User Reviews

The scene is very quickly set, a rocket lay damaged as crew member Vicki informs the injured Bennett that a rescue ship has arrived. Bennett warns Vicky to watch out for Koquillion. Soon the TARDIS lands and the crew come into contact with all survivors. The Doctor's been on the planet Dido before, and expects a friendly welcome.

I really enjoyed Part 1, the story did not hang about, I suppose being only a 2 parter there's no capacity for padding. I like the fact that Susan's departure in the previous episode was commented on, how many times in the show does someone leave or die, and not a word is said.

I loved the first appearance of Koquillion, I thought he was rather well designed, like something out of old folk law, the stuff of nightmares, I can well believe he made kids in the 60's feel uneasy. His control over Vicki is actually quite nasty, it's like played like an abusive relationship, her terror of him is brilliantly done.

Hartnell is fabulous in these early episodes, he truly was a great character actor, I love his funny smarmy comments. I applaud Maureen O'Brien for her first appearance too, she's very good.

I liked it a lot 8/10, it's more then just a setup for Vicki.

Having left Susan on Earth at the end of their encounter with the Daleks in 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth', The Doctor (William Hartnell), Ian (William Russell), and Barbara (Jacqueline Hill) land on a planet inhabited by Koquillion, a malignant insectoid creature and two humans, the only survivors of a crashed spaceship: young Vicki (Maureen O'Brien) and reclusive, partially paralyzed Bennett (Ray Barrett), who are awaiting imminent rescue. This short adventure features an interesting costume and a game effort at showing the wreckage of crashed spaceship but the plot doesn't make much sense, there is abundant filler as the Doctor and Ian wander around some inexplicable booby-trapped caverns, and the ending is hasty, convenient, and unsatisfying. As usual, Hartnell is fine as the Doctor (who clearly misses Susan) and Ian and Barbra are serviceable companions. Barbara's early interactions with Vicki are nicely done (even if the 'Sandy the sand-beast' is one of the less convincing members of the Whovian bestiary) although their ultimate bonding seems a bit rushed. This was the first of many episodes of the long-running series to introduce a new 'companion', in this case an orphan from the 25th century (who wasn't much different from Susan, the Doctor's 20th century (?) granddaughter whom she replaced). Not a great story but an interesting early entry in the evolution of the BBC's revered (by some) saga that spans space and time. *comments and score refer to the entire serial, frequently referred to as 'The Rescue'.

I often find myself surprised by how disliked "The Rescue" is by some members of "Doctor Who" fandom. The only really significant flaw I can think of here is the poor quality of the sets and monster costumes. The story itself is nicely-written by David Whitaker, an under-appreciated Who writer in my opinion. The script features strong dialogue, solid characterization, and a tight, fast-paced plot (albeit one that isn't too original or intriguing).

Quick note about the Koquillion- I can't be the only one who thinks that it looks an awful lot like the fake monsters from M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village"? The chances of him having seen this story are certainly very, very slim, but I found it a pretty fun and fitting coincidence.

It goes without saying that Christopher Barry's direction is excellent here, and with a story so short and simple, designed to introduce a future companion for the first time in "Doctor Who" history, "The Rescue" is really very good and entertaining and much more tolerable than some of the longer Hartnell serials. I can understand the derision towards "The Edge of Destruction", although I like it very much, but "The Rescue" is just so harmless it's hard to believe anyone hates it.

Episode 1: 8/10, Episode 2: 7/10.

Average: 7.5/10

The Doctor, Ian and Barbara arrive on the planet Dido, where a creature named Koquillion is threatening the lives of Vicki (Maureen O'Brien) and Bennett (Ray Barrett), two survivors of a crashed spaceship from Earth.

"The Powerful Enemy" is a wonderful episode. The show's first new companion, Vicki, is introduced very well by David Whitaker. Maureen O'Brien has already proved by the end of the episode that's she's a better actress than Carole Ann Ford. It's amazing this was her first acting role.

