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Home , Anneke Wills, Borusa, Celestial Toymaker, Christopher Ryan, Derrick Sherwin, Douglas Camfield

1 Pat was charming and spent a lot Editorial of with the fans afterwards. He signed my little autograph By Paul Winter book ‘To Paul. Pat Troughton’ and I still treasure it to this day.

I am one of those fans lucky A year later he was gone, but of enough to have met Patrick course, was never forgotten. Troughton, albeit only briefly. When I was seventeen years old Thank you Doctor. the DWAS annual convention ‘Panopticon’ came to Brighton and I realised that with the town (as it Paul then was) within bus journey dis- tance, I could actually attend. And so for two days in 1985 I im- mersed myself into the world of , at Brighton’s Metropole Hotel on the seafront. THE CELESTIAL TOYROOM ANNUAL 2021 Now, I know of the tremendous angst that event caused behind the scenes, causing the Society Published by Who Ap- some financial problems, that in preciation Society. All content is © turn led to other problems and so DWAS and to the respective con- on. However, my enduring memo- tributors. ries are of seeing (and meeting) , and making his only full UK convention appearance, CONTACT US . Pat appeared on the Saturday and took the DWAS stage with who P O Box 1011 was interviewed first. When the Horsham time came for the man himself to RH12 9RZ, UK appear the room was buzzing with excitement. Instead of coming on- Edited by: Paul Winter to the stage from the side as other Publications Manager: Rik Moran guests had done, Pat instead en- tered the hall from the back. He Front Cover: David Lavelle and Alister Pearson was in full costume and I remem- ber him walking up the aisle, head Back Cover: Graeme Wey down but with a smile on his face, as hundreds of excited fans FIND US ONLINE snapped away with their cameras. A subtle and understated en- www.dwasonline.co.uk trance for the headlining guest Facebook.com/dwasonline and a massive contrast to Mr Twitter.com/dwasonline Pertwee the following day who Youtube.com/dwasonline came crashing in like a metaphori- Instagram.com/dwasonline cal missile.

2 laughter. He would rush onto the Foreword new sets with excitement to see what the talented designers had By come up with next – such enthu- siasm was infectious.

To think, over fifty years later Perhaps the most precious and I am still remembering that memory for me, was taking both extraordinary time when Pat took Pat and Mike to my favourite over the role of Doctor Who. pub, where we would laugh and debrief over a nip or two. What an honour it was for Mike and I to be his support team, as How chuffed and amazed he he created his Doctor and then would be now to know of the lon- found his way into the part, both gevity of the show he contributed respecting Billy Hartnell, but so much to, and how tickled adding the touches that made pink, I think, to see a female the role uniquely his. Doctor!

It was a joy for us both to work Kisses and hugs with Pat, the intelligent, wonder- fully funny and wicked person that he was. I can still hear his Anneke

The Highlanders L—R Michael Craze, Patrick Trough- ton, Anneke Wills 3 I think it’s worth looking back The Era from the start of 1966 to under- stand the genesis of what would By Tony Jordan become the Troughton era. It was the year that won To this day we all remain enor- the World Cup (indeed, the final mously indebted to The Guv’nor. episode of ‘’ Without ’s bril- was transmitted on the same liant portrayal of The Doctor, day that England beat Mexico 2- we wouldn’t have gone beyond 0 in their second group the first thirteen episodes, let game). In terms of football anal- alone more than one hundred ogies, if ’s time as and thirty. He was a magical fig- Producer had been akin to that ure to the children of this isle, of Sir Matt Busby or Sir Alex Fer- myself included. We fell in love guson’s eras at Manchester with the white-haired traveller United, then sadly ’ who moved around the fourth was more akin to Wilf McGuin- and fifth dimensions without ever ness or David Moyes. Much of being in control of his, or his this wasn’t Wiles fault, rather it companions, fate. was the ever-increasing central issue of the deteriorating health/ There can be no doubt, howev- performance of William Hartnell er, that by early 1966 the peak of aligned with the fact that all of Hartnell’s era was over. Average the original team from late 1963 viewing figures of nearly 10.5 had left. However, at the time million for Season Two had the powers that be on the Sixth dropped quite sharply to 7.7 mil- Floor of Centre were- lion for Season Three, with a no- n’t willing to remove their main ticeable drop following ‘The Da- striker, and so the manager left. leks Plan’. The produc- tion team had changed not once, Wiles replacement was 40 year but twice. Most significantly, the old Welshman , for lead actor’s health had deterio- whom this was the first role as a rated owing to undiagnosed arte- drama producer. Lloyd was a riosclerosis, and the incredibly physically impressive specimen, bold decision was taken to con- and his ability to steer the good tinue the programme while at the ship TARDIS away from what same time replacing him. Back had become choppy waters and then I found the concept of a into a second Golden Age was a ‘new’ Doctor both bemusing and foretaste of what became a high- distressing in equal measure, ly impressive CV to match his but it was one that I would quick- demeanour. ly come to love.

4 Lloyd and new Story Editor Ger- the swinging sixties than the rel- ry Davis, the replacement for in- atively old-fashioned Steven and cumbent Donald Tosh who left Dodo. On 26th April, it was an- alongside Wiles, started work on nounced that Purves and Lane Doctor Who in February 1966 on would be leaving over the course the serial ‘The Celestial Toymak- of the next couple of stories er’. The new production team were of the opinion that historical Not content with just this, more adventures were unpopular change was on the way. With with the audience, something ’’ Lloyd ceased the with which six year old Anthony practice of giving each episode John of West Acton would have its own title - the intention was to agreed, had he been asked. Nei- make that sure viewers knew in ther did they feel that the come- advance when a new serial was dic leaning of the next story, starting, especially through the ‘’, suited their listing in the . Last, vision for the programme. In- but definitely not least, they stead they wanted to more sto- wanted scientific fact and reality ries on modern day . to become part of the fabric of show, and so Dr. of Within a few weeks Lloyd and the University of was in- Davis decided to further re- vited on board. vamp Doctor Who by introducing two new companions, who were His first impact led to ‘The War intended to be more relevant to Machines’, a story set around

BBC publicity shot

5 the newly opened Post Office Season Four of Doctor Who de- Tower which also served to in- buted on 10th September with troduce the fashionable Ben and ‘’. Even before it . William Hartnell had diffi- was broadcast, following on from culty adapting to his new cast- the perceived success of ‘The mates, all the more so as he had War Machines’, Gerry Davis en- enjoyed a very good working re- couraged Pedler, a medical re- lationship with . In searcher by trade, to think in just a few short months the de- terms of his own experiences to cline in his general state of inspire a different sort of adver- health had accelerated with his sary. Pedler was concerned mood swings becoming worse. about the possibility of replacing ‘The War Machines’ was also to human limbs and organs with serve as the last story of Season machines, cybernetics. He pic- Three, which with 45 episodes tured a race who had taken this would prove to be the longest in conscious decision, becoming the show’s history. (Although more machine than man and ‘The Smugglers’ was part of the named them Cybermen. Davis same production block, it was suggested that these beings held over to start Season Four). could come from Earth's previ- ously unknown twin planet Mon- By now Lloyd had managed to das. convince Head of Drama , and Head of Serials Pedler had been commissioned Shaun Sutton, that Hartnell to write ’ ’ in needed replacing with a new ac- May; Davis propounded the the- tor. Following a meeting during ory that, given The Doctor was the production of ‘The Smug- an alien, he could die and come glers’, Hartnell reluctantly agreed back to life in a new body. Lloyd that he should depart after one bolstered this idea, suggesting more serial which would be rec- that such a bodily renewal could orded in the Autumn. Identifying be a recurring ability of The Doc- the new lead man became the tor's, one by which he could top priority and, during the break transform himself from an elderly between seasons and several man to a younger one. weeks after first offering the role, managed to secure the services And so it was that 8th October of Patrick Troughton in early Au- 1966 marked the end of Hart- gust. For Troughton such gainful nell's time as Doctor Who, as the employment would provide secu- renewal scene was filmed at Riv- rity of income, something an ac- erside Studios, Hammersmith. tor is rarely used to. Three weeks later episode four

6 of ‘The Tenth Planet’, was trans- Troughton hit the ground run- mitted and the Troughton era ning, Sydney Newman’s Cosmic was underway. Hobo being the only participant in the narrative to be aware of ‘The Tenth Planet’ quickly what was going to happen. The proved to be a template for nu- story had a big impact on me, merous Troughton adventures, even at a young age I could what became known as ‘base sense the deep air of foreboding under siege’ stories. Indeed this that developed. Polly and Ben, in was followed up straight away in particular, didn’t trust this new the ’s debut with Doctor but he didn’t have the ‘The Power of the ’. It was time to assuage them. Instead a very shrewd idea on the part of he spent the story from episode Innes Lloyd to use Doctor Who’s two onwards trying to get the greatest enemies, , as colonists to realise the terrible a means of drawing in the audi- danger they were facing. Ulti- ence to a new Doctor and saying mately the only other person to that although there’s been grasp this was Lesterson, but, as change, nothing has really he had effectively given the Da- changed. leks life, they were more like his

BBC publicity shot from The Highlanders

7 naughty children running amok. Anniversary special ‘’ followed two years later By the end of the story, the com- by ‘’ where he panions knew this really was was reunited with Patrick The Doctor. It was the mirror im- Troughton. Jamie’s initial impact age of what happened between was such that Innes Lloyd decid- the actors as, early on during ed that the time was approach- rehearsals for ’The Power Of ing for Ben and Polly to be writ- The Daleks’, Anneke Wills and ten out of the programme. Michael Craze famously decided to have a joke with Patrick ‘Nuzzink in ze Vorld’ could stop Troughton by wearing t-shirts Professor Zaroff in the ‘The Un- which proclaimed ‘Come back derwater Menace’, set in the leg- Bill Hartnell -- all is forgiven’. Af- endary hidden city of Atlantis (a ter some initial doubt on Trough- remarkable effort in Riverside ton’s part the three soon forged Studio 1 plus a couple of days at a close team. The future of Doc- Ealing). Maligned for many years tor Who was set good and firm. on the basis of the only existing episode, part three, re- As Season Four progressed, evaluation has taken place since subtle modifications were made the discovery of part two in to Troughton’s costume, princi- 2011. I personally love both the pally the dropping of the hat, but concept and realisation of the the fundamentals remained the Fish People. The Doctor disguis- same. His next story ‘The High- ing himself in the market, com- landers’ was one that Lloyd and plete with sunglasses and tam- Davis didn’t want to make, given bourine as well as ubiquitous re- their decision to abandon histori- corder, is a lovely example of cal adventures. However, the just how Troughton was whole- politics of the BBC led to them heartedly entering into the spirit having to accept it - undoubtedly of both the story and the pro- the most important aspect of the gramme as well. story is that it gave us the char- acter of Jamie McCrimmon. Commissioned shortly after Wil- liam Hartnell’s final story aired, Played with tremendous aplomb, ‘’ was designed to passion and a not inconsiderable in on the immediate popu- glint in the eye by , larity of the Cybermen. Another the character was to remain with early example of ‘base under the Second Doctor throughout siege’, in many ways it was ef- the rest of his era: a remarkable fectively a reworking of ‘The 113 episodes, on top of which Tenth Planet’ with the Moon in there was a cameo in the 1983 2070 replacing the South Pole in

8 1986, but, I would argue, is all ror’ proved to be a bit of a disas- the better for it. The lunar land- ter. It needed to be mounted on scape film work carried out at a van in order to be moved and Ealing Studios is outstanding, all was nigh on impossible to oper- praise to Morris Barry! ate in the studio. Lloyd was ex- tremely unhappy with what By now Lloyd had made it known Shawcraft Models produced: but that, eager for new challenges, for the company who had been he wished to leave Doctor Who involved since the very begin- later in the year. Gerry Davis ning of Doctor Who, things were was offered the role of Producer only going to get worse. but also decided it would soon be time to move on from the Filming for ‘The Faceless Ones’ show for him too. began at Gatwick Airport in early March and included Ben and Former BBC Radio producer Pe- Polly's farewell scene for the end ter Bryant had been brought on- of episode six. Modal filming at to the production team at the Ealing Film Studios the following start of 1967 to work with Davis, week marked the culmination of and it was felt that he might be a problems with Shawcraft Mod- suitable replacement for Innes. els, who had built the Chamele- The realisation of the full-sized ons' plane, satellite and Spen- Macra prop for ‘The Macra Ter- cer's freezing gun. Seemingly

Macra publicity picture

9 never-ending issues led to the drew the rights for the BBC to decision to cease utilising Shaw- use the Daleks, looking instead craft's services, and instead to launch them in their own se- bring matters in house. ries in America. Gerry Davis was replaced by as On 5th April Michael Peacock, Script Editor, although for the Controller of Programmes, in- opening story of Season Five he formed Lloyd that Doctor Who would be credited as Producer had been renewed for a fifth and would season. Just days later Peacock Script Edit. allegedly suggested Season Five should be the last. For the With the Daleks seemingly gone first, but by no means the last, for good, ‘The Tomb of the time the future of Doctor Who Cybermen’ was the only logical had been questioned. way to introduce Season Five, the fabled and quite brilliant With Ben and Polly having de- ‘Monster Season’. Morris Barry parted, ‘The Evil of the Daleks’ was back, this time not only us- saw cast as ing Ealing Film Studios to tre- new Victoria Wa- mendous effect for the Tomb it- terfield, although she only actu- self, but also using a small ally joined the TARDIS at ‘The amount of location time to give Final End’ of the Daleks in epi- the opening a truly filmic quality. sode seven. with- There was also a twist on the

Tomb of the Cybermen

10 ‘base under siege’ concept, as Innes Lloyd bowed out, replaced this time the base belonged to as producer by Peter Bryant, , while the intruders with stepping were human. The story was part permanently into the Script Edi- of a trial for Peter Bryant ahead tor role. Lloyd’s profound influ- of taking over later in the year ence on steering Doctor Who in from Innes Lloyd as Producer. a new direction should not be underestimated, ultimately lead- Lloyd returned for his final three ing to UNIT and the stories, starting with ‘The Abomi- being exiled on Earth. nable Snowmen’. He decided that the story would lend itself to Is it possible to lavish too much extensive location work during praise on ‘The Web of Fear’? I the late summer of 1967, no less doubt it. The opening is Gothic than six days in Snowdonia. In- Horror years before Philip evitably proper Welsh rain made Hinchcliffe and Robert Holmes’ things far trickier than anticipat- renowned era, complete with the ed, but both Lloyd and Peter magnificent music of Bela Bryant were enthused by the Bartok. It is, pure and simple, and a follow up story was one of the greatest scenes in the quickly commissioned. 57-year history of Doctor Who. And what followed didn’t disap- The importance, and popularity, point, this time the ‘base under of monsters continued to grow, siege’ being the heart of the Lon- and next up came ‘The Ice War- don Underground. The Battle of riors’. The reptile like Covent Garden is Douglas Cam- immediately struck a chord, as field’s greatest ever action se- did director Derek Martinus’ ex- quence, nihilistic and terrifying in cellent glacier work at Ealing equal measure. Studios. Bernard Bresslaw’s powerful and towering perfor- Having originally been rejected mance as Varga the , as a Doctor Who script in 1964, especially when framed against Victor Pemberton’s radio drama the diminutive Deborah Watling, ‘The Slide’ had been broadcast left a lasting impression. as a radio drama in early 1967, produced by Peter Bryant. This ‘The Enemy of the World’ was is the background which led to the exception to the Season Five the (recently animated) ‘Fury rule, although playing the from the Deep’. As well as killer ‘monster’ Salamander allowed seaweed, Fury is perhaps re- Patrick Troughton to indulge in membered best for two things; the sort of dressing up last seen The introduction of the Sonic in ‘The Underwater Menace’. Screwdriver and the farewell of

11 Victoria. Deborah Watling’s ways the standout feature only screams were put to good use at occurred in the final thirty sec- the stories’ climax. onds of episode six. It was de- cided to fill the summer 1968 ‘The Wheel in Space’ saw the schedule with a repeat screening final TARDIS line-up of the of ‘The Evil of the Daleks’ across Troughton era decided with the seven weeks, plus Wimbledon introduction of astrophysicist and fortnight. The conclusion of epi- astrometricist first class, Zoe sode one, with Kennedy’s death, Heriot, as played by Wendy Pad- was neatly incorporated into the bury. The Cybermen were back narrative as The Doctor warned again, although the fact that his new travelling companion there were just two of them in about the dangers she may face. costumes that didn’t match those of their previous two stories was ‘The Dominators’, which kicked fairly obvious. On the plus side off Season Six, was a fairly bla- we met the Cyber Planner, the tant attempt to introduce new Servo and the Cybermats monsters with retail appeal, returned in yet another ‘base un- namely The Quarks. The fact der siege’ story. Apart from be- that this failed was down to a ing Zoe’s first story, in some number of reasons including, but

The Krotons

12 not limited to, a dull story and ex- dry run for what was to follow in tensive behind the scenes wran- Season Seven. A triumph borne gling between the story writers, out of trouble with potential and Henry Lin- scripts falling through, Douglas coln, and the BBC. Sadly, one of Camfield once more turned to the by-products of this was that a Kevin Stoney to bring to life one third Yeti story never happened. of Doctor Who’s great megalo- Oh, that we could have seen one maniacs, Tobias Vaughn. Der- on a Loo in Tooting Bec. rick Sherwin adapted Kit Ped- ler’s basic ideas into a wonderful By now Patrick Troughton was story with his role as Script Edi- finding the pressure of recording tor, owing to BBC protocols, be- 40 odd episodes a year becom- ing taken by . ing more and more difficult to The end of Episode Six with the deal with. As a consequence, Cybermen appearing out of Lon- ‘The Mind Robber’ ended up with don’s sewers is one of the pro- episodes averaging just 20, ra- gramme’s great cliff-hangers. ther than 24, minutes in length. ‘The Dominators’ had been ‘The Krotons’ is, in many ways, planned as a six part story but best remembered for its place in ended up with just five so its suc- the 1981 ‘Five Faces of Doctor cessor needed to be extend- Who’ season. However a greater ed; to minimise costs episode significance is undoubtedly that one, written by Derrick Sherwin, it brought Robert Holmes into featured just the TARDIS console the world of Doctor Who. We and a white background. should always be grateful that both ‘The Dreamspinner’ and A little-known fact is that the ‘The Prison in Space’ were Olympic Games, held in Mexico dropped before going into pro- City in October 1968, led to a two duction, otherwise the future of -week gap in the transmission of the show would have been very Season Six. The break in pro- different indeed. duction this facilitated helped the near exhausted Troughton enor- Shortly after the broadcast mously, but by now he had al- of ‘ ’ Peter Bry- ready decided to leave the pro- ant had commissioned a follow- gramme at the end of the next up, at least in part to recoup the production block. Frazer Hines costume costs. Terrance Dicks had planned to bow out earlier, ended up doing extensive re- but subsequently agreed to stay writes on much of what became and depart at the same time. ‘’ which would become the final ‘base ‘The Invasion’ proved to be the under siege’ story of the Trough-

13 ton era. The story benefitted For far too many years the late, from eliminating the lesser stat- great Terrance Dicks belittled ured Ice Warriors, and I believe what he and his mentor Malcolm is the best classic era story to Hulke came up with, but the feature the Martians. 2009 DVD release saw a mas- sive re-assessment of a story ‘’ saw the rap- that established the Time Lords id return of Robert Holmes, a and so much more besides. Jon story he saw as a futuristic hom- Pertwee was cast as The Third age to Western movies. Interest- Doctor in May 1969, with the ingly at about the same time public announcement being Hammer Films were making made just four days before ‘Moon Zero Two’ which was transmission of the finale of ‘The billed as a Space Western. ‘’. Sherwin’s tenure Space Pirates’, the last incom- as Producer only lasted for plete story missing from the Pertwee’s first story. Terrance BBC archives, was Peter Bry- Dicks, however, remained Script ant’s final as Producer before Editor for the next five years go- moving on to ‘Special Project ing on to become one of the Air’, and then ‘Paul Temple’. most beloved people ever asso- Derrick Sherwin seamlessly ciated with Doctor Who. moved in as his successor. The Troughton era remains one And so, we come to the epic ten of the finest in the 57 year histo- -parter that would bring the ry of Doctor Who, its numerous Troughton era to a close. It’s triumphs being a testament to been well documented that ‘The the many people who overcame War Games’ came about be- adversity with a steely determi- cause of the problem that be- nation, dedication and vision to devilled the entire season, deliver the finest possible pro- namely scripts falling through. gramme they possibly could.

To the disappointment of the production team who had hoped she would stay to provide some continuity into the colour era, decided to leave alongside Troughton and Hines, meaning that a new regu- lar cast would be needed for Season Seven.

14 The Power of the The Curse of the Daleks Daleks Review by Alan Stevens and Fiona Moore ‘’ is one of those stories which has ac- quired a ‘classic’ status, some- what out of keeping with the re- ality. Although very little survives of the recorded episodes, the release of the adventure as an animation reveals that, while it does have some positive ele- ments, it is let down by charac- terisation, plot and its overall at- titude to politics. long buried alien craft. Sidney Newman, then the BBC’s Head creator, Terry Nation, had of Drama, was, however, unhap- first refusal on all Dalek stories, py with the somewhat generic but he was too busy working on characterisation of the new Doc- ITC's ‘’ to write for tor. Reportedly, because of the Doctor Who, allowing David short notice, David Whitaker was Whitaker to take on the job. unavailable to make revisions Whitaker began by reworking and story editor Gerry Davis was elements from the 1965 Whita- otherwise engaged with co- ker/Nation stage play ‘The Curse writing ‘The Highlanders’, so the of the Daleks’, in which a crew- task fell to . This man from a spaceship forced to he did uncredited, whilst studio land on the planet Skaro, revives recording was suspended for the dormant Daleks in their city, one week. Spooner also found intending to use them as his himself trimming the script to a servants (the Daleks, of course, reasonable length as Whitaker decide otherwise). Whether in- had a tendency to overwrite. tentionally or not, ‘Power’ also recalls the classic 1959 serial As a consequence, the serial is ‘Quatermass and the Pit’, in that fragmented and badly struc- both involve the recovery of a tured, even if it does seem to be

15 very good in production terms. 's excellent score from ‘The Daleks’ (AKA ‘The Mu- tants’) is reused to great effect, the set design is striking, and the surviving sequences well- directed. We also get some icon- ic imagery: The Doctor regener- ating; the scientist, Lesterson, putting the Dalek through its pac- es; the Dalek production line; and the final shootout. The fact certain elements recur in the 1975 ‘’ proves the point that a compel- ling/dynamic script was needed rejuvenation). One curious thing to create a truly impressive ad- is that, under his cloak, The venture. Accordingly, ‘Power’ re- Doctor’s clothes are transformed quires at least an extra draft. too; the only item of apparel he Whereas parts One, Two and Six gets out of the chest is his coat. are well-paced, the middle three The rehearsal script hints that he are less so, and the whole plot has changed appearance be- could have been resolved over fore, as well as containing refer- four episodes. ences to his granddaughter Su- san. Given the questions this In the serial's defence, the regu- would have raised, it's just as lars are, on the whole, well- well that they were excised. written and portrayed, with Pat- rick Troughton giving The Doctor At the end of the adventure The an almost manic quality which Doctor suggests using Bragen's would, unfortunately, be toned interior guards to delay the Da- down as the season progressed. leks, but ignores Ben's idea to The regeneration (which isn’t simply switch off the power to named as such) is never ex- defeat them, with the result that plained, and this greatly benefits the colony's power supply is de- the story. The Doctor says that it stroyed. This action makes him is “part of the TARDIS” without seem uncaring, as well as ob- which he couldn't survive. He re- sessive, which is at odds with fers to his metamorphosis as a his portrayal as a shrewd, but renewal, comparing himself to a generally benign figure else- butterfly emerging from its chrys- where in the story. Why doesn't alis (contradicting producer Innes he, for instance, have the colo- Lloyd’s assertion that it was a nists evacuate the area, then cut

16 the power, smash the junction inert Daleks are covered in cob- boxes and wait for the Daleks to webs, leaving one to ponder run down? It’s as if The Doctor how this occurred whilst aboard can only contemplate obliterat- a ship submersed in a mercury ing the Daleks and to hell with swamp. (Do they even have spi- the consequences. There is ders on Skaro?) The fact that some attempt to ameliorate his the Dalek mutants have survived decision by scripting a Dalek to for an unknown length of time say that “Static power is being (possibly more than two hundred stored. We can dismantle the years) without power, further human electric system”, but this demonstrates that those left for is a ridiculous statement, as dead at the end of ‘The Daleks’ clearly the Daleks will need to were still alive. And, although keep recharging. The Doctor agrees with Ben that the first Dalek to be revived rec- There is, in general, a rather un- ognises him, this may not be the subtle presentation of the Da- case. It also treats Resno with leks throughout: as, for example, suspicion, which implies that it when one says, “A Dalek is bet was not actively acknowledging — is not the same as a human”; an old enemy, but simply picking a piece of dialogue which makes up on The Doctor's hostility. it sound like a pantomime villain. Somewhat problematically, the We should also note that, de-

17 spite the camera script’s refer- she is the only woman in the sto- ence to a “terrible, claw like ry with a speaking role. She is, hand”, and Ben’s dialogue which moreover, inconsistently depict- describes “a sort of claw” as ed: in Episode Three, she is was seen in ‘The Daleks’, the complicit in Bragen's plan to use adult Dalek mutant in the tele- the rebels in his bid for power snaps seems more in line with and then get rid of them, but by the blobby, tentacled creatures Episode Five, she is ignorant of, depicted in the Dalek adven- and then shocked by the idea. tures from the 1980s. Additional- ly, the on-set photographs taken Other characters fare as badly. during the recording of the Da- Bragen indicates, in the same lek production line sequence, conversation with Janley in Epi- appears to show a mutant simi- sode Three, that he is not direct- lar to the “embryo” that featured ly involved with the rebels, but is in ‘The Daleks Master Plan’. using her as his contact, yet by the next episode he is the rebels' The one-off characters are, for ‘Mr Big’, attending their secret the most part, ineptly realised. meeting. When Valmar is repair- Janley may be written as a ing the communications desk in strong female, but Polly aside, Episode Four, Bragen, by then Deputy Governor, is quite ag- gressive towards him, which is unusual behaviour to show one's allies, and his ruse during Epi- sode Six with the gun, where it is implied that he would have shot Janley if she had refused to back his plan, is somewhat careless, as it demonstrates that he is not to be trusted. Lesterson fares a little better (the fact that he ap- parently keeps late hours is a nice touch) but even here, the scene where (understandably) he goes mad after discovering that the Dalek ship includes a manufacturing operation as well as being dimensionally transcen- dental, is over-the-top, reminis- cent of Kenneth Williams in the contemporary film Carry On Screaming, albeit less subtle.

