Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly I love this story. It mixes the adventure yarns of Troughton with the mature reasoning and originality of early Hartnell. I even like the soundtrack. No, really. Honestly, I do.
James Cooray Smith@thejimsmith I love it.
Feels odd on the tellybox, I like the novelty of it though.
James Cooray Smith@thejimsmith I like that a LOT because it annoys exactly the people who deserve to be annoyed most. It's GREAT.
I think you grow out of the petulant "Doctor Who's not his name" stage, it used to bug me, now I find it very charming!
James Cooray Smith@thejimsmith It's a very 80s fan cringe.
Lee Thacker@FubsyShabaroon I think you'll find that 'Doctor Who' was the creator, not the monster.
Mr Villiers@MrVilliers Assure me this is the film script...I'm feeling v tense
David Quantick@quantick HE'S CALLED DOCTOR WHO HE'S CALLED DOCTOR WHO KNEES UP KNEES UP DON'T GET THE BREEZE UP HE'S CALLED DOCTOR WHO.
...and disturb what appears to be a dinosaur with a hangover.
Like any good Doctor Who monster, the glove puppet says "roar!"
50dw50@50dw50 not "kklak" ?Davis is killed, while Spencer runs for his life, terrified out of his wits.
Exiled to Earth by his own people, the Time Lords, Doctor Who currently occupies the post of Scientific Advisor to UNIT. To enforce his exile, the Time Lords immobilised his TARDIS, took away his memory of time travel theory and forced him to regenerate!
Now in his third incarnation, he's a tall man with a lined young-old face and a shock of white hair. He tends to be dressed in narrow trousers, a frilled shirt, velvet jacket and a flowing cloak, but right now he's in overalls, hard at work, tinkering beneath a 1930s style yellow roadster that he's christened "Bessie". The Brigadier has made good on his promise at the end of Spearhead from Space, then!
Love the Doctor singing Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky here. All together now, "Twas brillig and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe..."
The Doctor's scientific assistant, Doctor Elizabeth Shaw - Liz - pops by. Luckily she doesn't take it personally that the Doctor's named the car after her (given it a variation of her name, anyway).
She's been asked to pass on a message from the Brigadier: "Miss Shaw and the Doctor will report themselves forthwith to Wenley Moor."
The Brig wants them to attend a briefing meeting, but "I never report myself anywhere, particularly not forthwith!"
Liz (almost) tells him that it would make a nice trip to see the nearby caves...
...so the Doctor relents...
James Cooray Smith@thejimsmith I love that shot, the series suddenly intersects with the real world....and agrees to drive Liz round the bend in Bessie.
At the underground atomic research centre...
...Nyder is laying down the law. It's Peter Miles, always guaranteeing a rivetting performance.
50dw50@50dw50 while a potential 4th Dr Who sits looking bored.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly He would have been a brilliant Doctor. Love Fulton McKay, the 'orrible nerk.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly It's slowly dawning on the technicians that they haven't actually joined a Bond villain's organisation. Very disappointed.
The Brig introduces Doctor Lawrence, Director of the research centre, his number two, Doctor Quinn, and Major Baker, station security officer.
Lawrence is peeved by the Doctor's lack of attention as he explains that they're using their Cyclotron, AKA proton accelerator, to discover a way to provide cheap, safe, atomic energy.
They're on the verge of being able to convert nuclear energy directly to electrical power, but they've suffered a double blow in the shape of of an abnormally high rate of personnel breakdowns...
...and unexplained leakages in the power supplied by the nuclear generator - which is why UNIT are on the case.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Instead of techincal experts and psychologists. Lucky Doc and Liz have just joined, otherwise UNIT would be naff all use.
Major Baker is precious about security arrangements, but the Brig wants them triple checked. Major Baker was in the 1st ever Morse, along with Patrick Troughton.
The Brig puts Liz in charge of HR.
50dw50@50dw50 HR, thats a useful task for a lady with three science doctorates.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Erm, I did save the world last week. But, no, hows about I do some admin for now, eh?"
50dw50@50dw50 she is lucky they did not ask her to make the coffee.
When the Doctor causes a kerfuffle bcause he's mislaid his sonic screwdriver, Lawrence hopes that he's not proposing to dismantle the cyclotron with a screwdriver, as it's "a piece of equipment worth fifteen million pounds".
The Doctor rejoinders that "it's not worth fifteen million pins if it doesn't work, is it?"
The Brigadier demonstrates a rare moment of diplomacy by smoothing Doctor Lawrence's ruffled feathers with the suggestion that Doctor Quinn from Slade prison on Fraggle Rock gives the Doctor and Liz a gander at the cyclotron.
Major Baker wants to bend the Brig's ear about his own theory: saboteurs, and he suspects someone on the inside...
Doctor Quinn proudly shows off the cyclotron, in the deepest part of the research centre.
Quinn admits that if one of the power drains occurred during one of their tests, the cyclotron could become a giant atomic bomb. But I'm sure that won't happen before the story's out.
Liz has a bit of a funny turn but gets down to work.
Quinn laments Lawrence's ban on potholing since the death of Davis...
...and puts missing log entries down to the fact that it's normally maintained by Spencer, the injured man.
But the Doctor has noted some scraps of paper near the binding; the pages that might have revealed the pattern of the power leaks have been torn out.
Maybe Major Baker's on to something after all.
Liz encounters resistance from Dr. Meredith, the local medic, when she wants to review the centre personnel's medical records.
The Doctor is interested in seeing Spencer in particular, and tells Dr. Meredith that as an associate of UNIT he has authority to do precisely as he likes.
He loves being with UNIT when it suits him, doesn't he!
50dw50@50dw50 just 3 being his naturally horrid self!
Apparently, the shock of seeing a dinosaur has turned Spencer into Caveman Banksy.
50dw50@50dw50 a young Chris Achilleos there.
Spencer goes ape when the Doctor, wanting to know what the strange figures he's sketching are, startles him.
TonyCross @Lokster71 I always liked the fact that Silurians triggered some kind of race memory in humans that freaked them out. Creepy.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly What nobody's mentioning is he was like this before the shock, only now he poops in the corner.
Dr. Quinn & Miss Dawson are all conspiratorial.
"You've got to tell them to stop...."
"Either they don't listen, or they don't understand..."
Who's "they"? What do Quinn & Dawson know...?
50dw50@50dw50 hot sweet love?
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Cold bitter rutting, if you ask me.
The Brig is mildly amused by Baker's confusion about the Doctor's official status, or lack thereof.
The Doctor has worries of his own to report.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly I like to think they all turned traitor. Something about the Brig just brings the worst out in them.
