AAA. Spearhead from Space
Writer: Robert Holmes
Director: Derek Martinus
Designer: Paul Allen
Incidental Music: Dudley Simpson
TRANSMISSION DETAILS:
254. Episode One 03.01.1970 5.15pm - 5.40pm 8.4M/54th/54%
255. Episode Two 10.01.1970 5.15pm - 5.40pm 8.1M/57th/---
256. Episode Three 17.01.1970 5.15pm - 5.40pm 8.3M/49th/---
257. Episode Four 24.01.1970 5.15pm - 5.40pm 8.1M/51st/57%
REPEAT DETAILS:
Episode One Fri 09.07.1971 6.20pm - 6.45pm 2.9M/115th
Episode Two 16.07.1971 6.20pm - 6.45pm 3.0M/102nd
Episode Three 23.07.1971 6.20pm - 6.45pm 3.4M/ 98th
Episode Four 30.07.1971 6.20pm - 6.45pm 3.9M/ 83rd
Episode One Tue 16.11.1999 6.00pm - 6.25pm
Episode Two 16.11.1999 6.25pm - 6.50pm
Episode Three 23.11.1999 6.00pm - 6.25pm
Episode Four 30.11.1999 6.00pm - 6.25pm
CAST:
CHANNING: Hugh Burden; CAPTAIN MUNRO: John Breslin; SAM SEELEY: Neil Wilson (1-3); DR HENDERSON: Antony Webb (1-2); CORPORAL FORBES: George Lee (1-2); MULLINS: Talfryn Thomas (1); NURSE: Helen Dorward (1); UNIT OFFICER: Tessa Shaw (1); TECHNICIAN: Ellis Jones (1); FIRST REPORTER (Michael Wagstaffe): Alan Mitchell (1); SECOND REPORTER (JIMMY): Prentis Hancock (1); GEORGE HIBBERT: John Woodnutt (2-4); MAJOR GENERAL SCOBIE: Hamilton Dyce (2-4); JOHN RANSOME: Derek Smee (2-3); MEG SEELEY: Betty Bowden (2-3); DR BEAVIS: Henry McCarthy (2); SERGEANT: Clifford Cox (3); ATTENDANT AT WAXWORKS: Edmund Bailey (4). UNCREDITED: UNIT CAR PARK ATTENDANT: Derrick Sherwin (1,2,4); VOICE OF DR LOMAX: Ellis Jones (1); AUTONS: Geoffrey Brightly, Ronald Mayer, Ivan Orton; FACTORY WORKERS: Christine Bradley, Constance Carling, Denis MacTighe, Brian Nolan, Lindy Russell, Rosemary Turner, Robert Windman; UNIT SOLDIERS: Roy Brent, Alan Cooper, Victoria Croxford, Trevor Cuff, Antonio De Maggio, Dave Dewhurst, Rachel Hipwood, Michael Horsburgh, John Hughes, Marie Johnson, June Johnson, Arthur Judd, Vicky Maxine, Patrick Milner, Dave Mobley, Robert Needham, Iain Smith, Hugh Wood; EXTRAS: Barry Ashton, Keith Ashley, Bernadette Barry, David Billa, Joy Burnett, Arnold Chazen, Alan Clements, Diana Collins, Fred
Davis, Gary Dean, Grace Dola, Michael Earl, Walter Goodman, Alan Granville, June Gray, Michael Harrison, Denis Haywood, Roger Houghton, Derek hunt, Alfred Hurst, Brian Justice, Vi Kane, Peter Kaukus, Barry Kennington, Leonard Kingston, Sheila Knight, Gideon Kolb, Doris Lang, Kenneth Lindford, Norman Littlejohn, Reg Lloyd, Anthony Maine, Claire Maine. Bill Matthews, David Melbourne, Roger Minnis, Lola Morrice, Robert Murphy, Lesley Pates, Maurice Quick, Henry Rainer, Laurence Ross, Christopher Rushton, Tom Segal, Maurice Selwin, Keith Simon, John Spradbury, Sandy Stel, Cara Stevens, Cy Town, Hein Viljoen, Sonny Willis
STORY:
A series of what are at first thought to be meteorites are tracked heading towards Earth. They land in Oxley woods where they are soon collected. A local poacher takes one first and hides it away.
U.N.I.T. are soon on the scene, and they manage to find nothing but a fragment of one of the objects, and a police box with an unknown figure laying outside.
The Brigadier has recruited a new scientific advisor, Liz Shaw, to aid them in the current mystery. On hearing about a man being found outside a police box he travels to a college hospital and meets up with the newly regenerated Doctor.
Together the Doctor, Liz and the Brigadier find that the meteorites are in fact energy pods for the Nestene Consciousness. The pods have been collected by Channing, boss of a now automated plastics factory, and are used to create the Autons, creatures with a deadly weapon located in the hand.
The Doctor finds the final pod, and the Nestene Conciousness is complete. Using a radio jamming device the Doctor is able to disbale all the Autons, and in turn destroy the Nestene Conciousness.
BLOOPERS:
Episode 1-4: General Scobee's epaulets have only two decorations, though a Royal Army general's epaulets have three decorations: a crown, diamond and crossed swords.
LOCATIONS:
Madame Tussauds, London; King's Cross Station, London; BBC Training Centre, Wood Norton; Guinness Factory, Acton
NOTES:
This was the first colour story and the only story to be made entirely on film
The story introduced new opening titles (again by an uncredited Bernard Lodge) and end credits that now no longer scrolled
In the opening titles, the story title enlarges from the centre of the screen. No audience appreciation figures are available for Episodes Two and Three
NOVELISATION:
The Auton Invasion Terrance Dicks
VIDEO:
Spearhead from Space
DVD:
Spearhead from Space
