Running up that hill

"These people have logic and reason, have they? Can’t you see their minds change as rapidly as night and day?” – The Doctor

Ep. 003: The Forest of Fear
(Production A/Story #001: "An Unearthly Child" - Part 3 of 4)
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Boy, they weren’t kidding when they called it the Cave of Skulls. The Doctor takes some responsibility (finally) for getting his companions into their current predicament. Ian pauses as he notices all the skulls from previous prisoners were “split wide open.”

We’re already familiar with her stance on violence and gruesome death, but I can’t help but wonder if Mary Whitehouse would approve of the entire Tribe of Gum sleeping together like that? Presumably, they’re all piled on top of each other for warmth. It would probably help if they would just invent pants. Pants are probably just as, if not more, important than fire…

The Doctor sits back and criticizes Ian’s efforts to escape, until he realizes it’s in his best interest to escape too. Suddenly, he switches off the grumpy old man mode, and makes helpful suggestions. The gang even has a heartwarming discussion about hope vs. fear.

Hur seems to have all the brain cells of the tribe. What little analytical reasoning present seems to be produced by her. She convinces Kal that they should stop the Old Woman from killing their prisoners. A moment later, we find out that the Old Woman was not interested in killing them, but rather letting them go so she and the tribe can avoid the advent of fire.

As the TARDIS crew escapes, Barbara shows the fear one might expect from being in a real life or death situation. A lot of us complain about later companions being screamers, but it is still refreshing to see at this early stage, that being part of the TARDIS crew has yet to become passé. They run through the “Forest of Fear,” which appears to be quite lush for what was such a cold region in the last episode. Maybe this is where the polar bears from Lost are born… As the time-travellers are chased through the woods by Za and Hur, Za is attacked by… something… that appears to be the camera operator.

Beyond all reason, (at least to the Doctor and much of the audience) Barbara chooses this moment to show compassion and see if there’s anything they can do to help Za. They stop running, and Ian and Barbara offer up their assistance as "friends." Hur doesn’t understand, but Za encourages her to trust them as, “they do not kill.” While Ian and Barbara are distracted, The Doctor tries to force Susan back to the TARDIS, presumably stranding the teachers forever. This is another example of an uncharacteristically dark Doctor. Luckily, Susan will have none of it, and helps Ian and Barbara. Barbara tries to give Hur a lesson in quid pro quo and just general kindness, but it doesn’t seem to take. The suggestion that everyone go back to the ship, Za and Hur included, for antiseptic is made. The Doctor refuses to help, until Ian embarrasses him into carrying the makeshift stretcher so the women don’t have to.

While all this was happening, Kal has found what the Old Woman has done. He seizes the opportunity to kill her and suggests Za and Hur have done it. Since the tribe have nothing to fall back on in the way of logic, they quickly fall victim to Kal’s version of events. Kal convinces the tribe to wait for them by the TARDIS, and as the stretcher party arrives …

Next episode: The Firemaker

(not to be confused with Mentos, the Freshmaker)