As many reviewers have commented, the theme behind this first Dr Who adventure appears more than a little incongruous in having the Time-lord battle against a Stone Age tribe, as opposed to more advanced alien species. Yet, given all the Doctor's future adventures, there is some appeal in seeing him struggle to overcome his Neolithic captors. Certainly, in terms of suspense, the director and actors do their best to instil a level of 'frisson' into proceedings, as does the incidental music provided by Norman Kay.
One can clearly appreciate why this script was chosen ahead of others for the first adventure, offering as it did cheaper options for production costs. The original plan was to produce as the opening Dr Who chapter, a script from CE Webber entitled 'The Giants'. However, the realisation that the concept of the time travellers being shrunken to an eighth of their size would entail substantial costs led to this being abandoned in favour of Anthony Coburn's script, alternatively entitled 'The Tribe of Gumm'.
This is certainly the first episode where Ian Chesterton emerges as an action-hero, a role William Russell was already used to, having starred in ITV's 1956 cross-Atlantic hit TV series 'The Adventures of Sir Lancelot'. In interview, Russell revealed that his casting by Verity Lambert had been because he was used to long productions and had therefore built up the stamina required. He also revealed that the BBC had an escape clause built into each contract enabling these to be be dropped should the show prove to be a commercial flop, and that, aside from William Hartnell, none of the cast believed it would be the success it proved to be.
This episode also entices for illustrating aspects of the Doctor's character, much at odds with that of his later incarnations. The first of these is his frailty and his begrudging acceptance that their best defence lies within the hands of the younger man. The second is his continued reluctance to work alongside his human travelling companions, and when circumstances demand it, his confession that 'Fear makes companions of us all.'
Having been aided to escape the 'Cave of Skulls' by the old woman of the tribe, determined that these strange newcomers' knowledge of making fire should not result in a bloody contest for leadership, our time-travelling protagonists try to make their way back to the Tardis through a primeval forest. An interesting bit of trivia surrounding the tropical plants brought on set was that a lizard was unexpectedly brought along with them, which Carole Ann Ford took home with her as a pet. Exhausted and lost, the fissures between the Doctor and Ian widen, with the former angrily proclaiming: You seem to have elected yourself leader of this little party...Just as long as you understand I won't follow your orders blindly.' In answer to his calling Ian 'a tiresome young man', the latter retorts that the Doctor is 'a stubborn old man.'
Meanwhile, in pursuit is Za, emboldened by the cavewoman Hur, played ably by Alethea Charlton, determined to avoid her father's plans of marrying her to the newcomer Kai. She allays Za's fears of working alone to recapture the strangers, stating: 'Leaders are awake while others sleep.' Severely wounded by an unseen prehistoric beast in the woods, Za becomes a central test of our party's humanity. The Doctor's aloofness has already been noted by Barbara who comments: 'you treat everybody and everything as something less important than yourself'. His companions' refusal to leave the man to die as he has suggested, results in the most mercenary and out of keeping action the Doctor would ever attempt to undertake. This is his lifting of a rock with the intention of crushing the caveman's skill so that he does not encumber their flight back to the Tardis. In addition, Susan offers a dismissive explanation for her grandfather's obstreperous behaviour, declaring 'He's always like this when he doesn't get his own way.'
Back at the cave, upon discovering the old woman has assisted the strangers to escape, Kal murders her, before insinuating that she is the victim of Za and Hur who have accompanied the escapees to ensure that the secret of fire making is reserved to them. Eileen Way, who everyone should recall as the pagan priestess from Kirk Douglas' 'The Vikings', gives a creditable performance as the first casualty within the Doctor Who oeuvre. Worked up into a rage and seeking revenge, the rest of the tribe take an alternative route to cut off the Doctor and his companions from the Tardis.
Not the most action-packed episode, but one wherein William Hartnell was given the freedom to explore a far frostier Doctor, reluctantly accepting the support of his fellow human time travellers, and subject to darker passions than any revealed by his future incarnations.
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