4 episodes
Aired between 17th December 1966 and 7th January 1967
Written by Elwyn Jones and Gerry Davis
Produced by Innes Lloyd
Directed by Hugh David
Synopsis
In fields of heather, the battle of Culloden rages, The lines of Sottish troops break, and the battle is over, leaving the wounded Laird Colin McLaren to flee the field with the help of his daughter Kirsty, his son, Alexander, and their piper: Jamie McCrimmon.
Landing nearby, the Doctor, Ben and Polly begin to explore the countryside, narrowly missing getting shot by a 10lb cannonball. Escaping their brush with death, the Doctor is all for leaving again, but Ben is just glad that they've arrived back on Earth and goes off to explore, forcing the others to go after him. They soon arrive at a cannon that has been spiked.
The Doctor picks up a nearby highland bonnet and tries it on, but decides it doesn't suit him so he casts it aside.
They are confronted suddenly by Alexander and Jamie and taken at knife point to a nearby cottage.
They are told that the bonnet belonged to Bonny Prince Charlie, and the group are mistaken for English looters. Alexander and Jamie prepare to kill them, but are convinced to stand down after Kirsty hears Polly mention the word Doctor. She begs the Doctor to look at her wounded father and try to help him.
Ben uses the distraction to snatch a pistol and points it at the Laird whilst the Doctor rounds up the other weapons. Despite this, the Doctor agrees to take a look at Colin McLaren.
He sends Kirsty and Polly to fetch water, and makes Jamie and Alexander to promise not to harm them. Once they've given their word, he makes Ben lower the gun. Ben reluctantly agrees, but as he tosses the gun to the table, it goes off,
Lieutenant Algernon Ffinch, out rounding up Jacobite rebels hears the shot leads his Redcoats towards the cottage, surrounding it. Alexander causes a distraction by charging them, but is shot and killed. The Redcoats enter and capture Ben, the Doctor and the Laird. They believe that Ben is an English deserter, and the Doctor cooks up a story that he is a German medical professional - Doktor Von Wer. Ffinch doesn't really care who they are and prepares to have them all hanged.
Elsewhere, Solicitor Grey (acting as his Majesty's Commissioner of Prisons) and his assistant, Perkins, watch the remnants of the battle. Grey comments that the killing of the Jacobites is all a terrible waste of manpower, as he believes they should be enslaved instead. With that in mind, they head off to try and obtain some Scottish Prisoners for just that purpose.
Outside the cottage, Polly and Kirsty return, causing a distraction to the soldiers. Ffinch takes a detachment of men after the girls, making sure that the Bonny Prince isn't trying to escape as a woman.
Ffinch leaves his Sergeant in charge of the prisoners, who orders them hanged in Ffinches absence,
Grey and Perkins show up, bribing the Sergeant to give them the men instead. The Redcoat agrees and the prisoners are taken to Inverness prison.
Kirsty and Polly make it in hiding to a cave, where they can hide and rest. Polly begins looking through their valuables for things they can bribe the guards with, but the only thing of value is a gold ring Kirsty wears. The Sottish lassie won't part with it for anything, which annoys Polly no end. So much so, that she storms off in a huff, despite Kirsty's warnings about being out on her own in the dark.
Sure enough, as Polly is wandering, she falls in an animal pit and can't get out. The ominous shadow of someone leers over the pit, holding a dagger. She needn't have been worried though, it's just Kirsty. Then again, when Kirsty tries to help Polly out of the pit, all she does is manage to fall in it herself. Their next plan is for Polly to climb on Kirsty's back and get out of the pit. Whilst she does, she spots Lieutenant Ffinch nearby with a group of soldiers. The officer chastises his men for letting two women escape them and sends them back down the hill for his horse. As he waits alone, Polly and Kirsty call out, drawing him closer to the animal pit until he falls in. They take him prisoner.
The Doctor, Ben, the Laird and Jamie meanwhile are taken to Inverness prison and placed in a damp cell. The Doctor takes the time to treat the Laird as best he can and thinks he'll recover. As he treats the man, the Doctor discovers that he's concealing the Bonny Prince's personal standard. The Doctor convinces Colin McLaren to give him the flag, saying that he'll not escape the gallows if they find it on him,
The Doctor rouses the prisoners to singe a beloved Scottish song. When the prison guards come to quiet them, the Doctor convinces the soldiers that he's discovered a plot to kill the Duke of Cumberland (insinuating that his fellow Scottish prisoners were preparing to bump the "German" doctor off for knowing their plan.). The Doctor is freed and taken away, much to the disgust of Jamie, who considers him a traitor.
