OVERALL EPISODE NUMBER: 258
STORY NUMBER: 052
TRANSMITTED: Saturday 31 January 1970
WRITER: Malcolm Hulke
DIRECTOR: Timothy Combe
SCRIPT EDITOR: Terrance Dicks
PRODUCER: Barry Letts
RATINGS: 8.8 million viewers
FORMAT: DVD: Doctor Who - Beneath the Surface (The Silurians/The Sea Devils /Warriors of the Deep)
EPISODE FORMAT: 16mm b&w film recording recoloured using 525 off air video
"It's absolutely incredible. It's thrown his mind back millions of years!"
Two men, Davis & Spencer, are caving when they're attacked by a dinosaur. Davis is killed and Spencer is badly injured. The Doctor is working on Bessie, his recently acquired vintage Roadster, when he & Liz are summoned to the Wenley Moor nuclear research centre, built into the Derbyshire cave complex. They have been suffering personnel trouble and power loss over the last 3 months. Their security chief Major Baker thinks someone is sabotaging the establishment. Deputy head scientist, Doctor John Quinn, tells how one of their technicians was killed and another injured pot holing. The Doctor finds discrepancies in their log, with pages of paper been removed. Liz checks the centre's medical records for any unusual occurrences. The Doctor persuades local medic Doctor Meredith to let him see Spencer, the man injured in the cave in. Spencer has reverted to a child like state drawing on the walls walls and tries to attack the Doctor. The Doctor thinks Spencer is afraid of something he's seen. Quinn and his assistant, Miss Dawson are worried, Miss Dawson wants "them" to stop but Quinn thinks that the knowledge he will gain is worth any risk. There's another power loss, but as the Cyclotron shutdown is initiated technician Roberts goes berserk and attacks Miss Dawson. he is detained and the Doctor attends to Roberts' tasks. Liz finds evidence of lots of neurosis amongst staff who have worked in Cyclotron room. She obtains Davis autopsy report which reveals he had claw marks on his body. Curious, the Doctor descends into the cave complex and is attacked by dinosaur...
For me, Doctor Who and the Silurians, the only Doctor Who story to have the show's name in the story title, has never been a go to story. At seven parts it's a bit too long to watch in an evening, so I haven't seen it too often: I think I'm approaching this with less than half a dozen viewings. I'm afraid the first episode has left me rather cold.
For an era that's known for it's location work the brief scenes filmed in Godalming High Street and on the Hog's Back are the only outside we see.
Beyond that it's a lot of people talking in rooms. And two brief glimpses of a dinosaur. Despite having some great acting talent involved this episode just doesn't sparkle.
Speaking of which.... Doctor Quinn (not the Medicine Woman!) is played by Fulton Mackay at this point four years before his career defining role as Mr Mackay, the Prison Officer in the superb Porridge. He'd previously appeared in the missing first season Out of the Unknown story Andover and the Android as Cullen. British readers on my age may also remember him as The Captain in the UK Version of Fraggle Rock.
Quinn's assistant Miss Dawson is played by Thomasine Heiner who I've seen as a Secretary in the Jeeves and Wooster episode Lady Florence Craye Arrives in New York (or, the Once and Future Ex).
Major Baker is a return to the show for Norman Jones previously Khrisong in the Abominable Snowmen who would return as Hieronymous in The Masque of Mandragora. Prior to Doctor Who he'd appeared in Out of This World, the ITV predecessor to the BBC's Out of the Unknown, as Monroe in Botany Bay, an original story by the future Doctor Who writer and Dalek creator Terry Nation. You can also find him on the big screen James Bond film You Only Live Twice as an Astronaut on the 1st American Spacecraft. He played Det. Insp. Perraut in the The Sweeney episode Bad Apple, Andy Drake in The Professionals: Need to Know, The first episode of the Porridge sequel Going Straight: Going Home as Mr. Tanner, with Fulton McKay again, and has a recurring role in the first two Inspector Morse as Chief Inspector, then Chief Superintendent, Bell, an officer who beats Morse to a promotion appearing in The Dead of Jericho, which also features Abominable Snowmen's Doctor Patrick Troughton, and Service of All the Dead, which has several Doctor Who guest stars in it!
On Doctor Who debut, playing research centre head Dr. Lawrence, is Peter Miles who'll return as Professor Whitaker in Invasion of the Dinosaurs and as General Nyder in Genesis of the Daleks. There's elements of Nyder in his performance here. Interestingly enough his Genesis co-star pops up in the next story! Miles has a rare full house of 70s BBC science fiction series: he's plays Cook in the missing penultimate first season Doomwatch episode Hear No Evil, Prof. Heinz Laubenthal in the Moonbase 3 episodes Departure and Arrival & Behemoth, Lincoln in Survivors Gone to the Angels and Secretary Rontane in the Blake's 7 episodes Seek-Locate-Destroy and Trial. You can also see him in The Sweeney episode Golden Boy as Bradshaw.
