Carnival of Monsters (TV story): Difference between revisions

From Tardis Wiki, the free Doctor Who reference
No edit summary
m (Bot: Cosmetic changes)
 
(360 intermediate revisions by 88 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{title dab away}}
{{real world}}
{{real world}}
{{title|''{{PAGENAME}}''}}
{{ImageLinkTV}}
{{Infobox ClassicTV|
{{Infobox Story SMW
story name= Carnival of Monsters |
|image                 = Carnivalofmonsters title.jpg
image=[[Image:Carnivalofmonsters_title.jpg|250px]] |
|series                 = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
series=[[Doctor Who]] -<br/>[[List of Doctor Who television stories|TV Stories]] |
|season number         = Season 10 (Doctor Who 1963)|
number= [[Season 10]] |
|season serial number  = 2
story number=66|
|story number           = 66
doctor=[[Third Doctor]]|
|doctor                 = Third Doctor
companions= [[Jo Grant]]|
|companions             = [[Jo Grant|Jo]]
enemy= [[Kalik]], [[Drashig]]s |
|enemy                 = [[Kalik]]
year= [[Inter Minor]]|
|setting                = [[Inter Minor]]
writer= [[Robert Holmes]] |
|writer                 = Robert Holmes
director= [[Barry Letts]] |
|director               = [[Barry Letts]]
producer= [[Barry Letts]] |
|producer               = [[Barry Letts]]
broadcast date= [[27th January]] - [[17th February]] [[1973]] |
|novelisation          = Doctor Who and the Carnival of Monsters (novelisation)
format= 4 25-minute Episodes |
|epcount                = 4
production code= [[List of production codes|PPP]]|
|broadcast date         = 27 January - 17 February 1973
previous story= [[The Three Doctors]]|
|network                = BBC1
next story= [[Frontier in Space]] }}'''''Carnival of Monsters''''' was the second story in the [[Season 10|tenth season]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''. It saw [[Third Doctor|the Doctor]] go on his first adventure as a free roaming [[Time Lord]] after the end of his exile, and the first appearance of actor [[Ian Marter]] in the [[Doctor Who universe]].
|format                 = 4x25-minute episodes
|serial production code = [[List of production codes|PPP]]
|prev                  = The Three Doctors (TV story)
|next                  = Frontier in Space (TV story)
|made prev              = The Time Monster (TV story)
|made next             = Frontier in Space (TV story)
|clip                  = Dinosaurs on port side - Doctor Who - Carnival of Monsters - BBC
|clip2                  = Vorg's alien peepshow - Doctor Who Carnival of Monsters - BBC
|clip3                  = Escaping the Drashigs - Doctor Who Carnival of Monsters - BBC
|bts                    = Destroy All Monsters! - Carnival of Monsters - DVD out now!
|bts2                  = Exclusive First Look Destroy All Monsters! Part 2 - Doctor Who - Carnival of Monsters
|thwr                  = 116
|thwr2                  = 189
}}{{you may|Carnival of Monsters (reference book)|n1=the reference book of the same name}}
'''''Carnival of Monsters''''' was the second serial of [[season 10 (Doctor Who 1963)|season 10]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''. It was the first story to see the [[Third Doctor]] free from his exile. The serial was also the first to see a performance by [[Ian Marter]], who later became a recurring face of the show as [[Harry Sullivan]]. In addition, this was the only televised Third Doctor-era story to feature a real appearance of a [[Cyberman]], though not in a threatening manner. The Third Doctor would not truly be pitted against the Cybermen onscreen until ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]'', after [[Jon Pertwee]] had left the role and then came back for the twentieth anniversary special.


== Synopsis ==
[[Barry Letts]] chose to direct the story himself, as his contract permitted him to do so with one story per year — something he had previously done with ''[[Terror of the Autons (TV story)|Terror of the Autons]]''. Originally titled ''Peepshow'', Dicks took [[Vorg (Carnival of Monsters)|Vorg]]'s line ''Carnival of Monsters'' to be a better name, despite Holmes's preference; there was concern that the name ''Peepshow'' might convey the wrong impression.
The Doctor and Jo arrive the [[SS Bernice]], a cargo ship crossing the [[Indian Ocean]]. But things are not what they seem; a monster appears in the sea, events repeat themselves, and a giant hand steals the TARDIS. Investigation reveals that they are in fact inside a Miniscope, an alien peepshow sporting numerous miniaturised environments, which showman Vorg and his assistant Shirna have brought to amuse the populace of the planet Inter Minor.


