With UNIT's investigation being blocked by the Replica of Scobie, the Doctor and Liz visit Madame Tussaud's to try and find out more as Channing prepares to activate the Autons.With UNIT's investigation being blocked by the Replica of Scobie, the Doctor and Liz visit Madame Tussaud's to try and find out more as Channing prepares to activate the Autons.With UNIT's investigation being blocked by the Replica of Scobie, the Doctor and Liz visit Madame Tussaud's to try and find out more as Channing prepares to activate the Autons.
- Auton
- (uncredited)
- Auton
- (uncredited)
- Passer-by
- (uncredited)
- Waxworks visitor
- (uncredited)
- Passer-by
- (uncredited)
- Auton VIP
- (uncredited)
- Waxworks visitor
- (uncredited)
- Passer-by
- (uncredited)
- Army Soldier
- (uncredited)
- Passer-by
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Robert Holmes
- Sydney Newman(uncredited)
- Donald Wilson(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaCaroline John was very actually creeped out while shooting the scene at Madame Tussaud's in darkness. Her panicked reactions were not completely acting.
- GoofsIn the wax museum, just after Liz remarks that "there are no astronauts," etc., the "mannequin" just over her right shoulder (dark-haired woman in blue dress) opens her eyes briefly and looks up before returning to her pose.
- Quotes
Doctor Who: Don't you realise that when I was stranded on this simple planet of yours I had nothing but these clothes- Oh, my goodness!
Liz Shaw: What is it, Doctor?
Doctor Who: Well, I just realised I don't even own these, I borrowed them from a hospital.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Lively Arts: Whose Dr. Who (1977)
Pertwee arrives properly by the end of the second episode and once I had gotten over the novelty of seeing a Doctor Who with sailor's tattoo on his arm, I did quite take to him mainly because here he carries out a little in the mould of Troughton but with a little bit more comedy in the character. The story around him is pretty good and in some ways must have done for mannequins what Blink did for statues – made these lifeless things into a source of nervousness for children everywhere. I liked this subverting of the ordinary and it was nicely unsettling as an idea. The money shots in particular are pretty memorable. Outside of that it has a decent enough build with a lot going on due to the characters being introduced. The final monster to be defeated is a bit rubbery and silly and doesn't work when viewed next to the much more chilling Autons.
The color does add quite a lot to this as well as it being set in modern (at the time) earth and this is another good change. Performances from the support is pretty good; I liked Courtney even if he played it a little too stiff. Caroline John starts as a scientific character and I hope this is something they can keep so she is not just a bit of totty running around needing saving – from the look of this it could go either way. Burden is nicely cold in the main villain role and generally the various supporting turns are decent.
I'm not sure how I will feel with this new model being the norm for the foreseeable future but this short serial shows potential. UNIT links to a bigger picture while the contemporary setting allows for the horror- lite aspect to play with the viewer by having the action occur in places that are familiar as opposed to a galaxy far, far away. I will miss Troughton as he has been my preferred Doctor so far but hopefully Pertwee can make for a solid replacement (although hopefully the wiggling eyebrows and some other silly moments are the extent of his comedic endeavors as it is important to stay the right side of hammy silliness).
- bob the moo
- Feb 22, 2014
- Permalink
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