The Web Planet (TV story)

The Web Planet was the fifth serial of season 2 of Doctor Who. As with the Voord before them, the creatures of Vortis were designed to be memorable, as the show was yet to produce a monster to rival the Daleks. Web also had the highest average viewing figure for the Hartnell era with a rating of 13.5 million.

The concept first came to Bill Strutton as he recalled being bitten by a bull-ant as a child and seeing insects fight. He also recognised the merchandising opportunities Doctor Who afforded, with Terry Nation's Daleks being his point of comparison. Script editor Dennis Spooner latched onto the idea, believing it could be a parable about socialism, with the Zarbi and the Menoptera as the oppressed and the oppressors respectively. (REF: About Time 1)

Web was by far the most technically ambitious and experimental story produced by Verity Lambert. While some believe it nobly tried to extend the possibilities of Doctor Who, others felt it was simply over-ambitious. (DCOM: The Web Planet)

It was also novel in terms of its advertising, since it was the first Doctor Who story to ever have a trailer. (Doctor Who Yearbook 1994) Director Richard Martin was irked by this, as he felt it gave away too much of the plot as clips from later episodes were shown. Verity Lambert believed he was upset over the inclusion of a scene showing a Zarbi entering the television studio, justified by her as the application of a familiar setting, designed to stop children from fearing the alien. (About Time 1)

Synopsis
On the planet Vortis, the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Vicki are swept up in the struggles of the butterfly-like Menoptera, the original denizens of Vortis who were forced to flee the planet for the moon Pictos to escape the encroaching web of the Animus and its mind-controlled minions, the ant-like Zarbi, and their living weapons, the larvae guns.

The Web Planet (1)
The TARDIS is forced to land on a desolate planet, dragged down by some invisible force. The Doctor discovers, once the ship has landed, that it has had all its power taken away from it as well, with only the scanner left working. The Doctor begins to work his magic at the console, but he can't make the motors work even though the energy is available. While they are fixing the TARDIS, Vicki hears an ultrasonic noise which causes her great distress. The Doctor suspects that she can hear it due to her relatively young age.

The source of the noise is an ant-like creature emitting loud beeping noises as a means of communication. Unbeknownst to the travellers, two of these creatures, accompanied by a smaller species, attack the TARDIS, causing it to rock wildly — much to its inhabitants' surprise.

Barbara takes Vicki, who is most perturbed by the noise and the battering of the TARDIS, to bed whilst the Doctor, resigning himself to not being able to sort his ship out, asks Ian to come out and explore the planet. Ian and the Doctor don atmospheric density jackets, inform Barbara of their plan, and set off, using the Doctor's ring and a device in the TARDIS to open the door without power. Left to their own devices, Barbara and Vicki have a conversation about Vicki's futuristic schooling. Vicki later discovers that Barbara and Ian have also been to Rome in their previous adventure after seeing the armlet given to Barbara from Nero.

Out on the planet, Ian and the Doctor discover some very strange goings-on. Ian takes his gold pen out of his suit jacket, only for it to literally disappear out of his hand. The echoes of their voices seem to take on lives of their own and linger for much longer than normal echoes. Ian confides in the Doctor that he feels he is being watched. The Doctor disagrees at first but later states the only way to prove that theory is to go exploring.

Meanwhile, back in the TARDIS, Barbara is tidying up when she seems to lose all the strength in her arm, which appears to be dragging her out of the door. Just as she reaches the door she regains control. Scared, she goes to sit with Vicki, where the sensation happens again. Vicki, thinking she is joking, laughs, and Barbara leaves her.

Outside, Ian and the Doctor discover a large stone pyramid that is obviously not natural and has been built by some sort of creature. The two marvel at this. They discover a pool of what Ian thinks is water, in which he is about to wash his hands, when the Doctor, borrowing Ian's Coal Hill School tie, discovers it's acid. They decide to head back to the TARDIS when Ian sees some sort of light in the acid. As the Doctor inspects it, the ant creature scuttles away, beeping. The Doctor and Ian head back.

Whilst Barbara is alone, she again loses control over her arm and is dragged out of the door after using the console to open the door. The beeping wakes Vicki and, as she enters the console room, she loses control of her limbs and calls out for Barbara.

