The Aztecs (Doctor Who): Difference between revisions
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*Tonila — [[Walter Randall]] |
*Tonila — [[Walter Randall]] |
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*Perfect Victim — [[André Boulay]] |
*Perfect Victim — [[André Boulay]] |
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| ⚫ | *The Doctor tells Barbara "You can't rewrite history! Not one line!" It is unclear if this means it is impossible to alter established history or that it is an ethical principle. By contrast, the [[Time Lord]]s break their stated policy of non-intervention and explicitly charge the Doctor with changing history in ''[[Genesis of the Daleks]]'', and in ''[[The Unquiet Dead]]'' the Doctor tells [[Rose Tyler|Rose]] that history is always in flux and it can change "just like that" – possibly because the Time Lords are by then gone from the universe (in ''[[Father's Day (Doctor Who)|Father's Day]]'' he says of a time disturbance that his people would have stopped it). |
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| ⚫ | *This serial is often cited as one of the earliest hints of a romantic side to the Doctor's character, with supporters arguing that although there were solid plot reasons for the Doctor to court Cameca, as performed there appears to be real attraction between the two characters. At one point Cameca presents the Doctor with a brooch as a token; at the end of the story the Doctor, as the last to board the TARDIS, puts it down briefly then on second thought retrieves it. |
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==Production== |
==Production== |
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*This is one of the classic "educational" historical stories that were discontinued later in the show's history. |
*This is one of the classic "educational" historical stories that were discontinued later in the show's history. |
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*The incidental music for this story was by classical composer Sir [[Richard Rodney Bennett]]. |
*The incidental music for this story was by classical composer Sir [[Richard Rodney Bennett]]. |
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| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | *The Doctor tells Barbara "You can't rewrite history! Not one line!" It is unclear if this means it is impossible to alter established history or that it is an ethical principle. By contrast, the [[Time Lord]]s break their stated policy of non-intervention and explicitly charge the Doctor with changing history in ''[[Genesis of the Daleks]]'', and in ''[[The Unquiet Dead]]'' the Doctor tells [[Rose Tyler|Rose]] that history is always in flux and it can change "just like that" – possibly because the Time Lords are by then gone from the universe (in ''[[Father's Day (Doctor Who)|Father's Day]]'' he says of a time disturbance that his people would have stopped it). |
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| ⚫ | *This serial is often cited as one of the earliest hints of a romantic side to the Doctor's character, with supporters arguing that although there were solid plot reasons for the Doctor to court Cameca, as performed there appears to be real attraction between the two characters. At one point Cameca presents the Doctor with a brooch as a token; at the end of the story the Doctor, as the last to board the TARDIS, puts it down briefly then on second thought retrieves it. |
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==DVD and video release== |
==DVD and video release== |
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Revision as of 01:42, 10 December 2006
| 006 - The Aztecs | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cast | |||
| Production | |||
| Directed by | John Crockett | ||
| Written by | John Lucarotti | ||
| Script editor | David Whitaker | ||
| Produced by | Verity Lambert Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer) | ||
| Executive producer(s) | None | ||
| Production code | F | ||
| Series | Season 1 | ||
| Running time | 4 episodes, 25 mins each | ||
| First broadcast | May 23–June 13, 1964 | ||
| Chronology | |||
| |||
The Aztecs is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in 4 weekly parts from May 23 to June 13, 1964.
Synopsis
The arrival of the TARDIS in 15th century Mexico leads the crew to encounter the doomed Aztec people, a mixture of high culture and brutal savagery side by side; and matters are further complicated when Barbara is mistaken for a god and the Doctor becomes engaged to be married...
Plot
The TARDIS crew arrive in Mexico in the Fifteenth Century. With the TARDIS trapped in a tomb, Barbara is mistaken for a reincarnation of the ancient high priest Yetaxa, and assumes her guise and identity. In her new position of power Barbara sees her chance to bring an end to human sacrifice. She sees the good side of Aztec culture manifested in Autloc, the High priest of knowledge, and the gruesome side embodied in 'the local butcher' High Priest Tlotoxl. As somewhat of an expert on this period, she sees how advanced their culture really is and believes that if sacrifice were abolished, they would be spared destruction at the hands of the Spanish. The Doctor's warnings that she cannot change history fall on deaf ears.
