The Robots of Death (TV story): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
|name= The Robots of Death
|adapted into= Robots of Death (stage play){{!}}Robots of Death
|adapted into= Robots of Death (stage play)
|image = D84 and Leela.jpg  
|image=Robotsofdeath_title.jpg  
|series=[[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
|series=[[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
|season number= [[Season 14]]
|season number= Season 14 (Doctor Who 1963)|
|season serial number = 5
|story number= 90
|story number= 90
|doctor=Fourth Doctor  
|doctor = Fourth Doctor  
|companions= [[Leela]]
|companions= [[Leela]]
|enemy= [[Taren Capel]]  
|featuring = [[D84]], [[Kiy Uvanov|Uvanov]], [[Lish Toos|Toos]], [[Ander Poul|Poul]]
|setting= [[Storm Mine 4]]
|enemy= [[Taren Capel]]
|writer= [[Chris Boucher]]
|setting= ''[[Storm Mine Four]]'', [[2880]]
|director= [[Michael Briant]]  
|writer= Chris Boucher
|director= [[Michael E. Briant]]  
|producer= [[Philip Hinchcliffe]]  
|producer= [[Philip Hinchcliffe]]  
|novelisation= Doctor Who and the Robots of Death
|novelisation= Doctor Who and the Robots of Death (novelisation)
|epcount=4
|epcount = 4
|broadcast date= [[29 January (releases)|29 January]] - [[19 February (releases)|19 February]] [[1977]]
|broadcast date= 29 January - 19 February 1977
|network=[[BBC1]]
|network = BBC1
|format= 4x25-minute episodes  
|format= 4x25-minute episodes  
|production code= [[List of production codes|4R]]
|serial production code= [[List of production codes|4R]]
|prev= The Face of Evil (TV story)  
|prev= The Face of Evil (TV story)  
|next= The Talons of Weng-Chiang (TV story)
|next= The Talons of Weng-Chiang (TV story)
|clip=Which box is bigger? - Dr Who - BBC sci-fi
|clip = Which box is bigger? - Dr Who - BBC sci-fi
|clip2=Would You Like a Jelly Baby? - Doctor Who - Robots of Death - BBC
|clip3 = When robots go bad - Doctor Who - Robots of Death - BBC
|bts=Special Feature - Corpsing - Doctor Who - The Robots of Death
|bts=Special Feature - Corpsing - Doctor Who - The Robots of Death
}}
|bts2 = Special Feature - Mouse - Doctor Who - The Robots of Death
'''''The Robots of Death''''' was the fifth story in [[Season 14|season fourteen]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''. It saw the [[Sandminer robot]]s in their only televised appearance; they went on to appear several times in other media.
|thwr = 83
|thwr2 = 140|thwr3=171|thwr4=187|thwr5=209
}}{{you may|The Robots of Death (reference book)|n1=the reference book of the same name}}
'''''The Robots of Death''''' was the fifth and penultimate serial of [[Season 14 (Doctor Who 1963)|season 14]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''. It saw the [[Super-Voc]], [[Voc]] and [[Dum]] [[robot]]s make their first, and only, televised appearance. The serial was based on the works of [[Agatha Christie]], with a series of unexplained [[murder]]s.
 
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 (documentary)|The Sandmine Murders]]'')


== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
The [[Fourth Doctor]] and [[Leela]] land in the cargo hopper of a [[sandminer]], whose crew are being [[murder]]ed one by one.
The [[Fourth Doctor]] and [[Leela]] land aboard a [[sandminer]], whose crew believe them to be responsible for a [[murder]]. As the crew continue to be picked off, the Doctor begins to suspect that the sandminer's robots may be responsible for the murders...


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
=== Part One ===
=== Part one ===
On a distant planet, a huge sandminer vehicle, Storm Mine 4, is slowly scraping the surface of a vast, barren desert in search of precious [[minerals]]. The sandminer is manned by nine humans and numerous robots - black '[[Dum]]s' that cannot speak, pale green '[[Voc]]s', and a silver '[[Super-Voc]]' which controls all the 'Dums' and 'Vocs'. The robots conduct a routine scan of the area and locate a large sandstorm, which the humans decide to pursue, as the storm will bring heavier and more valuable minerals such as [[lucanol]] to the surface. One of the humans, a meteorologist called Chub, goes to collect an instrument package to place into his weather balloon to study the storm. However, he is later found strangled.
On a distant planet, a huge sandminer vehicle; [[Storm Mine 4]], is slowly scraping the surface of a vast, barren desert in search of precious [[mineral]]s. The sandminer is manned by nine humans and numerous robots — black "[[Dum]]s" that cannot speak, pale green "[[Voc]]s", and a silver "[[Super-Voc]]" which controls all the "Dums" and "Vocs". The robots conduct a routine scan of the area and locate a large [[sandstorm]], which the Commander, Uvanov, decides to pursue, as the storm will bring heavier and more valuable minerals such as [[lucanol]] to the surface.


At about this time, the TARDIS materialises in one of the scoops. After the Doctor and Leela emerge from the TARDIS, it is removed by a large mechanical arm as it is blocking the scoop. Later, the Doctor and Leela are brought out of the scoop by two robots and locked in a room. The Doctor uses his [[sonic screwdriver]] to unlock the door, and goes in search of the TARDIS, while Leela finds Chub's body being taken away by some robots.
One of the crew, the disliked scientist [[Chub]], is going to collect an instrument package.


The human crew suspects the two time travellers of murdering Chub, and tensions increase when it is found that they have left the room in which they were locked. The Doctor and Leela are separated, with the Doctor finding a second dead man, Kerral, in a hopper which starts to fill with sand that buries them both...
Uvanov is angered at Chub for taking so long, and Poul goes to look for him.


=== Part Two ===
The package is stuck, and Chub sends for a robot. V45 arrives but is acting strange. V45 corners and strangles Chub, killing him.


The Doctor survives by using a blowpipe poking up through the sand which he breathes through. Both he and Leela, who has found a third dead man, [[Cass]], and a 'Dum' robot which can secretly speak, are recaptured. Commander [[Uvanov]] orders them to be locked up in the robot storage bay, on suspicion of killing all three humans.
In the corridor, Poul hears a Man scream. He finds Chub's body. Poul goes to the control deck and tells Uvanov about the murder. Uvanov does not want to go to investigate it, as they will lose the storm, but the other crew make him go to investigate. They find a strange object on Chub's hand — a "[[corpse marker]]".


One of the humans, Chief Mover [[Poul]], believes the Doctor and Leela to be innocent, so he frees them and shows them where Chub was murdered. There, the Doctor convinces Poul that a robot may have killed the meteorologist. While this is happening, a female crewmember named [[Zilda]] is murdered, who accuses Uvanov of murder over the tannoy system.  Poul - sent to Uvanov's quarters to investigate - finds the Commander bending over Zilda's body.  He has him confined to his quarters on suspicion of murdering Zilda.
At about this time, [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] materialises in one of the scoops. After the Doctor and Leela emerge from the TARDIS, it is removed by a large mechanical arm as it is blocking the scoop. Later, the Doctor and Leela are brought out of the scoop by two robots and locked in a room. The Doctor uses [[the Doctor's sonic screwdriver|his sonic screwdriver]] to unlock the door and goes in search of the TARDIS, while Leela finds Chub's body being taken away by some robots.


Shortly afterwards, the engineer, [[Borg (The Robots of Death)|Borg]], who is responsible for controlling power to the motors is found dead, and the sandminer's engines begin to run out of control, threatening the vehicle with destruction. A frantic [[Toos]] shrieks "She's going!!"
The human crew suspects the two [[time travel]]lers of murdering Chub, and tensions increase when it is found that they have left the room in which they were locked. Uvanov orders the robots to recapture them. The Doctor and Leela are separated, with the Doctor finding a second dead man, Kerrill, in a hopper which starts to fill with sand that buries them both...