18 Lesterson ‘The Dalek Invasion of Earth’ as the colonists are unfamiliar with the creatures. Despite various sources giving the date as 2020

And why doesn’t it occur to him (which would, of course, have to respond to Janley’s threat of seemed more credible in 1966), blackmail over Resno's death none is cited in the dialogue it- with a counter-blackmail over self. Governor Hensell does say her involvement with the rebels? that the Dalek capsule predates the colony by centuries, and The culture of the colony is also Lesterson suggests an age of poorly thought out. It is said to two hundred years (“at least”) for be a well-established mining it, but there is no indication of community, so it’s odd that no how these figures were hap- one misses Resno when he is pened upon. The name “Vulcan” killed by the resuscitated Dalek: is plainly meant to refer to the surely he would have had hypothetical planet once be- friends and/or family looking for lieved to lie in orbit between him? One might also ask why, Mercury and the Sun. Indeed, when Resno collapses and Vulcan is also shown on the Lesterson goes to get help, he is “chart of the system”, pre- later unaware that Resno has sented by the Golden Emperor died. Janley tells Bragen she of the Daleks during the comic disposed of Resno’s body in the strip Invasion of the Daleks. This mercury swamp, so Lesterson featured in the 1964 annual The obviously failed to return with the Dalek Book. promised assistance! For that matter, there is only scant evi- The rebellion, furthermore, is dence of family or any other life largely unexplained. Janley re- outside of the colonists’ work marks that the colony is “running and/or political activities. It is un- down” and that the rebels will clear when the story takes place, bring in better facilities and addi- yet it evidently occurs before tional money, but people gener-

19

ally need more substantial rea- Head of Security, a strict discipli- sons than grotty rec-rooms to narian, and angling to become start plotting the armed over- governor. Nor is it obvious why throw of their government. In any they need the Daleks as a weap- case, Resno contradicts Janley on, because it is Bragen, not saying, “We're doing all right as Hensell, who has control over we are. Or we were until your lot the security forces. And why is came along stirring things up.” Janley anxious about the meet- Lesterson describes the rebels ing being overheard by guards as a “pressure group”, which when they are answerable to again does not sound like the Bragen and therefore not likely kind of organisation which goes to turn against him? In any case, about planning bloody revolts. the rebels are so well-armed to Hensell isn’t a despot, and is begin with, that the presence or even said to be popular; Bragen, absence of the Daleks will not in fact, is the only one with any make much difference to their sort of grievance, in that he is success. The idea of Bragen disrespected by the Governor having a Dalek kill Hensell and and his Deputy. Everyone bar then declare martial law, is fair Hensell seems to know who the enough, but it’s perplexing that rebels are, which is surely coun- he’s involved with the rebels, let terproductive. alone arranging the Dalek test firing in Rocket Room P instead It is equally puzzling that the re- of just acting on his own. bels are cooperating with Bragen in the first place: he is, after all, The plot is riddled with problems. 20 for The Doctor to find and there- by avoid suspicion.

What is more, although a button was planted on the Doctor that (falsely) linked Deputy Governor Quinn with the murder of the Ex- aminer from Earth, it takes the Doctor the best part of two days to make the connection, even One might excuse the continuity though from the telesnaps it’s errors, when The Doctor alludes apparent that, during the whole to meeting (which he time, Quinn was wandering didn't, and, as Whitaker scripted around with one button missing ‘’, isn’t a mistake from the front of his jacket. the writer would have made him- self) and describes his former Another problem is that Janley incarnation as ‘a great collec- and her allies don't seem to think tor’ (which he wasn't) and sud- through their actions vis-à-vis denly reveals that he kept a dia- the Daleks. While it does feature ry (which was undoubtedly a a strong running theme about retcon on the part of the produc- the extent to which people can tion team to introduce the idea ignore the obvious when it con- of The Doctor consulting previ- tradicts something that they real- ous entries) on the grounds that ly want to believe, it brushes attitudes to the programmes’ against the unrealistic in a num- history at the time were fairly ber of places. Janley drugs haphazard. It’s less easy to for- Lesterson before the test firing, give the note explaining Polly's Janley kidnapping (that she will remain safe “as long as you leave the Daleks alone”): a reason so art- less, that it exposes the fact that Anneke Wills was on holiday during the recording of Episode Four. Michael Craze's absence in Episode Five (Ben is abduct- ed following his discovery at the rebels’ secret meeting) is only slightly better handled. It also appears strange that, Lesterson, if he had removed a Dalek to experiment on, didn't put it back

21 and patently mistrusts the Dalek, Janley blackmails him into si- ensuring that it has an external lence, and when The Doctor inti- constraint placed upon its weap- mates that the Daleks are not on. Yet it doesn't seem to worry just machines and are replicating her that the creature might tell themselves, she has him thrown Lesterson that an armed rebel- out of Lesterson’s laboratory. In lion is being planned. both cases, Janley has no rea- son to conceal the Daleks' activi- She also fails to query why the ties, and it could be to her ad- Dalek complies with them at all. vantage (in terms of sheer self- If she is supposed to be duplic- preservation) to investigate what itous enough to be leading the they are up to. As it is, when rebels on, then its repeated Lesterson confirms that the Da- claim that it is humanity's serv- leks are reproducing, and tries to ant should not be enough to lull see the Governor, Janley pre- her into such complacency. tends that he is mad.

In addition, Janley’s reactions to On a more positive note, the se- information that the Daleks are rial does contain some interest- procreating seem entirely coun- ing themes. Whereas earlier Da- terintuitive. When Lesterson lek encounters gradually built up wants to talk to The Doctor the creatures' capabilities to the about the suspicious amounts of point where, in ‘Master Plan’, material the Daleks are using, they are capable of literally tak-

22 ing over the known universe, as the former stories are, retro- ‘Power’ refreshes the sense of spectively, a subtle reworking of drama by changing the focus to postwar West German politics a small group of Daleks in a (renewed pacifism in the shadow weakened state, gradually of genocidal aggression); life un- reaching the point where they der enemy occupation; and Cold can destroy the colony. There is War geopolitics; ‘Power’ is not also a rather nice spot of paral- anything like as smart, eschew- lelism between the regenerated ing its moral perspective to the Doctor and his newly-invigorated point where the Daleks seem adversaries, in that the Dalek almost justified in their attempt to point-of-view shot of The Doctor, wipe out such a vicious, back- following its revival, echoes an stabbing and murderous colony earlier scene when we view Ben of scumbags. Which, in our view, and Polly from the still unsteady taken alongside a dodgy plot Doctor's perspective. and inconsistent characterisa- tion, warrants an instant demo- Nevertheless, the adventure, un- tion for the serial from ‘Classic fortunately, lacks any of the polit- A+ Who’ to a B rated ‘Could do ical allegories previously woven better!’. into ‘The Dalek Invasion of Earth’ and ‘Master Plan’. Where-

23 poor, the Powers That Be decid- The Highlanders ed never to let the muck of histo- ry dirty the towels of the TARDIS Review by again. And to be fair, there’s a good argument that they never Paul Simpson have been dirtied in such a way – every ‘historical’ Doctor Who We all know so much about ‘The television story since has had Power of the Daleks’ now – par- some form of alien or extra- ticularly following its resurrection terrestrial influence, even the de- in animated form. ‘The Underwa- servedly acclaimed Rosa from ter Menace’ will always be re- Series 11, so the history has be- membered for Professor Zaroff, come a setting rather than the ‘The Moonbase’ for the rede- centre of events. (Hats off to Big signed Cybermen. And caught in Finish here for their continued the middle is ‘The Highlanders’, fidelity to telling real historical the story that’s probably best tales, particularly in the First known for something that isn’t Doctor range – many are well true – namely that there was worth seeking out.) such an outcry of approval for Frazer Hines’ performance as Now, let’s set aside the whole Jamie from the general public ‘ratings were poor and that’s why when they saw it that there were they were dropped’ part of the massed petitions to the BBC de- argument – again, something manding that he become part of that’s been debated in some- the TARDIS crew. Or something times mind-numbing detail – and like that – the gist, anyway, be- look at this ‘last historical’ tag, as ing that no sooner had Hines’ that’s worth challenging too. face appeared on screen as the laird’s faithful piper Jamie than a ‘The Highlanders’ isn’t really that collective portion of the mums in true to history. It’s an adventure the audience swooned and de- story with the 1745 Jacobite Re- manded more. (It’s nonsense – bellion as its background; it’s as a perusal of the documenta- Robert Louis Stevenson’s tion has shown, the decision to ‘Kidnapped’ with Ben and Jamie retain Hines was made while rather than Caesar from the ‘The Power of the Daleks’ was ‘Planet of the Apes’ franchise or still being broadcast.) Dan-O from the original ‘Hawaii Five-O’ at its heart (Roddy Oh, sorry, there are two things McDowall and James MacArthur Folk Fan Memory tells us. The in the 1948 and 1960 film ver- other is that this is The Last His- sions respectively). It’s a roman- torical, and because it was so tic view of the brave bonnie

24 Scots against the ffilthy (sic) rot- around the necks of main char- ten English, with a few stereo- acters again (they’re not even types thrown in along the way. allowed on the covers of books There is a real person involved – adapting stories which feature apparently there genuinely was them, as Christos Achilleos a Solicitor Grey around at the found when illustrating time – but we’re not talking Ce- ‘Vengeance on Varos’). The lebrity Historical on the Russell T treatment of those on board the Davies ‘let’s dump Charles Dick- ships may well be seen through ens in the middle of a real ghost the prism of Stevenson, but story’ model. There are some there’s plenty of evidence that attempts to show the rough, such activities did take place, coarse nature of the conflict – with all the attendant cruelties. not the bits where there’s a sol- dier, or maybe two or three, Like so much of that era, until against a rebel, but the treat- very recently, there was little to ment of the rebels when they’re see of this story, and there’s not found by the English army, and the clamour of the Fan Glitterati the absolute cavalier attitude to remembering just how well Pat- life on display. I somehow doubt rick Troughton played the wash- that we’ll ever see nooses put erwoman, or banged poor

25 Perkins’ head against the table It’s clear from the many different in the way that the gloom of the versions of The Doctor that we Dalek capsule or the balletic see here that he’s still trying movement of the Fish People things on for size (as well as the have been recounted over the hats) but there are some marvel- years. The odds of it turning up lous moments that foreshadow again are slim, so hopefully it’s the heights of Season 5 – such on the list for animation sooner as when he makes clear that the rather than later (although after gun he was using to hold people the arguments over The Doctor’s at bay isn’t loaded. It’s perhaps checked trousers I wonder if a little facile to say that Trough- we’ll suddenly find some very ton was still trying to hide be- monocoloured kilts!) – although neath the different guises, but given the story’s penchant for you sense with many of his roles humour, it may see some chang- that once he found a key to who es along the way. the character was – whether it’s in ‘The Box of Delights’ or ‘The Listening to it, or watching via Omen’ – he was more secure… the Loose Cannon reconstruc- and here he hasn’t quite got tion you can sense the atmos- there. (think he gets there during phere that director Hugh David The Underwater Menace, and was striving for, which is occa- his Doctor is pretty much set by sionally militated against by the ‘The Moonbase’). The Doctor is aforementioned humour (and present throughout, but it’s his Troughton doing stupid things companions driving the action. with assorted pieces of head- gear). The scenes with Polly and Kirsty are nicely played by Anneke Wills and Hannah Gor- don, particularly when the latter isn’t weeping over something, giving Anneke some dramatic and humorous material. Michael Craze and Frazer Hines carry main plot thread, and it’s perhaps Mike’s contribution to this serial that I miss the Am I arguing that ‘The Highland- chance to see most. ers’ is an underrated gem that could get re-evaluated as The You’ll perhaps notice that I’ve Enemy of the World was when not talked much about The Doc- we can see it? Not really. But it’s tor and that’s not because I don’t certainly worth 100 minutes of rate Troughton’s performance. your time. 26 This was writer, Geoffrey Or- The Underwater me’s one and only script for the series and in my opinion that’s a Menace shame because despite its obvi- ous shortcomings it is evidently Review by clear that he had a genuine en- thusiasm for what he was writ- Oliver Dallas ing, not to mention imagination ‘What have a come upon?!’ by the boat load! Over the course of its four-episode To say that this serial has a poor runtime we are treated to an es- reputation would be an under- pionage thriller cum disaster statement. It seems no one has movie set in a mythical city in- a good word to say about it; not habited by mad scientists and the cast, the crew, the viewers god-fearing priests with bushy who watched it or (judging by eyebrows, so you can’t deny 2015s DVD release) even the that it has any ambition or varie- high priests of the almighty ty. Orme also understood that Amdo that is the BBC! But is it this was a programme primarily really the stinking floater that made for children and crafts everyone and their giddy aunts them a tale that could’ve been make it out to be, or a rare deli- torn right out of the pages of cacy best savoured with an open their comic books, so much so mind and a pint or two of what- that you could easily mistake it ever the main cast had to drink for an episode of ‘Batman’. to survive the location shoot?

27 Speaking of dynamic duos, or ably saved it from an early can- trios, the introduction of Jamie cellation, I am of course talking McCrimmon to this TARDIS about Joseph Furst as Professor team gives us for the first time ‘Nothing in the world can stop since Season Two a crew that me now!’ Zaroff. Now, before wants and looks forward to going you all start declaring me ‘as on adventures in time and mad as a hatter’ and feeding me space, this excitement and antic- to your pet octopuses, let me ex- ipation is perfectly conveyed in plain. Yes, Furst is clearly over the opening TARDIS scene acting and chewing the wobbly where we are treated to each of scenery for it’s all worth but we our heroes’ inner thoughts forget that for a time, so was our (including The Doctor, who leading man… hopes for ‘prehistoric monsters’) Jamie’s arrival also serves as a We’re now ten episodes into his perfect comedic and dramatic tenure and Patrick Troughton is foil to Ben, whose status as the still experimenting in the role, alpha male of the pack is now pushing not only the boundaries challenged by another head- of what could be done with the strong and physical guy with part but the patience of an un- eyes for Polly. The character sure audience who are still would receive better develop- mourning the loss of their be- ment in the following the serials loved and irreplaceable William but already this inquisitive and Hartnell. He starts off this adven- proactive highlander is proving ture behaving pretty much the to refreshing and redefining ad- same as he has in the previous dition to the main cast. two serials - expressing a delight in wearing hats, dressing up in This serial is also famous for funny disguises and even calling boasting the second most im- himself Dr Who - but the second portant piece of casting in the he is introduced to the OTT luna- series’ history and one that prob- cy of Furst he begins to tone down those eccentricities, and Joseph Furst as Professor Zaroff. for the better. Whether this was a conscious decision made by Troughton or not is now (like epi- sodes one and four) sadly lost to time but it’s the laboratory se- quences in episode two in which we are finally introduced to The Doctor that we know and love.

What is more difficult to love

28 however is the production and going to be considered a classic costume design, which even by - even if it is one day animated 1960’s standards are pretty or fully recovered – but does that shoddy. If the telesnaps for epi- mean we have to hate it? Yes, it sode four are anything to go by contains OTT performances, but it looks as though the produc- would it have been as memora- tion team spent more money on ble if the actors had taken the flooding the sets than attempt to script seriously? Yes, the fish make them look anything but people look ridiculous and - giv- the pieces of painted plywood en the little amount of screen and polystyrene they clearly time they receive anyway – were. The fish people and their should have been cut from the appearance are also the source final edit, but would we still of got of similar ridicule – even from the spine-chilling episode one the characters themselves – but cliff-hanger and infamous under- maybe that’s the point of them. water ballet in episode three if They are a literal parody of the they had? All of these elements, human form so perhaps Polly’s for better or worse give this seri- real objection to becoming one al an identity that immediately was out of embarrassment ra- sets it apart from anything pro- ther than fear (though the ash- duced before or since. It’s a fun trayed monstrosity she’s forced and inoffensive pantomime that to wear later is hardly a better actively encourages you to join alternative). in with its silliness, surely that is reason enough to enjoy and re- Admittedly this story is never watch it?

29 me at the time - unlike Terrance The Moonbase Dicks, who quickly took you to the action. There was obviously Review by something about the book, though, because I never gave Tim Gambrell up, and when I did eventually ‘The Moonbase’ is the most im- read it from cover to cover (as a portant story, just as teenager) I marked it down as Patrick Troughton’s Doctor is one of my favourites. the most important of the char- acter’s incarnations. ‘The Moon- It will only have been a few base’ is a return story, a rein- years after this that the vention in many ways. ‘The ‘Cybermen: The Early Years’ Tenth Planet’ saw the end of the video was released, and I got to Cybermen, as it saw the end of watch the two extant ‘Moonbase’ William Hartnell’s Doctor. And episodes. All I’d seen previously just like the regenerated Doctor, had been some tantalising clips these Moonbase Cybermen are used in Resistance Is Useless. I the same but different. They are recall reading a comment in an adorned like their former selves, article around that time stating but they look slightly different. that if ‘The Moonbase’ was com- They sound different. But they plete in the BBC archives, it are essentially the same; they would likely be as highly regard- want the same things. If ‘The ed as ‘The Tomb of the Cyber- Moonbase’ had failed as a pro- men’. I don’t think that person duction, maybe that would have was too far wrong in their opin- been the end of the Cybermen ion. ‘Tomb’ has the Cyber Con- in the annals of Doctor Who. We troller, of course, and all of the don’t know, because – thankfully iconic scenes in and around the – the story was a success and tombs themselves. It has the continues to be hugely enjoya- Cybermats, and that moment of ble to this day in its varied for- absolute charm between The mats.

‘The Moonbase’ started off as a bit of a struggle, for me. In its guise as Doctor Who and the Cybermen, it was one of the first Target novelisations I had in my collection. I tried to read it whilst I was at primary school. Time and again I started it, but Gerry Davis’ prose was too stodgy for 30 Doctor and Victoria while every- fine use of filmed sequences to one else sleeps. But, by con- add scale. He then really works trast, ‘The Moonbase’ has the up the claustrophobia and the Cyber army marching across the shadows in the studio sequenc- lunar landscape. It has The Doc- es. In ‘The Moonbase’, he even tor’s fabulous speech about manages to do this within the ‘some corners of the Universe’. It large primary set, featuring the has the ‘did they search in gravitron prop. here?’ moment of realisation leading up to the episode two Aside from the director, the oth- cliff hanger. er aspect shared by those two 1967 Cyberman stories is the Morris Barry does a great job look of the Cybermen them- directing both ‘The Moonbase’ selves. I was too young to have and ‘The Tomb of the Cyber- seen (or seen and remembered) men’, really cementing the silver a Cyberman story until giants’ place in he Doctor Who ‘’, in 1982, but earlier universe. The cast may have than that my copy of ‘The Amaz- considered him old-fashioned in ing World of Doctor Who’ his approach, and a bit strait- showed me images of them and laced, but the onscreen results my Programme Guide Vol.2 told are very effective. Barry makes me all about them. The design

31 that always struck me as the episode of Jeux sans Frontière, most chilling was the Cybermen gave them a skin-tight t-shirt and as they first appeared in ‘The a name badge, and sent them Moonbase’. The way the head up to the moon to control the resembles a human skull. The weather. Patrick Barr’s Hobson cavernous, blank eyes. The looks like my grandad used to on wide, lipless mouth. In ‘The a Sunday morning, when he Tenth Planet’ they were cum- couldn’t be bothered to put a bersome and cluttered, like a shirt on. As a base commander, hitch-hiking camper. Here, they he’s half Christopher Trace from are sleek, lithe, and terrifying. ‘Blue Peter’ and half everyone’s They move silently, operating in crabby grandad. Naturally, the shadows, unseen or half- Troughton’s intelligent, scheming glimpsed. They work in small Doctor runs rings around him – numbers and infiltrate, never and everyone else he encoun- speaking unless challenged. ters on the base. It’s fun to They seem far more dangerous, watch. There’s a weighty nobility far more threatening that way. to Troughton’s elfin playfulness, here; a dark undertone that we’d In contrast to the impassive not really seen before (except for Cybermen, then, is the titular a few fleeting moments in ‘The moon base, with its belea- Power of the Daleks’). The Doc- guered multinational staff of tor always seems to know more middle-aged men. It’s as if than he’s revealing. He’s still the someone randomly selected a kindly uncle to Ben and Polly member of each team from an and not yet the bantering best

32 track CD just how much is going on from a sound perspective. There is always background noise and atmosphere of some kind in the moon base interior scenes. This is contrasted by the sudden eery of the lunar landscape scenes. The subtle introduction of incidental music and ‘stings’, particularly in the exterior scenes, really highlights friend to fledgling companion the difference in the environ- Jamie, but he’s holding things ments and adds an unnerving back and it makes you watch sense of drama without doing him all the more closely. very much at all. And no one can deny how much of the Cyber- Ben and Polly have a great ‘can- men’s early appeal was down to do’ attitude in this story. Getting their theme, Martin Slavin’s them involved with the base op- ‘Space Adventure’. Not even the erations and helping out the Daleks had a defined, recurring struggling crew helps to pull the theme at the time. ‘The Tenth viewer in. Frazer Hines has of- Planet’ used ‘Space Adventure’ ten dismissed much of what Ja- first, but its repetition here ce- mie was given to do in ‘The mented the effect. Moonbase’, as if he was tacked on at a late stage. But he pro- By the time the story was finally vides a necessary narrative an- given its own DVD release, with chor for the viewer. His condition episodes one and three animat- for much of the first three epi- ed, I felt I was too familiar with it sodes constantly takes the story to get that excited. More fool me; back to the bay – to where it still held some surprises. For a the Cybermen are. If his role start, I think it’s probably the was taken by one of the moon most accomplished of all the epi- base crew, the threat wouldn’t sode animations originally com- be so palpable, the audience missioned. Secondly, it’s a story wouldn’t have that emotional link that my eldest son developed an so early on in the story. All four affection for. He’s taken to all the regulars give top performances Troughton Cyberman stories, but here, and show their value. time and again he’d sit for hours and watch ‘The Moonbase’. I For a story that relies so much had to get him his own copy. I’m on visuals, it’s perhaps not obvi- not sure precisely what it is he ous until you to the sound- loves about it. Maybe, like me, 33 it’s a combination of lots of must have been travelling smaller things that create a sat- through space, not time, to be isfying whole. affected by gravity like that). I’m willing to enter the moon base In truth, I can take or leave a lot with the TARDIS crew and be of Season 4, but I love ‘The taken on a journey of discovery, Moonbase’ and I think it stands until the Cybermen effectively above its neighbouring stories. point out that the moon base has It’s dark, dramatic, pacey and it a weapon that could dispose of firmly establishes the Cybermen the invaders. as the show’s new big hitter. It’s a classic base-under-siege story. When a story is delivered with a In many ways it’s probably THE sense of integrity and truth, as classic base-under-siege story – ‘The Moonbase’ is, I find I’m far it’s certainly a template for much more willing to suspend my dis- of the following season. And as belief and not look to second much as I would prefer the moon guess the production. That may base crew to be a little more var- make me a less discerning or ied and representative, we grow intelligent consumer, I don’t to care about them. know. But watching or listening to or reading ‘The Moonbase’, it For me it doesn’t matter that the makes me a satisfied one. And gravitron is a McGuffin hanging at the end of the day, that’s what over the entire story, pretty much counts. from the opening scene when the TARDIS is oddly affected (it

