Sunday 17 July 2016

The Smugglers

Season 4, Story 1/9, Serial CC: 4 x 25min episodes, 10th September to 1st October 1966
Writer: Brian Hayles, Director: Julia Smith, Script Editor: Gerry Davis, Producer: Innes Lloyd


previously on Doctor Who...


Episode 1

The Doctor is annoyed that Ben & Polly have stumbled inside the TARDIS just as he's leaving London in 1966 behind.


Ben & Polly don't believe him about time travel, nor that he can't control his ship.

The Doctor shows them the scanner and tells them not to leave until he has run his checks.

50dw50@50dw50 from the telesnaps the console room looks tiny

Ben & Polly are shocked to leave the TARDIS and find themselves in a cave on a beach.


Ben still thinks they're in 1966 and is determined to get back to his barracks.

50dw50@50dw50 even though they have clearly moved? Ben looks rather rugged.

Spotting a church, they head off. 
50dw50@50dw50 not really an audience grabbing start to the 4th series.

The Doctor's amused they can't accept they've travelled in time.
M.R.Michael@The_Cybermatt Hartnell looks knackered in that photo
Seems a deliberate touch in this story to make him look roughed up that his wig is *all over the place* in some shots.  At total odds with the publicity stills.

M.R.Michael@The_Cybermatt Very The Daleks - Looks very Doc Brown.

The Doctor guesses they may have arrived sometime after the sixteenth century, but before the Victorian period.
50dw50@50dw50 it must be a very remote village!

A man with a flint-lock pistol, Joseph Longfoot, church warden, mistakes Polly for a boy.


Longfoot is suspicious, and asks if they know Avery or Pike.


The Doctor gains his trust by resetting his dislocated finger.

50dw50@50dw50 Dr Who being an actual Doctor! he has moved on, a few years ago he would have used a rock to put him out of his misery.

 Ha! Going soft in his old age!

Grateful, Longfoot directs them to an inn, and sends them on their way with a cryptic clue...


"This is Deadman's secret key, Ringwood, Smallbeer, Gurney."

50dw50@50dw50 the solicitors?

Simon Hart@Si_Hart I hope none of the actors confuse that rhyme later on...



The travellers are watched by a sinister figure, and are then caught in the rain on their way to the inn. 

Jacob Kewper, landlord of the inn, sends stableboy Tom with a message to the churchwarden regarding a "delivery".

The travellers will have to wait at the inn and dry out while they wait for the tide to go out again. 
Simon Hart@Si_Hart Polly's top is nice... so is Ben's! ;)


50dw50@50dw50  shirtless Ben, FIND THIS EPISODE NOW!

Simon Hart@Si_Hart 
 Is that Doctor Who's first nipple shot?

50dw50@50dw50 nope! That the Aztecs

An Unearthly Child, surely?

Simon Hart@Si_Hart I knew someone would know exactly when it was!

50dw50@50dw50 only if you use the freeze frame!

Simon Hart@Si_Hart Who'd do that?

50dw50@50dw50 and don't call me Shirley!



Ben seems to be accepting they've travelled in time now, and speculates that the beer will be nicer than they serve "nowadays".
50dw50@50dw50 before he dies from typhoid.

A drunken Longfoot is confronted by the sinister sailor, Cherub, his former shipmate from the Black Albatross.


Cherub has come seeking "Captain Avery's gold." Longfoot keeps schtum.

Cherub kills Longfoot, and decides to pursue the Doctor, having seen Longfoot impart the riddle.

Tom reports back to Kewper about Longfoot's death, and is sent out to fetch the squire.

Cherub, with 3 sailors in tow, confronts the Doctor at the inn...

...thumps Ben...

...and kidnaps the Doctor.

The squire arrives but instead of helping Polly he wants to know more about the strangers.

The Doctor is taken aboard the Black Albatross.

50dw50@50dw50 is this the bit that still survives as a colour home movie?

I think so - it's some of the location stuff, isn't it?


50dw50@50dw50  its defo location stuff but i have no idea which part of the story it is from

The squire arrests Ben & Polly for Longfoot's murder.

Cherub takes the Doctor to the Captain of the Black Albatross, Pike...

When Cherub tells his Captain that "the sawbones won't talk", the villainous Pike lifts his right arm, revealing a vicious-looking barbed hook where his hand should be. "Well, by thunder, ye'll talk to me. Or my name's not Samuel Pike!" 

Episode 2

Pike reveals that Longfoot, Cherub, and himself were all shipmates under the now deceased Captain Avery.

The Doctor doesn't care for the term "sawbones" in this incarnation...

Ben & Polly are locked up in the village Gaol, guarded by Tom.

The Doctor appeals to Pike as a "gentleman," and bargains to be treated more civilly.
50dw50@50dw50 a cunning stunt from clever old Dr Who.

Ben & Polly try to trick the superstitious Tom into releasing them, claiming the Doctor is a warlock.
50dw50@50dw50 a trick that works so well she does it constantly after this!

One of the Albatross' crew, Jamaica, announces the arrival of a boat from the village...


...and Kewper arrives on the Albatross, touting for a share of the treasure if he helps the smugglers find it.
50dw50@50dw50  i am sure that will end well for him!

Pike reveals his name to threaten Kewper, revealing he had Longfoot killed.



50dw50@50dw50 the naughty fiend !

The Doctor is brought back, and put under the guard of Jamaica along with Kewper.


Ben & Polly return to the church to investigate Longfoot's murder.

50dw50@50dw50 this is all very nice but i am never a fan of pure historical stories, this ticks along but is only ever, very nice.

A figure emerges from a secret passageway and Ben gets the jump on him.

