CELEBRATING FORTY YEARS OF SEASON TWENTY: 'THE KING'S DEMONS'

Android problems for the Doctor in The King's Demons.

It's history but not quite as we know it, as our heroes land in thirteenth century England to discover that the renegade known as the Master has not only survived their last conflict and dispatch to the alien world of Xeraphas but has also brought a trophy prize weapon from that planet- the intriguing shape-shifting android Kamelion, whose test objective is to alter and pervert the course of events linked to the all-important signing of the Magna Carta treaty by King John, a move that will shape the course of politics and living in Britain for generations. And the only way to stop the Master? By the Doctor entering into a unique mind battle for control of Kamelion...

Never intended to be the Anniversary season closer, more an appetiser for the planned but scrapped epic finale with the Daleks, The King's Demons, a competent final story from then series regular Terence Dudley, is best enjoyed for what it is - a fun and mildly-engrossing-for-what-it-is two-parter, with lovely location footage (if looking brutally cold for the actors during filming in January 1983), efficient direction (from deliberately one-time only Who visualist Tony Virgo), a great supporting cast that rises above the thin material, and a fun turn from Anthony Ainley as that evil renegade, once again wearing a disguise, alongside a hammy French accent, as Sir Gilles Estram, and engaging in lively heavyweight sword-play with Peter Davison. 

Radio Times clippings from 1983.

The real guest star of the show however must surely be the android Kamelion, which looks impressive in atmospherically lit period scenes, and is a nice idea (if only for a single story), in the classic series. But it should ultimately have overloaded/blown itself to pieces during the mind battle between Time Lords - that would at least have given the season a kind of explosive bang later denied to it with the sad cancellation of the action-packed closer that was to have audience surprise-showcased the dreaded Daleks' return, handled in the kind of re-invented way that had brought the Cybermen back the previous year in the acclaimed Earthshock...  

The TARDIS travellers arrivals cause concern for King John's hosts, Ranulf (Frank Windsor) and Lady Isabella (Isla Blair).

At Bodiam castle in December 1982. Colourised image by Clayton Hickman.

The mysterious French Knight, Sir Gilles Estram observes the arrival of King John's 'demons' during a jousting session.

King John (Gerald Flood) and his mystery bodyguard enjoy table company. 

The Doctor and Tegan are concerned by the imposter King John.

The Doctor fights Sir Gilles in the castle of Lord Ranulf.

The identity of Sir Gilles Estram revealed.

The Master - escaped from Xeriphas!

The final confrontation for the control of Kamelion begins.

Book art by David McAllister.

Art for the In Vision magazine coverage of the story, by Jimmy Sangster.

Original VHS release art by Colin Howard.

UK DVD release sleeve image composition by Clayton Hickman.

Composition for the Doctor Who - The Complete History partwork series, by Lee Johnson.

Great fan art by Philip James Allison.

CRAFTING THAT 'BOHEMIAN' LOOK!

The classic first season posed publicity shoot for Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor, taken by Alan Ballard, circa January 1975.

"We had this picture in our minds of a self portrait by the French artist Toulose Lautrec showing his bohemian figure standing beneath a wide brimmed hat. We all agreed the Doctor should have the image of a French painter: an intellectual, nomadic figure who doesn't care too much for the neatness of his appearance. The idea was taken along to costume designer Jim Acheson who eventually come up with the loose fitting trousers, hacking jacket and waist-coat, plus of course, the felt hat."

Costume design sketch by James Acheson.

"I think that (the scarf) was Tom's own idea. He went along to the dressing session one afternoon to try on Jim's suggested outfit and the scarf was one of items present there courtesy of the Costumes Department."

Philip Hinchcliffe - Doctor Who - A Marvel Winter Special (1981)

SEASON TEN AT 50: 'FRONTIER IN SPACE'

 

The Master wants to initiate intergalactic war, and the Doctor and Jo are his unwilling pawns, in Frontier in Space. Colourized image by Clayton Hickman.

Materialising in the midst of a building galactic conflict between the expanding colonist Earth and the noble Draconian empires, the Doctor and Jo discover that the two wary powers are being manipulated into war by the Master and his blundering Ogron mercenaries, under orders from a third party - the Daleks. Crossing the persistent dangers of a Frontier in Space, the Doctor must rescue Jo from the Master, but not before his dreaded Skaroan enemies have finally revealed themselves...

On a cargo freighter, the Doctor and Jo are arrested as Draconian spies by Earth security.

The Doctor and Jo are brought to the Earth council and observed by the Draconians.

The Draconian ambassador (Peter Birrel).

The dumb but brutal Ogron mercenaries return.

A prison break for Jo and the Doctor.

The Draconians capture the Doctor for further interrogation. Offscreen, the Draconians proved to be Pertwee's favourite alien, the actor loving the mask design and creation..

The Master's prison ship arrives to collect the Doctor from the Moon's prison colony.

Behind you! A great posed publicity image for the story inside the Master's Prison ship.

Future spacecraft docking, and another fine model filming showcase for the BBC visual effects team.

A stronger-willed Jo Grant confers with the Master on his prison ship.

Rehearsals of the Draconian Emperor scene.