34

‘blood-curdling screams’ to give The Macra Terror the impression that the monsters Review by were scarier than they actually were. Reading the book and lis- Ian Wheeler tening to the audio, however, gave me a very different appreci- I have seen 'The Macra Ter- ation of these vintage monsters. ror'. Not in 1967 on television Freed of the limitations of 60s because I wasn’t even born television, I was able to appreci- then. And I’m not referring to the ate the Macra through the reac- recent animated reconstruction, tions of the other characters and good though that is. I have seen through Black’s very vivid de- 'The Macra Terror' in my scriptions. And that was what dreams. Because the creepy, made me realise that although shuffling monsters of its title 'The Macra Terror' may not have somehow represent the sinister (I suspect) have been classic monsters that we all see in our television, it is nonetheless a nightmares. With their armoured classic story. bodies, quite unlike any human or mammal, they seem to awake When a writer creates a new an ancient, primal fear within us Doctor Who monster, drawing inspiration from a real animal is But they weren’t that scary, I a pretty good starting point. It hear you reply. Well, on the ba- gives both the writer and the au- sis of that single, somewhat un- dience something to latch on to dramatic, black and white photo and makes things easier in some of the Macra that we're all used respects than simply creating to seeing, you may well be right. something totally new with no But my first exposure to the story basis in reality. By the time 'The came from Ian Stuart Black’s su- Macra Terror' rolled around in perb 1987 Target novelisation 1967, Doctor Who had already and the 1992 release of the utilised monsters based on in- soundtrack on audio cassette sects (the Zarbi), and fish (the and that’s why the Macra thrilled Fish People) and it therefore me. Because the Macra are one seemed logical for the pro- of those Doctor Who monsters gramme to turn to another ani- which are great on paper but mal group - in this case, Crusta- which the BBC effects team ra- ceans. With their segmented ther struggled to create convinc- bodies, hard exoskeleton and ingly on screen. Small wonder antennae, crabs are a superb that Patrick Troughton apparent- starting point for a Doctor Who ly asked Anneke Wills to use monster as they already look

35 rive in a scenario where some things are familiar but others are not what they seem, rather like Cartmel era ‘oddball’ stories such as ‘The Happiness Patrol‘ or ‘The Greatest Show in the Galaxy’. The story also contains more than a passing resem- blance to ITC’s ‘’ and George Orwell’s ‘1984’, with the colony’s forced festivals, car- pretty strange and unearthly. nival-like atmosphere and mys- Their unique way of mov- terious Big Brother-like Control- ing, scurrying and scuttling, also ler. sets them apart from other ani- mals we are more familiar with. Like ‘The Prisoner’, 'The Macra Terror' is undoubtedly a 60s As well as giving us a different piece, but it does reflect certain monster, 'The Macra Terror' also contemporary concerns. The represented a different type of manipulation of the truth about story. For most of the Hartnell the Macra by and the era, the majority of Doctor Who Controller arguably reflects the adventures had fitted into one of ‘fake news’ culture of today and two categories - historicals or the ways in which governments science-fiction epics, the latter of can control and manipulate infor- which were usually set on other mation, and Medok is perhaps planets or in the far future. From reminiscent of today’s ‘whistle- ‘The War Machines’ onwards, blowers’. the lines began to blur a little and a new type of story Production-wise, 'The Macra emerged, those set on contem- Terror' was (as far as we can porary Earth or in the relatively near future. It is hard to imagine 'The Macra Terror' as a Hartnell era story as it breaks away from the formula of that period and is very much a product of the Troughton/Innes Lloyd era. In- deed, in many ways it arguably foreshadows the tone and themes of the Andrew Cartmel years, being a tale where The Doctor and his companions ar- 36 tell), fairly solid, despite the limi- first to feature The Doctor’s face tations of the Macra props. Like in the title sequence, along with many early Troughton stories, it a revised version of the theme. does suffer a little from ‘crowded TARDIS’ syndrome and the The Macra were very much a presence of three companions one-trick pony and it’s unsurpris- does lead to the age-old problem ing that they didn’t return to Doc- of giving everyone enough to do. tor Who, bar a brief one-off ap- As was so often the case, it pearance in the seems to be Jamie who gets the era (2007’s ‘Gridlock’). Unlike better stuff here, particularly at the Daleks and the Cybermen, the expense of Ben. Peter Jef- they lacked the potential for mul- frey does a cracking turn as the tiple reappearances and they Pilot and one really feels that he remain something of a footnote should have appeared in Doctor in Doctor Who’s history, albeit a Who more often than he did, alt- memorable one. hough his two appearances (this story and 1978’s ‘The Androids Despite the successful 2019 ani- of Tara’) are both memorable mation, the original televised performances. Troughton is on version of 'The Macra Terror' re- good form with this type of dark mains a regrettable omission story with a hidden menace suit- from the BBC archives and it’s a ing him very well. It's also worth story that I would love to see re- noting that this adventure is the turned. We can but dream.

37 what the series would have been The Faceless like if Samantha Briggs had joined the TARDIS crew instead Ones of demure little leather lungs her- self - Victoria Waterfield. I dare Review by say it would have been the end of the world. Martin Spellacey Bear with me and I'll explain. In 2011 physicist Brian Greene, Samantha Briggs was ahead of author of 'The Elegant Universe her time. Which is quite apt in a and the Fabric of the Cosmos', series about time travel. We posited that there are only so should absolutely give credit to many ways in which matter can for stroking his chin arrange itself within an infinite reflectively in 1974 and musing universe. Eventually, matter has that maybe...just maybe...Doctor to repeat itself and arrange itself Who needed a strong female in similar ways. So, if the uni- companion who would have the verse is infinitely large, it is also measure of The Doctor and be home to an infinite number of an audience identification figure. parallel universes. And Sarah-Jane Smith was all of those things...but we could have Now I'm no expert on string the- had it all with Sammy B in 1967. ory, and my exposure to parallel universes consists primarily of You don't believe me that she watching ‘The Rise of the Cyber- was ahead of her time? Just men ‘and Primordially in watch- look at her outfit. She was wear- ing ‘’ (see what I did ing polka dots long before the there?,) but I can't help wonder- multi-talented Bonnie Langford ing that, if Professor Greene's tap-danced her way through theory is true, perhaps some- ‘Paradise Towers’. You think where in the uncharted backwa- Skagra cut a dash as he minced ters of infinity there is an alterna- his way across the streets of tive version of Doctor Who Cambridge in that outrageously where the character of Saman- camp white titfer - Sam's hat tha Briggs left Earth in the TAR- was taller, whiter, stiffer and DIS with The Doctor and Jamie even had a bow on it! Oh, and and the BBC did not make her that barnett! Come on, surely the change her accent to ‘RP’ … Taran Woodbeast or the Cyber- shades (possibly even Lulu Samantha Briggs, eh... Is she ahead of her Eurovision perfor- the best companion Doctor Who mance) went to the same hair- never had? Can you imagine dresser as ‘that’ Miss Briggs. 38 Come to think of it, planted into the Daleks forget had a similar hairstyle in ‘The Alpha, Beta and - they'd Ambassadors of Death’, and have christened themselves the hat too...maybe it's just a John, Paul and Ringo and 1960's Cambridge thing! Sam was a Britain would have had Da- trend-setter in the fictional world lekmania and Beatlemania in of 'Who'; heck, she was even one heady cultural mash-up. prone to snogging The Doctor's companions long before Cap- ‘The Tomb of the Cybermen’ - tain Jack Harkness puckered up Sam wouldn't have got herself his lips for a bit of tonsil-tickling. locked in the Cyber-chamber on Let's explore the stories that fol- Telos. The whole party would lowed ‘The Faceless Ones’, had have been in and out of the sar- she been involved. ‘The Evil of cophagus chamber in minutes. the Daleks’ - those Daleks No need to investigate further wouldn't have asked The Doctor and the Cybermen downstairs to test Jamie to determine the would have snoozed on una- Human Factor, they'd have ware. ‘The Abominable Snow- gone for Samantha Briggs. The men/The Ice Warriors’ - Sam sassy scouser would easily would have taken one look at the have rescued Victoria, and windy Tibetan mountainside or when the human factor was im- Britannicus Base and told The

Pauline Collins as Sam Briggs.

39 Doctor to do one. ‘'Gerroff, Doc, the looks); or perhaps she had you kiddin' me, goin out there! I gender reassignment surgery left me coat at 'ome and it looks and changed her name to Nick, proper Baltic like! Gwed and building a successful career pro- swerve it, unless you fancy a ducing top quality audio dramas stay at the ozzy!’ for fans across the globe. ‘The Web of Fear’ - As every good Liverpudlian knows, Web Samantha Briggs isn't the only means trainers. The Trainers of good thing about ‘The Faceless Fear is just what Sam would Ones’, but she's a delightful ad- have used to give the Yeti a dition to the story. Brave and good kickin'. And finally ‘Fury funny, her no-nonsense attitude from the Deep’, and yes...this is lifts every scene she's in and if, where the world ends. You see, as Professor Greene suggests, there's just no way Sam would the fabric of the universe is at have screamed at a piece of times elegant, maybe it's just seaweed. However much The because elegance is the quality Doctor could amplify her dis- of being graceful and stylish in missive tutting, it wouldn't have manner - just like our Sam. been loud enough to see off the monster and the world would have been consumed by angry sushi. End of the planet, end of Doctor Who. Still, I suppose it would have saved us all from ‘The Wheel in Space’, so every cloud and all that…

No, on second thoughts maybe it's just as well in our universe Sam elected to stay at Gatwick and pursue her life without The Doctor, and WHO knows just how that turned out. Maybe in one reality Sam married a man called Joe, changed her name to Shirley Valentine and had a tor- rid affair with a hot Greek on a hotter island. She may have gained notoriety as an imperson- ator of Queen Victoria (she had

40 to the regular cast with Susan The Evil of the leaving in the second Dalek sto- ry and Ian and Barbara in the Daleks third. was interesting Review by in that unlike the two previous Dalek tales it consisted of sever- Ian K McLachlan al mini adventures set in differ- ent times and places. In this re- Season four of Doctor Who was spect it was similar to the only a time of great change. While non-Dalek serial that Terry Na- only season one had the same tion wrote in the 1960s – ‘The regular cast at the beginning of Keys of Marinus’ (my all-time fa- the season as it had at the end; vourite Doctor Who serial!) seasons two and three, while they had changing companions Season three also contained two kept the same actor playing The Dalek stories. There was Doctor throughout (despite John ‘Mission to the Unknown’ which Wiles’ attempts to change was described as a one-episode this). However, season four be- adventure in Radio Times even gan with the , Polly though it did not feature either and Ben and ended with the sec- The Doctor or any of his com- ond Doctor, Jamie and Victoria. panions. Then there was the epic ‘The Daleks Master Plan’ The programme of this time was which was the longest Dalek se- a collection of adventures which rial of them all at twelve epi- sometimes led into each other, sodes. Although it had an over- and sometimes did not. What arching theme – The Doctor and connected them all together was his friends determination to de- the TARDIS and her crew. Dur- feat the Daleks and their time ing their many adventures up to destructor – there were several the beginning of season four, mini adventures along the way aside from the Meddling Monk, including the Dalekless ‘Feast of only one adversary reappeared Steven’. ‘The Daleks Master – the Daleks. Plan’ saw the first Dalek epi- sodes written by someone other These mutants in their travelling than their creator Terry Nation machines had first appeared in when Dennis Spooner, a past the second adventure – ‘The Da- script editor, shared the writing leks’, reappearing in ‘The Dalek duties. 'The Daleks Master Plan’ Invasion of Earth’ and ‘The saw changes as regards the Chase’. The ending of both companions as well with Katari- these adventures saw changes na, who had recently joined the

41 crew in ‘Horse of Destruction’ episodes exist in the archives, dying in ‘The Traitors’ and her for this serial there have been replacement, per- two animated versions released ishing in ‘Destruction of Time’. on DVD/Blu-ray, which means that fans of the programme are The theme of bringing back the probably more familiar with that Daleks if there was to be a major serial compared to ‘The Evil of cast change was continued with the Daleks’. the introduction of the second Doctor in ‘The Power of the Da- These stories were amongst the leks’. This was written by anoth- last to be novelised and John er former script editor, David Peel provided two quite lengthy Whitaker, with some rewriting books. They are very different done by Dennis Spooner. It was stories, not least because while thought at the time that having Power is set in the same place the Daleks in this new Doctor’s and time throughout its narra- first serial might encourage regu- tive, Evil is set in three distinc- lar viewers to stay with the pro- tive places – present day Earth, gramme. Many did and they Victorian times and Skaro. were rewarded with a six part serial set on the planet Vul- In a way ‘The Evil of the Daleks’ can. Although sadly no original has some of Doctor Who’s

42 greatest hits in it. It has a pre- sent day sequence as in ‘An Un- earthly Child’ and ‘The War Ma- chines’; it has Jamie being test- ed by an alien power as The Doctor’s companions were test- ed in ‘The ’; it has Arthur being put under mind control as happened to some characters in ‘The War Ma- chines’; it has Waterfield sacrific- ing himself for The Doctor as An- Doctor into going and rescuing todus sacrifices himself in ‘The Victoria. There are certain points Daleks’; it has in Maxtible some- in the tale when the relationship one prepared to sacrifice the hu- between the and the man race on the altar of his own young Highlander is somewhat greed; and it has a return to Ska- frayed and Jamie concludes that ro, the planet which saw Doctor for all the good The Doctor does Who as a programme really take in his travels, there is a darker off. But there is a whole lot more side to him as well. He wonders to this adventure than that and at why his friend seems to be will- its heart is the important philo- ing to co-operate with Maxtible sophical question – what is it that and Waterfield who were in- makes us human? volved in Kennedy’s death.

Unlike some of the stories that An interesting aspect of this sto- are put out under The Doctor ry is that all the problems that Who banner today, this is truly arose did so because Maxtible what Doctor Who was originally and Waterfield wanted to create meant to be. It is very much ‘an a time machine. This was a adventure in space and theme continued with Greel in time.’ But there is room for char- ‘The Talons of Weng-Chiang’. acter development in the seven The programme suggests that episodes alongside all the action trying to create a time and and adventure. As a viewer you space machine is bad unless want The Doctor and Jamie to you are The Doctor himself. get the TARDIS back so as they can continue to have adventures I remember when I first watched together. But you know from a this serial I wondered what was previous Dalek story that not all going to happen to Edward Wa- companions survive. terfield. When they were all transported to Skaro I felt that it Jamie is manipulated by The was likely that Maxtible and Ke- 43 mel would not survive. I thought see Windsor Davies in a role that Victoria would likely join the very different to those he usually TARDIS crew along with her fa- played. Mollie was a good caring ther. I could not see him being character played by Jo Rowbot- killed off, but he was, and I re- tom, who was a regular face on member being shocked at the television at this time. Brigit For- time. However, he and Kemel syth as Maxtible’s daughter, in a died as heroes which made a smaller early role, was equally sort of sense to their deaths. impressive. Ruth was a very dif- ferent character to the dreaded Waterfield was an interesting Thelma she went on to play in character. Yes, he did ‘bad ‘Whatever Happened to the Like- things’ but he did them because ly Lads?’ his primary motivation was to en- sure his beloved daughter Victo- I was particularly pleased to see ria was rescued from the evil Da- Gary Watson who I remembered leks. He was a very unwilling par- as the hero Andrew Giddings in ticipant in their plans one of my favourite serials of all time ‘The River Flows East’. This ‘The Evil of the Daleks’ had a su- was an exciting thriller serial perb guest cast. It was good to written by Terence Dudley of

L-R: Waterfield, Maxtible, The Doctor

44 ‘Black Orchid’ fame. Kemel, the could discover the ‘human fac- former rival of Jamie, who ended tor’. After that happened, it up becoming his friend, was would be injected into three Da- played by Sonny Caldinez. He lek mutant creatures. The did not speak, but he reap- ‘human factor’ was what caused peared in later Doctor Who seri- the Daleks to be continually de- als. John Bailey, who had ap- feated at the hands of the hu- peared in one episode of ‘The man beings. They felt that ’, was very convincing human factor coupled with the as the much-conflicted Water- Dalek creatures would make field. However, the standout them invincible. performance for me amongst the guest cast, was Marius Goring, Through the tests the Daleks set who apart from his important Jamie, The Doctor deduced that role in Equity was a leading man the human factor contained ele- in both ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ ments such as: courage, com- and ‘The Expert’. With his im- passion, pity, charity and friend- pressive hair and beard he ship. When The Doctor added looked every bit the eccentric the ‘human factor’ to the Daleks scientist (a look copied much he called Alpha, Beta and Ome- later by Professor Kettlewell in ga he found that they became ‘Robot’). On occasions he gave friendly and childlike. At one The Doctor a run for his money point they played at ‘trains’- a in the ‘eccentric scientist’ sequence which I remember stakes. I well remember the thinking at the time was rather scenes after he had become a silly, wanting Doctor Who to be Dalek. One of the recurring serious all the time. Now on re- themes of the show is people flection it was perfectly valid. being turned into something else, usually an alien. The However when The Doctor met Cybermen, who had first ap- the Emperor Dalek on Skaro the peared in season four were orig- headmitted that the Daleks in inally humanoid before all their Victorian London had not quite ‘enhancements’ turned them been telling the truth. It was not into something alien. the ‘human factor’ that he was interested in, but the ‘Dalek fac- The Daleks had arranged for tor.’ From the ‘human factor’ he Waterfield to capture the TAR- could deduce what the ‘Dalek DIS so they could set The Doc- factor’ was. The Emperor want- tor and Jamie the task of finding ed The Doctor to spread the the ‘human factor.’ They had ‘Dalek factor’ through time and decided that Jamie had to en- space using his TARDIS. I dure a set of tests so that they thought that was a bit strange as

45 the Daleks had already created be one of his three original con- time and space machines in ‘The verted humanized Daleks. Chase’. I also thought it strange that The Doctor seemed to be- Terry Nation wanted to launch lieve the Daleks could destroy his Daleks in their own series the TARDIS completely. with Sara Kingdom being one of the major characters. This The Doctor refuses, tricking meant he allowed David Whita- enough Daleks into adding ‘the ker to pen the two Troughton human factor’ to their original Dalek stories. The production selves. He is sure that in time team at the time were encour- these Daleks will question the aged to finally write out the Da- status quo and rebel, causing a leks for good. Thankfully ‘The civil war on Skaro. To me that is Evil of the Daleks’ was not the interesting because the original last time we saw the pepper Dalek serial had that scene pots. One of them put in a cam- when Ian convinced the , eo appearance in ‘The War Alydon, through seeming to take Games’ before making their Dyoni captive, that if you want much anticipated reappearance your freedom then you have to in ‘The Day of the Daleks’ . fight for it. In fact in this serial The Doctor somewhat unusually ‘The Evil of the Daleks’ was a personally despatches one of the well-made story. There were a Daleks which was pretending to number of scenes where the ac-

46 tion moved from videotape to ‘The Wheel in Space’ The Doc- film. Maxtible’s house looked tor projected this adventure on even more impressive on film the scanner to demonstrate to than it did on video. The scenes Zoe what she might have to put set in Victorian England were up with. The full seven parts particularly good, but as the were then screened with an ad- BBC set many classic series in ditional voiceover from The Doc- that era that is hardly surprising. tor in episode one to explain what was happening. When it It was good that after losing Pol- was over, we got a chance to ly and Ben, and not gaining Sa- meet the ‘cruel Dominators and mantha Briggs as the new com- their robot servants the panion, The Doctor and Jamie Quarks.’ although how The had more time to develop their Doctor was able to project relationship, both in ‘The Face- events he had not personally less Ones’ and ‘The Evil of the witnessed we cannot tell and Daleks’. Jamie is very much the maybe should not ask. action hero in this adventure. There were several memorable Deborah Watling is very good as scenes over the episodes. The the Victorian girl, however it re- fight involving Jamie and Kemel mained to be seen if taking a was good. The Dalek Emperor companion from Earth’s past set was particularly impressive would be more successful this and the scenes of the Daleks time round than it had been pre- fighting each other were in the viously with Katarina. main well realised, though it was obvious that the Daleks in cer- Patrick Troughton is his usual tain scenes were toys rather excellent self and throughout the than the full-scale versions. I al- seven episodes he displays a so remember watching the a number of emotions often by not scene with Mollie when the pic- actually doing very much. As I ture suddenly went dark. It was mentioned previously, this is a a technical fault - something that much more manipulative Doctor you dreaded happening during akin to his first and seventh in- the transmission of a favourite carnations. TV show. Thankfully it was soon fixed, and the story continued It is a great shame that this seri- uninterrupted. al does not exist in a complete form in the BBC archives. It was Hopefully one day the full serial the first Doctor Who serial on will be found, or it will be chosen British TV to be repeated in full. to be animated. It certainly de- At the end of the sixth episode of serves to be appreciated.

47 feature on Tomb, declaring that The Tomb of the not just an episode but a full re- cording had been returned! Yes Cybermen those heady days of the 90s as episodes dripped out on VHS Review by release and Target novels were Owen Taylor the only real way to remember the early shows, suddenly here What makes a classic Doctor was this proclaimed classic re- Who episode? Is it the script, the turned and being rushed to gen- actor’s performance or a particu- eral release! Soon all those mo- lar revelation that changes what ments discussed in articles and we know forever? shown only in the odd photo or surviving clips would be there for Do we call it a classic because it the world to see! Then in May tops a particular poll or because 1992 it arrived and went straight memory tells us it was even if into the number 1 spot of the not viewed for a long time? What VHS chart with 25,000 copies then of those classic stories that sold and all its glory and its can no longer be viewed as faults where finally seen again. thought lost at least on film for- ever? In recent years we’ve There is no doubt it is an excep- been spoilt with rediscovering tionally well produced and shot lost episodes of the indomitable serial for the most part. A top Troughton era, but there is one notch cast and mostly studio particular story that answers all bound story, realised in style, these questions and stands the make for compact story telling test of time. Buried in the ice of starting with Egyptian Hammer memory and revaluated in its un- Horror before settling into the covering, ‘The Tomb of the familiar base under siege mo- Cybermen’ not only gives us a tif. However while we discuss story on the power of memory memory there is a moment to and how we uncover history but remember when it was pro- became itself a tale wrapped in duced, as this serial also shows that mystique. us how certain stereotypes were played. Obvious both from its Like the start of the show itself release in 1992, even more so being tied to the memory of the now, are the villainous trio of Kennedy assassination I can re- Klieg, Kaftan and Toberman. member the news breaking that While the casting of George Tomb had been recovered. Pastell as Klieg gives the story a There in March 1992 was issue Hammer Horror essence from 184 of DWM, coincidently with a his various performance in Mum- 48 my movies in the late 50s and The second fault is far more mi- 60s, the overt Arabization of nor and purely production based them leads to uncomfortable as the wires used to lift the im- viewing in the modern age. Roy mense Tobermen stand out as Stewart is wasted as the silent does the obvious Cyber control- strong man despite his heroic ler doll thrown across the room. end, instead portrayed as the Famous gaffs now though un- black slave in a supposed pro- derstandable when dealing with gressive future full of logicians. giant actors. The foaming death Even Shirley Cooklin’s makeup of the cyber insides towards the as Kaftan is exaggerated height- end while seeming a cheap ef- ening her Mediterranean looks fect is also still effective and against the ranks of British ar- shows why it drew the wrath of chaeologists and American pi- Mary Whitehouse. lots. Their callousness towards the lives of others and indeed Now for the great strengths of grand plan for humanity while this story, which opened season under the line of logic harken to 5. It is Victoria’s first full story as a darker historical parallel. It is a a companion, picking up literally stark contrast from the story four in the fiery embers of the previ- serials previously with ‘The ous ‘Evil of the Daleks’ and Moonbase’ and its multicultural through her sceptical response crew, and it is slightly uncomfort- to the TARDIS and seeing The able watching it 50 years later. Doctor through fresh eyes the show feels renewed. 'It’s my

Toberman, The Doctor, Kaftan, Parry

49 home' The Doctor explains as shift in origin is brushed past un- we are reminded of who he is til an explanation later in episode and how the TARDIS works 'You 3 seems to continue the theme see we travel around in here, of renewal. We are told they died through time and space…. I sup- out many centuries ago, but no pose I must be about 450 years one knows why. Apparently, they old.' have forgotten the attacks on Earth and the moon… In fact, It also allows Jamie to cement throughout this opening the his place as central companion Cybermen are viewed more as as he helps Victoria find her feet curiosity then threat, the passing while at the same time bringing of centuries once more showing the camaraderie of The Doctor/ those that forget the lessons of Jamie relationship to the fore. history are doomed to repeat it.

