The Moonbase (TV story): Difference between revisions

|novelisation          = Doctor Who and the Cybermen (novelisation)

|series                = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]

|season serial number  = 6

|story number          = 33

|enemy                  = [[CyberTelosian]]s

|setting                = [[The Moon]], [[2070]]

|director              = [[Morris Barry]]

|producer              = [[Innes Lloyd]]

|clip2                  = {{uc:Exclusive}} The March of the Cybermen - The Moonbase - Doctor Who DVD

}}{{dab page|Moonbase (disambiguation)}}

This story was the first in ''Doctor Who'' history with sequences taking place on [[Earth]]'s [[The Moon|Moon]]. Jamie is incapacitated for most of the story, and as a result, his appearance in the story is limited.

The travellers explore the surface of the Moon. They begin to lark about in the lower gravity despite the Doctor's warnings, but Jamie overstretches himself and knocks himself out. As the others go to save him they discover his unconscious body being carried away into a [[Moonbase Laika|Moonbase]]. They follow and the door opens, welcoming them.

=== Episode 2 ===

The Cyberman goes to take another body, but as he leaves, Polly witnesses the Cyberman's exit. She screams, which alerts the Doctor and the others. Polly insists it was a Cyberman, but Hobson does not believe her due to lack of evidence. He sends guards out to scour the base for any signs. Hobson begins to suspect that the situation might be down to the presence of the Doctor and his friends as the situation has only escalated since their arrival. [[File:Moonbase-2 Doctor Polly Ben science equipment.jpeg|thumb|The Doctor begins work using the medical bay's equipment.]]Ben says they are more than happy to leave, but the Doctor says they have to stay as he feels he should stay and protect the base from the evils of the universe. Hobson gives the Doctor 24 hours to sort out the situation or else he is to leave the Moonbase. Left alone, the Doctor says that he wants to analyse everything in the Moonbase. When asked if he is a [[medicine|medical]] doctor, he says he took a medical degree in [[Glasgow]] in [[1888]] under [[Joseph Lister]].

[[File:Moonbase-2 Outside Gravitron control room.jpeg|thumb|Outside the Gravitron's control room.]]

[[File:Moonbase-2 Cyberman zaps Polly.jpeg|thumb|A Cyberman attacks Polly.]]

In the medical bay, Ben leaves Polly to get some more supplies. When he is gone, a Cyberman sneaks up to Jamie and Polly and attacks them both. He goes to take Jamie before deciding to take another body. The Doctor enters and nurses Polly back to health.

[[File:Moonbase-2 Doctor shoelaces sample.jpeg|thumb|The Doctor collects samples around the base.]]

In the control room, one of the engineers discovers a fault with one of the [[antennae]]. Hobson asks when it went awry and is told it tallies with the Doctor's arrival. This makes him more convinced about the Doctor and his friends, and he goes to kick them off the Moonbase. As he does he is told by Ben that another person has been taken from the sick bay.

* [[Jack Hobson|Hobson]] - [[Patrick Barr]]

* [[Roger Benoit|Benoit]] - [[Andre Maranne]]

* [[Sam Becket|Sam]] - [[John Rolfe]]

* Voice from [[International Space Command|Space Control]] - [[Alan Rowe]]

== Worldbuilding ==

* The Doctor mentions [[fortnight]]s.

=== Cybermen ===

* The Cybermen recognise the Doctor despite the [[First Doctor's renewal]].

=== The Doctor ===

* The Doctor is seen reading his 500 Year Diary when Polly is explaining her first sighting of the Cyberman to Hobson.

=== Earth technology ===

* [[Moonbase (The Moonbase)|The Moonbase]] was established around [[2050]] to control the [[Earth]]'s weather via the Gravitron.

=== Foods and beverages ===

=== Places ===

* When the Gravitron goes out of alignment, hurricanes threaten [[Hawaii]] first, then [[Miami]].

* During a Gravitron test, a five-degree tilt should have placed the probe over [[Iceland]].

* Mark Heath is credited as "Ralph" for episode one, and as "Scientist" for episode three. He is billed without specific role under the heading "Others in Cast" in ''Radio Times'' for episode three.

* John Wills and [[Sonnie Willis]], playing Cybermen, are credited without specific roles under the heading "Others in Cast" in ''Radio Times'' for episode one.

* Episode three features a rare sequence in which the viewers actually hear the Doctor's thoughts. Even more unusual — the Doctor actually replies to his internal monologue.

* The scene in which the Doctor asks Polly to make coffee is often cited as an example of sexism in ''Doctor Who''. In her comments on the 2014 DVD release, [[Anneke Wills]] disputes this, pointing out that Polly is responsible for devising the method used to destroy the Cybermen inside the base. Ironically, while the coffee scene is frequently replayed, another scene in which Ben outright tells Polly that going after the Cybermen "is man's work" is forgotten.

* [[Innes Lloyd]] suggested the moon setting in order to tap into the ongoing space race.

* [[Peter Hawkins]] was given a modified dental palate originally designed for use by patients who had undergone the surgical removal of their larynx, which produced electronic sounds just by shaping the mouth and lips appropriately. Unfortunately, the persistent vibration induced by the device gave Hawkins headaches and made him nauseous.

* Episode four marks the final appearance of the show's original title sequence for 46 years; it would next appear in ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]'' in 2013.

* The production team wanted the Cybermen to look more robotic and streamlined, and so costumer designer [[Sandra Reid]] crafted three alternative designs from which [[Innes Lloyd]] and [[Morris Barry]] made their selection.

* This was the last serial to be recorded at [[Riverside Studios]]. The series moved back to [[Lime Grove Studios]], much to [[Innes Lloyd]]'s disappointment.

* The final scene leading into ''[[The Macra Terror (TV story)|The Macra Terror]]'' was filmed by that serial's director [[John Davies (director)|John Davies]] as part of filming for the next story.

=== Ratings ===

== Continuity ==

== Home video and audio releases ==

==== Special Features ====

* A Series of One-to-One interviews - featuring writer [[Kit Pedler]]'s daughters Lucy Pedler and Carol Topolski, archive interview with producer [[Innes Lloyd]], AFM [[Lovett Bickford]] and [[Cyberman (Mondas)|Cyberman]] actors [[Barry Noble]], [[Derek Chafer]] and [[Reg Whitehead]]

* ''[[Lunar Landing (documentary)|Lunar Landing]]'' - Cast and crew look back on the making of the story. With actors Anneke Wills, Frazer Hines and Reg Whitehead and production assistant [[Desmond McCarthy]]

</gallery>

As some scenes or set pieces in this story have both an existing episode and an animation version, comparisons can be observed between the rendering of the two different versions of the story's elements.

<gallery>

File:Moonbase-2 Moonbase airlock.jpeg|Moonbase airlock - Episode 2

File:Moonbase-3-Aniimated Moonbase airlock.jpeg|Moonbase airlock - Episode 3 (Animation)

File:Moonbase-3-Aniimated Cybermen advance on moon surface-1.jpeg|Cybermen advancing across the Moon's surface - Episode 3 (Animation)

</gallery>

{{Cyberman stories}}

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[[Category:Animated missing episodes]]

[[Category:Doctor Who animated television stories]]

[[Category:Cyberman television stories]]