Season 4, Story 7/9, Serial JJ: 4 x 25min episodes, 11th March to 1st April 1967, Writer: Ian Stuart Black, Director: John Davies, Script Editor: Gerry Davis, Producer: Innes Lloyd
The story begins with a tight close-up of eyes stricken by terror - the Macra Terror!
In a futuristic colony, the happy inhabitants are preparing for a celebration...
But the troubled Medok shatters the peace with his warning cries, and is pursued by Security chief Ola and his guards.
Medok makes it outside, where the TARDIS arrives...
As the Doctor and his friends arrive, they bump into Medok, which allows Ola and the guards to capture him.
Ola orders Medok taken to the Pilot of the Colony.
The Doctor is concerned about police brutality.
The Colony is almost too happy, with its' holiday camp music.
There's an announcement from the Controller, whom Polly likes the look of, to welcome the TARDIS travellers to the colony.
The travellers are taken to the colony spa, where Polly enjoys a shampoo...
...and Ben is happy to have a massage.
Jamie is worried about what the ladies will do to him. Yeah, right.
The Doctor is horrified to find he's been scrubbed up well, so jumps into the "rough and tumble" machine to re-scruffinate.
Just at the moment, the captured Medok is dragged past, shouting that creatures infest the camp at night.
"Have fun while you can, before they crawl all over you!"
The Doctor wants to know more about these 'crawling insects'...
Ola wants to send the Doctor to work in the pit for allowing Medok to escape...
...but he's let off with a warning as he didn't know the law of the colony. The Pilot is very reasonable.
Ola is edgy about rumours of crawling creatures, though.
The TARDIS crew learn that the colonists all work in shifts to refine gas, but are vague as to why...
Medok catches up with the Doctor and bends his ear about the creatures that he describes as "giant insects".
Why does such a happy colony need a curfew at night...?
The TARDIS crew are confined to the cubicles of their refreshing room...
...but the Doctor sneaks out again.
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker he loves a good sneak!
The Doctor finds Medok, but they're hunted by Ola's guards, who have orders to shoot to kill.
The Doctor and Medok are confronted by a giant crab-like creature! Cliffhanger!
Nick Mellish @nickmellish But... but there's no such thing as Macra?
Medok is so pleased to be proven right he gives himself away to Ola.
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker Don't blame him!
Medok tells Ola the Doctor will back him up, but "we don't want to know what the strangers think!"
The Doctor is hauled before the Pilot & tests out how new the technology is, as if to work out what time period this is, and whether the technology is ahead or behind of where it should be.
Ola announces that Medok has a new statement to make.
The escapee covers for the Doctor by saying he captured him.
The Pilot gets a sinister instruction from the Controller "They must begin to think like members of the Colony..."
As the Dotor's companions sleep...
"Jamie was tossing restlessly..."
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker Definitely a Kenneth!
Davad @davadsteel Great story for Ben. Highlights his different relationships with the 2 Doctors he travelled with and his need for authority.
DoctorWho finds a hidden wire in Polly's cubicle, and wrecks it.
Then he advises Polly to break all the rules. "Don't just be obedient. Always make up your own mind!"
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker good advice! Power to the People!
In the morning, Ben is a changed man. "Control knows what's best for us."
He runs off to report the Doctor for vandalism.
Ben has the Doctor hauled off to the hospital for correction...
When Polly resists and runs away, Ben gives chase into the mine...
Polly sees something with huge claws but Ben accuses her of trying to "dodge off"...
A huge claw grabs Polly...
...and Ben has no choice than to come to the rescue.
But there's another one behind them!
Taken to the Pilot once more, the Doctor not only admits his sabotage but he's proud of it!
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker such a rebel!
Ben & Polly make it back, but Ben denies what he saw. "There are no such thing as Macra!"
Jamie calls shenanigans on the Controller, forcing him to appear live on screen - but the real controller appears much older, more dishevelled and disorientated, than his publicity picture would have had them believe.
The voice that they've been hearing does not belong to the drained old man before them...
The voice belongs to someone else... the Macra! "They're in control!" screams Polly, as a giant claw looms into view and drags the Controller offscreen.
Episode 3 begins with the Controller dragged away, and the Pilot in denial...
The Pilot orders the Doctor and his friends into the pit, and the voice orders him to forget what he saw.
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker send them to the danger gang - that sounds quite..... dangerous.
Sounds like a terribly British version of the Suicide Squad!
DoctorWho disses the happy tune. "The man who wrote that ought to be sent to the Danger Gang, not us!"
