A Full-On FARCE - Doctor Who: The Romans (1965) - REVIEW

[@MrTARDIS]

"Friends, Romans, countrymen! Lend me your ears. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him!" Thanks for watching, folks! Don't forget to support videos like this by hitting the "like" button and leaving a comment!

[@doctorgilham2030]

Can u do a marathon of all of classic who please

[@stevenedwards8353]

I love how, in the attempted assassination scene, the Doctor is initially disappointed in Vicki for interrupting him and scaring off the attacker. He was like "Hey, I wasn't done with him yet!", lol

[@arvarvanwar]

The Romans is legitimately one of my favourite first Doctor stories, due in no small part to how wonderful Vicki and 1's interactions were

[@bladersmosh]

23:00: Now we know where the 12th Doctor got his inspiration for wanting to play the electric guitar. But seriously, hilarious edit. 😂

[@X08-Chill]

I burst out laughing at that edit

[@octaviusfooks7194]

Imagine if that actually happened in the actual serial

[@X08-Chill]

​@@octaviusfooks7194 if this was Twelve or Thirteen it genuinely may have

[@bensneb360]

I love when a show and actors can relax and have fun with a shows concept and not take itself too seriously, it’s very comforting to watch

[@TakeNoteOfThat]

If you haven’t, check out The Gunfighters. Coming into it with that attitude makes it a blast despite the horrible song and terrible accents.

[@benw4409]

I genuinely think this is a great story to introduce new viewers to Hartnell - not too long, quite fast paced, it has the feel and humour way ahead of its time.

[@BlueSparxLPs]

Like the commonly suggested use of Blink for getting people into Modern Who, I don't think that's the best idea. This IS a fantastic episode in contrast to the types of stories that came before, but it doesn't represent what the vast majority of the show is. Showing someone this episode will give a new viewer an inaccurate idea of what the show is that they won't get if they then start from the beginning.

[@SavageBroadcast]

@@BlueSparxLPs Plus, while the story is silly in tone, Nero being a bit 'handsy' with Barbara is going to be a bridge too far for some. I'd say Time Meddler is probably better as a lighthearted intro.

[@plantainsame2049]

​@@BlueSparxLPsI mean I would show them an unearthly child The t v movie and rose back to back Cause that's kind of the point of those episodes to introduce you to the worlf

[@bladersmosh]

Nero: “Now close your eyes and Nero will give you a big surprise.” Me: Well, I think Jobel from Revelation of the Daleks has just found competition for most purvey Doctor Who character. No wonder you spat out your water.

[@redjirachi1]

Well it is historically accurate for Nero

[@StayOnTarget.]

My favourite Doctor Who story of all time!

[@ladylikelayla]

I never expected it to stick with me so much, but I really love it too!

[@catinarage5538]

Or to quote Kenneth Williams in Carry on Cleo: "Friends, Romans ..."; "Countrymen"; "I know!"

[@stephennoonan8417]

I always enjoy the little humorous asides in these excellent reviews, William; but turning Hartnell momentarily into Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Allen Collins is definitely your best yet! 👌😁

[@IsaacWhittakerDakin]

One of my favourite Hartnell stories, I only love the historicals more as I get older.

[@DarkLordPikachu]

Watched this for the first time on the new blu-ray boxset and was completely taken aback by how much I loved it: such a joy!

[@tonyscupham-bilton7523]

Don't forget that William Russell was still well-known at the time as Sir Lancelot in one of those popular historical hero series (Robin Hood, William Tell, Francis Drake, etc.), so being there just to provide action was not out of place for 1965 viewers and was all they expected of him.

[@octaviusfooks7194]

10:09 - “That does sound a little bit rapey”

[@tritonk1759]

Pertwee was also in Carry On Screaming.

[@adamfreddo5703]

The Romans, Time Meddler and War Machines are my go to "this is why Hartnell is great" stories to show newbies. He was Yoda before Yoda.

[@SegaNintendoGuy64]

Me: No it can't be, How you get Web of Fear Ep.3 then stolen again? Thief: Ahhh hmmm, How did I Kronk? 18:32 'Insert clip right here.'

[@Mench_El_Desconocido]

The Doctor inspired something that killed a lot of people, his reaction: -Lol. LMAO even

[@ericreese7792]

The First Doctor is *chaotic*.

[@redjirachi1]

In retrospect him and the Master having been friends makes a lot of sense

[@davidwright1577]

that cut away at 18:00 had me absolutely laughing. unrelated, i might be wrong but i was always confused by the christian have a cross instead of a fish given the point in history.

