Marco Polo
There is one thing I know for a fact when it comes to the serial Marco Polo. I have not seen any of the episodes. This maybe the only serial which does not have any footage at all. The information I find it is that all they have are stills and audio recordings.(1)
I find that the Doctor Who production team decides to make a serial about a historical figure a great idea. Realizing the show originally is a children’s show, but what happens is that their parents and other adults begin to watch the show. I can’t say I know much about Marco Polo must less this serial. All I can do is give my opinion of the articles I read about it.
The serial has seven separate episodes and the BBC airs them between February 22, 1964 to April 4, 1964.(2) When I was in school, I do remember being taught about Marco Polo. Most of my memory of this historical person is the game Marco Polo you play in a swimming pool.
I really think this is a great idea by the production crew. The fact they are teaching the children in 1964 about such a figure is awesome. I am not from that time frame so I am not sure of how many other children show they are producing. What I do know that in the US they are producing children shows by the time I am five I believe. This is another day and time and education is not as much apart of the life of a child as it is now. Then you are not required to have a high school diploma or GED to get a job.
The use of the characters are necessary to make the show work. I wish there is some actual footage left. Maybe even the complete serial. This is a great serial to teach children about Marco Polo and his culture. I mean you will get to see China in 1289 as well as get to know Kublai Khan.
Since I am not an expert or know much about this historical event, I can suppose that it can either be true or false. I realize that Doctor Who is science fiction and just because they travel to a historical event such as this they will use actual true events from the time period. With that said, I can say they most like did a great job in writing this serial.
What I do like is that now they are beginning to animate this missing serial. They recently had a company make Power of the Daleks into a cartoon. That is awesome. With today’s technology they can do almost anything they want.
The Doctor meets Kublai Khan and from what I have read becomes good friends. This is awesome, but I do know it is fictitious. The parts to this include Marco Polo, Tegana, Ping-Cho, and Kublai Khan. The Doctor and his crew basically are stranded with the TARDIS damaged. They are in a very cold place and the TARDIS needs repair. There is not any heat or basic things for life to continue.
As usual, some one has to venture out and find trouble. Hey, it is not Doctor Who unless trouble is around. Well, they find a shadow and then that shadow appears at the TARDIS door. They meet Marco Polo and his caravan. He is heading to see Kublai Khan from what I understand. Tegana is there to try and kill Kublai but in the end that fails. They use seven episodes to bring every thing to fruition. My only comment it that it takes great mind to write such involved story. Without that mush information that is all I can say.