In the pit they're reunited with Medok, hard at work.
The Doctor tries to break Ben's conditioning. "The voices may not be right, Ben."
Tim @parks8472 What nonsense, the voices are always right... they told me so :)
"If you spy on the others, watch out Jamie doesn't catch you. He's not so tolerant as I am!"
Jamie & Polly join Medok for a good probing.
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker This could be a record!
It's that naughty Pat wot does it :-P
The Doctor does some calculations by scribbling with a piece of chalk.
The Pilot is horrified that the Doctor seems to have discovered their secret formula.
Medok covers for Jamie's escape, but the guards are not permitted to follow anyway.
Ben's conditioning seems to be breaking down; he didn't report Jamie for nicking the keys.
Jamie makes his way down the forbidden shaft, where he comes face to claw with the Macra!
Jamie attempts a detailed scientific analysis by bunging a rock at it.
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker you'd expect this to be the cliffhanger.
The Controller orders the guards away and instead tells them to divert gas down Jamie's shaft. Jeepers!
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker no, I can't do it, Kenneth overload!
As the gas builds up, Jamie begins to choke, and the Macra grows stronger...
Jamie desperately tries to escape, but another Macra appears behind him!
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker great cliffhanger!
The Doctor begins part 4 by working frantically to reduce the gas and save Jamie.
Jamie stuffs himself into a crack to hide from the Macra.
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker Kenneth is exhausted!
Ola announces that Medok has a new statement to make.
The escapee covers for the Doctor by saying he captured him.
The Pilot gets a sinister instruction from the Controller "They must begin to think like members of the Colony..."
As the Dotor's companions sleep...
"Jamie was tossing restlessly..."
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker Definitely a Kenneth! 
While they sleep, a hypnotic voice tells them that they must be hapy working for the colony. Jamie is puzzled by Ben's attitude, but he explains "Can't just eat their nosh without helping out!"
Davad @davadsteel Great story for Ben. Highlights his different relationships with the 2 Doctors he travelled with and his need for authority.
Yes, excellent point!
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker The Doctor came into Polly's cubicle! It's a Kenneth-fest!
"You will not resist the sleeping gas. Breathe deeply. In the morning, when you wake, you will obey."
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker The Doctor came into Polly's cubicle! It's a Kenneth-fest! DoctorWho finds a hidden wire in Polly's cubicle, and wrecks it.
Then he advises Polly to break all the rules. "Don't just be obedient. Always make up your own mind!"
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker good advice! Power to the People!
In the morning, Ben is a changed man. "Control knows what's best for us."
He runs off to report the Doctor for vandalism.
Ben has the Doctor hauled off to the hospital for correction...
When Polly resists and runs away, Ben gives chase into the mine...
Polly sees something with huge claws but Ben accuses her of trying to "dodge off"...
A huge claw grabs Polly...
...and Ben has no choice than to come to the rescue.
But there's another one behind them!
Taken to the Pilot once more, the Doctor not only admits his sabotage but he's proud of it!
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker such a rebel!Ben & Polly make it back, but Ben denies what he saw. "There are no such thing as Macra!"
Jamie calls shenanigans on the Controller, forcing him to appear live on screen - but the real controller appears much older, more dishevelled and disorientated, than his publicity picture would have had them believe.
The voice that they've been hearing does not belong to the drained old man before them...
The voice belongs to someone else... the Macra! "They're in control!" screams Polly, as a giant claw looms into view and drags the Controller offscreen.
The Pilot orders the Doctor and his friends into the pit, and the voice orders him to forget what he saw.
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker send them to the danger gang - that sounds quite..... dangerous.
Sounds like a terribly British version of the Suicide Squad!
DoctorWho disses the happy tune. "The man who wrote that ought to be sent to the Danger Gang, not us!"
In the pit they're reunited with Medok, hard at work.
The Doctor tries to break Ben's conditioning. "The voices may not be right, Ben."
Tim @parks8472 What nonsense, the voices are always right... they told me so :)"If you spy on the others, watch out Jamie doesn't catch you. He's not so tolerant as I am!"
Jamie & Polly join Medok for a good probing.
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker This could be a record!It's that naughty Pat wot does it :-P
The Doctor does some calculations by scribbling with a piece of chalk.
The Pilot is horrified that the Doctor seems to have discovered their secret formula.
Medok covers for Jamie's escape, but the guards are not permitted to follow anyway.
Ben's conditioning seems to be breaking down; he didn't report Jamie for nicking the keys.
