its placement in the running order to accommodate ''The Edge of Destruction''.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=49}} Lucarotti was approached to write ''The Aztecs'' while ''Marco Polo'' was in production. Having lived in Mexico, Lucarotti was fascinated by the Aztec civilisation{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=134}} and their obsession with [[Human sacrifice in Aztec culture|human sacrifice]].{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=135}} The show's eighth serial, ''The Reign of Terror'', is also a historical story, though writer [[Dennis Spooner]] was initially interested in writing a science fiction story. Whitaker gave Spooner four possible historical subjects, and he ultimately selected the French Revolution.{{sfn|Wright|2016|pp=54–55}}

The show's third serial, ''The Edge of Destruction'', was written as a "filler" in case the show was not renewed beyond 13 episodes. Since the serial had no budget and minimal resources, Whitaker took the opportunity to develop an idea conceived during the show's formative weeks: a character-driven story exploring the facets of the TARDIS.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=13}} He wrote the script in two days, drawing upon influences of ghost stories and haunted houses.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=14}} [[Peter R. Newman]] wrote the show's sixth serial, ''The Sensorites'', inspired by 1950s films set during [[World War II]] that explore the notion of [[Japanese holdout|soldiers who continued to fight after the war]].{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=18}}

=== Filming ===
{{multiple image
| footer = Some episodes of the first season were recorded at the Television Centre, and most [[Insert (filmmaking)|inserts]] were filmed at Ealing Studios.
| image1 = BBC Television Centre.JPG
| width1 = 200
| caption1 = [[Television Centre, London|BBC Television Centre]] in 2005
| image2 = Ealing Studios London England.jpg
| width2 = 200
| caption2 = [[Ealing Studios]] in 2008
}}
}}
''An Unearthly Child'' was provisionally scheduled to begin recording on 5 July,{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=27}} but was delayed to 19 July.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=38}} Production was later deferred for a further two weeks while scripts were prepared.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=44–47}} The show's pilot recording was finally scheduled for 27 September and regular episodes made from 18 October.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=49}} Tucker was originally selected as the serial's director, but the task was assigned to Hussein following Tucker's departure from production.<ref name="handbook"/> Some of the pre-filmed inserts for the serial, shot at [[Ealing Studios]] in September and October 1963,{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=67}} were directed by Hussein's production assistant [[Douglas Camfield]].<ref>{{harvnb|Howe|Stammers|Walker|1994|p=220}}</ref> The first version of the opening episode was recorded at [[Lime Grove Studios]] on the evening of 27 September 1963, following a week of rehearsals. However, the recording was bedevilled with technical errors, including the doors leading into the TARDIS control room failing to close properly. After viewing the episode, Newman ordered that it be mounted again. During the weeks between the two tapings, changes were made to costuming, effects, performances, and scripts.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=77–79}}{{efn|The original episode, retroactively referred to as the "pilot episode", was not broadcast on television until 26 August 1991.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=95}}}} The second attempt at the opening episode was recorded on 18 October, with the following three episodes being recorded weekly on 25 October, 1 November and 8 November.<ref name="handbook"/>


Tucker was initially appointed to direct ''The Daleks'', but was later replaced by [[Christopher Barry]].{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=122}} A week of shooting for ''The Daleks'' took place from 28 October, consisting mostly of [[Insert (filmmaking)|inserts]] of the city and models.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=151}} Weekly recording began on 15 November;{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=139}} it was later discovered that the first recording was affected by induction—an effect in which the voices from the production assistants' headphones was clearly audible. The episode was re-recorded on 6 December, pushing the weekly recordings of episodes 4–7 back by one week.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=141}} The final episode was recorded on 10 January 1964.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=151}} The re-recording forced [[Paddy Russell]] to forego directing ''The Edge of Destruction'' due to other commitments; junior director [[Richard Martin (television director)|Richard Martin]] was later handed the role,{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=14—15}} and the first episode was recorded on 17 January.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=20}} [[Frank Cox (director)|Frank Cox]] directed the second episode on 24 January, as Martin was unavailable.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|pp=22—23}} Filming for ''Marco Polo'' was preceded by a week of insert shooting of locations and props for the montage sequences.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=71}} The serial was recorded weekly from 31 January to 13 March, directed by Hussein;{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=71}} [[John Crockett (director)|John Crockett]] directed the fourth episode in Hussein's absence.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=65}}
==Missing episodes==
{{see also|Doctor Who missing episodes}}
*''Marco Polo'' – All 7 episodes
*''The Reign of Terror'' – Episodes 4 & 5 (of 6 total)


Weekly recording for ''The Keys of Marinus'', directed by [[John Gorrie (director)|John Gorrie]], took place from 20 March to 24 April;{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=115}} Hartnell was absent for the third and fourth episodes, as he was on holiday.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=108}} ''The Aztecs'', directed by Crockett, was filmed from 1 to 22 May;{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=146}} Ford appeared in pre-filmed inserts for the second and third episodes, shot on 13 April, due to her holiday.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Howe |first1=David J. |authorlink1=David J. Howe |last2=Walker |first2=Stephen James |authorlink2=Stephen James Walker |title=Doctor Who: The Television Companion |year=1998 |publisher=[[BBC Worldwide]] |location=London |isbn=0-563-40588-0 |page=25 |chapter=The Aztecs: Things to watch out for... |chapterurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/aztecs/detail.shtml#trivia |ref=harv }}</ref>{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=141}} Experienced director [[Mervyn Pinfield]] was chosen to direct the first four episodes of ''The Sensorites'', while [[Frank Cox (director)|Frank Cox]] directed the final two episodes.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=20}} Recording took place from 29 March to 3 July;{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=32}} Hill was absent for the fourth and fifth episodes due to her holiday.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=29}} ''The Reign of Terror'' featured the show's first outdoor filming in [[Denham, Buckinghamshire]], led by cameraman Peter Hamilton on 15 June 1964.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=64}} Hungarian director Henric Hirsch directed the serial, which was recorded from 10 July to 19 August;{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=76}} in preparation for his holiday, William Russell recorded inserts for the second and third episodes from 16–17 June.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=65}} Hirsch collapsed during the filming of the third episode. Lambert placed production assistant Tim Combe in charge until a replacement director could be found; documentation indicates that Gorrie oversaw production of the third episode,{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=71}} though Gorrie has no memory of the event.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=72}} Hirsch returned to direct the final three episodes, splitting some of the workload with Combe.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=76}}
==DVD releases==
{{see also|List of Doctor Who home video releases}}


== Release ==
=== Promotion ===
''Doctor Who'' was announced by Control of [[BBC Television]] [[Stuart Hood]] on 12 September 1963, described by ''Television Mail'' as "a serial of stories to entertain the whole family". Trade newspaper ''[[Kinematograph Weekly]]'' devoted its TV column to the show on 24 October; journalist Tony Gruner described the show as "a somewhat mysterious type of programme consisting in part of fantasy and realism".{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=86}} A trailer for the show was broadcast on the BBC on 16 November. The first serial was given a half-page preview in ''[[Radio Times]]'' on 21 November, outlining the show's main characters and upcoming settings.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=87}} On the same day, the main cast and production team attended the show's launch at Room 222 of the BBC's [[Broadcasting House]]. Hartnell hosted a radio trailer for the show on the [[BBC Light Programme]].{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=88}} The [[BBC Home Service]] programme ''Today'' hosted a one-minute piece about the show's "space music" on 22 November, and a second trailer for the show was screened on BBC in the evening.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=89}}

Hartnell taped a radio interview for ''Northern View'' on 17 December to promote the show's second serial. To increase the profile of the [[Dalek]]s, the BBC sent two Dalek models—operated by [[Kevin Manser]] and [[Robert Jewell]]—to interact with the public at the [[Shepherd's Bush Market]] on 23 December. Hartnell recorded an appearance for ''[[Points of View (TV series)|Junior Points of View]]'' on 8 January, broadcast the following day, at Television Centre Presentation Studio A. In character as the Doctor, Hartnell spoke about the Daleks, based on dialogue written by Nation.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=153}} A promotional image of ''Marco Polo'' was featured on the cover of ''Radio Times'' on 20 February 1964, with a half-page introduction to the serial inside.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=73}} The Voord creatures from ''The Keys of Marinus'' were featured in several stories the ''[[Daily Express]]'' and ''[[Daily Mail]]'' in April 1964,{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|pp=117–118}} while the titular creatures from ''The Sensorites'' were featured in similar press pieces in June.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=34}} Lucarotti provided a syndicated interview with the press regarding ''The Aztecs'', published in various papers such as the ''[[The Mail (Cumbria)|North-Western Evening Mail]]'' on 9 May.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=147}} On 20 June, Ford opened the East Ham Town Show at the Central Park in [[East Ham]], with 20,000 people in attendance.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=34}} ''Radio Times'' ran a half-page interview with Hartnell on 16 July to promote the fourth episode of ''The Sensorites''.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=35}}

