Doctor Who — The Savages — Episode 1 — A Review

26th March, 2025: Doctor Who — The Savages.

Yes: it’s officially official.

It’s a Wednesday.

And … ?

I seem to have a lot of time on my hands.

But you knew that: if you’ve been following both my blog, and my YouTube channel, for a while.

So … ?

What with one review after another?

I’ve been trying to keep myself busy.

To the point I’ve bought something from Amazon.

Yes: I’ve now own Scream of the Shalka: and will watch that at some point.

But, before I go near that … ?

I’ve also — as you’ve noticed — got a copy of the classic Dr Who story, The Savages: the most recently released re-animated story and the last to feature Peter Purves as Steven Taylor.

Frankly?

I’ve been looking forward to this for a while … 

~≈👨‍⚕️≈~

Doctor Who — The Savages — Episode One.

26th March, 2025.

Part One: The Summary.

Episode One opens with the TARDIS arriving at an unnamed, desert planet: and shows us the Doctor, Steven and Dodo (William Hartnell, Peter Purves and Jacki Lane) gathered around the TARDIS console: as Dodo quizzes the Doctor about their whereabouts.

To be assured by an ever confident Doctor that the three are far in the pair’s future: in an age of peace and prosperity.

A Doctor so confident, he leaves his companions at the TARDIS whilst he grabs his kit*, and heads off to explore.

The consequences?

Is that the Doctor is found by guards from the nearest civilised city: who immediately invite him to the city.

Whilst, back at the TARDIS … ?

Steven and Dodo have met the planet’s other inhabitants

It’s only after the pair have fled the spear-throwing Savages that they, too, arrive at the City.

And find that the Doctor — flattered by the City-Dwelling Elders attentions — has got they before them: and named as an honorary councillor.

And, whilst the Doctor is engaged with Jano (Frederick Jaeger)?

Get a guided tour from two of the locals: a tour that only makes Dodo, deeply suspicious …

~≈👨‍⚕️≈~

27th March, 2025.

Part Two: Thoughts.

So … what did I make of this opening episode?

What did I make of a episode that’s not been aired on TV since its original airing back in the 1960s?

For a start?

The real animation is back!

As well done as the 3d animation in The Celestial Toymaker was — the set design, in particular, was beautiful to behold — I prefer the flat, 2d, comic book look of the animations we see in this episode.

And, frankly?

I think the character design in this first episode is far superior to Toymaker’s: Steven and Dodo look far more like the performers playing them.

The story itself … ?

Set up the serial to show us that the Elders are stealing life, itself, from the Savages?

Is a nicely told tale.

Although there is a minor point.

The companions are traditionally there to ask the Doctor questions: as indeed Dodo, does.

Only … ?

Once the ship has landed, the Doctor tells us he knows exactly where they are: and, in response to Dodo asking if they’re in the past or the future, the Doctor tells her, exactly that: they’re far in the future, in an age of peace and prosperity.

Without getting more specific than that.

To the best of my recall … ?

That’s very unusual: in more recent stories, the Doctor will tell his companion — and us — where they are.

Even if it’s only in as generally a way as “We’re in the Aesop Galaxy”, or “further than we’ve ever been, before” … or even just “Welcome to hell!”

So the Doctor’s very vague answer … ?

Struck me as very strange.

~≈👨‍⚕️≈~

Part Three: Some History.

Before I go any further?

Before I go any further, I imagine you’re wondering, aren’t you?

You’re wondering:

• why I’m watching an animated version of a classic Dr Who story.
• why there’s animated episodes in the first place.

The first point’s easy to answer: I’m a fan of the show, grew up watching it, and like watching Dr Who stories I’ve never seen.

Which should also tell you why I’m watching animated episodes of The Savages.

It’s a decades-old story, first broadcast in 1966: but it’s one I’ve never seen.

Aired before I was born, in fact.

The second point, why it’s animated?

Is a little fiddlier to explain, so bear with me.

These days?

Many of us can access what’s called video-on-demand programmes.

It’s new content we stream on various devices, from various services.

Or it’s older content we buy on physical media: things like CDs, DVDs or blu-rays.

Or video cassette, if we’re really retro.

So?

Understandably, the BBC — the rights holders of Dr Who — stream old and new episodes after they’ve been broadcast on BBC1: and sell us copies of on physical media.

Or stream them internationally via services like Disney+.

It’s extra money for a broadcaster trying to stay afloat.

They didn’t do this, back in the 1960s and ’70s: in large part because that after market, those video cassette players and streaming services, didn’t exist.

No video player machines, no DVD players, no Amazon?

Meant no after-market.

And the Beeb could only repeat episodes so many times: up until the licensing agreements ran out.

Given that, there was no reason for the BBC, for any UK TV channel, to keep copies of old shows.

Freeing up warehouse space was far more important than archiving a silly kids show.

So … ?

Back in the day, the BBC would wipe the master video tapes, and use them to record other shows.

They’d also dump any film copies of the episodes.

The only way fans could keep the show … ?

Would be by recording it onto audio cassette.

So, when video cassette players — and later technology — started to turn up in homes?

There was an ever increasing demand for old shows, old shows that could be watched whenever people wanted to watch them.

There was a demand: and — from an embarrassed BBC viewpoint — a lot of missing episodes.

Which led to a hunt for episodes missing in the UK: but that may still survive, overseas.

And, more recently, and with the development of more affordable computer animation kit?

The release of animated, missing Doctor Who stories, that hadn’t been seen in years, made from animated videos of the stories, using audio from fan made tapes.

~≈👨‍⚕️≈~

Part Four: Finally … 

So, moving away from the history lesson … ?

What DID I think of this episode, and will I be watching any more?

First things, first.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first episode.

The animation’s in a style I prefer, the story set out looks interesting … 

And, through the magic of animation … ?

I get to see a decades old show … that I’ve never seen before … 

What more can a body want … ?

~≈👨‍⚕️≈~

Part Five: Next Time …

With that said … ?

Will I be watching episode two … ?

Yes, I will be watching it: this first episode has been worth the time, I feel, and closed on a cliff-hanger.

When will I watch it?

I’ll be watching it on Wednesday, 2nd April.

And will hopeful have my written and video reviews up, by the next day.

Mark your diaries.

And, if you’re watching this on Youtube?

Feel free to subscribe!

I’ll see you then.

The Savages: Episode 1.

★★☆☆

*        The box is something the Doctor calls an RV, a Reacting Vibrator.   You can see why the producers invented the Sonic Screwdriver …