The Aztecs (TV story)

"You can't rewrite history. Not one line!"

- The Doctor

The Aztecs was the sixth story of Season 1 of Doctor Who. It was the first story to address the issue of altering the course of history.

Synopsis
The arrival of the TARDIS in 15th century Mexico leads the crew to encounter the doomed Aztec people, a mixture of high culture and brutal savagery side by side; and matters are further complicated when Barbara is mistaken for a god and the Doctor becomes engaged to be married...

Plot
The TARDIS crew arrive in Mexico in the Fifteenth Century. With the TARDIS trapped in a tomb, Barbara is mistaken for and assumes the guise and identity of Yetaxa, an ancient high priest of whom the Aztecs think she is a reincarnation. In her new position of power Barbara sees her chance to bring an end to human sacrifice. She sees the good side of Aztec culture manifested in Autloc, the High priest of knowledge, and the gruesome side manifested in 'the local butcher' High Priest Tlotoxl. As somewhat of an expert on this period, she sees how advanced their culture really is and believes that if sacrifice were abolished, they would be spared destruction at the hands of the Spanish. The Doctor's warnings that she cannot change history fall on deaf ears.

The bloodthirsty Tlotoxl begins to suspect Yetaxa is not what she seems, especially because she is trying to bring an end to human sacrifice. He sets a series of elaborate traps for her and her companions. For example, Ian has been conscripted into the military and must fight the strongest warrior, Ixta, to prove his ability to command the Aztec forces. Thus Ixta develops a grudge against Ian and is used by Tlotoxl to try and prove Barbara is not Yetaxa. The Doctor unwittingly tells Ixta how to defeat Ian in combat using a drugging agent. The battle nearly ends in the Doctor witnessing his friend's death. When this fails to be conclusive, Tlotoxl convinces the priest Tonila to make a poison for Barbara; the death of Barbara following consumption of the poison would prove she is not immortal and therefore not a god. Barbara refuses to drink the poison and tells Tlotoxl that she is not Yetaxa but warns him not to tell the people. He now knows the truth - but must find a way to unmask the false goddess.

Susan and the Doctor have meanwhile both become involved in marriage-making scenarios. She has transgressed Aztec law and has been promised to the Perfect Victim, who has been scheduled for sacrifice by Tlotoxl on the day of the next eclipse; while the Doctor, who knows little of Aztec customs, has become engaged to an Aztec woman named Cameca after they shared a cup of cocoa. Cameca is a kind lady and helps the Doctor and Ian find a way to re-enter the tomb by a secret entrance, despite realising this will help her beloved leave her. Ian braves a treacherous tunnel to re-enter the tomb by a secret door and soon tells his friends that they can flee.

Despite her efforts Barbara realises she cannot change an entire culture, although she does succeed in changing the views of one man, Autloc. He helps her become reunited with her friends before departing to meditate in the desert on what remains of his faith. In a pitched battle to gain access to the tomb door, Ian kills Ixta in a fight to the death to protect the TARDIS crew.

The Doctor and his companions leave knowing that despite their intervention history will take its pre-destined course. As they depart Tlotoxl is very much in control and sacrifices the Perfect Victim to end the naturally occurring eclipse.

Cast

 * The Doctor - William Hartnell
 * Ian Chesterton - William Russell
 * Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill
 * Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford
 * Autloc - Keith Pyott
 * Tlotoxl - John Ringham
 * Ixta - Ian Cullen
 * Cameca - Margot Van der Burgh
 * First Victim - Tom Booth
 * Aztec Captain - David Anderson
 * Tonila - Walter Randall
 * Perfect Victim - André Boulay
 * Aztec Warriors (all uncredited) - Brian Baker, John Beavis, James Duval, James Fitzgerald, Andrew Jacks, Alan Viccars
 * Aztec Citizens (all uncredited) - Eileen Brady, Lionel Gadsen, Alice Greenwood, John Moore, Bill Raynor, Stella Wilkinson
 * Double for Ian (uncredited) - David Anderson
 * Double for Ixta (uncredited) - Billy Cornelius

Crew

 * Writer - John Lucarotti
 * Director - John Crockett
 * Producer - Verity Lambert
 * Script Editor - David Whitaker
 * Designer - Barry Newbury
 * Assistant Floor Manager - Ken Howard
 * Associate Producer - Mervyn Pinfield
 * Costumes - Daphne Dare, Tony Pearce
 * Fight Arranger - David Anderson
 * Fight Arranger - Derek Ware
 * Incidental Music - Richard Rodney Bennett
 * Incidental Music Conductor - Marcus Dods
 * Make-Up - Jill Summers
 * Production Assistant - Ron Craddock
 * Special Sound - Brian Hodgson
 * Studio Lighting - Howard King
 * Studio Sound - Jack Brummitt
 * Studio Sound - John Staple
 * Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire
 * Title Music - Ron Grainer