Baker sees a shadowy figure and takes a pot shot, so Rex gives him a slap.
50dw50@50dw50 Bakers first name is Claude ?
By the time the Doctor and the Brig arrive on the scene, the shadowy figure is nowhere to be seen...
...but it has left a trail of blood so the Doctor nabs a sample.
Baker has winged an asthmatic with red-eye, who makes it to the moors.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Great direction. Sorry, I haven't got a gag for this. It's just really good stuff.
The Doctor has rumbled that there are two types of creature on the go here; the larger "guard dog" style T.Rex, and a smaller, intelligent one that controls the former.
I like that we have intrigue re: the nature of the creatures; we're light years away from one-dimensional invaders.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Is this the most sophisticated script the show's produce thus far?
Reckon so. This whole season is so radically different from the season that preceded it. I'd never have said Troughton's era was childish, but this is a hell of a lot more adult. Is it a bit po-faced? Maybe, but it's got a magnetic intensity about it; really draws you in.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly The Crusade had complexity in dialogue, and The Sensorites had sophistication in ideas (for the time), but I think this beats them. It had childish moments, but there was variety in styles. This is far more focused. It makes Season 6 look sillier by comparison.
50dw50@50dw50 season 7 is just amazing, my fave of the Per-tweet era
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Mine too. Stuffed full of good ideas, cool music, direction, teeters on the edge of ridiculousness but never falls. Pertwee's isn't my favourite era, but Season 7 is my favourite season. It's astonishing. Not perfect, but near enough.
Lawrence is peeved by the Doctor's lack of attention as he explains that they're using their Cyclotron, AKA proton accelerator, to discover a way to provide cheap, safe, atomic energy.
They're on the verge of being able to convert nuclear energy directly to electrical power, but they've suffered a double blow in the shape of of an abnormally high rate of personnel breakdowns...
...and unexplained leakages in the power supplied by the nuclear generator - which is why UNIT are on the case.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Instead of techincal experts and psychologists. Lucky Doc and Liz have just joined, otherwise UNIT would be naff all use.
Major Baker is precious about security arrangements, but the Brig wants them triple checked. Major Baker was in the 1st ever Morse, along with Patrick Troughton.
The Brig puts Liz in charge of HR.
50dw50@50dw50 HR, thats a useful task for a lady with three science doctorates.Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Erm, I did save the world last week. But, no, hows about I do some admin for now, eh?"50dw50@50dw50 she is lucky they did not ask her to make the coffee.When the Doctor causes a kerfuffle bcause he's mislaid his sonic screwdriver, Lawrence hopes that he's not proposing to dismantle the cyclotron with a screwdriver, as it's "a piece of equipment worth fifteen million pounds".
The Doctor rejoinders that "it's not worth fifteen million pins if it doesn't work, is it?"
The Brigadier demonstrates a rare moment of diplomacy by smoothing Doctor Lawrence's ruffled feathers with the suggestion that Doctor Quinn from Slade prison on Fraggle Rock gives the Doctor and Liz a gander at the cyclotron.
Major Baker wants to bend the Brig's ear about his own theory: saboteurs, and he suspects someone on the inside...
Doctor Quinn proudly shows off the cyclotron, in the deepest part of the research centre.
Quinn admits that if one of the power drains occurred during one of their tests, the cyclotron could become a giant atomic bomb. But I'm sure that won't happen before the story's out.
Liz has a bit of a funny turn but gets down to work.
Quinn laments Lawrence's ban on potholing since the death of Davis...
...and puts missing log entries down to the fact that it's normally maintained by Spencer, the injured man.
But the Doctor has noted some scraps of paper near the binding; the pages that might have revealed the pattern of the power leaks have been torn out.
Maybe Major Baker's on to something after all.
The Doctor is interested in seeing Spencer in particular, and tells Dr. Meredith that as an associate of UNIT he has authority to do precisely as he likes.
He loves being with UNIT when it suits him, doesn't he!
50dw50@50dw50 just 3 being his naturally horrid self!
50dw50@50dw50 a young Chris Achilleos there.
Spencer goes ape when the Doctor, wanting to know what the strange figures he's sketching are, startles him.
TonyCross @Lokster71 I always liked the fact that Silurians triggered some kind of race memory in humans that freaked them out. Creepy.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly What nobody's mentioning is he was like this before the shock, only now he poops in the corner.
Dr. Quinn & Miss Dawson are all conspiratorial.
"You've got to tell them to stop...."
"Either they don't listen, or they don't understand..."
Who's "they"? What do Quinn & Dawson know...?
50dw50@50dw50 hot sweet love?Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Cold bitter rutting, if you ask me.The Brig is mildly amused by Baker's confusion about the Doctor's official status, or lack thereof.
In the cyclotron room, technician Roberts begins to feel the same effects that briefly overcame Liz.
The Brig isn't convinced by the Doctor's circumstantial evidence.
"Not exactly a little Sherlock Holmes yourself" says the Doctor...
...purely to set up the comeback: "Come on, Doctor Watson!" when there's another power drain.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly And there, ladies and gentlemen, was the Brig's one and only moment of self esteem whilst talking to the Doctor.
In the Cyclotron room, technician Roberts has his own private meltdown...
...but luckily the Doctor's there to help, taking over and shutting the section down before the reactor can go critical.
When Liz shares Davis' autopsy report with him, and it likens the abrasions on his body to "claw marks", the Doctor can contain his curiosity no longer...
...and has to see the caves for himself.
There he finds the remains of the ill-fated expedition's kit...
...and sure enough is soon at the mercy of the cave monster!
Rawwwrrrrr! Dinosaur! End of part 1!
Life would be so much easier if I had my own pet T-Rex, you know.
Weird, the end credits just fade out. Never noticed that before. I think people pay more attention to the obvious ones in the opening credits, hence not noticing the end so much.
Rex is called off with some sort of dog whistle, leaving the Doctor to investigate his footprints. Clawprints. Whatever.
The Brig is none too happy to hear that the Doctor went into the caves alone.
Major Baker readies supplies, glad of an excuse to search the caves...
As UNIT prepare to search for him, the Doctor returns. "This all looks very exciting, may I come too!"
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Cue audience laughter, applause and music link to next scene.
Doctor Lawrence bemoans the disruption caused by the Doctor's disappearance and reappearance...
...which rattles Quinn & Dawson, who are shiftily worried about the attention being drawn to the caves.
The Brig's sceptical about the "subterranean Loch Ness Monster", but agrees to search the caves.
Major Baker just wants someone to shoot at.
Although the cave monster appears to have covered its' tracks, the trigger happy Major takes off at the first hint of a reptilian rumble.
