why and how, we shall always remember EDITORIAL them. COOL THINGS by Alan Stevens Fiona’s eulogy for David Collings closes this issue. “Take me down to By Fiona Moore and Alan Stevens Where the Vocs are green Lastly, I would like to thank JL Fletcher for yet ❄ and the girls are pretty.” another breathtaking, full-colour postcard, 34 Cool Things about The Face of Evil trees, the Tesh are up to something, or the this time themed on… the Storm Mine (And 16 Stupid Ones) great god Xoanon extends much further than Yes, we’ve gone Vocing mad! murders!  (But we’re not telling you which is which) anyone realises). (We're expecting you So buckle up for a journey into the to work that out for yourselves) 8. A lot of industry goes into making a ‘Boucherverse’, as Fiona Moore and I tackle crossbow, so the Sevateem are really not as eugenics, religion and colonialism on an 1. The depiction of the Sevateem primitive as they look. unnamed planet ruled by the great god demonstrates, from the start, that they aren’t Xoanon! just an ordinary primitive tribe, as Andor’s 9. The god Xoanon, according to the throne includes visible computer parts. Sevateem, is held captive by the Tesh, driving Fiona then takes a look behind-the-scenes their rivalry against the other tribe. of and shares some 2. The cape he’s wearing is also presumably fascinating production details, before the expedition’s flag. 10. Neeva, also, must clearly recognise that treating us to a sample chapter from her although the Doctor has the Evil One’s face, up-and-coming critical monograph on the 3. Later, the first scene of the Tesh, with he has Xoanon’s voice. aforementioned story, by way of The Black candles placed haphazardly all over pieces of Archive book series. Issue 506 advanced equipment, shows us they aren’t 11. If you think about it, denies Xoanon Edited by Alan Stevens just an ordinary technological society, either, and sides with the Evil One. But we haven’t finished yet. Ann Worrall Cover by Andy Lambert but perhaps, one rather more primitive than delves into the politics, strategies, and mind- Proofreading by Ann Worrall they seem. 12. In case you hadn’t heard, a xoanon is the bending questions raised by Magic Bullet’s and Fiona Moore ancient Greek name for a carved statue of a Kaldor City audio drama series, which leads us Postcard by JL Fletcher 4. The jungle sounds first appeared onDoctor god. If you go to the Parthenon Museum in nicely into a presentation by Sarah Egginton Who in Mission to the Unknown. They also Athens (well worth the price of admission), and myself of a complete, annotated version Published by the reappeared in The Daleks’ Master Plan and you can spend your visit surrounded by of the warped game of chess that took Appreciation Society Planet of the Daleks. xoanons. place between the psychostrategist Carnell Layout by Nicholas Hollands and possessed robot V31 for the Kaldor All content is © 5. The invisible “monster” in the jungle is not 13. The Sevateem warrior tasked with City Taren Capel Master adventure ; the episode, relevant contributor/DWAS unreminiscent of the Visians from guarding the Doctor has his thumb stuck incidentally, that inspired artist Andy Plan. down the front of his loincloth. Lambert to produce this issue’s magnificent No copyright infringement is intended wrap-around cover. 6. The Doctor’s first scene has him actively 14. “And the Evil One raised the Tower of CONTACT US: breaking the fourth wall and speaking to the Imelo and the Black Wall and gave them I was the producer of Kaldor City and it was DWAS, PO Box 1011, viewers at home. to the tribe of Tesh.” The Sevateem litany immense fun, and a real privilege, to work Horsham, RH12 9RZ, UK covers everything you need to know as to with Chris Boucher and to write for and what happened following the Doctor’s last direct such a talented cast. Russell Hunter, or email: [email protected] visit to the planet. Peter Halliday, Paul Darrow, Peter Miles, Scott Frederick, Philip Madoc and Peter FIND US ONLINE 15. “Xoanon has promised us victory.” “No. Tuddenham have now all passed away, and He has promised you. And you have promised it’s with a great sadness that I have to add www.dwasonline.co.uk us.” An important distinction. David Collings to the tally. facebook.com/dwasonline twitter.com/dwas63 16. “Speak to me, Xoanon, that I may know Fortunately for us, their vitality lives on youtube.com/dwasonline your will. Speak, Xoanon. Speak.” WARRIOR through their tremendous work and this is 7. There appear to be corrugated pipes in [OFF CAMERA]: “Shaman Neeva! It’s time to instagram.com/dwasonline the jungle (either they are very pipe-like - 2 - - 3 - leave!” This is actually quite a funny moment, 24. Xoanon, it’s worth noting, has at least 31. Planet of Evil Recyclingwatch: jungle 36. Ghost Light would later go on to heavily but not really telegraphed as such. one female-gendered persona. planets, invisible creatures, CSO phantoms, rip-off The Face of Evil, with its backstory of stranded spaceship crews who want to kill an exploratory mission where the Survey 17. One can’t help but be impressed with 25. It’s pretty surprising that the Sevateem’s the Doctor. went forth to study the planet and Control actor David Garfield’s ability to keep a medikit is still working, considering the stayed behind at the spaceship. Light is completely straight face while playing Neeva conditions in which it’s kept. 32. Forbidden Planet Recyclingwatch: Xoanon. the Shaman, clad in leatherette and sporting invisible Id-Monsters terrorizing spaceship an armoured spaceglove on his head. 26. “Answers are easy, it’s asking the right crews, a forgotten high-tech civilisation, 37. Also Paradise Towers, where the Doctor questions that is hard.” one person’s repressed psychological issues is first greeted by the Caretakers as the mapping themselves onto a machine and Great Architect returned, and then slated for 27. “Neeva! Is it really you? They told me you putting everyone in danger. execution. were dead. Or was it the other way round?” What, you told him they were dead? 33. The Deadly Assassin Recyclingwatch: 38. It’s worth repeating that in the 1970s, Societies mired in ritual and grown ignorant most people genuinely believed psychic 28. The Horda look like Cybermats. of the uses of their technology. powers were scientifically possible, so the Tesh’s telepathy isn’t a gratuitous insertion 34. The concept of an electrified floor and of fantasy into an otherwise sci-fi narrative. Leela falling under Xoanon’s control and attacking the Doctor in Part Four make it 39. Worst digital clock ever. tempting to set up a Death to the Daleks Recyclingwatch too, but we’ve probably 18. “Gods don’t use transceivers.” “Are you done enough of those. certain?” That’s actually a good point on Leela’s part. 35. The tunnel the Doctor and Leela enter in Part Three after going into the monumental 19. There’s one other female warrior in the effigy of the Doctor’s face, has certain design Sevateem, but we get no idea what the features that are not unlike those we’ll see people, male or female, who aren’t warriors inside of the Doctor’s brain during The or Neeva, are up to throughout all this. Invisible Enemy. Make of that what you will. 29. The Sevateem aren’t stupid, are clearly 20. Where are the baby Sevateem (to say capable of learning from observation, nothing of all those leather thongs and highly and have a motivation to investigate the engineered crossbows) coming from, if there behaviour of the Evil One’s creatures, so it’s 40. How did the Doctor get that mirror in his are no others? surprising they haven’t made the connection hand to fuse the particle analyser? He takes about the “phantoms” being attracted to it out of his pocket in the previous scene, 21. While perhaps it’s not surprising that vibration themselves. just before Jabel stuns him with his psychic the Doctor doesn’t really think about this powers. when he’s telling Neeva to get the Sevateem 30. “The nose could be a shade more aquiline. behind the barrier in Part Three, it’s more and the noble proportion of the brow hasn’t 41. The Tesh’s shoes are a rather lovely shade surprising that neither Leela, Calib or Tomas been perfectly executed.” Apparently the of green. seem to be concerned about saving the non- Doctor is vain. warriors. 