Reaction

‘There's been a forest fire. Everything is sort of white and ashy.’ Barbara ‘A funny mist.’ Ian ‘the heat must have been indescribable.’ Doctor. I love how they are basically narrating the story here 
Another eerie kind of opening, the black and white and small surroundings really help with that 
‘He seems to have a knack of getting into trouble.’ Ian. so there’s no trust here between Ian and the Doctor, why should there be? He is going to get them into trouble. ‘Do you think there's any danger?’ Barbara ‘Not necessarily.’ Ian ‘but don't be too complacent.’ Barbara  
‘Don't you ever think he deserves something to happen to him?’ Barbara. Barbara! ‘Yes.’ Ian chuckles. 
Bloody hell, Ian is so quick to get to Barbara’s side, he breaks the flower.
He’s chivalrous or has a crush on Barbara or both. Definitely.
‘It’s certainly alien to anything on your planet.’ Doctor 
‘We're not on Earth then.’ Barbara ‘No, certainly not.’ Doctor. Barbara’s face! Newer companions are over the moon to be standing on an alien planet but Barbara, no 
Ian has sealed his fate here, pointing out the city to the Doctor. Of course, he’ll want to explore.
‘A very good idea. I'm hungry.’ Doctor  
The food machine! 
The fluid link, and Ian has already sussed the Doctor’s ruse 
A couple of hours, does Ian really think that's possible? Banking a lot on the city having mercury as it is 
The old blow up pictures 
SHE SCREAMS 

thoughts

I think The Dead Planet was a good opening episode, the food machine scene takes you out of it a little. I like the first episode, not just in this story, 60’s Who in general, where the group has no idea where they are, there is time to explore and build up the story. You just can’t do it with a 45 minute episode. There is the added complication of needing to find mercury for the fluid link. Plus they are slowly being affected by radiation, which they are not aware of yet. I like the design of the city interior and exterior. We end the episode with Barbara screaming her head off after being menaced by what appears to be a … sink plunger.