Fun fact! When they went to check the archives in the late 70s, this was one of the only episodes left out of the first 3 Doctors. The fact that they've since found and restored all but 97 of those 378 episodes is nothing short of a miracle.
@@invincor Correct. For sure no Pertwee story was ever lost. The color prints of some episodes were lost for a time. For example, when I recorded Doctor Who to VHS off of PBS in the 80s, my copy of the Silurians went back and forth between color and black and white a few times.
@@erasedmind7120 I recall when there was a broadcast of Planet of the Daleks" in 1993. Because it was the 30th anniversary they preceded each episode with a mini documentary, one of which was about the missing episodes and limit to b/w versions which they played before said affected episode in that serial.
The good news is there's a very likely chance 17 _COMPLETE_ (and digitally backed up) lost stories exist in the middle east, we just can't go get them for complicated rights/reasons. That was originally a rumor, but the source is a very reliable historian who searches for lost media. We don't know which stories those 17 are (some could be copies of ones we already have), but we know we have them. On top of that, anywhere between 6-13 probably belong to private collectors who don't know they have a lost episode (hence they've never come forward with their finds). And aside from that, there's an unspecified number where lost episode hunters can confirm where the print is but that the collector holding it won't give it back (unless they're paid millions, which the BBC doesn't have since it's publicly funded).
"Back when I first started at the very beginning, I was always trying to be old and grumpy and important like you do when you're young"- 10th Doctor Who
'We are not of this race. We are not of this earth. Susan and I are wanderers in the fourth dimension of space and time, cut off from our own people by distances beyond the reach of your most advanced science.' And 'Have you ever thought what it's like to be wanderers in the fourth dimension? Have you?... to be exiles? Susan and I are cut off from our own planet, without friends or protection. But one day we shall get back. Yes, one day. One day.' Two of my favourite quotes from the beginning of the best British sci-fi television series ever. Rip to the legends that are William Hartnell and Jacqueline Hill. Loved both of your reactions to this, so looking forward to the next one. Doctor who 1963 - forever!💙💙💙👍
Ancient human speaking - when this got repeated in a BBC repeat called 'The Five Faces of Dr Who' in 1981, I was hypnotized by it and made me into a long term fan. My older brothers had invested in it since the late 1960s, so I was actually late to the party...
Susan naming their particular box the TARDIS, and then TARDIS becoming the norm amongst Time Lords for all Gallifreyan time machines, is a piece of canon I need the mainline TV series to settle for me before I die. K thx in advance RTD much appreciated
The audio story “The Beginning” reveals that the TARDIS acronym already existed. But Susan thought she came up with it by herself, and the Doctor just never corrected her.
When I was a timid First Grader, small for my age, and on the youngest possible edge of the age limit to start school, i was terrified. But within one week I was adopted by two Second Grade students, more or less as a pet, and they helped me thrive and have a much better time. It took two years of watching Kat and Paula before I realized that they remind me of my childhood heros, who turned my fear of the playground into a laugh a minute adventure. Thanks so much for your hard work!
Yeah, for the first couple of years every episode had it's own title, "Story: Part 1" being first used near the end of the third season for "The Savages". I believe they didn't get titles for the full serials until they started home releases, as they would have one serial per video.
Giving a name to the stories, instead of each episode, began earlier than home video... there was a lot of debate though around particular episodes, leading a lot of of confusion particularly in the 80's/90's. But basically as soon as people started to make lists of the stories, debate began about what they should be named. A lot of the stories are named after their first episode, but in that case - "The Daleks" should be "The Dead Planet"... etc etc.
The BBC separated serials ( a set of episodes making one story ), from each other by letter / number combinations. So the first 'serial' was A, then second was B, the first of the second 'year' was AA and so on. This was dropped about the time of 7A, for titles that embraced a multi-part 'story'. So each episode had a title at first, later had had serial titles such as 'Inferno' with no episode titles but rather numbers 'Inferno Episode 1' for example, and now much later single episodes tell one story, often as part of a season arc, as done by Babylon 5. B5, of course was all one story, with season titles, and episode titles, too.
it's so sad we can't watch this one now. Future update with some info, the reason you guys couldn't watch the other 3 parts is because Stef Coburn (son of the person who wrote this 4-parter) decided to withhold the distribution rights from the BBC. Basically, back then, the rights to individual episodes went to the writers who wrote them (NOT the network/station). So because the BBC doesn't own it, they have to renew a license every 5 years to stream/release it on Blu/broadcast it/etc. Stef Coburn basically decided _this year_ he wouldn't allow them to renew their rights license, meaning they can no longer include the episode on streaming ANYWHERE, and that they can never broadcast or give it a physical release ever again. He's also said he won't change this stance for the remainder of his life, so unfortunately you can no longer legally watch this episode (except on out of print DVDs worth hundreds to thousands of dollars).
I got mine a few years ago and they're SOOO cozy! I especially like having them on hand at cons, because sometimes the panel rooms get cold and it's nice having them in my bag when needed. They used to have Dalek ones available as well, but not sure if those are still available (I got mine at Hot Topic during the Matt Smith era -- LOL) 😃
I was only a couple of months old when this first aired and it feels like I grew up with this show and the original Star Trek; first full story was The Green Death, though I managed to sneak a watch at single episodes from earlier adventures. Sarah-Jane was my first, and still the greatest, companion, but amongst my all-time top five are Zoe & Liz Shaw; Ace and Amy & Rory, who were a major reason why S5 of the modern incarnation is the only season of it I love; so reminiscent of those early days, right down to episodic titles as it really was a thirteen episode story like The Dalek Masterplan or Patrick Troughton's final advernture The War Games (btw, I'd love you to react to The Seeds of Death one day; my first complete Troughton story as well as introducing my favourite antagonists who also featured in one of my fave later Pertwee stories, The Ice Warriors). I had a cat once; most misnamed feline in history (he was called Bimbo) whose temperament always makes me think of the early William Hartnell adventures. Loved this reaction, kerk hiraeth ps. I'd also love to see you react to the original pilot for Star Trek, The Cage as I think you'll love the contrasts with the eventual series as it came to be.
