Over the years Doctor Who has encountered a smorgasbord of Forteana.
1. An Unearthly Child
The very first episode introduces the Doctor and Susan (his “granddaughter”). Why is it particularly Fortean (apart, obviously, from from featuring time travel and alien visitation)?
Well, today a child like Susan could be labelled an Indigo Child. Indigo Children are, according to some New Age thinkers children with extraordinary abilities who represent the next stage of human evolution.
How does Susan do on a quick “Is Your Child an Indigo?” Survey? She may well be (but apparently I might have been one too!)
2. Terror of the Zygons
The Loch Ness Monster is an alien cyborg! Someone should tell the Loch Ness and Morar Project.
3. The Unquiet Dead
The Unquiet Dead touches on the Victorian craze for Spiritualism and seances. Psychic servant girl Gwyneth gets in touch with some “spirits”. But they are not quite what they seem…
4. The Satan Pit
Given that writer and producer Russell T. Davies is an atheist. (He’s even made this celebrity atheist list – so I don’t think it’s just a phase). So it’s quite a surprise for Satan himself to make and appearance in this episode.
This episode reminds me of the “MINERS FIND HELL” story: now sadly debunked.
5. Army of Ghosts
Lots of “ghosts” in this episode but as in The Unquiet Dead they are not what they seem. Remember: “A footprint doesn’t look like a boot.”
6. The Abominable Snowmen
Giant hairy beasts are attacking and anthropologist and explorer, Professor Travers is blaming the yeti! But as the Doctor points out this is very unlikely, real yetis are timid, shy creatures. The truth? Blame an extradimensional being: The Great Intelligence.
7. Horror of Fang Rock
It seems that there’s a sea monster around Fang Rock lighthouse. Are they safe from it in the lighthouse? Or is it really an alien entity with a sinister agenda? (HINT: People aren’t what they seem)
The episode may have been inspired by the real life disappearance of several lighthousemen in the Flannan Isles.The Doctor even quotes from a poem inspired by the case.
8. Pyramids of Mars
Mummies are killing people in a suitably creepy mansion. But they aren’t just reanimated Egyptian corpses they’re under alien control: like the yetis…and the Loch Ness Monster….and the ghosts.
9. The Daemons
Turns out that demons and horned gods throughout history have actually been aliens. Daemons from the planet Daemos who arrived a million years ago. Ever since they have been influencing Earth’s history.
This also features a rather nice Pagan lady called Olive Hawthorne, who is what I always think Dion Fortune might have been like.
10. Planet of the Spiders
Psychically charged stones. Incantations. The power of meditation. Giant Spiders. A stage psychic who only pretends to be a fake (do you think that’s what Derren Brown does?).
NOTE: Much of this information was gleaned from the internet to fill in my scant memories from Target books from my local library and UK Gold reruns. Basically, the first episode of Dr Who I remember is the one where Romana leaves and even that’s hazy.
