Frontier in Space (TV story)

Synopsis
The Doctor and Jo are caught up in the escalating tension between planets Earth and Draconia, and discover that the Master is secretly working to provoke the two sides into all-out war.

Plot
The TARDIS arrives in the year 2540 on board an Earth spaceship, which then comes under attack. The crew perceive the Doctor, Jo and the attackers as Draconians, whose empire currently rivals Earth's for control of the galaxy. The Doctor and Jo, however, see that the attackers are really Ogrons.

The Ogrons stun everyone on board and steal the ship's cargo - including the TARDIS. Accused by the Earth authorities of spying for the Draconians, the Doctor is sent to the Lunar Penal Colony on the Moon while Jo is placed in the custody of a Commissioner from Sirius 4 - actually the Master. The Master rescues the Doctor and locks him and Jo up aboard a stolen police spaceship.

Once in flight, the ship is intercepted by the Draconians. Taken to Draconia, the Doctor is able to convince the Emperor of the Master's scheme to provoke a war using the Ogrons and a hypnotic device that makes those affected see whatever they most fear.

Jo is recaptured by the Master and taken to the Ogrons' home planet, where he also has the Doctor's TARDIS. The Doctor follows with General Williams - an emissary from the President of Earth - and a Draconian Prince. Behind the Master's plot are the Daleks, who want a war to break out so that they can invade in the aftermath. The Doctor and his party are placed in the Master's custody as the Daleks leave to prepare their forces, but they manage to escape.

Williams and the Draconian Prince depart to warn their respective peoples of the Daleks' intentions. The Doctor, though, is injured in the confusion. Jo helps him into the TARDIS, where he sends a telepathic message to the Time Lords...

Cast

 * The Doctor - Jon Pertwee
 * Jo Grant - Katy Manning
 * The Master - Roger Delgado
 * President of Earth - Vera Fusek
 * General Williams - Michael Hawkins
 * Draconian Prince - Peter Birrel
 * Gardiner - Ray Lonnen
 * Kemp - Barry Ashton
 * Hardy - John Rees
 * Stewart - James Culliford
 * Newscaster - Louis Mahoney
 * Draconian Space Pilot - Roy Pattison
 * Secretary - Karol Hagar
 * Professor Dale - Harold Goldblatt
 * Patel - Madhav Sharma
 * Prison Governor - Dennis Bowen
 * Cross - Richard Shaw
 * Sheila - Luan Peters
 * Technician - Caroline Hunt
 * Lunar Guard - Lawrence Harrington
 * Draconian Captain - Bill Wilde
 * Draconian Emperor - John Woodnutt
 * Draconian Messenger - Ian Frost
 * Earth Cruiser Captain - Clifford Elkin
 * Ogrons - Stephen Thorne, Michael Kilgarriff, Rick Lester
 * Congressman Brook - Ramsay Williams
 * Newscaster - Bill Mitchell
 * Pilot of Space Ship - Stanley Price
 * Daleks - John Scott Martin, Cy Town, Murphy Grumbar
 * Dalek Voice - Michael Wisher

Crew

 * Assistant Floor Manager - John Bradburn
 * Costumes - Barbara Kidd
 * Designer - Cynthia Kljuco
 * Film Cameraman - John Tiley
 * Film Editor - John Bush
 * Incidental Music - Dudley Simpson
 * Make-Up - Sandra Shepherd
 * Producer - Barry Letts
 * Production Assistant - Nicholas John
 * Script Editor - Terrance Dicks
 * Special Sounds - Dick Mills
 * Studio Lighting - Ralph Walton
 * Studio Sound - Brian Hiles
 * Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire
 * Title Music - Ron Grainer
 * Visual Effects - Bernard Wilkie, Rhys Jones

Story Notes

 * This story had the working title: Frontiers in Space

Ratings

 * Episode 1 - 9.1 million viewers
 * Episode 2 - 7.8 million viewers
 * Episode 3 - 7.5 million viewers
 * Episode 4 - 7.1 million viewers
 * Episode 5 - 7.7 million viewers
 * Episode 6 - 8.9 million viewers

Myths
to be added

Filming Locations

 * Hayward Gallery, Belvedere Road, Lambeth, London
 * Fitzroy Park, Highgate, London
 * Beachfields Quarry, Cormongers Lane, Redhill, Surrey

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
to be added

Continuity

 * The conclusion of this story ends on a cliffhanger leading straight into Planet of the Daleks.
 * Legacy of the Daleks is set (for the Master) after this story.
 * Love and War is most likely set after this story when Earth and Draconia are in relative peace.

DVD, Video and Other Releases
VHS: Released in August 1996. BBC Video 5640

Target Novelisations

 * Novelised as Doctor Who and the Space War by Malcolm Hulke in 1976.