==Plot==
Much editing was done to ''Carnival of Monsters'' in order to thin it down to a workable running time. This resulted in the cliffhanger for part three being changed altogether. Originally intended to show the Doctor plummeting, apparently to his death, this sequence was cut and replaced with him leaving the [[miniscope]].
====Episode one====
[[Image:Carnival_ep1.JPG|left|thumb|150px|A small problem]]
At a spaceport on planet [[Inter Minor]], travelling aliens [[Vorg]] and [[Shirna]] arrive and set up the [[Miniscope]], a device inside which miniaturised creatures exist inside miniature versions of their natural habitats. Although Vorg's intentions aren't hostile, the natives greet him with suspicion and they deny him an entrance visa.


Meanwhile, the [[the Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] materialises on the planet [[Metebelis 3]] - so [[the Doctor]] says, but when he and [[Jo Grant]] explore their surroundings, they discover that they are in fact aboard the cargo ship ''[[SS Bernice]]'' as it sails across the Indian Ocean in 1926. The Doctor is sure that they are not on [[Earth]], and it seems something is afoot when a plesiosaur rises from the sea. The Doctor and Jo meet [[Daly|Major Daly]] and his daughter [[Claire Daly]], passengers terrified by the plesiosaur but who then forget about it. When the pair are caught by officer [[John Andrews]], they are imprisoned, accused of being stowaways. Confined to a cabin, Jo notices a discrepancy: a clock in the room has gone back by over an hour in a few minutes. After escaping, they notice that Andrews, Daly and his daughter are repeating things they said and did when they met them before, and have forgotten about the meeting. The Doctor becomes interested in a mysterious hatch made of an alien alloy, and goes back to the TARDIS to retrieve a [[magnetic core extractor]] to open the hatch. As they reach the TARDIS, the Doctor and Jo are stunned as a giant hand swoops down out of nowhere and grabs the travel machine.
[[Robert Holmes]] was interested in the Victorian period through to the [[1920s]] and liked the idea of putting a fossilised social group in a fossilised situation.


====Episode two====
== Synopsis ==
[[Image:Carnival_ep2.JPG|right|thumb|150px|[[Third Doctor|The Doctor]] and [[Jo Grant|Jo]] inside the workings of the Scope]]
The Doctor and Jo arrive on the [[SS Bernice|SS ''Bernice'']], a [[cargo ship]] crossing the [[Indian Ocean]]. Things are not what they seem. A monster appears in the sea, events repeat themselves and a giant hand steals the TARDIS. Investigation reveals they are inside a [[miniscope]], an alien peepshow sporting numerous miniaturised environments, which showman Vorg and his assistant Shirna have brought to amuse the populace of the planet [[Inter Minor]].
Vorg pulls the "bit of bric-a-brac" (the TARDIS) out, but sticks it back inside the machine. Later, Vorg shows the mistrusting natives [[Pletrac]], [[Kalik]] and [[Orum]] some of the creatures inside the scope, including [[Ogron]]s, [[Cybermen]], [[Tellurian]]s and [[Drashig]]s, huge deadly carnivores. As the tribunal members watch the events within the human environment, Vorg shows them the machine's capabilities by adjusting a dial which amplifies the specimens' hostility.  


Inside, the Doctor and Jo are captured, but Andrews chooses to fight the Doctor rather than imprison him. Using skills he learned from John L. Sullivan, the Doctor overpowers Andrews, allowing him and Jo to escape. They are chased across the deck, but make it to the hatch and find themselves in a place the Doctor describes as being like "inside a wristwatch".  
== Plot ==
=== Episode one ===
At a spaceport on the planet [[Inter Minor]], travelling aliens [[Vorg (Carnival of Monsters)|Vorg]] and [[Shirna]] arrive and set up their show. Although Vorg's intentions aren't hostile, the representatives of the ruling class of Inter Minor display a cultural dislike of things that they view as alien or unnecessary, and their tribunal — [[Kalik]], [[Orum]], and their superior [[Pletrac]] — are suspicious and deny them an entrance visa.