The Doctor and Ian, hearing the echo, rush to the TARDIS, but Ian gets caught up in a net made of webs which lifts him off the ground. Ian orders the Doctor to leave and help Vicki. As he approaches the TARDIS, it begins to move. As he rounds the corner, he sees that the TARDIS has gone.

The Zarbi (2)
The Doctor returns to find Ian lying prostrate on the floor. He wakes him to inform him that the TARDIS has gone. They find ridges on the ground and hence deduce the TARDIS had been dragged away. The men then set off to look for the ship.

Meanwhile, on another part of the planet, Barbara is being led by the unseen force that caused her to leave the TARDIS. As she walks, she is accosted by a large, butterfly-like creature. It leads her into a cave where two more of the creatures wait. They take off Barbara's bracelet and throw it into the acid, which awakens Barbara from her trance. She tries to escape but is detained by the creatures.

Meanwhile, Vicki uses the TARDIS's scanner to discover that it is the ant-like creatures that are controlling the ship — using their minds to drag it to another place on the planet.

On the trail of the TARDIS, Ian stumbles across a chrysalis. On close inspection, the Doctor discovers that it is from the Menoptera species. This, combined with the rock formations implicit on the planet, leads the Doctor to believe they are on the planet Vortis in the Isop Galaxy.

Back in the cave of the Menoptera, the butterfly-creatures discuss what to do with Barbara. They say they need to kill her, as a creature they refer to as the Zarbis will extract the information of their whereabouts and hunt them down. Overhearing this, Barbara uses a stick to help her break out and escapes onto the surface.

Whilst the Doctor and Ian search for the TARDIS, they are accosted by the ant-like creatures. Ian tries to fight back, but the Doctor urges him not to. The Doctor states that he has never before seen these creatures, so they should be treated cautiously. The creatures herd the men towards their den. This is also where Vicki and the TARDIS have been brought. Once the ship has been brought to a halt, Vicki goes out and explores her surroundings.

No sooner is she out of the TARDIS, than she is set upon by the ant-creatures. One of them keeps her penned in the corner whilst the other tries to explore the TARDIS, but as soon as it enters the ship, the creature is distressed and leaves. When Vicki is joined by the Doctor, he is indignant that someone has tried to board his ship and tries to tell the creatures that his TARDIS is not to be boarded.

Back in the cave, the Menoptera try to send a signal to the rest of their species, warning them that the Zarbi and a being they call the Animus are still on the planet. They are interrupted by an attack by the Zarbi, led by Barbara. She wears a gold harness that controls her in the same fashion as the bracelet did earlier. Whilst the Zarbi attack the rest of his species, one of the Menoptera, Hrostar, removes the harness from Barbara's neck and informs her those they don't kill are taken to the Crater of Needles where they are forced to work against their will and in great pain. As he explains this, he is set upon by the Zarbi.

Back at the den of the Zarbi, the Doctor is trying to communicate with them. An alarm starts to sound. A cylinder falls from the ceiling onto the head of the Doctor, proclaiming, "Why do you come now?"

Escape to Danger (3)
The disembodied voice is hostile towards the Doctor, assuming that he is an emissary from the Menoptera. As a show of force the voice fires a laser beam towards the TARDIS, but Vicki, in her earlier efforts to stop the ship from moving, accidentally re-aligned the fluid link and restored power, enabling the ship's shields to combat the attack. The Doctor convinces the voice that he is not part of the Menoptera force. The voice asks if he has a way of monitoring the stars, to which the Doctor replies in the affirmative. The voice agrees to free the travellers if he will help them garner information on the Menoptera. The Doctor asks the voice, which he refers to as the Queen Ant, where Barbara is. The voice tells the Doctor that she is in the Crater of Needles. The Doctor and Ian are allowed into the TARDIS to bring the equipment out to the Zarbi. While they are inside the Doctor hatches a plan whereby Ian should go find Barbara if the opportunity shows itself. Once the Doctor has got the equipment outside, the power that the Zarbi use to control the TARDIS also stops this piece of equipment from working. The Doctor speaks to the voice and says that he will need this power relinquished. The voice agrees but warns the Doctor that if it is betrayed they will be killed. As the power is restored to the ship the Zarbi also power down, which enables Ian to escape.

