Don't Shoot the Pianist (The Gunfighters Episode 2)

The one where the Doctor gets put in jail for his own protection...

The Clanton clan are gunning for Doc Holliday for his part in the murder of their brother Reuben. The trouble is, the real Doc Holliday (who's masquerading as Tombstone's resident dentist) has framed the Doctor so that the Clantons think he's who they're after. The Doctor looks the part, and is equipped with Holliday's own pistol and gun belt. How is the Doctor going to talk himself out of this one?

The fact is, he doesn't. There's plenty of delightful dialogue which William Hartnell absolutely revels in as the Doctor tries to bumble his way out of trouble, but in the end, he has to resort to the only language the Clantons understand - violence! Although the Doctor accidentally sets off his gun, it puts the Clantons on the back spur, and thanks to Kate's help, he manages to put the brothers into line.

William Hurndell continues to deliver the worst American accent ever committed to videotape in the name of British entertainment, while the way Steven is being written as an almost complete buffoon is starting to jar. I liked the Steven of last week, who was lighter and entering into the fun of being in the Wild West, but now he's like a totally different person. Purves plays it like a live action cartoon and this choice is a misfire - the script might be comedic, but nobody else is camping it up quite like Purves, and it sticks out rather annoyingly!

What I don't understand is why Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson - who know full well that the Doctor isn't Doc Holliday - don't just put the Clantons straight and tell them the truth. Instead, the sheriffs lock the Doctor in jail for his own safety while they try and maintain the peace by getting the real Holliday to leave town, and hopefully the Clantons too. Quite why Doc Holliday thinks the Clantons killing the Doctor in his place will solve his problems isn't clear - he says he can continue trading as a dentist under a different name, but at least three other people in Tombstone know who he really is. The fact the local dentist is actually the outlaw Doc Holliday surely wouldn't stay a secret for long?

The Clantons are a bit of a pushover though, lining up obediently at the behest of a doddery old man and a saloon singer (I suspect Kate has rather more to her repartee than just singing however - she claims to have known Jesse James, Billy the Kid and Johnny Ringo very well...). But they do manage to pull the wool over the usually so cynical eyes of Steven, who they convince to try and break the Doctor out of jail so that they can kill him for themselves! My big question is, though: why does Phineas suddenly have a stutter? I'm pretty sure he didn't stutter in episode 1!

Again, Hartnell is superb with the lighter touch. I love the way he spins his pistol and then asks "Mr Werp": "I say, can you do that?". Writer Donald Cotton does gift him some lovely lines though, such as: "People keep giving me guns and I do wish they wouldn't!"

Meanwhile, Dodo is being held prisoner by the real Doc Holliday in a bedroom of the Last Chance Saloon, where he plays cards with his girlfriend Kate. Jackie Lane, despite having changed her accent from the Cockney twang of The Ark to a private girls' school RP delivery here, continues to give Dodo great conviction. She's a ballsy girl who stands up for herself, sitting with her arms resolutely crossed refusing to take part in Holliday and Kate's game of cards. Holliday comes across as quite a lovable rogue, but there's a darker side to him for sure - he shoots poor old Seth Harper in cold blood (and Seth nearly takes the saloon bar with him!), and smacks Dodo on the bum in a decidedly Yewtree-esque moment.

The episode ends with the Clantons leading a mob of townsfolk through the streets to the jail, demanding the release of the Doctor (ie, Holliday) or else they'll hang Steven Regret. It's a pretty grim conclusion to an otherwise very light-hearted story. I mean, they want to hang Steven by his neck! The Doctor really will have to pull something out of his ten gallon hat this time (because Earp and Masterson are no more use than ornaments).

First broadcast: May 7th 1966

Steve's Scoreboard
The Good: William Hartnell far outshines anybody else in sight. He has such a talent for this material.
The Bad: William Hurndell continues to appall with that abominable accent. And Sheena Marshe's singing voice leaves a lot to be desired too...
Overall score for episode: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

NEXT TIME: Johnny Ringo...

My reviews of this story's other episodes: A Holiday for the Doctor (episode 1); Johnny Ringo (episode 3); The O.K. Corral (episode 4)

Find out birth/death dates, career information, and facts and trivia about this story's cast and crew at the Doctor Who Cast & Crew site: http://doctorwhocastandcrew.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/the-gunfighters.html

The Gunfighters is available on DVD as part of the Earth Story box set. Find it on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Earth-Gunfighters-Awakening/dp/B004T9DSTI