=== Home media ===
{{see also|List of Doctor Who home video releases}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
|-
! style="width:30%;"| Serial name
! style="width:20%;" rowspan="2" | '''Serial name'''
! style="width:10%;"| Number and duration<br />of episodes
! style="width:10%;" rowspan="2" | '''Number and duration<br>of episodes'''
! style="width:10%;" colspan="3" | VHS
! style="width:10%;" colspan="3" | DVD
|-
! style="width:10%;"| R2 release date
! style="width:10%;"| R2 release date
! style="width:10%;"| R4 release date
! style="width:10%;"| R4 release date
! style="width:10%;"| R1 release date
! style="width:10%;"| R1 release date
! style="width:10%;"| R2 release date
! style="width:10%;"| R4 release date
! style="width:10%;"| R1 release date
|-
| ''[[An Unearthly Child]]''
| 4 × 25 min.
| February 1990{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=98}}<br />{{nowrap|September 2000 <small>(remastered)</small>}}{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=98}}
| July 1990{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=98}}<br />{{nowrap|October 2000 <small>(remastered)</small>}}{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=98}}
| January 1991{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=98}}
| colspan="3" rowspan="3" {{n/a}}
|-
| ''[[The Daleks]]''
| 7 × 25 min.
| June 1989{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=163}}<br />{{nowrap|February 2001 <small>(remastered)</small>{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=163}}}}
| December 1989{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=163}}<br />{{nowrap|April 2001 <small>(remastered)</small>{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=163}}}}
| October 1993{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=163}}
|-
| ''[[The Edge of Destruction]]''<br /><small>Includes ''An Unearthly Child'': "Pilot Episode"</small>
| 2 × 25 min.<br /><small>+ 1 × 30 min.</small>
| May 2000{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=30}}
| May 2000{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=30}}
| February 2001{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=30}}
|-
|-
| ''The Beginning'':<br />''[[An Unearthly Child]]'' (4 episodes)<br />''[[The Daleks]]'' (7 episodes)<br />''[[The Edge of Destruction]]'' (2 episodes)<br />''[[Marco Polo (Doctor Who)|Marco Polo]]'' (reconstruction)
| ''The Beginning'':<br />''An Unearthly Child''<br />''The Daleks'' <br />''The Edge of Destruction''<br/><small>Includes condensed reconstruction of ''[[Marco Polo (Doctor Who)|Marco Polo]]''</small>
| 13 × 25 min.<br />1 × 30 min
| 13 × 25 min.<br /><small>+ 1 × 30 min.</small>
| colspan="3" {{n/a}}
| 30 January 2006
| 30 January 2006{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=96}}
| 2 March 2006
| 2 March 2006<ref>{{cite web |title=Doctor Who - The Beginning Box Set |url=http://shop.abc.net.au/products/doctor-who-the-beginning-box-set |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |accessdate=29 July 2013}}</ref>
| 28 March 2006
| 28 March 2006<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/20936/doctor-who-the-beginning/ |title=Doctor Who: The Beginning |last=Sinnott |first=John |publisher=[[DVD Talk]] |date=1 April 2006 |accessdate=23 February 2018 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6xH2rfJb8?url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/20936/doctor-who-the-beginning/ |archivedate=16 February 2018 |deadurl=no |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
|-
|-
| ''[[The Keys of Marinus]]'' (6 episodes)
| ''[[The Keys of Marinus]]''
| 6 × 25 min.
| 6 × 25 min.
| March 1999{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=122}}
| 21 September 2009
| July 1999<ref name="The Keys of Marinus (VHS)">{{cite web |url=http://www.timelash.com/tardis/display.php?862 |title=The Keys of Marinus |publisher=''Timelash'' |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222100800/http://www.timelash.com/tardis/display.asp?862 |archivedate=22 December 2015 |deadurl=no }}</ref>
| 7 January 2010
| May 1999<ref name="The Keys of Marinus (VHS)" />
| 5 January 2010
| 21 September 2009{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=122}}
| 7 January 2010{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=122}}
| 5 January 2010<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/39972/doctor-who-the-keys-of-marinus/ |title=Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus |last=Wallis |first=J. Doyle |publisher=[[DVD Talk]] |date=25 February 2010 |accessdate=1 March 2018 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6xaQb129g?url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/39972/doctor-who-the-keys-of-marinus/ |archivedate=1 March 2018 |deadurl=no |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
|-
|-
| ''[[The Aztecs (Doctor Who)|The Aztecs]]'' (4 episodes)
| ''[[The Aztecs (Doctor Who)|The Aztecs]]''
| 4 × 25 min.
| 4 × 25 min.
| November 1992{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=151}}
| 21 October 2002
| February 1993<ref name="The Aztecs (VHS)">{{cite web |url=http://www.timelash.com/tardis/display.asp?791 |title=The Aztecs |publisher=''Timelash'' |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/72f41CIy4 |archivedate=23 September 2018 |deadurl=no }}</ref>
| 2 December 2002
| May 1994<ref name="The Aztecs (VHS)" />
| 4 March 2003
| 21 October 2002{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=151}}
| 2 December 2002{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=151}}
| 4 March 2003<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Doctor-Volume-Release/1626 |title=Doctor Who - Story #006: The Aztecs DVD Information |work=[[TVShowsOnDVD.com]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |accessdate=24 September 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114033525/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Doctor-Volume-Release/1626 |archivedate=14 November 2007 }}</ref>
|-
|-
| ''[[The Aztecs (Doctor Who)|The Aztecs]] – Special Edition''<br /><small>Includes ''[[Galaxy 4]]'': Airlock
| ''The Aztecs Special Edition''<br /><small>Includes ''[[Galaxy 4]]'': "Airlock"</small>
| 5 x 25 min.
| 5 x 25 min.
| colspan="3" {{n/a}}
| 11 March 2013<ref name="Doctor Who Magazine 453">Doctor Who Magazine 453</ref>
| 20 March 2013
| 11 March 2013{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=151}}
| 20 March 2013<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bbcondvd.com.au/node/2762 |title=Doctor Who The Aztecs Special Edition |publisher=[[BBC]] |accessdate=24 September 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419072153/http://bbcondvd.com.au/node/2762 |archivedate=19 April 2013 }}</ref>
| 12 March 2013
| 12 March 2013<ref>{{cite web |url=http://press.bbcdvd.com/dvd.jsp?id=103487 |title=Doctor Who: The Aztecs Special Edition |publisher=[[BBC]] |accessdate=24 September 2018 |archiveurl=https://archive.is/20130730181216/http://press.bbcdvd.com/dvd.jsp?id=103487 |archivedate=30 July 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
|-
|-
|''[[The Sensorites]]'' (6 episodes)
|''[[The Sensorites]]''
| 6 × 25 min.
| 6 × 25 min.
| 4 November 2002{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=39}}<br /><small>(part of ''The First Doctor Box Set'')</small>
| 23 January 2012
| December 2002{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=39}}<br /><small>(part of ''The First Doctor Box Set'')</small>
| 2 February 2012<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmink.com.au/releases/ |title=Filmink listings |publisher=Filmink.com.au |date= |accessdate=2012-08-20}}</ref>
| 14 February 2012<ref name="TVshowsondvd_Feb2012">{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Doctor-The-Sensorites-and-4-special-edition-releases/16036 |title=Doctor Who – 1st Doctor Story 'The Sensorites' Among 5 Classic DVDs Slated for February and March |publisher=tvshowsondvd |date=5 October 2011 |accessdate=6 October 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008215904/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Doctor-The-Sensorites-and-4-special-edition-releases/16036 |archivedate=8 October 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
| October 2003<ref name="The Sensorites (VHS)">{{cite web |url=http://www.timelash.com/tardis/display.asp?1068 |title=The Sensorites |publisher=''Timelash'' |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/72f48QV6Y |archivedate=23 September 2018 |deadurl=no }}</ref>
| 23 January 2012{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=39}}
| 2 February 2012{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=39}}
| 14 February 2012<ref name="DVD Talk Review 7"/>
|-
|-
| ''[[The Reign of Terror (Doctor Who)|The Reign of Terror]]'' <small>(episodes 1–3 & 6 of 6, animation of 4 & 5)</small>
| ''[[The Reign of Terror (Doctor Who)|The Reign of Terror]]'' {{small|(animation of episodes 4–5)}}
| 6 × 25 min
| 4 × 25 min.
| November 2003{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=80}}
| 28 January 2013<ref name="Doctor Who Magazine 453"/>
| December 2003{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=80}}
| 6 February 2013
| October 2003{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=80}}
| 12 February 2013
| 28 January 2013{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=81}}
| 6 February 2013<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bbcondvd.com.au/node/2739 |title=Doctor Who The Reign of Terror DVD |publisher=[[BBC]] |accessdate=24 September 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419072248/http://bbcondvd.com.au/node/2739 |archivedate=19 April 2013 }}</ref>
| 12 February 2013{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=81}}
|}
|}