The opening scenes with the regulars in the TARDIS is wonderful. Hartnell, William Russell and Jackie Hill have such wonderful chemistry together. Hartnell shines in the early scenes; my favorite is when the Doctor, knowing he's been on Dido before, thinks he might be able to convince Ian he landed the TARDIS there deliberately.

All in all, a great episode.

Review for both episodes:

This two part story involves the introduction of new companion Vicki and it basically exists purely for that purpose. Its story with a mixture of mystery and monster threat is a rather small-scale story but it is not bad at all. Its brevity helps it as it does not drag, it is short and sweet.

The strength of this story, written by David Whitaker, is that it is character driven and just develops further the already strong relationships between the Doctor, Ian and Barbara and provides them all with nice dialogue which adds to the affection the audience have for them. This is a big step in Hartnell being increasingly warm and whimsical and less grumpy.

The new arrival Vicki is found deserted with her commanding officer Bennett on a planet where they apparently live in fear of the creature Koquillion. The first episode just sets up the character of Vicki and the Koquillion story, the second gives a conclusion to the plot and a strong introduction to her as a companion for the subsequent adventures.

Not the most exciting of plots and there are a couple of silly moments which let it down a bit but its character development raises it to a decent level.

My Ratings: Episodes 1 & 2 - 7.5/10.

(Note: A review of both episodes of The Rescue.)

How do you follow up The Dalek Invasion of Earth? The biggest story in Doctor Who's history up to that point, not to mention one that saw its first companion exit. For the production team in late 1964, there was only one answer to that question: by introducing a new companion in the very next story. That story, lasting a mere two episodes, was to be The Rescue.

On the surface, it was a story that had a lot going for it. It came from the pen of outgoing script editor David Whitaker, who had previously penned the two-part Edge of Destruction. Such a contained and character-driven piece as that story offered a route for this story to take. Raymond Cusick returns to do the sets, not to mention Christopher Barry as director, all of which likewise boded well for it. Add on the trio of William Hartnell, Jacqueline Hill, and William Russell and the introduction of Maureen O'Brien as Vicki, and one should have a classic.

Right?

Well, to be sure, this isn't a bad story by any means. First and foremost, it's a vehicle for introducing Vicki, and, in that regard, it succeeds beautifully. She's a young lady, practically alone on a planet with the invalid Bennett and terrorized by an alien monster. Meeting up with the TARDIS crew post Susan's departure, they're a perfect fit for each other. It helps that O'Brien has instant chemistry with the main cast, particularly with Hartnell's Doctor, which is definitely in her favor. True, there's a moment of overacting by her in the second episode but, all things considered, it's a solid first go at introducing a new character into an established series.

It's also got some wonderful stuff for Hartnell. It's here, after ten stories, that the First Doctor as we've come to know him is, finally, apparent. He's in high spirits, perhaps surprisingly given the previous story (leaving a gap nicely mined in the spin-off fiction) with all traces of the slightly more sinister early days of the character behind him. It's a chance for Hartnell to show a lighter, even more playful, side to the character he'd been playing for a year at that point, as well as showing a paternal side when it comes to Vicki. What's more, there are shades of the Doctor we've come to know later on, as he takes on the role of investigator into events, even if it means leaving Ian and Barbara behind.

On the other hand, The Rescue isn't without problems. At two episodes, it feels oddly inconsequential. What does happen feels oddly contrived involving the invalid Bennet, the ruthless Koquillion, and a seemingly deserted alien world. Whitaker goes for a hail mary pass of a twist late in episode two, one which just about saves the story but, ultimately, still leaves some glaring plot holes behind. It also effectively sidelines Ian and Barbara as characters, leaving little for them to do except have their chemistry with each other, Vicki, and the Doctor. Given how well Whitaker handled the two-parter, character-driven format in Edge of Destruction, it feels like something of a letdown.

At the end of the day, perhaps, there are worse stories than The Rescue. There are also far better ones. Yet, perhaps more than anything else, it stands out as much for introducing the first new companion as it does for being utterly inconsequential. Indeed, one would have to wait until the Davison era (and the return of two episode serials) to see such inconsequential tales in televised Who again.

So, could be better, could be worse?