‘Doctor Who’ Recap: ‘The Faceless Ones – Episodes 4, 5 & 6’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episodes 4-6 of ‘Doctor Who: The Faceless Ones’.
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What is truly fascinating about big time franchises that have been around for decades on end, is that it becomes quite easy to lose sight as to why we fell in love with these franchises in the first place. Because the best parts of them are always on display, since those elements are the foundation of their respective storytelling. And truly, the only way to be refreshed upon what makes these shows and movies so great, is to take a moment and return to the beginning of the journey, so that one can see those all-important elements in the raw. If anything, this is relevant to today’s discussion, simply because last night’s special broadcast of Doctor Who served as the perfect opportunity to revisit the early days of this storied saga and be reminded of why we love it so.

Something that the finale of 'The Faceless Ones' accomplished in part, by pointing out how good the writing is on this show. Because while this particular serial was assembled in the 1960s, it did a lot of things that no science fiction series was doing at the time. In that, it presented aliens as more than plot devices or monsters eager to conquer mankind just because they can. Instead they are dynamic beings here. The kind that have depth and motivation behind their decisions and that is put on full display in this tale. Since we come to learn here that our baddies are in fact, a dying race. One that is in desperate need of fresh bodies to keep their species alive and while that is a cliché now, this was original writing back then and the wonder of this deconstruction doesn't end with this particular lesson.

For this serial also does a wonderful job of reminding us of how epic this show is on a consistent basis. Because this serial offers up a master class on building tension. Since it gradually builds to an intense finale, one that takes us on a wild ride through outer space and it doesn’t hurt that the stakes are incredibly high in ‘Episode 6’. Because seeing the Doctor do his best to escape assimilation/conversion at the hands of these mysterious chameleons, actually puts you on the edge of your seat and his incredible bluff to get them to see things his way, is equally as intense. For that keeps the clock ticking on his health and safety and outright future, and the same goes for his companions, and that’s the kind of high stakes stuff we love in the modern era of Doctor Who and the best part is, this sequence also helps to remind us that The Doctor, is the real reason that we fell in love with this franchise in the first place.

Because once again, his (and later her) cunning mind is front and center in this tale. And it is just a delight to see him work out the plan in real-time in these particular episodes. Since the manic nature in which he solves problems takes the center stage here once again, as does his no holds barred approach to getting the answers that he so seeks. Because it was quite bold of him to just threaten to liquidate an imposter in order to get answers, and it was equally as brave to sneak his way aboard the Chameleon Tour flight, since there were no guarantees that he was going to make it out of this mess alive and well, it is that bravery and the desire to keep his friends and all of humanity safe that makes The Doctor such a wonderful character. Since you just don’t see corporeal characters that can be physically harmed, put themselves in the path the danger as often as the Doctor does, and while deep down you know he will likely be okay, the quality of the story and the wonder of the moment helps us to get lost in the possibilities.

If anything, this was just a phenomenal serial when all is said and done. One that reminds us that serial storytelling wasn’t always the well-oiled machine that it is today. But if it wasn’t for shows like Doctor Who, the incredible story arcs we enjoy in popular culture now simply wouldn’t be possible. And it to top it all off, this is also a serial that actually leaves you quite hungry for more. Because that ending, where The Doctor has seemingly lost his TARDIS and is ready to kick off a search for it, leaves the viewer ready to begin that adventure as well. Because this is Doctor Who we are talking about here and older story or no, it is like reuniting with an old friend and hopefully, we get more of these serials down the line as BBC America and BBC continue to work to fill in the missing gaps of The Doctor’s incredible adventures. Because this was just a true treat and the perfect way to tide us over, while we wait for the Thirteenth Doctor to resume her adventures in this year’s holiday special.

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