CYBER FIREPOWER!

Their plans to stealthily take control of the Human's Weather control base thwarted, the Cybermen, now out en masse on the surface of the Moon, have no choice but to use even more brutal methods to gain access, so as to take over the Earth, as a heavy duty laser weapon is soon prepared for use. Another great image from The Moonbase, taken at Ealing Film Studios in early 1966.

Look out for the lovely new audio release of the classic story on LP from Demon Records. Available from September 19th, 2025.

Get the album here:

Doctor Who: The Moonbase by Doctor Who: Amazon.co.uk: CDs & Vinyl

"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS MACRA!"

The far-off Earth colony that the Second Doctor and his companions land on may seem like a jolly holiday camp, but what lies underneath the surface of the humans work, rest and play? Could such things as the crab-like Macra exist, manipulating them for their own life-sustaining purposes? Certainly not, the colonists tell the Doctor- such creatures don't exist. But we, the terrified viewers, and our onscreen heroes, know better...

Classic cover art for The Macra Terror special that was part of the excellent eighties fan partwork An Adventure in Space and Time. I assume it's by the late, great Stuart Glazebrook?  

TENTACLED 'FURY'!

A story rich in atmosphere and horror, Fury From The Deep remains an unforgettable adventure for so many viewers who were lucky enough to see it in its one and only original transmission back in 1968. From what can be seen in the surviving John Cura telesnaps its deletion from the BBC Archives is a genuinely tragic one, so anything that celebrated it back before audio and novels were released, helping to heighten its deserved acclaim, was much appreciated, like this splendid edition of CMS' acclaimed eighties published An Adventure in Space and Time partwork series, which featured chilling cover art by the much-missed talent Stuart Glazebrook.

THE ULTIMATE BATTLE OF GOOD VS 'EVIL'!

A trap readied across time and space with unwilling pawns at their bidding, and a plan to conquer humanity using one of their greatest protectors - that mercurial the Doctor - against them, the Daleks certainly live up to the 'evil' of their second and final story for the Troughton era: The Evil of the Daleks.

Once more proving what a much missed talent he is, the late, great artist Chris Achilleos captures all the exciting elements of the classic David Whitaker story within this excellent private commission art. 

NOW SHOWING: 'THE WAR GAMES - IN COLOUR'!

Composition by Lee Johnson for Doctor Who - The Complete History.

The B/W era of Doctor Who, and the era of Patrick Troughton's second incarnation within it, couldn't have ended better than with the truly epic ten-parter that was The War Games, a tale of alien manipulation of human soldiers to be used as intergalactic invasion cannon fodder whose intriguing resolution finally revealed more about the Doctor's fugitive origins, the mysterious race to whom he belonged, the all-powerful Time Lords, and saw-in a new and exciting start to the series overall 1970 colour 'regeneration' through its memorable and rather sad finale. All-change indeed...

And now we get to see this tale in a glorious colour re-imagining on December 23rd, 2024, on BBC 4 - a newly edited one-and-a-half-hour compilation, alongside all-new music and effects (finally with a regeneration) that will be very intriguing, and no doubt controversial, to see.

'SEED'-ING THE DEATH OF EARTH...

Now arrived at the London T-Mat station, and having already caused carnage in its escape, an armoured Ice Warrior has now taken control of an important weather control facility, it's plan to make Earth ready for the soon to be delivered 'Seeds of Death' that will make them the ultimate masters of this unique world.

A great image from the popular Ice Warriors adventure that was a welcome part of Patrick Troughton's finale season back in 1969.

BEHIND THE SCENES: WALES WANDERER!

Despite a reasonably clear stretch of pathway ahead, it's not easy being inside a bulky Doctor Who monster costume, as one of the creature operators discovers in this classic colour image taken during location filming in Snowdonia, Wales in 1967 for the now classic The Abominable Snowmen.

INTRODUCING JAMIE McCRIMMON!

Colourised restoration by Clayton Hickman.

It's hard to imagine the Patrick Troughton era of the series without the contributions of the lead actor's excellent supporting co-star in Fraser Hines, who'd bring to life with conviction and heroism the Doctor's faithful friend in former highlander Jamie McCrimmon, at the Time Lord's side until the very end of his adventures with the epic The War Games. Yet Jamie's long-term contribution to the series almost never happened, with what was supposed to be the character's one and only adventure in The Highlanders. Thankfully, Troughton, who'd worked with Hines previously when he was a child actor, and popular producer Innes Lloyd recognised what a fine TARDIS travelling companion he'd be, the latter soon re-filming the story's original ending so that Jamie could become the series then third companion with other regulars Ben and Polly. After that it would be three years of fun, laughter and hard work behind the scenes for Hines, whose onscreen portrayal would bring joy to millions of viewers and make Jamie a sex symbol of sorts to the female viewers. A Scottish hero legend for Who was born!

