The Aztecs

The Temple of Evil [Episode 1]

Thanks to a reprise from the previous episode, we see that same model shot yet again for the third time in our recent past.

Hannah: (beaming) It's so cute!

The TARDIS arrives in an Aztec tomb. This period of history conveniently happens to be Barbara's specialist subject, and she wastes no time in helping herself to the corpse's jewellery.

Hannah: I like how she's nicked all that stuff that doesn't belong to her. And very coincidental that they just happen to be in a period of history that's her speciality.

For the first time since they left Peking two stories ago, Ian has finally changed his clothes.

Hannah: Oh, he's got his boring clothes back on. He looks so much better in his Chinese garb.

Thanks to her grave robbery, the natives mistake Barbara for the reincarnation of the high priest Yetaxa. This causes some confusion for Susan, who points out that the high priest was a man and asks how Barbara can be mistaken for a reincarnation of him; Barbara tells her that the physical form isn't important. Hannah senses that I'm watching her expectantly.

Hannah: (smirking) You're looking at me because you want me to make some kind of comment.
Me: Such as?
Hannah: Such as a man dying and reincarnating as a woman. I won't go there! The form isn't important. All that matters is that you've got the same bracelet or spaceship.

Ian is drafted into military training and is introduced to Ixta, his rival to command the Aztec army. Hannah admires the attention to detail...

Hannah: They've done their research for this; I've seen those weapons before. Though I don't like Ixta's pullover.
Me: Yeah, this is the same writer who did Marco Polo. And he apparently had a keen interest in Aztec culture, which must have helped.

...but unfortunately her admiration only lasts until the first fight scene, which suffers a lot from the small studio and leaves her distinctly unimpressed.

Ian is given the task of escorting a human sacrifice to the altar and holding him down. Despite his protests, the Doctor insists that he must do it, leaving Hannah to consider this moral dilemma.

Hannah: Hmm. I understand, and yet at the same time I find it uncomfortable. He wandered into their civilisation, it's their way of doing things, and also if he interferes he'll probably get killed himself, so he doesn't have much choice. But I don't think I could do it.

This debate segues into one of the defining moments of the early era, where the Doctor forbids Barbara to interfere and tells her that she can't rewrite history; not one line.

Hannah: That's not true though. You can rewrite some history.
Me: Yeah, but it doesn't often end well. Besides, at this point in the show I don't think they've decided that it's possible yet.

All this discussion leads to a very unsettling moment in the ceremony where the sacrifice is prevented, only for the victim to kill himself anyway to restore his honour.

Hannah: I thought Barbara was going to stop it but Susan got there first and messed it all up. If Barbara had done it, everyone would have asked why and she'd say "because I'm a god and I tell you," but because she's protecting Susan they've realised she's clearly not a real goddess. I like that the guy threw himself off the mountain.
Me: You're so morbid.
Hannah: Not that it happened, but that's exactly what they would have done, judging from my small knowledge of that history. It was an honour, you're doing it to help everybody and you get to go and see the gods first. I don't know a lot, but I definitely believe he would have killed himself.

The Warriors of Death [Episode 2]

Me: Did you know that Oxford University is older than the Aztec Empire?
Hannah: That's crazy. It's so hard to get your head around how the timelines of different countries intersect and compare with each other. But maybe it's obvious to some people; I get timelines wrong. I'm a rubbish archaeologist.

Ever the man of hidden talents, Ian manages to paralyse Ixta with his thumb.

Hannah: Did he know the Vulcan death grip?
Me: Star Trek still hasn't been invented yet.

But Ixta himself isn't entirely without resourcefulness, and manages to deceive the Doctor into providing him with a poisonous flower for the next contest.

Hannah: That's just some normal lily of the valley, but you know, whatever.

Meanwhile Tlotoxl is attempting to ridicule Ian, but Ian is quite happy to throw a retort back in his direction.

Hannah: I love the fact that they're really getting into playing their parts. Ian's having loads of fun pretending to be a servant to the gods.

Once again, the confined studio doesn't do the fight scenes any favours.

Hannah: What, they're doing it indoors?
Me: Why not?
Hannah: There's things to bump into. Ah, they've got mats down, that's nice.
Me: Robot Wars happens indoors.
Hannah: Yes, but they've got walls to stop the robots from getting away. Did Ian learn judo or something?