==In print==
=== Books ===
{{main article|List of Doctor Who novelisations}}
{{main article|List of Doctor Who novelisations}}
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 256: Line 304:
|''Doctor Who and An Unearthly Child''
|''Doctor Who and An Unearthly Child''
|[[Terrance Dicks]]
|[[Terrance Dicks]]
|15 October 1981
|15 October 1981{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=96}}
|-
|-
|''[[The Daleks]]''
|''[[The Daleks]]''
|''Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks''{{efn|Reprints titled ''Doctor Who and the Daleks''}}
|''Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks''
|[[David Whitaker (screenwriter)|David Whitaker]]
|[[David Whitaker (screenwriter)|David Whitaker]]
|12 November 1964
|12 November 1964{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=160}}
|-
|-
|''[[The Edge of Destruction]]''
|''[[The Edge of Destruction]]''
|''The Edge of Destruction''
|''The Edge of Destruction''
|[[Nigel Robinson]]
|[[Nigel Robinson]]
|20 October 1988{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=29}}
|19 May 1988
|-
|-
|''[[Marco Polo (Doctor Who)|Marco Polo]]''
|''[[Marco Polo (Doctor Who)|Marco Polo]]''
|''Marco Polo''
|''Marco Polo''
|[[John Lucarotti]]
|[[John Lucarotti]]
|13 December 1984
|December 1984{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=79}}
|-
|-
|''[[The Keys of Marinus]]''
|''[[The Keys of Marinus]]''
|''Doctor Who and the Keys of Marinus''
|''Doctor Who and the Keys of Marinus''
|[[Philip Hinchcliffe]]
|[[Philip Hinchcliffe]]
|21 August 1980
|21 August 1980{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=121}}
|-
|-
|''[[The Aztecs (Doctor Who)|The Aztecs]]''
|''[[The Aztecs (Doctor Who)|The Aztecs]]''
|''The Aztecs''
|''The Aztecs''
|John Lucarotti
|John Lucarotti
|21 June 1984
|21 June 1984{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=151}}
|-
|-
|''[[The Sensorites]]''
|''[[The Sensorites]]''
|''The Sensorites''
|''The Sensorites''
|Nigel Robinson
|Nigel Robinson
|19 February 1987
|February 1987{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=38}}
|-
|-
|''[[The Reign of Terror (Doctor Who)|The Reign of Terror]]''
|''[[The Reign of Terror (Doctor Who)|The Reign of Terror]]''
|''The Reign of Terror''
|''The Reign of Terror''
|[[Ian Marter]]
|[[Ian Marter]]
|19 March 1987
|March 1987{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=80}}
|}
|}
{{notelist}}


== See also ==
== Reception ==
=== Ratings ===
{{Portal|1960s}}
{{Television ratings graph
* [[List of Doctor Who episodes (1963–1989)]]
| season_title = Episode
| color1 = #813B6F | legend1 = ''An Unearthly Child''
| color2 = #9F9FD8 | legend2 = ''The Daleks''
| color3 = #54CA95 | legend3 = ''The Edge of Destruction''
| color4 = #DCA28E | legend4 = ''Marco Polo''
| color5 = #CC4460 | legend5 = ''The Keys of Marinus''
| color6 = #F8B969 | legend6 = ''The Aztecs''
| color7 = #497497 | legend7 = ''The Sensorites''
| color8 = #9484A0 | legend8 = ''The Reign of Terror''
| refs =
| intervals = 1
| country = UK
| average = y
| width = 1150
| bar_width = 23
| -
| 4.4
| 5.9
| 6.9
| 6.3
| 5.9
| -
| 6.9
| 6.4
| 8.9
| 9.9
| 9.9
| 10.4
| 10.4
| 9.0
| -
| 10.4
| 9.9
| 10.2
| -
| 9.4
| 9.4
| 9.4
| 9.9
| 9.4
| 8.4
| 10.4
| 9.5
| -
| 9.9
| 9.4
| 9.9
| 10.4
| 7.9
| 6.9
| 9.1
| -
| 7.4
| 7.4
| 7.9
| 7.4
| 7.5
| -
| 7.9
| 6.9
| 7.4
| 5.5
| 6.9
| 6.9
| 6.9
| -
| 6.9
| 6.9
| 6.9
| 6.4
| 6.9
| 6.4
| 6.7
}}
The [[assassination of John F. Kennedy]] the day preceding the launch of ''Doctor Who'' overshadowed the first episode;{{sfn|Chapman|2006|p=25}} as a result, it was repeated a week later, on 30 November, preceding the second episode.{{sfn|Chapman|2006|p=25}} The first episode was watched by 4.4 million viewers (9.1% of the viewing audience), and it received a score of 63 on the [[Appreciation Index]];{{sfn|Chapman|2006|p=25}} the repeat of the first episode reached a larger audience of six million viewers.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=95}} Across its four episodes, ''An Unearthly Child'' was watched by an average of 6 million (12.3% of potential viewers).{{sfn|Chapman|2006|p=25}} Mark Bould suggests that a disappointing audience reaction and high production costs prompted the BBC's chief of programmes to cancel the series until the Daleks, introduced in the second serial, were immediately popular with viewers.{{sfn|Bould|2008|p=215}} The first two episodes of ''The Daleks'' received 6.9 and 6.4 million viewers, respectively. By the third episode, news about the Daleks had spread, and the episode was watched by 8.9 million viewers.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=159}} An additional million viewers watched for the following two weeks, and the final two episodes reached 10.4 million;{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=159}} by the end of the serial, the show's overall audience had increased by 50%.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=156}} The following two serials retained these high viewing figures, with ''The Edge of Destruction'' receiving 10.4 and 9.9 million viewers,{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=27}} and ''Marco Polo'' maintaining an average of 9.47 million viewers.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=78}}

The fourth episode of ''The Keys of Marinus'' received 10.4 million viewers, but saw a drop of 2.5 million viewers the following week, and an additional drop of one million for the sixth episode.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=120}} The drop in viewers for the sixth episode was attributed to the absence of ''Juke Box Jury'', the programme that followed ''Doctor Who''.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=119}} ''The Aztecs'' maintained these figures, with an average of 7.5 million viewers across the four episodes;{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=150}} the third episode became the first episode of the show to place in the top 20 of the BBC's audience measurement charts.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=148}}{{efn|The measurement for the same period by TAM (Television Audience Measurement) did not include the episode in the top 20, though the disparity between the two measurement systems was frequently debated at the time.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=148}}}} The fourth and fifth episodes of ''The Sensorites'' dropped to 5.5 and 6.9 million viewers, respectively,{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=37}} but were nonetheless the highest-rated BBC show in the BBC North region for their respective weeks.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=36}} ''The Reign of Terror'' received smaller audiences than previous serials due to the warmer weekends, with an average of around 6.7 million viewers, but still maintained a position within the top 40 shows for the week.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=78}}

=== Critical response ===
[[File:Doctor Who Experience (5879255282).jpg|200px|right|thumb|The [[Dalek]]s, introduced in the show's second serial, became a cultural phenomenon and are considered the show's most iconic villains.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2013/11/best-doctor-who-50th-anniversary-poll-monsters-villains |title=Best of 'Doctor Who' 50th Anniversary Poll: 11 Greatest Monsters & Villains |last=Patrick |first=Seb |work=[[BBC America]] |publisher=[[BBC Worldwide]] |date=November 2013 |accessdate=28 February 2018 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6xZOD5xeN?url=http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2013/11/best-doctor-who-50th-anniversary-poll-monsters-villains |archivedate=28 February 2018 |deadurl=no |df=dmy-all }}</ref>|alt=An original Dalek, coloured mostly silver and grey, with blue balls protruding from the skirt.]]

''Doctor Who''{{'}}s first season received generally positive responses. For ''An Unearthly Child'', ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' felt that the script "suffered from a glibness of characterisations which didn't carry the burden of belief", but praised the "effective camerawork", noting that the show "will impress if it decides to establish a firm base in realism". Mary Crozier of ''[[The Guardian]]'' was unimpressed by the first serial, stating that it "has fallen off badly soon after getting underway". Conversely, Marjorie Norris of ''Television Today'' commented that if the show "keeps up the high standard of the first two episodes it will capture a much wider audience".{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=91}} The following serial, ''The Daleks'', was widely praised, described by the ''[[Daily Mirror]]''{{'}}s Richard Sear as "splendid children's stuff". The serial's villains, the Daleks, became a cultural phenomenon, and have been closely associated with the show since.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2015|p=156}} ''The Edge of Destruction'' was criticised at a BBC Programme Review Board Meeting in February 1964 by controller of television programmes Stuart Hood, who felt that the serial's sequences in which Susan uses scissors as a weapon "digressed from the code of violence in programmes"; Lambert apologised for the scenes.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=27}}

''Marco Polo'' was positively received; Philip Purser of ''[[The Sunday Telegraph]]'' noted that [[Mark Eden]] impersonated Marco Polo "with sartorial dash", but felt that the main characters were poorly written, describing Barbara as "a persistent drip".{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=77}} ''The Keys of Marinus'' was criticised by Bob Leeson of the ''[[Morning Star (British newspaper)|Daily Worker]]'', who felt that the fifth episode of the serial was the show's low point, noting that the introduction of a trial scene represented a rushed script.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=119}} The following serial, ''The Aztecs'', received high praise and is retrospectively seen as one of the show's greatest stories. ''Television Today''{{'}}s Bill Edmunds praised the serial's villains, but felt that Barbara should have "a chance to look beautiful instead of worried",{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|p=148}} and Leeson of the ''Daily Worker'' felt that the serial had "charm", applauding the "painstaking attempts for historical accuracy" and noting a "much tighter plot" than previous serials.{{sfn|Ainsworth|2016|pp=148–149}} ''The Reign of Terror'' was criticised for its historical inaccuracies, described by ''Daily Worker''{{'}}s Stewart Lane as a "half-baked royalist adventure".{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=123}}