As Ian searches for Barbara he comes across a Zarbi. He tries to sneak past it but the Zarbi rounds on him. Ian kills the Zarbi but as he tries to escape he gets caught in a web which triggers an alarm. The other Zarbis are awoken and go to fetch Ian. They try to kill him but the laser beam from the smaller species allows Ian to break free. As he runs from the Zarbis he is saved by a Menoptera, who hides him from the pursuing masses.

Ian's escape means the other travellers back at the TARDIS have lost the trust of the disembodied voice. The Doctor has uncovered a message from the Menopteran forces saying they are hovering over the Crater of Needles. The Doctor decides to repress this information from the Zarbi. When the Doctor sends Vicki in to get a piece of equipment, she returns with the wrong box. This box contains a specimen of a spider. As Vicki returns this to the TARDIS she discovers that the Zarbi are afraid of the specimen.

Ian and his Menopteran saviour, Vrestin, lie low and discuss the state of Vortis. Ian learns that Vortis used to belong to the Menoptera. The Zarbi were a species indigenous to Vortis, with which the Menoptera lived at peace; however, they were made militant by a dark power that Vrestin names the Animus. The Menoptera were powerless against the Zarbi and fled the planet to a nearby moon. The Menoptera are now trying to reclaim the planet that was once theirs. Vrestin was sent to Vortis with two others to make way for the invasion, but one was killed and the other enslaved, leaving Vrestin all alone. They discuss the Crater of Needles. Vrestin tells Ian that the Menoptera that are taken to the Crater have their wings pulled off and are forced to work until they are killed. Vrestin offers to show Ian the way to the Crater of Needles, but on the way there they are set upon by Zarbi. They escape and hide in a cave, but Vrestin slips and falls, causing a cave-in and trapping them.

Crater of Needles (4)
Ian and Vrestin find themselves in an underground cave. No sooner have they dusted themselves down than they are surrounded by unknown creatures.

Meanwhile, at the Crater of Needles, Barbara is struggling under the immense workload that the Zarbi put them under. She has befriended Hrostar, who explains what the Menoptera are forced to do. He explains that they are forcing a raw material into an acid stream which draws it to the main base of the Zarbi, called the Carsinome, and causes it to grow more and more over the face of Vortis. The Menoptera explains that the Animus lives at the centre of the Carsinome. Hrostar informs Barbara that the Menoptera's primary aim was to free the Zarbi from the Animus' power but they have since been oppressed by them.

Back at the Carsinome, the Doctor and Vicki discuss when to use the tool of the spider to their best advantage. The Doctor states that he would like to use it in order to escape. The Zarbi accost Vicki and use the mind harness to hold her hostage whilst the Doctor talks to the Animus. They ask him for all he has learnt from his device. The Doctor informs them that the Menoptera are forming on the planet Pictos. However, he feigns that he knows no more than that. The Animus warns the Doctor that if he doesn't present more information to them soon they shall kill Vicki. No sooner has the Doctor been released from the Animus' tube than an alert is summoned calling the Zarbi to arms against a potential Menoptera attack.

This call to arms is evident at the Crater of Needles. The workers are all herded into their quarters whilst the Zarbi supervisors go to protect Vortis. Here Barbara and the Menoptera Hrostar, Prapillus and Hlynia discuss the fact that somehow the Zarbi have found out that the Menoptera attack is imminent. This is a big problem because the only success that the Menoptera were to have was through the advantage of surprise. They decide to overpower the single Zarbi and the lesser species, revealed to be called a larvae gun, and warn the Menopteran force of this danger. They break free from their quarters and kill their guards.

In the underground cave, the creatures that are holding Ian and Vrestin hostage appear to be primitive grub-like creatures. They bind their captives hands together with some form of natural adhesive. They are mistrustful of strangers from the surface, which they describe as evil. They say that they are to consult their oracle which they refer to as "the Chasm of Lights" as to whether they should leave or die.

At the Carsinome the Doctor is thinking of a way to overpower the Zarbi. Using his walking stick he inspects the harness that the Zarbi use to brainwash their captives. He discovers that it is made entirely of gold. He speculates that there must be a way of overpowering whatever force it is that controls the gold. In experimentation, he tries to use the TARDIS instruments. It seems to have worked but draws the attention of the Zarbi. A Zarbi holds Vicki prisoner whilst the Doctor converses with the Animus. The Doctor tries to blame a piece of his equipment for the explosion, but the Animus seems to be able to draw information from the equipment now. It discovers the landing point of the Menoptera and states that for such betrayal the Doctor and Vicki must die. The Zarbi places the harnesses onto them until they have dealt with the Menoptera.