42. The Doctor admits that he may have forgotten to wipe his personality from the 22. The Tesh aren’t particularly any better computer out of egotism. Which is very on the subject of equal rights, for all they’re much in keeping with the , but supposed technological and scientific unusually self-aware of him to admit it. advancement. 43. Artificial intelligence would go on to be 23. One does wonder if the female Tesh are something of a theme in Chris Boucher’s all hidden away somewhere in the city, or writing, for instance in The Robots of Death, if they’ve mastered cloning and become a Corpse Marker, and to some extent in Star single-gendered society. Cops. - 4 - - 5 - 44. The sight of stuntman Stuart Fell in Part 49. Chris Boucher has said he found it difficult also found I benefitted from the existence of Unfortunately, the nature of the book I Four is a dead giveaway that something to come up with lines for Xoanon, because the Internet hivemind: I’d known before that was writing meant that a lot of the things I violent is about to go down. how can one write dialogue for God? This is my friends have tremendous expertise in all found out in the Written Archive didn’t make also the reason why the Fendahl Core, in his areas related to Doctor Who, but you never it into the volume. The Robots of Death later story Image of the Fendahl, is silent. know quite what that means until you’ve had had a relatively unproblematic production to track down a secondhand reference from history as Doctor Who serials go, and most 50. The ending of the story, according to a a short-print-run zine that’s now over twenty of it is well documented and attested in 2013 academic article by Lindy Orthia, is a years old. I also really enjoyed being able to , online, and in the critique of colonialism. The Doctor, intending explore the rehearsal scripts and identify how many interviews and commentaries on its to do good by the expedition, winds up much of the serial’s dialogue was original to various DVD releases, meaning that the book corrupting the computer with his identity script writer Chris Boucher, and how much focuses less on the issues of production and and imprinting a distorted image of himself was down to the Fourth Doctor Tom Baker more on the story’s development over the all over their society (significantly, given and actor Greg de Polnay, who played robot script-editing process, on how and why the the Jodie Whittaker incarnation, including detective D84, working various things out in design works so well, the history of multi- a female voice). In the end, to repair the rehearsal. ethnic casting at the BBC, analyses of class damage he has done to the colonised society, and artificial intelligence, and an overview 45. Also, the demise of the Tesh acolyte all he can do is wipe his personality and walk of the ways in which the story has gone on certainly features in the annals of spectacular away, leaving the colony’s leaders to resolve to influence spin-off media and the revived TV electrocutions. their problems themselves — but then sets series. With a forty thousand word limit, that himself the patriarchal task of educating meant a detailed production history was 46. “The flesh is strong and we are weak” is Leela out of her supposedly primitive ways. surplus to requirements. an interesting inversion of Matthew 26:41’s Clearly he never learns.  “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” However, this means that I can share with you here the delightful information that 47. The Doctor attributes Neeva’s immunity the crew room set was to be supplied with to Xoanon’s influence on his being psychotic.. stuffed olives, blackcurrent cordial, ginger A case of madness doing good for a change. cordial and “burnt sugar”, or that the props team had requested “2lb jelly babies” and 48. The Doctor’s been unconscious for two One of the real highlights for me was getting “1/2 dozen sweet packets”, presumably days. Why hasn’t anyone thought to move the opportunity to visit the BBC Written expecting Tom Baker to get through a few him to someplace more comfortable than Archives Centre. Driving off to a secret bags of them. the computer room floor? location in the Berkshire countryside, only to find that the staff have gone above and beyond my request and found not only a file on The Robots of Death, but a supplementary file on the career of Doctor Who’s then VOCS POPULI current script editor, Robert Holmes (perhaps unsurprisingly, mostly consisting of notes By Fiona Moore whereby he is asked to write a story, and follow-ups where he returns the money for When I heard that The Black Archive were rehearsal drafts.” Which was a long way unfulfilled commissions). running a call for proposals on 1970s Doctor of saying, “I’ve been waiting to write this Who, I knew exactly what I had to do, and volume all my life. Commission me.” The contents of Uvanov’s desk and wall safe sent them a pitch as fast as possible. It said, in are also itemised as props. While most of the somewhat more formal language of course: And they did. cast were London based, Tania Rogers lived “I have worked with most of the surviving in Birmingham. Michael E Briant begins his cast on the Kaldor City series (a sequel to The The main issue I faced when writing it was memo requesting the use of Camera Crew Robots of Death), interviewed members of finding the time. I have a regular academic One for the serial with “Dear Philip, thank the production team, have a demonstrated job which, while rewarding and exciting, you for Elizabeth’s goodbye party — I was academic expertise in writing about culture, unfortunately isn’t in media studies, and rather sad.” class and power in 1970s television, and so doing research for the book had to take have access to the otherwise-unavailable place on evenings and weekends. However, I - 6 - - 7 - There was also an excellent series of the third time we’ve had major problems with memos circulating about a problem with Scenic Servicing this year to the detriment of EXPRESSIONISM AND THE the sets. A 6 December 1976 memo from the show.” On December 13, he then makes a “W.W. Poole, To HSO Tel.” (Head Of Studio complaint to Controller Programme Services, ROBOTS OF DEATH Operations Television) and various others, Television, relating to the fact that on 5-7 including “P. Hinchcliffe” (producer) and “M. December “my production was seriously By Fiona Moore Briant” (director), reported that on Sunday impaired by Scenic Servicing problems.” 