The Tribunal on Inter Minor chooses to eradicate the illegal specimens inside the Scope, but the eradicator only damages the machine. Suspicious that the Scope contains an illegal transmitter, Orum searches the machine and pulls out the mini-TARDIS. Soon it expands to its normal size, horrifying the Tribunal.
Meanwhile, [[the Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] materialises on the planet [[Metebelis III]] — so [[the Doctor]] says. Yet when he and [[Jo Grant]] explore, they find they are aboard the cargo ship [[SS Bernice|SS ''Bernice'']] as it sails across the [[Indian Ocean]] in [[1926]].


The Doctor and Jo find another hatch inside and open it, and find themselves in another environment, an expanse of marshes, not what the Doctor was expecting. They turn to leave, but a Drashig rises from the marshes, ready for the kill.
The Doctor is sure that they are not on [[Earth]] and it seems something is afoot when a [[plesiosaurus]] rises from the sea. The Doctor and Jo meet [[Daly|Major Daly]] and his daughter, [[Claire Daly]], passengers terrified by the plesiosaurus but who then forget about it. When the pair are caught by officer [[John Andrews (Carnival of Monsters)|John Andrews]], they are imprisoned, accused of being [[stowaway]]s. Confined to a cabin, Jo notices a discrepancy: a clock in the room has gone back more than an hour in a few minutes. After escaping, they notice that Andrews, Daly and his daughter are repeating things they said and did when they met them before. They have forgotten about the meeting. The Doctor becomes interested in a mysterious hatch made of an alien alloy. He goes to fetch a [[magnetic core extractor]] from the TARDIS. As they reach the TARDIS, the Doctor and Jo are stunned as a giant hand swoops down out of nowhere and grabs the police box.


====Episode three====
=== Episode two ===
[[Image:Carnival_ep3.JPG|left|thumb|150px|A [[Drashig]] breaks through]]
Vorg pulls the "bit of bric-a-brac" (the TARDIS) out of his [[miniscope]] machine but sticks it back in. Later, Vorg shows the tribunal some of the creatures inside the scope, including [[Ogron]]s, [[Cyberman|Cybermen]], [[Tellurian]]s and [[Drashig]]s, huge deadly carnivores. Vorg explains how inside the miniscope the miniaturised creatures live in miniature versions of their natural habitats, and are completely unaware of the truth. As the tribunal members watch the events within the human environment, Vorg shows them the machine's capabilities by adjusting a dial which amplifies the specimens' hostility.
The Doctor attacks the Drashigs using the [[sonic screwdriver]], and he and Jo run for their lives, enough to reach the inner circuitry again. The Doctor realizes they are in a MiniScope, explaining that earlier in his life he convinced the [[Time Lord]]s to ban the use of MiniScopes. Jo is horrified that anyone would use such a device. They are troubled to find out that the Drashigs haven't given up their pursuit, and have broken into the circuitry as well. The pair find a deep shaft which leads to the bottom of the circuitry and the way out, so they return to the ''Bernice'' circuit to fetch a rope. Jo is caught by Andrews again, who has once again forgotten they have previously met.


There is trouble outside the Scope too. The Tribunal are trying to have Vorg and Shirna deported, while the operators themselves have noticed the Drashigs have escaped from their circuit. When Kalik and Orum hear about this, they hatch a plan to let the Drashigs escape the machine and cause havoc, forcing the President to resign. The Drashigs have now broken into the SS Bernice environment but are shot at and repelled by the crew. With a rope, the Doctor climbs down to the bottom of the shaft and exits the machine, but collapses.
Inside, the Doctor and Jo are captured, but Andrews chooses to fight the Doctor rather than imprison him. Using skills he learned from [[John L. Sullivan]], the Doctor overpowers Andrews, allowing him and Jo to escape. They are chased across the deck but make it to the hatch and find themselves in a place the Doctor describes as like being "inside a wristwatch".


