Ranking Hartnell- 10-6
10. The War Machines- Season 3
A very different feel to this serial than a lot that had come before, this has a gritty hard SF sort of Quatermass feel to it, and in many ways feels like a proto version of the kind of stories we will see in S7 with Pertwee. It's tense, well executed and acted, ditches dismal Dodo for Polly and doesn't outstay its welcome. Love the computer style titles as well.
9. The Crusade- Season 2
Wittily written, brilliantly acted and lavishly staged pastiche of Shakespeare and drama which succeeds by casting proper RSC actors and playing the whole thing straight while the Tardis crew get to do the fun stuff around the edges. It's characterisation of Richard as a petulant manchild is just wonderful as well and there's some amazing scenes between Julian Glover and Jean Marsh. Fingers crossed we get animations of the missing episodes soon.
8. Edge of Destruction- Season 1
A proper bonkers one this, and something that is almost completely unique in Who history. Essentially a bottle episode with just the Tardis crew experiencing weird stuff in the Tardis, it's an audacious and radical story that at times feels like you're watching something by Beckett. There's such an intensity to it as it flirts with paranoia and surrealism and the cast put in extraordinary performances and become ever more unhinged. It's a bit of a ballsy risk to do something like this with a fairly new cast, but it pays off.
7. The Keys of Marinus- Season 1
Sorely underrated in my opinion, Nation learns from the tedious pacing of the Daleks by in essence giving us a miniseries of loosely connected standalone stories, jumping deftly between SF, murder mystery, adventure in a way that appears almost like a video game now. The sheer number of brilliant ideas and concepts in this story propels it, and there's something very modern about the feel of it. Very enjoyable and showcases a cast finally at ease with themselves and one another. The first story that seems to realise Hartnell is a comedy actor and should be given funny rather than just austere.
6. The Dalek Invasion of Earth- Season 2
Absolute class this one. A really well realised dystopian/post apocalyptic story with a gritty and bleak tone, brilliant characters and memorable set pieces abound. Grippingly tense as well. It's also the episode where The Doctor gives one of his most iconic speeches as Susan leaves the crew. The best use of the Daleks in the Hartnell era, this is the first time they actually feel scary.