5 December, the only set ready for lighting These, the memo details, led to camera An excerpt from the forthcoming The Black a 2000 article, argues that the industrial was not required until “Day Three”; of the rehearsals starting late, damage to scenery Archive volume #43. imagery of the film, with its crowds of workers other four sets, one was “damaged almost necessitating repairs, and a half-hour of moving in unison, is visually connected to beyond recognition” and on December 6 camera rehearsal time having to be devoted The Expressionist-influenced design of The the concept of ‘scientific management’, the “most setting completed during morning fine to lighting sets: “In the event the production Robots of Death (1977) fits perfectly with industrial practice of breaking down factory lighting time.” The memo continues: suffered an over-run of 45’ on the third day the themes of the text. A key concern of the tasks into specific, efficient movement which, considering the problems, could have period dating from the turn of the twentieth routines, incorporating workers as human “Rec[ording]: very rushed recording handled been alot [sic] worse.” He ends the memo century through to the beginning of the components in a mechanised production with speed and dexterity by director and with: “This is not the first time this season we Second World War was the mechanisation of process. She argues that the fear of machines crew but many corners had to be cut and have suffered major problems with Scenic society, and the consequent blurring of the runs through the film: results less than the immaculate standard Servicing. Are we to take it that we can no boundary between human and machine. The not only that the workers that we expect. Setting and lighting still longer rely on ‘Dr Who’ being set and lit in question of whether or not a machine could will be dominated and showed the frayed edges of a rushed set up. one day?” become intelligent, emotionally as well as enslaved by machines, 52 shots not rehearsed or recorded.” intellectually, underlies the Frankenstein- or that all the people of While the matter seems to rest there for the themed Expressionist cinema: films like the city will be rendered He adds: moment, a rather telling follow-up memo Der Golem (1915), Homunculus (1916) helpless by their exists dated 20 December, from Philip and Alraune (1928) featured robot-figures dependence on them, “I was surprised the director was prepared to Hinchcliffe to A/H of Personnel, Television elevated above brute machine status, but but that, in creating the work under these conditions. As late as 16:30 Programmes: not fully human, and usually perishing (or Maria-Robot, the scientist Rotwang has on Sunday, scenic painters were still at work causing others to perish) as a result of this usurped the female procreative role. This and the noise of scenic operations was louder “Due to circumstances beyond my control contradiction. comes through during The Robots of Death than the artists. Is there any explanation that (namely planning problems) Michael Briant in the image of a luxurious, mechanised I can give to my staff about this particular will be fully employed on ‘Dr Who’ 4R for society that nonetheless is shot through with scenic setting failure?” three weeks longer than his contract runs fear that the robots may, through accident or at the moment. This is not a case of the outside design, turn on their creators, and odd day falling outside his engagement Taren Capel, raised by robots (usurping the period, it is extra work incurred because of maternal/paternal nurturing role), coming production problems and I think he should to identify with them, rather than humans be compensated accordingly.” (while also, in a complex pattern, viewing them as his social inferiors). Although the "production problems" which bedevilled the series in the 1970s are too Insanity, again, is a common theme to both well attested to warrant their own chapter in Expressionism and The Robots of Death. this particular Black Archive volume, it was David Collings’ performance as Poul sinking exciting to be able to follow the situation as This receives its modern into madness upon seeing it unfolded, forty-three years later. iteration in D84; the blood on the hands of a robot fact that D84 does not is a visual echo of the scene As for the material which did make it into the survive the story echoes the trope that the in Metropolis in which This is followed up by a December 8 memo book… well, you’ll just have to read it and Frankenstein’s-monster character, if they are Freder sees what he thinks is from Philip Hinchcliffe, complaining about find out for yourselves!  not murdered, usually commit some form of his beloved Maria — but is the same issue, saying “I might add that this is suicide before the end of the film. actually her robot double — in the arms of his father; This tension between machine and human he collapses, wide-eyed can be clearly seen in director Fritz Lang’s and moaning, becomes Metropolis (1927). Ludmilla Jordanova, in catatonic, and experiences - 8 - - 9 - surrealistic visions in which the Maria-Robot Uvanov, on the other side, is someone of less approach is to revive past design, as in the with colour-coded piping of 1975’s The Ark becomes the Whore of Babylon. While we elevated origins who, through his skilled job also-near-contemporary original Star Wars in Space (reminiscent of the contemporary don’t get to see what, if any, visions Poul is as a Storm Mine captain, is either rich or on trilogy (1977—83), drawing on such imagery Space: 1999 [1975—77]), or the rather experiencing, the parallels are clear. his way to becoming so, and yet he resents as nineteenth century gunslingers, early groovy costumes of 1969’s The Seeds of the status of Founding Family members twentieth century Mexican revolutionaries, Death. There had, however, been some It’s perhaps also worth noting that the only such as Zilda and Chub. Expressionist films and traditional Japanese clothing. experimentation in historical-futurism version of Metropolis available for viewing are ambivalent concerning the idea of around the time ofThe Robots of Death, with in the 1970s (and which, according to the toppling aristocratic hierarchies: Metropolis, the Second-World-War-inspired aesthetics of DVD infotext, was screened by the BBC in for instance, has the workers manipulated Genesis of the Daleks (1975) and the Gothic 1975) was the 90-minute American release, into revolution by the factory-owning costumes and sets of The Brain of Morbius that, having removed the subplot of the love classes in order to discredit their leaders (1976) and The Deadly Assassin (1976). triangle between Joh Frederson, Rotwang and bring them back under control of the But The Robots of Death stands out for the and Hel which drives most of the action in factory-owners, though it concludes with extent to which it adheres to Expressionist the original version, instead came up with an egalitarian message calling for mediation design. As Philip Hinchcliffe observes on a an alternative plot motivator that the Maria- between society’s “hands” and “head”; documentary on the Special Edition DVD: Robot had been created in order to calm and the idea of the proletariat as dupes of pacify the workers, but, instead, went