Frobe Reviews (5): Spearhead From Space

Come one, Come all! Welcome to yet another review by yours truly, Frobisher ( King Twat), I hope you all are having a splendid day. As you’ve read from the title, I’ll be reviewing the first ever coloured Doctor Who story;first ever Pertwee story and first ever Auton story. So sit back, relax and enjoy the review.

Frobe Reviews(5):

‘Spearhead From Space’

By Robert Holmes

Background Info:

Cast

Jon Pertwee—The Third Doctor

Caroline John—Liz Shaw

Nicholas Courtney — Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart

Hugh Burden — Channing

Derek Smee — Ransome

John Woodnutt — Hibbert

Neil Wilson — Sam Seeley

Betty Bowden — Meg Seeley

Hamilton Dyce — General Scobie

John Breslin — Captain Munro

Clifford Cox — Sergeant

George Lee — Corporal Forbes

Tessa Shaw — UNIT Officer

Antony Webb — Dr Henderson

Henry McCarthy — Dr Beavis

Helen Dorward — Nurse

Allan Mitchell — Wagstaffe

Talfryn Thomas — Mullins

Prentis Hancock — 2nd Reporter

Ellis Jones — Technician

Edmund Bailey — Museum Attendant

Production:

Directed by:Derek Martinus

Written by:Robert Holmes

Script editor: Terrance Dicks

Produced by: Derrick Sherwin

Series:Season 7

Length:4 episodes, 25 minutes each

First broadcast:3 January 1970

Last broadcast: 24 January 1970

Non-Spoiler Review:

After six years of Black and White, Doctor Who is back with a banger! Simple but very effective, ‘Spearhead From Space’ is a Quintessential viewing if you are just getting into Classic Who or just Who in general for its fantastic acting, likeable characters, intimidating foes and it’s just good old Pertwee innit?

Spoiler Review:

Plot/Setting:

The newly-regenerated Doctor is exiled to modern-day Earth by the Time Lords, where he becomes attached to the British branch of UNIT as their scientific adviser, ostensibly taking orders from Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Aided by Liz Shaw, the Doctor’s first task is to investigate a shower of mysterious meteorites which landed in the countryside. The Time Lord discovers that these are no ordinary meteorites: in fact, the plastic-controlling Nestenes have landed, intending to use their automated servants, the Autons, to take over the Earth.

As I said in the ‘Non-Spoiler’ section, the plot of this story is very simple but also quite effective at its intention of introducing a New audience to a new era of the show. If you want a action thriller where the stakes keep on rising from one part to the next, you’ve got it; if you want a quick and simple story, you’ve got it ( short for Season 7 standards).The Farmer ‘side-plot’ was a bit peculiar but brought back s clear grounded-ness the story may have needed. The Setting for the story being in Essex/London felt grounded and real rather than say, an alien planet, it felt semi-real in its approach of capturing extra-terrestrial encounters right on our door step without our knowledge ( further reinforced with the conversation between The Brig and Liz in how Liz has no clue about the events with the Yeti and the Cybermen from Season 5 and 6 respectively).

Characters:

Jon Pertwee is just outstanding in his first outing as ‘The Doctor’, he’s just so charismatic and just filled to the prim with charm and suaveness, from his silly antics in the wheelchair in Part 1 to fighting the Nestine Consciousness’s tentacles, he’ll always in sure you have a smile on your face for the duration of the story. Liz Shaw just has to be my favourite Third Doctor companion, she’s intelligent, capable and just has such great chemistry with Three, it’s a shame we didn’t get more of her but in this she’s just as cynical and great as ever. The Brigadier in this story acts as the ‘Ben and Polly’ or the companion, used to ease the viewer into the dramatic change in persona that the Doctor has went through, and he’s just simply great to his speech about the peculiarity and wonders of the Universe in Episode 1 to his shear action hero-esc behaviour; he’s just a delight to behold. Channing was a pretty decent antagonist, nothing special but not terrible, the actor does put on a great performance. The Autons, in my opinion, haven’t ever came to close to their appearance in this story, where they are just a true menace and capable machines of brutality, from shooting people down in the busy streets of Essex ( I think) to assassinating Ransome in the tent, they’re just a intimidating force. Hibbert’s growth in Episode 4 was just great to watch with his realisation of the catastrophes going on and then came sadly, his demise for his objections against Channing, didn’t really do much other than that sadly, I wish that was going on for the whole duration of the story :/. In general, every character had a time to shine in this story which really provided such a great experience.

Outsiders Perspective

“A great story, very good way of introducing the Third Doctor. They made Doctor Who in colour look amazing after six years of black and white, the Brigadier is a great character to bring but recurring and the Autons were very good in their first outing. Robert Holmes doesn’t fail to impress yet agin.”

Thank You H Bombs for your incredible input!

Conclusion:

In Conclusion, ‘Spearhead From Space’ is just a cracker of a experience with a tight plot and entertaining characters, there’s lots to enjoy for a arrange of people. Robert Holmes really hit the ground running with his first ever ‘phenomenal’ story ( sorry fans of The Krotons and The Space Pirates :/). This story is just the perfect introductory story for a era that is very well-ed and praised by the fan and publics’s consensus. So I give ‘Spearhead From Space’...

9/10

I hope you enjoyed my fifth entry into my abysmal review series, and I’ll catch you all around!