''Terror of the Autons'' is the first serial of the
eighth season of the British
science fiction television
Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...
series ''
Doctor Who''. It was broadcast in four weekly parts on
BBC1
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
from 2 to 23 January 1971.
The serial is set in various locations in England. In the serial, the alien
time traveller the
Third Doctor
The Third Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time Lord fr ...
(
Jon Pertwee) and the organisation
UNIT
Unit may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* UNIT, a fictional military organization in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''
* Unit of action, a discrete piece of action (or beat) in a theatrical presentation
Music
* ''Unit'' (alb ...
work to stop
the Master (
Roger Delgado
Roger Caesar Marius Bernard de Delgado Torres Castillo Roberto (1 March 1918 – 18 June 1973) was a British actor. He played many roles on television, radio and in films, and had "a long history of playing minor villains" before becoming ...
), a renegade Time Lord, from using a radio telescope to summon an invasion force of the incorporeal intelligence the
Nestene
The Autons are an artificial life form from the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'' and adversaries of the Doctor. They were originally created by scriptwriter Robert Holmes for Jon Pertwee's first serial as the Doctor, ...
s to
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
.
The serial introduced three new characters: the Doctor's new
companion,
Jo Grant
Josephine "Jo" Grant, later Jo Jones, is a fictional character played by Katy Manning in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Jo was introduced by Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks in the first episode of ''D ...
(played by
Katy Manning
Catherine Ann "Katy" Manning (born 14 October 1946) is an English- Australian actress, television presenter, voice artist and former model. Although she has made many appearances on both screen and stage, Manning is best known for her part as t ...
); his
archenemy
In literature, an archenemy (sometimes spelled as arch-enemy) is the main enemy of someone. In fiction, it is a character who is the protagonist's, commonly a hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional cha ...
the Master; and Captain
Mike Yates
Captain Mike Yates is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', played by Richard Franklin. He was adjutant of the British contingent of UNIT, an international organization that defends Earth from al ...
(
Richard Franklin).
Plot
The Master arrives on
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
and steals the sole surviving Nestene energy unit from the National Space Museum. He then hijacks the Beacon Hill radio telescope, which he uses as a bridgehead to channel energy into the Nestene unit, and kidnaps Professor Philips, a Ministry of Technology research scientist. Reports of the theft and sabotage bring the Doctor, his new assistant
Jo Grant
Josephine "Jo" Grant, later Jo Jones, is a fictional character played by Katy Manning in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Jo was introduced by Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks in the first episode of ''D ...
and
Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, generally referred to simply as the Brigadier, is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', created by writers Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln and ...
to investigate. At Beacon Hill the Doctor encounters a fellow
Time Lord
The Time Lords are a fictional ancient race of extraterrestrial people in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', of which the series' main protagonist, the Doctor, is a member. Time Lords are so named for their command ...
, who warns him that an "old acquaintance" is on Earth and will certainly try to kill him. The Doctor then identifies and successfully neutralises the boobytrap, which the Master has left behind.
The Master takes over Farrel Autoplastics, a nearby plastics factory, to build
Auton
The Autons are an artificial life form from the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and adversaries of the Doctor. They were originally created by scriptwriter Robert Holmes for Jon Pertwee's first serial as the Doctor, ' ...
s. Jo, investigating the factory, is discovered by the Master, who hypnotises her and wipes her memory of their meeting. He sends her back to UNIT with a booby-trap, a box ostensibly containing the stolen energy unit. The Doctor realises she has been hypnotised and disposes of the bomb.
UNIT traces the missing Professor Philips to Rossini's Circus at Tarminster. The Doctor visits the Circus, and is captured by Rossini, but freed by Jo, who has followed him there against orders. The Doctor removes something from the Master's TARDIS but is attacked by Rossini and his men. Rescued by two policemen, the Doctor becomes suspicious and unmasks one of them as an Auton.