insane, malevolent forces crops up in other Lang “That retro look hasn’t dated… but actually it broke its programming, and incited them to films such as Doktor Mabuse, Der Spieler means the programme stands up better than rebellion instead. This combines the themes and Die Nibelungen: Kriemhilds Rache (The it would have done, if we’d done our idea of of anxiety about mechanisation, madness Nibelungs: The Revenge of Kriemhild 1924). a modern robot then, which now would look and class tension in a single story concept, Soviet Expressionist films, by contrast, rather out of date.” much as does The Robots of Death. are obviously more sympathetic to the working classes, with Aelita (1924) giving Less dramatically, a similar approach is taken Taren Capel, as well as picking up on both us a decadent Martian society in need of by the designers of the revived Battlestar these themes, as a man driven a proletarian revolt. While The Robots of Galactica (2003—10), which attempts to mad by the mechanisation of Death leaves the class issues of its society encourage the audience to identify with the society, also fits with another unresolved, Boucher would revisit them later denizens of the Twelve Colonies by having the common Expressionist trope, in his sequel novel Corpse Marker (1999). characters dress, eat, smoke and drink much that of the brilliant, but as people do in the present, providing the insane, genius with a sadistic ‘Timelessness’ and Expressionist Design sense of alienness by juxtaposing elements need to control his underlings that are disparate in our present world as well as his victims (‘I am Generally speaking, visual representations (characters having names from a variety of your master!’ Capel rages of future societies tend to pursue two world cultures, for instance). In practice, of impotently at SV7 as he dies at the robot’s strategies. One is to try and imagine genuinely course, most designers will combine the two hands). Doctor Mabuse, antihero of two Lang different-looking fashion, aesthetics, and strategies, albeit leaning more towards one films of this period (as well as a further Lang even language: for instance, The Robots of than the other. It’s also worth noting that the same strategy film in the 1960s), disguises himself in order Death’s near-contemporary Buck Rogers in which inspired the serial’s design, was also to achieve his aims, exhibits this need for the 25th Century (1979—81), all jumpsuits, For most of its run, Doctor Who has generally pursued by the Expressionist filmmakers. control, and by the end of the first film has blinking lights and flowing frocks. The other pursued the strategy of imagining futuristic Part of Metropolis’ engaging aesthetic been driven spectacularly mad. design, for instance the white uniforms appeal is undoubtedly the historic-futurism of the costumes: while Freder wears a Finally, we have the theme sort of avant-garde businesswear and his of class tension and father Joh Frederson sports contemporary revolution — not only, fashions, Maria, Rotwang and the workers’ in this case, by robots, families dress in vaguely medieval costume, but within the human while the courtesans in the pleasure garden society as well. Zilda, in dress in baroque-inspired frocks. One can the story, is contrast this with, for instance, Aelita, an aristocrat which uses clothing and hairstyles based on whose family Constructivist art, in an attempt to envision have fallen on a Martian society totally unlike anything on hard times; Earth. - 10 - - 11 - it evokes a period which fits the subject when conceptualising the story, little of this matter. This can be seen in a quote from has made it into the actual design. By evoking Michael E Briant in the DVD documentary a time period when people were anxious The Sandmine Murders [sic]: about class, hierarchy, mechanisation and the difference between humans and robots, “Why is it spaceships are always silvery and and expressed this through their art, the shiny and everything else? Why can’t it be like designers subconsciously cue the audience to merchant ships are today?... I had a cousin recognise the story’s themes and messages. who was in the merchant navy... and these merchant ships are actually quite nice.... Conclusions They’re not hard, metallic places, they’re The use of retro costume elements to create war. Such aesthetic tricks can also be used very comfortable. So if you were going to The design of The Robots of Death is one a plausible, timeless, paradoxically futuristic to poor effect, for example in the original be sent off on a space miner [sic] for two or of the most striking aspects of the story. appearance is, ironically, also part of the Battlestar Galactica (1978—79) episode The three years, wouldn’t you like to design the However, it works, not simply because using Expressionist styling that The Robots of Young Lords, where a rather strange medieval interior yourself? That would be no problem. design motifs from the past, rather than Death itself uses for its defining aesthetic. design does little for the story, or its on-the- You could have whatever sort of interior you attempting to imagine a ‘futuristic’ aesthetic, nose evocation of the Old West through liked. I said, ‘We could have a Roman space paradoxically gives such serials a more This brings us to another reason why The silver cowboy hats and showgirl outfits inThe miner. Or we could do it Edwardian. We timeless, placeless feeling, but because, in Robots of Death’s design works so well. Lost Warrior and The Magnificent Warriors. could have an Edwardian space miner.’ And this case, the period chosen ties in with the The use of historically-inspired costume in It is not enough simply to look to the past for Ken [Sharp] said, ‘Art Deco. Think of it.’ He wider themes and anxieties of the story, and Metropolis doesn’t simply evoke past ages, design inspiration, but to do so intelligently said, ‘Think of it. We could do an Art Deco the way it explores the definition of humanity but ones which make a significant point and with sensitivity to the themes of the interior spaceship’…. And I said, ‘Then, well, under capitalism.  about the character or society. Dressing subject. we do the costumes a bit Art Deco. There’s Maria as a quasi-medieval peasant woman no uniforms, there’s basically an Art Deco The Black Archive #43: The Robots of Death links her with another major German cultural Finally, The Robots of Death also picks theme.’” was released on 4 May 2020 and is available figure, Gretchen from Johann Goethe’sFaust up on the nostalgic aesthetic popular in for order from https://obversebooks.co.uk (also the subject of a 1926 Expressionist contemporary British drama. The 1970s However Briant and Sharp are clearly not film), an innocent woman who retains her saw a flourishing of productions set in the simply choosing historical periods just out of saintly nature despite all early years of the twentieth century, so interest; a Roman Storm Mine would certainly her trials and tribulations. the aesthetics associated with them were be visually arresting, but would hardly have Like Maria, she also reflected in the visual culture of the time (the the same appropriate feel as an Art Deco faces the threat of being result being that contemporary audiences one. It’s also significant that, although Briant burned at the stake at the