The Space Museum

“We’re walking on dust. Several inches thick I’d say.”
”Yes, yes, so it appears.”
”So why aren’t we leaving any footprints?” – Ian and the Doctor

The Space Museum had a beautifully crafted mystery about it. From the get go something is very unusual, the Doctor and his three companions change outfits without being aware of it. The next mystery is when Vicki drops a glass only to have it reform in her hand. It keeps building up until the startling discovery of themselves in glass cabinets. On display.

“I think you’re going to be delighted. I’m going to come up with the solution.”

The premise of the episode is based around a conundrum, can you change the future once you’ve seen it? The situation of most of the first episode is explained by the TARDIS having jumped a time track, and so they can’t be seen, heard or leave footprints in the sand. It’s only upon their actual arrival at the end of the first episode the four of them are in any actual peril.

“I don’t mind telling you that thing gave me quite a start”

The serial makes great attempts to propagate fear through mystery, using the old idea of being afraid of that what we don’t understand. From Ian’s observations that they’re failing to be seen or heard to the sudden appearance of a Dalek. The feeling of fear is held together with the sharp electronic music. The episode takes darker turns as the conflict on the planet is revealed and indeed the curator’s less then kind intentions towards visitors, the seemingly innocent romp of the start is broken up when it becomes all to apparent the TARDIS crew are in terrible peril.

“The least important things, dear boy, sometimes lead to the most important discoveries”

The Doctor in this episode is at his usual cunning self, his encounter with the curator, as he jokes is filled with wit and humour as he misdirects all attempts to gain any information from him, such as presenting his mode of transport as a penny farthing. This particular encounter makes for a mysterious caricature of the Doctor, whilst at the start of the conversation it would appear as if the Doctor holds all the cards, he becomes drastically more powerless as he’s taken away.

“I’ve had enough of this”

The main characters all become increasingly exasperated at the conundrum they’re facing. With the Doctor held captive, the only one amongst them with any true idea of what’s going on, the unknowing of their situation fuels desperation as each of them is picked off one by one and it soon begins to appear to the audience that the fate of the crew is sealed.

“We had planned for peace and they for war”

Where the episode begins to fall down is with the introduction of the rebellion. Prior to this the episode strikes a good balance between alien and familiar, creating a strange hybrid, however with the coalition between Vicki and the Xerons becomes alien to the point of being daft. For a start, Xerons? Gimme a break!