Back in the animal pit, Polly steals twenty Guineas from the officer, as well as a lock of hair and his identity disc. Polly says that she will publicly humiliate him if he comes after them (announcing that he's been caught by girls). With that, they leave him alone in the animal pit.
At an inn known as the Sea Eagle, Solicitor Grey meets a sea captain called Trask. Grey instructs him to load the prisoners onto the Captain's ship: the Annabelle.
From there, they will be taken to the West Indies and sold as slaves. As they discuss the plan, the Doctor is brought before Grey. The Solicitor agrees to speak with the Doctor alone, but only if he covers the prisoner with his gun.
When they're alone, the Doctor says there was no plot to the Duke of Cumberland. Instead, he shows Grey the standard and suggests splitting the reward with him for the capture of Bonny Prince Charlie. Grey looks interested, but suddenly, the Doctor slings the flag over him, disarms him, binds the man and locks him in a cupboard. Perkins arrives, but the Doctor uses his German accent to convince the poor man that he's in fact ill, going so far as to bang Perkins' head on the desk and then tells him he's got a headache.
He sits Perkins at Grey's desk and blindfolds him. He tells him to get some rest and any noises he hears are all in his head. Perkins stupidly agrees.
Back at the animal pit, Ffinch is finally found by his Sergeant and the men. He orders the Sergeant to get him out, but the Sergeant blackmails the officer for money to allow his men to booze. The Lieutenant cannot pay because Polly has taken his money, All Ffinch can do is offer payment when they get to Inverness.
Thankfully for Grey, Captain Trask returns later and see's Perkins blindfolded and asleep at Grey's table. He frees Grey from the closet and after berating Perkins, they all set off to find the Doctor. They cannot find him however, as the Doctor has made his way to the inn's scullery and disguised himself as an old woman. Trask eventually gives up and orders the prisoners to be taken to the Annabelle. The Doctor watches them go.
They are taken by rowboat to the ship. As they go, the mean Captain Trask orders one of the bound prisoners to be thrown overboard to drown. He warns that this is the only way they will get off the Annabelle.
Once on the ship, Ben, Jamie and the Laird are thrown in the hold with the rest of the prisoners. There they meet William Mackay (pronounced McKye) who is the true owner of the Annabelle until it was stolen from him by Captain Trask.
Polly and Kirsty have finally made it to Inverness and manage to obtain some dresses to wear, using the disguise of orange sellers. Kirsty is unhappy about this, as orange sellers are commonly known as prostitutes, but Polly seems happy about the chance to get close to the soliders, to find out more information.
Poor old Lieutenant Ffinch arrives at the Sea Eagle, having marched all night. He comes face to face with Polly and Kirsty and begins to yell that these were the girls they've been looking for. He's forced to keep their secret however, as Polly slyly reveals the ID disc from around her neck. The Sergeant and his men are paid and are happy to go off drinking whilst Ffinch, Polly and Kirsty are left to talk alone.
Polly questions Ffinch and finds out that they need to speak to Solicitor Grey, head of the prison. Perkins arrives at the inn, and Ffinch directs them to him for more information. In his disguise the Doctor sees all this, but is unable to reveal himself.
On the Annabelle, Grey visits the prisoners, and tells them that they have three choices ahead of them.
1, Testify against their fellow Scots,
2. Get hung, drawn and quartered, or
3. sign a 7 year contract to work in the West Indies for the crown. After which they will be set free.
The offer sounds appealing, but Mackay shouts out that he's seen what goes on in the West Indies, and those that sign will not live to see the end of 7 years. Many go to sign, but Ben holds back until the last minute where he asks to read the contract. As it's handed to him, he tears it up. Captain Trask smashes him over the head and knocks him unconscious. A furious Grey orders him clapped in irons whilst he goes back to the mainland to draw up a new contract.
Polly and Kirsty spend some time with Perkins as they wait for Grey, but it becomes obvious that he's just stringing them along for the company.
