There's nothing better or more special than a photocall of a new Doctor meeting his old enemies, the Daleks, and certainly Tom Baker was able to partake in arguably one of the best and most memorable publicity shoots with the Skaroan metal monsters at the BBC Television Centre, for Genesis of the Daleks, on February 24th, 1975.
Unlike his predecessor in the role, Baker loved working with the Daleks, his wise mantra being that, with such powerful enemies to fight onscreen, his role as the Doctor was even stronger and more appreciated by audiences when he ultimately defeated them.
Baker with Philip Hinchcliffe, David Maloney and other key members of the story's production team.
Once again, our beloved Sarah is in danger, this time from an Ice Warrior, as the Martians return to the important politics and superstition-fused world of Peladon, this time as baddies, during the later episode events of the patchy but fun The Monster of Peladon. Can the bold mining leader Gebek (Rex Robinson) repel the invader?
It's the kind of great posed publicity shot we all wish had made it to the actual story.
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?
He's taken on many intergalactic foes in his lifetime, but now the Doctor must confront two of Earth history's most famous literary monsters seemingly come to life: man made creature, Frankenstein's Monster (John Maxim) and the infamous vampire Count Dracula (Malcolm Rogers), in this fun publicity image for Terry Nation's mostly wacky Dalek time and space adventure, The Chase.
The evil Time Lord scientist known as the Rani launches her boldest plan yet, wanting to conquer the realms of time and space with both her 'superbrain' collective and the capture of a unique 'strange matter' composed asteroid, and only the newly regenerated and at first unstable Seventh Doctor, once a deliberate part of her scheme, stands in her way on the rock world belonging to the Leonine aliens known as the Lakertyans, open prisoners and near powerless to assist...
Very nice composition art by Lee Binding to celebrate the new era of Sylvester McCoy's incarnation, and his opening story, the love-it or hate-it Time and the Rani.
Music composer Keff McCulloch's ambitious and very of its time soundtrack for the story is available here:
Amidst the deep Varosian skyline, the Doctor and rebel leader Jondar (Jason Connery) are seemingly to face death at the end of the noose after fighting the cruel and evil system of leadership and elitist tyranny within the planet's only colony. But is all what it seems for our heroes, as the Governor makes his own plans to find out the truth about the system of corruption and greed to which he is trapped?
A memorable moment from Philip Martin's Vengeance on Varos, and a story which overall is probably the best of Colin Baker's launch season with regards to structure and pacing, fronted by the lead star who is clearly playing the Doctor with enjoyment and gusto.
Cover art by Chris Achellios.
The original version of the cover art.
If you haven't already read the late Philip Martin's own book adaptation of Varos, it's well worth it for the additional world building insights and strong characterisation that he brings to its pages, alongside bigger ambition improvements over some of the visualisation elements presented in the original TV production that only a novel can deliver.
Hi-jacked in the TARDIS and taken to the mysterious volcanic world of Sarn, young American student Peri Brown soon falls into the hands of the manipulated Kamelion/Master, as the renegade Time Lord begins his plans to beguile the planet's fire god worshipping brethren to his own devices, in this scene from Planet of Fire, a story in which Anthony Ainley shines in his dual roles.
Writer Peter Grimwade's brisk novel makes its way to BBC Audio adaptation, read by the Peter Davison era's memorable Cyber leader, David Banks. It arrives online and in stores from 5th June, 2025.
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