Settings: First Century Rome

We are overdue for a historical by this point, so it’s no surprise that the fourth story of the second season fits that description. Unlike the previous historicals, however, this one is a comedy and fan reactions tend to depend on whether or not they find that it works as such. In game terms, however, there is enough present that it’s possible to play it mostly straight and try to let the humour follow naturally, rather than forcing it.

Where & When

As with The Reign of Terror, the story includes a real-world historical event, making it possible to date it precisely. The bulk of the story runs from 10th to the 18th July in the year AD 64, although the characters have been in Italy for “four or five weeks” when it starts, and there is a gap of a few days at the end before they leave. Most of the action takes place in Rome, although there are some scenes set in other nearby parts of Italy.

Settings: Dido (The Rescue)

The Rescue is a brief story that functions primarily as the introduction to a new companion and arguably doesn’t do much more when taken in isolation. As a result, it’s generally regarded as a middling episode, neither especially weak nor particularly praised, although some reviewers don’t appreciate the minimal nature of the plot – or, perhaps, the basic joke about classic Doctor Who aliens all looking like men in cheap rubber costumes. On the other hand, it was originally proposed as a story in its own right, and, even if it’s slight, it can still work as a scenario outside of the ‘introduction’ theme.

Where & When

The story is set in the year 2493… or at least, that’s when Vicki says she left Earth, and it’s hard to imagine that more than a few months have passed since. It takes place on the planet Dido, a world that is within the bounds of human space at the time, but that the authorities on Earth have never bothered to explore. 

Settings: Dalek Invasion of Earth

The Dalek Invasion of Earth has a significant place in the ongoing development of the series. It’s the first returning “monster”, the first companion departure, and the first story to feature more than a few moments of outdoor filming. The latter gives it a less claustrophobic feel than many prior serials and gives a potentially large canvas on which to draw for gaming, aided by the fact that it’s also the first story to be set on Earth in the future. It’s almost universally cited as one of the better stories of the Hartnell era, sometimes even the best overall. And, in this instance, the setting also happens to be one that lends itself well to gaming.

Where & When

The exact date is never given in the story, but we do see an old 2164 calendar, so it’s no earlier than that. While there is some wiggle room depending on exactly how old the calendar is, based on a line in a later story, fan consensus generally takes the year as being 2167. The story is initially set in London and later moves to Bedfordshire.

Settings: Planet of Giants

The second season kicks off with a story that takes a different turn than the usual for the show; a science-fiction concept to be sure, but not one that’s standard for Doctor Who. It’s not an especially well-regarded story, in large part due to the murder subplot, but it’s not hated either, tending to score middling or slightly below in most fans’ estimations. Still, it is an undeniably different setting and one that has worked in other shows or films, so the potential is there.

Where & When

The story takes place entirely inside one mid-sized house and its accompanying garden. It’s set in England during the 1960s, but it’s hard to be more precise about the location than that. The date is intended to be “contemporary” but that doesn’t necessarily mean 1964 and fans have suggested possibilities ranging from ’63 (the year for which the Doctor was aiming) to the “near future” of ’69. From our 21st-century perspective, it hardly matters.

Settings: The Reign of Terror

With the stories still alternating in theme, we turn to another pure historical for what became (but was not originally planned to be) the first season finale. While two of the original episodes no longer survive in their original form, animations have been made from the soundtracks and are now widely available, so it’s likely that these are the oldest “missing” episodes that have been widely viewed in some form. Fan opinion is largely consistent in rating the serial as middling to weak despite it being set in a dramatic and significant period in history so it’s worth seeing if other options present themselves.

Where & When

The story takes place in, and just outside, Paris during the eponymous Reign of Terror. For the first time in a historical story, we can place the date exactly because it includes a known event from real-world history. Specifically, it takes place over a six-day period concluding on 28th July 1794.

Settings: The Sense-Sphere

Continuing with the alternating themes of the first season, we are back to an alien planet with The Sensorites, in the first story to show some of Earth’s future. It is one of the less popular stories of the Hartnell era, with many fans feeling that it’s just too long at six episodes or taking issue with some of the themes of the titular aliens. Having said that, this is not a serial that nobody likes, with a significant minority enjoying the relatively subtle ‘60s sci-fi. In either event, these are not the sort of issues that would get in the way of a scenario based on the story.

Where & When

The story takes place on, and in orbit around, a planet somewhat strangely named the Sense-Sphere. This is at least in the same galaxy as Earth, but beyond the area of space governed/inhabited by humans at whatever the date may be. Maitland states that that is the 28th century but doesn’t give any more precise figure. If one has to pick a specific year, 2764, eight centuries after the broadcast date, is as good as any. Since it is the first story to be explicitly set in the future, rather than on an alien planet with no apparent connection to Earth, the date had, at the time, no larger context of future history to be placed in – it might as well be plucked from thin air.

Settings: The Aztecs

The first season of Doctor Who alternated between science fiction stories on alien worlds and ‘pure’ historicals in Earth’s past, with the exception of the one story written at the last minute to fill a gap. This may not have been wholly intentional, but it is the pattern we have and means that serial number six is once again historical. Moreover, it maintains the exotic feel of its predecessor, Marco Polo, by not being set in the European history that we in the West tend to study most in school. It’s a very popular story with old-time fans, often stated to be the best of all the Hartnell serials, but tends to score as only decent-to-middling with younger fans, perhaps because of the over-the-top nature of the villain and the use of white actors as non-white characters. Neither of which are a problem in a game based on the story.

Where & When

The story takes place in Mexico, during the time of the Aztec Empire. While the exact date is impossible to pin down the Empire only lasted a hundred years, which narrows down the possibilities. Since the tomb in the story is dated to the 1430s and its architect’s son is still alive, the mid-15th century seems the most likely timeframe.