Story Notes

 * All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
 * Negative film prints of all episodes where recovered from BBC Enterprises in 1978.
 * John Lucarotti spent a lot of time researching the real Aztecs before writing this story.
 * Carole Ann Ford was on holiday during the filming of episodes 2 and 3 and appeared only in pre-taped film sequences.
 * The credits at the end of episode 3 had to be re-filmed as they were not acceptable for broadcast.

Ratings

 * The Temple of Evil - 7.4 million viewers
 * The Warriors of Death - 7.4 million viewers
 * The Bride of Sacrifice - 7.9 million viewers
 * The Day of Darkness - 7.4 million viewers

Myths

 * The costumes used by the Aztecs covered more of their body than was the case in reality so as not to offend 1960s standards of decency (The costumes used had been researched before filming and were accurate reflections of those worn by the real Aztecs).

Filming Locations

 * Ealing Television Film Studios
 * Lime Grove Studios (Studio D)

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

 * During the fight sequences in episode 4 it is clear that doubles are being used for William Russell and Ian Cullen.

Continuity

 * One of the few examples of The Doctor being involved in a romantic relationship. Other examples include BFA: Loups-Garoux, BFA: The One Doctor, DW: Doctor Who: The TV Movie, ST: The Queen of Eros, EDA: Casualties of War, Sam Jones especially in EDA: Seeing I, and DW: The Parting of the Ways.
 * The Doctor tells Barbara "You can't rewrite history! Not one line!" It is unclear if this means it is impossible to alter established history or that it is an ethical principle. By contrast, the Time Lords explicitly ask the Doctor to change history in DW: Genesis of the Daleks. By the time of his tenth incarnation it's clear the Doctor no longer believes this as an absolute and at one point says outright that "History can be rewritten." (DW: Forest of the Dead)
 * In NA: Timewyrm: Exodus it is suggested that only Time Lords or other very powerful individuals can change the course of history.
 * By contrast, EDA: Interference suggests that any individual can change the course of history, including the Doctor, but he has chosen not to do so. In Interference, he actually influences events to allow Sam to change the course of history.
 * In DW: The Unquiet Dead, the Doctor tells Rose that history is always in flux, and it can change "just like that." This theme is later developed in DW: Father's Day; however, it was suggested that since the destruction of the Time Lords, time has become more flexible.

DVD, Video, and Other Releases
DVD Releases

Released as Doctor Who: The Aztecs.

Released:
 * Region 2 21st October 2002
 * PAL Region 2 - BBCDVD1099


 * Region 4 2nd December 2002
 * Region 1 3rd March 2003
 * NTSC - Warner Video E1719

Contents:
 * Remembering The Aztecs - Interviews with John Ringham, Walter Randall, and Ian Cullen.
 * Designing The Aztecs - An interview with set designer Barry Newbery.
 * Restoring The Aztecs - A look at the digital remastering process for the DVD.
 * Blue Peter - The Story of Cortez and Montezuma (UK tx: 21st September 1970).
 * Making Cocoa - An animated guide to making cocoa the Aztec way.
 * Arabic soundtrack - The final episode includes an option to view it in Arabic.
 * TARDIS-Cam #3
 * Photo Gallery
 * Production Subtitles
 * Easter Egg (BBC Enterprises Globe)
 * Commentary: Verity Lambert, William Russell, and Carol Ann Ford

Rear Credits:
 * Starring William Hartnell
 * By John Lucarotti
 * Produced by Verity Lambert OBE
 * Directed by John Crockett
 * Incidental Music by Richard Rodney Bennett

Video Release

Released as Doctor Who: The Aztecs. This was originally going to be a Woolworths exclusive release, but at the last minute the company decided on a colour release instead (The Twin Dilemma).

Released:
 * UK November 1992
 * PAL - BBC Video BBCV4743


 * US May 1994
 * NTSC - CBS/FOX Video 8100
 * NTSC - Warner Video E1257

Notes: The 'Next Episode' caption has been removed from Episode 4.

Target Novelisation

 * This story was published as Doctor Who: The Aztecs, published by Target Books in September of 1984, ISBN 0-426-19588-4. The story was written by John Lucarotti, based on his script. It was number 88 in the series of 156 Doctor Who novels published by Target.