Retrospective reviews of the season are positive. Kimberley Piece of ''Geek Girl Authority'' felt that, while the season started slowly, it "managed to find its footing" and "developed quickly into a popular ratings favorite".<ref name="Geek Girl Authority"/> ''Simbasible'' found that most serials are memorable, though many feature repetitive and "silly" storytelling.<ref name="Simbasible"/> Richard Gray of ''The Reel Bits'' praised the imagination and perseverance of the show's producers.<ref name="The Reel Bits"/> Reviewing the first serial in 2008, ''[[Radio Times]]'' reviewer Patrick Mulkern praised the casting of Hartnell, the "moody" direction and the "thrilling" race back to the TARDIS.<ref name="Radio Times Review 1"/> For ''The Daleks'', Mulkern praised the strength of Nation's scripts, particularly the first three cliffhangers, but felt that "the urgency and claustrophobia dissipate towards the end", describing the final battle as "a disappointingly limp affair".<ref name="Radio Times Review 2"/> Reviewing ''The Edge of Destruction'', Mulkern described David Whitaker as "a master of dialogue, characterisation and atmosphere", but felt he struggled with plot logic, as evidenced by the fast return switch explanation.<ref name="Radio Times Review 3"/>

Mark Braxton of ''Radio Times'' praised ''Marco Polo'', stating that "the historical landscape was rarely mapped with such poetry and elegance", though noted inconsistencies in the foreign characters' accents.<ref name="Radio Times Review 4"/> Mulkern wrote that "standards slip appreciably" in ''The Keys of Marinus'',<ref name="Radio Times Review 5"/> and Arnold T. Blumberg of [[IGN]] described the serial as "a clichéd premise ... handled poorly and with no spark at all apart from Hartnell's late-hour rally".<ref name="IGN Review 5"/> Christopher Bahn of ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' described ''The Aztecs'' as "a classical tragedy infused with just enough hope toward the end to keep it from being unbearably bleak",<ref name="AV Club Review 6"/> and Ian Berriman of ''[[SFX (magazine)|SFX]]'' described the serial as "Jacqueline Hill's finest hour".<ref name="SFX Review 6"/> [[DVD Talk]]'s John Sinnott considered ''The Sensorites'' "well constructed" with impressive set design and an expanded role for Susan, but felt that there was "nothing special" about the serial.<ref name="DVD Talk Review 7"/> Mulkern wrote positively of the humour and Hartnell's increased role in ''The Reign of Terror'', but felt that Susan was "at her weakest".<ref name="Radio Times Review 8"/>


== References ==
== References ==
;Notes
{{notelist}}

;Footnotes
{{reflist|refs=
{{reflist|refs=

<ref name="AllRatings">{{cite web|title=Ratings Guide|url=http://guide.doctorwhonews.net/info.php?detail=ratings&type=date|website=Doctor Who News|accessdate=27 December 2014}}</ref>}}
<ref name="AllRatings">{{cite web|title=Ratings Guide|url=http://guide.doctorwhonews.net/info.php?detail=ratings&type=date|website=Doctor Who News|accessdate=27 December 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="DID">{{cite AV media |last1=Plomley |first1=Roy |authorlink1=Roy Plomley |last2=Hartnell |first2=William |authorlink2=William Hartnell |date=23 August 1965 |title=Desert Island Discs |medium=Radio broadcast |publisher=[[BBC Home Service]] |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009y3yj |accessdate=6 March 2018 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6xi04naWh |archivedate=6 March 2018 }}</ref>

<ref name="Origins">{{cite AV media |year=2006 |title=Doctor Who: Origins |last=Molesworth |first=Richard |publisher=[[2 Entertain]] |ref={{harvid|Molesworth|2006}} }}</ref>

<!-- Critical response -->

<ref name="The Reel Bits">{{cite web |url=https://thereelbits.com/2013/09/19/doctor-who-50th-anniversary-marathon-recap-season-1-1963-1964/ |title='Doctor Who' 50th Anniversary Marathon Recap: Season 1 (1963 – 1964) |last=Gray |first=Richard |work=The Reel Bits |date=13 September 2013 |accessdate=23 September 2018 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/72dQlHIXw |archivedate=22 September 2018 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

<ref name="Simbasible">{{cite web |url=http://www.simbasible.com/doctor-who-season-1-review/ |title=Doctor Who Season 1 Review |work=Simbasible |date=22 August 2017 |accessdate=23 September 2018 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/72dQlX6PD |archivedate=22 September 2018 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

<ref name="Geek Girl Authority">{{cite web |url=https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/classic-doctor-who-in-review-season-one/ |title=Classic Doctor Who in Review: Season One |last=Pierce |first=Kimberly |work=Geek Girl Authority |date=19 May 2017 |accessdate=23 September 2018 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/72dQlnwnB |archivedate=22 September 2018 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

<ref name="Radio Times Review 1">{{cite web |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2008-09-30/an-unearthly-child/ |title=An Unearthly Child |last=Mulkern |first=Patrick |work=[[Radio Times]] |publisher=[[Immediate Media Company]] |date=30 September 2008 |accessdate=16 February 2018 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6xH2Zg3E1?url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2008-09-30/an-unearthly-child/ |archivedate=16 February 2018 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

<ref name="Radio Times Review 2">{{cite web |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2008-10-01/the-daleks/ |title=The Daleks |last=Mulkern |first=Patrick |work=[[Radio Times]] |publisher=[[Immediate Media Company]] |date=1 October 2008 |accessdate=22 February 2018 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6xQ8fEqZn?url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2008-10-01/the-daleks/ |archivedate=22 February 2018 |deadurl=no |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="Radio Times Review 3">{{cite web |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2008-10-02/the-edge-of-destruction/ |title=The Edge of Destruction |last=Mulkern |first=Patrick |work=[[Radio Times]] |publisher=[[Immediate Media Company]] |date=2 October 2008 |accessdate=23 February 2018 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6xRkZMqAy?url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2008-10-02/the-edge-of-destruction/ |archivedate=23 February 2018 |deadurl=no |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="Radio Times Review 4">{{cite web |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2008-10-03/marco-polo/ |title=Marco Polo |last=Braxton |first=Mark |work=[[Radio Times]] |publisher=[[Immediate Media Company]] |date=3 October 2008 |accessdate=25 February 2018 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6xUS1SmiK |archivedate=25 February 2018 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

<ref name="Radio Times Review 5">{{cite web |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2008-10-04/the-keys-of-marinus/ |title=The Keys of Marinus |last=Mulkern |first=Patrick |work=[[Radio Times]] |publisher=[[Immediate Media Company]] |date=4 October 2008 |accessdate=1 March 2018 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6xaQWPPXr?url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2008-10-04/the-keys-of-marinus/ |archivedate=1 March 2018 |deadurl=no |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="IGN Review 5">{{cite web |url=http://ign.com/articles/2010/01/19/doctor-who-the-keys-of-marinus-dvd-review |title=Doctor Who - The Keys of Marinus DVD Review |last=Blumberg |first=Arnold T. |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=19 January 2010 |accessdate=1 March 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531110852/http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/01/19/doctor-who-the-keys-of-marinus-dvd-review |archivedate=31 May 2014 |deadurl=no |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="AV Club Review 6">{{cite web |url=https://tv.avclub.com/doctor-who-classic-the-aztecs-1798169982 |title=Doctor Who (Classic): "The Aztecs" |last=Bahn |first=Christopher |work=[[The A.V. Club]] |publisher=Onion, Inc |date=25 September 2011 |accessdate=12 March 2018 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6xr8DtmYN?url=https://tv.avclub.com/doctor-who-classic-the-aztecs-1798169982 |archivedate=12 March 2018 |deadurl=no |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="SFX Review 6">{{cite web |url=http://www.sfx.co.uk/2013/03/08/doctor-who-the-aztecs-special-edition-review/ |title=Doctor Who: The Aztecs – Special Edition REVIEW |last=Berriman |first=Ian |work=[[SFX (magazine)|SFX]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |date=8 March 2013 |accessdate=12 March 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130311105208/http://www.sfx.co.uk/2013/03/08/doctor-who-the-aztecs-special-edition-review/ |archivedate=11 March 2013 }}</ref>

<ref name="DVD Talk Review 7">{{cite web |url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/53109/doctor-who-ep-07-the-sensorites/ |title=Doctor Who: The Sensorites |last=Sinnott |first=John |publisher=[[DVD Talk]] |date=20 February 2012 |accessdate=2 June 2018 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6zrhYrwck?url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/53109/doctor-who-ep-07-the-sensorites/ |archivedate=2 June 2018 |deadurl=no |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="Radio Times Review 8">{{cite web |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2008-11-06/the-reign-of-terror/ |title=The Reign of Terror |last=Mulkern |first=Patrick |work=[[Radio Times]] |publisher=[[Immediate Media Company]] |date=6 November 2008 |accessdate=8 June 2018 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/701QO08R6 |archivedate=8 June 2018 |deadurl=no }}</ref>
}}

