The third story of this series to be set around the first Doctor is a superb effort. Ian Chesterton was played by William Russell from 1963 to 1965. One of the best things about the early years of Doctor Who is that a story could take place over several months. It gives the impression that the characters are getting some travel experience under their belts. This is the first time that Jacqueline Rayner has already written a Companion Chronicles and the thing about Rayner’s stories are that they aren’t complicated but there is an interest that keeps you glued.
The story starts off brilliantly with a mini recap of what had happened in the TV story The Sensorites. It could have gone on for an hour before the main story got started and I wouldn’t have minded. When it did eventually get started the story had a gentle pace and it was the expedition of the Endeavour going to Australia. The main plot was that the Doctor and Ian were trying to get back to Susan and Barbara who are trapped in the TARDIS but the main plot is the interaction between Ian and Joseph Banks. It was quite interesting to see the truth about Joseph Banks, was he an alien or did he have some sort of knowledge probably from an alien being.
The story trundles along quite nicely and it is just nice to hear William Russell read the script with love and respect that you would expect from the shows first male companion. The pay off at the end which explains everything was something that was hinted at but was still a surprise to me. The story that was set before Transit of Venus was The Sensorites and one of the main points about that story was the fact that Susan (unlike her companions and the Doctor) had the ability to read minds and it was that ability had reached out to Banks and because Barbara had been talking to Susan about history and geography this information had got to Banks and he knew knowledge that he shouldn’t have known yet. It was a simple and believable solution to the mystery. I think that if this story had been written by someone else it might have had a more complicated ending which would have ruined it but as it is the story started well, had a good middle and ended fittingly. Ian Hallard was also very good in this story. He acted Banks with a certain sense of innocence like when Ian is accusing Banks of pushing him overboard. At that point you think that Banks is evil but if you know your history then you know what he does in history. The scene between Chesterton and Banks at the end was well acted out between the two actors.
I do only have one critiscm of this story, why did it take 15 releases and two years before we had Ian Chesterton? I thought that the previous Hartnell release Home Truths was the best of the Companion Chronicles so far but now Transit of Venus takes that title. Superb script, superb setting, superb acting by Russell and Hallard and overall a thoroughly enjoyable release. Jacqueline Rayner has written a fascinating script that keeps the listener glued throughout and this is her best story to date. Nigel Fairs directs a superb story and this is best story in six releases. His directing keeps you guessing and helps create a feeling that a lot of time (maybe months) has passed. When they do get together thanks to this effort you feel a relief that they are back together.
Fantastic story.
The story starts off brilliantly with a mini recap of what had happened in the TV story The Sensorites. It could have gone on for an hour before the main story got started and I wouldn’t have minded. When it did eventually get started the story had a gentle pace and it was the expedition of the Endeavour going to Australia. The main plot was that the Doctor and Ian were trying to get back to Susan and Barbara who are trapped in the TARDIS but the main plot is the interaction between Ian and Joseph Banks. It was quite interesting to see the truth about Joseph Banks, was he an alien or did he have some sort of knowledge probably from an alien being.
The story trundles along quite nicely and it is just nice to hear William Russell read the script with love and respect that you would expect from the shows first male companion. The pay off at the end which explains everything was something that was hinted at but was still a surprise to me. The story that was set before Transit of Venus was The Sensorites and one of the main points about that story was the fact that Susan (unlike her companions and the Doctor) had the ability to read minds and it was that ability had reached out to Banks and because Barbara had been talking to Susan about history and geography this information had got to Banks and he knew knowledge that he shouldn’t have known yet. It was a simple and believable solution to the mystery. I think that if this story had been written by someone else it might have had a more complicated ending which would have ruined it but as it is the story started well, had a good middle and ended fittingly. Ian Hallard was also very good in this story. He acted Banks with a certain sense of innocence like when Ian is accusing Banks of pushing him overboard. At that point you think that Banks is evil but if you know your history then you know what he does in history. The scene between Chesterton and Banks at the end was well acted out between the two actors.
I do only have one critiscm of this story, why did it take 15 releases and two years before we had Ian Chesterton? I thought that the previous Hartnell release Home Truths was the best of the Companion Chronicles so far but now Transit of Venus takes that title. Superb script, superb setting, superb acting by Russell and Hallard and overall a thoroughly enjoyable release. Jacqueline Rayner has written a fascinating script that keeps the listener glued throughout and this is her best story to date. Nigel Fairs directs a superb story and this is best story in six releases. His directing keeps you guessing and helps create a feeling that a lot of time (maybe months) has passed. When they do get together thanks to this effort you feel a relief that they are back together.
Fantastic story.
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