====Episode four====
The tribunal on Inter Minor chooses to eradicate the illegal specimens inside the scope, but the eradicator only damages the machine. The locals are disturbed that their great weapon was unable to destroy the scope, and they suppose that it's actually a plot by their enemies. Suspicious that the scope contains an illegal transmitter, Orum searches the machine and pulls out the mini-TARDIS. Soon it expands to its normal size, horrifying the tribunal.
[[Image:Carnival_ep4.JPG|right|thumb|150px|The Doctor escapes]]
There is commotion on Inter Minor as the Doctor grows to his normal size. The Doctor confronts the tribunal about their allowing the Scope on their planet, and is horrified that Vorg and Shirna are more concerned with claiming insurance on the loss of livestock than saving the lives inside the Scope. The Doctor ventures back inside the machine, while Kalik and Orum sabotage the eradicator to leave the city defenceless against the Drashigs, who finally escape and grow to formidable size. Fortunately, Vorg repairs the [[Eradicator]] and turns it on the Drashigs, but not before they eat Kalik.


Inside, Jo escapes yet another capture by the crew of the ''Bernice'' and is reunited with the Doctor, but the Scope is overheating and they are overcome by the heat. They are brought back by Vorg, who activates the device the Doctor left for him, which also returns the life-forms inside the Scope to their rightful places in space and time.
The Doctor and Jo find another hatch inside and open it, finding themselves in another environment, an expanse of marshes, not what the Doctor was expecting. They turn to leave, but a Drashig rises from the marshes, ready for the kill.


With the Scope inoperable, Vorg tries to gain enough credit bars to get home by entertaining Pletrac using the old shell trick, while the Doctor and Jo return to the TARDIS, ready for their next adventure.
=== Episode three ===
The Doctor attacks the Drashigs using the [[the Doctor's sonic screwdriver|sonic screwdriver]], igniting marsh gas. Vorg is able to slow down the Drashigs with his hand, enabling the Doctor and Jo to reach the inner circuitry again. The Doctor realises they are in a miniscope, explaining that earlier in his life he convinced the [[Time Lord]]s to ban the use of miniscopes. Jo is horrified that anyone would use such a device. They are troubled to find out that the Drashigs haven't given up their pursuit and have broken into the circuitry as well. The pair find a deep shaft which leads to the bottom of the circuitry and the way out, so they return to the ''Bernice'' circuit to fetch a rope. Jo is caught by Andrews again, who has once again forgotten they have previously met.


==Cast==
There is trouble outside the scope too. The tribunal are trying to have Vorg and Shirna deported, while the operators themselves have noticed the Drashigs have escaped from their circuit. When Kalik and Orum hear about this, they hatch a plan to let the Drashigs escape the machine and cause havoc, forcing the President to resign. Kalik believes the Functionaries need a purpose; rebellion will satisfy them. The Drashigs have now broken into the SS ''Bernice'' environment but are shot at and repelled by the crew. With a rope, the Doctor climbs down to the bottom of the shaft and exits the machine but collapses.
*[[Third Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Jon Pertwee]]
*[[Jo Grant]] - [[Katy Manning]]
*[[Vorg]] - [[Leslie Dwyer]]
*[[Shirna]] - [[Cheryl Hall]]
*Major [[Daly]] - [[Tenniel Evans]]
*[[John Andrews]] - [[Ian Marter]]
*[[Claire Daly]] - [[Jenny McCracken]]
*[[Pletrac]] - [[Peter Halliday]]
*[[Kalik]] - [[Michael Wisher]]
*[[Orum]] - [[Terence Lodge]]
*Captain - [[Andrew Staines]]