Fleeing from the Autons, the Doctor and Jo hide in a quarry until the Brigadier and Captain
Mike Yates
Captain Mike Yates is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', played by Richard Franklin. He was adjutant of the British contingent of UNIT, an international organization that defends Earth from al ...
arrive. A firefight breaks out between the soldiers and the Autons, enabling the Doctor's party to escape. Meanwhile, a larger group of Autons, disguised in weird Carnival masks, are touring the country handing out free plastic
daffodil
''Narcissus'' is a genus of predominantly spring flowering perennial plants of the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae. Various common names including daffodil,The word "daffodil" is also applied to related genera such as ''Sternbergia'', ''Ism ...
s to the public. Soon deaths from
asphyxiation
Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of deficient supply of oxygen to the body which arises from abnormal breathing. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which affects primarily the tissues and organs. There are many circumstances that ca ...
, shock, and heart failure are being reported all across the country.
The Master infiltrates UNIT headquarters disguised as a
telephone
A telephone is a telecommunications device that permits two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be easily heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most efficiently the human voice, into e ...
engineer, and installs an extra-long telephone flex in the Doctor's laboratory. At the now-empty plastics factory, the Brigadier and the Doctor discover that Farrel, the owner, has chartered a
coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Co ...
. They also find a plastic daffodil, and a lurking killer Auton, proving the connection between the factory and the Master.
In the Doctor's lab, as he tries to decode the Nestenes' instructions imprinted on the cells of the plastic flower, a
radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
signal from a
walkie-talkie
A walkie-talkie, more formally known as a handheld transceiver (HT), is a hand-held, portable, two-way radio transceiver. Its development during the Second World War has been variously credited to Donald Hings, radio engineer Alfred J. Gross, ...
accidentally activates it. The daffodil sprays a plastic film over Jo's nose and mouth, nearly suffocating her, until the Doctor dissolves it with a chemical solvent. The Master makes another attempt to kill the Doctor, by calling him on the telephone he installed earlier, and using a sonic signalling device to activate the plastic telephone cable. The extra-length cable attempts to strangle the Doctor, but thanks to the Brigadier's quick thinking, fails.
The Master then breaks into UNIT HQ. As a bargaining counter, the Doctor reveals that he has possession of the Master's dematerialisation circuit, and threatens to destroy it: but he is foiled by the presence of Jo, who the Master takes as a hostage. The Master takes both Jo and the Doctor to the quarry near the radio telescope, to force the Brigadier to abort a planned RAF airstrike on the Autons sheltering there. But Farrel, struggling to break free of his hypnosis, unexpectedly causes a diversion, and while the Master is busy subduing him the Doctor and Jo escape.
UNIT troops engage the Autons, while the Doctor and the Brigadier pursue the Master into the radio telescope's control cabin. The Doctor convinces the Master that the Nestenes are so utterly different they will not be able to distinguish between him and the humans once they arrive. Together, they use the channel opened for the invasion to force the Nestene energy back into space, causing the Autons to collapse. The Master flees, returning to the coach only to re-emerge, apparently surrendering. When he pulls out a gun, Yates shoots him dead, but the Doctor peels back a facemask on the body to reveal it is the hypnotised Farrel, disguised to look like the Master. The real Master escapes in the coach. However, with his dematerialisation circuit in the Doctor's hands, the Master is now trapped on Earth.
Production
Working titles for this story included ''The Spray of Death''. The Autons were brought back because they had been popular in their first appearance the previous year in ''
Spearhead from Space
''Spearhead from Space'' is the first serial of the seventh season in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 3 to 24 January 1970. It was the first ''Doctor Who'' ...
'' (1970).
For the new season, producer
Barry Letts
Barry Leopold Letts (26 March 1925 – 9 October 2009) was an English actor, television director, writer and producer, best known for being the producer of ''Doctor Who'' from 1969 to 1974.
Born in Leicester, he worked as an actor in theatre, ...
and script editor
Terrance Dicks
Terrance William Dicks (14 April 1935 – 29 August 2019) was an English author and television screenwriter, script editor and producer. In television, he had a long association with the BBC science-fiction series ''Doctor Who'', working a ...
wanted to add new characters. They thought about how the Brigadier was like
Dr. Watson
John H. Watson, known as Dr. Watson, is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson first appeared in the novel ''A Study in Scarlet'' (1887). The last work by Doyle f ...
to the Doctor's
Sherlock Holmes, and decided to devise a new character, the Master, to emulate
Moriarty.
