Written by Ian Stuart Black
Directed by Christopher Barry
Main Cast:
The Doctor - William Hartnell
Steven Taylor - Peter Purves
Dodo Chaplet - Jackie Lane
Main Guest Stars:
Jano - Frederick Jaeger
Chai - Ewen Solon
Tor - Patrick Godfrey
Nanina - Clare Jenkins
Synopsis:
On a planet in the future, the time travelers find a highly advanced civilization headed by the Elders. The Elders welcome The Doctor as well as his companions Steven and Dodo. Steven and Dodo are given a tour of the city, while The Doctor remains to discuss the Elder's civilization with their leader Jano.
Dodo wanders off and discovers that the Elders are able to maintain their civilization by draining the life energy of the Savages, who live outside the city. The Doctor, horrified at this discovery, is forced to submit and his life energy is drained. The Doctor's life energy is then transplanted into the Elder's leader Jano. Unfortunately, this has some side effects for Jano, who not only inherits The Doctor's wisdom but also his morality.
Steven and Dodo, meanwhile, have left the city and joined up with the Savages. Steven and Dodo return to rescue The Doctor, but are followed by Jano and some of the city's guards. Jano makes a deal with The Doctor to destroy the laboratory and to make peace with the Savages. Steven remains behind to act as a mediator between the Elders and Savages.
Review:
The Savages is another lost episode, which I experience by reading the Target novelization (pictured above). The title is something of a misnomer, while the Savages might lead a primitive existence, they aren't exactly savage. The idea of draining someone's life force to insert that into another person was interesting, but one does question why the Savages continue to allow the city guards to continue to capture them and submit to the draining procedure. I certainly get that the city guards have much more advanced weapons, but the Savages (at least some of them) seemed rather resigned to their fate.
The departure of Steven is only the first of several changes of cast over the next few stories. I did like that he was being given a job to do, rather than simply leaving. The idea of Steven acting as a mediator between the Savages and the Elders seemed to fit his character. I certainly got the impression that Steven's got his work cut out for him, for I'm sure that at least some of the Elders might not be so thrilled with working with the Savages to create a new society.
The Savages is an above average Doctor Who story that is well worth experiencing if one is able to do so.