=== Part Three ===
=== Part two ===
The Doctor survives by using a [[blowpipe]] poking up through the sand through which he breathes. Both he and Leela, who has found a third dead man, [[Cass (The Robots of Death)|Cass]], and a "Dum" robot which can secretly speak, are recaptured. Commander [[Uvanov]] orders them to be locked up in the robot storage bay, on suspicion of killing all three humans.


The Doctor saves the miner by cutting off the power to the motors, while Dask repairs the damaged - and sabotaged - controls so that the miner can continue on its way.
Poul believes the Doctor and Leela to be innocent, so he frees them and shows them where Chub was murdered. There, the Doctor convinces Poul that a robot may have killed the meteorologist. While this is happening, a female crewmember named [[Zilda]] is murdered, who accuses Uvanov of murder over the tannoy system. Poul — sent to Uvanov's quarters to investigate — finds the Commander bending over Zilda's body. He has him confined to his quarters on suspicion of murdering Zilda.


The Doctor goes to see the 'Dum' robot that Leela claimed could speak, D84. The robot reveals that it and Poul are undercover agents for the mining company.  They were placed on board the miner as a precaution to threats of a "robot revolution" by a scientist called [[Taren Capel]], who was raised by robots and considers himself to be one. D84 itself is unique in the fact that it can function autonomously from Super Voc SV7's commands, and appears to possess a high level of logical reasoning.  
Shortly afterwards, the engineer, [[Borg (The Robots of Death)|Borg]], who is responsible for controlling power to the motors, is found dead, and the sandminer's engines begin to run out of control, threatening the vehicle with destruction. A frantic [[Toos]] shrieks, "She's going!"


The Doctor and D84 search the miner for proof that Taren Capel is on board, and find a secret workshop where the robots' programming has been changed to enable them to kill humans. The Doctor arranges for all the remaining humans to go to the command deck. Uvanov arrives after escaping confinement to confront the Doctor, but is surprised to see a robot enter the workshop. It proves to have orders to kill the Doctor, and grabs him by the throat...
=== Part three ===
The Doctor saves the miner by getting Dask to cut off the power to the motors. Once the sandminer has stopped moving, sinking under the sand dunes is imminent. Dask sets on quickly repairing the damaged — and sabotaged — controls so that the miner can continue on its way.


=== Part Four ===
The Doctor goes to see the "Dum" robot that Leela claimed could speak, D84. The robot reveals that it and Poul are undercover agents for the [[Kaldor City Company|mining company]]. They were placed on board the miner as a precaution to threats of a "robot revolution" by a scientist called [[Taren Capel]], who was raised by robots and considers himself to be one. D84 itself is unique in the fact that it can function autonomously from Super Voc SV7's commands and appears to possess a high level of logical reasoning.
The Doctor and Uvanov manage to escape and head for the control deck. Someone (presumably [[Dask]], whose responsibilities include robots) shuts down all of the robots whose programming has not been changed, leaving just the killer robots and D84 operational. Looking around the miner, Leela stumbles on Poul hiding in the storage bay: he has gone mad and is suffering from [[robophobia]]. She then tracks down Toos in her quarters, who has just been attacked by another rogue robot, and takes her to the control deck to join the Doctor and Uvanov. The human crew are surprised by D84's arrival carrying a near-catatonic Poul, but the Doctor explains the pair's real functions as undercover agents.  Looking at his Chief Mover, Uvanov sadly remembers another crewmember losing his mind to robophobia years earlier who ran outside to escape them and died; it was Zilda's brother, hence her accusation of murder.  SV7 - whose programming has now been changed - tells them to come out and die, but Toos and Uvanov decide to defend themselves.


Dask is later revealed to be Taren Capel, intent on "releasing [his] 'brothers' (the robots) from bondage to human dross" and "programming them with an ambition to rule the world".  
The Doctor and D84 search for proof that Taren Capel is on board and find a secret workshop where the robots' programming has been changed to enable them to kill humans. The Doctor arranges for all the remaining humans to go to the command deck. Uvanov arrives after escaping confinement to confront the Doctor, but he is surprised to see a robot enter the workshop. It proves to have orders to kill the Doctor and grabs him by the throat...


Taren Capel orders his modified robots to destroy the remaining humans and the Doctor and Leela. Uvanov and Toos get to work on modifying some Z9 explosives to destroy the robots. In the storage bay Leela finds a damaged robot with its hand covered in blood - which the Doctor reasons is Borg's. He had been the only one strong enough to even try to fight back, and may even have sabotaged the engine controls in a suicidal attempt to destroy the miner and all the killer robots on board. The Doctor dismantles the damaged robot and creates a final deactivator - a device that will destroy any still functioning robots at close range. In the process, he tries to explain to Leela how robophobia works. Robots do not display any body language, which the sensitive Leela had already picked up - calling them "creepy mechanical men" - and despite the fact most robots are built in humanoid form, some people are so unnerved that they become terrified of them. The pair head back to Taren Capel's hidden workshop, where the Doctor hides Leela with a canister of helium gas, telling her to release it when Taren comes in. The Doctor hopes that this will change Taren's voice, so his robots - unable to recognise him - will not obey his orders and turn on him.
=== Part four ===
The Doctor and Uvanov escape and head for the control deck. Someone (presumably [[Dask]], whose responsibilities include robots) shuts down all of the robots whose programming has not been changed, leaving just the killer robots and D84 operational. Looking around the miner, Leela stumbles on Poul hiding in the storage bay: he has gone mad and is suffering from [[Grimwade's Syndrome|robophobia]]. She then tracks down Toos in her quarters, who has just been attacked by another rogue robot, and takes her to the control deck to join the Doctor and Uvanov. The human crew are surprised by D84's arrival carrying a near-[[catatonia|catatonic]] Poul, but the Doctor explains the pair's real functions as undercover agents. Looking at his Chief Mover, Uvanov sadly remembers another crew member losing his mind to robophobia years earlier who ran outside to escape them and died; it was Zilda's brother, hence her accusation of murder. SV7 — whose programming has now also been changed — tells them to come out and die, but Toos and Uvanov decide to defend themselves.
 
Dask is later revealed to be Taren Capel, intent on "releasing [his] "brothers" (the robots) from bondage to human dross" and "programming them with an ambition to rule the world".
 
Taren Capel orders his modified robots to destroy the remaining humans and the Doctor and Leela. Uvanov and Toos get to work on modifying some Z9 explosives to destroy the robots. In the storage bay Leela finds a damaged robot with its hand covered in blood — which the Doctor reasons is Borg's. He had been the only one strong enough to even try to fight back, and he may even have sabotaged the engine controls in a suicidal attempt to destroy the miner and all the killer robots on board. The Doctor dismantles the damaged robot and creates a final deactivator — a device that will destroy any still functioning robots at close range. In the process, he tries to explain to Leela how robophobia works. Robots do not display any body language, which the sensitive Leela had already picked up — calling them "creepy mechanical men" — and despite the fact most robots are built in humanoid form, some people are so unnerved that they become terrified of them. The pair head back to Taren Capel's hidden workshop, where the Doctor hides Leela with a canister of [[helium]] gas, telling her to release it when Taren comes in. The Doctor hopes that this will change Taren's voice, so his robots — unable to recognise him — will not obey his orders and turn on him.
[[File:Robots_kill_taren.jpg|thumb|The Doctor tricks and evades the killer robots.]]
[[File:Robots_kill_taren.jpg|thumb|The Doctor tricks and evades the killer robots.]]
Taren arrives and damages D84, but the robot is able to activate the Doctor's device to destroy a killer robot, knowingly sacrificing itself in the process. Leela releases the helium gas, causing Taren's voice to become high-pitched and squeaky, and Taren is killed by SV7 when it fails to identify his voice. The Doctor then destroys SV7 with a laser probe.
Taren arrives and damages D84, but the robot is able to activate the Doctor's device to destroy a killer robot, knowingly sacrificing itself in the process. Leela releases the helium gas, causing Taren's voice to become high-pitched and squeaky, and Taren is killed by SV7 when it fails to identify his voice pattern. The Doctor then destroys SV7 with a laserson probe before Leela calls from her hiding place in a high-pitched voice "Will somebody let me out!?"