Ian: "But, that's the whole point of the experiment, Susan!" Susan: -thinks- "Yes, but . . . if you know what the result is going to be . . . it's. not. an. experiment!"
Love it! Classic Who is so fun, and this first ever episode (aired) goes to show how much of a piece it is with the revived series. All the elements are there.
The Doctor was supposed to be a type of "Anti-Hero" throughout the show. I mean, face it, he basically kidnapped Ian and Barbara because he didn't want to bother with them. I heart you two so much for going back to the very beginning. :)
No he really wasn't. in the more than 6 decades of the run of this show no one involved in creating the show has ever said anything remotely like that anti hero thing. Variety Lambert wanted to make a show that was originally intended to appeal to a family audience as an educational program using time travel as a means to explore scientific ideas and famous moments in history. No more, no less. If any term could be used to describe the first doctor it might be neutral good. He wanted to show his granddaughter the universe and explore. Taking Ian and Barbara with them was specifically spelled out by the doctor himself; they saw too much of the ship and he didn't want them blabbing to the rest of the world about Susan. What happens after this episode ref taking them home is as much a surprise to the doctor as it is to everyone else.
@@noneya3635 Despite a lack of comments from the production team, during the first season he fits the Anti-Hero description nicely. Try Googling "Doctor Who Anti Hero" and you will find dozens of articles, even in the fandom, who describe him as such. Heck, on the VHS release of "Doctor Who: the Hartnell Years", the cover blurb outright says he is: Cover blurb: ’‘We are not of this race. We are not of this Earth. We are wanderers in the fourth dimension of space and time.’’ On the 23rd November 1963 Gallifrey’s most famous time traveller, the Doctor, began his wanderings in his first incarnation - William Hartnell - the anti-hero with a heart of gold. So began the Hartnell years - 1963-1966. I'm guessing you must be a gamer, because no one in the entertainment industry would describe a character as "neutral good."
@@leoffdagrate Despite the lack of comments by the production team... Did you seriously start your rebuttable with an admission that this was not the intention of the creator? And i see that right on target you end with a juvenile attempt at sarcastic insults. Hard to take you seriously when your evidence is the internet says so.
Fun bit of trivia: Susan's haircut for the show was personally designed by none other than Vidal Sassoon, and it became one of his first huge trendsetting styles.
I discovered you two through Vox Machina and so this just cropped up in my Recommended. I'm not a Doctor Who fan nowadays but back in 1963 I (and most of the UK) was. You have no idea what an impact this had at the time. Famously, younger viewers, like me, would watch the scarier bits hidden behind the setee (couch) 🙂 It's hard to imagine it could have that effect, given the production values of modern shows. And, FYI, it wasn't uncommon to see real Police Boxes on the street, back then, so it was good camouflage! You may or may not know that the production of the modern Doctor Who shows is based in Cardiff, Wales, which is where I live. It's not unusual to see episodes being filmed on location locally. In fact, we've had the TARDIS on our village green! I hope you can dig out more of these early episodes.
make sure you find a way to also listen to the missing episodes, they have audios for them that are reconstructions, the original audio exists, just not the footage
Great to see you ladies coming to the very start of DW. One episode down and only another 870 to go (minus the few you’ve already seen and the missing ones of course)! One thing to be aware of is that for the first few seasons each episode had its own title, rather than a title for the story arc itself. Those arc titles were added retrospectively for convenience. And each episode flows pretty much directly into the next, even between story arcs. So starting a new story arc without seeing the one before can be a little jarring, as you always get the last minute of the previous episode as it leads to the next, making you feel you’ve missed something (which of course you have!). Looking forward to these. Enjoy the ride!
The william hartnell era of doctor who really felt like you wer watching live television, especially in the very first season. A lot more mistakes than ususal, boom mic in shots, shadows of boom mic and crew, the odd 'thud' of something odd screen, camera banging into things and messed up lines. But thats all part of the fun. So if you're not planning to watch every episode in order how do you plan to go about watching more of classic who? so excited you're properly getting into classic now :D
It's nice to see more Classic Who reactions :) From a NuWho perspective we now know who and what the Doctor is and what he becomes but bare in mind at the time the Doctor wasn't the imediate hero we would recognise infact Time Lord and regeneration wasn't invented yet there still hints in the early years that the Doctor could possibly from a future earth but as it went on it further suggested he was an alien behind the scenes they were still developing the character he was just a mysterious old man in a phone box. To his defence i understand the Doctor's annoyance because well Ian and Barbara have intruded in his ship but i can understand their point also for Susan's well being back the Doctor had yet to get use to human companions and feared they they would expose him and Susan as being time travelling aliens as well as interfeared with time which is why he kidnapped them but it was a question whether the Doctor was foe or villain?
Watching the first episode of Doctor Who on a tiny black & white TV in 1963 is one of my earliest childhood memories. William Hartnell was very familiar from playing the sergeant in the comedy TV series The Army Game, and appearing in many British black & white films. A real police box of the time, was actually made of cast concrete, but they made their copy from wood.
I love this episode! I love seeing what it was like. I’m glad the reran this episode, because it could not compete with the news coverage that day (the assassination of JFK)
I was DELIGHTED to see Ian at the end of Power of the Doctor (!!!!). Of course - I'd have loved MORE than just the 1 line... but then I heard I think it was Janet or Sophie talking about the shooting, and saying how William Russell's health is sadly very poor. I'm now very glad we got that one line. :`(
Yes. There is the Aired Version and the UnAired Version. I have had Great fun trying to pick out all the differences. I still keep finding one I missed. In the other Version the outside of the TARDIS looks much newer. This Doctor likes a fight. GREAT Reactions Girls. You get drawn in very quickly. By the way. I wonder how many you would get.
