Twitter Who Volume 1: The First Doctor

By Hannah J. Rothman

The world of Classic Doctor Who, an epic cornerstone of sci-fi television that spans twenty-six seasons and over 150 serials, is a rather expansive one. Seven Doctors (eight with the TV movie), nearly two dozen companions, planets by the score, and more aliens than you can shake a sonic screwdriver at. The new series is fantastic, but there's a lot more where that came from. Let's dive right in, shall we?

In this first volume of Twitter Who, Hannah J. Rothman takes on the complete William Hartnell era of Doctor Who (1963-1966) armed only with her trusty Twitter account and a fresh eye on old adventures. It's a New Whovian's journey through Classic territory, 140 characters at a time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hannah J. Rothman
• Release date: Aug 13, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476369884

Hannah J. Rothman

Hannah J. Rothman is an American Whovian who came to the party a little late. By the time she started watching Doctor Who, the 2009 specials were well underway and by the time she was officially a fan, the Tenth Doctor was pleading "I don't want to go." She spent the following year (particularly that summer) soaking up as much Classic Who as humanly possible, drawing fan art, contributing to the fanzine The Terrible Zodin, developing preposterous amounts of head-canon for the Fifth Doctor and his original trio of sadly underdeveloped companions, and making some wonderful friends in the fandom online. There was also a lot of Tweeting. Hannah sports a BA in English and currently lives in New York, where she has thankfully never encountered any Daleks on the Empire State Building.

Book preview

This is where it all started. Expanding on what it all entails could probably take up an entire book on its own, so for now I'll leave it at what it started for me. It wasn't the start of my love for Doctor Who, since that had already started thanks to the efforts of Russell T. Davies, with Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant in tow. It was, however, the start of an appreciation for something much deeper. When I began watching Classic Who, I limited myself to whatever was available on Netflix Instant at the time, which included a smattering of stories from each Doctor but only one William Hartnell serial. I didn't know a terrible amount about the Classic series, apart from who played which Doctors and the fact that it formed a mighty foundation from which New Who would later spring. Though my deep love and admiration for Classic Who wouldn't fully sink in until later, that one serial showed me that I was dealing with a force that was not to be underestimated. Granted, I already knew that on a purely statistical level already (not every show makes it up to 26 seasons), but when I watched The Aztecs I really started to understand it.

Trudging through campus that fateful night as a bored and rather lonely college freshman I settled myself down in an armchair in a relatively inconspicuous corner of the student center, ready to start what I told myself I was going to do once I'd finished the third season of New Who. I'd been watching it with a couple friends, my only college friends at that point, and the well-seasoned Whovian of our group spoke nigh-on endlessly about the vast wonders of Classic Who. The excellence of Sarah Jane Smith, the dark twists and turns of Trial of a Time Lord, UNIT and their trigger-happy shenanigans, this huge treasure trove of adventures that I, as a New Whovian, could only imagine. Alright then, I finally thought to myself after my first semester, challenge accepted. I had seen David Tennant regenerate and had wept openly into my pillow, so yeah: I was ready for the Classics.

The Aztecs gave me a lot of what I was expecting: a somewhat curmudgeonly old Doctor, slower pacing, an old-school sci-fi soundtrack, and a low budget. But there were a lot of surprises in there, too: interesting companions that I came to love almost instantly, a memorable supporting cast, inventive problem-solving, remarkable costuming, and most importantly, a rather profound conflict about cultural difference in relation to time travel. I was impressed. I hadn't known what to expect from the writing of that time, but if nothing else it was off to a great start.

I also happened to have Twitter open at the time.

It wasn't until a while later that I learned there was an actual term, liveblogging, for what I started doing that night: writing about my reactions to a movie or TV show as I watched it. I didn't mean for it to become a habit, but I quite enjoyed it. So I kept it up. Just watching the stories on Netflix Instant turned into checking out other stories I heard were must-sees, which later turned into you know what, screw it, I’m just gonna try to watch all of them. Before you is the first chapter in the fruits of my Herculean labor of live-Tweeting all of Classic Who. Please note that some of these were watched out of order, or interspersed with viewing of serials from other eras, so date stamps of the original blog postings have been included for your convenience.

