[5] The Massacre 
[9] The War Machines 
5 Likes
[3] The Massacre
[10] The War Machines
6 Likes
[4] The Massacre
[8] The War Machines
I’m sorry, but how is The War Machines winning this? A trundling amble around London by a thoroughly unimpressive villain or some of the best character work in the Classic Era. It feels like an easy choice personally.
4 Likes
[2] The Massacre
[9] The War Machines
Because it is the best story of the season!
7 Likes
[10] The War Machines
What better way to return home after a day cruise and finish this game once and for all?
[0] The Massacre was massacred - it has some great character moments, but it is a completely missing serial and very boring, so I have to pick the one I enjoy more.
The War Machines is the winner!
11 Likes
Is it?
It’s alright, there are some great moments - I think One staring down a War Machine in the middle of the street is great - but it’s just so unimpressive. WOTAN is an antagonist who just does nothing; the supposedly deadly War Machines trundle around London for three episodes, only succeeding in knocking over some boxes and even the show forgets about Dodo’s existence.
I love Ben and Polly and the first part is pretty good but better than The Ark, The Dalek’s Master Plan and The Massacre?
It’s not as bad as The Savages but I find Ian Stuart Black’s First Doctor outings to be painfully sluggish.
I guess I just wasn’t aware it was such a popular story.
7 Likes
Galaxy 4 4/5
Mission to the Unknown 3.5/5
The Myth Makers 3.5/5
The Daleks’ Master Plan 4.5/5
The Massacre 3/5
The Ark 4/5
The Celestial Toymaker 2.5/5
The Gunfighters 3/5
The Savages 3.5/5
The War Machines 4/5
My personal ranking:
2 Likes
Thought I’d just post my ranking here:
- The Ark - 8/10
- The Dalek’s Master Plan - 8/10
- The Massacre - 8/10
- Mission to the Unknown - 8/10
- The Gunfighters - 8/10
- The Myth Makers - 7/10
- The War Machines - 6/10
- Galaxy 4 - 6/10
- The Savages - 4/10
- The Celestial Toymaker - 4/10
5 Likes
I really need to rewatch these early seasons, my memory of them is so fuzzy and it’s been way too long. Need to find the time first though 
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Generally speaking, given a choice between The War Machines, which I’ve watched and enjoyed more than once, and several serials I haven’t watched that the BBC recorded over the tapes for, I’m going with the War Machines…
5 Likes
To that point; I want the rest of the serials animated. It may change my opinion/rankings. A perfect example is that I hated The Macra Terror when I saw it in recon. Now I’ve seen the animation and it’s one of my favourite stories up to that point.
6 Likes
Finally one of my favourite stories wins one of these. I love The War Machines. Ben and Polly are a breath of fresh air, Hartnell is so alive in this story and the contemporary setting is hugely refreshing.
Conversely, The Massacre is a lot of men talking in different rooms. Admittedly Steven’s plight is well realised and Peter Purves is excellent but that’s about it.
9 Likes
Glad to see The War Machines get the win, it’s got one of the most iconic Hartnell shots, BOSS is a tremendous camp villain, the contemporary London backdrop feels fresh and exciting (those scenes in the club are great) and the cast is on fine form.
I’ve only read The Massacre novelization, and not recently, although I think @deltaandthebannermen is quite correct that it’s mostly just blokes talking in rooms, but I like that sort of thing. If it were on television, I might like it better than The War Machines, but as it is, TWM is a worthy winner (and a worthy season finale, if I may say so too. Not that that’s on my mind or anything.)
6 Likes
I think you mean WOTAN. BOSS is from the Green Death. 
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Oh gosh I do. Into the agony booth I go.
Green Death is one of my favourites though so no shock there.
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I mean, you’re not wrong about BOSS being a tremendous camp villain.
5 Likes
Honestly, BOSS > WOTAN. Though WOTAN does say what we all feel. “Doctor Who is required!”.
BOSS had such personality, though…
7 Likes
“The War Machines” has a claim to be one of the most influential “template” episodes since “The Daleks”. It’s easy to overlook the impact and success of the template that was created here.
Plus, that moment with Hartnell facing down the War Machine… superb!
9 Likes