The bloodthirsty Tlotoxl begins to suspect Yetaxa is not what she seems, especially because she is trying to ban human sacrifice. He sets a series of elaborate traps for her and her companions. For example, Ian has been compelled the military and fight the strongest warrior, Ixta, to prove his ability to command the Aztec forces. Thus Ixta develops a grudge against Ian and is used by Tlotoxl to try and prove Barbara is not Yetaxa. The Doctor unwittingly tells Ixta how to defeat Ian in combat using a drugging agent, and this battle nearly ends in the Doctor witnessing his friend's death. When this fails to be conclusive, Tlotoxl convinces the priest Tonila to make a poison for Barbara; the death of Barbara following consumption of the poison would prove she is not immortal and therefore not a god. Barbara refuses to drink the poison and tells Tlotoxl that she is not Yetaxa but warns him not to tell the people. He now knows the truth - but must find a way to unmask the false goddess.
Susan and the Doctor have meanwhile both become involved in marriage-making scenarios. She has transgressed Aztec law and has been promised to the Perfect Victim, who has been scheduled for sacrifice by Tlotoxl on the day of the next eclipse; while the Doctor, who knows little of Aztec customs, has become enagaged to an Aztec woman named Cameca after they shared a cup of cocoa. Cameca is a kind lady and helps the Doctor and Ian find a way to re-enter the tomb by a secret entrance, despite realising this will help her beloved leave her. Ian braves a treacherous tunnel to re-enter the tomb by a secret door and soon tells his friends that they can flee.
Despite her efforts Barbara realises she cannot change an entire culture, although she does succeed in changing the views of one man, Autloc. He helps her become reunited with her friends before departing to meditate in the desert on what remains of his faith. In a pitched battle to gain access to the tomb door, Ian kills Ixta in a fight to the death to protect the TARDIS crew.
The Doctor and his companions leave knowing that despite their intervention history will take its pre-destined course. As they depart Tlotoxl is very much in control and sacrifices the Perfect Victim to end the naturally occurring eclipse.
Cast
- Dr. Who — William Hartnell
- Ian Chesterton — William Russell
- Barbara Wright — Jacqueline Hill
- Susan Foreman — Carole Ann Ford
- Autloc — Keith Pyott
- Tlotoxl — John Ringham
- Ixta — Ian Cullen
- Cameca — Margot van der Burgh
- First Victim — Tom Booth
- Aztec Captain — David Anderson
- Tonila — Walter Randall
- Perfect Victim — André Boulay
Production
- The four episodes of the serial had individual titles. They were, respectively, "The Temple of Evil", "The Warriors of Death", "The Bride of Sacrifice" and "The Day of Darkness".
- Carole Ann Ford appeared only in pre-filmed inserts in Episodes 2 and 3.
- This is one of the classic "educational" historical stories that were discontinued later in the show's history.
- The incidental music for this story was by classical composer Sir Richard Rodney Bennett.
Continuity
- The Doctor tells Barbara "You can't rewrite history! Not one line!" It is unclear if this means it is impossible to alter established history or that it is an ethical principle. By contrast, the Time Lords break their stated policy of non-intervention and explicitly charge the Doctor with changing history in Genesis of the Daleks, and in The Unquiet Dead the Doctor tells Rose that history is always in flux and it can change "just like that" – possibly because the Time Lords are by then gone from the universe (in Father's Day he says of a time disturbance that his people would have stopped it).
- This serial is often cited as one of the earliest hints of a romantic side to the Doctor's character, with supporters arguing that although there were solid plot reasons for the Doctor to court Cameca, as performed there appears to be real attraction between the two characters. At one point Cameca presents the Doctor with a brooch as a token; at the end of the story the Doctor, as the last to board the TARDIS, puts it down briefly then on second thought retrieves it.
DVD and video release
- This story was released on DVD in the United Kingdom on October 21, 2002. It was released on VHS in 1992.
In print
- A novelisation of this serial, written by John Lucarotti, was published by Target Books in June 1984. The novelisation dates the story to the year 1507 — no dates were mentioned on screen.