The Brig sends baby Avon after him.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Brig gets through a few Captains before Yates shows up. And even he doesn't end well.
Let's hope he doesn't space out during an important test or anything.
The Brig isn't convinced by the Doctor's circumstantial evidence.
"Not exactly a little Sherlock Holmes yourself" says the Doctor...
...purely to set up the comeback: "Come on, Doctor Watson!" when there's another power drain.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly And there, ladies and gentlemen, was the Brig's one and only moment of self esteem whilst talking to the Doctor.In the Cyclotron room, technician Roberts has his own private meltdown...
...but luckily the Doctor's there to help, taking over and shutting the section down before the reactor can go critical.
When Liz shares Davis' autopsy report with him, and it likens the abrasions on his body to "claw marks", the Doctor can contain his curiosity no longer...
...and has to see the caves for himself.
The caves look great. Always fun to see the Doctor in civvies too. Especially Pertwee, who's usually so dressed up.
There he finds the remains of the ill-fated expedition's kit...
...and sure enough is soon at the mercy of the cave monster!
Rawwwrrrrr! Dinosaur! End of part 1!
Life would be so much easier if I had my own pet T-Rex, you know.
Rex is called off with some sort of dog whistle, leaving the Doctor to investigate his footprints. Clawprints. Whatever.
Major Baker readies supplies, glad of an excuse to search the caves...
As UNIT prepare to search for him, the Doctor returns. "This all looks very exciting, may I come too!"
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Cue audience laughter, applause and music link to next scene.
...which rattles Quinn & Dawson, who are shiftily worried about the attention being drawn to the caves.
The Brig's sceptical about the "subterranean Loch Ness Monster", but agrees to search the caves.
Provided Liz stays behind. "For once" the Doctor agrees that Liz needs to stay back and be patronized.
Major Baker just wants someone to shoot at.
Although the cave monster appears to have covered its' tracks, the trigger happy Major takes off at the first hint of a reptilian rumble.
The Brig sends baby Avon after him.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Brig gets through a few Captains before Yates shows up. And even he doesn't end well.
The first couple do seem to just leave. Pretty sure Munro in the Invasion ends up with Isobel. UNIT dating for you.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly I like to think they all turned traitor. Something about the Brig just brings the worst out in them.
50dw50@50dw50 Bakers first name is Claude ?By the time the Doctor and the Brig arrive on the scene, the shadowy figure is nowhere to be seen...
...but it has left a trail of blood so the Doctor nabs a sample.
Baker has winged an asthmatic with red-eye, who makes it to the moors.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Great direction. Sorry, I haven't got a gag for this. It's just really good stuff.
Back at the centre, the Doctor & Liz analyze the blood sample and identify its owner as reptilian.
The Doctor has rumbled that there are two types of creature on the go here; the larger "guard dog" style T.Rex, and a smaller, intelligent one that controls the former.
I like that we have intrigue re: the nature of the creatures; we're light years away from one-dimensional invaders.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Is this the most sophisticated script the show's produce thus far?Reckon so. This whole season is so radically different from the season that preceded it. I'd never have said Troughton's era was childish, but this is a hell of a lot more adult. Is it a bit po-faced? Maybe, but it's got a magnetic intensity about it; really draws you in.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly The Crusade had complexity in dialogue, and The Sensorites had sophistication in ideas (for the time), but I think this beats them. It had childish moments, but there was variety in styles. This is far more focused. It makes Season 6 look sillier by comparison.
50dw50@50dw50 season 7 is just amazing, my fave of the Per-tweet eraSimon Threadgold@dimwittedly Mine too. Stuffed full of good ideas, cool music, direction, teeters on the edge of ridiculousness but never falls. Pertwee's isn't my favourite era, but Season 7 is my favourite season. It's astonishing. Not perfect, but near enough.
Lawrence is on another fume, as Quinn has naffed off to his cottage. The Doctor lets Miss Dawson defend her partner in crime then impresses on her that he wants a quiet word with Quinn himself.
Doctor Quinn's wandered into the Silurian red light district.
(Pitch) forking hell! There's something in my barn! Get on to the police! Well, get on with it, woman! etc.
Avon's got the troops well organised, but Nyder wants to bend the Brig's ear.
The Doctor's given the reactor a good sonic screwdriver-ing, but it's ship-shape after all.
Nyder intends to write to the Permanent Under-Secretary! Oh noes!
"Never could stand that man!" Is there some history between the Doctor & Lawrence? Odd remark.
The Brigadier gets a call from the local police about the farmer found dead in his barn, which rather puts a downer on the Doctor's theories.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Liz's expression right there is the moment she decided to go back to Cambridge ASAP. "These blokes are morons."
"Heart failure! You might say he died of fear!" Or, indeed, of heart failure.
"She was found paralysed with fear - she may have seen something." D'you think?
Doris Squire is terrified by the Doctor's shonky impression of Spencer's cave art, but lets on that the creature that killed her husband is still in the barn.
Yep, still in the barn, where they left Liz at the forensics...
The Silurian costume on location seems decidedly greener than its' studiobound counterparts.
Liz should have heard that Silurian a mile off, it keeps playing the kazoo.
Liz is unconscious as the Doctor & the Brig race to her rescue. Not having been born there, the Silurian shuts the barn door.
Dawson visits Quinn at his cottage...
...he's about to set off to play hunt the Silurian.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Barn door opening by HAVOC!" 
Liz relates what she saw: "It was like a reptile, but it walked upright like a man."
The Silurian's been at the old DIY and made a new back entrance for the barn.
When Quinn turns up feigning concern for Liz, the Doctor calls him on his skiving from work, noting his miraculous recovery from his lurgy.
Love the Helicopters being referred to as "Windmill" in the UNIT callsigns.
The Doctor is having none of Quinn's BS, and Liz points how far out of his way he's come to swing by the barn.
Quinn's one of those annoying buggers who stands around playing stupid bleeping music on his mobile in public.
Avon heard that same ringtone in the caves.
50dw50@50dw50 even when he was young Darrow did not look young.
Ol' red eye finally meets up with the bleeping Quinn.
The Doctor & Brig are just too late to find them, but clock Quinn's tyre tracks.
Back at the centre, Major Baker is desperate to see the Brig.
Obviously has a thing for 'taches.
Shame the outside of Quinn's cottage is so studio. It's a lovely little set otherwise.
The Doctor invites himself in for a nosey round the cottage.
He's just dropped by to "fix Quinn's thermostat." Bow-chicka-wow-wow.
After dropping some very unsubtle hints that he knows exactly what's going on, the Doctor has to admit defeat...
