From a 2022 rewatch of the Missing Episodes only.....
Episode 4; "The Tyrant of France"
(Using B&W Recon on Dailymotion)Dropped straight into episode 4, when I can't remember the finer details of what has been going on in Eps. 1-3.
A prison jailer is handed "evidence against a traitor" in the reprised cliffhanger.
Sorry, but I think that this is (probably) a rubbish cliffhanger from the outset. Maybe the traitor in question is one of the regulars, which I suppose gives it a bit of jeopardy - but I think it needs a facial reaction onscreen from the accused regular? If not then it's a doubly weak opening, with someone who's not one of the regulars accused of something.
And now we are almost immediately jumping to a rather nice drawing room where Lemaitre is there to see Citizen Robespierre. Again, who cares?
Gahhh! I spoke too soon. Lemaitre is actually the Doctor. I can imagine Hartnell loving wearing that gear at the time, much as he undoubtedly did dressing as a cowboy. Okay, think I am getting to grips with this episode now. The Doctor is clearing posing as this dignitary in order to affect the release of one or more of the regulars who are in prison - I assume and think.
That drunken trumpet player from the Myth Makers seems to be back again as he warbles over the belated opening titles at 1:03. :?
Wait, the Doctor is not alone. That must be Lemaitre that he is with. Somehow he has made friends with this Lemaitre bloke and accompanied him to see Citizen Robespierre.
I see Denis Spooner has written this lot, so it should have a fair bit of humour, at least.
So the Doctor is posing as a "Regional Deputy". So far as I can tell - not being a history buff - Robespierre and Lemaitre are the ones who have been executing the former rulers of the country. But the rest of this scene is just waffle to me. Blah, blah, blah. The only moment of excitement is when Hartnell namechecks the overall title of the story at 2:48. The acting by the two guest actors is certainly well done and fine - in a theatrical production kind of way, but I honestly couldn't care less what they are yapping on about.
4:30 - and thankfully it's a new scene. Susan and Barbara in some nice room, somewhere. So they're not in jail. Have no idea who the geezer in the stripey suit is, but already get the impression that he fancies Barbara a bit. The Loose Cannon subtitles say that his name is Leon. Don't know who the actor is playing Leon, but he is reminding me a bit of Edward Brayshaw who played, of course, the War Chief in "The War Games". Just similar sounding voice a bit imo.
Again, another scene where I have no idea what they are wittering on about really.
Nice moment with Barbara and Susan talking, where Susan notes that Barbara likes Leon.
7:30 and Barbara has just helped Susan up the stairs of the house while "Jean" and "Jules" look in through the downstairs window sinisterly. I again have zero idea who these two blokes are, but as they are then carrying a body with a hood over it's face and plonk it in a chair in the house I am getting definite Burke and Hare vibes, many years too early.
This can't help but remind me of that comedy sketch where Mark Gattiss and David Walliams are two fans who kidnap Peter Davison, but it's probably not going to end with kissing.
Oh God! It's Ian they've kidnapped. I actually thought he was already stuck in jail at this point, so it is a genuine surprise to see him being the kidnap victim.
8:30 and the Doctor has turned up at the jail. I'm just not sure why. Neither Ian, Barbara or Susan are in the jail and are now all at that mystery house. I can only guess that the Doctor thinks they are there, so his particular strand of the adventure at the moment is a bit pointless?
So Lemaitre insists on the Doctor staying so that he can have yet another meaningless conversation with him and Robespierre the next day. I think I always find it a bit tiresome when some historical figure, be it Marco Polo or this idiot Lemaitre insist on our travellers staying as the reasoning is always weak I think and the whole thing feels contrived imo. This feels the same.
10:05 and the Doctor is alone with the jailer. At last a chance for some humour, with the Doctor no doubt outwitting the jailer in some way and escaping? Let's hope so.
I see Hartnell keeps referring to his host as "Le-Mate!" Bless him!
There's a beat at 10:50 just after the jailer says "If he comes back and finds you gone it could be even worse!" Am fairly certain that there is a cunning eye-roll off Hartnell there as we see him thinking and scheming and immediately changing gear? One of those cunning, purse-lipped eye rolls that he used to do before trying a new tactic? I don't think he ever had the unpredictability of Troughton, but what a solid and consistent characterisation and I think Hartnell was brilliant at conveying what he was thinking or feeling in the moment to the TV audience at home.
I really thought the scene was going to end with the Doctor cunningly escaping, but he seems to have given up for now and is submitting to being shown his cell for the night.
11:08 and a new scene now with Lemaitre and some other bloke/shop owner who is reporting his suspicions about the Doctor. Lemaitre tells him to keep his suspicions quiet, so seems to be covering up for the Doctor?
12:15 and Ian wakes up, with "Jean" and "Jules" looking on. Barbara walks in and knows the two blokes - and there's a happy reunion with Ian. So the Doctor is the only missing element stopping them from leaving this tale. Maybe they should just call it a day and all three try to exit and fly the TARDIS themselves. But I expect Susan would go into 100% shrill "WE CAN'T LEAVE GRANDFATHER!!!!!!!" mode, worse luck. But I do think the Doctor would only have himself to blame with the scrapes he keeps getting them into.
Ian has been looking for Jules (and maybe Jean), but I have no idea why.
IAN'S REASON: He was stuck in a cell with a man called Webster who died, but not before asking Ian to contact a man called James Stirling. Oh, I couldn't care less about any of that. Luckily Ian honouring his promise somehow helped him find Barbara and Susan. Lucky break!
Then Jean starts moaning about not wanting to help the English. I don't know why Ian had to go and get himself involved with this malarkey in the first place. He should have remained detached from history and kept his focus on finding the others and getting out of this story imo.
So Jean is off to find the Doctor and Ian is going to stick around in the meantime and help find James Stirling.
17:35 and the Doctor's attempt to sneak past the sleeping jailer the next morning is foiled by Lemaitre stood blocking his escape. Not much of a scene. Could have done with some Hartnell outrage and bluster there?
18:30 and Danielle the maid says that the physician refuses to visit, so it is decided to take Susan to them instead. leading to a scene of the Physician saying that Susan has "a feverish chill" but that it is "nothing serious". I don't trust this physician. He wants to nip out for some reason, no doubt to snitch on them to whoever. He's locked them into his surgery too. Not a good sign.
20:50 and our trusty physician has jogged to the prison and is telling all to the jailer. And pretty much immediately Barbara and Susan are taken prisoner again by the guards the physician has returned from the jail with.
21:35 and Ian is told that he has to continue taking part in the boring James Stirling story strand of this story. Poor Ian.
22:20 and Barbara and Susan are back at the jail. I don't know why they bothered leaving to be honest. Leading to Barbara being reunited with the Doctor (after Susan has been taken back to her cell, unawares). But Lemaitre is outside the room listening to this reunion.
23:09 and it's the cliffhanger. Ian has turned up for some dumb appointment to meet Leon - for what reason I do not know. That stripey suited bloke who sounded a bit like Edward Brayshaw turns out to be the mystery guy Ian is meeting with and he has soldiers with him. Ian has walked into his trap.
Had no idea what all that James Stirling stuff was about and cared even less. But this episode has some nice moments that would be nice to find again, mainly Hartnell with the jailer and any scenes with the regulars in of course. But I do think that Ian's quest is a bit pointless and he shows himself to be honourable, but dumb in insisting on following through on such a mission. I preferred it when the travellers were hell bent on escaping from the story they have found themselves in, rather than getting caught up in local intrigue.
It's possible that the next episode may be better. Honestly am not sure yet, but this has a couple of moments of charm that would be nice to recover.