Serial F, in 4 parts
Written by: John Lucarotti
Produced by: Verity Lambert
Directed by: John Crockett
"In spite of its six basic sets, a small cast and a wordy script, The Aztecs is probably one of William Hartnell's best yarns with the high standard of writing and acting easily triumphing over the limited resources. Considered by Doctor Who buffs to be a classic, the gripping scenario remains potent to this day." - Richard Marson, from the 1985 Doctor Who Winter Special.
"To my mind The Aztecs was a more complex serial than Marco Polo as it dealt in far greater depth with the human relationships and conflicts of those involved. Essentially, it was Barbara's show as she was the central character, the reincarnation of an Aztec God..." - John Lucarotti, quoted in The Doctor Who File by Peter Haining (W.H. Allen: 1986).
"That one with the Aztecs in it was pretty good." - my friend Wise Pete.
I'm not going to beat around the bush; The Aztecs is the best piece of television I've ever seen. More like a filmed play than a TV show, this episode is high historical drama, untainted by silly science fiction cliches like giant robots and alien invasions.
This is the sort of episode - smart, literate, and entertaining - that sets Doctor Who miles above Star Trek, The Avengers, The X-Files, and all the rest of its competition.
This is no dry academic story. Lucarotti builds up tension immediately as the TARDIS is sealed inside an Aztec tomb. The Doctor and his companions are at the mercy of a civilized but ultimately barbaric society. Fortunately for them, Barbara is mistaken for a God, and she uses her authority to keep her friends safe for the time being.
The Aztecs aren't dopes, though. Tlotoxl, the High Priest of Sacrifice, is immediately suspicious of Barbara, and he hatches a series of devious plots to prove her false. Autloc, the High Priest of Knowledge, is more trusting of Barbara, but his faith is tested as she struggles to play her part properly.
While Barbara is contending with Tlotoxl, Ian develops a rivalry with the Aztecs' greatest warrior, Ixta. Susan is shunted into an Aztec seminary where the priests attempt to impose alien values on her. The Doctor romances an elderly Aztec lady named Cameca, but he has an ulterior motive; he thinks that she knows a way into the tomb where the TARDIS is trapped.
The fun twist is that, after a while, the Doctor really falls for Cameca. The Doctor is tempted, if only briefly, to stay in happy retirement with her. It's a lovely, bittersweet romance, the only on-screen relationship the Doctor had aside from his fling with Grace in the 1996 TV Movie.
The most interesting conflict is Barbara's. As a history teacher, she knows that the Aztecs are fated to be destroyed by the Europeans. Using her divine authority, she tries to reform the violent aspects of Aztec culture in the hopes that she will ultimately strengthen their society. Tlotoxl, who likes his job of cutting out people's hearts, resists her every step of the way.
Of course, Barbara is doomed to fail; in the Doctor Who universe, it is impossible for anyone to change the established flow of history. Watching The Aztecs is like watching a Titanic movie; you know that it'll all come to grief in the end, but you vainly hope that the good guys will win anyway. What's interesting about this episode, as opposed to The Massacre, is that the heroes manage to do some good as they persuade Autloc that human sacrifices are wrong. In a nice, tragic touch, this revelation so upsets Autloc that he leaves Aztec civilization forever and wanders alone into the jungle (so maybe the heroes didn't do much good after all!)
This being a balanced review, I guess I should say some negative things about the episode. Well, it's technically crude of course. Ixta's first fights with Ian look like they're filmed in slow motion, though thankfully their final battle is pretty exciting. There are a couple of shaky camera shots. The temple sets obviously ain't made of stone. A few fans have pointed out that Doctor Who's ratings dropped during this serial, but actually the drop came during the preceding story, The Keys of Marinus.
I'd like someone to explain that "wordy" script comment from The Doctor Who Winter Special - aren't scripts, by nature, wordy?
The episode's flaws barely distract me from a masterful script (I like John Lucarotti better than most famous writers of the 20th century!), excellent performances, and a fascinating set of moral conflicts. John Ringham really dives into his role as the evil Tlotoxl, creating one of Doctor Who's most memorable villains. Jackie Hill obviously relishes her chance to make Barbara shine, and Hartnell finally gets to soften up a bit and play a kinder, gentler Doctor.
I'd go on for another 1,000 words, but I'll let the episode sell itself instead. This is one video that shouldn't be gathering dust on any fan's shelf. Show this one to your skeptical friends, and you might just convince them that Doctor Who really is phenomenal.
Mini-Reviews and Quotes:
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OVERALL RATING: A
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