1. "Captain Yates is captured
by the Computer
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2. "and Jo leads Cliff
into mortal danger."
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3. This episode was first shown
on 16 June 1973
and was watched by 8.3 million people,
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4. a rise of a million and a half viewers
from the previous week.
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5. The last third of this story,
was recorded in a final
two-day studio block.
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6. Episode 5 was taped on the evening
of Sunday 29 April 1973,
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7. and the sixth and final episode
was recorded the following day,
Monday 30 April.
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8. A total of three-and-a-half days
were spent filming
around the Ogilvie Colliery
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9. for which the National Coal Board
in Cardiff were paid a total of £125.
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10. The total cost to the production
for the filming, including the equipment
and the editing, amounted to £2458.
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11. It was director Michael E. Briant
who thought of having BOSS communicate
by means of an oscilloscope.
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12. This would give the disembodied voice
a visual focus for the characters
to respond to.
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13. In the script, BOSS does seem
a little provoked:
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14. The computer "spits it out" when calling
humanity "inefficient
and organic machines".
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15. Episodes 5 and 6 were originally planned
for recording a day later,
30 April and 1 May.
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16. And the session was due to take place
in Studio 1 at Television Centre.
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17. This was the largest studio
available at the BBC.
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18. But with less than a week to go before
recording, the Planning Department,
who look after studio allocations,
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19. informed the production office that not
only would the last recording block
have to be moved to Studio 3,
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20. but the recording dates would have to
change from the Monday/Tuesday
to the Sunday/Monday.
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21. There was no loss of rehearsal time:
The actors were expecting
to have Sunday off!
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22. The voice of BOSS is provided
by John Dearth (1920-84).
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23. As well as playing the computer in the
story, he also provided many
of the other unseen voices as well,
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24. such as the Tannoy announcements made
around the Global Chemicals building,
and the UNIT radio voices.
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25. John Dearth returned to Doctor Who
the following year, this time on screen,
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26. to play the bitter, frustrated
Lupton in 'Planet of the Spiders'.
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27. He also appeared in nearly 30 episodes
of the ITC series,
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955-8),
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28. playing a different character
almost every time!
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29. You may recall that for 'The Amoeboids',
the original environmental
story considered for this slot,
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30. 'The Green Death' was also conceived
with this in mind, but with the
changing economic and political climate,
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31. This particular copter, a Hughes 269B,
had previously appeared
in 'Fury from the Deep' (1968).
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32. when a brief close-up reveals its
real owner: The Hampshire firm,
Twyford Moors Ltd.
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33. The fake bombs are lavatory ballcocks
with fins added, courtesy
of the Visual Effects Department.
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34. The rather static maggots are just crude
foam replicas and, for the explosions,
condoms filled with petrol.
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35. One of the specified pieces
of equipment needed for the shoot
was a helicopter camera mount.
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36. This had been specially constructed
for Z- Cars in September 1972.
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37. This was probably for the episode
'Old Soldiers', shot 25-30 September
around Weston-super-Mare.
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38. For 'The Green Death; this particular
helicopter was also flown from
Weston Airport in Weston-super-Mare,
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39. so they probably hired the same
helicopter from the same place,
simply because they knew the rig fitted.
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40. So, do you recognise any of the set
dressing for BOSS's computer room?
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41. You may have seen a lot of it before
in the Gerry Anderson series,
UFO (1970-1).
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42. For instance, this central console was
originally the central control desk
from the Moonbase set.
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43. When UFO finished, many of the sets were
kept in storage by Century 21 Props
and hired out to other productions.
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44. These props ended up being hired many
times in Doctor Who's history;
you can see them in such stories as
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45. They also appeared in
The Goodies (1973), Star Maidens (1976)
And The Muppet Show (1980).
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46. The question that BOSS
is currently trying to work out
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47. In a list of seven puzzles, he included
what is known as the
"Liar Paradox", which stated:
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48. "A man says that he is lying.
Is what he says true or false?"