The robot threat over, and a rescue ship coming to collect the surviving humans, the Doctor and Leela return to the TARDIS and leave the sandminer.
With the robot threat over, and a rescue ship coming to collect the surviving humans, the Doctor and Leela return to the TARDIS and leave the sandminer.


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
* [[Fourth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Tom Baker]]
* [[Fourth Doctor|Doctor Who]] - [[Tom Baker]]
* [[Leela]] - [[Louise Jameson]]
* [[Leela]] - [[Louise Jameson]]
* [[Kiy Uvanov|Uvanov]] - [[Russell Hunter]]
* [[Kiy Uvanov|Uvanov]] - [[Russell Hunter]]
* [[Lish Toos|Toos]] - [[Pamela Salem]]
* [[Lish Toos|Toos]] - [[Pamela Salem]]
* [[Dask]] / [[Taren Capel]] - [[David Bailie]]
* [[Taren Capel|Dask]] / [[Taren Capel]] - [[David Bailie]]
* [[Chub]] - [[Rob Edwards]]
* [[Chub]] - [[Rob Edwards (actor)|Rob Edwards]]
* [[Borg (The Robots of Death)|Borg]] - [[Brian Croucher]]
* [[Borg (The Robots of Death)|Borg]] - [[Brian Croucher]]
* [[Cass]] - [[Tariq Yunus]]
* [[Cass (The Robots of Death)|Cass]] - [[Tariq Yunus]]
* [[Ander Poul|Poul]] - [[David Collings]]
* [[Ander Poul|Poul]] - [[David Collings]]
* [[Zilda]] - [[Tania Rogers]]
* [[Zilda]] - [[Tania Rogers]]
Line 80: Line 97:
* [[SV7]] - [[Miles Fothergill]]
* [[SV7]] - [[Miles Fothergill]]
* Robots - [[Mark Blackwell Baker]], [[John Bleasdale]], [[Mark Cooper]], [[Peter Langtry]], [[Jeremy Ranchev]], [[Richard Seager]]
* Robots - [[Mark Blackwell Baker]], [[John Bleasdale]], [[Mark Cooper]], [[Peter Langtry]], [[Jeremy Ranchev]], [[Richard Seager]]
=== Uncredited Cast ===
* [[Kerril]] - [[Peter Sax]]


== Crew ==
== Crew ==
Line 85: Line 105:
* [[Script Editor]] - [[Robert Holmes]]
* [[Script Editor]] - [[Robert Holmes]]
* [[Writer]] - [[Chris Boucher]]
* [[Writer]] - [[Chris Boucher]]
* [[Director]]s - [[Michael E. Briant]], [[Peter Grimwade]]
* [[Director (crew)|Director]] - [[Michael E. Briant]]
* [[Designer (crew)|Designer]] - [[Kenneth Sharp]]
* [[Designer (crew)|Designer]] - [[Kenneth Sharp]]
* [[Costumes]] - [[Elizabeth Waller]]
* [[Costumes]] - [[Elizabeth Waller]]
Line 101: Line 121:
* [[Visual Effects]] - [[Richard Conway]]
* [[Visual Effects]] - [[Richard Conway]]


== References ==
=== Uncredited crew ===
* [[Film sound]] - [[John Gatland]]<ref>[https://guide.doctorwhonews.net/role.php?code=3681 Doctor Who Guide]</ref>
 
== Worldbuilding ==
=== Individuals ===
=== Individuals ===
* The Doctor claims to have seen similar 'moving mines' on [[Korlano Beta]].
* The Doctor claims to have seen similar "moving mines" on [[Korlano Beta]].
* The Doctor uses a [[respiratory bypass system]] to avoid inhaling [[helium]].
* The Doctor uses his [[respiratory bypass system]] to avoid inhaling [[helium]].
* The Doctor claims to be [[the Doctor's age|750 years old]].
* The Doctor claims to be [[the Doctor's age|750 years old]].
* The human crew of the ''[[Storm Mine]]'' includes a Commander, a Pilot, a Chief Mover and a Chief Fixer. Also on board is a government meteorologist (Chub) conducting experiments with weather balloons.
* The Doctor claims to be fond of [[bee|bumble bees]].
* Uvanov first commanded a storm mine 10 years ago. He is known for getting good results, and such expects to be richer than some of the Founding Family members.
* The Doctor mentions [[Marie Antoinette]].
* Taren Capel was an important scientist in the field of robotics before he disappeared. He lived with robots as a child, and so thinks of himself as one. He previously sent threatening letters to the 'the Company', promising a 'robot revolution', which resulted them putting agents [[D84]] and [[Poul]] on board the ''Storm Mine'' as a precaution.


=== Locations ===
=== Locations ===
* [[Kaldor City]] is mentioned. There are 20 Founding Families, who have higher status than others.
* [[Kaldor City]] is mentioned.
* The unnamed planet (on-screen) is covered in a hundred million miles of rocky uncharted desert.
* The ''Storm Mine'' has to keep moving, otherwise it will sink into the desert.
* ''Storm Mine'' travels across the shifting deserts, extracting minerals such as [[zelanite]], [[keefan]] and (most importantly) [[lucanol]].
* ''Storm Mine'' travels across the shifting deserts, extracting minerals such as [[zelanite]], [[keefan]] and (most importantly) [[lucanol]].
* The ''Storm Mine'' is 8 months into a 2 year tour of the desert.


=== Objects ===
=== Robots ===
* The Doctor's pockets contain a breathing tube and a pocket-sized torch.
* [[Grimwade's Syndrome|Robophobia]] is an irrational fear of robots. "The Loii" refer to it as "Grimwade's Syndrome".
* A satellite distress beacon can be used to contact base from the ''Storm Mine''.
* [[D33]], [[D88]], [[V14]], [[V17]], [[V32]], [[V35]], [[V58]] and [[V77]] are Vocs on the sandminer.
* Explosives are kept on board the ''Storm Mine'' — half a dozen Z9 electron packs, capable of destroying one robot per charge.
 
* The ''Storm Mine'' is capable of recycling the water on board, but ruins the taste in the process.
=== History ===
* The Doctor likens the sinking ''Storm Mine 4'' to the ''[[RMS Titanic|Titanic]]''.


=== Robots ===
=== Influences ===
* Voc-class robots have over a million circuit constrainers to prevent them from harming humans.
* Deactivated robots are returned to construction centres bering deactivation discs, nicknamed "corpse markers" by technicians.
* [[Robophobia]] is an irrational fear of robots. 'The Loii' refer to it as '[[Grimwade's Syndrome]]', Grimwade being a theorist in this field.
* 10 years ago aboard a sandminer, under Uvanov's command, a young man got robophobia and ran out into the desert and died. The incident was hushed up because of Uvanov's outstanding results for the Company, with only a note in his records.  The youth was Zilda's brother.
* There are officially three classes of robots:
** Dums, single-function labour models, incapable of speech.
** Vocs, capable of speech, make up the largest part of the robot population aboard Storm Mine Four.
** Super-Voc, acts as a co-ordinator, capable of issuing instructions to other robots; only one - SV7 - is aboard Storm Mine Four.
*** D84, seemingly none of the above although officially classed as a Dum in order to remain undercover. It is self-willed and is capable of showing emotion.
* Robots are capable of outrunning humans.
* Robots have been known to go wrong, but only when there's an error in their programming.
* A stop-circuit can be used to turn off all the robots. Usually they have to be returned to the construction centres to be reactivated once this has occured.
* Taren Capel alters the robots by using a secondary command channel and/or a Laserson probe to turn them into killers.
* It is the Chief Fixer's job to attend to damaged robots.