...so goes back to the centre to ransack Quinn's office instead, with a little help from Liz.
They find evidence that Quinn has taken a special interest in the Silurian era of Earth's history. Love that globe.
Got all this way without mentioning the colour! Shows how much I just take it for granted now! I remember seeing this off UKGold in B&W! The colour VHS was great, even better on DVD. Miracles have been worked!
Ben Morton@MidBoulevard Got this on VHS.. It's quite nice seeing it in black and white!
Yeah, I always thought The Ambassadors of Death looked great in B&W.
Cameron Yarde Jnr@CameronYardeJnr Watching those UK Gold repeats on a loop then they manages to colourise The Daemons and Silurians. CULTURE SHOCK!
IIRC UK Gold even continued to show the B&W versions of them and Terror of the Autons for a little while *after* the colourisations.
Michael Donaghue@mdonaghue75 yep they really suit being black and white.
The Doctor and Liz's snooping meets with much indignation from Miss Dawson.
When the Doctor warns her that Quinn is in danger, she seems on the verge of admitting something...
...until the Brigadier clodhops in.
She scarpers to warn Quinn, but he's busy locking up his Silurian gimp.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Poor cow. Spurned for a reptile. If only she'd agreed to wear the "specialist" costume he bought her in Dungeness.
Major Baker is dying for some action, but is sent back to bed by the Brig.
Lawrence has had enough and called in the Permanent Under Secretary.
The Doctor decides to take another crack at Quinn.
When he gets to Chez Quinn, the cottage is still as hot as a reptile house.
As the Master might say, Quinn's sat down in a chair and just... slipped away.
Well, that Silurian's bumped him off anyway.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly I like the idea that the Silurian has just been mooching about, trying on clothes, nibbling cheese and toilet rolls.
"Hello, are you a Silurian?"
"Nah, mate, and I ain't no Eocene, neither!"
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Best cliffhanger resolution ever. Feels revolutionary after years of running away, making a weapon, and killing monsters.
The Silurian looks at him like "What the eff is this guy on - a cape, really?"
James Cooray Smith@thejimsmith He is a dashing dandy man of action! What else is he supposed to wear?
The Silurian is several million years behind the superior fashions of JP. Proper troglodyte!
Another thing I'd barely noticed before is how Pertwee's costume is virtually the same the whole of season 7. I guess the red jacketed look of the likes of Day of the Daleks and The Three Doctors is most people's default image of his Doctor but I actually think the dark blue jacket, white shirt and red-lined black cape is my favourite.
The sound of traffic outside (thought Quinn's cottage was in the middle of nowhere?) startles the Silurian and it barges past the Doctor, escaping back to the moor after being held prisoner by the late Quinn. The Doctor barks a warning that "Unless you Silurians tell us what you want, the humans will destroy you!" but it's too late, the creature is gone.
After doing his homework...
...Major Baker jumps Sergeant Hart. You just can't keep him down.
"He seems to have used it on you alright"? Be fair, it was the other arm!
Baker returns to the caves and is captured almost immediately.
He's really put his foot in it!
Liz's criticism of the Brigadier's plan to invade the caves goes unheeded.
Was Quinn any help? Nah, useless. Dead useless.
Admitting to Liz that Quinn is pining for the fjords, the Doctor plans to go back down into the caves ahead of the soldiers.
Liz books her place on the expedition by threatening to squeal to the Brig if she can't come. "On your own head be it!"
Bek Hobbes@Greebobek Sounds like The Famous Five on LSD. Looking for smugglers but finding lizard men instead.
The 3rd Doctor's wise to deadly floor traps right from the start.
The Doctor and Liz follow Quinn's map to the Silurian shelter...
...and use the pager to get into their club.
Major Baker is hanging round in a cell. Worst. Go-go dancer. Ever.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Major Baker just spends his life aggressively jumping to the wrong conclusion. I like him.
Turns out the Silurians are using the power from the reactor to bring their people out of hibernation.
We've all had mornings like that when only a nuclear reactor will get us out of bed.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Right, that's four of us awake. Only another 722,947,863 to go."
Not sure why Rex starts chuckling at them before it does a proper roar. "Hurr hurr hurr!" Sounds quite pervy.
With Quinn missing presumed skiving, the man on the control desk is "Travis". Obviously had a tip off that Avon was nearby.
The Permanent Under Secretary is going down in the lift. Just another political scandal waiting to happen.
Just when you think things are settling down, up pops Geoffrey Palmer!
Lawrence is caught on the hop as there's been a bit of a cock-up on the coffee front.
Neither does he quite get the support he was expecting. "I'm under very heavy pressure from the Minister. The future of this centre is very much in question."
Masters is even preared to give credence to the reports from the Brigadier and his team. "His team? That crazy Doctor and a girl?" A GIRL? URGH! FANCY LETTING A GIRL BE A SCIENTICIAN! WHATEVER NEXT!
The Doctor and Liz return, pausing only to confirm that there was a power leak at the centre at the same moment they witnessed the Silurian revival process.
The Doctor isn't interested when Lawrence tries to introduce Masters: "I've got no time to talk to Under Secretaries, Permanent or otherwise!"
Masters is the bearer of bad news all round. There'll be no extra troops for the Brigadier.
It's not bad news from the Doctor's point of view, but he's got some explaining to do when he claims to know what's going down in the caves.
The Silurians have individual characters and differing opinions. No "monster race" here. When Baker refuses to answer questions about the human race's weapons the Young Silurian wants to kill him, but the Old Silurian thinks he merits further study.
Miss Dawson scuppers any chance of the Doctor getting a peaceful approach out of the Brig when she spoilers Quinn's death.
She's in no doubt that the Silurians are hostile and that it's kill or be killed.
At this news Masters is persuaded to support the Brigadier, much to the Doctor's horror; he still feels diplomacy is what's needed.
"Not an invasion by a lot of big booted soldiers. Small booted soldiers fine. Crocs the Silurians might even like."
So it's back to the caves, where the Doctor tries a more direct approach in the hope that the Silurians will listen to reason instead.
They chuck him in a cage. Charming.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Given other Silurians have human faces and wear clothes, I get the impression these guys weren't popular in the species.
50dw50@50dw50 cannot see Jenny snogging that though.
The Brigadier's mob descend into the caves, but find themselves sealed in...
The Doctor is simply trying to prevent The Massacre. Hartnell would *not* approve.
The Doctor asks if they've spoken to the humans yet, but the Young Silurian retorts: "I have destroyed them. And now I shall destroy you!"
End of part 4! The young Silurian gives the Doctor such a headache we have to change discs.
The Old Silurian rescues the Doctor from his younger, hotheaded, counterpart...