Briefly appearing as Davis is Bill Matthews who was a Waxwork Visitor/Auton Replica & Soldier in Spearhead from Space. He returns as a Prison Officer in The Mind of Evil, a Draconian in Frontier in Space, and a Villager in Planet of the Spiders. He was in Quatermass and the Pit as a Sightseer in The Halfmen, Man in Crowd in The Wild Hunt and a Sightseer in Hob, A for Andromeda as an Extra in The Murderer, Adam Adamant Lives!as a Man in Theatre in The Deadly Bullet and Doomwatch as a man in the episode The Islanders.
I can't see anything on the CV of John Newman's, who plays Spencer, that I recognise. However the IMDB listing for this episode has Davis & Spencer's names in the reverse order, which reveals the probable inspiration behind their names!
The Security Guard who checks Liz and The Doctor's pass is allegedly Pat Milner, who had been a Foot Soldier, Resistance Man & German Soldier in The War Games and a Unit Soldier in Spearhead from Space. He returns as a Unit Corporal in The Daemons, an Army Solider in Invasion of the Dinosaurs, an Android Unit Soldier in The Android Invasion and a Marine in Seeds of Doom, for which he also supplied a dog! You can also see him in Fawlty Towers as a CID Officer in A Touch of Class. According to the paperwork, another Security Guard was booked for this episode, Brian John, but in the end not used on-screen.
The Receptionist at the centre is Sheila Knight who had been Wigner's Secretary in The Tenth Planet and a Waxworks Visitor/Auton in Spearhead from Space. She's a Technician in episode 2 and returns as a Technician in Inferno.
Ah the technicians. ....
There are rather a lot of them this story, and they change from episode to episode.
Firstly those in just this episode:
Alan Viccars was an Aztec Warrior in The Aztecs, a Servant in The Massacre, and a Laboratory Assistant & Miner in The Underwater Menace.
David Billa first appeared as a Guard in The Savages then played a German Soldier in The War Games episode one, German/Roman Soldiers/Alien Technician in The War Games episode four. a Time Lord Technician in The War Games episode ten and a Waxworks Visitor/Auton in Spearhead from Space. He returns as a UNIT Soldier in Three Doctors, a Prison Guard & Earth Guard in Frontier in Space, a Spiridon in Planet of the Daleks a UNIT Soldier in The Green Death, a UNIT Soldier in Invasion of the Dinosaurs, a Soldier/Thal Soldier in Genesis of the Daleks and a Vogan in Revenge of the Cybermen. In Moonbase 3 he's a Technician in Departure and Arrival and Behemoth while in Doomwatch he's a Man in Flood.
Richard Lawrence was a Technician in The Tenth Planet, a Technician in Doctor Who and the Silurians, a Technician in Inferno and a Man in Pub/Coven in the The Daemons. In Doomwatch he's a Detective Constable in Fire and Brimstone and a Man in Flood.
Maggie Pilleau returns as one of the Complex Personnel in Hand of Fear, a Druid in The Stones of Blood, a Slave in Destiny of the Daleks, a Tourist in Louvre in City of Death and a Lady Passenger (40ish) in Timeflight. In Doomwatch she was a Computer Technician in Project Sahara, a Civil Servant in Fire and Brimstone and a Woman in Flood. In Blake's 7 she's a Mutoid in both Pressure Point and Hostage.
Michael Lomax returns as a Guard in the Deadly Assassin.
Mary Denton doesn't appear elsewhere in Doctor Who.
In both episodes 1 & 2 we have:
Norton Clark who had been a Greek Soldier in The Myth Makers and the Secretary in The Massacre. He returns as a Technician in Inferno. He was in UFO as the 1st Assistant Director in Mindbender and in Monty Python's Flying Circus he was a Gasman in Dinsdale!
Keith Goodman had been a Guard in The Savages, an English Soldier in The Highlanders, a Cyberman in The Moonbase, a Security Guard in Seeds of Death. he returns as a UNIT soldier in The Ambassadors of Death.
In episodes 1-2 & 4 are:
Alex Hood had been a Gond in The Krotons, a Man in Firing Squad, Prison Sentry &1917 British Soldier in The War Games, a Warrior in The Mutants and a SRS Bouncer/Officer/Audience member in The Robot. In Doomwatch he was a Man in The Islanders and in Monty Python's Flying Circus he was a Gasman in Dinsdale!
Barry Kennington had been a German & Roman soldier, an Alien Technician and a Resistance Man in The War Games. He returns as a UNIT Soldier in The Silurians and a Heavy in Ambassadors of Death. In Doomwatch he was a Man in Hear No Evil and The Islanders and in Monty Python's Flying Circus he played a Pantomime Animal in Blood, Devastation, Death, War and Horror.