=== Allusions ===
* This story was obviously based on {{w|Isaac Asimov}}'s robot mysteries, such as {{wi|I, Robot}}. In particular, the human/robot police duo Elijah Bailey and R Daneel Olivaw from {{wi|The Caves of Steel}} and its sequels may be the inspiration for the Poul/D84 pair. Prominent mention is made of Asimov's {{w|Three Laws of Robotics|First Law of Robotics}}: "A robot may not harm a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm."
* Leela's tribe has a saying: "If you're bleeding, look for a man with scars."
* Another inspiration for the story was [[Agatha Christie]]'s novel, {{wi|And Then There Were None}}, in which several people on an island are murdered one by one, with one of them being the killer.
* The sandminer setting is based on {{w|Frank Herbert}}'s {{wi|Dune (novel)|Dune}}.
* [[Ander Poul|Poul's]] name is derived from science-fiction author {{w|Poul Anderson}}. In the novel ''[[Corpse Marker (novel)|Corpse Marker]]'', also written by Boucher, the characters full name is given as "Ander Poul".
* [[Taren Capel]]'s name comes from {{w|Karel Capek}}, whose play {{wi|R.U.R.}} introduced the word "robot".
* [[Uvanov]]'s name suggests {{w|Isaac Asimov}}; [[Borg (The Robots of Death)|Borg]]'s name suggests the word "cyborg".
* The story's thematic basis in body language was influenced by {{w|Desmond Morris}}' {{w|Manwatching}}.<ref>'The Discontinuity Guide' by Paul Cornell et al, page 205. Virgin Publishing Ltd, 1994.</ref>
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford_D._Simak Clifford D Simak]'s 1950 short story ''Bathe Your Bearings In Blood!'' (also known as ''Skirmish'') suggested the element of an outside influence inciting a robot rebellion.


== Story notes ==
== Story notes ==
* This story had the working titles ''The Storm-Mine Murders'' and ''Planet of the Robots''.
* This story had the working titles ''The Storm-Mine Murders'' and ''Planet of the Robots''. A rumoured working title for this story is ''War of the Robots'', but this does not appear on any contemporary BBC paperwork.
* This is one of the few stories which explains, in relative simplicity, using a demonstration with two boxes, how the TARDIS is dimensionally transcendental.
* This is one of the few stories which explains, in relative simplicity, using a demonstration with two boxes, how the TARDIS is dimensionally transcendental.
* This story is the last one in which the wood-panelled TARDIS control room appears.
* This story is the last to feature the wood-panelled TARDIS control room, as the wooden walls warped whilst the set was in storage.
* There have been several influences suggested for ''Robots of Death'':
* Robophobia — an irrational fear of robots — is at one point referred to as "Grimwade's syndrome". This was an in-joke reference to production assistant [[Peter Grimwade]] (later to become a director and writer on the series) who had bemoaned the fact that the stories on which he was assigned to work almost always involved robots. However, the description of robophobia given by the Doctor in fact coincides with a real-life phenomenon called {{w|Uncanny valley|the Uncanny Valley}}.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2TdP860FMcY7cJKp0ZHVl5T/the-fourth-dimension</ref>
** This story was obviously based on {{w|Isaac Asimov}}'s robot mysteries, such as {{wi|I, Robot}}. In particular, the human/robot police duo Elijah Bailey and R Daneel Olivaw from {{wi|Caves of Steel}} and its sequels may be the inspiration for the Poul/D84 pair. Prominent mention is made of Asimov's {{w|Three Laws of Robotics|First Law of Robotics}}: "A robot may not harm a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm."
* 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.
** Another inspiration for the story was [[Agatha Christie]]'s novel, ''{{w|And Then There Were None}}'', in which several people on an island are murdered one by one, with one of them being the killer.
* 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 (reference book)|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 sandminer setting is based on {{w|Frank Herbert}}'s ''{{w|Dune (novel)|Dune}}''.
* 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.
** [[Ander Poul|Poul's]] name is derived from science-fiction author {{w|Poul Anderson}}. In [[PROSE]]: ''[[Corpse Marker (novel)|Corpse Marker]]'', also written by Boucher, the characters full name is given as 'Ander Poul'.
* 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.
** [[Taren Capel]]'s name comes from {{w|Karel Capek}}, whose play ''{{w|R.U.R.}}'' introduced the word 'robot'.
* 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.
** Also, [[Uvanov]]'s name suggests {{w|Issac Asimov}}; [[Borg (The Robots of Death)|Borg]]'s name suggests the word 'cyborg'.
* 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.)
** The story's thematic basis in body language was influenced by {{w|Desmond Morris}}' {{w|Manwatching}}. <ref>'The Discontinuity Guide' by Paul Cornell et al, page 205. Virgin Publishing Ltd, 1994.</ref>
* [[Pamela Salem]] had previously been considered for the role of Leela.
* Robophobia - an irrational fear of robots - is at one point referred to as 'Grimwade's syndrome'. This was an in-joke reference to production assistant [[Peter Grimwade]] (later to become a director and writer on the series) who had bemoaned the fact that the stories on which he was assigned to work almost always involved robots. However, the description of robophobia given by the Doctor in fact coincides with a real-life phenomenon called {{w|Uncanny valley|the Uncanny Valley}}.
* [[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.
* The precise setting of this story is disputed. Some expanded universe material places it on [[Io]], one of the moons of [[Jupiter]], 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 Io). ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Legacy (novel)|Legacy]]'') [[COMIC]]: ''[[Crisis on Kaldor (comic story)|Crisis on Kaldor]]'' places it on the planet [[Kaldor]]. The ''[[Kaldor City (audio series)|Kaldor City]]'' audio series does not explicitly state name of the planet, although the inference seems to be that the planet's name is Kaldor. 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 places 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.
* [[Brian Croucher]] would later play the second version of [https://blakes7.fandom.com/wiki/Travis Space Commander Travis] on [[Blake's 7 (series)|''Blake's 7'',]] which was script-edited by [[Chris Boucher]] and scored by [[Dudley Simpson]]. [[Pamela Salem]] appeared in the episode "[https://blakes7.fandom.com/wiki/Cygnus_Alpha_(episode) Cygnus Alpha]".
* Decades later, the episodes ''[[The Impossible Planet]]''/''[[The Satan Pit]]'' and ''[[Planet of the Ood]]'' would also feature subservient creatures (albeit living ones this time) turning on their masters after being manipulated; like the robots, the [[Ood]]s' eyes would also glow red when under this influence.
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Lacey Ronald Lacey] was considered for Uvanov.
* The [[Heavenly Host]] in [[TV]]: ''[[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.
* [[Hilary Minster]] was originally offered the role of SV7.
* A sound clip from this serial is used in [[TV]]: ''[[The Almost People]]'', when the [[Eleventh Doctor]]'s [[Eleventh Doctor (Ganger)|ganger]] at one point blurts out, "Would you like a jelly baby?" in the voice of the Fourth Doctor. {{Fact}}
* [[Brian Croucher]] replaced [[Brian McDermott]] as Borg.
* [[Peter Grimwade]] discovered that episode two was severely underrunning. As a result, material about the Sandminer's overloading motive units was added to its closing stages; it appears that the cliffhanger had originally centred on the murder of Zilda.
* [[Tania Rogers]] and [[Tariq Yunus]] had previously appeared in the ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_for_Today Play for Today] [[Gangsters]].''