responded to the imagery rather than finding identifies the 1954 film adaptation of20,000 film’s climax. Rotwang, it alienating). However, many of these dramas Leagues Under the Sea as another inspiration equally, is associated were dealing with the same issues as The with wizardry and the Robots of Death and the Expressionist films occult, so dressing him discussed above: class hierarchy, trauma and in robes makes the psychology, the alienation of humans in an association clearer. increasingly industrialised world. The story therefore fits visually as well as thematically Similar things can be with the likes of Wings seen in the other Hinchcliffe-era (1977—78) and Upstairs, stories which successfully use this aesthetic: Downstairs (1971—75), The Brain of Morbius evoking Der Golem forming part of a general works in the context of the story as a twisting canon of 1970s television of the Frankenstein using the art and design of mythos, where Genesis the past to ask questions of the Daleks uses Nazi about the present. imagery to highlight the Kaleds’ anxieties The secret to The Robots of Death’s success about racial purity and thus lies partly in the fact that the design the horrors of total is not only beautiful and timeless, but that - 12 - - 13 - character in the sci- reactions to both. The change of tone this fi series Blake’s 7, creates makes us question what we need to THE EFFECT OF COMPETING NARRATIVES and there are clues, take seriously, and gives the events a surreal, By Ann Worrall both in the main CD even comic-strip tone, which elevates them series and the tie- to the metaphoric. The destruction of in audio download Uvanov’s office in Occam’s Razor through a The Kaldor City series, from Magic Bullet including the dead Taren Capel, the robotics Metafiction, that flier being crashed into it, is followed shortly Productions, doesn't tell a conventional story. genius who almost succeeded in his plan to Iago may actually by a scene of increasing absurdity, in which Instead, it offers many competing narratives, start a robot uprising on Kaldor. There’s a be Kerr Avon from the same programme. Iago lists all the security adaptions he wishes each meticulously plotted and logically linear, sixth story, which I’ll get to later. Then, adding a new level of confusion, we installed within Uvanov’s home, including which unspool to create complex patterns of are reminded during The Prisoner (another packing “the roof space with three tonnes cause and effect, and by doing so, they really The series imagines what would happen if audio download tie-in) that Iago is a fictional of rubber”, presumably make us work to understand what’s going two characters, Carnell and Kaston Iago, set character, while Metafiction tells us that he’s so that any future flier on! The listener is expected to unravel each up home in Kaldor City, with the intention of played by an actor called Paul Darrow! attack will bounce off! thread and determine its importance to the exploiting its society. Carnell uses his skills Iago also suggests filling developing pattern, while events misdirect as a psychostrategist to create dependency In Kaldor City, the role of Deputy Operations Uvanov’s basement us, creating mystery and suspense. amongst those vying for power, while Iago, Supervisor Cotton is taken by Brian Croucher, with nine feet of more simply, attempts to kill his way to the top. who was previously concrete embedded As it stands, the very act of interpretation Their ultimate aim is to become Firstmaster Borg in The Robots with landmines as a makes us a part of the narrative web. Individual Chairholder Kiy Uvanov’s Eminence Grise, of Death, and Space way to “prevent anyone values, motivations and experiences come and, inevitably, this brings them into conflict. Commander Travis in from trying to tunnel into the building.” That into play, resulting in different readings of We are encouraged to see this power struggle Blake’s 7. Carnell and this is even being considered by Uvanov, the same events, and different importance as an important narrative thread, eventually Iago’s reference to “the highlights the extent of his paranoia, and also assigned to them. The net result is a story as resolving as one protagonist achieves victory Butcher of Zircaster” the extreme danger he faces as a leader from intricate, and ultimately unknowable, as life over the other. Here, though, Carnell’s final is a direct allusion to humble origins, although perhaps it is also itself. words, “Why this is Travis. Carnell, himself, showing us that Iago has a distinctly warped hell, Iago. Nor am I is played by Scott Fredericks, who was cast in sense of humour! That, and the casual way out of it”, introduce Doctor Who as Maximillian Stael, the scientist he uses extreme violence as a solution, a new set of and coven leader from Image of the Fendahl. makes him seem a little inhuman. parameters, hinting Stael actively sought to manifest the Fendahl that their contention on Earth, and Carnell will later discover that Because motifs are shared across the is merely one of the he too has been manipulated by the entity. narrative threads, they coalesce into clues to the real patterns, gifting the audience with ‘ah ha’ story, not the focus A further twist is created when David Collings moments of insight: a painting by Wallbank, of it. joins the story. Having appeared in The a skull, and a dead revolutionary eventually Robots of Death as Chief Mover Poul, there is combining to deliver a knockout conclusion. All these narratives combine to create no copyright issue, as the character is owned And competing narratives also allow for the a complex and complete world for the by Chris Boucher. Nevertheless, upon joining mirroring of character journeys, illustrating audience, without the need for exposition. “The Church of Taren Capel”, he adopted similarities and differences between them, as The opening play introduces us to the the name “Paullus”. Moreover, the choice we can see when we consider those of Iago firstmasters, Voc robots, a self-styled of John Leeson for the Chief Mover in Storm and Blayes. Both of them arrive unexpectedly assassin, a psychostrategist, an executive Mine again suggests Poul, as both actors in the story and are responsible for aspects of assistant and various security personnel, have very similar voices. security, but whereas Blayes is transparently as well as referencing the Sewerpits, manipulated by others, and eventually goes Founding Families, the Company Board, and This is not just a conceit on the part of the rogue, making her own destiny, Iago only Taken at face value, Kaldor City is a follow- robophobia, effortlessly creating a rounded writers: it’s central to the idea behind the appears to be an independent agent — his on from Chris Boucher’s Doctor Who novel picture of a society that is strictly stratified, culminating sixth adventure, Storm Mine, responses have in fact, been predicted, and Corpse Marker, the latter being a sequel riven by suspicion and fear, mechanised, that the events we hear may be fictional, but used to trap him. to his scripted television serial The Robots bureaucratic and violent. they resonate with our ‘real life’ experience. of Death. The full cast audio CD drama However, it is conceivable that the strongest comprises five adventures which chronicle To emphasise that all stories are