[@ftumschk]

It had to make sense to the TV audience, so a cross would be a more recognisable symbol of Christianity to the general viewer.

[@Reprodestruxion]

The Doctor did a John Cage on them

[@guygrist4436]

It's so so so much fun I love it. I wish we had never got rid of the pure historicals. Hartnell is on fire in this story the oncoming storm indeed. I've still got the audiobook to listen to at some point soon.

[@SigmaGaming123]

Just so you know, and you may not give even the smallest about this. I started my watch through of classic, and I do three things as I follow through each episode, I watch it, I read “the Wife in Space” review books, then I watch your video. PLEASE start doing these for the second doctors stories as well

[@DigitalBath742]

This, Marco Polo, The Aztecs, and The Crusades are great examples of pure historical stories. They should do one or two with modern Who.

[@Howyaduing]

Just with a better showrunner like RTD

[@ThanhTriet600]

You got that right about this, Marco Polo, and the Aztecs. I'd add Reign of Terror as well. But I'm not a fan of The Crusades. It'll probably never happen, but I'd like to see them remake Marco Polo in some capacity, even with a modern Doctor like Ncuti Gatwa or David Tennant. It's a shame such a good story was lost.

[@sg-zd8eb]

Best cast name ever is Dorothy Rose-Gribble.

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

My favorite 1st Doctor story! Thanks for the lovely video, great memories!

[@Tymbus]

It was so unexpected - a Doctor Who farce!

[@octaviusfooks7194]

9:29 - Night of the Living Dead? Nice touch.

[@DenisLuiz96]

This one is a banger, my favourite Hartnell story maybe

[@Jayforeman3047]

4:37 one of the funniest jokes in Who history. I hope it was improvised.

[@DrLamington1]

Funny thing about John Tracy's actor being in Doctor Who, is that it would happen again. Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who played Timothy Latimer in Human Nature/The Family of Blood, went on to play John in the 2015 Reboot, Thunderbirds Are Go

[@octaviusfooks7194]

You know, one of my names is Tavius ;-D … hope you’re not talking about me

[@spluff5]

This is my favorite Hartnell story.

[@russelltietjen4407]

THE SPITTAKE!

[@professorakiba434]

When I'ved watch this serial, I've often thought, "this is the best story of the Hartnell Era". For all its flaws, it really does the job of revealing Rome's darker and lighter sides and it does that very well. Hartnell gets to show off his range and the story indicates to me that very early on the show had comedic touches. Also this is easily Hartnell's finest moment as Doctor.

[@drjohnsmith5282]

The whole Chesterfield-ChesterTON thing - improvised from a Hartnell flub or part of the script? Brilliant either way

[@ANGEL_BOB_YT]

Water rushing into the set more like crew throwing buckets lol

[@TakeNoteOfThat]

Re: “The First Doctor burned down Rome/changed history!” And “Why was he laughing?” The burning of Rome is an established point in history. Both Vicki and the Doctor know about it. The Doctor did not change history; rather, he was the instrument Time used to make certain that history happened. Perhaps Nero poisoning his servant (because of Barbara and Vicki) knocked something out of whack, like the servant was supposed to be the one to give Nero the idea. So, like the Cybermen’s freighter impacting Earth 65 millions ago in ‘Earthshock’, Time used the circumstances related to the time travel to set things right that were disturbed by the time travel. As Five said, “Seems inevitable.” The First Doctor laughing: First has been a cloistered stuck-up Time Lord for the last 400 years. He’s finally doing what he wants, traveling, exploring. Ian & Barbara have set him on the course for heroism, but he’s still more “Time’s Tourist” than “Time’s Champion”. Imagine you’re him. The French Revolution, Nero’s Rome. These are places you’ve read about, probably always dreamed of visiting. And now you’re there, and you’re wearing the clothes and impersonating people and sticking your nose in. A time traveler’s dream. But what could be more cool, more exciting than all that (particularly for a Time Lord) than to find that Time has maneuvered YOU into being a factor in causing a massive, fixed point of time a “historical” event you yourself grew up reading about? I’d laugh, too. And because he’s a Time Lord and knows these things, he knows he hasn’t “changed history”; he’s merely unconsciously ensured it happened. He understands that he and his companions alter time by simply stepping on a flower, but he also knows the web of time can handle these changes…but not to fixed points in history. So the Doctor, time tourist, is realizing 1. Time has used him to protect itself, just like he learned in the Academy. And 2. He’s part of history. He’s the arrogant, egotistical, wonderful First Doctor, and knowing he’s a tiny part of a great event is exactly the kind of “proof of cleverness” the First Doctor loves. It’s worth a double lapel-grab AND a Hmmpf! See also: the near constant name-drops of individuals and events in history he inserts wherever possible. He’s a centuries-old six-year-old. Grumpy, arrogant, withering and clever First Doctor. The best, in my book.

