Auton Terror of the Autons |
BBC Spearhead from Space |
|
| Episodes | 4 |  |
| Story No# | 51 | |
| Production Code | AAA | |
| Season | 7 | |
| Dates | Jan. 3, 1970 - Jan. 24, 1970 |
|
With Jon Pertwee, Caroline John, Nicolas Courtney.
Written by Robert Holmes. Script-edited by Terrance Dicks. Directed by Derek Martinus. Produced by Derrick Sherwin. |
| Synopsis: In the first adventure of the third Doctor, he and UNIT attempt to halt the invasion of the Nestenes, an alien life form which can control any kind of plastic. |
A Review by Nick Mallory 30/9/04
The secret to Doctor Who's enduring success is, of course, its willingness to embrace constant change. The abrupt lurch from Pat Troughton's cosmic wandering clown to Jon Pertwee's earthbound techno dandy disappointed some but to many, the UNIT years are quintessential Who and only a format as flexible as Who's could possibly have accommodated such a paradigm shift in its stride.
Spearhead from Space gains much needed realism from the serendipitous studio strike which forced the entire project out on location but the lushly filmed style can obscure the skill in which a new Doctor, a new rationale, an excellent new companion and new organisation in UNIT are introduced as part of a solid, if somewhat derivative story. Any story which starts with a mysterious shower of meteorites is on to a winner and this patiently developed tale lacks only a credible finale. One has the impression that the production staff reached the factory only to find the last six pages of script missing and improvised what they could on the spot. Doctor Who, blissfully forced to rely on wit and character in the absence of big budget special effects, needs denouements better than "improvised flashing device makes all powerful aliens fall over in twenty seconds for no readily apparent reason" and the sight of the Nestene intelligence, scary because of its intangibility, reduced to a flailing rubber octopus, is the only real let down of the whole serial.
The excellent Nick Courtney personifies UNIT, and the comparative facelessness of his subordinates was soon to be remedied by the indomitable Sergeant Benson and flaky Captain Yates. Liz Shaw is one of the least remembered companions but her role here is a constant delight. A cool, intelligent woman, played by a truly talented actress, was a perfect foil for the exuberant Doctor, and the flirtatious warmth between the two is palpable. That the Doctor needs a slightly dim "Watson" to constantly explain the plot to is undeniable, but the freshness of Shaw's acerbic banter with the Brig and the Doctor has dated rather less than her outfit and it is a tragedy that the talents of Caroline John were ultimately wasted. An assistant prepared to argue against the Doctor's ideas and schemes on a scientific basis, and perhaps go her own way at times in terms of offering solutions, would have opened a fresher avenue for plot complexity than the endless capture and release cycles endured for so long.
The Autons are surprisingly well-remembered baddies, with the fear to be found in everyday things brilliantly exploited in the famous scenes of the shop dummies coming to life, a theme developed in Terror of the Autons which did the show no end of good by incurring the wrath of Mary Whitehouse. The Auton's attack on the poacher's wife, and off screen death of the barking dog, are genuinely scary and although the later Cyberman-lite shoot out disappoints - why didn't they use flame throwers against their plastic foes? - the value of such simple baddies lies not least in their obviously negligible cost of production. Their very blankness allows the viewer to imagine their terror far more potently than any amount of painted polystyrene. The intellectual void which is the Nestene Intelligence was ripe for further exploration, a chance smothered by the inclusion of the ludicrously overexposed Master in its return, and its failure to reappear in the Doctor's later incarnations remains puzzling to this day.
An interesting theme through these years of exile was the demonising of medium sized English manufacturing firms, with their bosses constantly portrayed as power crazed stalking horses for alien takeover while in reality they struggled impotently for survival in the sinking corporate state. From Wotan through Channing to the sharp suited stooges of The Green Death, a stream of businessmen were possessed by computers and hostile forces and sought to wreak devastation on the world. Whatever the soft left political, or personal hatred of the day job, motivations behind such portrayals, the CBI had more to be irritated about than the National Viewers and Listeners Association.
This workmanlike mix of War of the Worlds, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Quatermass starring James Bond as the mad professor stands up surprisingly well today. If the Autons remind one of the Cybernauts of Avengers fame, they carry the rejuvenated franchise from the sixties to the seventies in confident style. The Doctor's flamboyant energy, Shaw's icy intelligence and the Brig's fundamental decency combine to form an impressive team and it's a shame that Jo Grant's mini skirted, bejewelled bimbo replaced the genuinely sexy and interesting Liz Shaw so quickly. The Doctor's recourse to flailing fisticuffs and cobbled together gizmos are in evidence here of course, but in the end it is the quick thinking, quick fingered Shaw who saves the Doctor, not the other way around.