part of a Violent scenes are juxtaposed with comic effect of this device is to make us query just the fate of major players from both sources, continuous process, Carnell was a guest ones throughout the series, intensifying our - 14 - - 15 - who is controlling the events we witness and We know that Justina’s which could make Carnell’s presence simply suggest a specific role, or a specific purpose why. pentagram, and the a projection of Iago’s fear. to be achieved, within the Fendahl itself. image of a giant snake, Central to this issue is the Fendahl, and the given to Uvanov by As for Ander Poul, we cannot be sure he was In Storm Mine we meet question as to whether or not it really came the head of Company transformed into a snakelike Fendahleen. the Voc robot V23, to Kaldor City. We can reason that it does, Security, Topmaster The Core appears to makes reference to his who tells Blayes of “a and yet only five humans within the narrative Rull, are both two “corruption”, and indeed, through opposing recurring dream. I am explicitly encounter it in some form. First hundred year old Kaldor’s “unjust system”, he ended up being V23 and I am not V23. there is Carnell and his assertion that there is paintings produced by “tainted by it”, which may well have led the I am being hung from a an ancient, powerful and manipulative force the esteemed artist Fendhal to reject him. Inversely, Poul’s blind tree of flesh. I am not at work on Kaldor, although Iago claims that Wallbank. Could these faith in Taren Capel would suggest that, from alone. Many humans he is mentally unbalanced. Next we have constitute the first two his perspective, the Fendhal is the “false are there with me — I Poul, who thinks he hears the voice of Taren panels of a triptych, God”, and he would vehemently resist any estimate millions. Their living bodies form the Capel and experiences visions. Then Iago, with the absent third attempt at conversion. trunk. It twists and writhes, as though caught who sees an image of Justina Kesal as he depicting a skull? Has in a wind, but the air is still. We are struggling is dying and suffering from blood loss. And he, in a sense, created If that was the case, we know the Fendahl to break free though we are fused with one finally there’s Blayes, who hears the voice of the Fendahl? needs all 13 parts before it can manifest, so another and our violence only makes things Justina following Justina's metamorphosis it must have chosen someone to take Poul’s worse. Either side there are hungry faces and into the Fendahl Core. It’s a plausible interpretation, although it place. It is feasible, then, that it intended hungry voices overwhelming me. My voice is doesn’t account for Justina’s assertion (as Iago to be the final component, and spared obscured by the cacophony. I no longer have Storm Mine takes the Fendahl Core) that she “was once cast him consumption as mere food. a name. I have lost it in a sea of names. The place 18 months after into an exploding sun, and emerged again hands of the tree pin us down. The thorns Checkmate, and the the stronger for it”. This can only refer to And when Iago was, in turn, rejected, that wind through our bodies binding us together. reappearance of Blayes the Fourth Doctor’s attempt to destroy the Blayes was resurrected in his stead. We have become one being but we do not as the principal player is Fendahl skull by subjecting it to the extreme recognise ourselves. We are not come to something of a surprise, temperatures of a supernova. And it’s a fact Finally, during Checkmate, awareness. We cannot escape. We cannot as she should be dead. which strongly supports the notion that the Poul is told by the Fendahl escape. We cannot escape.” Iago, present mainly Fendahl really did manifest, and swallowed (masquerading as the as a voice in Blayes' the entire population of Kaldor. voice of Taren Capel) that Are we hearing a description of Kaldor’s head, tells her the “a place must be set for amalgamated inhabitants as they wait to be most likely scenario is So if it did, then why would the Fendahl Core the one that kills” at the fully digested? that “Everything you’re offer Iago a chance to escape, seemingly centre of the pentagram. doing and experiencing taking him back in time to the first adventure As this is in relation to And if this is so, to extend the analogy, are now is an hallucination, the product of and his encounter with the pentagram in “The Ritual of Twelve”, Iago and Blayes meant to act as figurative random neurones discharging in a dying Justina’s room? then it seems obvious that it is referring to enzymes, there to break down the souls of brain.” Blayes protests she’s never been the Justina/Core, and her obliteration of the those being devoured? aboard a Storm Mine so it can’t be true, but We can conclude that some aspect of the two Ghouls in the Sewerpits who attempted Iago has an answer for that as well: “You’ve Fendahl Core remains Justina herself, and, as to rape her. This would certainly fit been here before. You’re here when you read we know she loved Iago, then perhaps that with what transpires in about them in security reports, when you love was the reason. However, when Iago Yet a room featuring a pentagram is the Kaldor City tie-in see them on a newslink, when you watch the attempts to retroactively abort the Fendahl, effectively prepared for Iago at the audio, The Prisoner, dramas on the entertainment screens.” Carnell manifests and calls Iago’s behaviour resolution of Checkmate. And when Iago where Kaston Iago, three “predictable”; so maybe, having Iago kill smashes the picture’s frame, this days after he was killed by If Blayes can dream of Storm Mines as she Justina allowed the Fendahl to sublimate her could symbolise his entering Blayes, miraculously turns lies close to death with a plasma bullet in her troublesome personality into the Gestalt. it. Equally, if both Iago and up at Landerchild’s Family heart, then it’s possible that the image of the Blayes are absorbed into estate and proceeds, verbally, Fendahl is a cultural artefact, which impacts Alternatively, with history changed, it’s the Fendahl, and the Core to tear down everything the significantly on the minds of the dying and possible that Carnell, being the next is primarily stationed within Firstmaster believes in, until the insane. compatible genetic match, becomes the the centre of the pentagram, finally Landerchild comes to new Core. If not, then conceivably, all this then either could be “the one doubt his own existence and is taking place within the Fendahl Gestalt, that kills”; in which case, it would disappears.

