Last weekend was time for another Doctor Who DVD. Specifically, this time it was The Time Meddler, a First Doctor episode from 1965. We had actually been up to the Third Doctor, but in the mean time they released more earlier episodes, so we are back to the First Doctor again.

In general, I’ve felt like watching the First Doctor was basically an exercise in historical curiosity. They were interesting, but not compelling or really all that much fun to watch.

This episode surprised me. It actually kept me interested and engaged for the whole four episodes. (It helped that it was only four.) The Doctor was actually somewhat sympathetic. I didn’t mind the companions much. And I liked the whole premise behind the Monk. (He was another Time Lord, actively trying to change history to make things better, which of course violates various rules against interfering with history.) We got to see another TARDIS, which is always nice. It was fun.

I actually ENJOYED a First Doctor episode. (OK, some of the others were OK, but I definitely enjoyed this one more than any of the others I’ve seen so far.) This may be because this is the LATEST of all the first Doctor episodes I’ve ever watched. From things I’ve read, the First Doctor really grew into the character and became much more of a sympathetic character and in general the series matured a bit as things progressed. This was the very end of the Second Season. So maybe by then things had gotten into a groove and had become something that more closely resembles the later seasons that I am more used to. Dunno.

Anyway, I liked it. So if anybody out there is thinking of sampling a First Doctor story, I’d say this one is a pretty good place to start.