=== Ratings ===
=== Ratings ===
* Part 1 - 12.8 million viewers
* Part one - 12.8 million viewers
* Part 2 - 12.4 million viewers
* Part two - 12.4 million viewers
* Part 3 - 13.1 million viewers
* Part three - 13.1 million viewers
* Part 4 - 12.6 million viewers
* Part four - 12.6 million viewers


=== 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 gin up 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>''


=== BBC rebroadcast ===
=== BBC repeat ===
On 24 December and 31 December 1977, the BBC rebroadcast ''The Robots of Death'' as a holiday season special during an interval between its broadcasts of [[TV]]: ''[[The Sun Makers]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[Underworld]]''. The four episodes were edited together to form two approx. 50 minute episodes. This is the earliest known occasion in which ''Doctor Who'' was broadcast in this format, which would be attempted again with [[TV]]: ''[[Resurrection of the Daleks]]'', then again for one season in 1985, and finally become the standard beginning in 2005.
On 24 December and 31 December 1977, the BBC repeated ''The Robots of Death'' as a holiday season special during an interval between its broadcasts of ''[[The Sun Makers (TV story)|The Sun Makers]]'' and ''[[Underworld (TV story)|Underworld]]''. The four episodes were edited together to form two approx. 50-minute episodes. This is the earliest known occasion in which ''Doctor Who'' was broadcast in this format, which would be attempted again with ''[[Resurrection of the Daleks (TV story)|Resurrection of the Daleks]]'', then again for one season in 1985, and finally become the standard beginning in 2005.


=== Filming locations ===
=== Filming locations ===
Line 179: Line 193:
=== Production errors ===
=== Production errors ===
{{discontinuity}}
{{discontinuity}}
* [[The Doctor's scarf]] vanishes while he's detained in the crew's quarters.
* [[The Doctor's scarf]] vanishes and reappears with little to no explanation twice in the serial: once when he and Leela are detained in part one, and again when he and the crew flee to the command centre in part four.
* When Leela bandages Toos' arm, someone is visible on the edge of the set.
* This isn't really a production error, but more of an example of the shoestring budget that the actors and the production team often had to work with in classic Who. When the Doctor gets trapped in the hopper in the cliffhanger at the end of part one, eagle eyed viewers may notice that the sand which starts to pour all over Tom Baker is actually CoCo Pops cereal.
* When Leela bandages Toos's arm, someone is visible on the edge of the set.
* Uvanov accuses the Doctor of murdering three crew members upon meeting him, even though he is only informed of the third murder a few seconds later when Poul comes into the room.
* In spite of editing, Leela's knife throw is clearly travelling way off-target (on a downward trajectory) and could not possibly have hit its mark (the robot) as shown.
* In spite of editing, Leela's knife throw is clearly travelling way off-target (on a downward trajectory) and could not possibly have hit its mark (the robot) as shown.
* When Leela and the Doctor are talking about the robots after having been placed in a crew lounge, one of Louise Jameson's contacts can be seen to have visible slipped low in her eye, showing her natural blue eye colour, while the contact can still be seen as a dark spot in the corner of her eye.
* When Leela and the Doctor are talking about the robots after having been placed in a crew lounge, one of Louise Jameson's contacts can be seen to have slipped down, showing her natural blue eye colour. The contact can still be seen as a dark spot in the corner of her eye.
* Uvanov inexplicably delivers one line in part four in an Irish accent.
* When Uvanov informs the crew of Leela and the Doctor's capture, there is a noticeable fault in the audio reception.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* The characters from this episode reappear in several of Chris Boucher's later novels, starting with [[PROSE]]: ''[[Corpse Marker (novel)|Corpse Marker]]'', and continuing in the [[Kaldor City (audio series)|Kaldor City spinoffs]].
* The characters from this episode reappear in several of Chris Boucher's later novels, starting with [[PROSE]]: ''[[Corpse Marker (novel)|Corpse Marker]]'', and continuing in the [[Kaldor City (audio series)|Kaldor City audio spinoffs]].
* The Doctor offers Borg a [[jelly baby]]. When the [[Eleventh Doctor]] has a [[Eleventh Doctor (Ganger)|ganger]] made of him, the ganger has difficulty adjusting to the Doctor's memories, at one point blurting out, "Would you like a jelly baby?", in the voice of the Fourth Doctor. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Almost People]]'')
* The [[Kaldor City Company]] would later cover up this incident. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Robophobia (audio story)|Robophobia]]'')
* The [[Kaldor City]] Company would later cover up this incident. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Robophobia (audio story)|Robophobia]]'')
* The Doctor previously attempted to explain how the TARDIS is bigger on the inside. When [[Barbara Wright]] asked how the TARDIS works, the [[First Doctor]] explained to her and [[Ian Chesterton]] that the inner doors are a gateway to the fourth dimension which cannot be seen in our dimension, allowing it to be concealed inside of the outer box, being the police box. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Secrets of the Tardis (comic story)|The Secrets of the Tardis]]'')
* The Doctor has previously stated the impossibility for Bumble Bees to fly as an example for when discussing how something supposedly impossible can happen. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Dæmons (TV story)|The Dæmons]]'')


== Home video and audio releases ==
== Home video and audio releases ==
=== DVD releases ===
=== DVD releases ===
Released as ''Doctor Who: The Robots of Death'', this was the first 'proper' title in the [[BBC DVD]] range of ''Doctor Who'' DVDs. It marked the debut of the 'roundel' template that didn't prove popular with fans (although it has remained to date as the DVD template) and is the only one in the range not to feature production subtitles. The continuities were meant to be an Easter Egg, but an error was made by the Authoring House and they were included as a regular menu item. This early DVD release lacks subtitles.
Released as ''Doctor Who: The Robots of Death'', this was the first "proper" title in the [[BBC DVD]] range of ''Doctor Who'' DVDs. It marked the debut of the "roundel" template that didn't prove popular with fans (although it has remained to date as the DVD template) and is the only one in the range not to feature production subtitles. The continuities were meant to be an Easter Egg, but an error was made by the Authoring House and they were included as a regular menu item. This early DVD release lacks subtitles, and features a different image of Tom Baker on the cover to later releases (in common with ''[[The Caves of Androzani (TV story)|The Caves of Androzani]]'', ''[[Vengeance on Varos (TV story)|Vengeance on Varos]]'' and ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)|Remembrance of the Daleks]]'', the first stories released for the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Doctors).


Released:
Released:
* [[Region 2]] [[13 November (releases)|13 November]] [[2000]]
* [[Region 2]] [[13 November (releases)|13 November]] [[2000 (releases)|2000]]
::PAL - [[BBC DVD]] BBCDVD1012
::PAL - [[BBC DVD]] BBCDVD1012
* [[Region 4]] [[2 July (releases)|2 July]] [[2001]]
* [[Region 4]] [[2 July (releases)|2 July]] [[2001 (releases)|2001]]
* [[Region 1]] [[11 September (releases)|11 September]] [[2001]]
* [[Region 1]] [[11 September (releases)|11 September]] 2001
::NTSC - [[Warner Video]] E1120
::NTSC - [[Warner Video]] E1120


Line 217: Line 236:
* Editing for the DVD release was completed by the [[Doctor Who Restoration Team]].
* Editing for the DVD release was completed by the [[Doctor Who Restoration Team]].


<gallery hideaddbutton="true" >
==== Special Edition ====
A special edition of ''The Robots of Death'' DVD was released on the ''[[Revisitations|Revisitations 3]]'' box set, on [[13 February (releases)|13 February]] [[2012 (releases)|2012]]. Other stories in the box set are ''[[The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)|The Tomb of the Cybermen]]'' and ''[[The Three Doctors (TV story)|The Three Doctors]]''.
 