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "What have I told you about murdering prisoners?" "Shut up! You ain't my muva!" "... YES I AM!"
...but seems happy enought to leave the Brig and his men trapped and running out of oxygen.
The UNIT troops are stuck with no power. It's only the start of the 70s. Better get used to that, lads.
Masters is very impressed by what Liz has to show him.
The Doctor pleads with the Silurians to speak with him and - after Baker's attempt to throttle him for mentioning the bombs that could wipe them out meets with a dose of red-eye from the Old Silurian - the Doctor is freed from his cage for a natter.
Now Robbins has gone all cave Banksy.
The alien invaders draw up their plans against the Silurians...
...with Miss Dawson continuing to bang the drum, and putting Liz on the spot as to the Doctor's plans.
Ever the politician, Masters opts to do nothing.
The Young Silurian co-opts the Scientist into his crusade against the "apes"...
...which spells trouble for Major Baker.
The Silurians went into hibernation to evade a small planet passing by Earth & drawing off the atmosphere. Yay science!
Robbins' cave art is really coming on, but he's not in the mood for any constructive criticism from Avon.
The Old Silurian is obviously a Lennon fan; he wants to Give Peace a Chance. He frees Avon & the Brig.
Liz is more of a Blondie fan; she's Hanging on the Telephone. Or by it, anyway.
The Brig's gone off the Jam, though; no more Going Underground for him.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly UNIT are more The Clash. "I fought the barn door, the barn door won."
The Scientist tells the Young Silurian of a bacteria they used to use to keep the pesky apes off their crops...
They uncage Baker, but his attempt to do a runner is short-lived, much to pervy Rex's amusement.
The Doctor says he can't speak for the humans as they're not his people but he'll sue for peace on behalf of the Silurians.
The Old leader goes to arrange his release but the Doctor has to sit tight behind a force barrier in the meantime.
When Major Baker awakes, it appears his escape attempt was successful so he heads back to the surface, blissfully unaware that he's been weaponised by the Young Silurian.
The Old Silurian learns of Baker's infection so frees the Doctor without further ado to begin work on a cure.
Baker makes it back to begin accusing the Doctor of collaborating with the Silurians...
...but the Time Lord returns with the deadly diagnosis.
Love the way JP keeps his potholding helmet on at a jaunty angle.
Baker thinks the Doctor is just making excuses, but the contagion acts quickly, and he soon succumbs.
The Young Silurian, hearing that his leader has softened towards the ill & vulnerable humans, stages a coup.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly I still like to think that, before becoming a politician, Masters was a doctor and had a terrible stay at a Torquay hotel.
Masters leaves for London. I think we can guess what'll happen next.
Ruther@Ruther2 Train cancelled cos of leaves on the line?
Ha! Imagine that - virus outbreak contained by usual incompetence on the British rail network!
As Major Baker runs out of the hospital, only to collapse in front of the Doctor and the Brig, their worst fears are confirmed.
Lawrence has had enough and called in the Permanent Under Secretary.
Masters is coming? That jackanapes?
The Doctor decides to take another crack at Quinn.
When he gets to Chez Quinn, the cottage is still as hot as a reptile house.
As the Master might say, Quinn's sat down in a chair and just... slipped away.
Well, that Silurian's bumped him off anyway.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly I like the idea that the Silurian has just been mooching about, trying on clothes, nibbling cheese and toilet rolls.
"Hello, are you a Silurian?"
"Nah, mate, and I ain't no Eocene, neither!"
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Best cliffhanger resolution ever. Feels revolutionary after years of running away, making a weapon, and killing monsters.The Silurian looks at him like "What the eff is this guy on - a cape, really?"
James Cooray Smith@thejimsmith He is a dashing dandy man of action! What else is he supposed to wear?
Another thing I'd barely noticed before is how Pertwee's costume is virtually the same the whole of season 7. I guess the red jacketed look of the likes of Day of the Daleks and The Three Doctors is most people's default image of his Doctor but I actually think the dark blue jacket, white shirt and red-lined black cape is my favourite.
The sound of traffic outside (thought Quinn's cottage was in the middle of nowhere?) startles the Silurian and it barges past the Doctor, escaping back to the moor after being held prisoner by the late Quinn. The Doctor barks a warning that "Unless you Silurians tell us what you want, the humans will destroy you!" but it's too late, the creature is gone.
After doing his homework...
...Major Baker jumps Sergeant Hart. You just can't keep him down.
"He seems to have used it on you alright"? Be fair, it was the other arm!
Baker returns to the caves and is captured almost immediately.
He's really put his foot in it!
Liz's criticism of the Brigadier's plan to invade the caves goes unheeded.
Was Quinn any help? Nah, useless. Dead useless.
Admitting to Liz that Quinn is pining for the fjords, the Doctor plans to go back down into the caves ahead of the soldiers.
Liz books her place on the expedition by threatening to squeal to the Brig if she can't come. "On your own head be it!"
Bek Hobbes@Greebobek Sounds like The Famous Five on LSD. Looking for smugglers but finding lizard men instead.
The 3rd Doctor's wise to deadly floor traps right from the start.
...and use the pager to get into their club.
Major Baker is hanging round in a cell. Worst. Go-go dancer. Ever.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Major Baker just spends his life aggressively jumping to the wrong conclusion. I like him.
Turns out the Silurians are using the power from the reactor to bring their people out of hibernation.
We've all had mornings like that when only a nuclear reactor will get us out of bed.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Right, that's four of us awake. Only another 722,947,863 to go."
Not sure why Rex starts chuckling at them before it does a proper roar. "Hurr hurr hurr!" Sounds quite pervy.
With Quinn missing presumed skiving, the man on the control desk is "Travis". Obviously had a tip off that Avon was nearby.
The Permanent Under Secretary is going down in the lift. Just another political scandal waiting to happen.
Just when you think things are settling down, up pops Geoffrey Palmer!
Lawrence is caught on the hop as there's been a bit of a cock-up on the coffee front.
Neither does he quite get the support he was expecting. "I'm under very heavy pressure from the Minister. The future of this centre is very much in question."
Masters is even preared to give credence to the reports from the Brigadier and his team. "His team? That crazy Doctor and a girl?" A GIRL? URGH! FANCY LETTING A GIRL BE A SCIENTICIAN! WHATEVER NEXT!
The Doctor and Liz return, pausing only to confirm that there was a power leak at the centre at the same moment they witnessed the Silurian revival process.
The Doctor isn't interested when Lawrence tries to introduce Masters: "I've got no time to talk to Under Secretaries, Permanent or otherwise!"
Masters is the bearer of bad news all round. There'll be no extra troops for the Brigadier.
