The Romans

Story Title: The Romans
Episode Count: 4 Series: 2 Story No: 4
Doctor: 1st Companions: Ian, Barbara & Vicki
Date(s) Watched: Sunday 4th January 2009

A strange one this one, I found it highly enjoyable considering it meandered between a comedy & drama throughout. Again the sets, music & actors were all on form throughout this one. Hartnell still has his more “jovial” side on in this story & Vicki is fitting in rather nicely with the team.

What’s rather interesting with this one is how the two teams (Doctor & Vicki and Ian & Barbara) have completely different experiences & adventures in the story from the point of view that The Doctor & Vicki’s story is the more humorous story with Nero being played as a rather camp, randy, buffoon who becomes rather childish if things don’t go his way. One thing I do like about the way Nero was played was that he breaks the fourth wall on more than one occasion (for example when his servant gets accidently poisoned)

Ian & Barbara had a far more dramatic journey, being kidnapped, split up as they were sold on as slaves and nearly got killed in the end. Not only that there was an “implied” attempted rape by Nero on Barbara, which somewhat jars with his rather camp portrail in this story.

However I found the story highly enjoyable & wouldn’t have any problems watching it again.

Overall Rating: 4/5 – Mad, odd mix of comedy & drama throughout the story, but nether the less, it’s still highly enjoyable.