== Bibliography ==
{{Portal|Doctor Who|BBC|1960s}}
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite journal |editor-last=Ainsworth |editor-first=John |year=2015 |title=100,000 BC and The Mutants (aka The Daleks) |journal=Doctor Who: The Complete History |publisher=[[Panini Comics]], [[Hachette Book Group|Hachette Partworks]] |volume=1 |issue=4 |ref=harv }}
*{{cite journal |editor-last=Ainsworth |editor-first=John |year=2016 |title=Inside the Spaceship, Marco Polo, The Keys of Marinus and The Aztecs |journal=Doctor Who: The Complete History |publisher=[[Panini Comics]], [[Hachette Book Group|Hachette Partworks]] |volume=2 |issue=32 |ref=harv }}
*{{cite book |last=Bould|first=Mark |chapter=Science Fiction Television in the United Kingdom |title=The Essential Science Fiction Television Reader |publisher=University Press of Kentucky|year=2008 |editor=J.P. Telotte |isbn=0-8131-2492-1|ref=harv}}
*{{cite book |last=Chapman |first=James |title=Inside the Tardis: The Worlds of Doctor Who |publisher=I.B.Tauris |year=2006|isbn=1-84511-162-1|ref=harv}}
*{{cite book |last1=Howe |first1=David J. |authorlink1=David J. Howe |last2=Stammers |first2=Mark |last3=Walker |first3=Stephen James |authorlink3=Stephen James Walker |title=Doctor Who The Handbook - The First Doctor |year=1994 |publisher=[[Virgin Books|Doctor Who Books]] |location=London |isbn=0-426-20430-1 |ref=harv }}
*{{cite journal |editor-last=Wright |editor-first=Mark |year=2016 |title=The Sensorites, The Reign of Terror and Planet of Giants |journal=Doctor Who: The Complete History |publisher=[[Panini Comics]], [[Hachette Book Group|Hachette Partworks]] |volume=3 |issue=21 |ref=harv }}
{{refend}}


{{Doctor Who episodes|C1}}
{{Doctor Who episodes|C1}}
{{First Doctor stories}}
{{First Doctor stories}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Doctor Who (season 01)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Doctor Who (season 01)}}

Revision as of 10:22, 24 September 2018

Doctor Who
Season 1
The show's logo used for the first season
Starring
No. of stories8
No. of episodes42 (9 missing)
Release
Original networkBBC TV / BBC1[a]
Original release23 November 1963 (1963-11-23) –
12 September 1964 (1964-09-12)
Season chronology
Next →
Season 2
List of episodes

The first season of British science fiction television programme Doctor Who was originally broadcast on BBC TV[a] between 1964 and 1964. The series began on 23 November 1963 with An Unearthly Child and ended with The Reign of Terror on 12 September 1964. The show was created by BBC Television head of drama Sydney Newman to fill the Saturday evening timeslot and appeal to both the younger and older audiences of the neighbouring programmes. Formatting of the programme was handled by Newman, head of serials Donald Wilson, C. E. Webber, and Rex Tucker, as the initial character details were conceived. Production was overseen by the BBC's first female producer Verity Lambert and story editor David Whitaker, both of whom handled the scripts and stories.

The season introduces William Hartnell as the first incarnation of the Doctor, an alien who travels through time and space in his TARDIS, which appears to be a British police box on the outside. Carole Ann Ford is also introduced as the Doctor's granddaughter Susan Foreman, who acts as his companion alongside her schoolteachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright, portrayed by William Russell and Jacqueline Hill, respectively. Throughout the season, the Doctor and his companions travel throughout history, visiting significant figures such as Marco Polo and events such as the Reign of Terror, as well as into the future, where they encounter alien creatures such as the Daleks and the Sensorites.

The first eight serials were written by six writers: Whitaker, Anthony Coburn, Terry Nation, John Lucarotti, Peter R. Newman, and Dennis Spooner. The show was developed with three particular story types envisioned: past history, future technology, and alternative present; Coburn, Lucarotti, and Spooner wrote historical episodes, Nation and Newman penned futuristic stories, and Whitaker wrote a "filler" serial set entirely in the TARDIS. The serials were mostly directed by junior directors, such as Waris Hussein, John Gorrie, John Crockett, Henric Hirsch, Richard Martin, Christopher Barry, and Frank Cox; the exception is experienced director Mervyn Pinfield, who directed the first four episodes of The Sensorites. Filming started in September 1963 and lasted for approximately nine months, with weekly recording taking place mostly at Lime Grove Studios or the BBC Television Centre.

The first episode, overshadowed by the assassination of John F. Kennedy the previous day, was watched by 4.4 million viewers; the episode was repeated the following week, and the programme gained popularity with audiences, particularly with the introduction of the Daleks in the second serial, which peaked at 10.4 million viewers. The season received generally positive reviews, with praise particularly directed at the scripts and performances. However, many retrospective reviewers noted that Susan lacked character development and was generally portrayed as a damsel in distress, a criticism often echoed by Ford. Several episodes were erased by the BBC between 1967 and 1972, and only 33 of a total of 42 episodes survive; all seven episodes of Marco Polo and two episodes of The Reign of Terror remain missing. The existing serials received several VHS and DVD releases as well as tie-in novels.

Serials

StorySerialTitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
UK viewers
(millions) [2]
AI[2]
11An Unearthly Child
"An Unearthly Child"
"The Cave of Skulls"
"The Forest of Fear"
"The Firemaker"
Waris HusseinAnthony Coburn
23 November 1963 (1963-11-23)
30 November 1963
7 December 1963
14 December 1963
A
4.4
5.9
6.9
6.4

63
59
56
55
22The Daleks
"The Dead Planet"
"The Survivors"
"The Escape"
"The Ambush"
"The Expedition"
"The Ordeal"
"The Rescue"
Richard Martin and Christopher BarryTerry Nation
21 December 1963 (1963-12-21)
28 December 1963
4 January 1964
11 January 1964
18 January 1964
25 January 1964
1 February 1964
B
6.9
6.4
8.9
9.9
9.9
10.4
10.4

59
58
63
63
63
63
65
33The Edge of Destruction
"The Edge of Destruction"
"The Brink of Disaster"
Richard Martin
and Frank Cox
David Whitaker
8 February 1964 (1964-02-08)
15 February 1964
C
10.4
9.9

61
60
44Marco Polo[b]
"The Roof of the World"
"The Singing Sands"
"Five Hundred Eyes"
"The Wall of Lies"
"Rider from Shang-Tu"
"Mighty Kublai Khan"
"Assassin at Peking"
Waris Hussein and John CrockettJohn Lucarotti
22 February 1964 (1964-02-22)
29 February 1964
7 March 1964
14 March 1964
21 March 1964
28 March 1964
4 April 1964
D
9.4
9.4
9.4
9.9
9.4
8.4
10.4

63
62
62
60
59
59
59
55The Keys of Marinus
"The Sea of Death"
"The Velvet Web"
"The Screaming Jungle"
"The Snows of Terror"
"Sentence of Death"
"The Keys of Marinus"
John GorrieTerry Nation
11 April 1964 (1964-04-11)
18 April 1964
25 April 1964
2 May 1964
9 May 1964
16 May 1964
E
9.9
9.4
9.9
10.4
7.9
6.9

62
60
61
60
61
63
66The Aztecs
"The Temple of Evil"
"The Warriors of Death"
"The Bride of Sacrifice"
"The Day of Darkness"
John CrockettJohn Lucarotti
23 May 1964 (1964-05-23)
30 May 1964
6 June 1964
13 June 1964
F
7.4
7.4
7.9
7.4

62
62
57
58
77The Sensorites
"Strangers in Space"
"The Unwilling Warriors"
"Hidden Danger"
"A Race Against Death"
"Kidnap"
"A Desperate Venture"
Mervyn Pinfield and Frank CoxPeter R. Newman
20 June 1964 (1964-06-20)
27 June 1964
11 July 1964
18 July 1964
25 July 1964
1 August 1964
G
7.9
6.9
7.4
5.5
6.9
6.9

59
59
56
60
57
57
88The Reign of Terror[c]
"A Land of Fear"
"Guests of Madame Guillotine"
"A Change of Identity"
"The Tyrant of France"
"A Bargain of Necessity"
"Prisoners of Conciergerie"
Henric HirschDennis Spooner
8 August 1964 (1964-08-08)
15 August 1964
22 August 1964
29 August 1964
5 September 1964
12 September 1964
H
6.9
6.9
6.9
6.4
6.9
6.4

58
54
55
53
53
55

^† Episode is missing

Production

Conception

In December 1962, BBC Television's Controller of Programmes Donald Baverstock informed Head of Drama Sydney Newman of a gap in the schedule on Saturday evenings between the sports showcase Grandstand and the pop music programme Juke Box Jury. Baverstock figured that the programme should appeal to three audiences: children who had previously been accustomed to the timeslot, the teenage audience of Juke Box Jury, and the adult sports fan audience of Grandstand.[5] Newman decided that a science fiction programme should fill the gap.[6] Head of Serials Donald Wilson and writer C. E. Webber contributed heavily to the formatting of the programme, and co-wrote the programme's first format document with Newman;[7] the latter conceived the idea of a time machine larger on the inside than the outside, as well as the central character of the mysterious "Doctor", and the show's name Doctor Who.[8][d] Production was initiated several months later and handed to producer Verity Lambert and story editor David Whitaker to oversee, after a brief period when the show had been handled by a "caretaker" producer, Rex Tucker.[8]

Casting and characters

Ford was chosen to portray the Doctor's granddaughter Susan Foreman, while Russell plays her teacher Ian Chesterton.