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An Unearthly Child (Pilot Episode)

Written by Anthony Coburn

Originally Posted May 24th, 2010

To begin...from the beginning...

Sorry, I needed to let that opening scene run uninterrupted. I have the best kind of chest-jitters right now.

And people who complained about Eleven's TARDIS exterior redesign, I point you in this direction...hmm, looks familiar, doesn't it?

Anyway, COAL HILL SCHOOL.

Hello, Ian and Barbara!

Her grandfather didn't like strangers.

He's a doctor, isn't he?

Ian Chesterton, you. have. NO. IDEA.

That is a bit of a mystery. There must be a simple answer. Well, if you consider living in a time machine a simple answer...

Following a student home to see where she lives? Not a little creepy at all. Okay, given the circumstances, but still.

And our first glimpse of Susan is of her...very calmly rockin' out?

I rather like walking the English block. It's sort of mysterious.

Susan looks too old to be 15. Also, what's with the random Rorschach test-making?

Flashback times now! Of course! The decimal system hasn't started yet!

Guys. The 1st person POV. And Susan freaking out. And the dramatic music. Unsettling much?

Look, she IS fifteen, she might be meeting a boy. Did that occur to you?

I almost hope she is.

You do?

Well it would be so NORMAL.

Okay, aside from the fact that they're in a junkyard, is there any reason why there are creepy faces EVERYWHERE?

It's a police box! What on earth is it doing here? They're always in the street! And back when this was made, they actually were...

It's a...faint vibration!

It's ALIVE!

SO IT'S BEEN CANON THIS WHOLE TIME.

Coughing man...OH MY GOD.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, people of Britain, television and sci-fi viewers around the world: THE DOCTOR.

Suspicious and confrontational One is suspicious and confrontational. Ah yes, this was back in his grumpy old man days.

INSIDE THE TARDIS! Now all we have to do is wait for someone to say it's bigger on the inside for THE FIRST TIME.

I honestly can't imagine how blown away the audiences in '63 must've been when this happened.

Hang on a sec. I've reached the point where I have to wonder if I'm watching the real episode or the unaired pilot. Need to check that...

I remember reading that the pilot was darker, and this certainly seems to be fitting the dark bill, if One's laughter is any indication.

Well, I'll just finish it up first...

So there was a time when the Doctor adhered quite rigidly to the Time Lord's law against interference. Like, religiously.

There goes the time rotor...AND THE TARDIS ENGINES!

Producer: Verity Lambert (*salute* Thanks for everything)

Oh wow. Yes it would indeed appear that I just watched the pilot episode. Now to watch the completed episode and point out differences!

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An Unearthly Child

Written by Anthony Coburn

Aired: November 23 - December 14, 1963

Originally Posted May 24th, 2010

Well, the opening with the policeman was shorter, and we actually get to see the name of the school this time.

The dialogue between Barbara and Ian is almost exactly the same, but I can tell it's different footage because of the different inflections.

Also we actually get to hear her tell Susan to wait in the classroom.

Still got the mention of the singer's stage name being John Smith. Makes me wonder...

So now it's I like walking through the dark instead of walking the English block. Pretty significant difference.

*opens the French Revolution book* That's not right! Okay, THAT'S what I was expecting her to do the first time.

Wow. There was a LOT less emphasis on the decimal system hasn't started yet line.

They didn't note her looking around before she went in, and now meeting a boy would be wonderfully normal.

So they've STILL got the creepy mannequins and faces all over the place.

So now we hear Susan's voice properly before Ian and Barbara meet One.

Wow. WOW. One's dialogue is basically the same, but his attitude is almost COMPLETELY different.

He's gone from grumpy old timerage frowny-face to oh look my face is locked in a sarcastic bemused smile now kindly GTFO.

Also there's a lot more chuckling and ooo-look-a-shiny-thing and general overall...Doctorish-ness. Much preferred to the pilot.

And he keeps alternating between telling Ian and Barbara off and ignoring them completely. He seems a LOT less aggressive overall.

A thing that looks like a police box standing in a junkyard...it can move anywhere in time and space?

Yes!

Quite so!

Have you ever thought what it's like to be wanderers in the fourth dimension? Have you? To be exiles?

Susan and I are cut off from our own planet without friends or protection. But one day...we shall get back. Yes...one day...one day...

