Review of The Gunfighters (#25)

DVD Release Date:  12 Jul 11
Original Air Date:  30 Apr – 21 May 1966
Doctor/Companion:  One, Steven Taylor, Dodo Chaplet
Stars:  William Hartnell, Peter Purves, Jackie Lane
Preceding Story:  The Celestial Toymaker (One, Steven, Dodo)
Succeeding Story:  The Savages (One, Steven, Dodo)

During Doctor Who‘s third series – the last for William Hartnell (One) – there came one of the last pseudo-historicals for a long while. Why was it among the last? Because audiences stayed away in droves. Although The Gunfighters is perhaps better than the viewing numbers at the time indicated, I can’t altogether blame the public for shying away, either. An otherwise decent storyline is utterly ruined by the ubiquitous presence of a horrific saloon-style song created just for this episode: “The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon.”

A line or two (or eight) of this horrific tinkly little tune is sung over every single scene change in the entire story. The first one or two, OK, I can tolerate that – setting the tone, giving some “local color” by having the bar floozy sing her song. But every time? By the end of the first episode, I had such an ear worm I was longing for the strains of “Copacabana,” “Hotel California,” or even “The Brady Bunch” to get the damn thing out of my head! I was somewhat gratified to learn, when watching the extras, that I was not alone. The production staff and cast were also put off by the song, and still embarrassed by it years later (as well they should be).

Regarding the actual story, though, it’s not bad. There’s the classic case of mistaken identity, as the Doctor is taken for Doc Holliday; the way the Doctor doesn’t fit into the culture despite being (unwillingly) deputized (“…only people keep giving me guns!”); and the segue right into the following story showing how the TARDIS has taken the Doctor – yet again – somewhere different than where he thought he was going.

Of course, there’s also Dodo being… well, a dodo (interfering in a potential shootout and nearly getting killed herself) and the slipping accents (they aren’t really that bad, but to a native ear they’re not quite right, and go in and out). It’s also rather odd – I can’t say whether it’s really bad, but at least a smidge jarring – seeing the mashup of Who and American history. I’m so used to it being British history that it was a bit hard to wrap my head around.

I also had to smile at all the similarities and differences between The Gunfighters and the Star Trek episode “Spectre of the Gun,” in which the Enterprise crew is plunked into the middle of the same historic event. Of course, for them it was the stroke of 5 pm instead of the “sunrise” of this episode (or the “high noon” I always associate with Wild West shoot-outs – one source says the real gunfight was about 3 pm), and they were about to get slaughtered as ersatz Clantons. Regardless, it’s interesting to me that two prominent science fiction shows of the ’60s – from different sides of the Pond – decided to put their heroes into this particular point in time (even though one didn’t usually involve a back-in-time element). It makes you wonder what it is about the OK Corral that was really speaking to writers at the time…

DVD Extras (highlights)

The End of the Line

The third season very well could have been the last for Who. Through a bunch of ups and downs, including copious production staff changes, they managed to keep the show going. Not quite the normal “making of” documentary, this piece instead focuses on the whole series, detailing how stories were commissioned and brought to the screen through many changes of hands. We get to hear stories of Hartnell’s personality on set, his unfortunate decline, and the decisions that led not only to his departure but to the introduction or departure of a slew of Companions (and are-they-Companions?). It’s a fascinating look at how the machinery behind it all really works (or doesn’t).

Tomorrow’s Times: The First Doctor

Another installment in the series on how Who was seen by contemporary media critics, this one obviously focuses on the very beginning of the franchise. Among the things I found interesting was the constant focus on the Daleks (even then, there was some backlash over their “too frequent” appearances) and the fact that there was little comment on Hartnell’s departure. The rest is also an interesting historical perspective, as usual.

Although Dodo is her usual irritating self and it’s not the best story on record, there are some lovely little character moments for One (like his comment after having his tooth extracted without anesthetic, “Good thing I didn’t have to have my tonsils out!” or his continual reference to Wyatt Earp as “Mr. Werp”), and it’s an interesting little slice of history – both actual and within the Whoniverse. Mute your tv when the action stops between scenes and bring the sound back once the dialog begins again, and you might even be able to enjoy it properly.