Who Review #16 - the Space Museum

The TARDIS materialises in a museum on the planet Xeros. Strange things happen: a broken glass comes back together, the crew leave no footprints in the dust and they cannot be heard or seen. The museum has a Dalek amongst its displays as well as the Doctor and company!

The crew have jumped a time track and must do something to prevent this possible future. They wait a while and then the exhibits vanish as the the time anomoly corrects itself. Now the crew are back in the time stream, can be seen and know what will happen if they fail. The problem is they don't really know what they must do because simply leaving might be the very thing that results in them being put in the museum.

Xeros is inhabited by the warlike Moroks, who invaded the planet and who add aliens to their museum, and the Xeron slave class. Vicki and Barbara assist the Xerons to overthrow the Moroks. Inevitably, all four are captured by the Moroks in episode 4 but they are saved by the Xerons who destroy the museum. Their futures have been saved and the Xerons reclaim Xeros.

The first episode is quite mysterious and seems to be setting up a good story. Unfortunately, the other three episodes plod along at a sedate pace and are a bit dull. There are some good scenes: Hartnell hides in a Dalek to escape capture and imitates its voice; and where the companions discuss the Dalek exhibit.

Vicki helps the Xeron revolt and is quite strong willed. If it were Susan, she would be cuddling Barbara, going: "They have captured grandfather. I hope he is alright...sob. sob:" The difference between the two is so clearly marked in this episode. It's intriguing how TV often has these revolution plot lines, but when you talk of revolution people dismiss the idea!

The highlight of this story is the very end: far away on Skaro, the Daleks are getting ready to pursue the time travellers.
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