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49. The cave that Jo and Cliff
find themselves sheltering in
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50. It has been suitably redressed
and added to, of course!
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51. You might have noticed that these shots
between the Brigadier and Benton
were recorded in studio using CSO.
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52. On Wednesday 14 March, Mike Isaacs,
a photographer
from Hilton Warner & Co in Cardiff,
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53. Incidentally, the shots looking through
the binoculars are described
in the script as being in vignette,
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54. so presumably it was intended that they
should be seen through
a binocular-shaped mask.
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55. Oh dear, Doctor.
You've got it wrong again!
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56. Pi (incorrectly spelled "pye"
in the script),
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57. is the mathematical constant
which denotes the circumference
of a circle to its diameter.
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58. The Doctor states its numerical value
as "3.1416" before tailing off
into silent muttering.
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59. Jon Pertwee is half-following
the script, in which the number
was mistyped as "3.1416927..."
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60. As we've seen, the setting
for this story is the fictional Welsh
mining village of Llanfairfach.
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61. The literal meaning of the name
is "the church of little Mary".
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62. Welsh place-names are generally formed
by compounding words together like this,
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63. a process which perhaps got out of hand
on the Isle of Anglesey,
with the village of
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64. Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll
llantysiliogogogoch.
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65. The locals call it "Llanfair PG".
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66. During his confirmation before
the Senate Armed Services Committee,
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67. Wilson was pressured to dispose
of the stocks he held in General Motors.
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68. He agreed that he could, but indicated
that he could not conceive
of such a situation:
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69. "For years, I thought what was good
for our country was good
for General Motors, and vice versa."
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70. This was subsequently misquoted,
to Wilson's chagrin, as "What's good
for General Motors is good for America."
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71. Now, here's a question for you.
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72. Given that the Doctor arrived dressed
as a milkman, and then changed
into a cleaning woman's outfit,
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73. where was he hiding his own clothes?
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74. In particular, where did they
find his cloak?
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75. The conclusion of the scene
was removed during editing.
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76. It showed the Doctor unsuccessfully
trying his sonic screwdriver
on the door.
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77. When pre-production was under way
on 'The Green Death',
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78. Richard Franklin was already rather
tied up working in the theatre
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79. so there were doubts as to whether
he would be available to reprise
his part as Mike Yates.
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80. Benton would have become
an industrial spy.
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81. Back in the corridor, notice
the passageway halfway down on the left...
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82. They run down the corridor and through
a door that's been added to the set
since we last saw it in Episode 4,
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83. and they come down the passage
by which they were just standing.
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84. They're standing on exactly the same
spot as the guards chasing them!
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85. This is the reason why the cloak needed
to be thrown into the room earlier.
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86. Pertwee had worn it for the location
sequences around the factory,
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87. so, for continuity, he needed
to be wearing it again as he left.
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88. The barrier across the entrance is also
a BBC prop made from balsa wood.
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89. Only one barrier was constructed,
so both film cameras covered the scene:
There could be no retakes!
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90. As scripted, this sequence
ended slightly differently.
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91. "The van starts to zig-zag but
a lucky shot hits a tyre.
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92. "The van swerves and goes off the road
onto a verge, the engine stalling.
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93. "The Doctor tries to start it, but soon
gives up, jumps out and runs off
around a corner."
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94. Just as script editor Terrance Dicks had
lent his surname to a soldier
in the previous episode,
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95. so producer Barry Letts
is name-checked here as "Betts".
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96. Notice what lapel Benton
has his radio clipped to?
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97. As we move from the fake exterior
recording in the studio back
to the real location footage,
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98. Benton's radio jumps from one side
of his jacket to the other.
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99. He's also suddenly acquired
the transmitter that's slung
over his left shoulder as well!
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100. We're back in the studio again,
but this time using a blue backing
to key the CSO against.
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101. That's because Bessie is yellow:
She would disappear if they used
the same colour as before.