Newly discovered images from the fourth episode:

The secrets of 1970s Doctor Who revealed in newly discovered photos | Radio Times

The Daleks reveal themselves on the Ogron planet in a behind the scenes quarry location shot.

The Master and the Daleks plan the final stages of the galactic war.

If any story in the Jon Pertwee era could be considered a glorious, colourful and adventurous homage to the American classic Star Trek series, this one surely fits the bill: an overlong but nonetheless glorious tale from Malcolm Hulke, with a brilliant one-off (so far) appearance from the intriguing alien Samurai-esque Draconian species and lots of space faring model shots of varying kinds (using refurbished models from the various Gerry Anderson TV21 series) that would have impressed viewers back in 1973, and strong production values in costumes and set design. Roger Delgado delivers a splendid final performance as the Master, having some notable sparring matches with both the Doctor and a more mature and confident Jo Grant, and some hilarious dealings alongside the brutish and mostly incompetent Ogrons. That the story deliberately ends on a lead-in note to Planet of the Daleks proves a great idea, if not quite as well executed as it could have been due to studio filming time constraints. 

The multi-talented sculptor John Friedlander with one of his acclaimed Draconian face masks. Image: Radio Times.

Original Radio Times episodic listings.

Cover art by Phil Bevan.

UK VHS release sleeve art by Colin Howard.

US DVD release cover design by Clayton Hickman.

Adapted Target Book cover art by Chris Achilleos.

Get the Target book BBC AUDIO BOOKS adaptation here:

Doctor Who and the Space War (Audio Download): Malcolm Hulke, Geoffrey Beevers, BBC Audio: Amazon.co.uk: Books

ACTIVATING THE CYBERMATS!

The Doctor and his companions may think they have (at least temporarily) held back the dreaded, re-activated Cybermen from ascending into the control centre of the ancient Telos base, but the clever and logical silver beings will not stop at capturing them, sending out the intriguing Cybermat creatures in retaliation. 

A great publicity image, presumably taken at Ealing Film Studios, of the cute but deadly looking devices for The Tomb of the Cybermen.

CLASH OF THE WARRIORS!

Out on the desert plains of Troy, our heroic former astronaut Steven Taylor dons heavy armour, and the new identity of Diomedes, to sword fight the legendary and skilled fighter Achilles, in a memorable scene from the better-appreciated-with-age historical tale from Donald Cotton that also saw in the infamous Trojan Horse, The Myth Makers.

LEGENDS OF 'WHO': THE ORIGINAL 'SHOWRUNNER' - VERITY LAMBERT

Verity Lambert in the Doctor Who production office circa late 1964.

The former assistant/personal secretary to Sydney Newman during his innovative and successful time over at ABC TV during the early 1960's, it wasn't long before the articulate and savvy 27 year old Verity Lambert was soon brought over to work at BBC TV by her former boss, and soon given the challenging task of producing her first TV series, and a difficult one at that in the format of science fiction adventure for a regular Saturday afternoon family audience, originally commissioned for thirteen episodes...

An early shot of Verity Lambert at work at the BBC. Image colourization: Clayton Hickman.

The original TARDIS team with Verity, celebrating the series overseas success.

With one of her breakout stars whom she originally fought to keep in the series - the Daleks - at the London Planetarium, for a press event.

Getting a light from a Mechanoid during publicity for The Chase at Ealing Film Studios.

Beating the odds at the BBC, ignoring and fighting the male chauvinist attitudes of the snobby, elitist old school management resistance to a young woman having such a strong position in the corporation, and one hundred per cent fighting for the series in its pioneering early days, in everything from getting the series classic TARDIS (a name conceived by Lambert, according to director Waris Hussein) interior design created after lengthy delays, to holding fast in her superb casting decision of the original series cast quartet, and particularly its lead star who'd be specially courted and lured by Lambert in the gruff but series potential knowing star William Hartnell playing the mysterious explorer/space refugee of sorts known only as 'The Doctor'. As such early days of exciting production began, Lambert would go onto have a strong dynamic with her first script editor, David Whitaker, and soon knew what would and wouldn't work for the fledgling series - to say that she was producing a show that was innovative and paving new ground with regards to the the use of then current technology in design and special effects would prove an understatement, and a challenge to which she accepted head-on, continuing to stay ambitious and true to her guns with her creative vision for the show (buoyed on by talented new rising star director friends the likes of the aforementioned Waris Hussein and Douglas Camfield), of which her instincts soon proved on the nose via rapidly ascending audience figures and viewer acclaim. Lambert was also a keen publicity advocate, especially once the threat of the evil Daleks assured further ratings and merchandising success for the series by January 1964 and beyond, having fought her own boss in Sydney Newman to keep the creatures on when he tried to nix their original first appearance, concerned that they weren't right for the programme.

Verity meets the alien delegates on a press launch for Mission to the Unknown - her last episode before leaving the series. Colourised image by Mark Helvingham.

Once departing the show after two highly regarded seasons that would launch a legend, Lambert would always fondly remember and be rightly prideful of Doctor Who, but it's no surprise that such a talented and classy lady would become one of the UK's greatest film and TV producers, launching many further acclaimed hits in the years to come (like Minder, Jonathan Creek and Widows) and cement an incredible legacy with her sad passing on 22nd November, 2007.

Pioneering Doctor Who - The Early Days - BBC Website