Spearhead from Space (TV story)

Synopsis
The newly regenerated Doctor arrives on Earth and swiftly discovers a plot by the Nestene Consciousness to invade the Earth through their ability to control plastic.

Plot
The TARDIS arrives on Earth in the middle of a meteorite shower and the Doctor is found by UNIT troops and taken to a nearby hospital. The Brigadier is faced with having to cope not only with the mysterious meteorites but also with Ransome, an ex-employee of a local plastics factory, who claims he has seen a walking mannequin.

The meteorites turn out to be hollow globes containing the Nestene consciousness, a disembodied alien intelligence with an affinity for plastic. A Nestene agent, Channing, has infiltrated the plastics factory and is using energy from the globes to animate Autons - mannequin-like figures and realistic replicas of senior establishment figures - with the aim of colonising the Earth.

Aided by newly-recruited UNIT scientist Dr Elizabeth Shaw, the Doctor thwarts this scheme by repelling the Nestene consciousness into space and thereby neutralising the Autons and the monstrous tentacled form that it has been creating for itself in a tank within the factory. Channing, revealed to be no more than a sophisticated Auton, is likewise deactivated.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Jon Pertwee
 * Liz Shaw - Caroline John
 * Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - Nicholas Courtney
 * Channing - Hugh Burden
 * Seeley - Neil Wilson
 * Mullins - Talfryn Thomas
 * Captain Munro - John Breslin
 * Dr. Henderson - Antony Webb
 * Nurse - Helen Dorward
 * Corporal Forbes - George Lee
 * UNIT Officer - Tessa Shaw
 * Technician - Ellis Jones
 * Wagstaffe - Allan Mitchell
 * 2nd Reporter - Prentis Hancock
 * Major General Scobie - Hamilton Dyce
 * Dr. Beavis - Henry McCarthy
 * George Hibbert - John Woodnutt
 * John Ransome - Derek Smee
 * Meg - Betty Bowden
 * Sergeant - Clifford Cox
 * Attendant - Edmund Bailey

Crew

 * Assistant Floor Manager - Liam Foster
 * Costumes - Christine Rawlins
 * Designer - Paul Allen
 * Film Cameraman - Stan Speel, Robert McDonnell
 * Film Editor - William Symon, Adam Dawson
 * Incidental Music - Dudley Simpson
 * Make-Up - Cynthia Goodwin
 * Producer - Derrick Sherwin
 * Production Assistant - Peter Grimwade
 * Script Editor - Terrance Dicks
 * Special Sounds - Brian Hodgson
 * Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire
 * Title Music - Ron Grainer
 * Visual Effects - John Horton

Story Notes

 * This is the first story featuring Jon Pertwee as the Doctor, as well as the first appearance of companion Liz Shaw and villains the Nestene Consciousness and its servants the Autons.
 * There is a new title sequence designed by Bernard Lodge (who designed the previous title sequence).
 * There are scenes featuring real waxworks shot at Madame Tussaud's in London.
 * This story had the working title of; Facsimile.
 * This story is completely shot on film.
 * The Doctor is credited for the first time as 'Doctor Who' in the closing credits as opposed to 'Dr. Who'.

Ratings

 * Episode 1 - 8.4 million viewers
 * Episode 2 - 8.1 million viewers
 * Episode 3 - 8.3 million viewers
 * Episode 4 - 8.1 million viewers

Myths
to be added

Filming Locations

 * Location filming took pace at the BBC facility of Wood Norton near Evesham and in the nearby pub in Radford.
 * Madame Tussaud's in London

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

 * If UNIT is a top secret organisation, how does the media know about it? (Perhaps UNIT is an "open secret" as MI5 and MI6 used to be i.e. people knew about the intelligence organisations but the government did not officially acknowledge their existence.)

Continuity

 * The Autons (and the Nestene) reappear in: Terror of the Autons, Rose, PDA: Synthespians™ and Business Unusual.
 * UNIT last appeared in The Invasion.
 * The Doctor's exile lasts until The Three Doctors.

DVD, Video and Other Releases
DVD Releases

Released as Doctor Who: Spearhead from Space, this release was slipped into the DVD schedule by BBC Worldwide so that a second DVD could be released in 2000. In the event, the DVD was delayed till the following year.

Released:
 * Region 2 29th January 2001
 * PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1012


 * Region 4 2nd July 2001
 * Region 1 11th September 2001
 * NTSC - Warner Video E1120

Contents:
 * UNIT Recruitment Film
 * Trailer
 * Photo Gallery
 * Production Subtitles
 * Easter Egg (Test Footage for the titles sequence.)
 * Commentary: Nicholas Courtney and Caroline John

Rear Credits:
 * Starring Jon Pertwee
 * By Robert Holmes
 * Produced by Derrick Sherwin
 * Directed by Derek Martinus
 * Incidental Music composed by Dudley Simpson

Notes: The Fleetwood Mac song Oh Well - Part One has been removed from the DVD.

Video Releases

Released as Doctor Who: Spearhead from Space.

Released:
 * First Release:
 * UK February 1988
 * PAL - BBC Video BBCV4107
 * Australia/NZ April 1990
 * US April 1991
 * NTSC - Warner Video E1163

Notes: Released in an edited movie-format, with the Fleetwood Mac song Oh Well - Part One removed.


 * Second Release:
 * UK February 1995
 * PAL - BBC Video BBCV5509

Notes: Released unedited.

Target Novelisations

 * Novelised as Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion in 1974 by Terrance Dicks.