This is quite possibly the best pilot episode to any show ever. It's kinda amazing that they predicted that the UK would adopt decimation (as it would happen less than 8 years after this episode aired). Also Susan's name in Gallifreyian is Arkytior, which literally means "Rose".
The first 2 plus seasons gave each episode their own title - the story titles ("The Daleks" "The Reign of Terror") came later. The first two seasons are also pretty complete too I think only 11 of the 70+ episodes are missing. It's season 3 and 4 that are really among the lost episodes. I hope you go back and watch the whole serial, as so much of the Doctor's relationship with Ian and Barbara is set up here,.
Next episode has some key lines of dialogue about the chameleon circuit. How's that for incentive? :-) Also, a line of Susan's in a later story: _'The Sensorites'_ comes around again when Tennant's Doctor is talking to Martha. ;-)
There is a magical quality to Sixties Doctor Who that reminds me of classic children's literature. I love it. Strange to think that William Hartnell's incarnation is technically the youngest Doctor. Which explains why he is somewhat of a brat.
Congratulations. 4 years 100s of episodes and you've finally reached the beginning. I have a feeling the copyright distortions might actually improve the video quality here.
The first version of An Unearthly Child (often referred to as The Pilot Episode) was essentially this episode, but was not considered broadcastable due to technical issues and characterisation, so after some minor, yet significant, rewrites and costuming changes, was completely reshot. The pilot version of An Unearthly Child is still worth the look though. In the UK, this episode was overshadowed by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy the day before, and was repeated the following week prior to the second episode, to get a higher viewership. The show definitely had a shaky start, but gets there soon enough. A bit like the TARDIS, and the Doctor themselves, when you think about it. Happy Times and Places, in your journey through the “classic” era! Hope you decide to rewatch the stories you have already seen of previous Doctors. Sometimes seeing them in order, provides a bit of context. Other times, it’s just fun to rewatch the classics.
I don't know if it says something about how my mind works that my three most watched Doctor Who episodes are The 11th Hour, The Day of the Doctor, and An Unearthly Child. I've lost count with each of them.
I also don't think they caught the 'I M Foreman' (though misspelled) junkyard references when they recently saw 'Remembrance of the Daleks', so they should check that back out too! 😀
No go watch "The Three Doctors" and "The Five Doctors" the proper true annivesaries of Doctor Who who respect the history of the show which the 50th does not.
@@joshuajoshua2732No, I meant that the opening of the 50th is a near perfect recreation of the opening of this episode, a reference they would not have gotten before, but you had to go and be a jerk about it.
"He's a bit of a shit" Ha ha yes Kat he is! You have to appreciate, Paula, that at this point in time the Doctor was not the Doctor that we came to know and love... they were very much the anti-hero, and the first season in particular can be pretty rocky with how they treat Ian and Barbara. Once a year (usually on 23 November) I watch this one episode, or sometimes I'll watch the "Pilot" episode instead. The Pilot was the original take, which suffered from several production problems, but also had a number of differences in storytelling - firstly the Doctor was even harsher, and also he says that they came from the 42nd Century, suggesting they were simply from Earth's future. Regarding episodes 2, 3 and 4... it's not that they are bad... but... Dead Planet is certainly more exciting. :) No real issue not watching them. Back in the day I did a personal edit for my kids cutting from when they exit the TARDIS in episode 2 of AUC to when they exit the TARDIS in Dead Planet... :)
I am selfish and greedy do it nALL no matter how many YEARS it takes COMPLETEIONISM ........is that a word ?? don't care WORTH IT great reaction THANKYOU
Watching this I thought of a theory in regards to the Doctor Timeless Child (bare with me): Susan is the TC. She made the initials T.A.R.D.I.S and we know all of the current regens of the doctor(no other secret incarnation could exist between any of them). The only flaw is why the Ruth doc went by "doctor" unless, after becoming Susan, she inadvertantly caused our doctor to adopt said moniker.
The 1960s, when it was totally fine for two teachers to follow their student home without her knowing. I'll be honest, it's perfectly fine if you choose to skip the rest of the story, since you won't be missing much. Parts 2-4 are honestly really dull and plodding and don't maintain the eerie sense of mystery that this first episode has. Anyway, super glad to see you both carrying on with Classic Who
Trivia: Doctor Who Unearthly child was aired 2 weeks in a row because on its original release date no one ever watched it....because in the US J.F.K. was assassinated so no one watched anything else around the world. It was at the insistence of the first woman director that it be shown again the following week before part 2 to give it a fair chance....rest is history.
A bit of real time travel for me , three years before England won the World cup girls , this was so different from any children's tv programme of the time . Saturday tea - time with the newest magical entertainment . Tv had become affordable for everyone and Dr Who instantly caught my attention . William Hartnell was a wily , mysterious figure in the early days and this episode set the scene brilliantly . The characters developed over the weeks , Susan and Barbera were as important to the plots as Ian - unusual for the time . As now , we had to wait two weeks for the next part as this was shown twice due to the JFK assassination . Many of the original sound effects such as the Tardis were saved by people who loved the show and were able to be incorporated in the new incarnation . I'm glad you liked it , the years have been kind to " An unearthly child " - the black & white grainy picture seems to add to the mystery and it still leaves you wanting to see what happens next .
C'mon, girls! It's about time you properly committed to doing Classic Who properly, episode by episode, story by story. YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!!! And I, for one, want to follow that journey and enjoy your reactions as you truly discover the Doctor from the beginning of his time hanging out with us boring, stupid humans.