- 16 - - 17 - Then, of course, we have Blayes’ behaviour Further, during The Prisoner, Iago says his ceases to exist. But similarly, if the Fendahl We are told during towards the Chief Mover in Storm Mine, function may be only that of a catalyst to has influence over the people of Kaldor, so Storm Mine, “When where, egged on by the ghostly presence of provoke action on behalf of the Company the reverse must also be true. you set out on a Iago, she rips into the poor man over an issue and Kaldor City as a whole. This is mirrored, journey, kill everyone of semantics, until Iago is finally summoned and extended, by the Chief Fixer’s On the assumption its plan was to manipulate you happen upon. into corporeal existence and shoots him explanation of the role Blayes has been Iago into crushing Justina, then the blow- Kill your friends and dead. given on the Storm Mine: that when Taren back from this seems to have turned its your parents and Capel’s “killer program” was neutralised, thirteenth aspect into a malignant and your children should “clusters of randomised data remained” uncontrollable force, working directly against you meet them on creating, in short, “the robotic equivalent the gestalt entity. You could argue that Iago’s the road. Kill the of a dormant mutation… That’s why V23 dispatching of Landerchild disproves this, topmasters, the firstmasters and the holy was assigned to you, Elska Blayes. You are but his actions may men. Only that way can you become free. a mutation generator.” It’s an explanation have been motivated Only when you have killed everyone will you that the Storm Mine Commander elaborates by personal dislike — a become truly enlightened.” (albeit obliquely) when he says that, “All the dislike first expressed components are there… Abiotic evolution, in Occam’s Razor when Iago sees this as a convincing argument for with a biotic catalyst.” he tells Justina, “I think unrestricted murder. Blayes, however, comes I’d enjoy killing him.” to view it as a metaphor for cutting ties to the If the Chief Fixer is also If the theory is right, past, and making those intuitive leaps that the Fendahl, then, by then Iago’s rejection of advance our understanding of the world, via extension, this may reveal the Fendahl’s purpose science, literature and the arts. A horrific idea, certainly, but it's not really that its long-term strategy by refusing to break down the souls of any different to the roles they were assigned was not simply to manifest, the consumed individuals, meant that he So maybe, it is through “the enigma of Elska within Kaldor City by the Company, or the but to upgrade the robots had to be neutralised and replaced with Blayes” that we will discern a new dream acts of killing that were their main duty. to replenish its food stocks the resurrected form of Blayes, who the surfacing from out of the static: if that is, we for the post-human world voice of Capel had previously dismissed as listen very closely and with care.  But there’s something else. V23 fits the of Kaldor. Quite how long “irrelevant”. And although Iago does go on description as well, in that it’s a robot that this cycle has endured is never stated. In an to shoot the Chief Mover, he may have done Kaldor City can be purchased from Magic has killed, and a place for it has been set interview conducted during the making of so in an attempt to frustrate the Fendahl’s Bullet Productions at: aboard the haunted Storm Mine; which, if the series, Paul Darrow thought there was a plans. http://www.kaldorcity.com/orders.html this exists within the Fendahl Gestalt, also “robotic”element to Iago, and he has a point. puts V23 at the centre of the pentagram. Are the citizens of Kaldor highly advanced Significantly, when Blayes meets with the Nevertheless, although the idea of the killer biological robots who have acquired an Chief Fixer, the voice that emerges out of the robot would embody a similar dread within analogue of human emotions and behaviour? static is Justina’s, not her possible successor, the public’s psyche as the “assassin” Iago Carnell’s. This implies Blayes knew that and the “terrorist” Blayes, V23’s role appears Even without this Justina would prove to be the“ medium” into to have more to do with creation, and the connection, there is an which, as Poul had informed his acolytes, furtherance of life, than with death. evident parallel between Taren Capel would be “reborn”. There is Capel’s killer robot another connection here too, in that Capel It’s apparent that Storm Mine is a microcosmic program, and the Fendahl’s was the “Chief Fixer” aboard Storm Mine re-visiting of the first five episodes, but from own manipulation of Four during The Robots of Death. So, it would the Fendahl’s point of view. In Occam’s Razor, human ribonucleic acids, seem, Blayes’ perceptions are changing Rull says that Iago has no employment record with the implication that reality, and she has brought Justina, and all with the Company, and a DNA check suggests both humans and robots that this would entail, back to the Fendahl that he is new to Kaldor City. In addition to alike were affected, to greater and lesser Core. this, The Prisoner has Iago tell Landerchild, degrees, as time elapsed and other factors, “I came into existence ten months ago.” As albeit genetic or software, came into play. Phew! for Blayes, the last thing she recalls is her shootout with Iago, and yet the Chief Mover Whatever the case, it is certain that the At the close of the story, V23 says, “I would states that she was found in a region of the Fendahl has an appetite for the spontaneous, like to have a different dream sometimes.” Blind Heart Desert called “The Painted Sea”. the creative, and those with the ability to imagine, for without these elements, it - 18 - - 19 - that they are starting to panic and overreach of those two moves, both of which are, in TOURNAMENT OF SHADOWS themselves. chess terms, a great deal better than the one he in fact makes. ♚ By Alan Stevens and Sarah Egginton 9. RxP Kt-Kt3 The robot’s action leaves Rull under attack 13. KtxR Kt-KB3 In preparation for writing the chess scenes 1. Kt-KB3 Kt-QB3 from the Rook at close quarters. Carnell Company Central falls, leaving poor Rull once that take place between the psychostrategist As Carnell says, this is not ‘an opening move coolly chooses to ignore the threat (which more under attack from the Rook — but Carnell and V31 during Kaldor City: Taren one would expect”, but he counters it with is not really as serious as it looks), and now he is totally undefended, unless the Capel, Sarah Egginton and I worked the “one equally mysterious.” eventually plans B-QKt5ch. As far as he is King condescends to move to protect him entire game out in advance, including the concerned, he is moving his Knight into a (which he won’t). Rull is in a bad way and notations that don’t actually appear in the 2. Kt-Q4 Kt-K4 more sensible position to prepare for that, must escape, so he finally leaves his original script. Sarah also annotated our plan, to show These moves place the two Knights (Blayes and also to enable his other Bishop to defend square — but, no matter what state he’s in, how the moves on the board correspond to and Iago) in the middle of the board, forming the highly vulnerable King’s Bishop’s pawn. he’s loyal to the last; it’s an interesting little the strategies and symbolic alliances that their alliance. Originally, Carnell wanted to irony that, by the mere fact of escaping, he appear in the story. I have further enhanced take the White King’s Knight, but V31 told 10. Kt-K5 P-K3 prevents R-Kt8ch. the descriptions, and also included a key him that this was not the correct response. The Knight (Blayes) backs up the Rook; the as to who, or what, each piece represents; Black pawn guards the other two pawns and 14. Kt-Kt6 QKt-Q2 although, please note, the pawns are only 3. Kt-KB3 P-Q4 gives the King’s Bishop a clear path. Both The robot’s move astonishes Carnell; he used to convey general offensive/defensive Blayes retreats, which looks like a wasted halves of this move are totally logical. would have expected