The Master was meant to specifically contrast with Pertwee's Doctor; the Doctor was authoritative while the Master was charming, though he used that for an evil purpose.
''Terror of the Autons'' also introduced
Katy Manning
Catherine Ann "Katy" Manning (born 14 October 1946) is an English- Australian actress, television presenter, voice artist and former model. Although she has made many appearances on both screen and stage, Manning is best known for her part as t ...
as
Jo Grant
Josephine "Jo" Grant, later Jo Jones, is a fictional character played by Katy Manning in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Jo was introduced by Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks in the first episode of ''D ...
(as a replacement for departed companion
Liz Shaw
Elizabeth "Liz" Shaw is a fictional character played by Caroline John in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-offs. A civilian member of UNIT, an international organisation that defends Earth fr ...
), and
Richard Franklin as Captain
Mike Yates
Captain Mike Yates is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', played by Richard Franklin. He was adjutant of the British contingent of UNIT, an international organization that defends Earth from al ...
.
The scene at the start of Episode Three, where an Auton is hit by a car and tumbles off a cliff, was quite real. Dinny Powell was driving the vehicle in place of actor Richard Franklin, and stuntman
Terry Walsh, playing the Auton, fell further down the slope than intended, being injured in the mishap. He nevertheless got back to his feet in the same take, as planned.
[Pixley, Andrew, "The DWM Archive: Terror of the Autons," '' Doctor Who Magazine'', #311, 12 December 2001, ]Panini Comics
Panini Comics is an Italian comic book publisher. A division of Panini Group, which also produces collectable stickers, it is headquartered in Modena, Italy. The company publishes comic books in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Hung ...
, p. 31. Letts requested that a sequence near the story's ending, in which Yates yells to the Doctor, "We've got him now!", be reshot because Franklin's performance was too over-the-top. Franklin was grateful for this.
On the first day of filming, Katy Manning injured all the ligaments in her foot when jumping out of a car and running across a quarry. She also formed a fast bond with Barry Letts, as she was fond of the animals used in the serial.
Nicholas Courtney was also ill on the first day, so was replaced by a double in those quarry scenes.
Cast notes
Harry Towb
Harry Towb (27 July 1925 – 24 July 2009) was an actor from Northern Ireland.
Early life and career
Towb was born in Larne, County Antrim, to a Russian-Jewish father and an Irish-Jewish mother; he once claimed he was the only Jew ever born ...
, who plays McDermott, had previously appeared in ''
The Seeds of Death
''The Seeds of Death'' is the fifth serial of the sixth season of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. Written by Brian Hayles and an uncredited Terrance Dicks and directed by Michael Ferguson, it originally aired ...
'' (1969).
Michael Wisher
Michael Wisher (19 May 1935 – 21 July 1995) was an English actor. He made many appearances in ''Doctor Who'', becoming best known for his performance in ''Genesis of the Daleks'' (1975) as the first actor to play Davros, the wheelchair-using ...
, the young Rex Farrel, had also done uncredited voice work on ''Seeds'', and had previously appeared in ''
The Ambassadors of Death
''The Ambassadors of Death'' is the third serial of the seventh season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in seven weekly parts on BBC1 from 21 March to 2 May 1970. Written by Trevor Ray, Te ...
'' (as the TV News anchorman) and, later, ''
Carnival of Monsters
''Carnival of Monsters'' is the second serial of the tenth season of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 27 January to 17 February 1973.
In the serial, set ...
'' (as the machiavellian politician Kalik). He went on to do various Dalek voices (in ''Planet of the Daleks'' and ''Death to the Daleks''), and became well known as the first actor to play the evil genius
Davros
Davros () is a character from the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was created by screenwriter Terry Nation, originally for the 1975 serial ''Genesis of the Daleks''. Davros is a major enemy of the se ...
in ''
Genesis of the Daleks
''Genesis of the Daleks'' is the fourth serial of the twelfth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was written by Terry Nation and directed by David Maloney, and originally broadcast in six weekly parts fr ...
''. His final appearance was as a member of the crew of the Morestran Probe in ''Planet of Evil''.
