Revisiting Old Who: The Celestrial Toymaker: The Final Test

[Broomstick]

The Celestrial Toymaker: The Final Test
(Horrific Hopscotch with a Hideous Little Man)

"The Final Test" is the only surviving episode of the The Celestial Toymaker, from the third season of Doctor Who and towards the end of Hartnell's tenure. I was a bit dubious about watching just one episode out of four, but what the heck, right?

I was actually pleasantly surprised. Then again, with the surviving episode being the fourth and final you do get a resolution at the end.

These days I think it might be categorized as a "doctor lite" episode, with most of the action and screen time going to the companions. Really "doctor lite" as the Doctor was both invisible and mute through most of the story (apparently). My understanding is that Hartnell was only available for 2 of the 4 episodes, and for a good part of the story he was played by a "hand double" to manipulate his game pieces.

That, apparently, was the gist of the story - this entity known at the Toymaker had trapped our adventurers and forced them to play games, most of the rigged to one degree or another against them. Only by winning all the games could they go free. Which, eventually, they do, by the Doctor very carefully not allowing himself to be rushed at the end.

One of the strengths of this episode is that the final puzzles are solved by reasoning and calm, thoughtful moves, not by letting one's emotions get the better of one. Indeed, it was literally running away with emotions that led to Cyril - the Hideous Hopscotch Man - dying a shocking death. Reason and logic and intelligence over brute force, once again. In fact, the Doctor's superior intellect even triumphs over trickery.

Though I don't entirely get the business with candy at the end - really, who would put something from the Toymaker in their mouths after all the cheating and trickery? But I suppose the Doctor had let down his guard in relief. Oops. And so we have yet another cliffhanger.

[Bedlam]

The Celestrial Toymaker: The Final Test
(Horrific Hopscotch with a Hideous Little Man)

"The Final Test" is the only surviving episode of the The Celestial Toymaker, from the third season of Doctor Who and towards the end of Hartnell's tenure. I was a bit dubious about watching just one episode out of four, but what the heck, right?

I was actually pleasantly surprised. Then again, with the surviving episode being the fourth and final you do get a resolution at the end.

These days I think it might be categorized as a "doctor lite" episode, with most of the action and screen time going to the companions. Really "doctor lite" as the Doctor was both invisible and mute through most of the story (apparently). My understanding is that Hartnell was only available for 2 of the 4 episodes, and for a good part of the story he was played by a "hand double" to manipulate his game pieces.

At that point DrWho was running 42-45 weeks of the year and were recorded weekly so if one of the actors wanted a holiday they had to arrange an episode where their character would not appear or could be doubled for the whole episode. So there are various episodes scattered here and there where the Doctor or a companion is unconsious or locked up for a whole episode.

In addition at one point it was considered replacing Hartnal at this point, he would become visable again but be played by another actor thanks to the toymaker. Intersting to think what might have happened is no one came up with the idea of regeneration.

That, apparently, was the gist of the story - this entity known at the Toymaker had trapped our adventurers and forced them to play games, most of the rigged to one degree or another against them. Only by winning all the games could they go free. Which, eventually, they do, by the Doctor very carefully not allowing himself to be rushed at the end.

One of the strengths of this episode is that the final puzzles are solved by reasoning and calm, thoughtful moves, not by letting one's emotions get the better of one. Indeed, it was literally running away with emotions that led to Cyril - the Hideous Hopscotch Man - dying a shocking death. Reason and logic and intelligence over brute force, once again. In fact, the Doctor's superior intellect even triumphs over trickery.

There were some problems with Cyril during production he was skirting near copyright infringement of Billy Bunter a problem that came up much later in the happyness patrol where the Candyman looks just like Berty Basset.

Though I don't entirely get the business with candy at the end - really, who would put something from the Toymaker in their mouths after all the cheating and trickery? But I suppose the Doctor had let down his guard in relief. Oops. And so we have yet another cliffhanger.

Thats mostly the link into the next story 'The Gunfighters' where the doctor gets his tooth extracted by Doc Holiday. Early on each series led directly into the next so there were no actual gaps just cliff hanger after cliff hanger, in some cases what we know think of as stories (4+ episodes together) weren't even given a single title as each individual episode had a seporate title.