🎭💖 Kyrie Fae 🌺🎶

The Web Planet was an incredible story.

Long live The Light! 🔆 ...but not the evil one ofc; boo hiss!

As more of an aside before I get started, I fear the spark of magic that opened the door to stories like this one being performed the way they were in their time is gone. Not only because of graphics or budget...but can you just imagine how much of an uproar it would cause if we said let's go back to doing stage performance science fiction! Like full blown, all on a set, all choreographed as if for a live studio audience?

How "cheap" people would say it looks?

I appreciate the overtly campy stories we still get in the modern era even more watching older ones like this.

Makes me think of that teetering line between the harm of nostalgia & the joy it carries.

I digress from the 'what if' games to say what I came here to say about The Web Planet: it dives bravely into the world of absurdism and science fiction and I greatly appreciate the production team for choosing to make such an esoteric story! We don't get a history of Earth from the perspective of Britain or a future of Earth taken over by Daleks, instead we get a genuine attempt to play with the genre and be creative about what may exist out there in this wide and expansive universe.

I celebrate stories like this because they're inspired from a place of whimsy. No matter the quality of the costumes; astigmatism-like camera effect, or fumbled lines by the lead performer...were not in our own galaxy and we're encouraged to play along and go for a ride.

A full-on psychedelic ride.

Additionally so, it's clear Ian, Barbara, and Vicki can barely count on The Doctor to protect them at this stage in his travels...adding verisimilitude to their life-threatening moments.

As for the Doctor, he's a madman who lost his box. So he lies on impulse to trick a voice in the sky who communicates with him through a drop down 'hair-dryer' {in Hartnell's words}. Further placing everyone he knows in danger.

Love the dichotomy of this original iteration compared to our modern understanding of the character. The retcons that have followed regarding previous lives with less morally upstanding behavior and time lord society being malicious and manipulative, the First Doctor being so...careless of others is not so alien anymore.

The heart of it all, Hartnell chose to make this man alien in his demeanor and what The Web Planet highlights most are the lives of everyone else around the Doctor making exceptional choices in spite of the chaos. The Doctor simply receives all the credit in the end...that cheeky, maniacal bastard! 😅

Bonus silly points for Hartnell saying "explortation" instead of exploration as the captions would have you believe above.

Like, how many takes did they do before just saying whatever we need to get this episode out! 🤭

Final take on this episode: Barbara. I just love her so much!

She is so knowledgeable. So patient. So witty. When she's talking to Vicki and Vicki calls aspirin medieval? Her response was so teacher-like. So professionally backhanded while being compassionate enough to still offer this smug child aid. Like yes, I look up to your example Babs.

She is also a lot of fun to watch while the gold bracelet she'd received from the creepy arsonist Nero in the previous story was being used to control her movements. She hammed that silly stage direction right up.

And she was the hero of this particular story. Get it girl! 🎉🥰 History teacher for the win!

Classic Who is such a journey, y'all. I'll avoid delving into the cringe I experience on a relatively frequent basis when Hartnell speaks to young ladies (shuddering at all the excessive shoulder and face touching).

Erhem--I mean...

Huzzah for Vrestin & Friends!! The Light prevailed!

...all thanks to The Doctor. 🫠

"Do you think I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference?" - Twelve to Clara

"We can't leave Ben!" - Two

"But he betrayed you!" - Jamie

Here's my poll for Classic Whovians! 😉

I hope to have included enough variety in relevant choices from among the 26 total seasons of content through the 11 (+other) slots available that y'all feel seen even if I didn't include your personal fave.

Couldn't justify any 6th Doctor stories even if I enjoyed Colin individually. Couldn't jam up the listing too heavily with 4th Doctor stuff either even if several of his best are arguable contenders.

Anyway, have fun. Play nice. Eat a jelly baby if you feel a bit cranky. 😘 We all love the same alien.