The grubs return to Ian and Vrestin with the news that they are to be slaughtered. However, Vrestin states that she is a creature similar to them. She says if they were to join her on the surface they too would grow into a strong and mighty creature like her. They seem doubtful but when Vrestin shows them her wings they start to worship her as some form of god.

Upon the plateau the spearhead of the Menoptera lands. Barbara and the other Menoptera warn the spearhead of the oncoming danger, but it is too late and the rest of the Menopteran army land. The Zarbi set about them, killing most of the Menoptera spearhead. The spearhead leader, Hilio, orders them to retreat. Hlynia shows Hilio to safety. Barbara, Hrostar and Prapillus try to avoid the Zarbi, but she falls down, and a Zarbi looms over her...

Invasion (5)
Barbara, Hrostar and Prapillus are chased into a crevice by an incoming horde of Zarbi and larvae guns. They find themselves in a Temple of Light, a series of secret underground temples laced around Vortis. There, they encounter Hylnia and Hilio. The creatures are desolate and state that they are not creatures of war. They turn to Barbara in an effort to help them into the mindset of warfare. Barbara asks what their plan was if the onslaught of Menoptera was successful. Hilio displays a device called the Isoptope, which is a "living cell destructor". This would destroy the devices used by the Animus that cast a web of evil over Vortis. Barbara states that the only way forward is to try to use it.

Meanwhile, back at the Carsinome, whilst the Zarbi are distracted by the battle with the Menoptera, it is revealed that Vicki is not actually under the influence of the harness as the Doctor's experiments rendered that particular harness useless. Vicki releases the Doctor from his harness and the Doctor and Vicki catch a Zarbi using the functioning harness. Somehow the Doctor is able to control how the Zarbi moves and the two friends escape along with the Zarbi.

In the cave, the creatures, now known as the Optera, have agreed to lead Ian and Vrestin to the centre of the Animus, leading the way underground. As they get deeper into the tunnels the Optera try to break through the walls in order to allow air and light in. An attempt at this releases a store of acid which kills one of the Optera, Nemini. The potholers carry on.

Barbara has decided that the best course of action is for a mock attack. Hilio disagrees, but the others agree with Barbara's idea. Their meeting is interrupted by an intruder. The Menoptera begin to panic, but it is the Doctor, Vicki, and their tamed Zarbi. The Menoptera feedback to the Doctor. The Menoptera inform the Doctor that the Animus dwells in the very centre of the planet and draws power from the magnetic poles of the planet. It is this, and its subsequent effect on gravity, that are drawing the moons towards Vortis; this is also the explanation as to why the TARDIS was forced to land. The Doctor decides that he will take the Isoptope back into the Carsinome and destroy the Animus himself from the inside. The Menoptera give it to him in exchange for the Zarbi, which they will use in their attack. The Doctor gives Prapillus his ring, which will allow him to control the Zarbi. The Doctor returns to the Carsinome with Vicki; however, they are immediately set upon by the Zarbi, who bundle them into a room where a form of bio-gun squirts a web onto them, leaving them stuck in one position.

The Centre (6)
The Doctor and Vicki are soon freed from the sticky substance that was binding them and are called to the Animus. The Doctor is informed that the Animus has no further use for him except for his mind and that he and Vicki will be brought to the centre of the Carsinome.

Meanwhile, on the surface, Barbara and her gang of Menoptera are using their tamed Zarbi to confuse and incite the Zarbis that are under control of the Animus in order to create a distraction which would enable them to enter the Carsinome.

As the Zarbi usher the Doctor and Vicki towards the centre, he asks her for the Isoptope, but she reveals that she hid it in the Astral Map when they were captured.

Deep underground, Ian, Vrestin and the Optera are making their way to the surface when they discover a pocket of water that the Animus has filtered underground in order to replace the pools and streams with acid. This gives great hope to the Menoptera and the Optera for their future yields if they ever were to overcome the Animus. At first the Optera are reluctant to go to the surface but Vrestin convinces them to come along as they are the descendants of the Menoptera. Eventually, they reach the underside of the surface but struggle to get through the thick crust of the planet.