This is one reason why 'Fugitive of the Judoon' et seq sit so badly with me. FotJ tries to advance the notion that long before Hartnell, the Doctor's character was nailed down to be pretty much the same as they are in the modern series, just in a different body. And I think that does a disservice to the character development that we see the First Doctor undergo through his run. Or to put it another way: I'm fine with *incarnations* before Hartnell, but not *Doctors* before Hartnell.
The first Doctor undergoes quite the character arc in this story. He is rather sinister in this episode--and is quite toned down when compared to the unaired first episode. The Doctor was very sharp and short tempered in that version (there's also some unintended humour with when various technical things go wrong, like the TARDIS doors randomly opening). While I didn't like how Susan's alienness was toned down in the aired version, the Doctor has much more of a mischievous twinkle in this one.
I think it’s fair to say he could be a bit of a shit. In new-Who we’ve often been presented with the idea that The Doctor has always been a champion of truth, justice and freedom. The whole idea that he made a promise when he took the name The Doctor to never be cruel and never be cowardly. This is all a nonsense. In his first incarnation he could be very cruel when he wanted to be. He could also be very selfish, placing his companions in danger to satisfy his own whims and, on one occasion, considering taking the life of an injured man so that he could make a quicker escape. And, for the most part, he defeated his enemies in order to escape danger. He wasn’t particularly interested in trying to save the universe. As the series progresses he changes and becomes more softer in temperament, more caring and, perhaps, more human. And that was the influence of Ian and Barbara. The reason the Doctor became the person we’ve come to know and love is a result of the influence of Ian and Barbara, and the other early human companions.
Do yourselves a favor and don't watch the rest of this serial, this first episode is eerie and a pretty good start to the series and then it turns into rubbish. I recommend skipping straight to The Daleks and to pretend this is where the Tardis went.
Genuine question, no criticism intended, why such reluctance to do the 90s movie? I'm not on the Discord or the Patreon, or maybe I just missed something, but it seems peculiar at this point aha Is there a stated reason?
No reluctance whatsoever! We wanted to go back to the beginning and start that journey with each other. The movie is definitely on our list to watch, and who knows we might do something weird and throw it in randomly between class seasons. For now, we're sitting and enjoying Classic Who together and we hope you'll enjoy it to!
@@GallifreyGals Right on! Ok, I was just confused because you went up to Sylvester McCoy and then stopped. The pattern recognition part of my brain was befuddled lol But that sounds like a good plan 😊
Classic open theme was missing! You were cackling over important details! You only just heard what the TARDIS was! The only 2 actors to take it seriously were William Hartnell and Jon Pertwee, my own favourite! Just wish Americans could get Dr Who! Type in Dr who classic theme for the full version, Ron Grainers original work, adapted by Delia Derbyshire at BBC Radiophonic Workshop! You should only need to type Dr Who Classic Theme!
If the gals think the First Doctor is a bit hard to take, I shudder to think about how they'll view the introduction of the Sixth. Massive TRIGGER WARNING on that one. It's fair to say that there's never been a worse story in the show. Worse writing, worse acting, worse direction, and worse production, sure. But everything else the Doctor has ever done is, by reference to different cultural values, budgets constraints, and so on, excusable. The start of the Sixth ... isn't.
Fun fact! When they went to check the archives in the late 70s, this was one of the only episodes left out of the first 3 Doctors. The fact that they've since found and restored all but 97 of those 378 episodes is nothing short of a miracle.
Er, there were a lot more left than just this story out of the first 3 Doctors.
@@invincor Correct. For sure no Pertwee story was ever lost. The color prints of some episodes were lost for a time. For example, when I recorded Doctor Who to VHS off of PBS in the 80s, my copy of the Silurians went back and forth between color and black and white a few times.
@@erasedmind7120 I recall when there was a broadcast of Planet of the Daleks" in 1993. Because it was the 30th anniversary they preceded each episode with a mini documentary, one of which was about the missing episodes and limit to b/w versions which they played before said affected episode in that serial.
The good news is there's a very likely chance 17 _COMPLETE_ (and digitally backed up) lost stories exist in the middle east, we just can't go get them for complicated rights/reasons. That was originally a rumor, but the source is a very reliable historian who searches for lost media. We don't know which stories those 17 are (some could be copies of ones we already have), but we know we have them. On top of that, anywhere between 6-13 probably belong to private collectors who don't know they have a lost episode (hence they've never come forward with their finds). And aside from that, there's an unspecified number where lost episode hunters can confirm where the print is but that the collector holding it won't give it back (unless they're paid millions, which the BBC doesn't have since it's publicly funded).
"Back when I first started at the very beginning, I was always trying to be old and grumpy and important like you do when you're young"- 10th Doctor Who
"And then I was YOU"
Colin Baker - Doctor No 6 - would later recall being captivated by this episode in his twenties. So you never know, one day...
'We are not of this race. We are not of this earth. Susan and I are wanderers in the fourth dimension of space and time, cut off from our own people by distances beyond the reach of your most advanced science.'
And
'Have you ever thought what it's like to be wanderers in the fourth dimension? Have you?... to be exiles? Susan and I are cut off from our own planet, without friends or protection. But one day we shall get back. Yes, one day. One day.'
Two of my favourite quotes from the beginning of the best British sci-fi television series ever. Rip to the legends that are William Hartnell and Jacqueline Hill. Loved both of your reactions to this, so looking forward to the next one.
Doctor who 1963 - forever!💙💙💙👍
Ancient human speaking - when this got repeated in a BBC repeat called 'The Five Faces of Dr Who' in 1981, I was hypnotized by it and made me into a long term fan. My older brothers had invested in it since the late 1960s, so I was actually late to the party...