William Hartnell portrayed the first incarnation of the Doctor (referred to as "Dr. Who") in this season. The role was originally offered to Hugh David, Leslie French, Cyril Cusack, Alan Webb and Geoffrey Bayldon; David, Cusack and Webb turned down the role as they were reluctant to work on a series,[10][11] while Bayldon wished to avoid another "old man" role.[11] Lambert and director Waris Hussein invited William Hartnell to play the role; Hartnell accepted the role after several discussions, viewing it as an opportunity to take his career in a new direction.[12] Hartnell had always wished to play an older character in his work, but failed to do so, becoming typecast as a "tough" actor due to his roles in Carry On Sergeant (1958) and The Army Game (1957–61).[13] Although portrayed as grumpy and antagonistic in early episodes, the Doctor warms to his companions as the show progresses.[14]

The Doctor's granddaughter Susan Foreman was portrayed by Carole Ann Ford, a 23-year-old who typically played younger roles. Lambert was originally in talks with actress Jacqueline Lenya for the role,[15] and several actresses auditioned for the part, including Christa Bergmann, Anne Castaldini, Maureen Crombie, Heather Fleming, Camilla Hasse, Waveney Lee, Anna Palk and Anneke Wills.[16] Ford felt that the character of Susan deteriorated throughout the series; although the show's initial pitch depicted Susan as a strange alien creature, she often played the damsel in distress role, panicking at minor events.[17] Susan's school teachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright were played by William Russell and Jacqueline Hill, respectively. Russell was the only actor considered by Lambert for the role of Chesterton.[18] While Sally Home, Phyllida Law and Penelope Lee were considered for Barbara,[16] Lambert chose Hill, her friend, for the role.[19]

Writing

Three particular story types were envisioned for the show: history of the past, technology in the future, and alternatives of the present.[17] Historical stories were intended to educate viewers about significant events in history, such as the Aztec civilisation and the French Revolution; futuristic episodes took a more subtle approach to educating viewers, such as the theme of pacifism in The Daleks.[20]

The programme was originally intended to open with a serial entitled The Giants, written by Webber,[21] but was scrapped by June 1963 as the technical requirements of the storyline—which involved the leading characters being drastically reduced in size—were beyond the technical capabilities, and the story itself lacked the necessarily impact for an opener. Due to the lack of scripts ready for production, the untitled second serial from Coburn was moved to first in the running order.[22] The order change necessitated rewriting the opening episode of Coburn's script to include some introductory elements of Webber's script for the first episode of The Giants; as a result, Webber received a co-writer's credit for "An Unearthly Child" on internal BBC documentation.[23] Coburn also made several significant original contributions to the opening episode, mostly notably that the Doctor's time machine should resemble a police box, an idea he conceived after seeing a real police box while walking near his office.[23]

Some of the first season's stories feature historical figures such as Marco Polo (left) and Maximilien Robespierre (right).

The second serial of Doctor Who was always planned to be futuristic due to the historical nature of the first. Comedy writer Terry Nation had written a 26-page outline for a story entitled The Survivors at his home, influenced by the threat of racial extermination by the Nazis and the concerns of advanced warfare, as well as taking influences from H. G. Wells' novel The Time Machine (1895).[24] Newman and Wilson were unhappy with the serial, having wanted to avoid featuring "bug-eyed monsters"; however, with no other scripts prepared, they were forced to accept the serial for production.[25] Due to other sudden commitments, Nation quickly wrote the scripts for the serial at the rate of one per day.[26] National also wrote the show's fifth serial, The Keys of Marinus, to replace Dr Who and the Hidden Planet by Malcolm Hulke, which was deemed problematic and required rewrites. Nation and Whitaker decided to base the serial around a series of "mini-adventures", each with a different setting and cast; Nation was intrigued by the idea of the TARDIS crew searching for parts of a puzzle.[27] Nation was also set to write the show's eighth serial, Doctor Who and the Red Fort, a seven-part story set during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, but other commitments prevented him from doing so.[28]

Newman suggested writer John Lucarotti to the production team during the show's early development. Lucarotti, who had recently worked on the 18-part radio serial The Three Journeys of Marco Polo (1955), penned a seven-part serial about the Italian merchant and explorer Marco Polo titled Dr Who and a Journey to Cathay.[29] Later known as Marco Polo, the serial was moved from its placement in the running order to accommodate The Edge of Destruction.[30] Lucarotti was approached to write The Aztecs while Marco Polo was in production. Having lived in Mexico, Lucarotti was fascinated by the Aztec civilisation[31] and their obsession with human sacrifice.[32] The show's eighth serial, The Reign of Terror, is also a historical story, though writer Dennis Spooner was initially interested in writing a science fiction story. Whitaker gave Spooner four possible historical subjects, and he ultimately selected the French Revolution.[33]

The show's third serial, The Edge of Destruction, was written as a "filler" in case the show was not renewed beyond 13 episodes. Since the serial had no budget and minimal resources, Whitaker took the opportunity to develop an idea conceived during the show's formative weeks: a character-driven story exploring the facets of the TARDIS.[34] He wrote the script in two days, drawing upon influences of ghost stories and haunted houses.[35] Peter R. Newman wrote the show's sixth serial, The Sensorites, inspired by 1950s films set during World War II that explore the notion of soldiers who continued to fight after the war.[36]

Filming

Some episodes of the first season were recorded at the Television Centre, and most inserts were filmed at Ealing Studios.

An Unearthly Child was provisionally scheduled to begin recording on 5 July,[37] but was delayed to 19 July.[38] Production was later deferred for a further two weeks while scripts were prepared.[39] The show's pilot recording was finally scheduled for 27 September and regular episodes made from 18 October.[40] Tucker was originally selected as the serial's director, but the task was assigned to Hussein following Tucker's departure from production.[23] Some of the pre-filmed inserts for the serial, shot at Ealing Studios in September and October 1963,[41] were directed by Hussein's production assistant Douglas Camfield.[42] The first version of the opening episode was recorded at Lime Grove Studios on the evening of 27 September 1963, following a week of rehearsals. However, the recording was bedevilled with technical errors, including the doors leading into the TARDIS control room failing to close properly. After viewing the episode, Newman ordered that it be mounted again. During the weeks between the two tapings, changes were made to costuming, effects, performances, and scripts.[43][e] The second attempt at the opening episode was recorded on 18 October, with the following three episodes being recorded weekly on 25 October, 1 November and 8 November.[23]

Tucker was initially appointed to direct The Daleks, but was later replaced by Christopher Barry.[45] A week of shooting for The Daleks took place from 28 October, consisting mostly of inserts of the city and models.[46] Weekly recording began on 15 November;[47] it was later discovered that the first recording was affected by induction—an effect in which the voices from the production assistants' headphones was clearly audible. The episode was re-recorded on 6 December, pushing the weekly recordings of episodes 4–7 back by one week.[48] The final episode was recorded on 10 January 1964.[46] The re-recording forced Paddy Russell to forego directing The Edge of Destruction due to other commitments; junior director Richard Martin was later handed the role,[49] and the first episode was recorded on 17 January.[50] Frank Cox directed the second episode on 24 January, as Martin was unavailable.[51] Filming for Marco Polo was preceded by a week of insert shooting of locations and props for the montage sequences.[52] The serial was recorded weekly from 31 January to 13 March, directed by Hussein;[52] John Crockett directed the fourth episode in Hussein's absence.[53]

Weekly recording for The Keys of Marinus, directed by John Gorrie, took place from 20 March to 24 April;[54] Hartnell was absent for the third and fourth episodes, as he was on holiday.[55] The Aztecs, directed by Crockett, was filmed from 1 to 22 May;[56] Ford appeared in pre-filmed inserts for the second and third episodes, shot on 13 April, due to her holiday.[57][58] Experienced director Mervyn Pinfield was chosen to direct the first four episodes of The Sensorites, while Frank Cox directed the final two episodes.[59] Recording took place from 29 March to 3 July;[60] Hill was absent for the fourth and fifth episodes due to her holiday.[61] The Reign of Terror featured the show's first outdoor filming in Denham, Buckinghamshire, led by cameraman Peter Hamilton on 15 June 1964.[62] Hungarian director Henric Hirsch directed the serial, which was recorded from 10 July to 19 August;[63] in preparation for his holiday, William Russell recorded inserts for the second and third episodes from 16–17 June.[64] Hirsch collapsed during the filming of the third episode. Lambert placed production assistant Tim Combe in charge until a replacement director could be found; documentation indicates that Gorrie oversaw production of the third episode,[65] though Gorrie has no memory of the event.[66] Hirsch returned to direct the final three episodes, splitting some of the workload with Combe.[63]