Roy Stewart
Roy Stewart (15 May 1925 – 27 October 2008) was a Jamaican-born British actor. He began his career as a stuntman and went on to work in film and television.
In 1954 he founded Roy Stewart's Gym in Powis Square, North Kensington, and ran t ...
previously appeared as Toberman in ''
The Tomb of the Cybermen
''The Tomb of the Cybermen'' is the first serial of the fifth season of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was originally broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 2 to 23 September 1967.
In the serial, the ...
'' (1967).
Andrew Staines who plays Goodge was a sergeant in ''
The Enemy of the World
''The Enemy of the World'' is the fourth serial of the fifth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which originally aired in six weekly parts from 23 December 1967 to 27 January 1968.
The serial is set in Aus ...
'' (1968).
Christopher Burgess who plays Professor Philips was also in ''
The Enemy of the World
''The Enemy of the World'' is the fourth serial of the fifth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which originally aired in six weekly parts from 23 December 1967 to 27 January 1968.
The serial is set in Aus ...
'' (1968) playing the role of Swann.
Broadcast and reception
Certain scenes in the serial, particularly the killer doll and the Auton policemen, caused controversy in the press as being too frightening for children. In an unconnected
House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...
debate about the effect of mass media on the public, the serial was cited as an example of a programme that might be too 'scary' for younger children.
Jon Pertwee would later state that he thought the story "was excellent. One of the best we ever did."
Paul Cornell
Paul Douglas Cornell (born 18 July 1967) is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as ''Doctor Who'' fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield.
As well as ''Docto ...
,
Martin Day, and
Keith Topping
Keith Andrew Topping (born 26 October 1963 in Walker, Tyneside) is an author, journalist and broadcaster. He is most well known for his work relating to the BBC Television series ''Doctor Who'' and for writing numerous official and unofficial g ...
simply wrote of the serial in ''
The Discontinuity Guide
''The Discontinuity Guide'' is a 1995 guidebook to the serials of the original run (1963–1989) of the BBC science fiction series ''Doctor Who''. The book was written by Paul Cornell, Martin Day and Keith Topping and was first published as ''Do ...
'' (1995), "Functional and memorably scary, but by no means an Auton story."
In ''The Television Companion'' (1998),
David J. Howe and Stephen James Walker called it a "strong start" to the season, though they commented that the story was not as effective as ''Spearhead from Space'' in "depicting the threat of the Autons." They praised the introduction of the Master, calling him "the most interesting character to have been introduced to the series since the Doctor himself", though they found it improbable that one comment from the Doctor would persuade him to change his plan. Howe and Walker also praised Letts' direction, though they found that the over-use of CSO caused some scenes to "look false and strained".
In 2009, Patrick Mulkern of ''
Radio Times'' compared the serial to a comic strip and wrote positively about Manning and Delgado. However, he noted that there were "plot holes" and "gaudy early '70s production values".
Ian Berriman of ''
SFX'', reviewing the serial for its 2011 DVD release, also commented that Delgado was "note-perfect from the off" and that while the climax was "feeble", he felt "it's all such outrageous fun that it doesn't really matter".
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a home video news and review website launched in 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman.
History
Kleinman founded the site in January 1999 in Beaverton, Oregon. Besides news and reviews, it features information on hidden DVD features known as ...
reviewer John Sinnott described ''Terror of the Autons'' as "a wonderful romp," although "the ending is rushed and pretty much just pulled out of nowhere". Sinnott particularly praised the Doctor and the Master, as well as the "subtle humor".
Den of Geek's James Peatly wrote that ''Terror of the Autons'' was "a fantastically entertaining and incredibly confident slice of macabre fun". He was positive toward the family tone, Jo, and the Master but felt that it "lacks some of the narrative cohesion" of ''Spearhead from Space'' and "the Autons are reduced to playing the role of foot soldiers to the Master".
In 2009, ''SFX'' named the cliffhanger to Episode Two, in which the policeman is revealed to be an Auton, as the 20th scariest moment in ''Doctor Who''.