===== Special Features =====
 
* Commentary #1 - Original release commentary by producer Philip Hinchcliffe and writer Chris Boucher
* Commentary #2 - New commentary by [[Tom Baker]] ([[Fourth Doctor|the Doctor]]), [[Louise Jameson]] ([[Leela]]), [[Pamela Salem]] ([[Toos]]), and director [[Michael E. Briant]]
* ''[[The Sandmine Murders (documentary)|The Sandmine Murders]]'' - Cast and crew look back at the making of this story
* ''[[Robophobia (documentary)|Robophobia]]'' - [[Toby Hadoke]] takes a humorous look at the history of robots
* Studio Sound - An example of a studio scene before the robot voice effects were added
* Model Shots - Black and white time-coded recordings of the original model insert film
* Studio Floor Plan - An interactive view of the studio layout
* Continuity - Off-air continuity for the original transmission of Part One plus a mute continuity slide
* ''[[Radio Times]]'' listings (DVD-ROM)
* Production information subtitles
* Photo Gallery
* Coming Soon trailer - ''[[The Face of Evil (TV story)|The Face of Evil]]''
 
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
File:The Robots of Death DVD UK cover.jpg|DVD Region 2 UK cover
File:The Robots of Death DVD UK cover.jpg|DVD Region 2 UK cover
File:4r-dvd2.jpg|DVD Region 1 US cover
File:4r-dvd2.jpg|DVD Region 1 US cover
File:The Robots of Death DVD Netherlands cover.jpg|DVD Region 2 Netherlands cover
File:The Robots of Death DVD Netherlands cover.jpg|DVD Region 2 Netherlands cover
File:The Robots of Death DVD Australian cover.png|DVD Region 4 Australian cover
File:The Robots of Death DVD Australian cover.png|DVD Region 4 Australian cover
Robots of death special edition uk dvd.jpg|UK Special Edition cover
The robots of death.jpg|US Special Edition cover
The Robots of Death SE Region 4 DVD cover.jpg|AUS Special Edition cover
</gallery>
</gallery>
A special edition of ''The Robots of Death'' DVD was released on the Revisitations 3 boxset, on the 13th February 2012. Other stories in the boxset are ''[[The Tomb of the Cybermen]]'' and ''[[The Three Doctors]]''. The special edition features these extras:
* Commentary #1 (from original release): producer Philip Hinchcliffe and writer Chris Boucher
* Commentary #2: Tom Baker, Louise Jameson, Pamela Salem ([[Toos]]) and director Michael E. Briant
* The Sandmine Murders: making-of documentary
* Robophobia: humorous look at the history of robots by Toby Hadoke
* Studio Sound: an example of a studio scene before the robot voices were added
* Model Shots
* Studio Floor Plan
* Continuity Announcements
* Radio Times Listings
* Info Subtitles
* Photo Gallery
* Coming Soon Trailer
* Digitally Remastered Picture and sound quality.


=== VHS releases ===
=== VHS releases ===
Line 245: Line 269:
Released:
Released:
* First Release:
* First Release:
:* [[UK]] [[April]] [[1986]]
* UK [[February (releases)|February]] [[1988 (releases)|1988]]
::PAL - [[BBC Video]] BBCV4108
::PAL - [[BBC Video]] BBCV4108


<gallery hideaddbutton="true" >
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
File:DSC01794.JPG|BBC Video 1986 Release (BBCV 2030)
File:DSC01794.JPG|BBC Video 1986 Release (BBCV 2030)
File:4r-video.jpg|1986 VHS UK cover
File:4r-video.jpg|1988 VHS UK cover
File:4r-video2.jpg|1995 VHS UK cover
File:4r-video2.jpg|1995 VHS UK cover
File:The Robots of Death VHS Japan cover.jpg|1986 VHS Japanese cover
File:The Robots of Death VHS Japan cover.jpg|1986 VHS Japanese cover
File:The Robots of Death VHS US cover.jpg|1987 VHS US cover
File:The Robots of Death VHS US cover.jpg|1987 VHS US cover
File:The Robots of Death VHS Australian cover.jpg|1988 VHS Australian cover
File:The Robots of Death VHS Australian cover.jpg|1988 VHS Australian cover
File:The Robots of Death BR.jpg|1988 VHS Brazilian cover
File:The Robots of Death VHS Portugal.jpg|1988 VHS Portuguese cover
</gallery>
</gallery>


:* [[Australia]]/[[NZ]] [[March]] [[1988]]
* [[Australia]]/[[NZ]] [[March (releases)|March]] 1988
:* [[US]] [[July]] [[1987]]
 
* [[US]] [[July (releases)|July]] [[1987 (releases)|1987]]
::NTSC - [[Warner Video]] E1120
::NTSC - [[Warner Video]] E1120
 
* [[Japan]] [[May (releases)|May]] [[1987 (releases)|1987]]
:* [[Japan]] [[December]] [[1986]]
::NTSC - Pony Video
* [[Brazil]] [[1988 (releases)|1988]]
::PAL - Video Network
* [[Portugal]] [[1988 (releases)|1988]]
::PAL - Transvídeo


Notes: This story was released in an edited movie-format.
Notes: This story was released in an edited movie-format.


* Second Release:
* Second Release:
:* [[UK]] [[February]] [[1995]]
* [[UK]] February [[1995 (releases)|1995]]
::PAL - [[BBC Video]] BBCV5521
::PAL - [[BBC Video]] BBCV552
 
Notes: This story was released unedited.
Notes: This story was released unedited.


== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{bbcepguideclassic|robotsofdeath/|The Robots of Death}}
* {{bbcepguideclassic|robotsofdeath/|The Robots of Death}}
* {{radiotimes|2010-09-06/the-robots-of-death|The Robots of Death}}
{{dwcast}}
{{dwcast}}
* {{dwrefguide|who_4r.htm|The Robots of Death}}
{{dwrefguide|who_4r.htm|The Robots of Death}}
* {{briefhistory|serials/4r.html|The Robots of Death}}
* {{briefhistory|serials/4r.html|The Robots of Death}}


== Footnotes ==
== Footnotes ==
{{reflist|1}}
{{reflist|1}}
{{DWTV}}
{{DWTV}}
{{TitleSort}}
[[es:The Robots of Death]]
[[fr:The Robots of Death (TV)]]
[[ru:Роботы смерти]]


{{TitleSort}}
{{ImageLinkTV}}
[[de:{{StoryTitle}}]]
[[Category:Doctor Who (1963) television stories]]
[[Category:Doctor Who (1963) television stories]]
[[Category:Fourth Doctor television stories]]
[[Category:1977 television stories]]
[[Category:1977 television stories]]
[[Category:Season 14 stories]]
[[Category:Season 14 stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in the 23rd century]]
[[Category:Stories set on Kaldor]]
[[Category:Kaldor android stories]]
[[Category:Four part serials]]
[[Category:Four part serials]]
[[Category:BFI-exhibited television stories]]

Latest revision as of 20:06, 3 November 2024

RealWorld.png

You may be looking for the reference book of the same name.

The Robots of Death was the fifth and penultimate serial of season 14 of Doctor Who. It saw the Super-Voc, Voc and Dum robots make their first, and only, televised appearance. The serial was based on the works of Agatha Christie, with a series of unexplained murders.

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, 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 sci-fi novel Dune, and so the sandminers 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)

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Fourth Doctor and Leela land aboard a sandminer, whose crew believe them to be responsible for a murder. As the crew continue to be picked off, the Doctor begins to suspect that the sandminer's robots may be responsible for the murders...

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part one[[edit] | [edit source]]

On a distant planet, a huge sandminer vehicle; Storm Mine 4, is slowly scraping the surface of a vast, barren desert in search of precious minerals. The sandminer is manned by nine humans and numerous robots — black "Dums" that cannot speak, pale green "Vocs", and a silver "Super-Voc" which controls all the "Dums" and "Vocs". The robots conduct a routine scan of the area and locate a large sandstorm, which the Commander, Uvanov, decides to pursue, as the storm will bring heavier and more valuable minerals such as lucanol to the surface.