Release

Promotion

Doctor Who was announced by Control of BBC Television Stuart Hood on 12 September 1963, described by Television Mail as "a serial of stories to entertain the whole family". Trade newspaper Kinematograph Weekly devoted its TV column to the show on 24 October; journalist Tony Gruner described the show as "a somewhat mysterious type of programme consisting in part of fantasy and realism".[67] A trailer for the show was broadcast on the BBC on 16 November. The first serial was given a half-page preview in Radio Times on 21 November, outlining the show's main characters and upcoming settings.[68] On the same day, the main cast and production team attended the show's launch at Room 222 of the BBC's Broadcasting House. Hartnell hosted a radio trailer for the show on the BBC Light Programme.[69] The BBC Home Service programme Today hosted a one-minute piece about the show's "space music" on 22 November, and a second trailer for the show was screened on BBC in the evening.[70]

Hartnell taped a radio interview for Northern View on 17 December to promote the show's second serial. To increase the profile of the Daleks, the BBC sent two Dalek models—operated by Kevin Manser and Robert Jewell—to interact with the public at the Shepherd's Bush Market on 23 December. Hartnell recorded an appearance for Junior Points of View on 8 January, broadcast the following day, at Television Centre Presentation Studio A. In character as the Doctor, Hartnell spoke about the Daleks, based on dialogue written by Nation.[71] A promotional image of Marco Polo was featured on the cover of Radio Times on 20 February 1964, with a half-page introduction to the serial inside.[72] The Voord creatures from The Keys of Marinus were featured in several stories the Daily Express and Daily Mail in April 1964,[73] while the titular creatures from The Sensorites were featured in similar press pieces in June.[74] Lucarotti provided a syndicated interview with the press regarding The Aztecs, published in various papers such as the North-Western Evening Mail on 9 May.[75] On 20 June, Ford opened the East Ham Town Show at the Central Park in East Ham, with 20,000 people in attendance.[74] Radio Times ran a half-page interview with Hartnell on 16 July to promote the fourth episode of The Sensorites.[76]

Home media

Serial name Number and duration
of episodes
VHS DVD
R2 release date R4 release date R1 release date R2 release date R4 release date R1 release date
An Unearthly Child 4 × 25 min. February 1990[77]
September 2000 (remastered)[77]
July 1990[77]
October 2000 (remastered)[77]
January 1991[77]
The Daleks 7 × 25 min. June 1989[78]
February 2001 (remastered)[78]
December 1989[78]
April 2001 (remastered)[78]
October 1993[78]
The Edge of Destruction
Includes An Unearthly Child: "Pilot Episode"
2 × 25 min.
+ 1 × 30 min.
May 2000[79] May 2000[79] February 2001[79]
The Beginning:
An Unearthly Child
The Daleks
The Edge of Destruction
Includes condensed reconstruction of Marco Polo
13 × 25 min.
+ 1 × 30 min.
30 January 2006[80] 2 March 2006[81] 28 March 2006[82]
The Keys of Marinus 6 × 25 min. March 1999[83] July 1999[84] May 1999[84] 21 September 2009[83] 7 January 2010[83] 5 January 2010[85]
The Aztecs 4 × 25 min. November 1992[86] February 1993[87] May 1994[87] 21 October 2002[86] 2 December 2002[86] 4 March 2003[88]
The Aztecs — Special Edition
Includes Galaxy 4: "Airlock"
5 x 25 min. 11 March 2013[86] 20 March 2013[89] 12 March 2013[90]
The Sensorites 6 × 25 min. 4 November 2002[91]
(part of The First Doctor Box Set)
December 2002[91]
(part of The First Doctor Box Set)
October 2003[92] 23 January 2012[91] 2 February 2012[91] 14 February 2012[93]
The Reign of Terror (animation of episodes 4–5) 4 × 25 min. November 2003[94] December 2003[94] October 2003[94] 28 January 2013[95] 6 February 2013[96] 12 February 2013[95]

Books

Serial name Novelisation title Author First published
An Unearthly Child Doctor Who and An Unearthly Child Terrance Dicks 15 October 1981[80]
The Daleks Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks David Whitaker 12 November 1964[97]
The Edge of Destruction The Edge of Destruction Nigel Robinson 20 October 1988[98]
Marco Polo Marco Polo John Lucarotti December 1984[99]
The Keys of Marinus Doctor Who and the Keys of Marinus Philip Hinchcliffe 21 August 1980[100]
The Aztecs The Aztecs John Lucarotti 21 June 1984[86]
The Sensorites The Sensorites Nigel Robinson February 1987[101]
The Reign of Terror The Reign of Terror Ian Marter March 1987[94]

Reception

Ratings

Viewers per episode (millions)
EpisodeEpisode numberAverage
1234567
An Unearthly Child4.45.96.96.35.9
The Daleks6.96.48.99.99.910.410.49.0
The Edge of Destruction10.49.910.2
Marco Polo9.49.49.49.99.48.410.49.5
The Keys of Marinus9.99.49.910.47.96.99.1
The Aztecs7.47.47.97.47.5
The Sensorites7.96.97.45.56.96.96.9
The Reign of Terror6.96.96.96.46.96.46.7
Audience measurement performed by Broadcasters' Audience Research Board[citation needed]

The assassination of John F. Kennedy the day preceding the launch of Doctor Who overshadowed the first episode;[102] as a result, it was repeated a week later, on 30 November, preceding the second episode.[102] The first episode was watched by 4.4 million viewers (9.1% of the viewing audience), and it received a score of 63 on the Appreciation Index;[102] the repeat of the first episode reached a larger audience of six million viewers.[44] Across its four episodes, An Unearthly Child was watched by an average of 6 million (12.3% of potential viewers).[102] Mark Bould suggests that a disappointing audience reaction and high production costs prompted the BBC's chief of programmes to cancel the series until the Daleks, introduced in the second serial, were immediately popular with viewers.[103] The first two episodes of The Daleks received 6.9 and 6.4 million viewers, respectively. By the third episode, news about the Daleks had spread, and the episode was watched by 8.9 million viewers.[104] An additional million viewers watched for the following two weeks, and the final two episodes reached 10.4 million;[104] by the end of the serial, the show's overall audience had increased by 50%.[105] The following two serials retained these high viewing figures, with The Edge of Destruction receiving 10.4 and 9.9 million viewers,[106] and Marco Polo maintaining an average of 9.47 million viewers.[3]

The fourth episode of The Keys of Marinus received 10.4 million viewers, but saw a drop of 2.5 million viewers the following week, and an additional drop of one million for the sixth episode.[107] The drop in viewers for the sixth episode was attributed to the absence of Juke Box Jury, the programme that followed Doctor Who.[1] The Aztecs maintained these figures, with an average of 7.5 million viewers across the four episodes;[108] the third episode became the first episode of the show to place in the top 20 of the BBC's audience measurement charts.[109][f] The fourth and fifth episodes of The Sensorites dropped to 5.5 and 6.9 million viewers, respectively,[110] but were nonetheless the highest-rated BBC show in the BBC North region for their respective weeks.[111] The Reign of Terror received smaller audiences than previous serials due to the warmer weekends, with an average of around 6.7 million viewers, but still maintained a position within the top 40 shows for the week.[112]

Critical response

An original Dalek, coloured mostly silver and grey, with blue balls protruding from the skirt.
The Daleks, introduced in the show's second serial, became a cultural phenomenon and are considered the show's most iconic villains.[113]

Doctor Who's first season received generally positive responses. For An Unearthly Child, Variety felt that the script "suffered from a glibness of characterisations which didn't carry the burden of belief", but praised the "effective camerawork", noting that the show "will impress if it decides to establish a firm base in realism". Mary Crozier of The Guardian was unimpressed by the first serial, stating that it "has fallen off badly soon after getting underway". Conversely, Marjorie Norris of Television Today commented that if the show "keeps up the high standard of the first two episodes it will capture a much wider audience".[114] The following serial, The Daleks, was widely praised, described by the Daily Mirror's Richard Sear as "splendid children's stuff". The serial's villains, the Daleks, became a cultural phenomenon, and have been closely associated with the show since.[105] The Edge of Destruction was criticised at a BBC Programme Review Board Meeting in February 1964 by controller of television programmes Stuart Hood, who felt that the serial's sequences in which Susan uses scissors as a weapon "digressed from the code of violence in programmes"; Lambert apologised for the scenes.[106]

Marco Polo was positively received; Philip Purser of The Sunday Telegraph noted that Mark Eden impersonated Marco Polo "with sartorial dash", but felt that the main characters were poorly written, describing Barbara as "a persistent drip".[115] The Keys of Marinus was criticised by Bob Leeson of the Daily Worker, who felt that the fifth episode of the serial was the show's low point, noting that the introduction of a trial scene represented a rushed script.[1] The following serial, The Aztecs, received high praise and is retrospectively seen as one of the show's greatest stories. Television Today's Bill Edmunds praised the serial's villains, but felt that Barbara should have "a chance to look beautiful instead of worried",[109] and Leeson of the Daily Worker felt that the serial had "charm", applauding the "painstaking attempts for historical accuracy" and noting a "much tighter plot" than previous serials.[116] The Reign of Terror was criticised for its historical inaccuracies, described by Daily Worker's Stewart Lane as a "half-baked royalist adventure".[117]