it to press home its tactics. chess move and therefore ought to puzzle advantage by playing R-Kt7, causing all sorts Carnell. His own move appears strong, 11. R-Kt1 P-QB3 of difficulties. Instead, the Knight is starting asserting control over the centre of the board The Rook retreats to safety, still controlling to retreat. Carnell wants to play P-R4 (not Key to Major Players: and preparing the ground for an attack; but the open file — and that aids the robot’s B-QKt5ch as I originally thought — now he is unaware that it will leave the square in next move. If Carnell were left to himself, he he knows which piece he is, he will make White Queen’s Rook – Landerchild’s Residence front of his Queen free for Iago to occupy, would certainly now play RxP, but the robot absolutely sure he’s got the back-up before White Queen’s Knight – Cotton threatening Carnell himself. (who must be getting totally infuriating!) risking his own neck!) but the robot insists, White Queen’s Bishop – Landerchild won’t let him. May I suggest that if this as an alternative, that he moves his own White Queen – Fendahl/Justina 4. P-KR4 Kt-Q2 notation is actually described in the script, Knight — Iago. White King – Taren Capel There is no way anyone with Carnell’s the robot should say, “No, Firstmaster. That White King’s Bishop – Paullus/Poul intelligence would have played that last Rook is unable to move.”? The choice of Uvanov, enraged by Carnell’s seemingly White King’s Knight – Blayes move, blocking off his own Bishop. The robot words would definitely intrigue Carnell. bizarre behaviour, sweeps the pieces from White King’s Rook – The Church of Taren Capel must insist on it. the board. We return to the game with CD We have now reached the beginning of CD track 24. Black Queen’s Rook – 5. P-Q4 P-KR4 track 20. Uvanov’s Residence The robot moves the Queen’s pawn ostensibly 15. Kt-KB4 B-B1 Black Queen’s Knight – Iago to counter the one made by Carnell, but the 12. Kt-Kt6 B-Q3 These two moves took place Black Queen’s Bishop – Poul/Paullus real purpose is to give Landerchild (the White Blayes’ move threatens both the Rook while V31 was restoring the Black Queen – Justina/Fendahl Queen’s Bishop) a wider sphere of influence. (Company Central) and the Bishop (Carnell). game. Although B-B1 was taken Black King – Uvanov And it is here, that Carnell realises he is the on Carnell’s behalf, it follows his Black King’s Bishop – Carnell 6. R-Kt1 P-KKt3 Bishop. That means that he gets out of the thought processes, as he would Black King’s Knight – Rull There is no need to specify which Rook is way. Carnell will not take the slightest risk to have realised he was sitting on Black King’s Rook – Company employed. himself, even though it’s clear that the Rook is an undefended square, and that Central the main target, and he will not get involved Blayes was fast retreating. If she 7. P-KKt4 PxP in the fighting — which is why he doesn’t made her next move to R3 (as, V31 is White and Carnell is Black. The 8. RxP P-KB4 go to Kt2, where he would be defending the in fact, she did) then it would give chess notations rendered in bold are Again, Carnell wouldn’t have chosen to Rook. The knowledge that he himself is the Landerchild the perfect opportunity the ones directly referred to in the make this move, as it prompts a totally Bishop, also makes him suddenly very wary of to occupy the square she had just story. V31 makes his first move at rash attack which takes away the defence the move he’d originally planned (B-QKt5ch). vacated and threaten Carnell. It the beginning of CD track 11. The from the Knight’s pawn. What is clearly If he goes to that square at this point, he’s is probable that Carnell didn’t events on the board precipitate happening in real life, is that the security undefended, and being Carnell he won’t do know that the White Bishop is those taking place in Kaldor forces are sustaining such a heavy incursion it. However, had he not realised that he was Landerchild, but he’s not the City. the Bishop, he would have made either one type to allow himself to be - 20 - - 21 - threatened in order to satisfy his curiosity about the identity of a Now, here is the game again in short DAVID COLLINGS: 1940-2020 chess piece! algebraic notation: By Fiona Moore 16. Kt-KR3 QKt-B1?*%&*!!! 1. Nf3 Nc6 The infamous illegal move. 2. Nd4 Ne5 Since Carnell vacates the office 3. Nf3 d5 David Collings was an inspiration to me years The possibility of bringing Poul into our story shortly after this, I assume that 4. h4 Nd7 before I actually met him, because of his hair. had always been at the back of our minds, the robot sits there calmly 5. d4 h5 but it wasn’t until we started thinking about playing out the next few moves 6. Rg1 g6 Growing up ginger is a curious experience. the anti-robot Tarenist movement, and who on its own. 7. g4 hxg4 Most people in town can identify you on would be involved with it, that we realised 8. Rxg4 f5 sight: everybody calls you “... the one with where he might fit in, taking his robophobia 17. R-KR1 KKt-Q2 9. Rxg6 Nb6 the red hair”, and people will touch your to its logical conclusion as the movement’s The Rook moves to its original 10. Ne5 e6 head without permission. By the time you’re leader, whilst operating under the “fighting place on the board so that Blayes can return 11. Rg1 c6 in double-digits, you realise you have two name” Paullus. And then, when he agreed to to Poul. Poor Rull is taken to a position of 12. Ng6 Bd6 choices: to hide it or to flaunt it. return to the role, everything was perfect. maximum safety; (he’s guarded now by 13. Nxh8 Nf6 no less than four pieces, if you count the 14. Ng6 Nd7 David was a great person to work with: just enigmatic Iago). 15. Nf4 Bf6 as impressive on audio as he was onscreen; 16. Nh3 Nf8?*%&*!!! always professional; and with a dry wit that 18. Kt-Kt1 17. Rh1 Nd7 explained why he was such a popular guest Blayes falls back to her starting position on 18. Ng1 ... at conventions. As well as recording three the board. CDs with us, he was happy to take part in promotional signings and panels, talking  about his experiences, and how he saw the character of Poul developing over the Kaldor City series.

David Collings flaunted it. Every TV series I liked — Doctor Who, Blake‘s 7, Sapphire and Steel — he’d be there somewhere, almost always recognisable by his mane of red hair (with one memorable exception... it took me until the end credits of Revenge of the Cybermen to realise that it was him under the rubber mask). The same was true once I moved to the UK and saw David appear in Royal Shakespeare Company productions; proof, as it were, that if the world was going to notice you, then you should just accept it... and do things that got you noticed. In the wake of the news of David’s death on 23 March, I want to remember all the good It was, I suspect, one of the reasons for the things he gave us: the unforgettable television, persistent belief in fandom that he ought to the impeccable stage performances, his play the Doctor. To be the Doctor, you need irreplaceable contribution, as an actor and great presence and an ability to stand out in colleague, to Kaldor City. They will always be a crowd; qualities he had in spades. there, as a testament to a brilliant career, and as an inspiration to future ginger children. 

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