Monk-y business
On this day (3rd July) in 1965, the first episode of Doctor Who story ‘The Time Meddler’ was transmitted. It’s fondly remembered as one of the best stories of the First Doctor era, despite the creative limitations imposed upon it by a reduced budget and the absence of actor William Hartnell for one of the episodes.
‘The Time Meddler’ was the final story in Doctor Who’s second season, and is significant in the show’s history for a number of reasons. It was the first adventure following the departure of original companions Ian and Barbara, and featured space pilot Steven Taylor (played by Peter Purves) as a new, regular addition to the TARDIS crew, following the character’s introduction in the previous story ‘The Chase’. It was the first story to combine a historical setting with a science-fiction premise. It marked the handover of the story editor role from Dennis Spooner (who wrote the scripts) to Donald Tosh. Who’s original producer, Verity Lambert, had decided it was time to move on from the show; she would produce the first five episodes of the third season before handing over to John Wiles.
Most dramatically, ‘The Time Meddler’ was the first time in Doctor Who history that viewers were introduced to another character (besides his granddaughter, Susan) from the same home world as the Doctor. Although it would be several more years before we would come to know them as Time Lords from the planet Gallifrey, the Meddling Monk (played by future Carry On star Peter Butterworth) and the Doctor are identified as members of the same race, with the Monk having his own TARDIS.
By the standards of the time, Dennis Spooner’s writing is a pacy and ingenious mystery with relatively little padding. Due to additional spending required on the previous story ‘The Chase’, the budget for ‘Time Meddler’ was limited, with no location filming and no specially composed music apart from some solo percussion. Director Douglas Camfield makes a virtue out of necessity, using the studio settings, back-projected clouds and stock music and effects to create maximum impact.
The Monk is a delightful character, more mischievous than evil, and Butterworth and Hartnell clearly relish their exchanges as the Doctor berates the Monk for his gleeful plans to interfere in the course of human history for the sheer fun of it. The character would return (again played by Butterworth) in the following season’s story ‘The Dalek Master Plan’, and more recently in Big Finish audio adventures, played by Rufus Hound. There have been many rumours over the years that the Meddling Monk could be due to reappear in televised Who… perhaps the time is right?
Commentary by Maureen O’Brien on the first episode of ‘The Time Meddler’ is available from Fantom on Who Talk: Adventures in Time (Special Edition), and the production of the serial is discussed in detail in Michael Seely’s biography, Directed by Douglas Camfield. Who’s There?: The Life and Career of William Hartnell by Jessica Carney is also available, in paperback and audio.
