Original broadcast dates January through February 1965. Another excellent print off of the new blu-ray release. A month of leisure sits heavy on the crew’s hands when the unexpected happens!
They’ve apparently just moved in to an empty villa and are squatting as the owner is out. No one thought a caretaker was that odd, so it was pretty good cover. At least until the slave traders appeared and cpatured Ian and Barbara, the Doctor and Vicki having headed out on a jaunt to Rome. The two of them get picked up in a most convienent way, but are not very safe either.
Ian and Barbara are separated, and the outlook looks bleak for them. Ian’s shipwrecked which may be better than the slave sales Barbara winds up in.
Would they even allow a slave sale scene on today’s television? Seems very raw to me to watch.
A couple of lovely comedy of errors moments with Barbara, Vicki, and The Doctor just missing each other. Good timing.
And, at the banquet, the Doctor has big brass balls and pulls a fast one on the whole crowd. No crutches like the later Doctors would use, just good old-fashioned trickery.
The ending came off better than I expected it to, with the twist of Nero burning Rome. And all made it home again, only to be distracted by another adventure…
It’s definitely a serial.
Tags: doctorwho