We then get that quintessential From here we get a tour de force part of the show as we switch to of Patrick Troughton’s acting as a gravel pit on the Planet Telos, he switches from academic to expertly shot for effect as we father figure to imp, his hand pan from a space rocket to a holding with Jamie a particular group of archaeologists evoking treat as they persuade Victoria to the opening of Tomb of Tutan- join them inside. He takes com- khamun, though with a large ex- mand, opens the tomb and plosion, revealing the giant shows the party how to open the Tomb doors - a familiar face em- interior doors they missed, as bossed on them. Our Egyptian ever his scientific curiosity and setting is further evoked as the showing off overcoming his com- doors electrocute the first person mon sense before the sudden who tries to open them. In stand- appearance of a Cybermen guns ard timing for The Doctor, it is down another crew member. this moment the TARDIS arrives planting them straight under sus- Episode 2 sees The Doctor in a picion. slightly darker light. He knows more than he is telling about Te- We also get a new home for the los as hinted in the previous epi- Cybermen 'You mean to say sode, able to identify the Cyber- they came from here?' Jamie mat by use of his 500 year diary, asks incredulously, 'But of the last time we will see it, and course. Telos was their home.' professing to hither too unknown Coming just three stories after knowledge of the Cybermen. ‘The Moonbase’, and six from The entry is near the end of the ‘The Tenth Planet’ the sudden book, he has said he is now 450

50 after all, but when did he discov- Cyber Controller is revealed. No er more information on the Cyber-planner here, instead in Cybermen? Has he known since bigger heeled boots and giant before ‘The Tenth Planet, since brain we see a fusion that will he knew what Mondas was and not reappear until we once more likely contained, or has he return to Telos in the 80s. The popped off at some point unseen utterance of the classic and for more information? frankly only proper phrase from this controller stays in the mind All this is leading to the big re- as the credits roll: 'You - belong veal of the frozen Tombs them- – to - us. You –shall - be - like – selves which give us one of the us.' Give me this robotic chill most memorable Cyber scenes over ‘delete’ anytime, it’s enough ever. As the ice melts Cybermen to send you behind the sofa! stir and burst like a diver into a pool from there cellophane cells And yet again we see the power and climb menacingly down to of memory as the controller re- confront our intrepid party, all veals they know who The Doctor done to the creepy familiar is. 'Our history computers have Cyber-march theme which sadly full details of you… You had de- sees its demise in this episode stroyed our first planet, we were but immediately evokes this sce- becoming extinct'. Sadly humani- ne whenever played. Then the ty has not kept similar records!

51 From here the story mostly falls transported to the de-thawed into the familiar base under Cybermen climbing from their siege format. Our various villains Tombs declaring they will sur- plot and counter plot while The vive, and this is the power of a Doctor tries to stop both the true classic conjuring the epi- Cybermen and our villainous sode in your mind with ease not trio. What makes this part of the just from speeches but from sight story stand out is the portrayal of and sound. Perhaps that is why The Doctor alongside Victoria. Tomb stands out amongst the We get that famous fatherly sce- other Cyber stories. Here the ne as he discusses how to re- creeping menace is buried wait- member people as Victoria ing to be revived by those with speaks of her father and The the knowledge to do so, instead Doctor taking his role as surro- of the standard convoluted inva- gate speaks of a wider family sion plan of other stories. Here then just Susan. we know what danger awaits but are drawn to it nevertheless like 'I have to really want to, to bring a race memory of fearing the them back in front of my eyes – dark. This is what is so compel- the rest of the time they sleep in ling about Tomb both for those my mind and I forget… You’ll who had seen it on transmission find there’s so much else to and to those who then had the think about, to remember. Our chance to see it anew. Lives are different to anybody else’s, that’s the exciting thing. Indeed, I got my now teenage Nobody in the universe can do son to watch it to expose him to what we’re doing.' the classic series and he was enthralled, remarking on which This simple speech sums up modern Doctors Troughton re- much that Tomb and many other minded him of, as he watched stories give to us. Moments of his performance change, and pure joy that can be brought to even recognising the ending as a mind and enjoyed before being Cybermat stirs outside the Tomb filed away once more. Indeed, I just as the lone surviving one have watched this story many does at the end of ‘Nightmare in times and seldom ever register Silver’ decades later. the wires that lift Tobermen into the air and mar the scene for They – will – survive…. others, instead seeing the creepy Tomb chamber and the menacing monsters doing their work. When I hear that chilling Cyber-theme I am immediately

52 insistent that the ongoing adven- The Abominable tures of The Doctor and his companions kept faith with televised stories.

Review by When the series begun we knew Ian K McLachlan little about the life that The Doc- tor had lived prior to him appear- I remember being very excited ing on Earth in 1963 with his when I learned that Virgin Books granddaughter Susan. Howev- were going to release a new er, in ‘The Sensorites’ we Doctor Who book series. These learned that the original TARDIS novels were adventures of past occupants had had adventures Doctors. I was delighted when I prior to their meeting of the learned that I would finally get schoolteachers. Not much was the opportunity of new adven- made of this originally because tures featuring my favourite Doc- the programme was called Doc- tors and companions. However tor Who and it was important the publishers were not simply that the title character main- going to have a story with the tained his air of mystery. leading players being previous Doctor and companion combina- tions. These stories had to fit in with the continuity of the show. Thus it was not possible for example to have one of these ‘Missing Adventures’ set between ‘The Sensorites’ and ‘The Reign of Terror’ because these adventures directly fol- lowed on from one anoth- er. However, a missing adven- ture was possible between ‘The Web Planet’ and ‘The Crusade’ because there was room there to add an adventure or two be- tween them.

In these days of ‘The Timeless Children’ when accepted conti- nuity has gone out the window, it seems strange that Virgin was

53 It was revealed in ‘The Celestial body. However it is clear that Toymaker’ that The Doctor had Padmasambhava recognised his previously encountered the Eter- old friend from centuries nal. Not much was made of this, ago. Therefore it is the second in part because The Doctor only Doctor who made the visit to the played a limited part in the story monastery. But how does this fit but presumably they met when in with continuity? It could only he was travelling with Su- have happened in a space be- san. Not much is made of The tween ‘The Power of the Daleks’ Doctor’s previous non television and ‘The Highlanders’ otherwise adventures until we come to Jamie would have presumably ‘The Abominable Snowmen’. It made some comment about hav- is an important plot point that ing been there before. The Doctor had visited monas- tery before. Now at this time It is interesting that the three there were no ‘timey whiney’ ex- friends do not leave the TARDIS planations in play. The Doctor’s at the same time. It seems as if adventures were all linear, thus The Doctor wants to enjoy re- he must have visited Detsen ei- turning the Ghanta –a special ther in his first or second Doctor holy bell - all by himself. He ex-

54 pects to receive a ‘welcome of a Daleks’, ‘The Evil of the Daleks’ lifetime’, although you would and so forth would benefit greatly have thought that after all the from being in colour. But ‘The less than good welcomes The Abominable Snowmen’ is largely Doctor and his companions had set in this gloomy, dark monas- received on their travels in the tery where prettying it up with past (except for The Savages), colour would, for my mind, de- The Doctor would have been tract somewhat from the story. perfectly happy to let his two young friends accompany him. Taping outdoor scenes in the studio is kept to a minimum in Inevitably, even on his own, it is this adventure. However there is not long before The Doctor finds more location shooting than usu- himself in trouble and being ac- al which really benefits the sto- cused of murdering Travers’ ry. It is a pity that the locations companion. No doubt the coat could not have been covered that The Doctor chooses to wear with snow to make them more for this adventure makes him like they should have looked; but look like a Yeti. The Doctor is I would say that all the foam stuff eventually locked up, and Jamie appearing as the Great Intelli- and Victoria decide (as most gence takes form in our universe companions have done over the perhaps more than makes up for years) to set out and see what it. I well remember the scenes has happened to their fellow with all the stuff oozing out being traveller. They end up encoun- particularly well realised when I tering danger, meeting a Yeti originally saw the episodes. and discovering a cave with sev- eral mysterious spheres. The was a magnificent idea. A powerful It has been said that at this peri- mind from the astral plane want- od of the show’s history it was ing to join our world and domi- decided to concentrate on hav- nate it was a fascinating concept. ing fewer but much more sub- This was something unusual. It stantial sets. This decision is ob- was not a group of strange look- vious in this adventure. The sets ing aliens wanting to take over are impressive. It helps that this our planet. It was some alien life story was made in mono- force which we really could not chrome. Unlike some fans I see, wanting to do terrible would be very happy to see things. It is said by many critics many old episodes colour- that aliens that we cannot see ised. ‘The Daleks’, ‘The Keys of clearly are scarier. Yes, the Ice Marinus’, ‘The Celestial Toymak- Warriors in the next story were er’, ‘’, ‘The Power of the impressive, and were much bet-

55 ter alien creatures that we often ‘’ when Prof. Edith got in Doctor Who. But having Joynton ages into a very old la- an alien who was most frighten- dy. It is frightening for any num- ing because of his voice is par- ber of reasons not least because ticularly impressive. it is not nice being reminded of your own mortality. And realis- I have often thought that the ing that over time you age and ‘voice actors’ are very important your physical appearance to the world of Doctor changes as a result, is some- Who. Some of the greatest mo- thing that you often want to put ments of the series come from to the back of your mind. suitably creepy and unsettling voices. The programme knew It is interesting that after ‘The how important voices were in Timeless Children’ we have the frightening its audience right impression that The Doctor is from the beginning. Would the immortal. He or She can regen- Daleks had the impact that they erate forever. What a frighten- did were it not for their voic- ing thought and one which goes es? One of the best parts of against ‘Once Upon A Time’ ‘The Web Planet’ was the voice which in turn has its own faults – that came from ‘that hairdryer’ not least in its rewriting of the spoken by Catherine Fleming. I very complex character of the would also maintain that part of original Doctor. There is also the attraction of the Ice Warriors the offer of living forever, that were their whispering voic- (who seems to have es. And would Sutekh have disappeared from present day quite the effect that he did have Time Lord society) makes to without that voice! And there The Doctor which he quite right- are many others. I think one of ly rejects. So different from his the reasons that ‘Adam Adamant teacher who too late re- Lives!’ is my all-time second fa- alises his mistake. Padmasam- vourite programme is because his enemy, The Face has a Padmasambhava great whispering voice.

Although I was not in any way creeped out at the time I could see the physical form of Pad- masambhava being rather fright- ening for some of the audi- ence. But as he was over 200 years old it is not surprising. I remember the scene in 56 bhava has lived a long time, but other people to help him to over- a price has had to be paid for come the bad guys – he cannot this. He has been possessed by do it alone no matter how intelli- the Great Intelligence and forced gent he is. If Jamie and Victoria to do things that he would never had remained in the TARDIS have done prior to that takeo- throughout the adventure, then ver. He spent years building the Great Intelligence would these Yeti robots and working have won! for a malign intelligence. Barry Letts is well known for in- The adventure ends with The troducing some Buddhist themes Doctor having a mind battle with into his stories. There is one the real baddie of the story, the here too - the Jewel of Lotus Great Intelligence itself. Howev- prayer. But it is simply a part of er interestingly enough The Doc- the story and done well. tor cannot defeat this hostile foe without help from Jamie and ‘The Abominable Snowmen’ Thonmi. Together they use could very much exist as a stand brute strength to destroy the -alone serial in its own right. In equipment and the pyramids. I fact the BBC had previously wonder if the hidden message shown a serial called ‘The here is that The Doctor needs Abominable Snowman’. While

The Doctor and Thonmi

57 yeti were in both the scripts, they the Yeti and the Great Intelli- were completely different sto- gence, but that we also got a re- ries. I must say that I have al- turn of Professor Travers in ‘The ways had a soft spot for this seri- Web of Fear’, which ended up al and would have in in my top featuring Lethbridge-Stewart, the five Troughton adventures. As most frequent recurring charac- religion has always been an im- ter of them all. portant part of my life, I like the fact that this was set in a monas- The early days when Doctor tery. There is also the fact that Who would usually alternate a when I went to secondary futuristic story with an historical school, I very soon acquired a one. I was delighted when this nickname – Yeti. So, I was par- story came along, because it ticular pleased when my favour- was latterly decided that it was ite TV featured a number of set in 1935. This meant that them. (See we are not alone!) It when Prof. Travers returned he was an inspiring choice to make had become a cantankerous old them robots though and I found man which would not have hap- the silver spheres that controlled pened if ‘The Abominable Snow- them fascinating with that won- men’ had been set in the (then) derful noise they made. present day.

Some suggest that the yeti were Strangely there was only one not that successful as frightening woman in the cast – Debbie Wat- monsters, because they looked ling. However, she gave her usu- too cuddly. I am a big fan of al spirited, pleasing performance Beep the Meep, a creature who and she seemed to have more to looks cute but who is not. This is do here than was often the far more unsettling than one who case. It was great to see her looks frightening from the get- working alongside her real-life go. However, I was glad that dad, Jack, a fact that was not they were regenerated for ‘The lost on the publicity people. It Web of Fear’. It was a shame the disagreements over ‘The Dominators’ meant that we nev- er got the proposed third Yeti serial from Melvyn Haisman and .

Doctor Who had returning char- acters in the past but they were restricted to aliens. It was great that we not only got a return of

58 was good to see David Spen- fore it, this serial took place in ser as the gentle Thonmi, be- the same point of space and cause he had been excellent in time. However it held up well his role of John Mark in Paul of throughout its six episodes. Tarsus, which had starred Pat- rick Troughton. (Surely a DVD At the time of its original trans- release of this might one day mission we had a family meal become a reality?) Norman with some family members I did Jones put in a strong perfor- not see that often. My obsession mance as the interesting Khris- with Doctor Who came up as ong, who although he died re- usual, and some of these mem- deemed himself in the end. bers gave their opinion that “Doctor Who was not as good as Hypnotism and possession it used to be”. I disagreed. But played a part in this story as secretly I would have to admit they were to do in later adven- that there were past adventures tures such as ‘The Brain of that I enjoyed more than ‘The Morbius’, ‘The Ark in Space’, Abominable Snowmen’. But ‘’ and many Doctor Who was still the best others. show on television. And I hoped that it would always be that way! Unlike ‘The Evil of the Daleks’ and ‘The Faceless Ones’ be-

59 One thing after another The Ice Warriors There are few wholly original ide- as in fiction (and most other cre- Review by ative fields). The origins of ‘The Tony Jones Ice Warriors’ lie firmly in the clas- sic 1951 film ‘The Thing from An- other World’, in turn an adapta- If we use rose tinted spectacles tion of the 1938 John W Camp- to look back at season five of bell novella ‘Who Goes There?’ Doctor Who, back in the black & For all his unsavoury views on white days of 1967-68, it stands slavery, women, race and sexu- out for many people, this writer ality, mid twentieth century sci- included, as a golden age for the ence fiction was heavily influ- show. Topped and tailed by enced by Campbell, so it should Cybermen, it brought us the son- not be a surprise to trace back ic screwdriver, Lethbridge- aspects of Doctor Who to him. Stewart, Zoe Heriot and two new alien threats. While the Yeti and It’s more useful to talk about the The Great Intelligence dominat- 1951 Howard Hawks film, a rare ed the season, let us not neglect mainstream science fiction film, our neighbours from Mars — the which would have had a wide au- Ice Warriors. dience. The plot can be summa- rised as US Air Force and scien- With ‘The Ice Warriors’, writer tists take on plant-based alien in gave us a new al- ien race, yet one with whom we might identify given the chance. In cosmic terms Mars is some- where even in 1967 we might imagine visiting. The idea of in- telligent life on the red planet has long fascinated science fic- tion writers, and this was an op- portunity to make a memorable alien race. In most regards it was an opportunity missed; the Ice Warriors would go on to stage a feeble attempt to con- quer us via the moon before be- ing re-evaluated on Peladon in later years. All that is to come; for now let’s concentrate on the ice engulfed future of Earth…

60 Arctic base. It doesn’t have the Brittanicus Ice Base, circa 5,000 raw shock value of the 1982 AD. Scientists are using an ion- Carpenter version, ‘The Thing’, iser device to combat the ad- but is a solid film and a landmark vance of a glacier when the piece of (rare) movie science fic- TARDIS arrives. tion. It ends with the line watch the skies, a message of realisa- A giant humanoid creature, tion of humanities place in a termed an Ice Warrior, has been shared universe. found buried in the glacier near- by. When thawed, it revives and With all this background, ‘The is revealed to be captain of a Ice Warriors’ has a lot to live up spacecraft that landed to, and in many ways it fails. on Earth centuries ago and still Let’s first talk about what it did frozen. The Warrior frees his well. comrades and plans to conquer the Earth — Mars itself now be- Breaking the Ice ing dead. A similar synopsis for The Doc- tor Who story might read (thanks The scientists believe continued to the BBC archive of classic se- use of the ioniser could cause ries content): the alien ship's engines to ex-

61 plode. A disaffected scientist, Warriors apart from other races supported by The Doctor, even- is their identification with ecolog- tually decides to risk activating ical change as a tool and a the ioniser. There is only a mi- weapon. It all stems from their nor explosion, which destroys attendance to the death of their the Martians and, at the same home world of Mars and contin- time, checks the ice flow. ues through into their manipula- tion of weather control in It’s all very brutal. Combat. Con- ‘The Seeds of Death’ to their use quest. Destruction. Death. It’s of technology in not evolved very far from the Dan Abnett’s novel ‘The Silent 1951 movie. But the setting…. Stars Go By’. It’s good design, even if we only see it now by Brittanicus Base is set in a cli- joining back the dots. mate catastrophe with science struggling to hold back the glaci- It’s here lie the makings of a bet- ers. Ignoring the gap in history ter story. (was there no alien contact / travel in the space of two thou- What if? sand years?) it’s worth remem- Imagine this instead: bering science fiction was talk- ing climate change a long time Brittanicus Ice Base, circa 5,000 ago. One thing that sets the Ice AD. Scientists are using an ion- iser device to combat the ad- vance of a glacier when the TARDIS arrives.

A giant humanoid creature, termed an Ice Warrior, has been found buried in the glacier near- by. When thawed, it revives and is revealed to be captain of a still frozen Martian spacecraft that landed on Earth centuries ago

After some misunderstands The Warrior gets help to free his comrades and shares Martian technology to help the Earth — Mars itself now being dead. Ne- gotiations are helped by The Doctor.

62 ning the destruction of aliens Working with the Ice Warriors the fleeing the death of their planet. ioniser begins to show better re- We can almost hear Peter Ca- sults and the TARDIS crew leave paldi making a speech about the to let the two races being the pro- foolishness of humanity in the cess of learning to live together. failure to learn lessons from the way the Ice Warriors allowed It’s fanciful and not the sort of their own world to fail. But. story being told at the time. There’s a but… Where Jon Pertwee’s Doctor would wish the Silurians and hu- It’s not an easy challenge; much manity to live together on what is simpler is jumping forward a few after all a shared world across centuries to a time when the millennia, there is none of that contact has all happened. This is here. Right from the opening another deficiency with ‘The Ice credits the aliens are Warriors. Warriors’ — it’s set a long time in They are doomed to fight. Mars the future. Compare it the is the god of War and this over- ‘Timeslip’ adventure ‘The Time rides everything else. of the Ice Box’ broadcast only a few years later. In this story the It’s a missed opportunity. Back in future ice age is in the near fu- the early 1950s when ‘The Thing ture, a time when our heroes can from Another World’ was tapping meet themselves grown older. into anxieties, writers Climate change is a looming dis- such as Ray Bradbury were aster, not something emerging painting a Mars very different to slowly over the next few hundred the one implied here. It’s a weak- years. ness of the series format where- by there’s a reset at the end of And finally… every adventure. Only a few will Criticism aside, I enjoyed ‘The learn of aliens, only some evi- Ice Warriors’ at the time, and dence will remain and be hushed since. A lot of thought did go into up by shadowy government de- the setting, the ethical issues, partments. the human characters and giving the TARDIS team meaningful Modern stories may be more things to do. It’s just a shame our ecologically strident, and have far nearest neighbours in space more obvious alien presence (after the Silurians) end up prov- than before, yet still the show ing to be yet another alien with skirts over the period of real con- desire to conquer. They are just tact with aliens and impacts on us in a rubber suit! the human race. We can’t imag- ine Jodie Whittaker calmly plan-

63 sacre’ and ‘The Evil of the Da- The Enemy of the leks’. So when it was finally an- nounced that this story had been World recovered, I was over the moon. I still felt that I was on the Review by outside of the buzz though. The Christopher Stone great majority of fans were get- ting excited over the recovery of I liked ‘The Enemy of the World’ ‘The Web of Fear’ while I was all for years. Ever since I read Ian over ‘Enemy’ and getting ridicu- Marter’s novelisation I thought it lously excited. Despite all my was a gem. It is true, however, overblown enthusiasm I got in- that I may have been biased. I credibly nervous. I had been have always been convinced wanting to watch this story for that David Whitaker understood years and now I had the oppor- Doctor Who better than anyone tunity, would it live up to my ex- and this worshipful loyalty could pectations? Would my faith be have tainted my judgement. Yet rewarded? Was I about to be general fan consensus was the proved very wrong? opposite; that it was unwieldy and dull and the turkey of sea- I’m not the most tech-savvy of son five. I could never see person and joining i-Tunes to ac- this. Even when I watched the tually watch it was not something only remaining episode at the I really wanted to do. Still, there I time (Episode 3) I still rated the was joining the corporate world story. It had ordinary people in it of Apple to watch something in extraordinary situations and which had been lost for nigh on what could be better? Yet I forty-five years. With nervous seemed to remain a lone anticipation, my usual dodgy in- voice. I often attempted to con- ternet connection and lack of vince people of the genius that technical ability, I was ready. As was this story, but it was like the clock struck , I down- standing against a tidal wave or loaded the first episode with my knocking my head against a fingers firmly crossed. brick wall and for my own sanity, I eventually relented. As the bar on the screen filled up as the file was sent through the When the Omni-rumour began in ether, my thoughts turned to the 2013 and the return of lost sto- audio and the ridiculous worrying ries looked a possibility, ‘The En- increased. I had the audio emy of the World’ was high on soundtrack come to mind and I my wish list along with ‘The Mas- remembered how disappointed I

64 was by it. It hadn’t crossed my tive? Did I really want to watch? mind in years but at that moment it did. I recalled how flat I had Girding my loins, I clicked felt after listening to it and how it play. Well, I couldn’t credit it – just seemed to lack any dynamic literally. As the opening theme interest. I was gripped by self- crashed in (volume was on full) doubt and uncertainty. Deep and the title appeared on the down I still had confidence, but screen I was watching episode now there was that underlying one on my computer. It was nervous energy which was bub- there, I was pinching myself and bling up my spine and into my it was real. I took deep breaths brain. The exotic locations prob- as the music faded and I settled ably wouldn’t look good, there back in my chair. Well, I tried to were too many changes of loca- settle back and relax, but instead tion for it to work well and maybe my nose got closer and closer to it was really the stuffed bird it the screen of my laptop. This was accused of being… …could wasn’t just a good episode it was it be true that the novel was a bloody marvellous. I eagerly de- speedier take on something that voured the other five episodes was just a flat and padded narra- the next day, with the already ex-

Salamander (L) and Bruce (R)

65 istent episode three working The thing about ‘The Enemy of even better in context. the World’ is that it isn’t what it pretends to be. From first Troughton himself was great – glance it is a conventional dop- the companions did a creditable pelganger story which has been job, and the guest cast was done to death multiple times in faultless. Miiton Johns had al- many different formats, where ready perfected his snivelling the good guy must impersonate weasel character that no one the bad guy to save every- could do better. Bill Kerr was one. This isn’t what happens – suitably self-righteous as Giles although many may be mistaken Kent and, possibly the best of to think that it does. the male roles, Colin Douglas as Bruce walked a difficult tightrope As a viewer, we are misdirected being both authoritarian and em- quite beautifully. It is Giles Kent pathetic. This serial, however, who we empathise with and it is really belonged to the action- The Doctor who Furstrates packed woman of many talents, us. Initially we can see the point Mary Peach. So good in every of The Doctor’s cynicism. He way and, if pressed, I could call doesn’t know Kent from Adam it a fruity performance. and wants proof that Salaman-

I’ve often been a staunch critic of Barry Letts in the past, I don’t think some of his choices as producer were the greatest in the show, but here, as a direc- tor, he was certainly at his peak. Anyone who failed to be won over when the helicopter took off with camera aboard leaving the hovercraft crew be- hind can only be described as a cynic. The lack of criticism from me was juxtaposed with the harsh words that Letts himself had said about the story. It turned out that I wasn’t the only one surprised. Within days, comments appeared about how well this story was directed and how well it stands up with those around it. 66 der is the villain that Kent de- the reason for the charade isn’t scribes. Forced to impersonate to expose the Mexican’s wrong- Salamander in Giles’s office, his doing. Instead, it is primarily to reluctance to do it again is Fur- rescue his friends and get them strating for the audience as we to safety. It is the reluctance of get to see things that The Doctor The Doctor, for the most part, doesn’t. We see the deposing that motivates Kent to follow him of Denes, Fedorin being black- to the research station and it is mailed and then his death, and that, ironically, which causes the The Doctor sits amid broken Australian to give himself away; crockery and still wants it was Kent who forces The Doc- proof. Like Kent we are getting tor to impersonate Salamander Furstrated. We can’t under- and it is The Doctor, as Sala- stand why The Doctor won’t do mander, who unmasks Kent. the right thing for once and inter- fere. Instead, he seems intent Now, nearly seven years after to take a back seat and not get the rediscovery, this story is held involved which is completely at more highly in fan thoughts and odds with the premise of the is finally appreciated for what it show. It is only when Jamie and is. I’m so pleased that others Victoria are locked up at the re- now get the same enjoyment search centre that The Doctor is from the story that I always did finally willing to impersonate Sal- and that my faith in the show amander again. Yet, even then, and David Whitaker has been rewarded.