==Crew==
=== Episode four ===
*[[Director]]/[[Producer]] - [[Barry Letts]]
There is commotion on Inter Minor as the Doctor grows to his normal size. The Doctor confronts the tribunal about their allowing the scope on their planet and is horrified that Vorg and Shirna are more concerned with claiming insurance on the loss of livestock than saving the lives inside the scope. The Doctor ventures back inside the machine, while Kalik and Orum sabotage the eradicator to leave the city defenceless against the Drashigs, who finally escape and grow to formidable size. Vorg repairs the [[eradicator]] and turns it on the Drashigs, but not before they eat Kalik and Orum.
*[[Writer]] - [[Robert Holmes]]
[[File:Carnival ep4.JPG|left|thumb|The Doctor escapes.]]
*[[Assistant Floor Manager]] - [[Karilyn Collier]]
Inside, Jo escapes yet another capture by the crew of the ''Bernice'' and is reunited with the Doctor, but the scope is overheating, and they are overcome by the heat. They are brought back by Vorg, who activates the device the Doctor left for him, which also returns the life-forms inside the scope to their rightful places in space and time.
*[[Costumes]] - [[James Acheson]]
*[[Designer]] - [[Roger Liminton]]
*[[Film Cameraman]] - [[Peter Hamilton]]
*[[Film Editor]] - [[Peter Evans]]
*[[Incidental Music]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[Make-Up]] - [[Angela Seyfang]]
*[[Production Assistant]] - [[Chris D'Oyly-John]]
*[[Script Editor]] - [[Terrance Dicks]]
*[[Special Sounds]] - [[Brian Hodgson]]
*[[Studio Lighting]] - [[Clive Thomas]]
*[[Studio Sound]] - [[Gordon Mackie]]
*[[Theme Arrangement]] - [[Delia Derbyshire]]
*[[Doctor Who theme|Title Music]] - [[Ron Grainer]]
*[[Visual Effects]] - [[John Horton]]


==References==
With the scope inoperable, Vorg tries to earn enough [[credit]] bars to get home by entertaining Pletrac with the old shell trick, while the Doctor and Jo return to the TARDIS, ready for their next adventure.
===[[:Category:Devices|Devices]]===
*The Doctor has heard of [[miniscope]]s. On his [[Gallifrey|homeworld]], the Doctor managed to convince the Time Lords to outlaw them, though obviously at least one of them survived.


===[[The Doctor]]===
== Cast ==
*The Doctor learnt to box from [[John L. Sullivan]].
* [[Third Doctor|Dr. Who]] - [[Jon Pertwee]]
* [[Jo Grant]] - [[Katy Manning]]
* [[Vorg (Carnival of Monsters)|Vorg]] - [[Leslie Dwyer]]
* [[Shirna]] - [[Cheryl Hall]]
* Major [[Daly]] - [[Tenniel Evans]]
* [[John Andrews (Carnival of Monsters)|John Andrews]] - [[Ian Marter]]
* [[Claire Daly]] - [[Jenny McCracken]]
* [[Pletrac]] - [[Peter Halliday]]
* [[Kalik]] - [[Michael Wisher]]
* [[Orum]] - [[Terence Lodge]]
* [[Captain (Carnival of Monsters)|Captain]] - [[Andrew Staines (actor)|Andrew Staines]]


===[[:Category:The Doctor's items|The Doctor's items]]===
=== Uncredited cast ===
*The Doctor uses his [[sonic screwdriver]] to ignite and explode the marsh gas in order to slow down the Drashigs.
* [[Cyberman (Carnival of Monsters)|Cyberman]] - [[Terence Denville]] ([[DWMS Winter 1994]])
* [[Ogron (Carnival of Monsters)|Ogron]] - [[Rick Lester]] ([[DWMS Winter 1994]])
* Stuntman/[[Inter Minorian|Functionary]] - [[Stuart Fell]] ([[DWMS Winter 1994]]) (credited as "Functionary" in ''Radio Times ''for episode one'','' but not on-screen)
* [[Inter Minorian|Functionaries]] - [[Bill Lodge]], [[Aldwin Davies]], [[Jo Murphy]], [[Murphy Grumbar]], [[George Howard]] ([[DWMS Winter 1994]])
* SS Bernice sailors - [[Albert Moses]], [[Mohammad Shamsi|Mohamed Shamsi]], [[Jagdesh Kumar]], [[Bob Babenia]], [[Norman Commis]], [[Rudolph Ramil]]<ref>http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2017/12/doctor-who-in-memoriam-2017.html</ref> ([[DWMS Winter 1994]])