[@marquiskrystal]

6:45 - The first time you see the Doctor Who ver this someone a beat down. Classic

[@minicle426]

These Romans are crazy.

[@averagecitizen2263]

Nice

[@matthewsmith7502]

I just watched it today, you can tell Hartnell enjoyed himself in this one. Not long after he cut his teeth with the Carry On Films, he slips back into comedy so easily. It is just like a Carry On film, with appropriate levels of slapstick and adultish humour. Full credit goes to Derek Francis, who was fantastic as Nero, in full goofiness and humour.

[@UnchainedAmerica]

The writers meant Nile crocodiles, not alligators.

[@jaysongillott9106]

The doctor playing the free byrd solo was the best thing I could've seen today

[@Gabrielecgomes1]

I really love this story, The Doctor's and Vicky's interactions peak here. Talk about a chosen family.

[@magicamadeye]

as i recall he said "never win an award, if you win an award no one wants to hire you they think you're untouchable"

[@nathantew946]

I think Hans Christian Anderson is the first bit of name dropping by the doctor.

[@Aburke505]

I think he name drops Beau Brummell in The Sensorites. There might even be one before that too

[@TakeNoteOfThat]

Gilbert and Sullivan, episode 2 of The Edge of Disaster

[@padraigpearse1551]

This is definitely one of my favourite hartnell stories

[@costelinha1867]

Damm this Jon Pertwee guy from Carry on Cleo looks like a very promissing actor, shame we'll never see him again and he'll definetly never have a role in Doctor Who.

[@ANGEL_BOB_YT]

What happened to bowlestrek don't you miss him

[@SavageBroadcast]

I certainly don't.

[@ANGEL_BOB_YT]

@@SavageBroadcast what happened to him

[@anthonymunn8633]

Hopefully we never hear from him again.

[@professorakiba434]

I often feel this is the greatest story of the Hartnell Era

[@JoeVington]

19:53 that’s a lyre not a fiddle

[@AiRsTrIkExXzZ]

11:33 this is like when someone drops their glasses in an art museum then everyone thinks it’s some grand art piece

[@nevem5010]

👍

[@redjirachi1]

Doctor Who: Makes an episode with Emperor Nero Weebs: HASHIRE SORI YO KAZE NO YOU NI TSUKIMIHARA WO *PADORU PADORU*

[@scrimblor]

I don't usually like pure historicals, but this serial was hilarious and kept me engaged. Definitely a 10/10 Hartnell episode!

[@ProfessorPerson]

Love the spit take

[@reverendtgirl8680]

Hundreds if not thousands burning to death The Doctor: *tehe*

[@plantainsame2049]

Standard war criminal doctor behavior

[@pious83]

I must admit, I didn't like this one on first viewing. All of Nero's winks to the camera. It's a trope that I really don't like in fiction. That said, this is one of Hartnell's strongest performances.

[@ldmarvel7224]

First and also great video

[@matthewbolitho-jones]

I like The Romans

[@josephryan362]

I love the romances but the crusade that comes after this is not good

[@TakeNoteOfThat]

Vicki is a great wingwoman for 1

[@ThanhTriet600]

I love Hartnell and Vicki in this serial, as well as Ian and Barbara's interactions. The slavery and attempted rape make this a very uncomfortable rewatch for what is otherwise a lighthearted story.

[@Joey15811]

Nero being a comedy character ruins the story for me.😊

[@cassandra.wladyslava]

“And then we cut to Nero, who is fiddling as Rome burns.” I do not think that word means what you think it means.

[@or_gluzman561Peace_IL_PS]

can i ask what's it with you british people an comedies about ancient rome there is this story there is Plebs, chelmsford 123 and the life of brian why is that a thing?🏛🏛

[@ftumschk]

I suppose it's because the Romans were once a significant presence in Britain, making a major contribution to early British society and indeed its history.

[@or_gluzman561Peace_IL_PS]

@@ftumschk hmm yeah sound about right

[@tentringer4065]

Probably just an excuse to gad about in togas.

[@or_gluzman561Peace_IL_PS]

@@tentringer4065 i mean i can't say i disagree toga party anybody