Jamie makes his way down the forbidden shaft, where he comes face to claw with the Macra!
Jamie attempts a detailed scientific analysis by bunging a rock at it.
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker you'd expect this to be the cliffhanger.
The Controller orders the guards away and instead tells them to divert gas down Jamie's shaft. Jeepers!
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker no, I can't do it, Kenneth overload!
DoctorWho has figured out that the gas isn't being diverted to kill Jamie, but because the Macra waiting there needs it.
As the gas builds up, Jamie begins to choke, and the Macra grows stronger...
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker great cliffhanger!The Doctor begins part 4 by working frantically to reduce the gas and save Jamie.
Jamie stuffs himself into a crack to hide from the Macra.
The Doctor has revolutionised the entire gas flow of the colony!
Now there'll be a gale blowing along Jamie's shaft. Apparently.
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker Kenneth is exhausted!
Yeah, I can imagine he's quite overcome.
"I'm not spending the rest of my life with a lot of old pipes!"
"Obey Control. Ring the bell. Rah, rah, rah!" WORST. CHEERLEADERS. EVER.
Jamie is mistaken for a dancer. The cheerleaders want something gay & cheerful so he gives them a Highland fling.
Just when Jamie thinks he can fling his way out of trouble, Ben the squealer arrives to squeal on him.
Ben's conditioning is on its last legs, it seems.
The Doctor & Polly make their way to the control centre...
...where they get a look at the real Controller!
The Macra are gas guzzling parasites that have enslaved the colony to produce the gas they need to live.
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker #Government
Johnny Spandrell @JohnnySpandrell love that shot. So much to wonder about. Did the audience actually see its crabby claws flailing at the control panel?
Ola & the Pilot clash about the discipline in the pits, as the Doctor & Polly return.
"You can't arrest us now we've given ourselves up. That's against the rules!"
The voice of the controller grows increasingly agitated & orders the Doctor arrested. The Pilot is starting to come around.
The Pilot risks trusting the Doctor and goes to see the true 'face' of the controller.
Ola tries to seize power from the Pilot...
...but the truth is getting out now. "I saw you, YOU are the Macra!"
"What can they do in 4 minutes, Doctor?"
"Well, Jamie..."
The Macra divert gas into the room, but Ben touches the forbidden instrument.
The pressure builds and, diverted back to them, kills the Macra. The Colony is free!
"A dance festival will be held every year in their memory & the winners will be awarded the Strangers' Trophy!"
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker the horror!
When he learns that the colonists want him to become the next Pilot, the Doctor Dances!
I like to imagine the Doctor & friends dancing off into the TARDIS like Morecambe & Wise at the end there.
TTFN! K.
Coming Soon... The Sea Devils
"I'm not spending the rest of my life with a lot of old pipes!"
"Obey Control. Ring the bell. Rah, rah, rah!" WORST. CHEERLEADERS. EVER.
Jamie is mistaken for a dancer. The cheerleaders want something gay & cheerful so he gives them a Highland fling.
Just when Jamie thinks he can fling his way out of trouble, Ben the squealer arrives to squeal on him.
Ben's conditioning is on its last legs, it seems.
The Doctor & Polly make their way to the control centre...
...where they get a look at the real Controller!
The Macra are gas guzzling parasites that have enslaved the colony to produce the gas they need to live.
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker #GovernmentJohnny Spandrell @JohnnySpandrell love that shot. So much to wonder about. Did the audience actually see its crabby claws flailing at the control panel?Ola & the Pilot clash about the discipline in the pits, as the Doctor & Polly return.
"You can't arrest us now we've given ourselves up. That's against the rules!"
The voice of the controller grows increasingly agitated & orders the Doctor arrested. The Pilot is starting to come around.
The Pilot risks trusting the Doctor and goes to see the true 'face' of the controller.
Ola tries to seize power from the Pilot...
...but the truth is getting out now. "I saw you, YOU are the Macra!"
"What can they do in 4 minutes, Doctor?"
"Well, Jamie..."
The Macra divert gas into the room, but Ben touches the forbidden instrument.
The pressure builds and, diverted back to them, kills the Macra. The Colony is free!
"A dance festival will be held every year in their memory & the winners will be awarded the Strangers' Trophy!"
Mark Walker @Mark_Walker the horror!
When he learns that the colonists want him to become the next Pilot, the Doctor Dances!
I like to imagine the Doctor & friends dancing off into the TARDIS like Morecambe & Wise at the end there.
TTFN! K.
Coming Soon... The Sea Devils
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