7. The Massacre Of St. Bartholomews Eve
The last historical on this list and the third and final story contributed to by John Lucarotti (though the final script was written by Donald Tosh). All four episodes of this intriguing story are missing. What Ive enjoyed when preparing for this article, is reading up on the missing stories and finding snippets of reviews from the archives. What really intrigued me about
The Massacre was the nature of the historical event that the Doctor and Steven find themselves in. Following on from the epic horrors of
The Daleks Master Plan, this story finds our characters in Paris, 1572 on the verge of a plot to massacre of 3,000 Protestants. Its a somber tale and essentially a Doctor-lite story, as the Doctor is missing throughout episodes 2 and 3, focusing instead on Stevens involvement with the Protestant movement and his encounter with a serving girl Anne Chaplet who is tragically left behind in the end of episode four, just as the massacre begins. Or is she? The closing moments of
The Massacre have The Doctor and Steven arrive in 1966 London, where they encounter a new companion Dodo Chaplet. Annes descendant? Its one element of mystery to this story. The other? The Doctor himself. The titular character may be missing from much of the story but William Hartnell is very much on screen, playing a very different character, the sinister Catholic Abbot of Amboise. Audiences must have been left guessing if this really was the Doctor. And equally shocked by the characters demise in the closing moment of episode three. It would appear theres a lot to intrigue us in this story. To see the Hartnell playing another role alone would be worth the find. Plus, the final episode has this magical speech by the Doctor himself to Steven, who is dealing with the trauma of loosing Anne (shortly after loosing two companions Katarina and Sara in the previous story). A speech where the Doctor has just shut the Tardis door on Anne.
(Possibly in a very similar way to older Amy in The Girl Who Waited?)
My dear Steven, history sometimes gives us a terrible shock, and that is because we dont quite fully understand. Why should we? After all, were too small to realise its final pattern. Therefore dont try and judge it from when you stand. I was right to do as I did. Yes, that I firmly believe.(AS STEVEN LEAVES THE TARDIS)Steven Even after all this time, he cannot understand. I dare not change the course of history. Well, at least I taught him to take some precautions; he did remember to look at the scanner before he opened the doors. And now, theyre all gone. All gone. None of them could understand. Not even my little Susan. Or Vicki. And as for Barbara and Chatterton Chesterton they were all too impatient to get back to their own time. And now, Steven. Perhaps I should go home. Back to my own planet. But I cantI cant I dont know about you, but this could have been Hartnells best moment as the Doctor. Its a shame we might not ever get to see it.