Now in hiding with their injured Laird, Jamie attends to his bag pipes as Alexander keeps watch.

As first seen, with cap and bagpipes.

Piper and warrior Jamie, as seen in the opening episode of The Highlanders, escaped from the Culloden massacre alongside William Dysart as Alexander McLaren.

Original signed photos.

A SHADOWY 'RENEWAL'!

At one with the TARDIS inside its darkened control room, the shadowy figure of the first Doctor is busily making unusual preparations not just to depart the Antarctic ice realms of Earth, 1966, but also to renew his withered and fragile body after his prior exhausting battle with the Cybermen, newly emerged from their Tenth Planet realm known as Mondas.

A lovely animated reprise moment from the American colourised version of The Power of the Daleks. 

THE HUMAN TRAP!

Arriving on the slag-heap world of the Gonds, the Doctor and his companions Zoe and Jamie are soon caught in a life or death struggle against the mysterious alien species known as the Krotons, who are making the most of the human community to their own means whilst operating within their unique spacecraft.

The first Patrick Troughton story I ever saw during the BBC's epic The Five Faces of Doctor Who season in 1981, I have great fondness for The Krotons - a tightly written and paced story from then newcomer Robert Holmes, who quickly proved to be one of the show's greatest assets by the time it entered its hugely successful colour era...

Great VHS release cover art by Alister Pearson from the early 1990s. 

UNMASKING 'THE FACELESS ONES'!

The then recently opened Gatwick Airport is the setting for an unusual and eerie alien mystery set on modern day Earth, July 1966, featuring the aeroplanes-full kidnapping of human students by the mystery Chameleon species. It's also an adventure that will see-in the sad departure of popular Hartnell/Troughton eras companions able seaman Ben Jackson and his favourite 'duchess', Polly. 

A genuine fan favourite which also made a fine realisation into animated form, The Faceless Ones certainly made their mark then and now, as captured in this very effective art for the cover of the excellent fan magazine An Adventure in Space & Time, by Andrew Martin.

ESCAPE TO DANGER!

Having managed to evade their pursuers on the shores of Australia on an Earth of the far future, the Doctor and his companions, helped by the newly arrived Astrid Herrier, get their bearings, during the action-packed opening to The Enemy of the World. An exciting sequence captured on location by director, and soon series producer, Barry Letts, and his team.

CLASSIC ART: LONDON FRIGHT - LIFE!

It was the classic B/W story that made thousands of children nervous about using the London Underground for weeks after its original transmission, as a terrifying Yeti robot stalks its dark and scary tunnels in this superb art celebrating The Web of Fear, as originally used as a splendid double poster within a 1990's issue of the ground-breaking UK Who fanzine, DWB/Dream Watch Bulletin. We believe the artist of the piece to be Paul Redfearn?

Ten years ago, four missing episodes of the serial, along with the complete The Enemy of the World were amazingly discovered in Nigeria by that modern Indiana Jones of missing episodes recovery, Phillip Morris, to whom we are forever grateful. Sadly, there have been no further recoveries of lost stories from the Hartnell or Troughton since that incredible period. Yet we can still live in hope that some may make a future return, even if here and there only represented by a few sporadic individual episodes...

SEAWEED, SEA TERROR!

Mankind's ever demanding need to utilize and exploit the natural resources of planet Earth to fuel their survival will soon get the better of them as the Doctor and his companions arrive on the British coast to witness the genesis plan of a hostile creature of nature's revenge from the depths of the sea, of which the Fury From the Deep will be unleashed. In this Sixtieth Anniversary, Victor Pemberton's superb horror tale of seaweed come alive remains one of the scariest Who's ever...

 

OUT NOW: 'THE UNDERWATER MENACE' ON BLU-RAY AND DVD...

"Nuzin' in ze world vill stop me now!"

And nothing in the world can stop Classic Who fans from enjoying the over-the-top performance of Joseph Furst as mad scientist Professor Zaroff in all-new animated form when the bonkers but fun The Underwater Menace, from the marvellous Patrick Troughton's premiere season in the role, arrives on Blu-ray, DVD and limited edition Steelbook from BBC STUDIOS this November 13th, 2023, perfect to celebrate the Sixtieth Anniversary of the series.

The heroes and colourful aquatic villains of the story assemble...

For decades the story, from one-off writer Geoffrey Orme, was represented in the BBC Archives by only one solitary episode three, which everyone seemed to be underwhelmed by (including the cast who made it back in 1966). Then, thankfully, came the recovery of episode two, from whose viewing somewhat improved the story's reputation. Here's hoping the colorful animation in widescreen will take fine advantage of the story's potential scope and expand its visual look in a satisfying comic book adventure way it deserves to be seen as- a kind of Who meets James Bond type tale, what with an OTT villain out to conquer the world from an underground lair...