It's not bad news from the Doctor's point of view, but he's got some explaining to do when he claims to know what's going down in the caves.
The Silurians have individual characters and differing opinions. No "monster race" here. When Baker refuses to answer questions about the human race's weapons the Young Silurian wants to kill him, but the Old Silurian thinks he merits further study.
Miss Dawson scuppers any chance of the Doctor getting a peaceful approach out of the Brig when she spoilers Quinn's death.
She's in no doubt that the Silurians are hostile and that it's kill or be killed.
At this news Masters is persuaded to support the Brigadier, much to the Doctor's horror; he still feels diplomacy is what's needed.
So it's back to the caves, where the Doctor tries a more direct approach in the hope that the Silurians will listen to reason instead.
They chuck him in a cage. Charming.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Given other Silurians have human faces and wear clothes, I get the impression these guys weren't popular in the species.
50dw50@50dw50 cannot see Jenny snogging that though.
"This planet is ours! It always has been!" The bacteria may have something to say about that.
The Brigadier's mob descend into the caves, but find themselves sealed in...
The Doctor is simply trying to prevent The Massacre. Hartnell would *not* approve.
The Doctor asks if they've spoken to the humans yet, but the Young Silurian retorts: "I have destroyed them. And now I shall destroy you!"
End of part 4! The young Silurian gives the Doctor such a headache we have to change discs.
The Old Silurian rescues the Doctor from his younger, hotheaded, counterpart...
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "What have I told you about murdering prisoners?" "Shut up! You ain't my muva!" "... YES I AM!"
...but seems happy enought to leave the Brig and his men trapped and running out of oxygen.
The UNIT troops are stuck with no power. It's only the start of the 70s. Better get used to that, lads.
Masters is very impressed by what Liz has to show him.
The Doctor pleads with the Silurians to speak with him and - after Baker's attempt to throttle him for mentioning the bombs that could wipe them out meets with a dose of red-eye from the Old Silurian - the Doctor is freed from his cage for a natter.
Now Robbins has gone all cave Banksy.
The alien invaders draw up their plans against the Silurians...
...with Miss Dawson continuing to bang the drum, and putting Liz on the spot as to the Doctor's plans.
Ever the politician, Masters opts to do nothing.
The Young Silurian co-opts the Scientist into his crusade against the "apes"...
...which spells trouble for Major Baker.
The Silurians went into hibernation to evade a small planet passing by Earth & drawing off the atmosphere. Yay science!
Robbins' cave art is really coming on, but he's not in the mood for any constructive criticism from Avon.
The Old Silurian is obviously a Lennon fan; he wants to Give Peace a Chance. He frees Avon & the Brig.
Liz is more of a Blondie fan; she's Hanging on the Telephone. Or by it, anyway.
The Brig's gone off the Jam, though; no more Going Underground for him.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly UNIT are more The Clash. "I fought the barn door, the barn door won."The Scientist tells the Young Silurian of a bacteria they used to use to keep the pesky apes off their crops...
They uncage Baker, but his attempt to do a runner is short-lived, much to pervy Rex's amusement.
The Doctor says he can't speak for the humans as they're not his people but he'll sue for peace on behalf of the Silurians.
The Old leader goes to arrange his release but the Doctor has to sit tight behind a force barrier in the meantime.
When Major Baker awakes, it appears his escape attempt was successful so he heads back to the surface, blissfully unaware that he's been weaponised by the Young Silurian.
The Old Silurian learns of Baker's infection so frees the Doctor without further ado to begin work on a cure.
Baker makes it back to begin accusing the Doctor of collaborating with the Silurians...
...but the Time Lord returns with the deadly diagnosis.
Love the way JP keeps his potholding helmet on at a jaunty angle.
Baker thinks the Doctor is just making excuses, but the contagion acts quickly, and he soon succumbs.
The Young Silurian, hearing that his leader has softened towards the ill & vulnerable humans, stages a coup.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly I still like to think that, before becoming a politician, Masters was a doctor and had a terrible stay at a Torquay hotel.
Against the Doctor's advice, Baker's been moved to the local hospital, spreading the virus...
Masters leaves for London. I think we can guess what'll happen next.
Ruther@Ruther2 Train cancelled cos of leaves on the line?
Ha! Imagine that - virus outbreak contained by usual incompetence on the British rail network!
As Major Baker runs out of the hospital, only to collapse in front of the Doctor and the Brig, their worst fears are confirmed.
"Is he dead?"
"Yes, the first one." Love these 'dramatic statement cliffhangers' in season 7.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Yes, the first one. Well, at least I'm safe. Time Lord biology. Liz? Fancy chillin' in the TARDIS for a few months?"
The Brigadier's dropped his stick! Probably in surprise at that "Doctor Who JON PERTWEE" caption bleeding in. He has to pull his gun on the hospital staff to get a meaningful quarantine started.
The Doctor & Liz get into white medical gear; she wants to give him a little prick. Ba-dum-tish.
"D'you think pumping broad spectrum antibiotics into everyone will do any good?"
"I just like injecting people, okay?"
The Brig gets under the Doctor's feet then pressgangs Liz, who channels Dr. McCoy in response: "I am a scientist, not an office boy!"
It's a lovely change of pace to see all these scenes of London on film.
Naturally enough, the cop car arrives seconds too late, as Masters has already hailed a cab.
The Doctor gets a swanky new microscope, and with no news on Masters it's a race against time to find a cure.
Back in their shelter, the Young Silurian's reign of terror begins as his minions carry away the corpse of the Old leader. "I am the leader now! I might rearrange some of the furniture, and those curtains are going."
Not only is the power is going to his head, his arrogance means he refuses to believe that the Doctor will be able to find a cure.
Nyder accuses Liz of slacking off and refuses to have his jabs.
The police ring the Brig to tell him London's a big place. How helpful.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Oi, Frank. I told him." "What?" "I said London's a big place." "You never?" "I did." "Blimey." "That showed him."
UNIT dating controversy exhibit A: still using pounds, shillings and pence for the taxi...
A bubblegum popping UNIT guard is taken by surprise in the caves as the Young Silurian gives him the red-eye.
But Sgt. Hart redeems himself as he raises the alarm,mobilising Avon & co. to keep the Silurians below ground when they make a push for the surface.
With his bloodied nose, the Young Silurian re-evaluates and decides - in a pre-West Wing "walk & talk"! - that maybe it's a good idea to capture the Doctor as an insurance policy after all.
The Doctor needs a blood sample from an infected patient, and asks Liz to fetch it for him.
All along the trail of Masters' journey, Londoners begin to drop like flies.