As the pilot for the Pertwee years, Spearhead from Space is near perfect, and as a stand alone drama remains eminently watchable today. If only the idea of that wretched Octopus had been strangled at birth, the Nestenes deserved better. How many of the trashy "reality", DIY, soap, celebrity and property programmes which infest our screens today like so many creeping copies of each other will be devoured as avidly in 35 years time? The complete dearth in the once space age year of 2004 of any home grown programme with even a sliver of Dr Who's imagination is surely more shocking than even those dummies mowing down a bus queue all those years ago.
A Review by John Greenhead 13/8/05
It must have been quite a shock for long-time Doctor Who fans in 1970 when they settled down to start watching season 7. Not only was there a new Doctor, but also a new companion and a brand new format to get used to, with the Brigadier and UNIT the only links with the past (other than the TARDIS, of course). As the first story of this brave new era for the show, Spearhead From Space really needed to be good. Happily, for the most part it is, getting the third Doctor's reign off to a stylish start and featuring some of the most famous and chilling moments in the show's history.
The story is helped by the fact that it is the only adventure in the whole of the original run to be shot entirely on film, giving it a unique cinematic feel. The direction of Derek Martinus is accomplished, and he brings a real feeling of terror to such scenes as the car crash caused by the Auton and the iconic moment when the dummies come to life and start gunning down innocent pedestrians on the streets of London. I also thought the effects were pretty good, particularly the Auton's vaporisation of Ransome's body, and also the dyed smoke that appears after shots are fired. The Autons and the Nestene consciousness are excellent villains; there is something very unnerving about the idea of mannequins coming to life, and of course the whole idea of mind control is also quite disturbing, and pretty well used here with the control exerted by Channing over Hibbert. Hugh Burden excels as the marvellously creepy Channing, with his vacant staring eyes signifying both his evil and his alien nature; the shot Martinus included of his face retreating from the glass window in the factory, while the Brigadier looks at him, really emphasises his otherworldliness and creepiness. The rest of the guest cast also turn in good performances, notably Derek Smee as the convincingly terrified Ransome.
The story also succeeds admirably in introducing the third Doctor, and also establishing the other members of the new regular cast. Cleverly, the Doctor is either unconscious or suffering from post-regenerative instability for most of the first two episodes, so that the viewer is kept guessing for some time about what he'll be like. When he does finally escape from his hospital bed, we find out that he will be much more of a dandy than the Troughton Doctor, that he likes fancy cars, that he can be bad-tempered and waspish (witness his brusque treatment of the car park attendant at UNIT HQ), and that he has not lost either his intelligence or his mischievous streak, as demonstrated by his failed attempt to sneak away in the TARDIS.
Jon Pertwee's debut performance is excellent, as he shows a real enthusiasm for the role and also demonstrates his skills as a comic actor, notably when he looks at himself in the mirror and pulls funny faces; from the beginning, he looks right at home in the part. Caroline John is also very good as new companion Liz Shaw. Her accent is a bit peculiar, but she plays off both Nicholas Courtney and Pertwee very well, and does a good job of portraying Liz's growing acceptance of the existence of extraterrestrial life, after her initial haughty scepticism at the start of the story. By the end, she has formed an excellent rapport with the Doctor, and it is good to see a companion who is capable and intelligent, and not just a screamer. Nick Courtney is very impressive as the Brigadier, playing it straight and giving the character real no-nonsense authority, while also making him capable and quick-witted. There is a pleasing tension in his relationship with the new Doctor, even when he has been convinced of his identity, and he also enjoys some good confrontations early on with Liz.
There is therefore much to admire about Spearhead From Space, although I do also have some nit-picking criticisms. I would have liked to know how the Nestene took possession of Channing's body in the first place, as presumably when they first arrived on Earth they would have had no physical form. I also thought the tentacled Nestene creature was rather laughable, and Pertwee did an admirable job of keeping a straight face while he struggled with it. The Doctor's means of destroying the Nestene was also a bit of a cop-out; after the elaborate build-up, surely Robert Holmes could have thought of something a bit more creative than having the Doctor conveniently come up with a fancy gun that can kill them without any trouble?