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102. This is a rod-mounted model of Bessie
that will also be used
for one shot in Episode 6.
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103. The background is a circular revolving
model sprinkled with real maggots.
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104. A wind machine is used just in front
of Bessie to try and make it look
like they're really driving outside.
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105. Notice Bessie's tyre tracks
on the ground: Evidently this isn't
the first take of this particular shot.
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106. The four maggots outside the cave
are on a wooden rostrum,
and are operated by rods from below.
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107. The linear tracks you can see are slots
in the wood covered over
by a slitted black rubber sheet.
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108. John Levene's jump onto the scenery
rather gives away the wooden nature
of the set floor though!
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109. Bessie had last appeared
in 'The Three Doctors',
the first story of the 1972-3 series.
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110. Since then, it had undergone
a major overhaul, including
the installation of a larger engine.
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111. This meant a new and much longer
bonnet had to be put onto the car.
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112. The original one stopped a few inches
before the headlights, but the new
version extended way beyond them.
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113. Cliff's bed has been raised up
in the studio on four 12-inch blocks,
though you won't ever see them.
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114. The glowing "green death" itself,
which we'll see infecting
Cliff in a moment,
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115. is achieved with a piece of reflective
material called Scotchlite,
manufactured by the company 3M.
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116. Scotchlite was originally created
for use on road traffic signs.
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117. Tiny glass beads in the material
reflect any light source
back along its own axis,
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118. whilst remaining non-reflective
from any other angle.
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119. In the case of our infection, a pulsing
green light source is placed beside
the camera taking the shot.
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120. As the light is only directly reflected
back into the lens, it doesn't affect
the rest of the shot.
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121. One of the inventors of Scotchlite
at 3M, Philip V. Palmquist,
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122. went on to develop a system using the
material for creating front projection
effects in the film industry.
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123. It has been used on many feature films,
including 2001.; A Space Odyssey,
Where Eagles Dare and Silent Running.
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124. In which he joins a dubious
environmental organisation
and ends up effectively betraying UNIT.
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125. He then appeared for the last time in
'Planet of the Spiders', having been
allowed a quiet resignation.
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126. He turns up at
a Buddhist meditation centre,
trying to recover from previous events.
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127. Unfortunately for him, and fortunately
for us, dark forces are gathering there,
and Sarah Jane Smith becomes involved.
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128. The blue light was created using
a hole cut into a sheet of black card
that Camera 2 is now low looking at.
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129. As the light behind it is pulsed,
a Colour Synth is used to create
the blue solarised effect.
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130. The end of this scene
was trimmed slightly in editing.
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131. As the Doctor tells the Brigadier
to wake up, Lethbridge-Stewart suddenly
comes to, saying,
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132. "One of these days, Doctor,
you'll go too far!"
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133. Mr James was very much a last-minute
addition to the story.
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134. The two scenes in which he appears were
originally written
for the character of Elgin.
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135. Roy Skelton was quickly drafted in to
play the hastily concocted replacement
character of Mr James.
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136. Tony Adams reportedly spent rather
a long time during the production
boring his fellow actors
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137. with conversation about the health
benefits of taking garlic,
which he said would ward off sickness,
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138. so it was ironic that he ended up having
to leave the production
early owing to ill health.
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139. The story idea for 'The Green Death'
gradually developed over 1972,
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140. but it wasn't until 30 November that
Robert Sloman was formally
commissioned to write Episode 1.
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141. This first script was given a target
delivery date of 11 December,
but it was delivered three days early.
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142. After that episode was accepted
on 10 December, Sloman was contracted
for Episode 2 the following day.
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143. Moonbase 3 was to be a BBC co-production
with the American ABC network
and 20th Century Fox.
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144. The initial scripts for the series were
being commissioned in December 1972
and January 1973 for delivery in March.
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145. By then, Terrance Dicks would be working
on the last story
for the current recording block,
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146. 'The Time Warrior', which would be made
in May/June to begin Doctor Who's
next series at the end of the year.