In episodes 1 & 4 is Michael Earl who was a citizen & Lab Assistant in The Savages and an Atlantean Guard in Underwater Menace. He returns as a Technician in the Silurians, a Technician in Inferno, a Man in Pub/Coven & Villagers (inc Mr Greville) in The Daemons, a Time Lord in Deadly Assassin,
In episodes 1 & 7 is Cy Town who made is debut as an Auton in Spearhead from Space. he returns as a Technician in Inferno, a Prisoner, Audience Member & Medical Orderly in The Mind of Evil, a Gel Guard in Three Doctors, a Dalek in Frontier in Space & Planet of the Daleks, a Soldier in Invasion of the Dinosaurs, a Dalek in Death to the Daleks, a Dalek in Genesis of the Daleks, multiple Vogans in Revenge of the Cybermen, an Android Villager in Android Invasion, a Traveller, Drummer, Pikeman, Brother & Servant in The Masque of Mandragora, an Bi-Al member in The Invisible Enemy, a Guard in The Sun Makers, a Dalek in Destiny of the Daleks, a Castrovalvan Warrior in Castrovalva, a Guest Gambler in Enlightenment, a Dalek in Resurrection of the Daleks, a City Person in Street in Attack of the Cybermen, a Dalek in Revelation of the Daleks & Remembrance of the Daleks, Execution Victim Harold L & a drone in The Happiness Patrol and a Haemovore in The Curse of Fenric.
Outside of Doctor Who appears in the Monty Python's Flying Circus episodes Spam as a Surfer and The Money Programme as a Trumpeter plus the film Monty Python's The Meaning of Life as a Restaurant Diner. In Doomwatch he's a Man in Flood, he's a Technician in all six episodes of Moonbase 3, a Security Guard in The Sweeney Golden Boy, in Quadrophenia he's a hairdresser, in Blake's 7 he's a Rebel Technician/Federation Trooper in Blake, he's a Coach Passenger in Miss Marple: Nemesis and in Jeeves and Wooster he's the Vicar in Wooster with a Wife (or, Jeeves the Matchmaker). And if you want to know what he looks like outside of his Dalek shell then there's some screencaps of him on his Aveleyman page.
In episodes 1-2 & 7 we see:
Cara Stevens who was a person in the Square of Troy in The Myth Makers and a Waxwork Visitor/Auton Replica in Spearhead from Space.
Joan Harsant who returns as a Technician in Inferno and would have played Boedicia in Shada. In Quatermass and the Pit she was part of the Crowd at Museum in The Enchanted and In Adam Adamant Lives!: The Deadly Bullet she's as Old Woman/Woman in Theatre. In The Black Adder she was a Nun in The Archbishop and she had a recurring role as the Cleaning Lady in The Paradise Club.
In episodes 1-2 & 6-7 is Ronald Gough who was an Atlantean Guard in The Underwater Menace, He returns as a Technician in Inferno, a Skybase Guard in The Mutants, a Spiridon in Planet of the Daleks, an Army Soldier in Invasion of the Dinosaurs, a Zygon in Terror of the Zygons, a Marine & The Krynoid in The Seeds of Doom.
The last technician, for this episode, is Keith Ashley who is in episodes 1-2, 4 & 6-7. He was a Citizen & Male Elder in The Savages, an Atlantean Guard & Miner in The Underwater Menace, a Firing Squad Member in The War Games and an Auton in Spearhead from Space, He returns as a Technician in Inferno, a Villager in The Dæmons a Skybase Guard in The Mutants. a Villager in Planet of the Spiders, a Dalek Operator in Genesis of the Daleks, a Zygon in Terror of the Zygons, an Android Mechanic, Android Man in Canister and Man at Space Defence Station in The Android Invasion, a Krynoid & Sir Colin's Aide in The Seeds of Doom and a Peasant, Traveller, Workman Peasant & Brother in The Masque of Mandragora
There's also a single UNIT Soldier in this episode, who's also in episode 2 & 5-6. John Spradbury had been a Cyberman in The Invasion, a Foot Soldier & Alien Technician in The War Games. and a UNIT Soldier in Spearhead from Space. He'll gain more colleagues as the story progresses.
This is Barry Letts' first credited story as Doctor Who producer. A former actor, turned director, he had been behind the camera for Enemy of the World during which he had suggested that a Doctor Who season be scaled back to 26 episodes a year with a week's break between studio stories for location filming. The suggestion, popular with cast and crew, had been implemented for the show's 7th recording block starting with the previous story Spearhead from Space and when a new Producer was required, Letts was appointed. Letts recounts in his book, Who And Me: The Memoir of Barry Letts, that The Silurians was something of a baptism of fire! This episode had major problems on the first studio recording day: The scenery, provided by an outside contractor, wasn't ready and what little they had supplied wasn't usable. Staff were summoned from all over the BBC to make the studio ready for recording. At that time Doctor Who filmed one episode every week, albeit now with the added week in between stories for location filming, as it had done since the series started. Following a post mortem into events Letts proposed that the show moved to a two episodes a fortnight schedule with the episodes being shot on consecutive days. This would mean sets only had to be erected and struck once a fortnight, reducing workload & potential damage and allowing more complex sets to be built. To his surprise virtually everyone involved immediately loved the idea and it was adopted for the final story of the season, Inferno.
Finally this episode sees the debut of Bessie, the Doctor's yellow vintage Edwardian Roadster. It will be with us pretty constantly for the next few years and make sporadic appearances after that right up to the last season of the original Doctor Who.
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