Barbara and her group of rebels come across a few of the Zarbi, and in an attempt to overpower a larva gun, Hrostar is killed. Hilio, Prapillus and Hlynia press on.

The Doctor and Vicki are brought to the centre of the Carsinome and are instantly blinded by the light cast off by a large web-like brain with many tendrils stemming from it like roots. As soon as they enter the room, the Animus informs them that it is going to smother them with its tentacles and absorb their intelligence in order to master space travel. The two travellers seem unable to resist this hypnosis and move towards the Animus.

Barbara and the Menoptera find themselves where the Doctor and Vicki were previously being held. Barbara discovers the astral map and states that she could use this device in order to help the Menoptera communicate with the rest of their force on Pictos. As Barbara attempts to do this they stumble upon the Isoptope that the Menoptera gave to the Doctor and deduce that if the Doctor had left this behind he must have been taken by force. They decide to hunt the Doctor out and save him. They soon find themselves at the centre of the Carsinome where they too are overpowered by the light of the Animus. The Animus is also able to block Barbara's use of the Isoptope. It seems that Barbara and the Menoptera are going to succumb to the Animus when he is briefly distracted by the emergence of Ian and Vrestin from under the ground. Barbara uses this split-second opportunity to kill the Animus and free the Doctor and Vicki.

On the surface of Vortis, the Menoptera are delighted to find the Zarbi and larvae guns have returned to their previous docile and cattle-like state. They also discover that the pools and rivers that once ran with acid run with pure clean water again. Even the Optera are relatively placated with the promise that their children may grow into creatures capable of flight. The creatures of Vortis gather together to say farewell to the Doctor and his companions, stating that they will speak of the legend of the Earthmen who freed them from the tyranny of the Animus.

Cast

 * Dr. Who - William Hartnell
 * Ian Chesterton - William Russell
 * Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill
 * Vicki - Maureen O'Brien
 * Zarbi operators / The Zarbi - Robert Jewell, Jack Pitt, Gerald Taylor, Hugh Lund, Kevin Manser, John Scott Martin
 * Animus Voice - Catherine Fleming
 * The Menoptra


 * Vrestin - Roslyn De Winter
 * Hrostar - Arne Gordon
 * Hrhoonda - Arthur Blake
 * Prapillus - Jolyon Booth
 * Hlynia - Jocelyn Birdsall
 * Hilio - Martin Jarvis
 * The Optera


 * Hetra - Ian Thompson
 * Nemini - Barbara Joss

Uncredited cast

 * Slave Menoptra - Ken McGarvie (DWM 286)
 * Optera Guards - Len Russell, Jane Bowman (DWM 286)

Crew

 * Writer - Bill Strutton
 * Title Music - Ron Grainer
 * Film Cameraman - Peter Hamilton
 * Film Editor - Gitta Zadek
 * Story Editor - Dennis Spooner
 * Designer - John Wood
 * Producer - Verity Lambert
 * Director - Richard Martin
 * Insect Movement - Roslyn De Winter
 * Costumes - Daphne Dare
 * Make-Up - Sonia Markham
 * Lighting - Ralph Walton
 * Sound - Ray Angel

Uncredited crew

 * Assistant Floor Manager - Elisabeth Dunbar
 * Assistant Floor Manager - Gillian Chardet
 * Production Assistant - Norman Stewart
 * Special Sound - Brian Hodgson
 * Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire
 * Grams Operator - Tony Bowers (INFO: The Web Planet)
 * Technical Manager - Mark Lewis (INFO: The Web Planet)
 * Vision Mixer - Clive Doig (INFO: The Web Planet)
 * Floor Assistant - Trevor Beckett (INFO: The Web Planet)
 * Design Assistants - Nigel Curzon, Anthony Thorpe, Jennifer Wyatt (INFO: The Web Planet)

Worldbuilding

 * Vicki hasn't heard of aspirin, and studied medicine, physics and chemistry at the age of 10, an hour per week, using a machine.
 * Ian originally thinks the TARDIS has landed on the Moon.
 * The TARDIS carries atmospheric density jackets.
 * Ian mentions Nelson's Column.
 * The Doctor uses Ian's "old Coal Hill School tie" to test a pool and discovers it is acid.
 * The Doctor gives Vicki a chocolate bar.
 * The Menoptera use electron guns.

