G2 - The Unwilling Warriors

Do you see the picture above? That is the first time we see a Sensorite in a screen grab taken from the end of Episode 1 of this serial. Pretty creepy, no? For the recap in Episode 2, this sequence was reshot, and the Sensorite now looks a lot friendlier. Crisis averted. Sigh.

That little bait-and-switch sort sets the tone for this episode, an installment in which not a great deal happens after a promising first episode. We're told about what's on the planet (the Sense-sphere) that makes it so interesting to outsiders, the mineral molybdenum. Thanks to this interest, the Sensorites are jittery little fellows, and they have an official policy if imprisoning passers-by for eternity to prevent them from pillaging the planet.

The Sensorites are also quite fascinating for a Doctor Who alien race. They hate loud noises and dark rooms (must have been one hell of a party), and they practice telepathy on a regular basis. This rampant mindspeak seems to rub off on the TARDIS crew, too, as Susan suddenly turns into Counselor Troi and is able to send and receive messages to the Sensorites. (It's also implied that The Doctor picks up on this ability as he reads the mind of Ian).

Thanks to Susan's newly found gift (although it was hinted at in the earliest script drafts before the series even started production), she negotiates with the Sensorites to go down to the Sense-sphere and try to break the impasse between the humans and the Sensorites. And it only took a lot of slow, nervous wandering through corridors to get to this point.

Next episode - behold! The Sense-phere!