Settings: Atlantis (The Underwater Menace)

 

With the last of the Hartnell-style historicals out of the way, the next story is more of a science fiction adventure, albeit one set on near-contemporary Earth. The specific setting, however, is an unusual one, used in other science fiction stories, certainly, but less often than one might think. Its reception has traditionally been poor, but in recent years, many younger reviewers have embraced its over-the-top pulpy feel. And that’s a good match for some TTRPGs, so let’s see what we can do with it…

Where & When

The story is set in the Lost City of Atlantis at some time in the very near future. While no date for the setting is explicitly given, Polly estimates it to be 1970, and nobody contradicts her. We can be more confident about the day, since the narrative starts on the vernal equinox, which occurs on 20th March, almost (but not quite) regardless of the year; at the most, the story finishes the day after, and it may not even be that long.

Settings: Inverness and Culloden (The Highlanders)

The Highlanders is partly notable for introducing one of the longest-running companions in the show’s history, but perhaps more so for being the last of the Hartnell-style historicals. This doesn’t mean it will be the last of these posts to address a historical setting, but even the one story after this that lacks SF elements is very different from anything in the black-and-white era. The story is entirely missing and has a relatively weak reputation, typically regarded as being below average but not actively bad. 

Where & When

The story takes place in and around the city of Inverness in northern Scotland. As with some of the other pure historicals, it includes a real-world event, allowing us to date it precisely: the TARDIS arrives around 2 pm on 16th April 1746, and leaves late at night on the following day. 

Settings: Vulcan (Power of the Daleks)

The Second Doctor’s run kicks off with a Dalek story, providing continuity with the previous seasons despite the change of lead actor. The fourth season of the show is notable for having no serials that fully survive in their original form, and The Power of the Daleks is one of four that are entirely missing. Like most of the missing stories from the Troughton era, however, it has been reconstructed in animated form from the sound recordings and, as of this writing, has been widely available for some time. It has a good reputation, generally considered well above average for its era, and is often highly praised. 

It’s the first of many Second Doctor base-under-siege stories, which tend to lack the detailed background we had in the more exploratory Hartnell tales. Nonetheless, the setting did break ground for the series at the time, and there’s arguably much that’s implied by it that we don’t get to see directly. So, with Hartnell’s run completed, let’s see what we can do with the stories of his successor…