1,682
edits
More actions
Adding information.
m (Bot: Cosmetic changes) |
(Adding information.) |
||
| Line 35: | Line 35: | ||
Boucher was asked to write ''Robots'' after another serial fell through. He was chosen as his work on the preceding story, ''[[The Face of Evil (TV story)|The Face of Evil]]'', had been widely appreciated. It was [[Philip Hinchcliffe]] who pushed the idea of a "robot story", despite [[script editor]] [[Robert Holmes]]' opinion that they were dull. Holmes was confident that he could produce a good script for an enclosed space, as the crew were aware the serial would be a studio bound one. Hinchcliffe suggested a setting akin to the machines featured in the [[1965 (releases)|1965]] sci-fi novel {{wi|Dune (novel)|Dune}}, and so the [[sandminer]]s were created. | Boucher was asked to write ''Robots'' after another serial fell through. He was chosen as his work on the preceding story, ''[[The Face of Evil (TV story)|The Face of Evil]]'', had been widely appreciated. It was [[Philip Hinchcliffe]] who pushed the idea of a "robot story", despite [[script editor]] [[Robert Holmes]]' opinion that they were dull. Holmes was confident that he could produce a good script for an enclosed space, as the crew were aware the serial would be a studio bound one. Hinchcliffe suggested a setting akin to the machines featured in the [[1965 (releases)|1965]] sci-fi novel {{wi|Dune (novel)|Dune}}, and so the [[sandminer]]s were created. | ||
Tom Baker was reportedly highly critical of the script. He complained to Boucher during the initial read through and later voiced his derogatory opinions of the story to director Michael E. Briant. According to Briant, this was because Baker wanted the Doctor to display certain characteristics of his imagining. ([[DOC]]: ''[[The Sandmine Murders]]'') | [[Tom Baker]] was reportedly highly critical of the script. He complained to Boucher during the initial read through and later voiced his derogatory opinions of the story to director [[Michael E. Briant]]. According to Briant, this was because Baker wanted the Doctor to display certain characteristics of his imagining. ([[DOC]]: ''[[The Sandmine Murders]]'') | ||
== Synopsis == | == Synopsis == | ||
| Line 150: | Line 150: | ||
* An observant viewer would know the identity of the murderer as early as part two, from the scene in which Capel delivers a corpse marker to a robot. While only his legs and feet are shown, the distinctive grey and black stripes of Dask's trousers are visible. | * An observant viewer would know the identity of the murderer as early as part two, from the scene in which Capel delivers a corpse marker to a robot. While only his legs and feet are shown, the distinctive grey and black stripes of Dask's trousers are visible. | ||
* The precise setting of this story is disputed. The novel ''[[Legacy (novel)|Legacy]]'' places it on [[Japetus]], one of the moons of [[Saturn]], despite the fact the story suggests the atmosphere outside the sandminer is breathable and the presence of a vast sandy desert is somewhat integral to the plot (neither of which would be the case on Japetus). The comic story ''[[Crisis on Kaldor (comic story)|Crisis on Kaldor]]'' places it on the planet [[Kaldor]], as does the ''[[Kaldor City (audio series)|Kaldor City]]'' audio series. Regarding the year the story takes place (which is never given onscreen), ''[[The Doctor Who Programme Guide]]'' places it circa [[Far future|30,000]], but ''[[The Terrestrial Index]]'' (by the same author) redates it to the [[51st century]]. [[Timelink]] places it in [[28th century|2777]]. ''[[A History of the Universe]]'' and the first two editions of ''[[aHistory]]'' arbitrarily place the story in [[29th century|2877]], but the third edition redates it to 2881, based on evidence from the ''[[Kaldor City (audio series)|Kaldor City]]'' audio series. | * The precise setting of this story is disputed. The novel ''[[Legacy (novel)|Legacy]]'' places it on [[Japetus]], one of the moons of [[Saturn]], despite the fact the story suggests the atmosphere outside the sandminer is breathable and the presence of a vast sandy desert is somewhat integral to the plot (neither of which would be the case on Japetus). The comic story ''[[Crisis on Kaldor (comic story)|Crisis on Kaldor]]'' places it on the planet [[Kaldor]], as does the ''[[Kaldor City (audio series)|Kaldor City]]'' audio series. Regarding the year the story takes place (which is never given onscreen), ''[[The Doctor Who Programme Guide]]'' places it circa [[Far future|30,000]], but ''[[The Terrestrial Index]]'' (by the same author) redates it to the [[51st century]]. [[Timelink]] places it in [[28th century|2777]]. ''[[A History of the Universe]]'' and the first two editions of ''[[aHistory]]'' arbitrarily place the story in [[29th century|2877]], but the third edition redates it to 2881, based on evidence from the ''[[Kaldor City (audio series)|Kaldor City]]'' audio series. | ||