Mary Peach as Astrid

67 played a significant influential The Web of Fear role in the development of Doctor Review by Who long after the Troughton years. Russell Sandberg ‘The Web of Fear’ is both a se- Despite having a title that could quel and a prequel in two differ- have been generated by a ge- ent senses: literal and influen- neric Doctor Who episode- tial. It is a literal sequel to ‘The naming algorithm, ‘The Web of Enemy of the World’ with the ac- Fear’ is a landmark in the series. tion beginning immediately after The ‘one with the Yeti on the the cliff-hanger to that serial. London underground’ is an un- More importantly, however, it is disputed classic; an adventure- an influential sequel to ‘The packed mystery enhanced by Abominable Snowman’, being the moodiness of its mono- commissioned as a direct follow- chrome transmission. Moreover, up to that story. This is because in addition to be an outstanding the serial not only features a re- story in its own right, ‘The Web turning monster in the yeti of Fear’ is also a serial that (something that had been done

68 before and was arguably over- ry of ’ saw the epony- done in this era with the Cyber- mous archaeologist turning up men) but crucially it was ground- during the events of the story, breaking in that it also saw the although these are more difficult return of the supporting charac- to reconcile with the Great Intel- ters from the original story but ligence continuity. transplanted into a new context many years after the original ad- More importantly, ‘The Web of venture. Here we see how Pro- Fear’ is an influential prequel in fessor Travers and his daughter that it provides a precursor to a Anne respond to seeing The new approach to Doctor Who Doctor and his companions storytelling which was to be- again and try to reconcile the come prevalent. This serial sows passing of time with the un- the seeds of the UNIT years that changed appearance of the were to characterise the Jon TARDIS crew. Pertwee years, and which would remain significant throughout the The serial is a literal prequel to series to the present day. The the return of the Great Intelli- strong military presence in ‘The gence in the 2012 Christmas Web of Fear’ and, in particular, Special ‘The Snowmen’ and the the presence of Nicholas Court- series arc of the second half of ney as Colonel Lethbridge- ’s last series as The Stewart (as he was then styled) Doctor, most notably in ‘The was later built upon in ‘The Inva- Bells of St John’ and ‘The Name sion’ which functioned as the of The Doctor’, broadcast during backdoor pilot for the new for- the 50th anniversary year. ‘The mat of the programme with the Snowmen’ serves as a prequel third Doctor found himself exiled to ‘The Web of Fear’ with the to Earth. UNIT is not named in bumbling bow-tie wearing Doctor ‘The Web of Fear’ and Leth- of the twenty-first century giving bridge-Stewart is presented as a the Great Intelligence the idea of mysterious, possibly evil figure – using the London underground even in episode six, The Doctor as a trap which they would later does not trust that he is not the set for the bow-tie wearing Doc- spy in the camp. But it is clear tor of the twentieth centu- that ‘The Web of Fear’ has dis- ry. There are other quasi- covered a star performer who sequels to ‘The Web of Fear’ – a would become part of the DNA solitary Yeti was featured in ‘The of Doctor Who. From his first Five Doctors’, the unofficial dra- scene, inhab- ma ‘’ in 1995 reunited its the character that would be- the surviving main cast and an come the Brigadier. Like most of episode of Big Finish’s ‘The Dia- the actors who have played The 69 provided the rationale for his largely earth-based era – refers to this serial and its juxtaposition of an extraordinary extra- terrestrial threat occurring in or- dinary and grounded circum- stances. Towards the beginning of the story, The Doctor com- ments on how odd it is that they are on Earth again, yet ‘The Web of Fear’ and the stories that followed it set a template that continues to define Doctor Who today. Here we see The Doctor very much present and interacting in our world – or a world that is very similar to our Doctor, his performance is mag- own – operating in a very famil- netic: when on screen you can- iar context. Indeed, the sets of not take your eyes off him. And the London underground proved the character is perfectly formed so realistic that on transmission this early on; the seemingly rigid London Transport complained, and inflexible military man who thinking erroneously that the proves to be not only steadfast production crew had sneaked but also forms a unique bond onto the underground for a spot with The Doctor. The scene of unauthorised filming! where he accepts – or at least suspends any disbelief – that There are other senses in which The Doctor has a time travelling ‘The Web of Fear’ is formative ship that takes the form of a po- of how Doctor Who would devel- lice telephone box provides per- op. In addition of being a satiri- fect evidence of this. cal depiction of the worst ex- cesses of the media, the char- However, it is not just Lethbridge acter of Chorley sets a trope -Stewart’s appearance that that would be familiar during the makes ‘The Web of Fear’ an im- Pertwee, Eccleston and Ten- portant precursor of where the nant years: seeing the story at- programme was to go. It is also tract media attention and be the nature and location of the documented and often misun- threat. Jon Pertwee’s famous derstood by the media. The remark that it is more frightening character of Driver Evans, by to see a Yeti on your loo in Toot- contrast, provides somewhat ing Bec – which in many ways stereotypical comic relief in a 70 move which would also be re- terms and how it develops and peated throughout the series, influences what was to come. It with Lee Evans’ depiction of Mal- was therefore fitting that the re- colm Taylor in ‘Planet of the discovery in Nigeria of several Dead’ perhaps being the most episodes of ‘The Web of Fear’ in notable instance of this. Episode 2013 meant that the serial two provides an example of a played a key part in the fiftieth ‘Doctor lite’ episode covering the anniversary celebrations, just fact that Troughton was on holi- after the Great Intelligence had day and, unlike similar episodes returned to our screens. Prior to during the Hartnell years, the that, the reliance upon telesnaps story does not suffer too much and audio for all but the first epi- as a result given the strong sup- sode of the serial added a layer porting cast and context which of mystery and intrigue to the had already been established by story. Now, being able to now that point (though it should also see all but the third episode has be said that, as usual, Trough- not diminished its reputation, but ton’s performance throughout this remains a story that, despite the serial is extraordinary). ‘The its status as a classic, remains a Web of Fear’ also shows how far little in the shadows. The discov- the character of The Doctor has ery of the episodes led to a wel- come; the Great Intelligence has come DVD release in 2014. set a trap because they see him However, this was a seemingly as being extraordinary wanting rushed ‘vanilla’ release without to benefit from his mind and ex- any supporting extras, factual perience. He is now clearly a subtitles or commentary. By hero figure , a depiction very dif- contrast, ‘The Enemy of the ferent from the early Hartnell era World’, which was also rediscov- and a theme which would come ered and then released as a to the fore during the Matt Smith ‘vanilla’ DVD at the same time and Peter Capaldi years in par- as ‘The Web of Fear’, was also ticular. The fact that The Doc- re-released in 2018 as a special tor’s plan is thwarted by his well- edition DVD packed with ex- meaning friends and so he sees tras. ‘The Web of Fear’ more the escape of the Great Intelli- than deserves a similar treat- gence as a failure provides an ment, its generic title masking unusual and influential climax, the fact that ‘one with the Yeti on which is fitting of the ground- the London underground’ is not breaking nature of the story as a only a cracking Doctor Who sto- whole. ry but has been an important in- fluence upon the programme ‘The Web of Fear’ is an acknowl- ever since. edged classic both in its own

71 Fury from the the exit of an important ‘character’ it also saw the intro- Deep duction of another one which was to play a crucial role in The Review by Doctor’s adventures in the years ahead. And that was ‘the sonic Ian K McLachlan screwdriver.’ Here its only pow- er is to unscrew a difficult screw Earlier in this book I was delight- in a futuristic way. Over time it ed to review Victoria’s first ad- became a device with many spe- venture with The Doctor and Ja- cial powers, to such an extent mie. I found it interesting that that John Nathan Turner ordered The Doctor was at that time was its destruction in The Visitation accompanied by two compan- because he saw it as a too con- ions who came from Earth’s venient aid for The Doctor (or past. I enjoyed their adventures maybe the writers!) Unfortunate- together and I thought that they ly, in the revived version of the worked well as a team. The series it has played a bigger and three of them were significantly bigger role in proceedings until different in character for each of latterly it has turned into a ‘magic them to bring something different wand’ which can do any number to the stories. Although as the of things. companions themselves mention in this story, I wished that they Back in the 1960s I tended to could occasionally visit some link significant events in my own other planet besides Earth. life to Doctor Who episodes. I missed seven episodes during At the start of ‘Fury from the the first season and all these Deep’ I little thought that the trio years later I can still remember would break up at the end of this why I missed each one. Thank- serial. Interestingly enough The fully, apart from ‘Assassin at Pe- Doctor and Jamie had an epi- king’ I have now seen all my sode all to themselves before ‘missing episodes.’ However, it they met Victoria; and apart from was often a struggle to ensure a short scene on the scanner at that I was by a television set the beginning of The Wheel in whenever the schedulers chose Space, the pair had another epi- to air each episode. After having sode basically all to themselves seen all the Hartnell episodes before they encountered their from season two onwards and next companion, Zoe. after seeing all the Troughton episodes up to that point, it ap- While ‘Fury from the Deep’ saw peared at the time that I would

72 miss one of the ‘Fury from the evisions in these guest hous- Deep’ episodes. And one which, es. When I found that out, I was like ‘Assassin at Peking’, is still none too pleased as I had just missing from the archives. witnessed Maggie Harris walking into the sea and I wanted to How did that nearly hap- know what happened next. We pen? Well my family had booked arrived at the guest house in the an Easter holiday for us with the early afternoon and I was al- Holiday Fellowship in Al- lowed to go by myself to explore nmouth. The Fellowship was an the beach. Funnily enough a organisation which had various beach was featuring heavily in guest houses around the country the current serial. When I re- where families could go and turned to the guest house, I was where you were encouraged to amazed. The organisation had socialise with the other hired a television because it guests. There were various out- could not provide the usual home ings and activities that you took grown entertainment that even- part in during the day, and two ing, as had been originally hosts who put on entertainment planned. Of course, I was de- in the evenings which involved lighted and unlike that time in audience participation. I quite London when I had missed enjoyed it apart from one ‘’ episode seven be- thing. There were usually no tel- cause the guest house TV was

73 tuned to ‘The Buccaneers’, I found a junk shop which had a made sure I booked the televi- television outside tuned to sion to see ‘Fury from the Deep’ BBC1. So I got to see that epi- episode four. Not only that but I sode as well. Being a Doctor saw ‘The Eurovision Song Con- Who fan in the 1960s was not test’ and coming always easy! second with Congratulations. I must admit that I was surprised Later that year my family booked when I discovered that the serial up another Holiday Fellowship after ‘The Web of Fear’ was go- vacation, on this occasion in ing to be called ‘Fury from the Scarborough. This time as luck Deep’. Why? Well in those days would have it, there was no tele- in the Radio Times you could vision in the guest house, but as find a small article called Synop- it was August I thought that the sis for the Deaf. These articles good Doctor would be on holi- listed the forthcoming drama se- day. I was therefore shocked ries that deaf viewers could ac- when I discovered that he would cess ahead of their transmis- actually be meeting The Domi- sion. When it came Doctor Who nators during my holiday. How- the various adventures were ever, as luck would have it I listed by name and I think by

74 transmission dates as ris’ house and spend some time well. There was a serial coming on a rig, but most of the action called ‘Colony of Devils’. When was contained within easy that did not appear and ‘Fury reach. from the Deep’ did I wondered where it had disappeared to. It As far as I am concerned ‘Fury was much later that I discovered from the Deep’ could have been that the serial’s name had been like ‘The Abominable Snowmen’, changed and that ‘Fury from the basically a standalone seri- Deep’ was ‘Colony of Devils’ al. Perhaps this is not so sur- with a different title. prising as it is similar to Victor Pemberton’s radio serial The One of the great things about Slide. As I write the animated Doctor Who in its earliest days version of ‘Fury from the Deep’ was you had no idea how long a has yet to be released. Although particular story was going to the serial no longer exists in the last. For example, if I had archives, Pemberton wrote an known that ‘The Ark’ was a four- excellent Target book of this ad- part adventure from the outset it venture, very much is a novel in would have spoiled its greatest its own right. surprise. Season four had con- tained a number of four-part sto- ‘Fury from the Deep’ is one of ries whereas for season five, six the most adult of The Doctor’s episodes seemed to be the adventures. There is a realism norm. Season six went back to about the serial which is very dif- being a season of adventures ferent to stories like ‘The Under- with a varying number of epi- water Menace’ and ‘The Macra sodes. One of the good things Terror’. There is an everyday about ‘The Evil of the Daleks’ as vibe to it, particularly in some of I mentioned before, was that it the scenes between Harris and did not stay in the same place in his wife. Doctor Who works very space and time throughout its well when the everyday collides storyline. It moved from almost with the fantastic. The ‘baddie’ contemporary Earth to Victorian in this serial is not some outer- times then ended up on Ska- space creature like ‘The Ice ro. ‘Fury from the Deep’ like Warriors’ or ‘The Daleks’ but a ‘The Abominable Snowmen’ that parasitic form of seaweed, which I previously reviewed, was set takes control of the human throughout its six episodes in minds that it comes into contact the same place and time. Yes, with. The creature is not seen we start off on a beach; go to that clearly because of all the the control centre; visit the Har- foam covering it, giving a less

75 revealing appearance which Games’. Mr. Quill and Mr. Oak works very well. I have always opening their mouths and felt that the creatures of Doctor spreading gas at poor Maggie Who are always more effective Harris is one of the most unset- when we only see part of them - tling sequences in the show and going right back to the beginning I would rank it highly in any list of and Barbara’s encounter with on- the greatest moments from the ly part of a Dalek at the end of series. So, imagine my delight ‘The Dead Planet.’ when it turned up with other cen- sored clips. Maggie Harris walk- ‘Fury from the Deep’ falls in the ing in the sea to her supposed category of a ‘base under siege’ doom was another classic se- story. At the time I saw it I was quence as was the end to epi- not aware of the fact that so sode five when Robson, sur- many stories could be described rounded by foam says to The in this way. However consuming Doctor and Jamie – ‘Come in only one episode a week you en- Doctor, we’ve been waiting for joyed watching the regular cast you.’ and the guest cast so much you did not notice that Doctor Who There is excellent use of location had in the main developed a tem- footage in this serial and the hel- plate which was used again and icopter sequences were particu- again. Not having purely histori- larly impressive. A helicopter cal stories after ‘The Highlanders’ perhaps contributed to this, but it is a phenomenon not confined to Doctor Who. ‘Lost in Space’ for example mutated into a series where Dr Smith, Will and the Ro- bot continually got into trouble because of Doctor Smith’s faults, only to have everything come right in the end.

‘Fury from the Deep’ has some very memorable moments in it. The TARDIS appearing in the air and then landing on the sea was definitely a ‘wow’ moment for me and thankfully we still have that sequence, because it was repeated in ‘The War

76 was previously used in ‘The En- her great ability is put to good emy of the World’ also to great use. effect. Visual effects must have wanted to get their money’s I feel that ‘Fury from the Deep’ worth out of that foam making sustains its six-episodes. The machine as it is heavily featured heartbeat in the pipe. The in this story as well as in ‘The ‘who’s the saboteur?’ puzzle Abominable Snowmen’ and ‘The and the claustrophobic atmos- Seeds of Death’. phere that the story engenders, keeps the momentum go- The story is played straight and ing. However, like the later ‘The seriously. The actors are all Doctor Dances’ there are no good. John Abineri makes his deaths in this story – everybody first Doctor Who appearance as lives. Usually sacrifices are a Dutchman. Like Christopher made in order that an enemy is Benjamin, he will go on to play a overcome, and at the time I did more flamboyant character in a not expect that to happen. later serial. It is interesting that Margaret John appears as a Unlike in ‘The Invasion of very high-ranking character – the Time’, Victoria’s departure is Director of Euro Sea Gas. Victor hinted at before her last epi- Maddern is great as Robson, sode. On watching it at the time who is a man in charge, but who I wondered if this meant that she is not really able to cope with the would leave, and she did - like situation he finds himself in. In- Tegan later on, wanting a more terestingly enough there is a settled life than the one that The clue to his behaviour when we Doctor could offer her. She had learn that he was basically on seen so much that was difficult his own on a rig for four years. to come to terms with. But it was good that she got an oppor- The basic story is about a sea- tunity to free her friends from weed creature who because of their imprisonment early on in the humans drilling, got dis- the serial and bring a solution to turbed and wanted to take over the menace at the end. the planet. The creature is final- ly defeated because of Victoria’s I eagerly look forward to the col- screams. Apparently, Deborah our animation of this serial, but Watling was nicknamed ‘leather like so many others, I equally lungs’ by some of the cast and regret not being able to re-watch crew because of her excellent the original recordings. screaming technique, so it is ap- propriate that in her last story

77 Cluster, and this affects The Wheel in “meteorites” (sic) in the Perseus Cluster, sending them towards Space the Wheel. However, the first episode of this adventure was Review by broadcast on 27 April 1968, Ann Worrall and whereas the Perseus Cluster wasn’t detected until 1 March Fiona Moore 1971, which suggests a confusion between a cluster (a ‘The Wheel in Space’ is mass of stars or galaxies that memorable for several reasons. are gravitationally associated) It introduces one of the best- and a constellation (an arbitrary loved Doctor-companion set- configuration of stars as ups. It espouses scientific ideas perceived from the van-age point from the reasonable to the just of Earth). Equally a meteorite is plain barmy. And, in an attempt the name given to debris that to delineate fears concerning actually makes landfall, prior to the liberation of women, it which they are meteors when creates what we can now travelling through the recognise as castrating or atmosphere, and meteoroids emotionally compromised when in space. female characters, while venturing into the quagmire of Likewise, far from each sexual repression. meteoroid, as Zoe Heriot (the Wheel’s Astrophysicist!) claims, Although some still argue that having “a mass of two hundred Dr. Kit Pedler's scientific tons”, most are the size of a credentials give his work greater grain of sand, with the largest plausibility than those of other Doctor Who writers of the era, and despite his notations for the story indicating that he wanted life on the space station to be as authentic as possible — showing concerns about power allocations, water supplies and so forth — the science generally makes no more sense than in any other Doctor Who story.

We are told, for instance, that a star goes nova in the Hercules 78 being that of a marble. In reality you imagine that? All those what she is describing are millions of miles away.”). Zoe asteroids, but this aside, the then gives the planet’s minimum idea that a supernova event in and maximum span from Earth the Hercules Cluster could (“twenty-four million, five impact on the trajectory of hundred and sixty-four thousand meteoroids/asteroids some five miles at perihelion and one hundred million light-years hundred and sixty-one million, away, demonstrates a total three hundred and fifty thousand failure to grasp the enormous miles at aphelion). distances involved. We are also told that the Silver Try as you might, you will also Carrier (a “supply ship” for be pushed to work out exactly Station Five) is “eighty-seven where in space the Wheel is million miles off course” and that, positioned, and the issue is according to the last recorded again one of scale. contact, it had “seven million miles to touchdown” which, Zoe states that the main considering its arrival at W3, function of the Wheel (W3) is as leads to the assumption that “a radio-visual relay for Earth, a ninety-four million miles is the half-way house for deep space distance between these two ships”. One scene earlier, Dr. installations. Consequently, if Gemma Corwyn had told us that W3 is a “half-way house” to the station was situated “in deep Earth, then there must only be space”. The International five stations in all, with an Telecommunication Union equilateral distance of forty- defines this as starting at a seven million miles between distance of one million, three each one. This would put the hundred thousand miles above third station, at its closest reach, the Earth's surface. NASA's one hundred and forty-one Deep Space Network has million miles from Earth: variously used criteria that cover therefore, somewhere beyond a range between five thousand Mars. miles and ten thousand miles from Earth. All of which, if accurate, begs the question why Zoe gives the In addition, Bill Duggan distances between Venus and suggests that W3 is located Earth rather than those between near the Earth in that he Venus and the Wheel. considers the expanse travelled by his “floating seeds” from It is true that, if W3 is located Venus to be enormous (“Can within our own solar system, 79 then the “Perseid meteorites” consistently poor when it came spoken of by the Cyber Planner to scientific accuracy means it is could plausibly refer to the impossible to determine quite meteoroid debris field left by the who was responsible for which Swift-Tuttle Comet, which the daft idea, although story editor Earth has cause to pass through Derrick Sherwin should also take as it orbits the sun — or indeed some of the blame. the second, as yet undiscovered, comet that’s responsible for the While the physics are un- Epsilon Perseids meteor workable, the story’s vision of a showers. It is more likely this is future world seems very pro- down to a mistaken belief that scientist. The alarming reveal these meteors actually originate that Zoe has been brainwashed in the “Perseus Cluster” (a mere aside, we are given the two hundred and forty light-years impression that the community is away from Earth), whereas, in made up of good-hearted people reality, they are only called who are keeping a fond eye on “Perseids” because of their human welfare. Dr. Corwyn, the appearance in the same region Medical Officer for the crew, is of sky as the Perseus clued up on her understanding of Constellation. human morale, allowing Duggan to keep some plants for reasons Another science gaffe occurs of “good psychology”, and when Zoe asserts that the rocket station security and discipline ship could not have been piloted appears lax. The impression we eighty-seven million miles as it gain is of a scientific as only had “enough fuel for twenty envisioned by many in the 1950s million”, which, as any high- (and frequently lampooned in the school science student could popular culture of the era, for point out, ignores the fact instance the musical Li’l Abner). spaceships do not need thrust to That said, as the serial unfolds, it maintain speed when moving soon becomes clear that this through a vacuum. Utopian set-up has been created purely to demonstrate imagined The problem is that, outside of fatal flaws in one that involves pulp fiction, few scientists are prominent roles for strong polymaths, and Pedler's work in women. electron microscopy, however admirable, does not necessarily It is interesting to speculate make him a good astrophysicist. about Zoe’s origins. We are The fact that David Whitaker’s given no information about her Doctor Who scripts were also background other than Corwyn’s

80 statement that she was Bennett previously brainwashed by “the parapsychology at the city”, which Zoe says “pumped [her head] full of facts and figures”. It would seem that this process oc- curred when she was very young or was the only socialisation to which such youngsters were ex- posed, because Corwyn also adds that some “never fully develop their human emotions.” This cannot be true if they spent speeding up the maturation of any length of time in a loving unfertilised eggs, as coined by family prior to their training. In Aldous Huxley in his 1932 novel, fact, it is not implausible that Zoe Brave New World. was cloned. This would explain the contradictory information we Jarvis Bennett, the Controller of are given in ‘The Mind Robber’ the Wheel, and his deputy Dr. and ‘The War Games’ about her Corwyn, must, in some sense, origins. be in loco parentis for this teenager. At first it appears that Zoe states in ‘The War Games’ they represent an interesting that she was “born in the twenty- gender reversal, subverting the first Century” and further, in ‘The stereotypes associated with Mind Robber’, that she followed male and female, but as the the adventures of the Karkus “in story develops it becomes clear the strip section of the hourly that this is being used, telepress”, a strip cartoon of the consciously or unconsciously, to year 2000. If both statements make explicit the fears that the are to be believed, this would make her at most twelve months old, even though, during ‘The Invasion’ she is described as being “about nineteen or so”.