The Bride of Sacrifice [Episode 3]

Hannah: Dramatic xylophone! There's a lot of grabbing people and taking them to one side. I love all the layers of manipulation in this.
Me: Yes, the whole thing is very Shakespearean. Tlotoxl is pretty much doing Richard III.

The Aztec woman Cameca clearly likes the Doctor (quoth Hannah: "meow") and happens to be carrying some cocoa beans. The Doctor keenly offers to make them both a cup of cocoa.

Hannah: Oh, they're making hot chocolate? Pretty sure that's a marriage proposal. Silly Doctor.
Me: Maybe that's why Hot Chocolate sang "You Sexy Thing".
Hannah: Yes, I'm sure that's exactly why.

Neither of us are sure why Barbara would admit to Tlotoxl that she's not Yetaxa, especially when he's already trying to kill her for being a false goddess.

Hannah: Odd. I wouldn't have expected her to have admitted it.
Me: Yeah, it's probably not the best tactic.

It's worth it, though, because she's delighted when Tlotoxl "looks like he's having a grump" in his next scene with Autloc. She also finds it rather sweet when the Doctor and his new fiancée start planning a future together.

Hannah: Aw, he's playing house!
Me: What?
Hannah: You know, as kids when you pretend to have a house and garden.
Me: Oh, okay. I genuinely thought you meant that Hartnell was playing his character like Hugh Laurie.
Hannah: Don't be silly.

She seems to be enjoying the story. Given that it's the first great classic to survive in the archives, this is something of a relief.

Hannah: I'm very influenced and biased on this. It's going to be difficult to make a good judgement because I really like that period of history.

The Day of Darkness [Episode 4]

Hannah: Susan isn't in it very much.
Me: Do you know why?
Hannah: Was she on holiday?
Me: Yep, Carole Ann Ford had a two-week holiday and only appeared in one pre-recorded scene for each of the middle episodes.

But now it's time for her to re-enter the plot, so Ian mounts a rescue mission. He attacks Ixta and makes remarkably easy work of it.

Hannah: I hope he broke Ixta's neck. How did he get in? I mean, in other episodes they spend ages trying to get out of places, but here it's just "he found a way in round the back and got past the guards, don't worry about it, and they just happened to leave only one person guarding her at the time."
Me: He can do anything, he's a mighty warrior and the servant of Yetaxa.
Hannah: He's a science teacher who knows judo.

Ian and Susan rejoin the others and they get to work on trying to re-enter Yetaxa's tomb and regaining the TARDIS. Hannah is confused that they seem to be ahead of schedule.

Hannah: I can't believe they're going to escape and it's only seven minutes in.

And, after taking a moment to reflect on this...

Hannah: Therefore, I don't believe they're going to escape.
Me: You didn't really think they were going to leave before the eclipse, did you? It's in the episode title and everything.
Hannah: I don't know. They seem like they're ready to go.

Sure enough, Tlotoxl has set a trap for Ian.

Hannah: That was the shittest trap and capturing I've ever seen.
Me: It worked, though.
Hannah: Unfortunately yes, it's really disappointing! Ian poked a hole in it straight away but they just carried on regardless!

But when they finally get away, it's a bittersweet ending all round; our heroes make their escape but Barbara has failed to make a difference to the Aztec civilisation and also deceived Autloc, the only man she respected. The Doctor clearly doesn't feel good about leaving Cameca, either.

Hannah: I'm sad that he had to leave his lady friend, and that Barbara had to give up on her hopes and dreams and trick her friend, and that people still had to die.

The Score

Hannah: I love that period of history and I'm always very interested in it. And I like the story, the idea that they come out of the tomb and the Aztecs instantly assume she's a goddess. Yeah, it wasn't bad this time.
Me: Talk about damning with faint praise.
Hannah: No, I mean I've usually got things to pick apart and criticise, but a lot of this is very believable. People have a very strong religious belief system, and if you can manipulate that you can make things happen, which is what they did. They granted her a position of power which means that the control was mostly in her hands, but with just enough looseness from people not believing her that it still provided some threat and intrigue.
Me: I've always found it interesting that the villain has the moral high ground in this one. He's right that she's a false goddess, and he's just trying to protect his people and their way of life. It's the heroes who are in the wrong this time.
Hannah: Maybe I also liked it because there was very little Susan. What did I give Marco Polo? I think I like this more.
Me: An eight.
Hannah: In that case...

9/10