C02S03 The rescue

Synopsis

When the TARDIS lands on the supposedly peaceful planet Dido at the end of the 25th Century, the Doctor, Barbara and Ian discover a crashed spaceship waiting for help.

The only survivors have been murdered by natives apart from a young orphaned girl and a paralysed man.  But who is the strange creature Koquillion that they are afraid of?  And will they remain safe long enough to be rescued?

Cover notes

The Rescue comes immediately after the first major change to the original line-up of regulars in Doctor Who.  Carole Ann Ford, who had played the Doctor's granddaughter Susan since the series began, left Doctor Who at the end of the previous story, The Dalek invasion of Earth.

Rather than have the Doctor travel with just the parental figures of schoolteachers Ian and Barbara, who had also been with the series since the startm a replacement for the Susan-shaped space had to be found.  It was originally intended that Jenny from The Dalek invasion of Earth would join at the end of the story but this idea was eventually abandoned.

The new companion made her first appearance in The Rescue.  She went through several name changes - Valerie, Millie, Tanni and Lukki - before becoming Vicki.  Maureen O'Brien, who makes an impressive debut as the new time-travelling regular, played Vicki.  Her character, however, is not too dissimilar to the Doctor's granddaughter - she's a clever, vulnerable and fun teenager, with the ability to attract danger relatively easily.  This is perhaps why the Doctor takes to her instantly and invites her to travel in time and space with him, providing the 'rescue' of the story's title.

This two-part story has a small cast, and essentially serves as an introduction to the new companion.  It's short and sweet, but has plenty of menace lurking in the shadows, and look out for a real cliffhanger at the end of the second episode...

Cast

Crew

DVD Extras

Commentary