Doctor Who — The Savages — Episode 2 — A Review

2nd April, 2025: Doctor Who — The Savages.

Right then.

It’s officially Wednesday.

In case you didn’t know!

Which means … I am as bored as wosname.

And waiting for a blu-ray to turn up.

It struck me, the other day, that I haven’t seen Aliens — the sequel to Ridley Scott’s Alien — in many years.

So I felt it’s something I should correct.

There may be a review: you never know … 

~≈👨🏼‍⚕️≈~

Ah … the things just got here … 

And … ?

I bought the 4k version of Alien, recently.

And … ?

It has to be said for roughly the same price as the 4k Aliens box, Alien just had 2k and 4k versions of the film: with very little in the way of extras, beyond some audio commentaries.

The 4k box set of Aliens?   Includes a whole extra disc-full of extras.

At £19.99 for either?   Aliens seems far better value than Aliens.

~≈👨🏼‍⚕️≈~

At any rate … ?

It is — as I’ve already said! — Wednesday!

So, tonight … ?

I’ll be doing what I promised I’d do.

I’m going to be watching episode two of classic Dr Who story, The Savages.

Then — hopefully — tell you about it, by tomorrow night.

By the time you finish reading this … ?

You’ll know what I think.

~≈👨🏼‍⚕️≈~

Doctor Who — The Savages — Episode Two.

2nd April, 2025.

Part One: The Summary.

Episode two picks up from last week’s cliffhanger: showing us Dodo (Jackie Lane) screaming as she sees the a bedraggled figure heading towards her.

The scene shifts … to show Dodo helping the man out of the city: shocked by what she sees of him, and his friends.

Meanwhile … ?

Steven (Peter Purves) is with Avon and Flower: trying desperately to find the missing Dodo.   Who, by now, has found a very hidden lab: only to be captured by the guards.

It’s only when her captors realise she is one of a small group of alien visitors?

Is when she is allowed to rejoin Steven and the Doctor (William Hartnell) … and when the ever suspicious Doctor persuades the Elders that he, and his friends, really need to get back to the TARDIS … 

Even without talking to Dodo, the Doctor is very suspicious …

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3rd April, 2025.

Part Two: Thoughts.

So … what did I make of episode two … ?

What DID I think of this … ?

First things first, I think the animation still looks good, compared to the 3d animation in The Celestial Toymaker!

I know there’s some who would prefer that look.

But, for me … ?

It wasn’t spectacular.

The one thing that has caught my eyes with these first two episodes?

Is exactly that.

The eyes of the characters: William Hartnell’s in particular.

I don’t know if the animators have got the colour, right … 

But, in this animated version of The Savages, they’re a shade of brownish-green that matches the only colour photos of the man I could find.

Ask me why I found it eye-catching, and I’ll be honest … I don’t know.

It’s possibly quite simple.

I’d seen lot of colour photos and footage of Patrick Troughton: both in some of the other shows he’d been in, and from the few colour episodes of Dr Who he’d done.

And I’d seen the colourised versions of his lost Dr Who stories.

So I was used to seeing Troughton’s very vivid blue eyes!

Hartnell’s eyes?

In colour?

No: I’d seen him and his eyeballs in black and white, and in black and white only: and don’t think I’d noticed their colour in Galaxy Four, the last of the Hartnell animations I caught.

My point is simply this: seeing the colour of them, here, is eye catching.

My other point … ?

Or possibly an observation … ?

Is a minor plot point.

We see Dodo has found out what the Elders are doing to the Savages: at least she’s seen that an Elder scientist is doing something to one of the Savages.

We know the Elders’ council has told the Doctor they’re getting extra abilities, extra energy, from somewhere.

But, at the one point in the episode where you’d think Dodo would say something … ?

Unless it’s me missing something, Dodo doesn’t say a word to the Doctor about what’s she’s seen … … 

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Part Three: Conclusion.

With that said … ?

What did I think of this episode … ?

I have to say, episode two fills in the holes.

The only thing spoiling it?   Is simply the hole where Dodo and the Doctor need to swap information about what was happening.

Bar that … ?

Episode two has moved the story along, and left the Doctor in mortal danger.

Or, at least, flat on his back and being threatened.

I’m going to watching the third episode, next week!

~≈👨🏼‍⚕️≈~

Part Four: And Finally.

Finally … ?

Yes: I’m going to watching episode three, next week.

I want to see how this week’s cliff hanger is resolved: and if Dodo finally tells the Doctor what’s happening!

I’ll be watching on Wednesday, 9th April: and will have my written and video reviews up by the 10th.

In the meantime?

Feel free to subscribe to both my blog, and to my Youtube channel.

I’ll see you then!

The Savages: Episode 2.

★★☆☆