Apart from these flaws, however, Spearhead From Space is a high-quality Who adventure, and promises much for the new, Earth-bound era. It is also the first Pertwee tale I have ever seen, and it has made me keen to watch more of his stories, particularly the rest of those from season 7.
A Review by Finn Clark 11/3/06
Doctor Who has had four pilot stories, each heralding a new Doctor's reign: An Unearthly Child, Spearhead from Space, the 1996 TVM and Rose. (It's easy to forget from this comfortable distance in time that the UNIT era was a deliberate reformatting of the show after it nearly got cancelled after The War Games.) We'll never see the likes of An Unearthly Child again, but it's possible to argue that Spearhead from Space was remade as both the TVM and Rose. Its medical jargon is reproduced almost word for word in the TVM ("it's not blood" and the X-rays), while of course Spearhead's sequel, Terror of the Autons, even introduced the Master. Hmmm, that's an odd coincidence... all three televised Auton stories to date have given us either a new Doctor or a new Master.
Of that triad of post-Hartnell pilots, Spearhead from Space probably has the best story. The TVM is lovely but brain-damaged. Rose is a glorious rebirth for Doctor Who but it's understandably more interested in Eccleston and Piper than in out-and-out terror... its Autons are forgettable, basically CGI-assisted fun instead of a serious attempt to terrify the audience. Admittedly Spearhead was a less successful pilot. The big Pertwee boom was still a year away and Season Seven's viewing figures were poor. Nevertheless it's startling, it's bold and it looks bloody good.
It doesn't feel like Doctor Who. It's more like the X-Files, with Liz Shaw being summoned to London in a mysterious limousine and the Doctor being merely this strange guy in the woods. The Brigadier and Liz even have a Mulder-Scully relationship... two hard-boiled professionals, one a believer in aliens and the other a sceptical scientist with a hundred counter-arguments at her fingertips. They're entertaining together! "I don't find that funny."
The plot unfolds from an Earthbound perspective. We're following in the footsteps of the Brigadier and Liz. Normally a contemporary setting is merely the TARDIS's latest port of call, but for once the Doctor here is as much of a mystery as any other extraterrestrial. His characterisation is curiously Troughtonesque... childish and sly in the hospital, then even later once he's ensconsed at UNIT and is being urbane and charming, he remains untrustworthy, self-centred and larcenous. It makes for a fascinating dynamic between the regulars.
It's interesting to note that the episode 2 and 3 cliffhangers only involve incidental characters. There's no danger to Doctor, Liz or UNIT personnel.
Spearhead is also distinctive visually. The all-filmed production looks so different from the norm that it's almost shocking. It's particularly interesting to see how comprehensively it outclasses the Cushing movies despite only coming a few years later and having a smaller budget. Conviction is the key. The production believes in itself. Even something as minor as Sam Seeley finding a meteorite at the beginning is milked for tension. In particular the car crash is strong stuff today, with that head smashed against a bloody windscreen.
By that point we're scared of the Auton even though it hasn't done anything yet! In 1970, automation and the proliferation of plastics were higher in the public consciousness... yet the story still works today. For a hundred minutes you'll become paranoid about waxworks and window dummies, although Terror of the Autons went even further in the cause of scaring the kiddies. Furthermore I prefer the 1970 Auton design to the 21st century versions. It's a man in a mask instead of an actual dummy, but that's why it works. Masks are creepy. You can do a lot with mask work, while mannequins are just mannequins. Spearhead's Auton duplicates are also more sinister than Rose's Mickey, although that's not difficult.
These Autons are agile, too! They run, they dodge...
The climax is weak. Stuntmen earn a few quid, Liz doesn't notice that
the plug's fallen out and Pertwee makes funny faces because he's playing
with his mighty tentacle. However episode four also has classic moments
that burned themselves into the imagination of an entire generation.
Madame Tussauds and the shop window dummies are justly famous. What this
story does best is conviction. Look at Ransome, for instance, with a
performance that cranks the intensity up to eleven without ever seeming
overdone or embarrassing. I was impressed. We certainly can't say that
of all
A Review by Craig Braddick
22/6/07
Spearhead From Space has always been one of my favorite stories;
in fact, it was my re-introduction into fandom. When I got married in
2002, I told my (American) wife about a TV show I loved - turns out she
had seen it many years ago on PBS. I told her how the mighty nosed
time-traveler was by far the best Doctor but she preferred the one with
the scarf.