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147. Moonbase 3 was finally broadcast
between 9 September and 14 October 1973,
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148. but the audience reaction was poor,
so the programme never ran
to a second series.
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149. of the 1952 C. S. Forester novel
Lieutenant Hornblower, which was being
scripted by John Lucarotti.
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150. This project fell by the wayside
before ever entering production.
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151. Now, remember those upside-down,
back-to-front closing titles
we saw at the end of Episode 2?
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152. We have another set
of them coming up in a moment.
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153. No one is entirely sure
why they ended up the way they did,
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154. This time, in practice, it seems likely
that the film was allowed
to run completely through the machine,
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155. and then the full take-up spool was
exchanged for the empty feed spool
on the telecine.
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156. The real mystery is why Barry Letts let
it go out like this on transmission!
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157. Uncredited production
contributors included:
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158. John Harris, Michael McDermott
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159. Karilyn Collier
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160. Brenda Loader, Judith Harris
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161. Robin Stubbs, Steve Pokol
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162. Paul Trerise
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163. Dick Lane, George Gibbins
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164. Brian Biffin
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165. Dennis Rogers
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166. Roy Osbourne, Don Cattin
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167. Dave Lewis
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168. Terry Manning
t go to work.
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169. There is very little time left.
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170. Here are your instructions.
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171. He's a trained soldier.
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172. He's been taught to withstand
that sort of thing.
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173. Mmm, if he hadn't tried so hard,
he'd have come in shooting.
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174. I'd have been a dead man by now.
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175. You too, probably.
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176. - Where am I?
You're in the Nut Hutch.
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177. What?
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178. Professor Jones' house.
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179. Oh.
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180. That blue light...
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181. Yes, well, you'll be all right now,
old chap.
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182. Well, Captain Yates,
you're well out of Global Chemicals.
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183. I'm afraid he's not.
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184. I'm gonna ask you to go back.
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185. Do you think you feel up to it?
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186. Right as rain, Doctor.
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187. I'm sorry to have to ask you to do this,
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188. but there's some information
that I simply must have.
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189. Now, here's what I want you to do...
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190. New York, 7-2-0-3 slave units prepared.
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191. Now reading 7-5-8-0.
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192. - Zurich, 1-5-8-4.
- In preparation.
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193. Slave unit assessment to follow.
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194. Moscow, 10-00-3.
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195. Prepared. 1-1-0-0-9-8.
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196. - Permission?
Of course.
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197. Come in.
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198. Well?
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199. The Doctor
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200. is dead.
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201. - Shouldn't we get him to hospital?
- What'd be the point, Jo?
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202. You know what happened to the others.
Ordinary treatment won't work.
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203. He won't die, will he?
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204. - He means a lot to you, doesn't he?
- Yes.
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205. Well, then, trust me, Jo.
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206. I'm sure these injections
are doing him some good.
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207. - Shh. It's all right.
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208. At least it'll give us time
to find the real cure.
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209. - And the girl?
No need to worry.
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210. She's too concerned about the Professor
to make trouble.
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211. All the same,
I think it might be advisable to...
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212. dispose of her, too.
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213. I don't think that would be necessary.
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214. Don't you, now?
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215. How very interesting.
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216. - Stella.
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217. Ask Mr James to come in, will you?
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218. To dispose of the girl
would not be efficient.
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219. The time will come.
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220. Thank you for your most valuable advice,
Mr Yates.
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221. You sent for me?
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222. Yes.
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223. Wait here with Mr Yates.
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224. What are you doing?
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225. Nothing.
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226. Just concentrate on the blue crystal,
Mr James.
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227. As you look, you'll see it glow.
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228. Watch carefully.
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229. Mr James?
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230. Your mind's clear now.
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231. You have to tell me
what's going to happen.
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232. Takeover.
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233. By the Boss.
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234. At 4:00 this afternoon,
the computer is going to...
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235. Just can't depend on anyone,
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236. can you, Mr Yates?
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