Susan naming their particular box the TARDIS, and then TARDIS becoming the norm amongst Time Lords for all Gallifreyan time machines, is a piece of canon I need the mainline TV series to settle for me before I die. K thx in advance RTD much appreciated
The audio story “The Beginning” reveals that the TARDIS acronym already existed. But Susan thought she came up with it by herself, and the Doctor just never corrected her.
@@EditedAF987 Ah thank you! Good old Big Finish, filling in every gap imaginable :)
It's funny how Doctor Who only happened because two teachers stalked a student and her grandfather kidnapped them.
lol nah would’ve still happened, it had before too
When I was a timid First Grader, small for my age, and on the youngest possible edge of the age limit to start school, i was terrified. But within one week I was adopted by two Second Grade students, more or less as a pet, and they helped me thrive and have a much better time. It took two years of watching Kat and Paula before I realized that they remind me of my childhood heros, who turned my fear of the playground into a laugh a minute adventure. Thanks so much for your hard work!
Yeah, for the first couple of years every episode had it's own title, "Story: Part 1" being first used near the end of the third season for "The Savages". I believe they didn't get titles for the full serials until they started home releases, as they would have one serial per video.
Giving a name to the stories, instead of each episode, began earlier than home video... there was a lot of debate though around particular episodes, leading a lot of of confusion particularly in the 80's/90's. But basically as soon as people started to make lists of the stories, debate began about what they should be named. A lot of the stories are named after their first episode, but in that case - "The Daleks" should be "The Dead Planet"... etc etc.
The BBC separated serials ( a set of episodes making one story ), from each other by letter / number combinations.
So the first 'serial' was A, then second was B, the first of the second 'year' was AA and so on.
This was dropped about the time of 7A, for titles that embraced a multi-part 'story'.
So each episode had a title at first, later had had serial titles such as 'Inferno' with no episode titles but rather numbers 'Inferno Episode 1' for example, and now much later single episodes tell one story, often as part of a season arc, as done by Babylon 5.
B5, of course was all one story, with season titles, and episode titles, too.
it's so sad we can't watch this one now. Future update with some info, the reason you guys couldn't watch the other 3 parts is because Stef Coburn (son of the person who wrote this 4-parter) decided to withhold the distribution rights from the BBC. Basically, back then, the rights to individual episodes went to the writers who wrote them (NOT the network/station). So because the BBC doesn't own it, they have to renew a license every 5 years to stream/release it on Blu/broadcast it/etc.
Stef Coburn basically decided _this year_ he wouldn't allow them to renew their rights license, meaning they can no longer include the episode on streaming ANYWHERE, and that they can never broadcast or give it a physical release ever again. He's also said he won't change this stance for the remainder of his life, so unfortunately you can no longer legally watch this episode (except on out of print DVDs worth hundreds to thousands of dollars).
I don't know what makes me happier: The fact that y'all are going back to the beginning or Kat's gloves!
I got mine a few years ago and they're SOOO cozy! I especially like having them on hand at cons, because sometimes the panel rooms get cold and it's nice having them in my bag when needed. They used to have Dalek ones available as well, but not sure if those are still available (I got mine at Hot Topic during the Matt Smith era -- LOL) 😃
It's so commonplace today, but can you imagine how children reacted to the Tardis difference back then?
You should watch the rest of this serial.
I was only a couple of months old when this first aired and it feels like I grew up with this show and the original Star Trek; first full story was The Green Death, though I managed to sneak a watch at single episodes from earlier adventures. Sarah-Jane was my first, and still the greatest, companion, but amongst my all-time top five are Zoe & Liz Shaw; Ace and Amy & Rory, who were a major reason why S5 of the modern incarnation is the only season of it I love; so reminiscent of those early days, right down to episodic titles as it really was a thirteen episode story like The Dalek Masterplan or Patrick Troughton's final advernture The War Games (btw, I'd love you to react to The Seeds of Death one day; my first complete Troughton story as well as introducing my favourite antagonists who also featured in one of my fave later Pertwee stories, The Ice Warriors). I had a cat once; most misnamed feline in history (he was called Bimbo) whose temperament always makes me think of the early William Hartnell adventures. Loved this reaction, kerk hiraeth ps. I'd also love to see you react to the original pilot for Star Trek, The Cage as I think you'll love the contrasts with the eventual series as it came to be.
Just popping in to say YAY FOR SOME LIZ SHAW LOVE! I find her super-underrated, but she's definitely one of my absolute faves! ❤❤
Ian: "But, that's the whole point of the experiment, Susan!"
Susan: -thinks- "Yes, but . . . if you know what the result is going to be . . . it's. not. an. experiment!"
Hard to believe that Carole Ann Ford (Susan) was a 23 year-old married mother at the time.
Love it! Classic Who is so fun, and this first ever episode (aired) goes to show how much of a piece it is with the revived series. All the elements are there.
Love to see your reaction to The Time Warrior. First story of season 11. You’ll love it.
Great to see you Gals starting from the beginning. Please watch in the order they appeared, 26 great seasons of adventure await you. Go to it 🙂👍
The Doctor was supposed to be a type of "Anti-Hero" throughout the show. I mean, face it, he basically kidnapped Ian and Barbara because he didn't want to bother with them.
I heart you two so much for going back to the very beginning. :)
No he really wasn't. in the more than 6 decades of the run of this show no one involved in creating the show has ever said anything remotely like that anti hero thing. Variety Lambert wanted to make a show that was originally intended to appeal to a family audience as an educational program using time travel as a means to explore scientific ideas and famous moments in history. No more, no less. If any term could be used to describe the first doctor it might be neutral good. He wanted to show his granddaughter the universe and explore. Taking Ian and Barbara with them was specifically spelled out by the doctor himself; they saw too much of the ship and he didn't want them blabbing to the rest of the world about Susan. What happens after this episode ref taking them home is as much a surprise to the doctor as it is to everyone else.
