Doctor Who — The Faceless Ones: Episodes 1 and 2 — A Review

14th April, 2020.

Yes: we in the UK are living life under lockdown.

Hair going uncut, laundry done in an obsessive manner, vegetables fretted about … 

And a general sense that life is … on hold … 

For now.

Frankly?

I am bored out of my nut: as, I suspect, is most of the country.

And, quite possibly?

Quite possibly, I’m doing what many of us are doing.

Watching TV.

To be more specific?

I’ve just watched the first two episodes of classic Doctor Who story, The Faceless Ones*: complete with Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor.

~≈†≈~

Episode 1 sees the TARDIS and its crew — The Doctor, Polly, Ben and Jamie (Patrick Troughton, Anneke Wills, Micheal Craze and Frazer Hines) — arriving at Gatwick Airport.

Inconveniently?   On a runway, as an aircraft is trying to land.

Whilst getting chased off … ?

The team split up: only for Polly — trapped in the offices of Chameleon Tours — to witness a murder.

Not know that, after she’s fled the scene, to alert the Doctor … that someone is going to get taken to Gatwick’s medical Centre.

~≈†≈~

Episode 2 opens … with the alien in the medical centre being hooked up to a human … and taking on that human’s appearance and memory.

Meanwhile?

Meanwhile, the Doctor and Jamie are brought before Gatwick’s Commandant (Colin Gordon†) … who, during his questioning of the pair, introduces them to Polly … 

A Polly who recognises neither, and who claims to be called Michelle.

Once let loose, the Doctor and Jamie met Ben: and arrange to investigate separate parts of the mysterious.

The Doctor will try and convince the Commandant of what’s going on, Ben to check out Chameleon office, and Jamie to keep an eye on the Chameleon check in booth.

Where a very familiar figure is helping Sam Briggs (Pauline Collins‡) try to find her missing brother … 

~≈†≈~

Now … let’s get the technical bits out of the way, first, shall we?

The version I’m watching?

Is ripped from the cheaper of the two blu-ray versions available from Amazon: and other retailers.

As you may know, The Faceless Ones is one of many reconstructed Dr Who stories: as the BBC managed to wipe quite a lot of stories.

This features two different animated reconstructions: one in black and white, and one in colour.

It also comes with the original TV versions of episodes one and three — the only two surviving episodes — along side telesnap^ reconstructions of the remaining episodes.

Plus two extras: a compilation. of stock footage, and a documentary.

I suspect there may be more on the steelbook edition.

I’ve been watching the animated, colour version: and have to say, it looks fantastic.

Mind you?

The animators behind this, The Macra Terror, and Shada have had many years to perfect their art: and these two episodes of The Faceless Ones, benefit from that.

The sound quality?

Is about what I’d expect from last years The Macra Terror.

Tinny in parts, echoey in others, as the audio is reconstructed from off air recordingsª.

But perfectly acceptable, none the less.

As for the story … ?

Frankly, I’m two episodes in: having felt that watching two at a time would let me get through the series as rapidly as possible, and give me a chance to write about them afterwards … whilst preserving something like the original viewing experience of watching one episode at a time.

And?

So far, we have an interesting little mystery.

Will the police find their missing undercover officer?   Will the Doctor and friends find out what’s happening?

And what ARE the aliens doing?

So far?

I don’t know.

But?

I’ve have to admit, the wanted posters tickled me: as did the advert for Waterfield Antiques.

And … ?

It’s not just a Doctor Who story: it’s a slow burning mystery that the modern version of the show doesn’t do.

I’m going to be watching more of The Faceless Ones, the next chance I get.

*        I should add that The Faceless Ones is part of the classic show’s fourth season: William Hartnell’s last and Troughton’s first.   It also saw Ben and Polly being replaced by Jamie and Victoria.

†        Myself and Old Peculiar regular, Debbi Mack are both fans of The Prisoner: I recognised Colin Gordon as №2 in A, B, and C, and The General, as would Debbi.

‡        Collins later played Queen Victoria in Tenth Doctor episode, Tooth and Claw, and Shirley Valentine, in Shirley Valentine.

^        Telesnaps were photos taken whilst an episode was being recorded: and usually used as publicity shots, by both a TV company, and the actors, themselves.   After all, this was in the era before VHS, DVD and catch-up services: often, telesnaps were the only way an actor could show off his/her work.

ª        Off air recordings were audio recordings made by fans: either with a microphone held up to the TV, or with a tape recorder wired into the telly.   Again, this was common in the pre-VHS era.