Every Doctor Who Debut Story Ranked From Worst To Best

Terrance Dicks was such a safe pair of hands, it is a wonder that he did not contribute more scripts to the series. Robot, a pastiche on King Kong, is by no means his finest or most original story. It is often dismissed as a pre-Hinchcliffe oddity, better suited to Pertwee’s era. That said, by following a tried and trusted formula, Robot neatly highlights the Fourth Doctor’s eccentricity compared to Pertwee’s more traditional action hero.

The bemusement of the Brigadier is brilliantly conveyed by Nicolas Courtney, and adds great entertainment value as a foil to the Doctor’s madness, especially in the much loved scene where the Doctor tries on various ridiculous costumes before settling on his bohemian look.

We are also treated to Sarah Jane back to her investigative best as well as being introduced to Harry Sullivan, who would sadly, and wrongly, be deemed surplus to requirements on account of the Fourth Doctor’s physicality.

But it is the astonishing performance of Tom Baker that steals the show. The new Doctor starts out rather moody and mysterious and like his Third self seems eager to get away in his TARDIS, but having finally got the chance to leave he quickly returns, enthusiastically remembering the Brigadier and Sarah, before with a twinkle in his eye he asks ‘What was that you said about a secret weapon?’

This is one of the most effective ‘I am the Doctor’ moments, achieved with wonderful economy by Dicks’ expert writing. From that point on, the Doctor is back.