As they try to leave, Perkins threatens them to stay and play a game of Whist with him, As they begin to play, the Doctor (still dressed as a woman) turns up and puts Grey's pistol towards Perkins, commanding him to stay at the inn whilst they leave. Before they can make a move however, Grey turns up and approaches Perkins. He doesn't see through the disguises, but finds the situation weird. He orders Perkins to leave the game and come with him to draw up new contracts. The Doctor insist's that the "girls" leave first and quietly warns Perkins that he'll be shot if he attempts to follow.
The Doctor, Polly and Kirsty make it to a nearby barn where the Doctor reveals that the gun wasn't loaded anyway.
He fills the girls in on Ben, Jamie and the Laird's location, and eventually comes up with a plan to use Polly's extorted money to buy guns to smuggle to the prisoners.
Perkins (obviously scared of the Doctor) says nothing about the altercation at the inn, and he draws three new contracts up for Grey. Together they go out to the Annabelle and start the process once again. For Ben however, Grey orders a "ducking" before he's brought on deck. Dutifully, Ben is bound and tossed overboard.
Back at the barn, Polly, Kirsty and the Doctor regroup. The girls have only a pitchfork, and other knackered weapons. The Doctor meanwhile has a bristling armory of rifles, pistols and swords. He spots Kirsy's ring and identifies it not as her fathers, but as the Bonny Prince's own. She admits that the Prince gave it her father for saving his life. The Doctor convinces her to part with it, saying that he'll now use it in turn to save her father's life in a trap for a very greedy man.
On the Annabelle, Trask pulls up the rope to haul Ben back out of the water, but finds nothing on the end of it. Sure enough, Ben has freed himself and swims through the icy water to the shore. No sooner as he steps onto dry land however, he is captured again by a redcoat. Exhausted, he happily gives himself up.
Luckily, the Redcoat turns out to be the Doctor in yet another disguise.
He takes Ben to the barn, where Ben then fills them in on what's happened.
The group come up with a plan to go back to the ship. Ben will sneak around the ship to give the guns to the prisoners, whilst the Doctor distracts Trask and Grey. Polly isn't happy with sitting back waiting, so the Doctor agrees to give Kirsty and Polly the job of delivering the weapons instead.
The group row to the ship, and the Doctor presents himself to Captain Trask, who takes him before Grey. The Doctor shows Grey the Prince's ring, and claims he got it from the Prince himself, who is currently being held prisoner. The Doctor says he's willing to tell them his whereabouts for 10,000 Guineas.
The plan is working, as Polly and Kirsty reach the hold and begin handing out weapons to the prisoners.
Grey agrees to the deal, but demands to know where the Prince is. The Doctor says that Jamie McCrimmon is really the Prince. Grey, Captain Trask and the crew take the Doctor to the hold. There, he points out Jamie. As the crew make their way through the prisoners, the Laird unleashes a battle cry and the fight begins.
As chaos spreads around them Mackay gets to face off against the traitorous Captain Trask. They fight long and hard, ending up wounding each other, but Trask manages to escape above deck. Ben turns up and confronts Trask too, but the sea captain bests him. He's about to kill Ben, but Jamie saves him by swinging swash-buckler style into Trask, knocking him down and eventually overboard.
The ship is ultimately taken, and Mackay gains control of it once more. He gives everyone free passage to serve on his crew, and says they will sail for France. The only people not to go, are the Doctor, Polly, Ben, Jamie, Kirsty, the Laird and Solicitor Grey, who are all put in a rowboat to get back to shore. Perkins is expected to go with Grey, but he begs Mackay to let him go with him to France instead. Mackay shows mercy and they let him come with them.
When they get back ashore, the Doctor says he intends to use Grey to get past the guards and back to the TARDIS. They are forced to hide in a boathouse when patrolling Redcoats come by, an opportunity that Grey uses to call out for help. The Redcoats here and when they investigate, Ben and Jamie are forced to fight them. In the chaos, Grey escapes and flees, leaving them with no bargaining tool. The Doctor says they will have to find another "ally", and Polly smiles.
The group head to the Sea Eagle where they find that poor Lieutenant Ffinch has been roped into a game of whist with a Colonel. Polly produces the ID disc again and they cook up a story that they've seen the bonnie Prince in the hills, and that they will lead the Lieutenant to him. The Colonel is all for the plan and orders Ffinch to go along and capture him. Reluctantly, Ffinch obeys.