Great direction from Tim Combe for Masters' death, succumbing to the virus in the street.
Masters is a gonner. He might come back in the next Parliament as the Mistress, though...
The Doctor and Liz work (ahem) feverishly...
...but with little success.
Pertwee on about having lived "several thousand years" again.
Bek Hobbes@Greebobek Maybe it is like cat/dog years? Seven years for every human year?
"Yes, the first one." Love these 'dramatic statement cliffhangers' in season 7.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Yes, the first one. Well, at least I'm safe. Time Lord biology. Liz? Fancy chillin' in the TARDIS for a few months?"
The Brigadier's dropped his stick! Probably in surprise at that "Doctor Who JON PERTWEE" caption bleeding in. He has to pull his gun on the hospital staff to get a meaningful quarantine started.
The Doctor & Liz get into white medical gear; she wants to give him a little prick. Ba-dum-tish.
"D'you think pumping broad spectrum antibiotics into everyone will do any good?"
"I just like injecting people, okay?"
The Brig gets under the Doctor's feet then pressgangs Liz, who channels Dr. McCoy in response: "I am a scientist, not an office boy!"
It's a lovely change of pace to see all these scenes of London on film.
Naturally enough, the cop car arrives seconds too late, as Masters has already hailed a cab.
The Doctor gets a swanky new microscope, and with no news on Masters it's a race against time to find a cure.
Back in their shelter, the Young Silurian's reign of terror begins as his minions carry away the corpse of the Old leader. "I am the leader now! I might rearrange some of the furniture, and those curtains are going."
Not only is the power is going to his head, his arrogance means he refuses to believe that the Doctor will be able to find a cure.
Nyder accuses Liz of slacking off and refuses to have his jabs.
The police ring the Brig to tell him London's a big place. How helpful.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "Oi, Frank. I told him." "What?" "I said London's a big place." "You never?" "I did." "Blimey." "That showed him."
UNIT dating controversy exhibit A: still using pounds, shillings and pence for the taxi...
A bubblegum popping UNIT guard is taken by surprise in the caves as the Young Silurian gives him the red-eye.
But Sgt. Hart redeems himself as he raises the alarm,mobilising Avon & co. to keep the Silurians below ground when they make a push for the surface.
With his bloodied nose, the Young Silurian re-evaluates and decides - in a pre-West Wing "walk & talk"! - that maybe it's a good idea to capture the Doctor as an insurance policy after all.
The Doctor needs a blood sample from an infected patient, and asks Liz to fetch it for him.
All along the trail of Masters' journey, Londoners begin to drop like flies.
Great direction from Tim Combe for Masters' death, succumbing to the virus in the street.
Masters is a gonner. He might come back in the next Parliament as the Mistress, though...
...but with little success.
Pertwee on about having lived "several thousand years" again.
Bek Hobbes@Greebobek Maybe it is like cat/dog years? Seven years for every human year?
Nice theory! Pertwee was an old sea dog after all.
The long hours are starting to take their toll on Liz.
The Brig hears the news today, oh boy...
A crowd of people stood and stared; They'd seen his face before. Nobody was really sure if he was from the House of Lords...
And though the news was rather sad, he breaks it to Liz too.
The Doctor begins to tire...
...but the virus is having an even worse effect on Dr. Lawrence.
Bek Hobbes@Greebobek Lawrence here reminds me of Paranoia in that Red Dwarf episode...
He's gone a bit barmy.
Now he's gone a bit dead.
"I'm a streaker!" exclaims the Doctor, finding an effective cure at last. [That joke (c) Planet of the Spiders.]
The cure works, with the Doctor's guinea pig making a speedy recovery...
...so the Doctor only needs to write the formula out and they can begin mass production.
The Silurians penetrate the weakest spot...
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "You know we've got a drill for this sort of..." "No! We use our head rays!"
Luckily for them, this means they can emerge right outside the Doctor's temporary laboratory.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "I'll be with you in just a moment. If you could pop your clothes on the stool."
The Doctor is plainly startled by their attack...
UNIT are holding back the Silurians at the cave mouth, but there's going to be an anxious wait while the Doctor transcribes the formula.
Er, yeah, about that...
The Brig is not a patient man, requiring Liz to make the Doctor's excuses.
Avon arrives to find the Silurians have pinched the Doctor and done a really shoddy patch up job on the wall.
"The Daily What? How did you get hold of this number?"
Liz finds the Doctor gone and signs of a struggle, but she might just be able to recreate the vaccine from his abandoned notes.
The Young Silurian is incensed to discover the cure for his plague's been discovered, but smugly tells the Doctor of his promotion.
Liz still has some work to do as the Doctor didn't get the chance to write down the complete formula before being nabbed.
The Silurians plan to use the reactor to make the Earth uninhabitable for humans, but it's been switched off, meaning they'll need to force the Doctor to reactivate it for them.
The long hours are starting to take their toll on Liz.
The Brig hears the news today, oh boy...
A crowd of people stood and stared; They'd seen his face before. Nobody was really sure if he was from the House of Lords...
And though the news was rather sad, he breaks it to Liz too.
The Doctor begins to tire...
...but the virus is having an even worse effect on Dr. Lawrence.
Bek Hobbes@Greebobek Lawrence here reminds me of Paranoia in that Red Dwarf episode...
He's gone a bit barmy.
Now he's gone a bit dead.
"I'm a streaker!" exclaims the Doctor, finding an effective cure at last. [That joke (c) Planet of the Spiders.]
The cure works, with the Doctor's guinea pig making a speedy recovery...
...so the Doctor only needs to write the formula out and they can begin mass production.
The Silurians penetrate the weakest spot...
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "You know we've got a drill for this sort of..." "No! We use our head rays!"
Luckily for them, this means they can emerge right outside the Doctor's temporary laboratory.
The Silurians enter the research centre and attack the Doctor with their deadly kazoos.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly "I'll be with you in just a moment. If you could pop your clothes on the stool."
The Doctor is plainly startled by their attack...
UNIT are holding back the Silurians at the cave mouth, but there's going to be an anxious wait while the Doctor transcribes the formula.
Er, yeah, about that...
The Brig is not a patient man, requiring Liz to make the Doctor's excuses.
Avon arrives to find the Silurians have pinched the Doctor and done a really shoddy patch up job on the wall.
"The Daily What? How did you get hold of this number?"
Liz finds the Doctor gone and signs of a struggle, but she might just be able to recreate the vaccine from his abandoned notes.
The Young Silurian is incensed to discover the cure for his plague's been discovered, but smugly tells the Doctor of his promotion.
Liz still has some work to do as the Doctor didn't get the chance to write down the complete formula before being nabbed.