Story notes

 * This story was originally entitled The Zarbi and was made under the working title The Centre of Terror. Another working title is known to be The Webbed Planet.
 * "The Centre" was initially titled "Centre of Terror". The novelisation restores this title for the sixth chapter.
 * Robert Jewell, Jack Pitt, Gerald Taylor, Hugh Lund, and Kevin Manser are credited as "Zarbi Operators" for "The Web Planet" and "The Zarbi", and under the heading "The Zarbi" for "Escape to Danger" to "The Centre". They are billed in Radio Times as "Zarbi Operators" for "The Web Planet", and as "The Zarbi" for "The Zarbi" to "The Centre".
 * Noted choreographer Roslyn De Winter was hired to create the distinctive movements and stilted speech of the Menoptera. She was so successful that the production team asked her to take on the role of the Menoptera Vrestin. A special on-screen credit for De Winter, "Insect Movement by...", was included on the closing credits of "The Zarbi" to "The Centre".
 * Roslyn De Winter (Vrestin), Arne Gordon (Hrostar), Arthur Blake (Hrhoonda), Jolyon Booth (Prapillus), Jocelyn Birdsall (Hlynia), and Martin Jarvis (Hilio) are credited under the heading "The Menoptra". Roslyn de Winter is credited as "Menoptra Vrestin" for "Escape to Danger".
 * Ian Thompson (Hetra) and Barbara Joss (Nemini) are credited under the heading "The Optera" for "Crater of Needles" and "Invasion". Ian Thompson is credited as "Optera Hetra" for "The Centre".
 * Jacqueline Hill does not appear in "Escape to Danger" as she was on holiday during the week it was recorded. She is not billed in the closing credits for this episode and later complained to the production team about this, but her request for her credit to be reinstated for overseas sales of the story was not acted upon. Despite not appearing and being uncredited on-screen for "Escape to Danger", Hill was still credited in Radio Times.
 * Peter Purves auditioned for one of the Menoptera, but Richard Martin turned him down, telling him that he was far too talented to play a rubber-suited monster. However, Martin promised to bear Purves in mind when he needed a human character. Purves was subsequently cast in The Chase, playing not one but two parts: American tourist Morton Dill in "Flight Through Eternity", and new companion Steven Taylor in "The Planet of Decision".
 * The costumes for all of the aliens who appeared in this story (with the exception of the Zarbi, which were built by Shawcraft) were created by Daphne Dare.
 * Originally, the Zarbi had the ability to spit venom, but Dennis Spooner instead created smaller, grub-like creatures to fulfil this function. These monsters, variously referred to as “Zarbi Guns”, “Zarbi Venom Guns”, “Zarbi Cannons”, “Zarbi Larvae” and “larvi guns”, were intended to be immature Zarbi.
 * It was during the production of this serial that William Russell decided he was leaving the series. He felt his enthusiasm for the series had waned, and he was in need of a change.
 * Richard Martin portrayed the thin atmosphere of Vortis by placing a distorting lens on the camera, giving the appearance of shooting through a thin, petroleum jelly-like smear.
 * "The Zarbi" required a 16-minute overrun, brought about by a variety of flubbed lines, missed cues, equipment problems, and troubles with the Zarbi costumes, one of which broke and had to be repaired. The start of recording on "Escape to Danger" was delayed when it was found that some of the sets had not been delivered to the studio, and the Carsenome floor had not been painted. Lighting and camera problems continued to plague the increasingly frazzled cast, and this time taping went 37 minutes beyond the schedule. This was the day during which one of the Zarbi operators, his vision impaired by his costume, ran right into the camera. So rushed was the recording, however, that this blooper was retained in the finished episode.
 * Believed lost in the BBC's early 1970s purge, negative film prints of all six episodes were recovered from BBC Enterprises in the late 1970s. These prints appear to have stemmed from a 1973 sale to Algeria, and as a result the final episode was amended so that the "Next Episode" caption referred to The Space Museum instead of "The Lion", as the following story, The Crusade, was not sold to Muslim countries. There were also some edits to the first episode to remove the reprise from The Romans. Unedited prints of all six episodes were also discovered in Nigeria in 1985.
 * The music soundtrack, although from stock, is a highly unusual one, created by a group called Les Structures Sonorés who produced music on glass tubes. This music was later reused in Galaxy 4.
 * In Bill Strutton's novelisation, the events of the story take place in the year 20,000. This was not derived from any information given in the televised version.
 * To date, this is the only Doctor Who serial not to feature any humanoid characters in its supporting cast (The Edge of Destruction featured no other cast apart from the regular actors).
 * The fifth episode, "Invasion", shares its title with part one of TV: Invasion of the Dinosaurs. Though the series had moved to overarching story titles by that time, the title of that story's first episode was shortened to Invasion part one to avoid spoiling the surprise that dinosaurs were featured. This surprise was spoiled anyway due to Peter Brookes' black-and-white comic strip-style illustrations featuring a pterodactyl which accompanied the programme listing in Radio Times.
 * This story was ranked as Doctor Who Magazine readers' least favourite First Doctor story in their 2023 poll, replacing the previous title holder, The Space Museum. (DWM 589)
 * Bill Strutton's wife Marguerite suggested the name Zarbi.
 * Many of the invented names had biological origins. “Menoptra” and “Optera” were both derived from lepidoptera, the name for the order of insects which includes the butterfly. “Prapillus” and “Hilio” came from papilio, a Latin word for butterfly. The Carsenome took its name from “carcinoma”, referring to a cancerous tumour. “Animus” was another Latin term, literally meaning “angry spirit”.
 * The Menoptera was originally named Menoptra, while Prapillus was originally named Papillus.
 * It was Dennis Spooner's idea for Barbara's bracelet be a plot point, linking it with his previous serial, The Romans.
 * The seaweed used in the titular Cradle of Needles baked under the hot studio lights, leading to an unbearable smell.
 * Richard Martin was somewhat disappointed by the script, feeling that the dialogue was "not good", so he worked with Dennis Spooner to improve it. Martin believed that it had great visual potential, but was hampered by the restricted studio space.
 * It was brought to Verity Lambert's attention that the cast were changing their dialogue without permission. She criticized Richard Martin for not controlling the cast, citing that William Hartnell could be awkward when the scripts were changed.
 * When Hrhoonda was killed off, the costume was reused for Ken McGarvie, who played a Menoptra slave in the later episodes.
 * It was originally intended to hire Catherine Fleming and Ken McGarvie to appear in "Invasion". However, they weren't required due to rewrites omitting their characters.