Retrospective reviews of the season are positive. Kimberley Piece of Geek Girl Authority felt that, while the season started slowly, it "managed to find its footing" and "developed quickly into a popular ratings favorite".[118] Simbasible found that most serials are memorable, though many feature repetitive and "silly" storytelling.[119] Richard Gray of The Reel Bits praised the imagination and perseverance of the show's producers.[120] Reviewing the first serial in 2008, Radio Times reviewer Patrick Mulkern praised the casting of Hartnell, the "moody" direction and the "thrilling" race back to the TARDIS.[121] For The Daleks, Mulkern praised the strength of Nation's scripts, particularly the first three cliffhangers, but felt that "the urgency and claustrophobia dissipate towards the end", describing the final battle as "a disappointingly limp affair".[122] Reviewing The Edge of Destruction, Mulkern described David Whitaker as "a master of dialogue, characterisation and atmosphere", but felt he struggled with plot logic, as evidenced by the fast return switch explanation.[123]

Mark Braxton of Radio Times praised Marco Polo, stating that "the historical landscape was rarely mapped with such poetry and elegance", though noted inconsistencies in the foreign characters' accents.[124] Mulkern wrote that "standards slip appreciably" in The Keys of Marinus,[125] and Arnold T. Blumberg of IGN described the serial as "a clichéd premise ... handled poorly and with no spark at all apart from Hartnell's late-hour rally".[126] Christopher Bahn of The A.V. Club described The Aztecs as "a classical tragedy infused with just enough hope toward the end to keep it from being unbearably bleak",[127] and Ian Berriman of SFX described the serial as "Jacqueline Hill's finest hour".[128] DVD Talk's John Sinnott considered The Sensorites "well constructed" with impressive set design and an expanded role for Susan, but felt that there was "nothing special" about the serial.[93] Mulkern wrote positively of the humour and Hartnell's increased role in The Reign of Terror, but felt that Susan was "at her weakest".[129]

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b BBC TV was renamed BBC1 midway through the season, on 20 April 1964, following the launch of BBC2.[1]
  2. ^ The serial was erased by the BBC on 17 August 1967; the entire serial is missing as a result.[3]
  3. ^ The original prints of the serial were wiped by BBC Enterprises in 1972. The sixth episode was returned to the BBC by a private collector in May 1982, and the first three episodes were located in Cyprus in late 1984; the fourth and fifth episodes remain missing, existing only as off-air recordings from 1964.[4]
  4. ^ Hugh David, an actor initially considered for the role of the Doctor and later a director on the programme, later claimed that Rex Tucker coined the title Doctor Who. Tucker claimed that it was Newman who had done so.[9]
  5. ^ The original episode, retroactively referred to as the "pilot episode", was not broadcast on television until 26 August 1991.[44]
  6. ^ The measurement for the same period by TAM (Television Audience Measurement) did not include the episode in the top 20, though the disparity between the two measurement systems was frequently debated at the time.[109]
Footnotes
  1. ^ a b c Ainsworth 2016, p. 119.
  2. ^ a b "Ratings Guide". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  3. ^ a b Ainsworth 2016, p. 78.
  4. ^ Wright 2016, p. 79.
  5. ^ Howe, Stammers & Walker 1994, p. 3.
  6. ^ Howe, Stammers & Walker 1994, p. 166.
  7. ^ Howe, Stammers & Walker 1994, p. 182.
  8. ^ a b Molesworth, Richard (2006). Doctor Who: Origins. 2 Entertain.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  9. ^ Howe, Stammers & Walker 1994, p. 173.
  10. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 38–40.
  11. ^ a b Ainsworth 2015, p. 53–54.
  12. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 55.
  13. ^ Plomley, Roy; Hartnell, William (23 August 1965). Desert Island Discs (Radio broadcast). BBC Home Service. Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  14. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 10.
  15. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 58.
  16. ^ a b Ainsworth 2015, p. 48.
  17. ^ a b Ainsworth 2015, p. 11.
  18. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 57.
  19. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 59.
  20. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 12–13.
  21. ^ Howe, Stammers & Walker 1994, pp. 181–2.
  22. ^ Howe, Stammers & Walker 1994, p. 186.
  23. ^ a b c d Howe, Stammers & Walker 1994
  24. ^ Ainsworth 2015, pp. 117–118.
  25. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 123.
  26. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 120.
  27. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 96.
  28. ^ Wright 2016, p. 57.
  29. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 48.
  30. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 49.
  31. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 134.
  32. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 135.
  33. ^ Wright 2016, pp. 54–55.
  34. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 13.
  35. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 14.
  36. ^ Wright 2016, p. 18.
  37. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 27.
  38. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 38.
  39. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 44–47.
  40. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 49.
  41. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 67.
  42. ^ Howe, Stammers & Walker 1994, p. 220
  43. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 77–79.
  44. ^ a b Ainsworth 2015, p. 95.
  45. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 122.
  46. ^ a b Ainsworth 2015, p. 151.
  47. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 139.
  48. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 141.
  49. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 14—15.
  50. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 20.
  51. ^ Ainsworth 2016, pp. 22–23.
  52. ^ a b Ainsworth 2016, p. 71.
  53. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 65.
  54. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 115.
  55. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 108.
  56. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 146.
  57. ^ Howe, David J.; Walker, Stephen James (1998). "The Aztecs: Things to watch out for...". Doctor Who: The Television Companion. London: BBC Worldwide. p. 25. ISBN 0-563-40588-0. {{cite book}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
  58. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 141.
  59. ^ Wright 2016, p. 20.
  60. ^ Wright 2016, p. 32.
  61. ^ Wright 2016, p. 29.
  62. ^ Wright 2016, p. 64.
  63. ^ a b Wright 2016, p. 76.
  64. ^ Wright 2016, p. 65.
  65. ^ Wright 2016, p. 71.
  66. ^ Wright 2016, p. 72.
  67. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 86.
  68. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 87.
  69. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 88.
  70. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 89.
  71. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 153.
  72. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 73.
  73. ^ Ainsworth 2016, pp. 117–118.
  74. ^ a b Wright 2016, p. 34.
  75. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 147.
  76. ^ Wright 2016, p. 35.
  77. ^ a b c d e Ainsworth 2015, p. 98.
  78. ^ a b c d e Ainsworth 2015, p. 163.
  79. ^ a b c Ainsworth 2016, p. 30.
  80. ^ a b Ainsworth 2015, p. 96.
  81. ^ "Doctor Who - The Beginning Box Set". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  82. ^ Sinnott, John (1 April 2006). "Doctor Who: The Beginning". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  83. ^ a b c Ainsworth 2016, p. 122.
  84. ^ a b "The Keys of Marinus". Timelash. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  85. ^ Wallis, J. Doyle (25 February 2010). "Doctor Who: The Keys of Marinus". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  86. ^ a b c d e Ainsworth 2016, p. 151.
  87. ^ a b "The Aztecs". Timelash. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  88. ^ "Doctor Who - Story #006: The Aztecs DVD Information". TVShowsOnDVD.com. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 14 November 2007. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  89. ^ "Doctor Who The Aztecs Special Edition". BBC. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  90. ^ "Doctor Who: The Aztecs Special Edition". BBC. Archived from the original on 30 July 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  91. ^ a b c d Wright 2016, p. 39.
  92. ^ "The Sensorites". Timelash. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  93. ^ a b Sinnott, John (20 February 2012). "Doctor Who: The Sensorites". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on 2 June 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  94. ^ a b c d Wright 2016, p. 80.
  95. ^ a b Wright 2016, p. 81.
  96. ^ "Doctor Who The Reign of Terror DVD". BBC. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  97. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 160.
  98. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 29.
  99. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 79.
  100. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 121.
  101. ^ Wright 2016, p. 38.
  102. ^ a b c d Chapman 2006, p. 25.
  103. ^ Bould 2008, p. 215.
  104. ^ a b Ainsworth 2015, p. 159.
  105. ^ a b Ainsworth 2015, p. 156.
  106. ^ a b Ainsworth 2016, p. 27.
  107. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 120.
  108. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 150.
  109. ^ a b c Ainsworth 2016, p. 148.
  110. ^ Wright 2016, p. 37.
  111. ^ Wright 2016, p. 36.
  112. ^ Wright 2016, p. 78.
  113. ^ Patrick, Seb (November 2013). "Best of 'Doctor Who' 50th Anniversary Poll: 11 Greatest Monsters & Villains". BBC America. BBC Worldwide. Archived from the original on 28 February 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  114. ^ Ainsworth 2015, p. 91.
  115. ^ Ainsworth 2016, p. 77.
  116. ^ Ainsworth 2016, pp. 148–149.
  117. ^ Wright 2016, p. 123.
  118. ^ Pierce, Kimberly (19 May 2017). "Classic Doctor Who in Review: Season One". Geek Girl Authority. Archived from the original on 22 September 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  119. ^ "Doctor Who Season 1 Review". Simbasible. 22 August 2017. Archived from the original on 22 September 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  120. ^ Gray, Richard (13 September 2013). "'Doctor Who' 50th Anniversary Marathon Recap: Season 1 (1963 – 1964)". The Reel Bits. Archived from the original on 22 September 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  121. ^ Mulkern, Patrick (30 September 2008). "An Unearthly Child". Radio Times. Immediate Media Company. Archived from the original on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  122. ^ Mulkern, Patrick (1 October 2008). "The Daleks". Radio Times. Immediate Media Company. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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Bibliography