The Silurians plan to use the reactor to make the Earth uninhabitable for humans, but it's been switched off, meaning they'll need to force the Doctor to reactivate it for them.
They drain the last of the energy from the centre...
...but it's not enough to continue the revival process.
Liz & the Brig are examining the scorch mark on the wall when it suddenly begins to dissolve before their eyes.
The Silurians return to the scene of the crime, the Doctor in tow.
When the Silurians threaten the Brigadier, Avon sacrifices himself.
"Oh my god, they killed Avon! You bastards!"
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly His dying words were "prepare the Timelash". Time-wimey...
The technicians are so busy with the reactor that they don't seem all that fussed when reptilian bipeds invade.
The Doctor co-operates to save lives, agreeing to connect the Silurian device to the reactor.
"What is the purpose of this machine."
"It charges our phones up and gives us better reception in these caves."
The Silurians want to destroy Ray Alan's belt. No big fans of Lord Charles, obviously.
There's not enough power coming through yet - the snoozy Silurians want another ten minutes in bed.
The Doctor tips Liz the wink to play along then drop all the control rods on his signal.
Sure enough, they trick the Silurians by overloading their disperser unit...
...so the reptile men return to their hibernation to wait out the fallout.
But the plan is not a total success: The Silurians have jammed the lift, so with no way out the Doctor has no choice but to defuse the reactor... or die!
The hibernation units are faulty meaning one of them has to stay behind to activate the machinery.
The Young Silurian will die, but swears the Scientist to destroying the apes when he awakes in 50 years...
Nice Tattoos the Doctor's got. Time-Lord criminal brand, my arse, though.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Doc got that right after Spearhead. Night out celebrating. Brig did it with a penknife and some ink, drunk as Hell.
The Doctor very nearly says "reverse the polarity of the neutron flow," but doesn't.
No sooner has he saved the day...
...than the Doctor goes back to the caves.
When the Young Silurian attacks him...
...the Brig pops up and shoots him down.
The Doctor plans to reawaken the Silurians one by one to reason with them.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly If this was Troughton, he'd be laying the explosives personally and setting deadly traps for anyone who comes within 500 ft.
A short while later, the Doctor leaves the centre with Liz, looking forward to the scientific discoveries that can be made.
The Young Silurian isn't dead, and gathering the last ounces of his strength he tries to work the hibernation machinery.
Oh dear. Without getting too far down the road away from the centre, Bessie's broken down.
The Doctor has his own patented engine defuzzer that quickly does the trick.
The delay means they witness the Silurian base being blown to smithereens, and it dawns on them that the Brigadier has gone behind their backs.
The explosions, followed by the smoke drifting hauntingly across the moors, are so effective.
"That's murder!" What an ending. Bit abrupt, though.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly One of the best endings ever, let down by the fact the Doc stays with UNIT. He knows which side his bread's buttered.
50dw50@50dw50 big problem with native reptile stories is that we know they cannot win, thats why the New Adventures did the alternate history story.
M.R.Michael@The_Cybermatt Isn't that true of any Earth story though? How often do the monsters win?
50dw50@50dw50 true!
Ruther@Ruther2 has anyone ever read John Blackburn's Children of the Night? Looks like it could be an unacknowledged source.
...but it's not enough to continue the revival process.
Liz & the Brig are examining the scorch mark on the wall when it suddenly begins to dissolve before their eyes.
The Silurians return to the scene of the crime, the Doctor in tow.
When the Silurians threaten the Brigadier, Avon sacrifices himself.
"Oh my god, they killed Avon! You bastards!"
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly His dying words were "prepare the Timelash". Time-wimey...
The technicians are so busy with the reactor that they don't seem all that fussed when reptilian bipeds invade.
The Doctor co-operates to save lives, agreeing to connect the Silurian device to the reactor.
"What is the purpose of this machine."
"It charges our phones up and gives us better reception in these caves."
The Silurians want to destroy Ray Alan's belt. No big fans of Lord Charles, obviously.
There's not enough power coming through yet - the snoozy Silurians want another ten minutes in bed.
The Doctor tips Liz the wink to play along then drop all the control rods on his signal.
Sure enough, they trick the Silurians by overloading their disperser unit...
...so the reptile men return to their hibernation to wait out the fallout.
But the plan is not a total success: The Silurians have jammed the lift, so with no way out the Doctor has no choice but to defuse the reactor... or die!
The hibernation units are faulty meaning one of them has to stay behind to activate the machinery.
The Young Silurian will die, but swears the Scientist to destroying the apes when he awakes in 50 years...
Nice Tattoos the Doctor's got. Time-Lord criminal brand, my arse, though.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly Doc got that right after Spearhead. Night out celebrating. Brig did it with a penknife and some ink, drunk as Hell.
The Doctor very nearly says "reverse the polarity of the neutron flow," but doesn't.
No sooner has he saved the day...
...than the Doctor goes back to the caves.
When the Young Silurian attacks him...
...the Brig pops up and shoots him down.
The Doctor plans to reawaken the Silurians one by one to reason with them.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly If this was Troughton, he'd be laying the explosives personally and setting deadly traps for anyone who comes within 500 ft.
A short while later, the Doctor leaves the centre with Liz, looking forward to the scientific discoveries that can be made.
The Brig has other plans...
The Young Silurian isn't dead, and gathering the last ounces of his strength he tries to work the hibernation machinery.
Oh dear. Without getting too far down the road away from the centre, Bessie's broken down.
The Doctor has his own patented engine defuzzer that quickly does the trick.
The delay means they witness the Silurian base being blown to smithereens, and it dawns on them that the Brigadier has gone behind their backs.
The explosions, followed by the smoke drifting hauntingly across the moors, are so effective.
"That's murder!" What an ending. Bit abrupt, though.
Simon Threadgold@dimwittedly One of the best endings ever, let down by the fact the Doc stays with UNIT. He knows which side his bread's buttered.50dw50@50dw50 big problem with native reptile stories is that we know they cannot win, thats why the New Adventures did the alternate history story. 
M.R.Michael@The_Cybermatt Isn't that true of any Earth story though? How often do the monsters win?50dw50@50dw50 true!
I do love Blood Heat. Quite enjoyed the DWM comic strip take on an alternate Silurian history too, as well as Gary Russell's Missing Adventures sequel, the Scales of Injustice.
Ruther@Ruther2 has anyone ever read John Blackburn's Children of the Night? Looks like it could be an unacknowledged source.
No, will have to look it up! To the library!
TTFN! K.
Coming Soon... Final Genesis
TTFN! K.
Coming Soon... Final Genesis
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