Commercial releases
In print
A novelisation of this serial, written by
Terrance Dicks
Terrance William Dicks (14 April 1935 – 29 August 2019) was an English author and television screenwriter, script editor and producer. In television, he had a long association with the BBC science-fiction series ''Doctor Who'', working a ...
, was published by
Target Books
Target Books was a British publishing imprint, established in 1973 by Universal-Tandem Publishing Co Ltd, a paperback publishing company. The imprint was established as a children's imprint to complement the adult Tandem imprint, and became wel ...
in May 1975. The cover art by Achilleos depicts what is supposed to be a fully developed Nestene, though this was never actually seen in the serial itself. The novelisation was reissued in 1979 with a new cover by Alan Hood.
The novelisation introduces Jo Grant, although Malcolm Hulke's ''
Colony in Space
''Colony in Space'' is the fourth serial of the eighth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in six weekly parts on BBC1 from 10 April to 15 May 1971.
The serial, wriiten by Malcolm ...
'' novelisation (titled ''Doctor Who and The Doomsday Weapon'') had already done so – albeit in contradiction to the television programme. The Master and the Doctor are revealed herein (borrowing from ''The Making of Doctor Who'' by Malcolm Hulke and Terrance Dicks, published in 1972) to have names that are mathematical formulae, and the grenade the Master uses is identified (again, contrary to the television programme) as
Sontaran.
An unabridged reading of the novelisation by actor
Geoffrey Beevers
Geoffrey Beevers (born 15 January 1941) is a British actor who has appeared in many different stage and screen roles.
Career Theatre
Beevers has worked extensively at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond upon Thames, both as an actor (including ...
was released on CD on 7 July 2010 by
BBC Audiobooks #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
.
Home media
Although the BBC wiped the serial's original 625-line videotapes for reuse, they kept 16mm b/w
telerecording film prints. In 1993, these prints were combined with the colour signal from an off-air 525-line NTSC domestic videotape recording, resulting in relatively high-quality colour masters for a VHS release.
[Pixley, Andrew, "The DWM Archive: Terror of the Autons," ''Doctor Who Magazine'', #311, 12 December 2001, Panini Comics, p. 34.] A short clip from Episode One, depicting the Doctor's first meeting with Jo Grant, still survives in its original 625-line format, on a clip reel prepared for a 1973 edition of the news show ''
Nationwide''.
The short Nationwide clip is presented on the DVD of ''
The Aztecs
The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl ...
'', in a featurette discussing the
VidFIRE
VidFIRE (an abbreviation of "video field interpolation restoration effect") is a technology intended to restore the video-like motion of footage originally shot with television cameras that have been converted to formats with telerecording as thei ...
restoration process.
As of 5 August 2008, this serial has been included for sale on
iTunes. It was released on DVD in 2011 in a boxset entitled Mannequin Mania with the special edition of ''
Spearhead from Space
''Spearhead from Space'' is the first serial of the seventh season in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 3 to 24 January 1970. It was the first ''Doctor Who'' ...
''. The ''Nationwide'' clip is incorporated into Episode one; the rest of the serial consists of restored footage. Comparison between the remastered episodes and clips included in the behind-the-scenes material demonstrate that a great deal of restoration work has been carried out on the picture and sound quality.
The story was released on DVD again in 2013, included in a set paired with "
The End of Time" (a two-part
Tenth Doctor
The Tenth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the main protagonist of the BBC science fiction television franchise ''Doctor Who''. He is played by David Tennant in three series as well as nine specials. As with previous incarnations of ...
David Tennant
David John Tennant (''né'' McDonald; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He rose to fame for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor (2005–2010 and 2013) in the BBC science-fiction TV show '' Doctor Who'', reprising the rol ...
story from 2009/10), in "The Monster Collection" series, specifically "The Master" entry.
This story, along with the rest of Season 8 was released on Blu-ray on 23 February 2021, to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of The Master. It features a new 5.1 sound mix, optional updated special effects, CSO clean up and a brand new restoration of the film prints.
References
Notes
External links
*
Target novelisation
*
{{UNIT stories, selected=Television
Third Doctor serials
Doctor Who serials novelised by Terrance Dicks
Fiction set in the 1980s
The Master (Doctor Who) television stories
1971 British television episodes