The time-line (assuming it’s not an inadvertent continuity error) would therefore, only be possible if she had been cloned and force grown in a tank, perhaps based on “Podsnap's Technique” for Corwyn

81 emerging feminist movement had externalising his own doubts engendered at the time. It is as if about himself while refusing to each has been characterised so address the problems they are that they embody all the negative facing, until eventually he breaks consequences that many people down completely. thought would occur if people abandoned traditional gender Corwyn, by contrast, has chosen roles. to sacrifice heart for . We can see this in her staggeringly Bennett is a man with highly insensitive reply to Zoe’s developed intuition, and little assertion “I don't want to be logic, while Corwyn conversely is thought of as a freak” as she all logic with little emotional worries about her inability to understanding. Although Bennett react emotionally to situations. is in charge, his authority is Corwyn responds, “You seemed regularly challenged by Corwyn, to have survived their brain- who distrusts his decisions washing techniques remarkably because he is unable to provide well”, which is fair enough, but any solidly logical arguments for she immediately follows this with them. An example of this is when an abrupt, “Now, about these he, quite correctly, intuits that calculations of yours”, here “the Silver Carrier is a menace to demonstrating a complete the Wheel”, and orders it to be inability to empathise with the blown up. Corwyn opposes this, poor girl’s confusion. calling Bennett aside. He repeats that he knows the ship is a If we contrast this pairing with danger and then protests, “Don't that of Leo Ryan, the Wheel’s subject me to psychoanalysis. Communications Officer, and You think I'm having a whale of a with Tanya Lernov, Astrogater, time, don't you? All kids again. Bang, bang, blow up the balloon. Ryan You're wrong, you know.” Her reply, ”Am I?” makes it very clear that she does in fact, think he’s being unreasonably ‘gung-ho’.

Obviously feeling somewhat castrated by her remarks, Bennett begins to dismiss any facts that support his earlier notion as “emotionally-based fantasy”. Later he withdraws into an increasingly rigid mindset,

82 Tanya Doctor for risking Zoe and Jamie’s lives when he sends them to the rocket ship to collect a piece of specialised equipment during the “meteorite storm”. His partnership with Tanya is a traditional one — the man calling the shots and the woman supporting him — and it is surely no accident that this is presented as the healthier of the Second Class, it’s obvious that two relationships. the latter is more gender typical. It is also possible to detect a Ryan is an Australian and a bit covert attack on feminism in the blokey, flirting openly with Tanya characterisation of Duggan, who as we can see from this ex- is considered “a nut” because change: he “just likes flowers.” It is difficult to believe that, had the Ryan: If you get scared, I'll let character been female, anything you hold my hand. Okay? Tanya: would have been considered I'm serious. Ryan: So am I. odd. But to compound the ‘rightness’ of the crew’s At the same time, there is no assessment, Duggan, despite sense that Tanya feels holding the role of Defence disrespected by him. She is the Security Officer, secretly more instinctive of the two, but harbours a deadly Cybermat she doesn’t lack reason. Like during a period of a high Bennett, her “nose” tells her security alert (naming it “Billy”), there's something wrong with the believing it to be a space bug. rocket, but unlike him, she can Paradoxically, it’s the crews’ admit this without fear of censure suspicions about Duggan that (“Can you pinpoint it?” Ryan asks makes him keep this secret in her), and so is able to link her the first place, and put them all intuition to the series of in danger. unexplained events it triggers. Ryan, like Corwyn, seems to be Finally, of course, we have a logical thinker, but he Zoe’s reaction to the kilt-wearing combines this with emotional Jamie, laughing at him because warmth, valuing Tanya’s different he is wearing “female perspective on events. He garments”. His response is challenges Zoe’s robot-like typically ‘macho’: “Watch your persona, and criticises The lip or I'll put you across my knee 83 and larrup you.” We can only adventures of the masked, imagine the collective nods of musclebound, Germanic Karkus, salacious approval from some gradually turns itself into members of the viewing Cybermen. This comes through audience, thankful to see an in the way Zoe talks about opinionated young woman put in herself: “I was trained to believe her place. Even The Doctor logic and calculation would seems to enjoy undermining provide me with all the Zoe’s apparent genius, telling answers… I've been created for her that, “simple common sense some false kind of existence works wonders” when she fails where only known kinds of to realise that X-rays could emergencies are catered for….” reveal what lies within the lump Like the Cybermen, her emotions of quick-set plastic they have have been curtailed, along with discovered. the concept that caring for others is crucial to wellbeing. If Zoe is a clone, then it is not fanciful to assume that she Correspondingly, Bennett and represents a foreshadowing of Corwyn are potentially future the human race’s potential Cybermen too. In a society which future, where a rigidly stratified believes that everything is society, that follows the known, and the application of

84 logic can tackle all problems, emotional understanding, or creating a kind of rational concern for others, as we can Utopia, then instincts come to see in this exchange: be regarded as unreliable and dangerous. For Bennett, whose CORWYN: You'd better check gut feelings are sound and will your theory, Zoe. have been honed through ZOE: Oh, I'm right. Hercules 208 experiences acquired over years in Messier 13 is definitely on the of service, the situation must be blink. I can tell you what the intolerable. Corwyn, on the other radiation affect will be on Earth, if hand, is only comfortable with you like. facts, dismissing any instinctual CORWYN: Not now. responses she may feel. ZOE: I suppose you're going to see the fun, whatever it is. But this ‘Brave New World’ has CORWYN: Somehow, I don't set a trap for itself. Suppression think this is fun. of emotion exacts an unforeseen price, forcing it to And the response Zoe gives to express itself in other ways. Jamie’s ‘skirt’, while she and Bennett, although he knows that Corwyn are, literally, wearing the his hunches are right, is unable trousers, shows that the training to explain why logically and so has encouraged a personal they are not validated (as The denial of her femininity: the result Doctor says, “Logic... merely being that she immediately enables one to be wrong with considers the sexual pleasure of authority.”) This leaves him with being spanked by Jamie: “Oh, no option when faced with a this is going to be fun. I shall crisis but to retreat, first into learn a lot from you”, rather than paranoia, then madness and recognising it as a totally finally suicide. Corwyn’s distrust inappropriate way of addressing of her instincts leads to mistakes a young girl. when she deals with unexpected events such as Jamie’s sudden So how does this relate to the appearance, and indecision Cybermen? The Doctor states when The Doctor tells her she that "their entire bodies are must take over: “Take over mechanical, and their brains what? We're invaded. We have have been treated neuro- no contact with Earth, we're in surgically to remove all human the path of meteorites. Take emotions, all sense of pain.” This over what? How do we fight does not entirely fit with their without the laser?” Zoe depiction in the story, as there is meanwhile seems almost nothing dispassionate about the sociopathic in her lack of violently sadistic way the

85 Cyberman kills Bennett, which fits more with Ryan’s belief that proposes, more likely, that their ‘they’re simply attacking us.” emotions have been restricted, but are leaking out in overtly Otherwise, we are given no clue destructive ways. as to how the Cybermen would conquer the Earth, or why, if W3 Moreover, they wear calipers is the midway point in a line of (that resemble garters!) and arm stations, they would attack there braces, a steel helmet and a tight rather than Station One, which -fitting silver wetsuit. The would be much nearer to Earth, ensemble, in design, is not a especially if, as The Doctor million miles from fetish bondage surmises, the Cyber mother ship gear and highlights the fact that “holds your invasion fleet, and they have been neutered, the smaller ships can only enter reminding us their reproduction the Earth's atmosphere by is now a cold mechanical homing in on a radio beam.” process. Though why this would necessitate a raid on any of the In a website post for Psychology stations is a mystery, as, to Today, Christopher Ryan, PhD, “home in on a [transmission] writes “if expression of sexuality beam” implies that each is thwarted, the human psyche Cybership contains its own tends to grow twisted into receiver! grotesque, enraged perversions of desire. Unfortunately, the If, however, the Cybermen, in an distorted rage resulting from echo of Zoe’s society, have set sexual repression rarely takes a trap for themselves through the form of rebellion against the their pursuit of a logical scientific people and institutions behind Utopia, then their motivation the repression. Instead, the rage could well be to slake their inner is generally directed at helpless rage on “helpless victims”. In victims”. which case, their plan makes perfect sense. The Doctor concludes that the Cybermen’s actions are all part In this alternative scenario, the of some greater plan “to invade Cybermen hijack the Silver the Earth [and] plunder its Carrier in order to infiltrate mineral wealth”, as they Station Five — after all, there “wouldn't go to all this trouble would be less suspicion over a just to knock out one small space supply ship arriving late, than Wheel.” However, he also one that goes missing for nine describes the Cybermen as weeks only to turn up eighty- "ruthless, inhuman killers", which seven million miles off course.

86 Then, having massacred the transport system, presided over crew of Station Five, they move by the cold, precise and efficient on with the same intent, to technical coordinator, Miss Kelly, Station Four. With Station Three, has consigned rockets to a mu- their tactics change, as the seum, stifled all space Cyber-hypnotised human pilots exploration, and laid open the of the Silver Carrier are now, for Earth to invasion by Martian some reason, all dead, making seed pods; while the, thankfully direct communication with the unmade, script ‘Prison in Space’, Wheel impossible. sees the TARDIS land on a planet where men are ruled over The Doctor believes the by women, extended lifespans Cybermen to be logical and curtail procreation, and Jamie rational and sketches out a breaks through Zoe’s “con- reason for their actions based on ditioning” by finally making good this conceit. And indeed, they on his threat, and spanking her appear to confirm his bottom. interpretation, telling him, “You know our ways” as he puts to The subtext in ‘The Wheel in them a series of leading Space’ may be a trifle more questions. subtle, but its argument is the same, although on this occasion Nevertheless, the Cybermen it has been fatally undermined by may not be fully conscious of Kit Pedler and David Whitaker’s their own motivations, and only reliance on poor science and the accept The Doctor’s theory resulting spurious logic. It is, because acknowledging the therefore, ironic that in doing so reality would force them to the writers have also confront the true horror of their undermined their assumption existence. that suchconcepts are solely a Male preserve. ‘The Wheel in Space’ is very much a product of its time in its belief that men and women have distinct and predominant mental traits, which, if denied, create cold, castrating, unnatural females who push overly intuitive men into psychological breakdown. Similar themes permeated other Doctor Who stories during this period. In ‘The Seeds of Death’, the T-Mat 87 of the Dulcians, the incongru- The Dominators ousness of students/youngsters wanting to have a great time be- Review by ing in their (sometimes late) 30s, and so on. I’ve read com- Christine Grit ments in which it is said that the Most reviews and/or stories I story could easily have been have read about 'The Domina- squashed into two or at maxi- tors' focus on The Quarks as mum three episodes. being far too cute and unwieldy (very easy to trip them up for There’s a whole separate example) to be considered as a branch with a focus on the pit- serious alternative to the Da- falls of unilateralism, which this leks. According to some writings story was supposed to illustrate the Quarks were intended to be being broadcasted in 1968. It the next thing after the Daleks was a time of big protests which as the notorious Skaro villains reached a high in that particular were dearly missed in the time year, although not just about period. The Daleks were going unilateral action or - to get their own show in The disarmament, but also civil States (though never realised in rights, women’s lib, struggles reality) and Doctor Who needed against tyranny, the War in Vi- another fearsome Bug-Eyed etnam, and so on. The story can Monster. Never mind that the hardly be seen as a lesson Daleks themselves were un- against unilateralism. Dulkis has wieldy too of course, especially been a peaceful planet for many if you were an operator! The years after all, there were no Quarks really do look rather enemies, so what’s the problem cute (I can’t deny it) and they with people being... peaceful? definitely don’t make you hide Unilateralism has nothing to do behind the sofa, that’s for sure, with the Dulkis case. The first whatever the intentions behind ever Dalek story could be con- them, and whatever the number sidered to mirror the dangers of of intensely dangerous weapons unilateral disarmament in a they could use. much better way.

Other reviews often focus on the To me, the story is actually a mediocre storyline, and the thin kind of comedy. Just like ‘The or weak plot which contains far Gunfighters’ in an earlier era too much dialogue in the form of (although perhaps one could quarrels between the two hu- infer that The Gunfighters had a manoid villains, the repetition of better storyline) it might be best quite a few scenes, the dullness to consider the story as a spoof 88 or parody; a bit like ‘The Curse used) could get pretty if of Fatal Death’ although as we one takes the story too serious- all know, that parodying was in- ly. In a comedy, repetition of tentional, and was lovingly certain typical dialogue is all part done. 'The Dominators' obvious- of the game. It increases the ly wasn’t intended as a spoof of laugh factor so to speak. In fact, anything, but if you watch it with ever since I started to interpret that kind of mind set, it’s hilari- 'The Dominators' as a comedy, ous., especially as the main my giggles take off when that cast are performing the spoofy specific piece of dialogue comes parts just as much as the rest. on for the very first time, just be- cause I know it’s going to be re- The repetitive interplay and peated so often. It is exactly like bickering between the two Dom- beginning to laugh loudly when inators throughout the story also hearing the ‘horse’ in the mist makes more sense if one con- while watching ‘Monty Python siders this story to be a parody. and the Holy Grail’, because you Watching the repeats of most of know it’s only a pair of coconuts the dialogue between them knocked against each other! (Rago and Tabo have practical- ly the same disputes all through Perceiving 'The Dominators' as the serial even up to the words a comedy also makes up for the

89 enormous over- and underacting times-wooden performances, the during the course of the serial. dull reactions, and the poor act- There are quite a few cardboard ing altogether combine to make characters present, which is fine it very funny and enjoyable. for a comedy but not so much in a dramatic story about an alien I’m sure the Quarks weren’t in- invasion leading to the probable tended to be comical, but the destruction of all life. Here in The suggested change of perception Netherlands, there used to be fits them like a glove. Their de- two comedians who played all sign is quite good, which obvi- kinds of personas of which one ously is the reason they have was the so-called ‘elderly young- returned in novels and comics ster’ - a hooligan like character where it is easier to leave out who tried to take part in all kinds any negatives than on television of activities more appropriate to or film. The merchandise can be young adults around 18-21. The very beautiful to display as well, ‘adventurers’ in the beginning of though for a Dalek nut like me this series tend to be a little like nothing will ever surpass the that. Mostly people in their thir- original menace. However, I defi- ties acting like youngsters in nitely wouldn’t categorise them their late teens and seeking ex- as second rate because of their citement. Perfect in a parody. outward appearance, cute or The same applies to the apathy not. They are outfitted with of the Council which is exactly heavy weaponry, but their high how to present pacifism if you voices and their far too common want to make fun of the ideolo- trip-overs as well as their vulner- gy, but definitely not the way any ability to possible power drains, pacifist would act in real life. don’t make for fearsome and ter- rifying monsters. As comical If one takes the series too seri- sidekicks they do very well. ously one would probably even criticize the regular cast mem- The costuming is also a bit of a bers who aren’t at their absolute farce. Accepting it to be just that best. In the case of Wendy Pad- helps in not getting too distract- bury this isn’t that strange as it’s ed by the ‘curtains’ worn by the her first real series as a compan- males, and the ‘rejuvenation’ of ion, and she may have needed Zoe by way of her change of to find her feet. Contrary to that, clothes. The shoulder padding of with Frazer Hines, such an argu- the main villains doesn’t make ment does not apply. However, if them look more menacing (one one looks at the series as a of them is perfectly capable of comedy or parody of a regular being that by using his eyes) but Doctor Who series the some- does fit in well when that kind of

90 muscularity is being ridiculed. and a bumbling Charlie Chaplin like figure, as he does in this Our beloved Second Doctor, as particular story. His portrayal of played by the great Patrick ‘someone stupid’ is fabulous to Troughton, is a natural in this watch. oeuvre. I expect no other Doctor could have pulled this charade It is generally acknowledged off in such a fantastic manner, that Doctor Who encompasses not even Matt Smith, who also many genres of storytelling, and was pretty good at doing comic comedy of course should be in- scenes and gags. The Second cluded. Contrary to some more Doctor acts very much in line recent examples, in the case of with the original idea of him play- 'The Dominators' it wasn’t done ing a kind of ‘cosmic hobo’, alt- as such intentionally. Even if hough the series had previously you can’t switch your mind-set moved away from that concept you can still enjoy Patrick’s per- preferring The Doctor to be a formance. He just was hilarious. more serious character. It says And that is meant as a compli- everything about Troughton's ment! versatility that he could play both an evil villain such as Salaman- der in ‘The Enemy of the World’

91 The Doctor knows a thing or two The Mind Robber about weird places like this thanks to the Celestial Toymak- Review by er. Desperate to reach their Nick Smith home – the TARDIS – Steven and Dodo were at the mercy of It’s easy to confuse some actors that world’s omnipotent overseer with their indelibly linked roles. who wanted to include the travel- Andrew Lincoln is Rick Grimes. lers in his deadly games. This Daniel Radcliffe is Harry Potter. time we are led to believe that a Wendy Padbury is Zoe Heriot. similar, immensely powerful be- No wonder typecasting hobbles ing lures Jamie and Zoe into careers. But do we really have danger. But the mind robbing trouble separating fact from fic- Master is a far more complex tion, as scriptwriter Peter Ling is character than the Toymaker. said to have observed from The as-yet unseen villain is a ‘Crossroads’ fans, or are we just world builder and scene stealer, playing a game begun by story- someone hungry for ideas, des- tellers long ago? When we es- perate to understand and be- cape into an adventure yarn, are come proficient in storytelling; to we in danger of losing our grip literally master literature. on reality? Can nostalgia, ‘the pain of homecoming’ termed by It is the ache for their homelands Johannes Hofer, hurt us more that leads Jamie and Zoe into a than it helps? Would people real- white, formless void that is ech- ly make good sausages? Ling’s oed in ‘Warriors’ Gate’, easy to 'The Mind Robber' explores lose yourself in, crisp and hinting these ideas and so many more. at adventure – like the white Hofer was still a student when pages at the start of a book. The he noted that homesickness Doctor wants to help them but could be, well, sickening, and in how can he rescue them from extreme cases fatal. Needing a nothing? The answer, he de- medical word for it, he chris- cides, is to do nothing – at least tened it ‘nostalgia.’ In Part One physically. ‘I must fight,’ he says, of 'The Mind Robber', Jamie and sitting and using his mind, not Zoe have got those homesick his body. Emphasizing wits over blues so bad that they leave the fists is a common choice for The TARDIS, despite The Doctor’s Doctor, and he will use his men- protestations. ‘We don’t know tal powers again later in the sto- what will happen,’ he says. The ry… right now he fails and loses only rule in this non-place is that the TARDIS, making the out- there are no rules. come of Episode Five’s climactic mind-battle less certain. 92 The Doctor has explained that The White Robots are armed his voice and the craft are the with black and white spiral hyp- only real things in this world, no-weapons. There’s a dark for- “everything else is unreality”. As est and a jumble of giant words the TARDIS explodes and Zoe straight out of ‘Alice in Wonder- screams, nothing is certain – land,’ a book which provided gravity, geography, the future of great fodder for the Grace Slick the ship. At time of broadcast, it set; Jamie’s face disappears in must have felt certain that the a twist on a lysergic acid trip. TARDIS would never be seen However, most of the elements again. With The Doctor silent in 'The Mind Robber' are tinged and the TARDIS gone, there’s with innocence. nothing left to trust except the faithful companions. Gulliver is open and disarmingly honest. A pack of kids, the This method of making us feel all spawn of E. Nesbit, make The is lost will be honed in New Who, Doctor giddy with riddles. When culminating in ‘The Time of The The Doctor and Jamie find Zoe Doctor ‘as The Doctor nears the in a glass jar, it’s a bit of a gig- end of his lives. In 1968 in a sea- gle. This is the friendly face of son glutted with ‘base under fiction, disinfected fairy tales and siege’ stories, 'The Mind Robber' endearing kid-lit. But there’s a was daringly different yet rooted danger to losing oneself in this in contemporary psychedelia world of word games. and the monochrome ‘music vid- eos’ of the day. This innocence makes the dark-

93 exercises the imagination, with ideas as gaudy as Zoe's catsuit and an effective balance be- tween old and new-fangled, red- coats and robots, ticker-tapes and invisible trip wires.

Nostalgia is a useful touchstone for Ling; viewers raised on Greek myths and Robert Louis Steven- son’s historical adventures rec- er moments all the more disturb- ognize the reference points in ing. A majestic unicorn is a po- 'The Mind Robber', no matter tential killer; Jamie loses his how out-there the Land of Fic- identity; a bookish old man can tion’s boundaries are. The story steal your soul and turn you into also stays true to the show’s fiction. That old man – a tortured characters: Jamie leaps into ac- pawn in an alien game who tion, Zoe’s logical mind struggles wants The Doctor to replace him to disavow what she sees in – represents the writer as a front of her, and The Doctor powerhouse crackling with crea- gleefully greets Gulliver, a fellow tive energy, a lifeline to count- wanderer. He also stands up for less entertaining characters and the innocent people of earth, a a testament to mankind's ability Chaplin champion of the race to imagine. He’s also a big kid, that created the Minotaur, Medu- watching the action on multiple sa and D’artagnan. TV screens, playing games with our heroes. He mentions tests Held up alongside these leg- and stages of examination, ends, The Doctor is in turn my- school jargon that befits his thologized in a way that would childish side. Perhaps that’s be examined further in stories why we don’t feel cheated when like Robot of Sherwood. Yet The he’s rescued by The Doctor ra- Doctor is portrayed as greater ther than punished; his disem- than the likes of Lancelot and the bodied captors are defeated clockwork soldiers; The Doctor is and the TARDIS is restored to current, aware of his existence its battered blue glory. That is and therefore ‘real.’ satisfaction enough. Over six decades, Doctor Who Before that rescue, however, has rarely examined itself in the there are many threats to face in way 'The Mind Robber' does. It's this little telly epic. It’s Terry Na- ambitious in scope, featuring so tion-ambitious in the way that it many characters and locales in

94 some of the shortest episodes in saying, forced to churn out the show's history. It explores hours of entertainment. If he Who's roots in Western literature keeps dipping into the well of and the way that traditional story- inspiration, it will surely dry out. telling risks being homogenized by the TV medium. Television is The remedy is to treat the so hungry for content that it can source material (Rapunzel, Bat- take motifs like a maiden trapped man etc) with respect and ap- in a tower or a muscular hero preciate its power, the innate bound by honour and repeat appeal of its innocence, watch those tropes over and over out for those sharp dark edges. again, with variations. The gog- 'The Mind Robber' is an in- gle box can rob our minds, giving ventive, memorable story that us mashed potato brains to add presents a different danger from to The Doctor’s menu. the stomping monsters of the ‘Sausages!’ he bemoans, hear- era. Regardless of how meta ing the aliens’ plan to drain hu- Peter Ling intended it to be, it mankind of its creativity. ‘Man appreciates its origins. It does will become like a string of sau- not belittle the stories we grew sages - all the same!’ up with, the tales that kids love and adults get nostalgic over. It The writer is at the mercy of his honours them. producers, Ling seems to be

95 one at all. The Telosian nasties The Invasion fourth appearance of the Troughton era sees them very Review by much downgraded to back- Stephen Hatcher ground threat – indeed to back- ground artists. They don’t even Considering 'The Invasion' is the put in an appearance until the only Doctor Who story that script end of Episode 4; and when they editor and producer Derrick do arrive, there is no direct face- Sherwin is credited with writing to-face confrontation between (although he also wrote ‘The them and The Doctor – no Mind Robber’, Episode 1, with- Cyberleader or Cybercontroller out a credit), the influence that it for The Doctor to engage in a and he have had on everything battle of wills. All we get is a box that has come after is extraordi- of flashing lights in a cupboard nary. It is so different to every with the voice of Robert the Ro- other Doctor Who story of the bot from ‘Fireball XL5’ – and The 60s, yet at the same time it has Doctor doesn’t even get to meet so many links to other stories of that. The Cybermen could easily the era. It connects black and have been replaced in this story white sixties Who to the colourful with any other alien threat – Yeti, seventies like no other. Ice Warriors, Daleks, you name it. They are here to do little more To my mind, it remains one of than fulfil the role of heavies. the most re-watchable Doctor Who stories of the twentieth cen- The focus is instead on a very tury. It is firmly set in both the much more interesting villain, the “White Heat” of the Technologi- ruthless electronics tycoon Tobi- cal Revolution and the Swinging as Vaughn (Kevin Stoney), in Sixties. It’s a slice of ITC-style league with the Cybermen and spy-fi, heavily influenced by the later revealed to be cyber- Sean Connery James Bond augmented himself. Vaughn sits movies. There’s a popular re- squarely in two villainous tradi- turning alien menace; and it’s tions, which came to the fore in the first ever UNIT story, estab- the 60s, both of which have lishing the pattern for the subse- proved enduring tropes of ad- quent Third Doctor era. venture fiction – the ‘Bond’ villain and the Evil Tycoon. Both of Let’s begin by considering 'The these categories of baddy (and Invasion' as a Cyberman story. there is some overlap) are typi- Well of course, it has been noted cally power-mad, ruthlessly am- many times that it scarcely is bitious, super-rich individuals,

96 with access to unlimited re- the lairs were the offices and sources and a determination to boardrooms of major companies get their way. and the villains were less flam- boyant and lacking the private ‘Dr No’ (1962), the first James armies. They were to be found Bond feature film gave us the among the bankers, managing eponymous Julius No, (played directors and industrial tycoons. by Joseph Wiseman in very du- The most notable of these was bious yellowface), the original John Wilder (a magnetic perfor- Bond Villain. He was followed in mance by ), a quick succession by Auric Gold- modern-day corporate Richard finger, Ernst Stavro Blofeld and III, ruthlessly playing the games many more. Each of them of boardroom intrigue, in ‘The sought power at any cost, from Plane Makers’ (ATV 1962-65) the safety of a luxurious lair; sur- and its sequel ‘The Power rounded by an array of futuristic Game’ (1965-69). Meanwhile gadgets and a dedicated private the BBC gave us the less excit- army of often extravagantly uni- ingly named Brian Stead formed mercenaries. (Geoffrey Keen) in ‘Mogul’, re- named ‘The Troubleshooters’ At the same time, on British TV, after its first season (1965-72).