@@noneya3635 Despite a lack of comments from the production team, during the first season he fits the Anti-Hero description nicely. Try Googling "Doctor Who Anti Hero" and you will find dozens of articles, even in the fandom, who describe him as such. Heck, on the VHS release of "Doctor Who: the Hartnell Years", the cover blurb outright says he is:
Cover blurb:
’‘We are not of this race. We are not of this Earth. We are wanderers in the fourth dimension of space and time.’’
On the 23rd November 1963 Gallifrey’s most famous time traveller, the Doctor, began his wanderings in his first incarnation - William Hartnell - the anti-hero with a heart of gold. So began the Hartnell years - 1963-1966.
I'm guessing you must be a gamer, because no one in the entertainment industry would describe a character as "neutral good."
@@leoffdagrate Despite the lack of comments by the production team... Did you seriously start your rebuttable with an admission that this was not the intention of the creator? And i see that right on target you end with a juvenile attempt at sarcastic insults. Hard to take you seriously when your evidence is the internet says so.
Fun bit of trivia: Susan's haircut for the show was personally designed by none other than Vidal Sassoon, and it became one of his first huge trendsetting styles.
take 2 bottles into the shower?
I discovered you two through Vox Machina and so this just cropped up in my Recommended. I'm not a Doctor Who fan nowadays but back in 1963 I (and most of the UK) was. You have no idea what an impact this had at the time. Famously, younger viewers, like me, would watch the scarier bits hidden behind the setee (couch) 🙂 It's hard to imagine it could have that effect, given the production values of modern shows. And, FYI, it wasn't uncommon to see real Police Boxes on the street, back then, so it was good camouflage!
You may or may not know that the production of the modern Doctor Who shows is based in Cardiff, Wales, which is where I live. It's not unusual to see episodes being filmed on location locally. In fact, we've had the TARDIS on our village green! I hope you can dig out more of these early episodes.
I love the "classics"! There is some really, really great stuff there! 😀
make sure you find a way to also listen to the missing episodes, they have audios for them that are reconstructions, the original audio exists, just not the footage
The First Doctor could be scary. He's like Merlin, you're never really sure of his motives or what he's capable of.
The other plus about this production is that the incidental music doesn't overwhelm the story or dialogue. It's used sparingly.
Great to see you ladies coming to the very start of DW. One episode down and only another 870 to go (minus the few you’ve already seen and the missing ones of course)!
One thing to be aware of is that for the first few seasons each episode had its own title, rather than a title for the story arc itself. Those arc titles were added retrospectively for convenience. And each episode flows pretty much directly into the next, even between story arcs. So starting a new story arc without seeing the one before can be a little jarring, as you always get the last minute of the previous episode as it leads to the next, making you feel you’ve missed something (which of course you have!).
Looking forward to these. Enjoy the ride!
I hope you can manage to do the reactions of other First Doctor stories, I'm sure you girls will love 'The Edge of Destruction'.
The william hartnell era of doctor who really felt like you wer watching live television, especially in the very first season. A lot more mistakes than ususal, boom mic in shots, shadows of boom mic and crew, the odd 'thud' of something odd screen, camera banging into things and messed up lines. But thats all part of the fun. So if you're not planning to watch every episode in order how do you plan to go about watching more of classic who? so excited you're properly getting into classic now :D
They almost were , studio time was limited and editing wasn't easy .
@@DavidSmith-cx8dg only three times they could do another take or sumthing. Must have been so tough
It's nice to see more Classic Who reactions :)
From a NuWho perspective we now know who and what the Doctor is and what he becomes but bare in mind at the time the Doctor wasn't the imediate hero we would recognise infact Time Lord and regeneration wasn't invented yet there still hints in the early years that the Doctor could possibly from a future earth but as it went on it further suggested he was an alien behind the scenes they were still developing the character he was just a mysterious old man in a phone box.
To his defence i understand the Doctor's annoyance because well Ian and Barbara have intruded in his ship but i can understand their point also for Susan's well being back the Doctor had yet to get use to human companions and feared they they would expose him and Susan as being time travelling aliens as well as interfeared with time which is why he kidnapped them but it was a question whether the Doctor was foe or villain?
Watching the first episode of Doctor Who on a tiny black & white TV in 1963 is one of my earliest childhood memories. William Hartnell was very familiar from playing the sergeant in the comedy TV series The Army Game, and appearing in many British black & white films. A real police box of the time, was actually made of cast concrete, but they made their copy from wood.
I love this episode! I love seeing what it was like. I’m glad the reran this episode, because it could not compete with the news coverage that day (the assassination of JFK)
SO crazy that that happened at the same time. The fact that this show made it past that fraught of a premiere and is STILL around!?
There had also been a major power outage when the show debuted, so the re-run of episode 1 was largely due to that, as well as JFK.
I was DELIGHTED to see Ian at the end of Power of the Doctor (!!!!). Of course - I'd have loved MORE than just the 1 line... but then I heard I think it was Janet or Sophie talking about the shooting, and saying how William Russell's health is sadly very poor. I'm now very glad we got that one line. :`(
Donna said how he needs people around him to show him when to stop.
Yes. There is the Aired Version and the UnAired Version. I have had Great fun trying to pick out all the differences. I still keep finding one I missed. In the other Version the outside of the TARDIS looks much newer. This Doctor likes a fight. GREAT Reactions Girls. You get drawn in very quickly. By the way. I wonder how many you would get.
It seems California is usually either in a drought or a flood. I guess my recent 3’ of snow could have been worse.
This is quite possibly the best pilot episode to any show ever. It's kinda amazing that they predicted that the UK would adopt decimation (as it would happen less than 8 years after this episode aired).