One of the crew, the disliked scientist Chub, is going to collect an instrument package.

Uvanov is angered at Chub for taking so long, and Poul goes to look for him.

The package is stuck, and Chub sends for a robot. V45 arrives but is acting strange. V45 corners and strangles Chub, killing him.

In the corridor, Poul hears a Man scream. He finds Chub's body. Poul goes to the control deck and tells Uvanov about the murder. Uvanov does not want to go to investigate it, as they will lose the storm, but the other crew make him go to investigate. They find a strange object on Chub's hand — a "corpse marker".

At about this time, the TARDIS materialises in one of the scoops. After the Doctor and Leela emerge from the TARDIS, it is removed by a large mechanical arm as it is blocking the scoop. Later, the Doctor and Leela are brought out of the scoop by two robots and locked in a room. The Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver to unlock the door and goes in search of the TARDIS, while Leela finds Chub's body being taken away by some robots.

The human crew suspects the two time travellers of murdering Chub, and tensions increase when it is found that they have left the room in which they were locked. Uvanov orders the robots to recapture them. The Doctor and Leela are separated, with the Doctor finding a second dead man, Kerrill, in a hopper which starts to fill with sand that buries them both...

Part two[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor survives by using a blowpipe poking up through the sand through which he breathes. Both he and Leela, who has found a third dead man, Cass, and a "Dum" robot which can secretly speak, are recaptured. Commander Uvanov orders them to be locked up in the robot storage bay, on suspicion of killing all three humans.

Poul believes the Doctor and Leela to be innocent, so he frees them and shows them where Chub was murdered. There, the Doctor convinces Poul that a robot may have killed the meteorologist. While this is happening, a female crewmember named Zilda is murdered, who accuses Uvanov of murder over the tannoy system. Poul — sent to Uvanov's quarters to investigate — finds the Commander bending over Zilda's body. He has him confined to his quarters on suspicion of murdering Zilda.

Shortly afterwards, the engineer, Borg, who is responsible for controlling power to the motors, is found dead, and the sandminer's engines begin to run out of control, threatening the vehicle with destruction. A frantic Toos shrieks, "She's going!"

Part three[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor saves the miner by getting Dask to cut off the power to the motors. Once the sandminer has stopped moving, sinking under the sand dunes is imminent. Dask sets on quickly repairing the damaged — and sabotaged — controls so that the miner can continue on its way.

The Doctor goes to see the "Dum" robot that Leela claimed could speak, D84. The robot reveals that it and Poul are undercover agents for the mining company. They were placed on board the miner as a precaution to threats of a "robot revolution" by a scientist called Taren Capel, who was raised by robots and considers himself to be one. D84 itself is unique in the fact that it can function autonomously from Super Voc SV7's commands and appears to possess a high level of logical reasoning.

The Doctor and D84 search for proof that Taren Capel is on board and find a secret workshop where the robots' programming has been changed to enable them to kill humans. The Doctor arranges for all the remaining humans to go to the command deck. Uvanov arrives after escaping confinement to confront the Doctor, but he is surprised to see a robot enter the workshop. It proves to have orders to kill the Doctor and grabs him by the throat...

Part four[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor and Uvanov escape and head for the control deck. Someone (presumably Dask, whose responsibilities include robots) shuts down all of the robots whose programming has not been changed, leaving just the killer robots and D84 operational. Looking around the miner, Leela stumbles on Poul hiding in the storage bay: he has gone mad and is suffering from robophobia. She then tracks down Toos in her quarters, who has just been attacked by another rogue robot, and takes her to the control deck to join the Doctor and Uvanov. The human crew are surprised by D84's arrival carrying a near-catatonic Poul, but the Doctor explains the pair's real functions as undercover agents. Looking at his Chief Mover, Uvanov sadly remembers another crew member losing his mind to robophobia years earlier who ran outside to escape them and died; it was Zilda's brother, hence her accusation of murder. SV7 — whose programming has now also been changed — tells them to come out and die, but Toos and Uvanov decide to defend themselves.

Dask is later revealed to be Taren Capel, intent on "releasing [his] "brothers" (the robots) from bondage to human dross" and "programming them with an ambition to rule the world".

Taren Capel orders his modified robots to destroy the remaining humans and the Doctor and Leela. Uvanov and Toos get to work on modifying some Z9 explosives to destroy the robots. In the storage bay Leela finds a damaged robot with its hand covered in blood — which the Doctor reasons is Borg's. He had been the only one strong enough to even try to fight back, and he may even have sabotaged the engine controls in a suicidal attempt to destroy the miner and all the killer robots on board. The Doctor dismantles the damaged robot and creates a final deactivator — a device that will destroy any still functioning robots at close range. In the process, he tries to explain to Leela how robophobia works. Robots do not display any body language, which the sensitive Leela had already picked up — calling them "creepy mechanical men" — and despite the fact most robots are built in humanoid form, some people are so unnerved that they become terrified of them. The pair head back to Taren Capel's hidden workshop, where the Doctor hides Leela with a canister of helium gas, telling her to release it when Taren comes in. The Doctor hopes that this will change Taren's voice, so his robots — unable to recognise him — will not obey his orders and turn on him.

The Doctor tricks and evades the killer robots.

Taren arrives and damages D84, but the robot is able to activate the Doctor's device to destroy a killer robot, knowingly sacrificing itself in the process. Leela releases the helium gas, causing Taren's voice to become high-pitched and squeaky, and Taren is killed by SV7 when it fails to identify his voice pattern. The Doctor then destroys SV7 with a laserson probe before Leela calls from her hiding place in a high-pitched voice "Will somebody let me out!?"

With the robot threat over, and a rescue ship coming to collect the surviving humans, the Doctor and Leela return to the TARDIS and leave the sandminer.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Uncredited Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Uncredited crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Individuals[[edit] | [edit source]]

Locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Robots[[edit] | [edit source]]

History[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Doctor likens the sinking Storm Mine 4 to the Titanic.

Influences[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This story was obviously based on Isaac Asimov's robot mysteries, such as I, Robot. In particular, the human/robot police duo Elijah Bailey and R Daneel Olivaw from The Caves of Steel and its sequels may be the inspiration for the Poul/D84 pair. Prominent mention is made of Asimov's First Law of Robotics: "A robot may not harm a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm."
  • Another inspiration for the story was Agatha Christie's novel, And Then There Were None, in which several people on an island are murdered one by one, with one of them being the killer.
  • The sandminer setting is based on Frank Herbert's Dune.
  • Poul's name is derived from science-fiction author Poul Anderson. In the novel Corpse Marker, also written by Boucher, the characters full name is given as "Ander Poul".
  • Taren Capel's name comes from Karel Capek, whose play R.U.R. introduced the word "robot".
  • Uvanov's name suggests Isaac Asimov; Borg's name suggests the word "cyborg".
  • The story's thematic basis in body language was influenced by Desmond Morris' Manwatching.[2]
  • Clifford D Simak's 1950 short story Bathe Your Bearings In Blood! (also known as Skirmish) suggested the element of an outside influence inciting a robot rebellion.

