Doctor Who “Guests Of Madame Guillotine”

OK, I had forgotten that the First Doctor, even with his original companions, did grow on me as well.  But man, not much happens in these episodes.

So, the Doctor was locked in a burning building while Ian, Barbara, and Susan were taken away to be tried for meeting revolutionaries or something.  They’re going to be guests of Madame Guillotine.  Oh, we don’t see them going to the guillotine except a little bit at the very end, but not much.  Remember, not much happens and the show moves at a snail’s pace anyway.  The companion go on trial, and they are found guilty and will be executed in the morning.  Barbara and Susan are put in the same room.  Barbara tries to escape.  Susan panics.  Then they see a rat and stop trying.

So, yeah, they’re off to the guillotine in the morning.

Ian, meanwhile, has a cellmate who passes some information before dying.  Some official wants to know what was said, and even though Ian says nothing, he gets his name taken off the execution list.

See, sometimes it helps just to know the right people.

As for the Doctor, a kid pulled him out of the burning building.  The kid points in the direction of Paris, and the Doctor sets off to rescue them…at the pace of a brisk stroll.  He might be a while.  He even gets put on a chain gang at one point when the guard figures the Doctor, like the others, didn’t pay his taxes.

That is, of course, technically true.

But the guard is dead, and the Doctor gets out using the old “Look over there!” trick.

Maybe he should speed up that pace a bit to make sure his granddaughter doesn’t lose her head in the morning.