Also Susan's name in Gallifreyian is Arkytior, which literally means "Rose".
* decimalisation ... at least, I hope that's what you mean :)
@@ftumschk yeah sorry, damn autocorrect 😂😂😂
A 3rd Doctor (or was it the 4th?) episode predicted the existence of a BBC channel that wasn't true at the time it was aired.
@@pauld6967 True. BBC3 features in the Pertwee classic, "The Dæmons".
@@ftumschk Yes! That's the story I was thinking of.
The first 2 plus seasons gave each episode their own title - the story titles ("The Daleks" "The Reign of Terror") came later.
The first two seasons are also pretty complete too I think only 11 of the 70+ episodes are missing. It's season 3 and 4 that are really among the lost episodes.
I hope you go back and watch the whole serial, as so much of the Doctor's relationship with Ian and Barbara is set up here,.
Next episode has some key lines of dialogue about the chameleon circuit.
How's that for incentive? :-)
Also, a line of Susan's in a later story: _'The Sensorites'_ comes around again when Tennant's Doctor is talking to Martha. ;-)
You should put your classic who reactions in a separate playlist.
We goin BACK back? I like it!
At the end of The Devil's Chord, there is a Billboard for Chris Waites and the Carollers aka John Smith and the Common Men
There is a magical quality to Sixties Doctor Who that reminds me of classic children's literature. I love it. Strange to think that William Hartnell's incarnation is technically the youngest Doctor. Which explains why he is somewhat of a brat.
Wow! I never knew that Susan was the one that named the TARDIS!
Congratulations. 4 years 100s of episodes and you've finally reached the beginning. I have a feeling the copyright distortions might actually improve the video quality here.
The doctor started as a very alien person with a different morality. Over time he takes on more human morals.
The first version of An Unearthly Child (often referred to as The Pilot Episode) was essentially this episode, but was not considered broadcastable due to technical issues and characterisation, so after some minor, yet significant, rewrites and costuming changes, was completely reshot. The pilot version of An Unearthly Child is still worth the look though.
In the UK, this episode was overshadowed by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy the day before, and was repeated the following week prior to the second episode, to get a higher viewership.
The show definitely had a shaky start, but gets there soon enough. A bit like the TARDIS, and the Doctor themselves, when you think about it.
Happy Times and Places, in your journey through the “classic” era!
Hope you decide to rewatch the stories you have already seen of previous Doctors. Sometimes seeing them in order, provides a bit of context. Other times, it’s just fun to rewatch the classics.
I don't know if it says something about how my mind works that my three most watched Doctor Who episodes are The 11th Hour, The Day of the Doctor, and An Unearthly Child. I've lost count with each of them.
Oooh, are you going to do all of the other Classic Who's? Only 871 episodes and you've already done some already. Barely an inconvenience.
And for those watching in black and white, the TARDIS is blue.
I completely forgot how much helpless screaming Susan and Polly did in these early episodes.
Now that you've seen this, go back and rewatch the first few seconds of the 50th anniversary special.
I also don't think they caught the 'I M Foreman' (though misspelled) junkyard references when they recently saw 'Remembrance of the Daleks', so they should check that back out too! 😀
No go watch "The Three Doctors" and "The Five Doctors" the proper true annivesaries of Doctor Who who respect the history of the show which the 50th does not.
@@joshuajoshua2732No, I meant that the opening of the 50th is a near perfect recreation of the opening of this episode, a reference they would not have gotten before, but you had to go and be a jerk about it.
Another classic unearthly cat video!
Just played it again, exact words are - Dr Who 1963 Original theme music video😊
"He's a bit of a shit" Ha ha yes Kat he is! You have to appreciate, Paula, that at this point in time the Doctor was not the Doctor that we came to know and love... they were very much the anti-hero, and the first season in particular can be pretty rocky with how they treat Ian and Barbara.
Once a year (usually on 23 November) I watch this one episode, or sometimes I'll watch the "Pilot" episode instead. The Pilot was the original take, which suffered from several production problems, but also had a number of differences in storytelling - firstly the Doctor was even harsher, and also he says that they came from the 42nd Century, suggesting they were simply from Earth's future.
Regarding episodes 2, 3 and 4... it's not that they are bad... but... Dead Planet is certainly more exciting. :) No real issue not watching them. Back in the day I did a personal edit for my kids cutting from when they exit the TARDIS in episode 2 of AUC to when they exit the TARDIS in Dead Planet... :)
From the thumbnail, I thought that was a witch hat … it’s a great looking hat but I’d be down for more witch hats here.
This note is being taken very seriously as there can and SHOULD always be more witch hats.... 🧙♀️🔮😎 - Kat
Omg katrina I love the 4th dr scarf gloves
Thank you!! One of my favorite finds at Gallifrey One this year! - Kat
I am selfish and greedy do it nALL no matter how many YEARS it takes COMPLETEIONISM ........is that a word ?? don't care WORTH IT great reaction THANKYOU
The first story after The Unearyhly child is missable, but I’d recommend watching the first Daleks arc.
Watching this I thought of a theory in regards to the Doctor Timeless Child (bare with me):
Susan is the TC. She made the initials T.A.R.D.I.S and we know all of the current regens of the doctor(no other secret incarnation could exist between any of them). The only flaw is why the Ruth doc went by "doctor" unless, after becoming Susan, she inadvertantly caused our doctor to adopt said moniker.
The 1960s, when it was totally fine for two teachers to follow their student home without her knowing.