* In the DVD commentary, Louise Jameson revealed that she "nearly killed a cameraman" during production of this story. In the scene where Leela throws her knife at the attacking robot, on one take Jameson wasn't holding it correctly which caused it to fly off in the wrong direction and very nearly stab a cameraman in the back. In future stories, the knife had to be blunt to prevent this from happening again. | * In the DVD commentary, [[Louise Jameson]] revealed that she "nearly killed a cameraman" during production of this story. In the scene where Leela throws her knife at the attacking robot, on one take Jameson wasn't holding it correctly which caused it to fly off in the wrong direction and very nearly stab a cameraman in the back. In future stories, the knife had to be blunt to prevent this from happening again. | ||
* Decades later, the episodes ''[[The Impossible Planet (TV story)|The Impossible Planet]]''/''[[The Satan Pit (TV story)|The Satan Pit]]'' and ''[[Planet of the Ood (TV story)|Planet of the Ood]]'' also featured subservient creatures (albeit living ones this time) turning on their masters after being manipulated; like the robots, the [[Ood]]s' eyes also glowed red when under this influence. | * Decades later, the episodes ''[[The Impossible Planet (TV story)|The Impossible Planet]]''/''[[The Satan Pit (TV story)|The Satan Pit]]'' and ''[[Planet of the Ood (TV story)|Planet of the Ood]]'' also featured subservient creatures (albeit living ones this time) turning on their masters after being manipulated; like the robots, the [[Ood]]s' eyes also glowed red when under this influence. | ||
* The [[Heavenly Host]] in the television story ''[[Voyage of the Damned (TV story)|Voyage of the Damned]]'' bear many similarities to the robots in this story. Not only do they look vaguely similar, they also have a habit of chanting, "Kill, kill, kill!", and one even has to remove its hand after getting it trapped in a door. | * The [[Heavenly Host]] in the television story ''[[Voyage of the Damned (TV story)|Voyage of the Damned]]'' bear many similarities to the robots in this story. Not only do they look vaguely similar, they also have a habit of chanting, "Kill, kill, kill!", and one even has to remove its hand after getting it trapped in a door. | ||
* This story also exists in the BBC Archives as 2 x 50 minute compiled episodes as broadcast Saturday 31 December 1977 and Sunday 1 January 1978. (See ''BBC Repeat'' below.) | * This story also exists in the BBC Archives as 2 x 50 minute compiled episodes as broadcast Saturday 31 December 1977 and Sunday 1 January 1978. (See ''BBC Repeat'' below.) | ||
* [[Pamela Salem]] had previously been considered for Leela. | |||
* [[Tom Baker]] disliked the resolution of the first episode's cliffhanger, suggesting instead an action-packed sequence in which the Doctor swings on his scarf to kick the door open. He and director [[Michael E. Briant]] argued vociferously until Briant revealed that Graham Williams was present to observe the shoot. Baker quickly agreed to follow the director's instructions. | |||
=== Ratings === | === Ratings === | ||
| Line 162: | Line 164: | ||
=== Myths === | === Myths === | ||
* The production team considered keeping Pamela Salem (Toos) on as a regular. ''(This was never considered, but Salem's publicist encouraged members of the press to believe it, to gain publicity for his client.)'' | * The production team considered keeping [[Pamela Salem]] (Toos) on as a regular. ''(This was never considered, but Salem's publicist encouraged members of the press to believe it, to gain publicity for his client.)'' | ||
* A [[Storm Mine]] is commonly known as a "Sandminer". ''(According to [[Chris Boucher]], these vehicles are officially called "Storm Mines" and "Sandminer" is just the word the [[Fourth Doctor]] uses. As the Doctor has seen this sort of thing before on [[Korlano Beta]], it is likely that "Sandminer" is specifically the Korlano name, not used in these parts.)<ref>'About Time, Volume 4: 1975-1979' by Lawrence Miles et al, page 140. Mad Norwegian Press, 2004.</ref>'' | * A [[Storm Mine]] is commonly known as a "Sandminer". ''(According to [[Chris Boucher]], these vehicles are officially called "Storm Mines" and "Sandminer" is just the word the [[Fourth Doctor]] uses. As the Doctor has seen this sort of thing before on [[Korlano Beta]], it is likely that "Sandminer" is specifically the Korlano name, not used in these parts.)<ref>'About Time, Volume 4: 1975-1979' by Lawrence Miles et al, page 140. Mad Norwegian Press, 2004.</ref>'' | ||