Story notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This story had the working titles The Storm-Mine Murders and Planet of the Robots. A rumoured working title for this story is War of the Robots, but this does not appear on any contemporary BBC paperwork.
  • This is one of the few stories which explains, in relative simplicity, using a demonstration with two boxes, how the TARDIS is dimensionally transcendental.
  • This story is the last to feature the wood-panelled TARDIS control room, as the wooden walls warped whilst the set was in storage.
  • Robophobia — an irrational fear of robots — is at one point referred to as "Grimwade's syndrome". This was an in-joke reference to production assistant Peter Grimwade (later to become a director and writer on the series) who had bemoaned the fact that the stories on which he was assigned to work almost always involved robots. However, the description of robophobia given by the Doctor in fact coincides with a real-life phenomenon called the Uncanny Valley.[3]
  • 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 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 places it on the planet Kaldor, as does the Kaldor City audio series. Regarding the year the story takes place (which is never given onscreen), The Doctor Who Programme Guide places it circa 30,000, but The Terrestrial Index (by the same author) redates it to the 51st century. Timelink places it in 2777. A History of the Universe and the first two editions of aHistory arbitrarily place the story in 2877, but the third edition redates it to 2881, based on evidence from the 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.
  • Decades later, the episodes The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit and Planet of the Ood also featured subservient creatures (albeit living ones this time) turning on their masters after being manipulated; like the robots, the Oods' eyes also glowed red when under this influence.
  • The Heavenly Host in the television 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.)
  • Pamela Salem had previously been considered for the role of 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.
  • Brian Croucher would later play the second version of Space Commander Travis on Blake's 7, which was script-edited by Chris Boucher and scored by Dudley Simpson. Pamela Salem appeared in the episode "Cygnus Alpha".
  • Ronald Lacey was considered for Uvanov.
  • Hilary Minster was originally offered the role of SV7.
  • Brian Croucher replaced Brian McDermott as Borg.
  • Peter Grimwade discovered that episode two was severely underrunning. As a result, material about the Sandminer's overloading motive units was added to its closing stages; it appears that the cliffhanger had originally centred on the murder of Zilda.
  • Tania Rogers and Tariq Yunus had previously appeared in the Play for Today Gangsters.

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Part one - 12.8 million viewers
  • Part two - 12.4 million viewers
  • Part three - 13.1 million viewers
  • Part four - 12.6 million viewers

Myths[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • 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.)[4]

BBC repeat[[edit] | [edit source]]

On 24 December and 31 December 1977, the BBC repeated The Robots of Death as a holiday season special during an interval between its broadcasts of The Sun Makers and Underworld. The four episodes were edited together to form two approx. 50-minute episodes. This is the earliest known occasion in which Doctor Who was broadcast in this format, which would be attempted again with Resurrection of the Daleks, then again for one season in 1985, and finally become the standard beginning in 2005.

Filming locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Production errors[[edit] | [edit source]]

If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.
  • The Doctor's scarf vanishes and reappears with little to no explanation twice in the serial: once when he and Leela are detained in part one, and again when he and the crew flee to the command centre in part four.
  • This isn't really a production error, but more of an example of the shoestring budget that the actors and the production team often had to work with in classic Who. When the Doctor gets trapped in the hopper in the cliffhanger at the end of part one, eagle eyed viewers may notice that the sand which starts to pour all over Tom Baker is actually CoCo Pops cereal.
  • When Leela bandages Toos's arm, someone is visible on the edge of the set.
  • Uvanov accuses the Doctor of murdering three crew members upon meeting him, even though he is only informed of the third murder a few seconds later when Poul comes into the room.
  • In spite of editing, Leela's knife throw is clearly travelling way off-target (on a downward trajectory) and could not possibly have hit its mark (the robot) as shown.
  • When Leela and the Doctor are talking about the robots after having been placed in a crew lounge, one of Louise Jameson's contacts can be seen to have slipped down, showing her natural blue eye colour. The contact can still be seen as a dark spot in the corner of her eye.
  • Uvanov inexplicably delivers one line in part four in an Irish accent.
  • When Uvanov informs the crew of Leela and the Doctor's capture, there is a noticeable fault in the audio reception.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The characters from this episode reappear in several of Chris Boucher's later novels, starting with PROSE: Corpse Marker, and continuing in the Kaldor City audio spinoffs.
  • The Kaldor City Company would later cover up this incident. (AUDIO: Robophobia)
  • The Doctor previously attempted to explain how the TARDIS is bigger on the inside. When Barbara Wright asked how the TARDIS works, the First Doctor explained to her and Ian Chesterton that the inner doors are a gateway to the fourth dimension which cannot be seen in our dimension, allowing it to be concealed inside of the outer box, being the police box. (COMIC: The Secrets of the Tardis)
  • The Doctor has previously stated the impossibility for Bumble Bees to fly as an example for when discussing how something supposedly impossible can happen. (TV: The Dæmons)

Home video and audio releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

DVD releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

Released as Doctor Who: The Robots of Death, this was the first "proper" title in the BBC DVD range of Doctor Who DVDs. It marked the debut of the "roundel" template that didn't prove popular with fans (although it has remained to date as the DVD template) and is the only one in the range not to feature production subtitles. The continuities were meant to be an Easter Egg, but an error was made by the Authoring House and they were included as a regular menu item. This early DVD release lacks subtitles, and features a different image of Tom Baker on the cover to later releases (in common with The Caves of Androzani, Vengeance on Varos and Remembrance of the Daleks, the first stories released for the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Doctors).

Released:

PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1012
NTSC - Warner Video E1120

Extra features:

Rear Credits:

Notes:

Special Edition[[edit] | [edit source]]

A special edition of The Robots of Death DVD was released on the Revisitations 3 box set, on 13 February 2012. Other stories in the box set are The Tomb of the Cybermen and The Three Doctors.

Special Features[[edit] | [edit source]]
  • Commentary #1 - Original release commentary by producer Philip Hinchcliffe and writer Chris Boucher
  • Commentary #2 - New commentary by Tom Baker (the Doctor), Louise Jameson (Leela), Pamela Salem (Toos), and director Michael E. Briant
  • The Sandmine Murders - Cast and crew look back at the making of this story
  • Robophobia - Toby Hadoke takes a humorous look at the history of robots
  • Studio Sound - An example of a studio scene before the robot voice effects were added
  • Model Shots - Black and white time-coded recordings of the original model insert film
  • Studio Floor Plan - An interactive view of the studio layout
  • Continuity - Off-air continuity for the original transmission of Part One plus a mute continuity slide
  • Radio Times listings (DVD-ROM)
  • Production information subtitles
  • Photo Gallery
  • Coming Soon trailer - The Face of Evil
  • DVD Region 2 UK cover

    DVD Region 2 UK cover

  • DVD Region 1 US cover

    DVD Region 1 US cover

  • DVD Region 2 Netherlands cover

    DVD Region 2 Netherlands cover

  • DVD Region 4 Australian cover

    DVD Region 4 Australian cover

  • UK Special Edition cover

    UK Special Edition cover

  • US Special Edition cover

    US Special Edition cover

  • AUS Special Edition cover

    AUS Special Edition cover

VHS releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

This story was released as Doctor Who: The Robots of Death.

Released:

PAL - BBC Video BBCV4108
  • BBC Video 1986 Release (BBCV 2030)

    BBC Video 1986 Release (BBCV 2030)

  • 1988 VHS UK cover

    1988 VHS UK cover

  • 1995 VHS UK cover

    1995 VHS UK cover

  • 1986 VHS Japanese cover

    1986 VHS Japanese cover

  • 1987 VHS US cover

    1987 VHS US cover

  • 1988 VHS Australian cover

    1988 VHS Australian cover

  • 1988 VHS Brazilian cover

    1988 VHS Brazilian cover

  • 1988 VHS Portuguese cover

    1988 VHS Portuguese cover

NTSC - Warner Video E1120
NTSC - Pony Video
PAL - Video Network
PAL - Transvídeo

Notes: This story was released in an edited movie-format.

  • Second Release:
  • UK February 1995
PAL - BBC Video BBCV552

Notes: This story was released unedited.

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ Doctor Who Guide
  2. ↑ 'The Discontinuity Guide' by Paul Cornell et al, page 205. Virgin Publishing Ltd, 1994.
  3. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2TdP860FMcY7cJKp0ZHVl5T/the-fourth-dimension
  4. ↑ 'About Time, Volume 4: 1975-1979' by Lawrence Miles et al, page 140. Mad Norwegian Press, 2004.
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