Ratings

 * "The Web Planet" - 13.5 million viewers
 * "The Zarbi" - 12.5 million viewers
 * "Escape to Danger" - 12.5 million viewers
 * "Crater of Needles" - 13.0 million viewers
 * "Invasion" - 12.0 million viewers
 * "The Centre" - 11.5 million viewers

The first episode, "The Web Planet", gained the highest number of viewers for any single Doctor Who episode in the 1960s.

Myths

 * The misty effect over the planet's surface was created by applying Vaseline to the camera lens. (The effect was actually created with special camera lenses, although on the DVD production subtitles it says that Vaseline was then smeared over these special lenses.)
 * The butterfly creatures in the story are called the Menoptera. (The correct spelling is Menoptra, though the creatures were originally called Menoptera.)

Filming locations

 * The story was filmed at Riverside Studio 1, Hammersmith, London.

Production errors

 * In the first episode, "The Web Planet", the Doctor refers to the ultrasonic sound that only Vicki can hear as "extra-sonic".
 * When the Doctor and Ian first hear the Zarbi, the camera above them shows that the structure they are standing beside is just a standing prop.
 * In "Escape to Danger", one of the Zarbi runs directly into the camera.
 * For most of the story, shadows can be seen across the sky.
 * There are some late cues for the actors, as some shots start with them standing still waiting for their order to move.
 * A Zarbi's abdomen clangs on the studio floor.
 * In "The Zarbi", when Hroonda is killed, his wings fall off.
 * In "The Zarbi", the Doctor refers to "light years" as "light Earths", before correcting himself and finishing the sentence.
 * At around the 10:53 mark of "Invasion" an off-camera cough can be heard.
 * Towards the end of "Invasion", as the Doctor and Vicki return to the Carsinome, a crew member can be seen operating the door the Doctor uses to enter.
 * At 15:50 in "The Zarbi" and also the end of "The Centre", the right window of the TARDIS is leaning in inwards.
 * In "The Centre", during the scene when the Doctor speaks with Ian outside the TARDIS, the actors playing the Optera at one point, stop hopping and begin walking normally, possibly because they didn't realise they were still in shot.

