Another day, another hour on the treadmill. My brain is kind of burned out right now, coming off of the furious activity to stage and perform my very first cabaret (it was a huge success). That being the case, I have nothing exciting to say above the fold.

So let's talk about brains in jars.

The Brain of Morbius - Parts 3 & 4

(TARDIS Data Core recap)

Don't take my lack of alliteration to mean that I didn't like the story. Quite the opposite, this is a fantastic story that is well told. Sarah Jane spends the entire third episode blind, while the Doctor rushes off to get the magic McGuffin to cure her (which turns out to be completely unnecessary, as her eyesight returns all on its own just in time for her to be attacked by the Robot Monster Morbius. The mad scientist has put the titular brain into a clear plastic sphere (after first dropping it on the floor, oops), and now Morbius is staggering around like a monster from a classic fifties sci-fi movie.

Specifically this one

Fortunately Sarah Jane is rescued by the mad scientist's assistant, who then promptly dies from not being required by the plot any further. The mad scientist is able to repair Morbuis' brain damage, and then promptly dies from a combination of cyanide and not being required by the plot any further. Then comes the inevitable showdown between the Doctor and Morbius.

Honestly, I think the giant Macra claw is a great style bonus

The interesting thing about the final showdown is that, in a mental duel between the two Time Lords, the images shown very clearly imply that the Doctor had several other regenerations prior to the William Hartnell version. Producer Phillip Hinchcliffe has very plainly stated that it was absolutely the intention of the sequence to show that the Doctor had eight previously-unseen incarnations, but that has since been completely ignored and waved away as non-canon. Bear in mind that the entire notion that Time Lords only get thirteen incarnations had not yet been introduced (I'll be getting to that story late next week). So if you ever want to win a trivia contest where you have to name all the actors who have played the Doctor on the tv show, once you have gotten through all of the obvious ones be sure to toss in Christopher Baker, Robert Holmes, Graeme Harper, Douglas Camfield, Philip Hinchcliffe, Robert Banks Stewart, George Gallaccio, and Christopher Barry. Then be prepared for nobody to believe you.

So yeah, great story. Maybe not my favorite, but still very much in the heart of the classic Who Horror era and great fun to watch. 

Tomorrow: Whatever you do, don't feed the plants.

STATS:

Doctor(s): Fourth
Companion(s): Sarah Jane Smith
Episode(s): The Brain of Morbius - Parts 3 & 4
Steps Walked: 6,982 today, 1,441,650 total
Distance Walked: 3.49 miles today, 715.94 miles total
Weight: 258.36 lbs (five day moving average), net change -48.94 lbs