Auton 3: Awakening (home video)

 was the third and final story in the Auton Trilogy of video dramas produced by BBV Productions in the late 90s. Like most video dramas of this era, it featured characters and concepts from Doctor Who but did not include any main characters from the series.

Synopsis
The Millhampton Event has left an entire population at the mercy of the Nestene Consciousness. UNIT's only hope of halting an AUTON invasion is to find Lockwood. However, UNIT's most enigmatic and talented operative is missing. Within his mind are the means by which the Consciousness will return to life and destroy the human race. Lockwood will not be given up easily. Palmer knows that time is running out. As the world's computer networks break down, he leads a desperate mission into the heart of AUTON control. Sal and Ramsay can only hope they will survive to find Lockwood before the Nestene Consciousness takes over his mind completely and extinguishes all life on Earth...

Plot
Lockwood and Natasha have returned from Sentinel Island, coming on shore in the town of Millhampton. Computers around the world are failing. They are being invaded by the Nestene Consciousness through Lockwood's implant.

Meanwhile, the entire population of Millhampton has disappeared. They have been absorbed into the mind of another revived Nestene below the city. The only survivor is the real Winslet, who is still being used by the Nestenes at the local psychiatric hospital.

Lockwood and Natasha are both being used by another psychic UNIT operative named Palmer to lead them to the heart of the Nestene activity. Palmer monitors their movements through a constant link with Natasha's mind.

Meanwhile, Natasha is used by the Nestenes to lure Lockwood to the hospital, which the Autons are using as the centre of their operation. There the Auton Winslet is trying to free the Nestene energy from Lockwood's mind so it can infect every computer in the world and revive all the dormant Nestene creatures. Lockwood resists by convincing himself that everything he sees is a dream.

When Dr Arnold arrives, his resolve is broken. He is then forced to sacrifice his own life to destroy the Nestene plan.

Cast

 * Natasha Alexander - Jo Castleton
 * Dr Sally Arnold - Bryonie Pritchard
 * Lockwood - Michael Wade
 * Graham Winslet - George Telfer
 * Ross Palmer - Graeme Du Fresne
 * Sergeant Ramsay - Andrew Fettes
 * Nurse - Helen Baggs
 * Dalby - Peter Trapani
 * Autons - Peter Trapani, Blane Coughlan, Steve Johnson

Crew
to be added

Story notes

 * Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart's call sign, Greyhound Leader, is used here by Ross Palmer. It had previously been used by Lockwood in Auton and Colonel Wilson in Auton 2: Sentinel.
 * Awakening is also the title of a 1984 Doctor Who serial (with the definitive article).
 * This film is a direct sequel to Sentinel, with the story opening as that film left off with the Nestene attacking the church.

Filming Locations
to be added

Continuity
to be added

DVD and video releases
Originally released on VHS in 1999, it was later re-released on DVD available to purchase from the Galaxy 4 website.