Episode 10: "Dinosaurs Make Anything Better" - Season 2 Wrap-Up & Classic Comics Triple Feature - Patreon Exclusive

SEASON TWO RETROSPECTIVE: The Best Overall Hartnell Season

John opens as "Donald Tosh, story editor" while Jim claims the mantle of "Dennis Spooner of podcasting" - fitting since Spooner wrote both the season's best (The Time Meddler) and worst (The Romans) stories. The hosts agree Season 2 represents the pinnacle of Hartnell's era, ramping up quality from Season 1's foundation.

COMIC STRIP REVIEW #1: "Prisoners of the Grittog" (July 1, 1965) TV Comic Holiday Special, Four Pages (Black & White with Red Tones) Writer/Artist: Neville Main

Planet Spectra forces down approaching ships and imprisons crews as spies. The Doctor uses a flute (foreshadowing Troughton's recorder!) to summon alien dinosaurs to destroy the force field. First story not starting with the TARDIS arrival!

COMIC STRIP REVIEW #2: "Moon Landing" (July 19 - August 2, 1965) TV Comic, Three Parts Writer/Artist: Neville Main

Set in 1970 (one year off from real 1969 landing!), British astronauts land on the moon to discover the TARDIS already there. Professor Rawlinson leads the mission with oddly specific character design. The Doctor rescues astronauts from a crevice, reminding them about moon gravity via blackboard (!).

COMIC STRIP REVIEW #3: "The Penta Ray Factor" (July 10 - August 28, 1965) TV Century 21, Seven Parts Writer: David Whitaker (from Terry Nation's plot) Artist: Richard Jennings

Jim's Major Disappointment: After four strips of brilliant villain-protagonist storytelling, the focus shifts to boring planet inhabitants rather than Daleks' perspective. "I wanted the Daleks to wipe them out! The Daleks are just so uninteresting in this."

The Daleks employ un-Dalek tactics, approaching as "friends" to learn weaknesses - something Jim hates even when TV show does it. Complex subplots involving lazy ruler's son, cousin politics, and underutilized female character bog down the narrative. The Penta Ray device drags with repetitive theft/swap plotting.

LOOKING AHEAD:

• Doctor Who and the Daleks movie discussion coming
• Hiatus comics: "Time in Reverse," "Lizard World," "Prisoner of the Kleptons" (oh no!), "The Caterpillar Men"
• 1965 Dalek/Doctor Who music featuring Roberta Tovey (movie Susan)

Subscribe to The Doctor's Beard Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and all major platforms. Share your Season 2 hot takes and Dalek strip disappointment by emailing [email protected] or joining our Facebook and BlueSky communities.

Become a Patreon member for early access, exclusive content like Episode 10's season wrap-ups and comic bundles, plus upcoming movie discussions and watch parties!

Hashtags: #DoctorWho #Season2 #FirstDoctor #WilliamHartnell #SeasonWrapUp #TimeMeddler #DalekInvasionOfEarth #TheRomans #IanChesterton #BarbaraWright #Vicki #Steven #WilliamRussell #JacquelineHill #MeddlingMonk #Animus #JulianGlover #JeanMarsh #TheCrusade #WebPlanet #DoctorWhoComics #TVComic #PrisonersOfTheGrittog #MoonLanding #NevilleMain #JohnAndGillian #JillianWatch #SpaceProgram #Apollo #NASA #1970 #Daleks #PentaRayFactor #TerryNation #DavidWhitaker #RichardJennings #DalekChronicles #VillainProtagonist #Disappointment #FocusShift #ClassicDoctorWho #Season2Retrospective #BestAndWorst #CompanionAnalysis #GuestStars #RetroComics #BritishComics #1965Comics #DoctorWhoPodcast #TheDoctorsBeardPodcast #PatreonExclusive #Episode10 #Whovian #DoctorWhoFandom