The group travel all night and by morning, get back to the cottage where they met Jamie. On the way they fill Ffinch in on all that's happened. They are about to part ways, when Solicitor Grey turns up with a bunch of Redcoats. He congratulates Ffinch on capturing the rebels, but Ffinch says he's on their side, having heard the truth of slavery and profiteering at the hand of the crown. Grey objects and says that they signed contracts, so it's legal, but cannot find the papers. Ffinch orders him taken prisoner and leads them away. Polly graciously gives Ffinch back his ID disc and a kiss on the cheek before he departs.
Kirsty and the Laird are encouraged to go to France for a while until everything calms down, and Jamie is encouraged to come with them in the TARDIS rather than hiding in the highlands waiting to be killed. The Doctor agrees to the proposition, but only if Jamie can teach the Doctor the bagpipes. Jamie agrees and together they set off.
Triva
- This story was supposed to be written by Elwyn Jones, but (as notably happened with Terry Nation) when it came time to deliver, it turned out that Jones had been far too busy and hardly got any of it done. Script Editor, Gerry Davis took what notes there were and set about hastily writing the thing
- Jones wanted to do the battle of Culloden, something that was obviously too costly, so Davis looked around to see what could be done. He saw that they could hire Ealing Studio's water tank, and decided to rip off Robert Louis Stevenson's story - Kidnapped.
- One thing to note is that Frazer Hines had been a child star and worked with many people by the time he came into Doctor Who. He had even worked alongside Patrick Troughton three years earlier and had the honour of starring alongside Charlie Chaplin.
- Although the reasons for this are greatly debated, Innes Lloyd decided that the TARDIS would work better if Jamie were to stay on. At the point he'd made his decision, the ending had already been shot with Jamie waving goodbye to the TARDIS crew, so it had to be hastily re-shot when Frazer agreed to come on board.
- This is the last pure historical story (no alien intervention), until Black Orchid was shown in 1982
What worked
- Many think that the earliest example of feminism was Jo Grant strutting her stuff. Here, Polly is allowed to show great resourcefulness and has as much girl power as the Spice Girls. It's a shame she goes back to making tea for the blokes.
- As with the Power of the Daleks, the Doctor is full of japes here. The bit where he's convincing Perkins' he's ill is particularly entertaining
- The complexity of the story makes it a little more intriguing for older audience members
What didn't work
- It's a great shame that the battle of Culloden wasn't shown
- Ships and smugglers again makes it a bit tedious
- Captain Trask is really a shadow of Captain Pike from the Smugglers
- It's not a fault of the production company, but now this story is lost, the battle at the end is very confusing
- Although it's happened before where someone has come out of nowhere to be a crew member on the TARDIS, Jamie McCrimmon is totally out of left field. Surely Kirsty who took a more active part in the story would have been a better choice
- The Doctor's accents
Overall Feelings
In 2015, I find it difficult to give the Highlanders a fair shot. The reason for this is that it's only a couple of stories removed from the Smugglers which carries much of the same hallmarks, but in addition, the episodes are lost. There's not even any decent reconstructions online to fall back on, so at times the show is confusing.
It's clear that this story is tackled in a different way. Whereas violence and farce have been put together during Hartnell's reign, one generally comes after the other, and the harsh bits usually kept until the end. This story, with quite a violent and oppressive time period by all accounts, takes the issues and blends them with the Doctor gallivanting around in drag, doing stupid accents. Thankfully we're saved from the music to go with it.
If this is the case, you'd think I'd be jumping up and down with anger, but I'm not. Looking back, it seems like the wrong move, but when you're in the moment, watching it, it feels natural, like the Doctor can laugh and jape his way through anything, but when it comes to the companions fates, the stakes are suitably high.
Ultimately, this is simpler to follow than Power of the Daleks, and even the story that it was based upon, and gives Polly some excellent opportunities to shine. The problem is that it's more like a pirate story without the swash-buckling or people using pirate accents. It's Braveheart without any battles. Oh, ok there's one battle at the end, but not having seen it, it just makes it harder to understand what's going on.
Rating
6 out of 10
This story is far from the worst, but others have done the same things better
Rewatchability Factor
3 out of 10
Now I've seen it, I'm just content to understand that Jamie is convinced to join the TARDIS and will probably skip over it from now on.
Watch this if you liked...
- The novel: Kidnapped
Consulting the Matrix
Do you think Kirsty would have made a better companion than Jamie?
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