At the time I had no idea it was available on DVD. One day when
browsing through the mall, lo and behold, Spearhead From Space was
there! Way overpriced, I still gobbled it up and set out to educate her in
all things Pertwee.
This story is perhaps the best post-regeneration story of them all.
Pertwee's imbalance only lasts a couple of episodes and he quickly
initializes a rapport with Caroline John as Liz Shaw. Liz's character is
given perhaps the biggest introduction afforded to any companion in terms
of on screen time before she is introduced to Pertwee. It was very clever
writing to have the Brigadier "interview" her. This ploy serves two ends
(ooh, err missus) as it gives the chance to reiterate the duties of UNIT
and allows the viewer to learn about Liz. True, it does stick out a little
as a large info-dump but the plot is the thing and in this story it works
well.
The Nestene conciousness is a great idea as are The Autons - though I
disagree with many fans who claim they are better here than in Terror of the Autons. I think they are great here as an
introductory story (and of course they served the same purpose admirably
in the new series as a perfect remake/retelling/sequel (take your pick) to
kick the new series into orbit.
Blessed with Nick Courtney on top of his game, shot all on film gives
this a slightly rough kind of sophistication. Perhaps a perfect example of
what this incarnation of the Doctor was to become.
A Story That Nightmares Are Made Of by Matthew
Kresal
29/8/09
January 1970 found the start of a new era of Doctor Who and the
stage was set for a new beginning. Spearhead From Space, the first
story of the 1970 season, proved to be just that and more. It was a story
of many firsts from the first appearance of the third Doctor (played by
Jon Pertwee of course) and the first episodes made in color to the first
appearance of the Autons. Spearhead From Space set the standard for
which the Pertwee era would be judged.
Jon Pertwee slips in the role of the Doctor with so much ease that,
like Tom Baker in Robot, it is sometimes hard to
believe this is his first story. All the hallmarks of his Doctor are here,
from the classic combination of shirts and capes to gadgetry and classic
cars. Backing him is the ever-impressive Nicholas Courtney as the
Brigadier for the third time (having played the role in the Troughton
story's The Web Of Fear and The
Invasion) and Caroline John as Liz Shaw. John plays Liz well and makes
a very believable scientist, so it's a shame she was only in the four
stories of this season. The supporting cast of Hugh Burden and John
Woodnutt as the men who run the factory plus Hamilton Dyce as General
Scobie and Neil Wilson as a trapper make for as fine a cast as the show
ever had.
Robert Holmes' script is one of his best pieces of writing for the
series. It finds the Doctor exiled to late twentieth century Earth (it's
hard to get much more specific but we fans do try) by his own race as
punishment for interfering in the affairs of others (during the final
Patrick Troughton story The War Games) in the midst
of a metor shower. With the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce (UNIT)
investigating, the newly regenerated Doctor comes back into contact with
its leader Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and the newly recruited scientist
Liz Shaw. Together they investigate the meteors, the strange orbs they
left behind, and their apparent connection to a factor making plastic
mannequins. It all leads to an invasion by the collective mind of the
Nestene. While it defiantly has Quatermass written all over it (to be more
specific, Quatermass 2 which also played on many of the same themes though
the paranoia of that BBC serial is missing in Spearhead From Space)
it is a setup for everything that the UNIT stories of the Pertwee years
would be.
Holmes' script though is the tip of the iceberg (or should I say
tentacle?). Spearhead From Space also has a definite plus in the
direction of Derek Martinus and the music of Dudley Simpson. Both (and
especially the music) helps to create a taught and suspenseful opening for
the Pertwee era. The Autons are one of the series' best creations and when
they awake in Episode Four, there is a shiver that goes up the spine. They
are one of the worst nightmares come true: shop window mannequins that
come not just to life but kill you as well. While their controller,
Nestene creature, looks very unconvincing, the Autons and the other
elements of this story make it one of the very best stories of the series.
Spearhead From Space was more than just the beginning of the
Pertwee years. It was the setup for everything that the UNIT stories of
later years would be. Even more than that, with strong performances from
the cast backed by Robert Holmes' script, the direction of Derek Martinus
and the music of Dudley Simpson, Spearhead From Space is a taught
and suspenseful science-fiction story that nightmares are made of.