The Doctor and Vaughn

97 Tobias Vaughn has the attributes was deliberately named after of both a Bond Villain and an Evil Robert in a nod to the spy-fi gen- Tycoon. He has the corporate re, which 'The Invasion’ aimed office in the lair (factory), guard- to be a part of; I suspect he may ed by the private army directed well have been. by chief henchman Packer; he has the technology; and he has Surprisingly few 60s Doctor Who the egomania and ruthless deter- stories reflected the Swinging mination to buy power for him- 60s mood of the period. The self, at the expense of the entire First Doctor made only one re- world if necessary. Vaughn is not turn to 1960s London, in 1966’s Doctor Who’s first Bond Villain – ‘The War Machines’, when we that honour probably goes to were treated to the scenes in the Kevin Stoney’s other great role, Inferno Club and the introduction as Mavic Chen in ‘The Daleks of a trendy new assistant in Pol- Master Plan’ (1965-66); followed ly. Return visits were infrequent by Professor Zaroff (Joseph too during the Second Doctor Furst) in ‘The Underwater Men- era. ‘The Faceless Ones’ is con- ’ (1967); and Salamander in fined to Gatwick Airport and a ‘The Enemy of the World’ (1968). guest cast mostly of men in suits He would be followed in turn by and ties, although we do get an- Stevens in ‘The Green other trendy young girl in scous- Death’ (1973) and Harrison er Samantha Briggs, with her Chase in ‘The Seeds of wonderful hat. We stay in con- Doom’ (1976). He is however the temporary London for the first finest example of the type and episode of ‘The Evil of the Da- Stoney’s mesmeric performance leks’, although the café scene is a real highlight. could be set in almost any city at any time; and we then relocate Before leaving Vaughn, let’s note to an antique shop that is the that his very name would ring very antithesis of Swinging Lon- bells with 60s viewers, causing don, before being transported to them to make an association Victorian Kent. with the spy-fi genre, then at its height, due to the popularity of 'The Invasion' ‘swings’ like no ITC shows such as ‘The Saint’ other 60s Who story – mostly in and ABC’s ‘The Avengers’. the person of ‘dolly bird’ photog- Worldwide the most successful rapher Isobel Watkins, who with of these shows was MGM’s ‘The her fashionable clothes, glamor- Man from U.N.C.L.E’. (1964-68), ous job and trendy young thing whose hero Napoleon Solo was 60s vernacular, would have felt played by the actor Robert very up to date to contemporary Vaughn. Who knows if Tobias viewers. The fashion photogra-

98 pher was very much an icon of have longer (therefore cheaper) the 60s, exemplified by celebrity stories. They were keen to cap- photographers such as David ture something of the feel of the Bailey, Annie Leibovitz and of Quatermass serials of the course the character played by 1950s, with The Doctor at- David Hemmings in Michelange- tached to a military organisa- lo Antonioni’s 1966 film ‘Blowup’, tion, fighting alien threats. Sher- itself inspired by Bailey. Isobel win took the opportunity of hav- Watkins is very possibly the most ing to write 'The Inva- 60s character ever to appear in sion’ himself, to try out this new Doctor Who. format.

When Derrick Sherwin wrote The character of Colonel Alistair 'The Invasion' as a late replace- Lethbridge-Stewart, introduced ment for an unusable Cyberman in Mervyn Haisman and Henry story by Kit Pedler, he believed Lincoln’s ‘The Web of that he, producer Peter Bryant Fear’ (1968) would return, pro- and star Patrick Troughton would moted to Brigadier, to lead The still be involved in Doctor Who a Doctor’s new military employ- year later, for Season 7. Bryant ers, a new anti-alien taskforce, and Sherwin had decided that, UNIT. There was also a plan to partly as a cost-cutting measure, bring back two other Haisman the new season would be mostly and Lincoln characters, Profes- confined to Earth and would sor Edward Travers from ‘The

99 Abominable Snowmen’ (1967) and beyond was set. Of course, and his daughter Anne from as things worked out, neither ‘The Web of Fear.’ In the event Bryant and Troughton, nor com- actors and Tina panions Frazer Hines and Wen- Packer proved available and the dy Padbury stayed beyond the characters of Professor and Iso- end of Season 6, with only Der- bel Watkins were created to re- rick Sherwin remaining just long place them. enough to produce the first story of the new season. It was left to There is still some argument Barry Letts, Terrance Dicks and over who created Lethbridge- Jon Pertwee to bring the UNIT Stewart. After a long dispute be- concept to its greatest success- tween the BBC and Haisman es. It’s fascinating to speculate and Lincoln, the corporation rec- what Season 7 might have ognised that the character be- looked like, with The Doctor ex- longed to the two writers and it iled to Earth and working for is now the Haisman Estate that UNIT, alongside the Brigadier, controls the rights. However, un- Jamie, Zoe and the two Travers. til his death, Derrick Sherwin claimed that Colonel Lethbridge- As a foretaste of what was to Stewart was his creation and come, yet also a reflection of the that as script editor, he had age in which it was made, 'The asked Haisman and Lincoln to Invasion’ is just perfect. I never include them in ‘The Web of tire of it. Fear’. We shall probably never know the full truth.

In any event, Lethbridge-Stewart returned, UNIT was introduced, and director brought in to play and secured the assistance of the Army to make the story.

At eight episodes and despite a fair bit of escape/capture, mark- ing time and going around in cir- cles, 'The Invasion’ never seems to drag. The story proved popu- lar, the experiment with the new format was deemed a success and the pattern for Season 7

100 101 This was, of course, the legend- The Krotons ary Robert Holmes’ first Who Review by story. Originally submitted as a stand-alone science fiction serial Tony Jordan called The Trap in 1965, it even- tually saw the light of day when Hands up right at the start. I Terrance Dicks found it in The have enormous affection for ‘The Doctor Who production office Krotons’, indeed it’s a real guilty files. Season Six became infa- pleasure. I re-watched it not too mous for the number of scripts long ago, purely out of love for that fell through, and thankfully the story and before knowing this led to ‘The Krotons’ being that I’d be writing a review of it. developed by Terrance along- side Bob. I was nine when ‘The Krotons’ first aired, and don’t really have Among many other eminent fea- memories of it from back then. tures, Holmes’s scripts are re- 1968 was the year of the Cyber- nowned for their double acts. men and the Yeti, it was still Vorg and Shirna from ‘Carnival Christmas and there was so of Monsters’, Spandrell and much going on - well that’s the Engin from T’he Deadly Assas- excuse I’ve come up with over sin’, Jago and Litefoot from ‘The half a century later! Talons of Weng Chiang’, Mor- gus and Timmin from ‘The It was The Five Faces of Doctor Caves of Androzani’, Dibber and Who season in November 1981 Glitz from ‘The Mysterious that cemented ‘The Krotons’ Planet’ to name but a few. I place in my heart. At the time I would argue that one of his fin- was working for an International est ever actually appear in this, Bank in its branch on the Euston his very first story - namely the Road, and that week it became the number one talking point.

People were going around im- personating Krotons them- selves, I particularly remember a gent called Alan Bell who acted like a loon: Alan must have been in his mid-thirties with his own kids, but clearly used them as an excuse to relive his younger days!

102 Krotons themselves. Their dia- evolved.' logue is a wonder, sheer poetry 'There has not been time, it is a in many ways. Once The Doctor similar biped animal but not from and Zoe have accidentally this planet.' caused their re-animation, the two remaining Krotons analyse This is Holmes at his finest, and what is occurring while watching as episodes three and four devel- our heroes escape from the Dy- op the banter between Com- notrope mander Kroton and his one re- maining underling simply gets 'They are not Gonds.' better and better. 'Why did you in-operate the dis- persion unit? We need them 'Cut auxiliaries.' alive.' 'Auxiliaries cut, output zero.' 'They have escaped.' 'Feed in emergency power. Grav- 'Keep the scanner on them, we itation feed check.' will order the Gonds to capture 'Static. Dynotrope bal- and bring them back. (Scanner ance.....normal.' views Jamie in the Hall of Learn- ing) That is not a Gond.' All this while their heads are spin- 'It is possible they have ning nineteen to the dozen!

103 Of course, the Krotons are his. None the less the ‘High brought to life by the magnificent Brains’ get selected for the Dy- metallic, jarring pseudo Afrki- notrope. Jamie is.....well Ja- aans accents of Roy Skelton and mie, I’m not sure what else can Patrick Tull. The dialogue be said. You get the feeling that knocks that of the Daleks or Frazer could play the role in his Cybermen into a cocked hat. sleep, though that’s not meant This is aided wonderfully by the as a criticism - rather an obser- simple, but hypnotic musical vation that after 90 odd epi- pulse that accompanies their ap- sodes, he had the part down to pearances. In all honesty, this a fine-tooth comb. story would not have been out of place in the ‘Monster Season’ Of the rest of the cast, James that preceded Season Six. Copeland puts in a decent turn as the inevitably doomed Selris, The concept that the Krotons leader of the Gonds, while Gil- evolved from predatory quasi- bert Wynne is suitably up-and- organic tellrium based crystals at ‘em playing Selris’ rebellious works well. Five years later son Thara. I swear to God that ‘Terror of the ’ would use ’s Eelek is a very the similar consideration of or- close relative of Philip Madoc’s ganic crytallography which Com- Brockley in the 1966 spin-off mander Broton erroneously be- movie Daleks - Invasion Earth lieved had killed the Fourth Doc- 2150 A.D. That’s not a criticism tor. of this wonderful actor though: he played his cynical role to Although he was coming to- perfection, and it was to be only wards the end of his time as The few short months until he Doctor, Patrick Troughton is on launched gloriously into the truly top form here: the way he seem- evil, villainous role of the War lessly goes from humour to ter- Lord in ‘The War Games’. ror, from comforting to criti- cising, and many more things So, what’s not to love about besides is no less than we would ‘The Krotons’? A wonderful expect. Doctor, great companions, a highly effective and well real- Zoe is at the forefront of the sto- ised script topped off with a ry, which is great. It’s almost as couple of awesome aliens. if written for her character, inno- Thank you very much, that’ll do cently passing the Krotons’ test for me! with distinction never before known, while The Doctor flunks

104 cessors noses and he had suc- The Seeds of cessfully rejuvenated the char- acter and given extra life to the Death show after taking over from the guv’nor - William Hartnell back Review by in October 1966. However, for me it may have been the lack of Ed Brady available material to be able to For many years I’d never really go back and re-watch this era got the Patrick Troughton era of that initially made me feel a lack Doctor Who. This may seem an of love towards it. I also felt the odd thing to say being aware second Doctor was never really that Troughton was a superbly given enough contrasting stories accomplished character actor in the adventures that he ap- and his period on the pro- peared in. As I saw it, there was gramme was so fondly remem- never a true balance between bered by all that worked with the base under siege stories him and those that watched him which began with ‘The Tenth at home every Saturday teatime. Planet’ prior to Troughton taking Added to this, Troughton’s bril- on the role and the historical liant performance never failed in stories that were sadly phased winning over an audience in out after the ‘The Highlanders’ whatever story he appeared in; aired. I was later to discover that myself included when I eventu- the reason for this was a pro- ally caught up with him in rare repeats or later video viewings. While growing up, I had seen him in many films that were re- peated on television over the years. His enchanting perfor- mance as the magical old Punch and Judy man in the 1984 BBC production of ‘The Box of De- lights’ stood out to me, which to duction decision; but it would this day is a shared family view- have been much more creatively ing treat come Christmas time in diverse if the second Doctor and my household. Even in the his companions had been given passing years that celebrated the opportunity to journey into the anniversary milestones dur- the Earth’s past occasionally on ing Doctor Who’s later history he their weekly exploits in the sea- would appear to cheekily steal sons that followed his season the limelight from under his suc- four debut. However familiar

105 these base under siege settings from this story it didn't seem to or monster era scenarios may matter as it had done its job. Af- have been throughout this peri- ter visually grabbing my atten- od, they did prove to be very tion at the Our Price store popular with the viewers during housed in the basement of his three-year stint. ‘The Seeds Selfridges department store on of Death’ is one of those re- London's Oxford Street; I then peated situations that is a fine flipped it over and absorbed the example of this style of adven- text on the back. The author of ture being directed in a more the back sleeve blurb had writ- inventive way than before and ten the following tantalising de- was the first story chosen to scription… “Deadly Ice Warriors, represent this era within the exploding seed pods and a le- then booming home video mar- thal fungus are among the ter- ket of the 1980’s. rors in store in this feature- length space adventure. It is the I was of the age when I first 21st century and Earth is totally started collecting the original dependent on T-Mat, a revolu- VHS range that a sleeve cover tionary form of instant travel. could influence my decision on When the system breaks down what I purchased next; regard- The Doctor and friends make a less of who was playing The hazardous journey to the relay Doctor, although it must be said station on the moon only to find I did intend over time to collect it has fallen into the hands of them all. For those of you that the Ice Warriors who plan to in- remember the early BBC VHS vade Earth. Using T-Mat the Ice video releases may recall with Warriors transport seed pods to nostalgia the early photo mon- Earth which burst, disgorging a tage covers. ‘The Seeds of deadly Martian fungus. This Death’ was one of the better spreads rapidly extracting vital realised sleeves when com- oxygen from the atmosphere. pared to some of the other titles Can The Doctor outwit the evil in the early range of tapes. This Ice Warriors and destroy the classic design featured a colour fungus in time to save a dying background image of Trough- world?” After reading this I want- ton with his 500-year diary pho- ed to find out more and watch tographed on the TARDIS set this classic story that I had nev- during the studio recording of er seen before. ‘The Seeds of ‘The Power of the Daleks’ and Death’ promoted the earliest montaged effectively with an story available at this point and Ice Warrior still from their first the first black & white sixties story appearance. Although Doctor Who story released on these colour images were not VHS around 1985. 106 At this point in my own personal lighted the crusty old presenta- timeline probably about 1989, tion of the source material. It this tape was to be my only sec- must be said though, that the ond encounter with Troughton's take home format itself had its second Doctor in a story directly own shortcomings. Of course, lifted from his era. Born in late back then, we didn't know any 1972, I had completely missed better and it was many years his term on the show and so my later before another mono- first Troughton was in fact the chrome story was commercially ‘The Krotons’ repeat in Novem- available to purchase. However, ber 1981. It was a joy now own- the 2003 DVD reissue is an en- ing an affordable piece of the tirely different viewing experi- sixties Doctor Who back cata- ence and the VidFIRE picture logue on video. Mine was the enhancement now lets you en- more affordable £9.99 tape re- joy the story to an even better lease, which played as a 136- degree than the VHS or the minute movie length feature; as broadcast version. was the standard in those days of commercially released materi- As I mentioned earlier, there is al. But this was way before the great visual flair provided in the expected cleaning and remaster- direction by Michael Ferguson ing was properly underway and shot within Paul Allen's set de- the original VHS sadly high- signs and the scene with the

107 numbers counting down over the throughout by the Ice Warriors. character of Gia Kelly's face is a Alan Bennion makes his first of memorable sequence as is the three guest appearances as an Ice Warriors pursuit of The Doc- Ice Warrior commander and pro- tor through the base corridors. vides a terrific chief villain in his There are many imaginative creation of Slaar. With his own POV shots and several scenes memorable voice delivery, Ben- filmed through transparent scen- nion gives an added dynamic to ery or through cut out details in the exchanges between the al- supporting pillars are very in- iens and the humans that for me ventive and feel fresh. The cos- makes this story have the slight tume designs which were proba- edge over the original Brian bly quite futuristic in 1969 are Hayles Ice Warrior adventure. one of the glaring factors that Hayles, who also wrote the origi- badly date this story when nal submitted version of this six- viewed today. Sound wise, the episode tale had his final four humorous flat computer voice scripts revised by script editor delivery provided by John Witty Terrance Dicks during what was that is heard throughout the a troubled year for the show. earth headquarters sequences is one of my audio memories that Thirty five years ago this was on- has stayed with me since I first ly one of a handful of complete viewed my tape along with Dud- second Doctor stories in exist- ley Simpson's space music lead- ence that had survived the de- ing its way into the opening of structive archive junking and was the story. The three regulars of to be Troughton's Doctor Who Patrick Troughton, Frazer Hines opener to the VHS market. Alt- and Wendy Padbury appear very hough a little slow to start with, comfortable with each other by ‘The Seeds of Death’ provides an the time this story was produced entertaining diversion and the by Peter Bryant and their friend- payoff is there if you stick with it. ships show through in their per- There are many memorable visu- formances. Louise Pajo’s char- al highlights to be found here, acter of Miss Kelly is strong here particularly from Troughton him- too as is Ronald Leigh-Hunt self. And, perhaps in 2020, after playing Commander Radnor as the now distant discoveries of the two of the productions main familiar and well known classic guest artists. Also worth men- Patrick Troughton stories; this tioning is Terry Scully, inhabiting story deserves a reappraisal. a very believably frightened and nervous moon base technician Fewsham; who gets menaced

108 mation budget to 'The Space Pi- The Space Pirates rates', it might not be just down Review by to technical difficulties.

Paul Driscoll Unlike stories such as ‘The Tomb of the Cybermen’, the rep- Doctor Who’s missing episodes utation of Troughton’s penulti- don’t have to be very good at all mate serial has certainly not to be wanted and loved by fans. been enhanced by its lost status. Their inaccessibility adds a Indeed, of all the Troughton sto- sense of mystery and desire that ries, it is generally regarded as makes fan-made versions curi- amongst the worst, despite the ous to watch, however incom- fact that most of us will never plete or poorly realised the re- have seen it. Radio Times writer construction. 'The Space Pi- Patrick Mulken calls it “arguably rates', might be the youngest of the most yawn-inducing tract of them, but with the lack of refer- the entire black-and-white peri- ence material (there are no tele- od”, a view that is hardly eccen- snaps) and an inferior set of tric. If fans needed any more sound recordings, it is one of the reason to skip past this one, hardest to work on. If the BBC then the fact that even Patrick are planning to animate every Troughton found it boring (as missing story, then there is a recollected by his son Michael) good chance that this one will be might have provided the killer at the bottom of the list. If there blow. Even the name, Robert is any reluctance to give an ani- Holmes, can’t save this one.

109 In its day, 'The Space Pirates', the section of the beacon that whilst not regarded as one of the contains the TARDIS will land, series finest, was hardly received with The Doctor pretending that badly. It captured the mood of he could have worked it out too. the times with its focus on space In contrast to this superior exploration, and received partic- knowledge, and to Jamie’s ular praise for its model work and astonishment, Zoe has no idea special effects. Even the critics what a candle is. were impressed. Stuart of ‘The Spectator’, for example, Troughton’s performance is was particularly enamoured with clearly affected by a degree of a spacewalk scene - “The effect ambivalence towards the series was so excellently simulated that as he prepares to move on. It for a moment or two I was unde- lacks a certain charisma that cided whether what I saw was cannot be solely attributed to the not perhaps a piece of documen- script. Whilst the ‘less in more’ tary film fed into the pro- principle doesn’t exactly apply gramme.” here, Holmes with great econo- my highlights many of the char- The serial is heavily criticised for acteristics that viewers had come side-lining The Doctor and his to associate with the second companions from the bulk of the Doctor. There is a wonderful sce- story. Indeed, the TARDIS ne in which The Doctor uses a doesn’t arrive until near the end regular screwdriver (inexplicitly of part one, and thereafter our changed to his sonic in Dicks’ heroes find themselves mostly novelisation) to increase the trapped out of sight in a variety magnetic attraction between the of locations. Ironically, given how split sections of the beacon. Zoe boring he found the serial, immediately realises the danger Troughton’s earlier complaints that depending on the direction about his workload may have of the poles, this could send had some bearing on his screen- them hurtling away from the oth- time. That said, their isolation er pieces, including the one with offers the opportunity for plenty the TARDIS inside it. The Doctor of fun dialogue between the tells her not to be such a pessi- leads, and Holmes takes every mist, but sure enough seconds opportunity to highlight their cul- later, his gamble does not pay tural differences. Zoe, in particu- off. “Oh dear, what a silly idiot I lar, is well served (and that’s de- am,” he says, sheepishly. It is spite one scene in which she one of a number of scenes that makes the tea) as the mathemat- don’t quite hit the spot, with ical genius from the future. She Troughton being slightly subdued uses maths to work out where in his delivery.

110 The other common criticism of visational skills and ability to the serial is the characterisation think outside the box, such as of Milo Clancey, with his Ameri- when using copper needles to can accent in particular coming render the Space Corps’ ‘new- under fire. His performance is fangled’ computer guided mis- certainly distracting with some siles useless. But it isn’t The truly bizarre intonation, but, from Doctor who Clancey represents, a script point of view, the charac- so much as the writer himself. ter, clearly modelled on a pro- Holmes uses him to make a spector from the Wild West (and number of digs against taxation, self-styled as such), adds a huge a pet subject that he will go on to amount of much needed colour write an entire sto- to the proceedings. The contrast ry about with ‘The Sun Makers’. with General Hermack of the Space Corps is classic Holmes, Perhaps the biggest flaw of the with Clancey sounding almost story is in the largely undefined like The Doctor in his opposition characters of 'The Space Pirates' to bureaucracy and rule-making themselves, rather than the over- – “Is it alright if I blow my nose, the-top Clancey, who is at least or is that another offence?” He interesting. Holmes hints at the also shares The Doctor’s impro- uneasy allegiances of those who

111 work for Caven, especially his ‘Treasures of the Lost Planet’), second-in-command, Dervish, but it has since become a well- who is almost turned by Made- used trope of science-fiction on leine Issigri. While he questions TV and in the movies (see espe- orders, unlike Madeleine, his fear cially Blake’s Seven, Firefly, Bab- of Caven keeps him passive. For ylon 5 and Star Wars). Doctor her part, Madeleine wants out Who would return to the theme in when she discovers that Caven ‘The Pirate Planet’, ‘The Curse of is prepared to kill to protect his the Black Spot’ and ‘Dinosaurs investments. Without The Doctor on a Spaceship’, among others. and Clancey’s intervention, she So while, it is often seen an odd would have remained under the fit for a Doctor Who story, when pirate’s control with her Father’s set against the series as a whole life being used as leverage. and not just the monster heavy second Doctor era, 'The Space Holmes originally conceived this Pirates' is not all that out of story as a four-parter, a reason place. In any case, this particular sometimes given for the serial criticism doesn’t hold water when feeling dragged out, but in truth one thinks of the high regard in there was plenty of scope to ex- which the atypical ‘The Caves of plore these characters in depth. Androzani’ is held. Madeleine’s father, Dom Issigri, and Caven, especially, ought to Doctor Who had become far too have been developed more. formulaic during the Troughton Dom’s sudden recovery from the years and although this particular post-traumatic stress of being script was rushed in as a late re- locked up by Caven for so many placement, it is good to see a years is rushed and completely writer showing the confidence to unbelievable. As for Caven, ad- offer something new. Doctor Who ventures of this sort usually write was once again in need of rein- the bad guys as the most inter- vention and although this mon- esting and more attractive fig- sterless adventure in space ures, yet he is little more than a would not set the tone for the hackneyed stereotype with no Pertwee years, it widened the real exploration into his back- scope of what Doctor Who could ground or motivations. do, arguably paving the way for the likes of ‘The Ambassadors of This story was not the first depic- Death’, ‘’, and tion of pirates in space (see for the Peladon saga. example, the character of Alonzo P Tucker in the ‘Lost in Space’ episodes ‘The Sky Pirate’ and

112 enemies - Daleks, Yeti, Cyber- The War Games men and the Ice Warriors amongst them - Patrick Trough- Review by ton’s swansong is somewhat Ian Bresman monster-light. What we get in- stead is a ten-week epic that 'You have returned to us, Doctor. starts with the TARDIS material- Your travels are over.' After six ising in the midst of World War years of exciting black and white One and ends with it being adventures, television viewers pulled back to the Time Lords finally get a glimpse of Doctor and The Doctor put on trial. His Who’s home planet as ‘The War sentence sees him exiled to Games’ reaches episode earth, his appearance changed ten. Ironically, the travels may and, for the viewer, shorter sea- now be over for the second Doc- sons and an upgrade to colour. tor, but really the adventure is just beginning! The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe step out of the TARDIS into a grim For an incarnation that had spent landscape of mud, torn barbed much of three seasons battling wire and, amongst the drifting some of the series most iconic mist, the telling signs of a dirty

113 war. It is No Man’s Land, 1917 - American Civil War, Russo- close to the front-line trenches of Japanese War, Boer War, Rus- the first War World War. They sian Imperialist War, English Civ- soon meet Lady Jennifer, who is il War, the Crimean, the Roman driving an ambulance as part of Conquest of England and other the war effort and become in- bloody times in earth’s history volved in an ambush by the Ger- are all represented in their own mans. As a sequence of events intricately recreated zones - each unravels, The Doctor and his populated with the fighters lifted friends find themselves being from their own time. The zones court martialled in a very bizarre are separated from each other trial. The Doctor knows now by a barrier of thick mist and something is terribly wrong but, controlled by a war mongering will he be able to escape execu- people, intent on creating the ul- tion and unravel the mystery? timate fighting force from the cream of earth’s most horrific As the episodes continue, we battles. They are using technol- realise that World War One is ogy from The Doctor’s own race just one of several zones in an courtesy of their War Chief, him- elaborate training ground. The self a renegade Time Lord.