I'll be honest, it's perfectly fine if you choose to skip the rest of the story, since you won't be missing much. Parts 2-4 are honestly really dull and plodding and don't maintain the eerie sense of mystery that this first episode has. Anyway, super glad to see you both carrying on with Classic Who
Trivia: Doctor Who Unearthly child was aired 2 weeks in a row because on its original release date no one ever watched it....because in the US J.F.K. was assassinated so no one watched anything else around the world. It was at the insistence of the first woman director that it be shown again the following week before part 2 to give it a fair chance....rest is history.
A bit of real time travel for me , three years before England won the World cup girls , this was so different from any children's tv programme of the time . Saturday tea - time with the newest magical entertainment . Tv had become affordable for everyone and Dr Who instantly caught my attention . William Hartnell was a wily , mysterious figure in the early days and this episode set the scene brilliantly .
The characters developed over the weeks , Susan and Barbera were as important to the plots as Ian - unusual for the time . As now , we had to wait two weeks for the next part as this was shown twice due to the JFK assassination . Many of the original sound effects such as the Tardis were saved by people who loved the show and were able to be incorporated in the new incarnation . I'm glad you liked it , the years have been kind to " An unearthly child " - the black & white grainy picture seems to add to the mystery and it still leaves you wanting to see what happens next .
Incidentally , imagine if Susan had said DNA instead of DND .
Whenever my wife or kids are questioning me... "You imagined it!"
that’s called gaslighting. Don’t do that.
The doctor didn’t really become the doctor we know until he regenerated into Patrick troughton.
Have you seen Dr Whooves and Assistant MLP crossover.
C'mon, girls! It's about time you properly committed to doing Classic Who properly, episode by episode, story by story. YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!!! And I, for one, want to follow that journey and enjoy your reactions as you truly discover the Doctor from the beginning of his time hanging out with us boring, stupid humans.
I don’t think it’s an unpopular opinion, but while I love the first episode of this story, parts 2-4 are a slog.
This is one reason why 'Fugitive of the Judoon' et seq sit so badly with me. FotJ tries to advance the notion that long before Hartnell, the Doctor's character was nailed down to be pretty much the same as they are in the modern series, just in a different body. And I think that does a disservice to the character development that we see the First Doctor undergo through his run. Or to put it another way: I'm fine with *incarnations* before Hartnell, but not *Doctors* before Hartnell.
The first Doctor undergoes quite the character arc in this story. He is rather sinister in this episode--and is quite toned down when compared to the unaired first episode. The Doctor was very sharp and short tempered in that version (there's also some unintended humour with when various technical things go wrong, like the TARDIS doors randomly opening). While I didn't like how Susan's alienness was toned down in the aired version, the Doctor has much more of a mischievous twinkle in this one.
Personally, I would suggest skipping the rest of this story and instead move on to the dalek story.
back to the Beginning.How it all started......Oh..So many Decades ago.....
Now that they've seen the first Who story, I think they should watch 'Where No Man Has Gone Before' when they watch Classic Trek again.
Have they done The Cage?
@@ericjohnson9623 No not yet
I think it’s fair to say he could be a bit of a shit.
In new-Who we’ve often been presented with the idea that The Doctor has always been a champion of truth, justice and freedom. The whole idea that he made a promise when he took the name The Doctor to never be cruel and never be cowardly. This is all a nonsense. In his first incarnation he could be very cruel when he wanted to be. He could also be very selfish, placing his companions in danger to satisfy his own whims and, on one occasion, considering taking the life of an injured man so that he could make a quicker escape. And, for the most part, he defeated his enemies in order to escape danger. He wasn’t particularly interested in trying to save the universe.
As the series progresses he changes and becomes more softer in temperament, more caring and, perhaps, more human. And that was the influence of Ian and Barbara. The reason the Doctor became the person we’ve come to know and love is a result of the influence of Ian and Barbara, and the other early human companions.
Do yourselves a favor and don't watch the rest of this serial, this first episode is eerie and a pretty good start to the series and then it turns into rubbish. I recommend skipping straight to The Daleks and to pretend this is where the Tardis went.
The early Doctor wasn’t "a bit of a shit" or evil... just not human. Gallifreyans had a different perspective, and morality...
Genuine question, no criticism intended, why such reluctance to do the 90s movie? I'm not on the Discord or the Patreon, or maybe I just missed something, but it seems peculiar at this point aha Is there a stated reason?
I don't think there's a reluctance, they just haven't gotten around to it yet.
No reluctance whatsoever! We wanted to go back to the beginning and start that journey with each other. The movie is definitely on our list to watch, and who knows we might do something weird and throw it in randomly between class seasons. For now, we're sitting and enjoying Classic Who together and we hope you'll enjoy it to!
@@GallifreyGals Right on! Ok, I was just confused because you went up to Sylvester McCoy and then stopped. The pattern recognition part of my brain was befuddled lol
But that sounds like a good plan 😊
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Classic open theme was missing! You were cackling over important details! You only just heard what the TARDIS was! The only 2 actors to take it seriously were William Hartnell and Jon Pertwee, my own favourite! Just wish Americans could get Dr Who! Type in Dr who classic theme for the full version, Ron Grainers original work, adapted by Delia Derbyshire at BBC Radiophonic Workshop! You should only need to type Dr Who Classic Theme!
Hartnell is such a good doctor, the writing for him in 12's last episode wasn't very good and he's real different to how he appears there.
The initial classic who run of the unearthly child, the daleks, the eve of destruction is an absolute classic and you really should watch them all
*React to all of Classic Who. This is both a command and a request. Please and thank you.*
If the gals think the First Doctor is a bit hard to take, I shudder to think about how they'll view the introduction of the Sixth. Massive TRIGGER WARNING on that one. It's fair to say that there's never been a worse story in the show. Worse writing, worse acting, worse direction, and worse production, sure. But everything else the Doctor has ever done is, by reference to different cultural values, budgets constraints, and so on, excusable. The start of the Sixth ... isn't.