Missing adventure ‘The Underwater Menace’ to be animated in 2023 | Doctor Who

Get it here:

Doctor Who - The Underwater Menace [Blu-ray]: Amazon.co.uk: Patrick Troughton, Anneke Wills, Joseph Fürst, Michael Craze, Frazer Hines, Patrick Troughton, Anneke Wills: DVD & Blu-ray

'THE DESTINY OF 'DOCTOR WHO', AND 'THE POWER OF THE DALEKS'!

Art by Alister Pearson.

A newly regenerated (nay, at this point 'renewed') Doctor Who, at the start of his second 'Cosmic Hobo' incarnation, pits his wits and resources once more against the dreaded Dalek war machines, the evil creatures working from the inside out to take control of the embittered and in-conflict with themselves human mining colony located on the remote planet of Vulcan, a colony that's ripe for take over, as The Power of the Daleks (originally titled as The Destiny of Doctor Who) launches the Patrick Troughton era in dramatic, exciting and memorable style, with the Skaroan nemeses never bettered in this story. from acclaimed series regular David Whitaker, that truly shows them at their most calculated, devious and unnervingly ruthless...

Running at a massive nine and a half hours in length, if you don't already have the truly epic late 2022 released BBC Audio transfer adaptation of John Peel's stellar Target Books adaptation of The Power of the Daleks (which fuses the original uncut six-part Whitaker scripts with the never-credited contributions by Dennis Spooner, then hired in 1966 to beef up the Doctor's new character), then you owe it yourself to add it to your collection. Nicholas Briggs, the distinguished and popular Dalek voice custodian of the modern series, does a splendid job telling the story, providing some notable impression recreations of the Doctor and key supporting characters, like the villainous colony leader Bragen, plus the deceived, later deranged, scientist Professor Lesterson. The accompanying sound design (especially in the story's action-packed final quarter) and very subtly incidental music also prove effective.

Get it here:

Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks: 2nd Doctor Novelisation (Audio Download): John Peel, Nicholas Briggs, BBC Audio: Amazon.co.uk: Books

WAR OF THE XENOPHOBES!

The war between the determined Daleks and the growing in numbers 'Human Factor' possessed Daleks within the depths of their singular city on Skaro escalates into an inferno of explosions, energy blasts and full-on pandemonium. So much so that the Second Doctor, watching from a mountainous distance, believes that what he's seeing could indeed be 'the final end' for his old enemies...

David Whitaker's superb story, and all-time classic for the Troughton era - The Evil of the Daleks - gets a brand new adaptation spin, as witnessed through the eyes of heroic monochrome era companion Jamie McCrimmon, in what looks set to be a bold and innovative new lost story realisation by the ever-amiable and talented Frazer Hines himself. Published by BBC BOOKS, it's available this month on the 26th.

Book review: THE COMPANION FACTOR! 'DOCTOR WHO - THE EVIL OF THE DALEKS' COMES TO UK PUBLISHING... | KOOL TV

Image composition by Lee Binding.

Get it here:

Doctor Who: Evil of the Daleks: Amazon.co.uk: Hines, Frazer: 9781785948435: Books

Doctor Who: The Evil of the Daleks: 2nd Doctor Novelisation (Audio Download): Frazer Hines, BBC Audio: Amazon.co.uk: Books

WORLD WAR INFINITUM!

Official BBC VHS release art by Alister Pearson.

The Patrick Troughton era comes to a weighty, landmark-exciting yet also seminally bittersweet and moving close, as the Second Doctor and his companions find themselves immersed in a created conflict of war by galactic invaders on a shrouded alien world, who are using human Earth soldiers as potential cannon fodder for their own future plans. It's a diverse battlefield and threat that soon proves too much for one Time Lord to handle on his own, however, as the Doctor's future destiny comes into question with the arriving 'help' of his powerful home planet allies...

I remember first watching The War Games on Australian copies VHS back in 1987 and, as a 17-year old, found it too long at ten episodes. But over the years, especially via the story's first UK sell-through tape release in the 90's, I started to re-appraise it for the classic it truly is.

 

MARCH OF THE QUARKS!

On the lookout for human enemies preparing acts of sabotage against their masters, the small but deadly Quark robots patrol the Dulcian 'Island of Death' in The Dominators.

They never returned for a second appearance, but I always liked the Quarks and thought they made an interesting enemy. During filming, the robots were apparently operated by schoolboy actors (Freddie Wilson, Gary Smith and John Hicks) - oh, the fun they must have had being in the series. Does anyone out there in cyberspace know if the operators were ever interviewed anywhere about being in the story?

Martin Baugh's original design concept.

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.