114 With the help of Jamie, Zoe and and for a race of people who a band of resistance fighters have a Security Chief and ad- who can overcome their condi- vanced weaponry, you would tioning, The Doctor tries to outwit have thought things would be the War Chief and put a stop to sewn up a bit tighter. these bloodthirsty games. In the end, he has no option but to call But this is what makes it such on the Time Lords for their help. fun - at times this is a straightfor- It is a last resort and he knows ward cracking adventure the consequences. romp. We all know The Doctor can get himself into hot water Right from the very start, ‘The quite quickly and if he can avoid War Games’ is on a programme execution in episode one, what of capture, escape, recapture else can he get himself out of as and repeat. This lasts right the the story continues? way through to the conclusion, as The Doctor and his compan- Of course, amongst all this run- ions manage to easily get free ning around and getting out of from the Time Lords, only to be tight spots, there is a serious un- scooped up again some minutes dertone to the story. The brutali- later. Much as you can appreci- ty of war, the senseless waste of ate why writers Terrance Dicks life and the dogged allegiance to and were under the cause, however far removed great time pressure to produce it has become, is magnified these scripts, it is a very repeti- when a bunch of campaigns tive cycle. Happily, for the most throughout earth’s history are part, it becomes entertaining ra- pulled together in one blood- ther than annoying, and sets you thirsty biosphere. We see war guessing how our heroes will get here played as a game, with the out of this Groundhog Day and controllers moving the fighters return to their travels. around like pawns in a disturbing game of chess. And, as with the Some of the escapes are auda- cannon fodder from the trenches cious - arguably The Doctor is in much warfare, there are fresh more sophisticated than, say the troops made available by the Governor of a military prison in War Room using the time travel World War One, but even so to technology brought in by the War steamroll him so easily without Chief. identification is no mean feat. There was no Psychic Pa- The race of people running these per back in the sixties! Hijacking games is never named and the the time capsules (and operating key protagonists are known them) also seems to be a breeze simply by their job titles. One

115 can only guess that if you do not stereotypes. Throw into this have a specific title you are just some slightly exaggerated ac- known as 'Other'! The War Lord cents and we are on the brink of is the big cheese who is mut- over-hamming. However, most tered about frequently until he of these characters are neither finally appears in episode seven overplayed nor overused. The in the form of Philip Madoc (The story needs the flavour of these Krotons, Brain of Morbius and eras and so seeing Redcoats, The Power of Kroll). Undoubtedly Americans, Mexican Revolution- the best guest performance of aries and others works well as the story, Madoc’s portrayal is of long as they do not outstay their a charismatic man, brooding welcome. Michael Napier- with quiet power and menace. Brown’s colourful performance Fantastic. as Arture Villar, a Mexican Re- sistance fighter, certainly leaves The War Lord’s two underlings an impression and should still be spend most of the time bickering enjoyed, whilst bearing in mind and getting it wrong. it is their the era the show was made in. incompetence and own agendas which are endangering the suc- Elsewhere in the cast, it is lovely cess of the great plan. The Se- to see as Moor curity Chief (James Bree with in episode six and David pomposity levels turned to maxi- Saville’s role of guest compan- mum) is more interested in ex- ion, Lieutenant Carstairs in the posing The War Chief (a camp, first nine episodes is a great ad- shifty turn from Edward Bray- dition. There are too many ex- shaw) than the security of the cellent performances to mention base and how to wisely delegate and, with a story like this, from his forces. The verbal sparring General Smythe to Lady Jen- between the pair of them is de- nifer, everybody has favourites! lightful and, with two such antag- onistic characters, their fates are It is very fitting that these are the certainly something for the view- final episodes of Doctor Who er to relish. made in black and white. They look glorious, almost hard to im- As the story unfolds, we get to agine them being any better in see more and more representa- colour. There is something tives from the different war about the monochrome that zones. This leads to a huge cast gives this story an added atmos- of characters. By its very nature, phere throughout. The opening this means some of these are scenes of episode one never slightly larger than life and tick fails to give goose bumps - cold, maybe a few too many of the old sinister, desperate - where have

116 our friends landed? Similarly, planet itself, but we find out that the headquarters of the War Lord The Doctor’s race is very aware and his cohorts works so well - of the power their knowledge of all whitewashed walls and men- time travel wields. To this end, acing sanitised surfaces, lit to their laws forbid the interference startling brilliance and creating in others affairs and they punish such a simple, yet effective alien those who break the rules. We environment. get to meet three officials in the climax of ‘The War Games’. As Some of the props used are also expected, long robes and an im- favoured by the lack of colour. perious, almost pompous air to The cardboard glasses (which them. In many respects, you can look like the early 3D specs you see why The Doctor ran away in got taped to front of comics as a the first place, but you also un- free gift) spring to mind. Some- derstand why they need to get a how in black and white they look reign on him. These scenes nice- interestingly retro. And what col- ly set up the spikey ongoing rela- ours could do anything with the tionship The Doctor has with his cumbersome interrogation de- own people - one which contin- vice used by the Security Chief, ues to develop even today. or the guards' massive guns and those rubber suits they wear?! In this instance, the sentence Our first glimpse of the Time passed down by the Time Lords Lords themselves is tantalising is to earth and regenera- when you watch it now with fore- tion. Looking at these final knowledge. We see little of the scenes for Troughton’s Doctor,

117 makes you wonder what makes thy, anger and cunning - coming the perfect final story. If it is the at you amongst waves of mis- regeneration scene itself, then chievousness. In ‘The War ‘The War Games’ would not nec- Games’, we see all this. He is essarily score very high. You clearly appalled by the War could argue that the high point of Lord’s plans and must make the ‘The Tenth Planet’ was when ultimate sacrifice to foil them. He Hartnell’s sweaty face blurred hates having to lure Jamie, Zoe into Troughton’s. Here the mon- and the resistance fighters into ey shot is avoided, with the sec- an ambush and his pain at part- ond Doctor’s face contorting and ing with his companions at the whirling round and round the season finale is only lifted by his screen, then fade to black. No joy of seeing them back in their pay off. Yet, this is a good story own timeline and behaving to to go out on - it establishes why form. It is a touching and lovely the regeneration must take place moment. way before episode ten and acknowledges that there is value to this renegade way of life. Ac- ceptance that he can keep on doing what he is doing - just with a few caveats and restrictions.

The end of the journey for both Jamie and Zoe makes sense as the series went into complete re- boot. Fraser Hines and Wendy Padbury were both excellent as companions and it was sad to see them leave the series. Their final scenes with The Doctor are moving but not mawkish and As the screen goes to black and there is proper closure for both the last anguished shout from characters. Patrick Troughton fades away, the final credits of ‘The War Patrick Troughton’s portrayal of Games’ roll. Nothing will ever be The Doctor is one of absolute the same but, unlike Jamie and genius. The second Doctor is to- Zoe, we will remember all those tally different to the first, yet the fabulous adventures. twinkle and the thirst for knowledge are still there. At his best, you get a full armoury of emotions - compassion, empa-

118 he sold it so well that he was The Three called upon once more to sell a different idea - that The Doctor Doctors could meet their earlier selves, have an adventure with them Review by and maybe even dislike them!

Mark Donaldson These days of course, The Doc- We wouldn’t be here today with- tor never stops bumping into out Patrick Troughton. This is not themselves. These reunions take to denigrate the importance of place as part of comic-book William Hartnell who started it all events, ‘multi-platform storytell- or indeed Jon Pertwee whose ing’, Big Finish audios, Christ- Earthbound era reinvigorated the mas specials and seemingly show’s popularity with the gen- rompy mid-season shenanigans eral public. Fundamentally with the . That’s down to though, there wouldn’t be a Jon Patrick Troughton too, popping Pertwee to Jo Martin without Pat- up in the middle of Season 22 rick Troughton. just because he fancied a jolly to Spain with Frazer Hines. And let He sold us the idea that The us not forget - ‘The Three Doc- Doctor could change face and tors’ was the headline grabbing personality whilst still retaining opener to Season 10 and aired their core beliefs so expertly that just under a year before the he ensured the longevity and show’s actual 10th anniversary. flexibility of the format. Indeed, It was intended as part of the

119 continuing series rather than as Third Doctors show their earlier a celebratory special unto it- incarnation is profoundly moving. self. Indeed, it is testament to the It might not be going out on the writing of Bob Baker and Dave actual tenth anniversary but how Martin that something as monu- wonderful it is to see this story mental as uniting The Doctors warmly and quietly champion the against a threat from Time Lord original leading man. It is easy to history feels so cosy, accessible lament how little Hartnell is in- and broadly entertaining. It is this volved due to illness, but in doing lightness of touch, and Trough- so you forget just how much ton’s warm interactions with John screen time he actually has. Levine and Nicholas Courtney Whether he is having a go at the that sells this earlier incarnation Time Lords or exasperatedly to an audience that only knows marshalling his later selves into Pertwee. From the very minute action, he plays an active role in Troughton reclaims his recorder, the story despite his own physi- it is like he has never stopped cal limitations. being The Doctor. He fits back into the role so comfortably he In a way, the later Doctors be- even fools the Brigadier briefly, come the First Doctor’s compan- albeit in the heat and confusion ions, akin to those 60s stories of battle. There is a lot of fun to where William Hartnell was on be had whilst the Second Doctor annual leave. As the story un- fills in for the Third back at UNIT folds, the Second Doctor certain- HQ – he gets to introduce the ly become a companion to the Brigadier to the inside of the Third, much to his chagrin. “His TARDIS, much to Lethbridge- assistant?” he grumpily exclaims Stewart’s increasing frustration. to the Brig in one memorable scene. He is a companion who Whilst sharing Doctor duties, knows as much – if not more - Troughton never seeks to over- than his later incarnation and shadow the new leading man. routinely punctures his pomposi- He steals a scene or two here ty. In a weird way, this kind of and there but he, and the audi- relationship can be seen as a pre ence, are never in doubt that Jon -cursor to The Doctor and Roma- Pertwee is the star of the show. na 1 or The Doctor and River Whilst the Third Doctor is the Song. It is easy to see how some current headliner, there is no came to the conclusion that Riv- question as to whom everyone er could be one of The Doc- owes a great debt. The way that tor’s future incarnations. the script treats William Hartnell so reverentially and the due def- Troughton and Pertwee’s bicker- erence that both the Second and ing is also hugely influential on

120 the multi-Doctor stories that tor’s initial squeamishness over come later. The sterner, more the youthful exuberance of his pompous Third Doctor is fre- later selves that gives way to quently embarrassed and infuri- remembering who he is and ated by his previous self’s flip- what he stands for. pancy and shambolic nature. You can see echoes of this in You can see that in ‘The Three how the is dis- Doctors’ – for all the Third Doc- missive of the Tenth’s ladies tor’s bluster about his effective- man charisma and cool confi- ness now being halved, the fact dence, or in how the Twelfth remains that he couldn’t have Doctor cringes at the First Doc- defeated Omega without his tor’s 1960s sensibilities. In his other self. Once they reach an time as showrunner, Steven uneasy alliance in the third epi- Moffat made a lot from the very sode, it is their combined will relatable and human idea of The that provides the solution to Doctor being slightly embar- their predicament. The Third rassed by the person they used Doctor’s ingratiating approach to be. The most poignant treat- to the establishment allows him ment of that idea is the War Doc- to plead with Omega, to get him

121 on side. The Second Doctor’s ogy is the latest example of the ‘incorrigibly frivolous’ nature ena- enduring of both ‘The bles him to test the limits of the Three Doctors’ and Patrick Omega’s self-control. Troughton as The Doctor. You can’t overstate how important his Each incarnation’s differing out- portrayal was to the following 54 look but shared belief system is years. It’s no surprise that Ste- what eventually brings everyone ven Moffat decided to revisit that home. It’s a fairly accurate re- very first regeneration, via a multi flection of both actors’ differing -Doctor story, on the eve of an- approaches to performance – other big change to the show’s Troughton being more free-form format. It remains to be seen and improvisational whilst how Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor will Pertwee is more rigid and by-the shape the show’s future and -book. Both actors initially had a we’ve recently seen another spiky relationship on their first huge shake-up of its mythology. day but, like their characters, In introducing us to multiple dif- they settled into a groove for the ferent incarnations, remainder of the production. ‘The Timeless Children’ is a This friendly rivalry between much bigger proposition than Troughton and Pertwee soon ‘The Three Doctors’ asserting entered fan-lore and entertained that, in special circumstances, convention audiences for the 15 The Doctors can team up with years between ‘The Three Doc- themselves. Regardless of your tors’ and Troughton’s death in thoughts on this latest develop- 1987. You can easily trace a line ment, Patrick Troughton taught from both men chasing each oth- us in both 1966 and 1972 that er around hotel function rooms this show can absolutely thrive with water pistols to the hilari- on change and renewal whilst ous, self-deprecating ‘The Five remaining true to what it used to (ish) Doctors Reboot’. As fans be. We would not be where we we’re as excited to see the ac- are today without him. tors themselves interact with each other as we are their Doc- tors. It’s why team-ups like Time Crash and Big Finish’s recent Lost in Time are as much about David Tennant and his memo- ries of Davison and Baker as they are about his Doctor meet- ing his fifth and fourth personas. Big Finish’s new Out of Time tril- 122 There’s a buzz-bleep on the in- The Five Doctors tercom, and some stranger’s let Review by himself in. At last, we see him – but not from the front. No, our George Oakes first look at the Second Doctor, in over ten years… is an over- ‘I really shouldn't be here at all. the-shoulder shot of a fur coat. I'm not exactly breaking the laws of time, but I am bending them a Why? little.’ That’s quite a dubious first- Well, of course we have to talk impression when we think about about this one! It’s essential. it. Yes, that coat is synonymous with Troughton’s Doctor today, , I believe, once but it hardly encapsulates his suggested that Patrick Trough- era. It shows up in two sixties ton plays The Doctor differently stories, true, but how many view- when he comes back. The per- ers in 1983 could firmly recall formance is bigger, cheekier ‘The Abominable Snowmen’ or even, and steadfastly genius. ‘The Ice Warriors’? How many Without sacrificing the layers he can now? set down in the sixties, Trough- ton refits his take time and time From that first shot, it’s clear that again, allowing it to flourish in this Doctor is different to the one busier stories, to imprint on new that travelled about in the late generations of fans - to give sixties. Look further still, as them their own version of his Troughton bounces through the Doctor. door, extends the hand of friend-

And never, I reckon, was this tru- er than in the twentieth- anniversary special, where Doc- tor Mk. 2 arrives, hand-in-hand with Brigadier Lethbridge- Stewart, and steals one of the most jam-packed shows ever.

It’s wickedly smart from the get- go. Consider the way we meet Troughton’s Doctor: we’re in UNIT HQ, enjoying a brandy with Crichton and the Brigadier.

123 ship, makes a three-act play of eyes rolling at Gallifreyan nurse- the Sergeant grabbing him (and ry rhymes, or metal bars receiving the coat for his trou- thwacked at pesky Cyber-hands bles). All of this is intensely spry – the pair work to authenticate and physical; it’s taking the idea another half-truth… of a first impression to new heights, and making us laugh If you’ve seen ‘The Web of Fear’ before he’s even said hello. or ‘The Invasion’ (or even ‘The Three Doctors’, based on how And, again, this isn’t quite The you like your continuity), then Doctor we had. you’ll know that Troughton’s Doctor never quite had the Oh, don’t get me wrong – the friendship expressed here. We Second Doctor is funny. The know that it was amicable (not Second Doctor is physical and sardonic), an alliance certainly, witty and friendly – but look at but nonetheless a sketch of the him here! This isn’t the same more profound relationship to man of ‘The Moonbase’ or ‘The come. To experience those older Tomb of the Cybermen’, who re- stories is to understand that treated to the alcoves, to the Troughton’s Doctor was always nearest computer bank, to whis- several story beats, and a per, to work things through, to facelift, away from striking up a ruminate. This is a larger-than- genuine camaraderie with life entrance for a special that’s Alistair Gordon Lethbridge- all about the show in broad, gid- Stewart. dy strokes. And yet, in seeing them meet, It must be down to dynamics, we’re offered another deception. too. Patrick Troughton’s exper- Look at the pair, as they stroll tise, as a character actor, was in the grounds like old friends, rem- assuming roles of all shapes and iniscing about Yeti, Cybermen, sizes. It makes sense, then, that and Omega… this portrayal works around the specifics of ‘The Five Doctors’, “We’ve seen some times, Doc- and specifically his co-star. I love tor.’” Yes, Brigadier – but specifi- the double act of Troughton and cally those times. Only those Nicholas Courtney – the Briga- times, in fact. That’s not you list- dier’s stiff front is always amus- ing off some of the hits - those ing but, coupled with such a are the hits!! forthright, bouncy Doctor, a tor- rent of laughs is unlocked. But, then again, this actually makes a lot of sense. Let’s put And more than that – more than ourselves, if we dare try, in the

124 shoes of the late Terrance Dicks key to the plot. And yes, it – a figure more qualified than should feel weird that the Sec- anyone else to be an authority ond Doctor, often so reserved on Doctor Who. In the trenches about the past, springs off nurse- of this mammoth multi-Doctor ry rhymes and makes claims brief, you’ve really only got one about Rassilon – but the story opportunity to set up this duo – sets the floor for all that, and the so why play down their relation- portrayal simply steps up to ship? Why not remember it as match it. Troughton plays this busy, and tantalising, and may- part with such authenticity that be even a bit mythical? This is, you never question all this hind- after all, about twenty years of sight, his fine-wine friendship the program - which shouldn’t with the Brigadier and that let what actually transpired way- blessed coat. Actually, you start back-when get in the way. to wonder whether this is The Doctor we had all along. This mentality consciously pushes through the special; For me, it sort of is. My first Troughton’s Doctor wanders glimpse at the Second Doctor those wastelands (isn’t it fun?) came with this story, and I’m expounding all sorts to the Brig- surely not alone in that. With so adier about his home, and so he much classic Doctor Who to ex- should! In 1983, none of the five perience, ‘The Five Doctors’ re- (four) (three and a bit) Doctors mains a really attractive intro- could play vague about their duction to just about everything past, not when itself is that came before it; I know

125 countless people who have other selves as if this is a weekly checked out the Second Doc- occurrence, and to entrance new tor’s tenure thanks solely to this cohorts. It’s an incarnation of outing. Therefore, even if it devi- hindsight and special purpose, ates a bit from his time in the remembered across a gulf of TARDIS, why can’t Troughton’s decades, but totally genuine in appearance be considered, in its charm and spirit. Troughton liter- own way, definitive? ally assumes a bigger silhouette than ever before, which is just Nostalgia’s a tricky business. So right for a celebration of a legacy often, I think, we edit and trim he worked to build. the things we love in our minds so as to perverse their original Loving Troughton’s 1983 Doctor appeal. It might not be in service led to me loving his original Doc- of accuracy, but it’s often in ser- tor. Different though they might vice of how it made us feel, and be, one feeds into another – it’s that’s an art unto itself. It’s the just one of the gorgeous things thing that Terrance Dicks and about this show. So bring on the Patrick Troughton construct here Brig, the Terrible Zodin, the Ga- – a lively, specific, centre-stage lactic Glitter and the coat - I Second Doctor built to spar wouldn’t have it any other way. against the Brigadier and his

126 rick Troughton is on screen The Two Doctors Holmes' dialogue comes to life Review by and the story is appealing. Even when he is converted into a hun- Rik Moran ger driven 'Androgum' he is amusing, making work what I have always been fond of this could have been an awful mo- story. At its initial broadcast in ment. Holmes script also works 1985 I had not been watching for the , and I find Doctor Who for long, only having Peri comes over well with caught the tail end of season 21 Holmes' dialogue too. previously. So, although I had seen a regeneration I had no Robert Holmes has a great deal knowledge of any Doctors earlier of fun with the idea that ‘The than . As such I Two Doctors’ is itself a continuity initially thought that this was a error, as the Sixth Doctor reflects cleverly written time travel story, on the fact that it’s impossible for showing us a previously un- the second to die because he known version of The Doctor. remembers not dying. “I am Oh, how little did I know at this making perfect sense,” he in- point in time (and that years later sists. “I was being put to death!” Steven Moffat would actually do He continues, “They’re executing this), and that this would be my me! Except it wasn’t that way. It introduction to a whole other era didn’t end like that, so it’s not of the show. possible.” Holmes is teasing the ultimate continuity gaffe. What if Patrick Troughton and Colin the Second Doctor was really a Baker combine well to bring out Time Lord agent? Not big the contrast in their different enough. What if the Second Doctor personalities. Paradoxi- Doctor died? Then you’ve got a cally, although Troughton was a continuity minefield! generation older than Baker, it is the Second Doctor, mischievous Some suggest this story sup- with an impish sense of humour, ports the 'season 6b' theory, who in some ways seems where the Second Doctor and younger than the Sixth (which is possibly Jamie have adventures strict story terms he actually guided by the Time Lords be- was). Unfortunately, the Second tween the majority of ‘The is also side-lined early on Games’ and the regeneration. I and rarely interacts with the do not agree though. The Doctor Sixth Doctor until the end of the mentions dropping off Victoria to story. That aside, whenever Pat- undertake a course of study

127 which undermines the idea from graphic of the series the start, and in any event, the theory seems at odds with the We have had a number of multi- concept of the Time Lords pun- Doctor stories but to me, this is ishing and exiling him. In fact, the most authentic. It is not so this story raises a number of much a celebratory tale, but a questions continuity-wise to legitimate story. Patrick Trough- keep serious fans excised! ton gets most of the best lines, and the Second Doctor is a very There is also a somewhat dark strong character as a result. A tone running through ‘The Two fitting final outing for him. Doctors’, from eating rats to con- stant reference to eating human I know ‘The Two Doctors’ is very flesh, from people being stabbed marmite. Some, like me, like it, and old ladies being killed in cold whereas others cannot stand it. blood, to a with its skin If you have not seen it for some peeling away to gushing green time, then give it a watch, and blood, from a severed Sontaran see Patrick Troughton stealing leg to The Doctor killing some- the show one last time. one with cyanide. This story has certainly been one of the more

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‘The Celestial Toyroom Annual Thank you 2021’ is published by The Doctor Who Appreciation Society. Thank you to everyone who made this annual possible: All written content is © 2020 DWAS and the respective author. Tony Jordan Views expressed are those of the Alan Stevens contributor and not necessarily of Paul Simpson the Society. Oliver Dallas Tim Gambrell Photographs are drawn from Ian Wheeler open sources and no attempt to Martin Spellacey supersede any copyright is in- Ian McLachlan tended. Owen Taylor Tony Jones The front cover artwork is © Chris Stone Alister Pearson 2020. and may Russell Sandberg not be reproduced without prior Fiona Moore consent. Ann Worrall Christine Grit The rear cover artwork is © Nick Smith Graeme Wey 2020 and may not Steve Hatcher be reproduced without prior con- Ed Brady sent. Paul Driscoll Ian Bresman Mark Donaldson George Oakes Rik Moran Paul Winter Anneke Wills Matt Evenden Alister Pearson Graeme Wey Barry Ward David Lavelle Karen Davies Rik Moran Jonathan Barrett Robbie Dunlop

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