Continuity

 * This is the Doctor's fourth known visit to Vortis. Although he tells Ian he has never been to Vortis before, he had previously visited it in PROSE: The Lost Ones, PROSE: The Lair of Zarbi Supremo, and COMIC: On the Web Planet. The Second Doctor returns to Vortis in PROSE: Twilight of the Gods. The Fourth Doctor returns to Vortis in COMIC: The Naked Flame. The Fifth Doctor returns to Vortis in AUDIO: Return to the Web Planet. In total the Doctor makes seven known visits to Vortis.
 * During this adventure with the Zarbi, Ian and Barbara, the Doctor is plucked out of Time for the second time by the Father of Time. (COMIC: The Test of Time)
 * The Face of Boe is stated to be the oldest living inhabitant of the Isop Galaxy. (TV: Bad Wolf)
 * The Animus was actually a Great Old One, one of several supremely powerful creatures that escaped the destruction of the prior universe by shifting into a later universe. (PROSE: All-Consuming Fire, AUDIO: Black and White)
 * Barbara is wearing the bracelet she was given by Nero. Vicki was unaware Barbara and Ian went to Rome and so questions this. (TV: The Romans)
 * The Zarbi and the Animus would later appear in London in the year 1868, having been brought there by Adam Mitchell. (COMIC: Unnatural Selection)

DVD releases
This story was released to DVD as The Web Planet.


 * Region 2 - 3 October 2005
 * PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1355


 * Region 4 - 3 November 2005
 * Region 1 - 5 September 2006

Special features:

 * Audio Commentary by William Russell (Ian), Verity Lambert (Producer), Richard Martin (Director) and Martin Jarvis (Hilio), moderated by Gary Russell
 * Tales of Isop - The original cast and crew recall the making of this story, featuring William Russell, Maureen O'Brien (Vicki), Martin Jarvis, Verity Lambert, Richard Martin, John Wood (Designer) and Sonia Markham (Make-up)
 * The Lair of Zarbi Supremo - William Russell reads the short story from the first Doctor Who annual.
 * Doctor Who annual - The first ever Doctor Who Annual from 1965 is presented in its entirety (DVD-ROM only - PC/Mac).
 * Spanish soundtrack - An option to view Episode 6 in Spanish.
 * Give-a-Show Slides - A set of 1960s Doctor Who slides, based on The Web Planet.
 * Photo Gallery
 * Production Subtitles

Rear Credits:
 * Starring William Hartnell, with William Russell, Jacqueline Hill and Maureen O'Brien
 * Written by Bill Strutton
 * Produced by Verity Lambert
 * Directed by Richard Martin
 * Cover by Clayton Hickman

Notes:
 * Editing for the DVD release was completed by the Doctor Who Restoration Team.

Blu-ray releases
The story was released on Blu-ray in the UK on 5 December 2022, as part of the box set The Collection: Season Two.

Digital releases
This story is available:
 * for streaming through BritBox (US) as part of Season 2 of Classic Doctor Who.

VHS releases
This story was released as The Web Planet on two VHS cassettes. In the United Kingdom, each cassette had a slightly different cover. Elsewhere, only one oversized cover was used.

It was released:
 * UK September 1990
 * PAL - BBC Video BBCV4405


 * US August 1994
 * NTSC - CBS/FOX Video 8142
 * NTSC - Warner Video E1265

Note:
 * The "Next Episode" caption has been removed from "The Centre", which features an American TV movie compilation version of the closing credits — i.e. featuring the cast and production crew of the entire story, as opposed to only those for "The Centre" — and not those as originally broadcast in the UK. These credits bill Martin Jarvis (Hilio) as "Captain Hilio" and Catherine Fleming (Animus Voice) as "Voice of the Animus". Whether this inclusion was a mistake, or to overcome copyright clearance problems with a short piece of incidental music originally played at the end of the episode, remains unclear. The DVD release uses the correct, original UK broadcast closing credits.

Audio releases

 * This story's soundtrack was released on Vinyl by Demon Records, with linking narration by Maureen O'Brien, on 13 December 2019.
 * The story was re-released on CD by BBC Audio on 1 October 2020.