Ben's prisoner is Josiah Blake, a King's Revenue Officer. Dinner-dinner-dinner Taxman! 

Simon Hart@Si_Hart  Always good to see character actor John Ringham.

50dw50@50dw50 with his bag of freshly cut out hearts from mexico

The passageway is the evidence of smuggling that Blake has been seeking.

50dw50@50dw50 a passageway and a chance to bring down the Federation

Pike & Cherub visit the squire, hoping for info on the smugglers' stash.


When Polly arrives to tell the Squire about Blake, she recognises Cherub as the Doctor's kidnapper. 


Kewper tells the Doctor no one sees Pike's hook and lives, so the two plot an escape.

Pike deflects Polly's blame, leaving the Squire convinced Ben & Polly are the murderers.

Ben's joy at being reunited with Polly is dashed as the Squire, Pike & Cherub rock up too. 


Part 3

The Smugglers release Blake, deciding he can serve their purpose by removing Ben & Polly.


On the Albatross, the Doctor tells Kewper's fortune using cards, watched by a curious Jamaica...

50dw50@50dw50 lovely little scene, Dr Who gets to be very clever in this story.

The Doctor's plan works; while Jamaica is distracted having his fortune told, Kewper knocks him out.

The Doctor & Kewper decide to report their experiences to the Squire.

In the graveyard, Pike & Cherub flatter the squire into revealing one of the smugglers' stashes.

Blake trusts Ben & Polly more than the Squire, and plots to capture the Smugglers. 


The Doctor returns to confirm that Pike is in cahoots with the Squire.


Upon seeing Blake, Kewper suspects he has been lured into a trap by the Doctor and leaves, but is pursued by Blake.


Finding the Doctor gone, Pike is enraged - and Jamaica payst he price for his failure.


When the Doctor tells Blake about Pike's plans Blake decides he needs reinforcements.

Knowing the clue to Avery's gold, the Doctor heads back to the church to locate the treasure first.

50dw50@50dw50 how many times does the rhyme get recited differently do you think?

Ha! It's never the same twice, is it!

Kewper is able to make the Squire see that Pike is playing him.


The Doctor, Ben & Polly search the graveyard for clues, and realize the riddle refers to names on tombstones.

Names is for Tombstones, baby.


The Squire & Kewper are not far behind them.

Just as the Doctor's about to reveal the answer to the riddle, Kewper bursts in...


But Kewper & the Squire argue about how to treat the Doctor, giving Cherub the opportunity to sneak in and throw his knife...

Kewper falls down dead, and Polly screams as a shot rings out...

Episode 4


Cherub will only speak to the Doctor, and it seems he has ambitions to be Captain of the Albatross.


The Doctor plays along, revealing the rhyme. Cherub recognises the names as members of Avery's crew.


The 4th name is "Deadman" - the galley boy.


Blake rides for the militia outpost, but the pirates are at the church already.

50dw50@50dw50 dramatic climax time!

Pike's men begin hauling the goods to the shore as Pike enters the church.


Pike and Cherub duel when the Captain sees Cherub has struck out on his own.


Outside, the pirates are too busy getting pissed. Gaptooth tries to keep them in line, to no avail.

With the fight as a distraction, the Doctor sends Ben & Polly down the passage while he waits for Blake.

Victorious, Pike turns his attention to the Doctor.
Bek Hobbes@Greebobek DON'T TELL HIM YOUR NAME, PIKE!

50dw50@50dw50 Hartnell is really good in this, it is a shame that he is doomed

The Doctor offers to give up his share of the treasure, in return for the village being spared.


Polly injures her foot in the tunnel so Ben returns to fetch the Doctor.


Blake and his men sight the church, and divide into 2 groups: 1 for the church, the other for the passage. 

50dw50@50dw50 i say!

The Doctor finds the 4th name on a tombstone but Pike realizes they're just markers as all 4 men died at sea.


Sure enough, Pike uncovers the cursed treasure, but too late, the pirates are surrounded by militia men.

50dw50@50dw50 thats curses for you.

The pirates, drunk with rum, are easily overtaken by Blake's men, while others retreat into the church. 


Polly limps out of the cave but is ambushed by 2 pirates. Ben to the rescue!


Ben, Blake and his men arrive and take to the fight. Ben tries to take the Doctor away, but he insists on helping the squire.


Blake arrives in the nick of time, firing the shot that kills Pike.

Ben and the Doctor are reunited with Polly, and slip away back to the TARDIS at last.

The TARDIS departs, headed for its next adventure.


Suddenly, the travellers are freezing cold...
50dw50@50dw50 like a UK summer it suddenly goes very cold!

...and the Doctor says they've arrived at the coldest place in the world!

50dw50@50dw50 Hartnell no better or no worse than normal, no real sign of the illness that will rob him of the part in the next story

Yes, as in the War Machines, he seems perfectly fighting fit, doesn't he. Boisterous, even.


M.R.Michael@The_Cybermatt I think it’s intermittent. Even watching s1 he’s on top of his lines one week and fluffing badly the next. 


50dw50@50dw50 maybe the bad days were becoming more frequent ?

M.R.Michael@The_Cybermatt I suspect it was more to do with his feud with Wiles

50dw50@50dw50 did not know that, but it makes sense

50dw50@50dw50 Wiles tried to get rid of him a few times so i guess his days were numbered.

M.R.Michael@The_Cybermatt Yep - Smugglers technically the last “season 3” story - made at the end of the block. The Smugglers was the last one where he was on contract IIRC. He’s a guest star for The Tenth Planet.

TTFN! K. 
Coming Soon... The Deadly Assassin