I am going to start by saying: I really miss my own treadmill, and the repair parts can't get here fast enough. This morning during my workout, there was a heated basketball game going on directly in front of me. That's usually no big deal, except there were also two Alpha Jocks arguing over something, which culminated in one of them screaming about how he was a natural leader, and people follow him because (again) he is a natural leader. Just as a quick tip, if you have to loudly insist multiple times that you are a natural leader, you are by definition not a natural leader. You are just a loud jerk making my workout miserable. Grr.

Regarding today's episode, it is Steven Taylor's first trip on the TARDIS. He doesn't believe it is really a time machine. He is proven wrong.

Let's talk about that.

The Watcher

Vicki and the Doctor (who are both missing Ian and Barbara in their own ways) hear a noise from the TARDIS living quarters. It turns out to be Steven, who somehow boarded without them noticing. Soon enough he is cleaned up and welcomed as a full part of the crew, and they materialize in eleventh-century Northumbria just before the Viking invasion that will lead to the Battle of Hastings. They have landed in front of a tall cliff face on the shore. The Doctor, being a waspish prick, declares that he is going to walk down the shore until he finds a comfortable path to get up to the land above and that Vicki and Steven should wait by the TARDIS until he waves from them above, and then he strides away. Steven, being an impulsive lunkhead, declares to Vicki that there is no point in them staying with the TARDIS, and they should just climb up the cliff and meet him halfway.

There is also a mysterious Monk, who has observed the TARDIS' arrival from the cliff above.

Blah blah, the Doctor finds out about this mysterious Monk from a local woman. Blah, blah, Vicki and Steven are captured by other locals who believe they might be Viking spies. They are later released, and head out to find the Doctor, who has subsequently been imprisoned by this mysterious Monk who has several anachronistic items like a record player and a wristwatch. As soon as he is trapped, William Hartnell promptly heads out on vacation for the rest of the day.

The Meddling Monk

No sign of the Doctor this episode, Presumably William Hartnell had a lovely week off. In the meantime, a group of Vikings land as the spearhead of an invasion. Vicki and Steven go to the monastery to search for the Doctor, and both immediately suspect the Monk is up to something. Blah blah, they end up sneaking in and find the cell where the Doctor is being held. But when they draw back his blanket, it turns out to be a lump of hay. The Doctor is still missing! Roll credits.

As you might have noticed, I wasn't particularly engaged by these episodes. Not horrible, but not terribly interesting either. Maybe I was put off by all the fighting happening on the basketball court. I think tomorrow I'll try one of the treadmills in the other room.

STATS:

Doctor(s): First
Companion(s): Vicki, Steven Taylor
Episode(s): The Watcher, The Meddling Monk
Steps Walked: 6,727 today, 272,386 total
Distance Walked: 3.19 miles today, 124.56 miles total
Weight: 294.66 lbs (five day moving average), net change -12.64 lbs