A two part story written specifically to introduce a new companion, The Rescue has a reputation of being a quite average story. Read on to see if I hold this view...

It's obvious from the start of The Powerful Enemy, that the Doctor has been affected by Susan's depature in The Dalek Invasion of Earth - he sleeps through a materialisation (making a brilliant response to Barbara's hesitated comment that the TARDIS has landed), and has softened further to Ian and Barbara.

The TARDIS has landed in a cave system on the planet Dido, and another brilliant set designed by Raymond P. Cusick. His excellent design work is also shown in his designs for the ruined spacecraft, populated by Vicki and Bennett. Vicki here comes across as a quite enthusiastic and excitable young woman, in contrast to Bennett's apparent lack of energy. They are both under the control of the Didoan named Koquillion, who also injures Barbara, and traps the Doctor and Ian in the caves.

Barbara gets found by Vicki, and the two soon stike a good rapport, with Bennett reacting oddly to Barbara's presence. The Doctor and Ian find a way out of the caves, as the Doctor speculates about the apparent change in personality of the Didoan people - from peaceful to warlike. The Doctor accidentally triggers a trap, a trap that will either skewer Ian or send him down into the lair of a native animal...

Desperate Measures opens with the Doctor and Ian managing to avoid the trap, while on the spaceship, Bennett manages to disuade Barbara and Vicki from capturing Koquillion. While Vicki is out gathering water, the creature seen by the Doctor and Ian apporaches her - Barbara panics, firing a flare which kills it. It turns out the beast was quite friendly to Vicki, and that Barbara acted in haste, just as the Doctor and Ian arrive.

The Doctor and Vicki develop a quick rapport, with William Hartnell and Maureen O'Brien playing this scene out quite well. The Doctor goes to visit Bennett in his room, and discovers that he is missing. Following a secret tunnel, the Doctor discovers Koquillion - and it's Bennett in disguise. Bennett explains that he murdered a crew member, and when the ship crashed on Dido, the crew and the Didoans had a meeting, which Bennett blew up. With Vicki ill and unaware of any of this, Bennett could easily create a situation whereby Vicki would co-oberate his story. As Bennett goes to kill the Doctor, two Didoans appear, and Bennett dies. Vicki chooses to take the option of leaving with the TARDIS, as the two Didoans smash up the radio equipment in the space craft, once more preserving their planet from outsiders. The TARDIS lands on a cliff and topples off the edge...

Maureen O'Brien does a good job in her first story, making Vicki out to be a curious young woman, but one prone to be overcome by her emotions. William Hartnell redefines the Doctor, softening the character a bit further but still maintaining the character's edge. Ray Barrett does well as Bennett, disguising his voice and adjusting his body language when Bennett is disguised as Koquillion. The Rescue does a good job of introducing the character of Vicki, telling a quite reasonable story along the way.

7.9/10

Next time: The TARDIS crew live it up in Ancient Rome...

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