There's One's you can't get out laugh again, except now it sounds almost playful instead of CREEPY SINISTER like it did before.

I won't leave the twentieth century! I'd rather leave the TARDIS and you! HOLY CRAP THAT'S NEW.

Also the whole One pretending to let them all go but actually activating the TARDIS and Susan trying to restrain him thing.

So they're still using the howlaround effect as the time vortex, which begs the question if that's true of every Doctor Who opening.

And there's the next episode title with the end credits...

So we begin our VERY FIRST adventure through time and space with a caveman furiously rubbing a bone between his hands. No not like that...

Just open the doors, Doctor Foreman!

Eh? Doctor who? What are you talking about?

Time doesn't go round and round in circles! You can't get on and off whenever you like in the past or the future! Round AND wibbly-wobbly.

It's still a police box. Why hasn't it changed? Dear dear, how very disturbing. Never fix it, Doctor. Never fix it.

Who is he? Doctor who? If we knew his name, we might have a clue to all this. Nearly 50 years later...and we STILL don't know.

I guess that's what happens when you light a pipe in the vicinity of cavemen: they abduct you.

Said abduction will also result in your granddaughter COMPLETELY FLIPPING THE FUCK OUT.

Wow. They didn't just abduct him, they CARRIED HIM OFF.

Inside, he's full of fire! The smoke comes from his mouth! Both true, if you think about it...

That creature...can make fire...from his fingers! I have seen it! Yes, and you've also SAID it about five times by now.

So the Doctor loses his matches and automatically can't make fire? You'd think he knew how to make a bowdrill or something...

Arguing over who's going to be chief based on who lies more. Caveman politics indeed.

One rescued by COMPLETELY RANDOM SCREAMING SUSAN. Oh yeah, and Ian and Barbara.

@stephenfry I just finished watching the second episode of Doctor Who you infamously missed all those years ago. I'm sorry.

Everyone sleeps all in one cluster? Makes sense after you think about it.

Fear is with all of us and always will be. Just like that other sensation that lives with it...Your companion referred to it...hope.

They have gone into the night! Yes. And you're in a CAVE. With NO FIRE. How can you SEE ANYTHING.

So if the old woman just died, I think I know where this thread is going.

I'm not so young, you know. Well, in human years, yes. In Time Lord years...we actually have no idea, but you're NOT OLD.

So the women are the only ones who ever freak out and it's the men's job to hold them. I'm not quite sure I approve of this.

Seriously, I understand that Barbara is completely freaking out because this is her first trip in the TARDIS, but will she EVER stop crying?

And they're actually showing us the bleeding clawmarks that COVER the guy's chest? WHY?

And I mean bleeding when I say bleeding.

Also, is EVERYBODY with high estrogen PHYSICALLY INCAPABLE of keeping a level head in this episode?!?

You treat everybody and everything as less important than yourself! Well at least they're doing it RIGHT this time.

Okay, so the old woman's not dead.

Wait. Wait wait wait wait. Did they just heavily imply that One was going to KILL THE WOUNDED GUY SO THEY COULD GET A MOVE ON?

Okay NOW the old woman's dead.

THIS is the knife he killed her with!

THIS knife has no blood on it!

NICE.

Follow my example. *starts throwing rocks* Oh, Doctor...

Dude, they SAVED YOUR LIFE and now you're locking them up in the cave? Caveman logic indeed.

He told me his name. His name is...'Friend'. Oh! So he didn't know that Ian saved him? ...okay...

In our tribe, the firemaker is the least important man!

I do not believe this!

He IS the least important because we can ALL make fire!

CAVEMAN BATTLE.

Funny, I didn't think that cavemen wore underwear.

IAN. DO NOT MESS WITH THE CAVEMAN WITH FIRE.

Oh my god. PLEASE tell me Susan's going to help them escape with that FLAMING SKULL ON A STICK. Because that would be AWESOME.

Okay, not quite what I thought, but it still worked.

The dark will hide them!

With fire...IT IS DAY!

Safely back inside the TARDIS aaaaaaaaand TAKEOFF!

Radiation levels rising to DANGER.

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The Daleks

Written by Terry Nation

Aired: December 21, 1963 -