A fun one, with the Doctor and companions up to shenanigans in Ancient Rome, and managing to fit in slave auctions, galley slaves rowing in a storm, gladiatorial fights, and the Emperor Nero deciding to burn down Rome.  The Doctor even has a fight with an assassin, who he easily dispatches, obviously relishing the fight.  Rather fun overall.

Rating: Not Bad 5/10

Rather poor two-parter involving an alien holding some humans in fear, but turns into a routine murder-mystery.  Only really notable for the introduction of a new companion, Vicki,

Rating: Bad 2/10

The Tardis makes it to Earth, but a future earth – the year 2164AD.  They land in a deserted, damaged London, and find evidence of strange happenings (there is a sign prohibiting the dumping of bodies in the Thames).  It turns out that the Daleks have invaded, and have killed or enslaved the survivors to work on a giant mine in Bedfordshire, to remove the Earth’s molten core and make it a giant spaceship that can travel anywhere.

An interesting episode.  It has some great stuff in the first few episodes concerning this post-apocalypse London, humans converted into mental slaves called ‘Robomen’ by the daleks, and a generally dark tone.  The setup is a little wasted as the to-ing and fro-ing gets a little soap-opera, but overall this has a great premise and scenes, and it’s clear why the Daleks continued to be such a part of popular culture generally, as well as such significant baddies in Dr Who lore.

Rating: Good 6.5/10

The Tardis has a malfunction whilst trying to get the travellers back to their own time and country, and the travellers find themselves in contemporary times, but shrunken to the size of an inch.  They do not realize their location, and think they are on an alien planet with giant ants and earthworms.  Eventually, the plot turns into a dull drama about a plot around murder to cover up the strength of persistence of a newly-developed pesticide.  An interesting premise that isn’t a very engaging story.

Rating: not good, 4/10