Doctor Who: The Highlanders

I wonder if the Doctor kidnaps Jamie like he has
most of his companions...
The Highlanders is the fourth serial of Season Four which is also missing in its entirety like most of the Troughton years. This is unfortunate because Patrick Troughton is a lot of people's favorite Doctor and it'd be easier to see why if I got to see him... you know... act. Anyhow, beisdes my frustration with this who thing, the serial was aired in four parts between December 17, 1966 and January 7, 1967. This is also the first episode featuring Jamie McCrimmon played by Frazer Hines who is actually the companion to appear in the most episodes of Doctor Who to date.

That is 116 episodes, folks. So... I'm going to be watching very closely to see just what kind of a companion he is and how other companions measure up to him. Seniority is good, Barbara and Ian will always be in my heart. However, this guy probably had the most experience and that's something to keep in mind.

Anyhow, on with the episode!

Two Hours Later...

OH MY GOD!!! THIS IS THE BEST EPISODE OF DOCTOR WHO I'VE EVER NOT!SEEN IN MY LIFE!!!

So, the Doctor, Ben, and Polly land in Scotland during the Battle of Culloden, a famous battle of the Jacobite Uprising of 1745. Basically, there was a strong disagreement over who should be the King of England: Charles Edward Stuart of the exiled House of Stuart or George II of England and the House of Hanover. As Charles wanted to bring back an absolute monarchy and the "glory days of England". If Charles weren't a power-hungry bastard, a lot of Scotsmen wouldn't have died. Either way, the British victory at Culloden pretty much stopped the uprising in its tracks and this is when the Doctor shows up!

He immediately meets a family retreating from the battle: Jamie, Alexander, Kirsten, and the Laird McCrimmon. Well, it all happens because he picks up a VERY nice hat and tries it on before discarding it for having "romantic drivel" written on the inside, insulting Jamie and Alexander.

Unfortunately the picture during all of this was rather terrible so I didn't get to see all the Scotsmen running around in their kilts, but my brain provided me with ample pictures!

Anyhow, the Doctor, Polly, and Ben are escorted back to the house as prisoners (because they're British), but Ben accidentally sets off a flintlock gun, bringing British soldiers down upon them. Polly and Kirsten escape, but the rest are taken captive to Inverness where they're all set to be sold as slaves by pirates.

Yeah, this is that kind of story!

The Doctor, Polly, and Kirsten plot to stop things and in the end they basically create a mutiny on the ship where the captive Jacobites get control and sail for France while the Doctor, Polly and Ben head back into the Scottish Highlands to get back on the TARDIS. Jamie accompanies them to assist in avoiding British soldiers and other dangers and in the end Polly and Ben convince him to come along in the TARDIS.

It was actually a really fun episode with a lot of strange twists and turns.

We even have a British character who turns into a good guy!

... Despite being captured, robbed, threatened, blackmailed and pretty much treated like crap by everyone.

He also had the unfortunate name of Algernon.

Anyhow!

I really liked this episode and I loved the way Jamie joined the TARDIS crew. He didn't sneak on, or get kidnapped or accidentally walk in. He was actively recruited by two other members of the crew. I think that's really awesome and I can see a sort of progression in the character of the Doctor because of this. In the beginning, he accidentally kidnaps Barbara and Ian and every other companion has been accidental or, in the case of Katarina, pushed on the ship by a former member. In this case, Jamie was actively recruited by two people who just enjoyed his company and wanted to keep it up. I can see how, years down the line, the Doctor might take to inviting others onto the TARDIS to travel with him if he keeps getting cool companions that balance him out well.

Or at least, I'm hoping there's a natural progression over 30+ seasons.

Let's find out!

Next time: The Underwater Menace!

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