The further into the future these articles stretch, the harder it will be to pick what I view as essential, as opposed to simply entertaining & lovely (a BIG problem once I hit longer eras, such as the Tom Baker years). There are old school Doctor Who fans who will be aghast that I’ve left out such classics as The Power of the Daleks, The Web of Fear, The Mind Robber, and The Invasion. But this is just my opinion, and I believe these stories to offer a very well-rounded taste of the 2nd Doctor’s time on television…especially for newcomers from the current series.
The Second Doctor seems to be an enigma…you can never completely pin him down. On the surface, he seems to be an avuncular, clowning little tramp — someone who could out-shuffle Charlie Chaplin, and charm the song birds out of the trees. But then he’ll turn around and reveal himself to be a secretive manipulator, keeping to his own increasingly dark thoughts — in other words, a formidable opponent (and long before the 7th Doctor became far-more well known for similar traits). The best description I’ve ever read of him is a wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing…so we’ll stick with that for now. But feel free to make your own assessment… 
ESSENTIAL VIEWING - THE SECOND DOCTOR (PATRICK TROUGHTON)
1966 - 1969
Season 4 - 4 episodes
Attack of the Crabs! A holiday camp where everyone is happy to work hard, force-fed ridiculous jingles & advertising-style sing-songs. You’re brainwashed while you sleep, and always remember…THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS MACRA!
This is as trippy as 1960s Doctor Who gets, and it’s the archetypal early 2nd Doctor story – revealing him to be a hurricane force of anarchy, spontaneity and rebellion in the face of authoritarian regimes. The happy-go-lucky colony is in the hands of giant crabs, feeding on mined & drilled gas…and they cloud the minds of the colonists with superficial commercialism and fascist conformity. Aided by a collection of companions who prove themselves to be resourceful (and occasionally susceptible), Patrick Troughton shines in a 4-part romp that’s enjoyable, creepy, hilarious, and fascinating from beginning to end. It only exists on audio today, but if you can get your hands on the CD, you will not be disappointed. One of the most underrated – and subversive – Doctor Who stories ever filmed, and a prime example of the wild energy of the early Troughton period. To say nothing of its surprising link to this year’s episode, Gridlock…
Season 4 - 7 episodes
Ridiculously epic, it’s a story that starts at Gatwick Airport in 1967…pauses for breath inside a swinging coffee bar…explores a creepy antique shop…travels back in time to a country house in 1866…and then shoots forward to Skaro – the Dalek home world!
It’s quite possibly THE ultimate contest between the Doctor and the Daleks, but this time it’s a mental duel, as each side tries to manipulate the other…plots and counter-plots unfold…and crisis after crisis up’s the ante until you think there’s no way out of the situation…and then the rug gets pulled out from under your feet. If The Daleks’ Masterplan was a star-spanning epic, this is the counter point: a close-quarters struggle of wills that could knock a building flat.
Listen to the lyrical dialogue and appreciate the lovingly-crafted character touches (a hallmark of writer David Whitaker)…and behold what could be the best ensemble cast in all of 1960s Doctor Who, led by Patrick Troughton at his darkest ebb. He casts a long and intimidating shadow throughout the story, in spite of his character’s whimsy and gentle humour. Behold action sequences that actually translate fairly well via the surviving audio tracks…and appreciate the moody direction of the surviving episode two. Witness a struggle for survival inside the throne room of the Emperor Dalek – the BLOODY EMPEROR! Watch Skaro explode in civil war…and if there was any single Doctor Who story that truly ends with an almighty, apocalyptic bang…it’s this one.
It’s quite probably the greatest 2nd Doctor story of the canon: an magnificent, unstoppable saga that will keep you hooked from beginning to end…and we even get a new companion to boot!
Season 5 - 4 episodes
Tomb is NOT the miraculous, magnificent piece of television the old ones would have us believe. Lost for so long, it took on a mythic status – so powerful was its reputation that it could have ripped a hole in the fabric of space!
Then it was rediscovered…and Tomb was revealed to be a mix of the very good and the very bad. For all the magnificent sets, the atmospheric direction, and the acting of the regular cast, we had to suffer through a tepid script with some god-awful dialogue, hokey Cyber-effects, accents that could shred cheese, and some of the most over-the-top performances ever committed to film (to say nothing of some of the implied racism involving Toberman).
But what Tomb does offer consistently – and the reason it’s essential viewing – is Patrick Troughton at the height of his powers. The 2nd Doctor shown here is outwardly charming, goofy and gentlemanly…but with a dark side that pokes out when you least expect it…a darkness that showcases a razor-sharp intellect, pragmatic fatalism, and disquieting foreknowledge. Before the 7th Doctor was manipulating chess boards on a cosmic scale, the 2nd Doctor was doing it first, in more intimate surroundings…and for this alone, Tomb is worth seeing. It’s a 4-episode character study, and Troughton is on his best, most memorable form.
Season 6 - 4 episodes
The Krotons is a story with a rough reputation – not helped by a few terrible performances and some unintentional hilarity from the eponymous monsters. However, The Krotons does introduce us to the writing of Robert Holmes, penning his very first tale. He will go on to become the best – and most prolific – writer (and script editor) of the classic series, and he hits the ground running with a story full of some fantastic dialogue, and scenes that seem incredibly ridiculous on first glance…but transform into sudden moments of delicious fright.
Troughton relishes this new quality of scripting – to say nothing of the comedy – and delivers a performance that manages to highlight all the archetypal qualities of the Doctor…in any of his incarnations. But the writing and acting need one final touch…and it’s provided by the arrival of the late David Moloney, who will become Doctor Who’s second most prolific director, after Douglas Camfield. Moloney manages to make the ridiculous Krotons look imposing, the location filming to look suitably desolate, and provide Patrick Troughton, Wendy Padbury and Frazer Hines every opportunity to act their little socks off. If anything, The Krotons is a trial run for the golden age that is the early Tom Baker/4th Doctor era of the mid 1970s – an era both Holmes and Moloney would influence considerably. But Patrick Troughton gets to take a stab at it first…and the final result is an imperfect story that somehow manages to end up being delightful and provide a taste for what was to come. Far more than the sum of its parts…
Season 6 - 10 episodes
A work of complete and utter desperation…a story that goes from the WWI trenches to the US Civil War to op-art science labs and lecture halls…where old fashioned soldiers battle guards dressed in black PVC jump suits and chic sunglasses…a story that changes Doctor Who forever.
It’s the story that introduces the Time Lords and the Doctor’s background for the first time. It’s the story that marks his capture, exile to Earth, and forced regeneration. It’s the last black-and-white Doctor Who story, and thanks to David Moloney’s direction, it cartwheels between brutal realism, sci-fi craziness, and stark minimalism.
It’s a story that throws the ever-improvising 2nd Doctor into a situation that rapidly escalates out of control. A funeral atmosphere surrounds The War Games, as events conspire to maneuver the Doctor into a situation where he ends up far out of his depth. It’s a fine elegy for Troughton in the role, as he tries to squirm and befuddle everyone around him until the very last moment.
It’s 4 episodes too long…it repeats & doubles-back on itself…the juxtaposition of so many visual elements & time zones is distinctly uncomfortable at times…but there’s no way you can walk away from the 2nd Doctor’s era – or 1960s Doctor Who in general – without making this story your final pit stop. That final episode will make you realize that this 10-part epic was worth it in the end…
…and you’ll never guess what happens next.