===[[:Category:Foods and beverages|Foods and beverages]]===
== Crew ==
*On board the ''SS Bernice'' Major Daly orders a large [[Alcohol#Spirits, Cocktails and other alcoholic drinks|scotch]].
* [[Producer]]/[[Director (crew)|Director]] - [[Barry Letts]]
* [[Writer]] - [[Robert Holmes]]
* [[Assistant Floor Manager]] - [[Karilyn Collier]]
* [[Costumes]] - [[James Acheson]]
* [[Designer (crew)|Designer]] - [[Roger Liminton]]
* [[Film Cameraman]] - [[Peter Hamilton (cameraman)|Peter Hamilton]]
* [[Film Editor]] - [[Peter Evans (editor)|Peter Evans]]
* [[Film sound|Film Sound]] - [[Derek Medus]]
* [[Incidental Music]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
* [[Make-Up]] - [[Angela Seyfang]]
* [[Production Assistant]] - [[Chris D'Oyly-John]]
* [[Script Editor]] - [[Terrance Dicks]]
* [[Special Sounds]] - [[Brian Hodgson]]
* [[Studio Lighting]] - [[Clive Thomas]]
* [[Studio Sound]] - [[Gordon Mackie]]
* [[Theme Arrangement]] - [[Delia Derbyshire]]
* [[Doctor Who theme|Title Music]] - [[Ron Grainer]]
* [[Visual Effects]] - [[John Horton]]


===[[:Category:Languages|Languages]]===
=== Uncredited crew ===
*The Doctor fails to understand [[Vorg]]'s [[polari]].
* [[Director's assistant|Director's Assistant]] - [[Francis Alcock]] ([[INFO]]: ''Carnival of Monsters'')
* [[Film assistant|Film Assistant]] - [[Colin Munn]] ([[INFO]]: ''Carnival of Monsters'')
* [[Sound assistant|Sound Assistant]] - [[Alec Christison]] ([[INFO]]: ''Carnival of Monsters'')
* [[Floor assistant|Floor Assistant]] - [[Ian Pleeth]] ([[INFO]]: ''Carnival of Monsters'')
* [[Technical manager|Technical Manager]] - [[Reg Hutchins]] ([[INFO]]: ''Carnival of Monsters'')
* [[Grams operator|Grams]] - [[Gordon Phillipson]] ([[INFO]]: ''Carnival of Monsters'')
* [[Vision Mixer]] - [[Bill Morton]] ([[INFO]]: ''Carnival of Monsters'')
* [[Camera crew|Camera Crew]] - [[Crew 11]] ([[INFO]]: ''Carnival of Monsters'')
* [[Visual effects assistant|Visual Effects Assistant]] - [[Colin Mapson]] ([[INFO]]: ''[[Nightmare of Eden (TV story)|Nightmare of Eden]]'')


===[[:Category:Races and species|Races and species]]===
== Worldbuilding ==
*A [[Cyberman]], [[Ogron]] and [[Drashig]] are all trapped within the miniscope and all returned to their home times.
=== Foods and beverages ===
*Vorg claims he can't control the Drashigs (they're not intelligent) but he can control the Plesiosaur.
* Major Daly drinks [[Whiskey|scotch]].
*[[Wallarian]]s are known for their gambling.


===[[:Category:Planets|Planets]]===
=== Cultural references from the real world ===
*The Doctor mentions (for the first time) [[Metebelis III]], ''"the famous blue planet of the [[Acteon Galaxy|Acteon group]]"''.
* Major Daly tries to engage the Doctor in games of [[bridge (game)|bridge]] and [[mahjong]].
* [[Claire Daly]] tells [[John Andrews (Carnival of Monsters)|John Andrews]] she saw the musical stage play ''[[Lady, Be Good]]'' four times, and thinks its [[American]] star [[Fred Astaire]] is "marvellous".


==Story notes==
=== Technology ===
* This story features a guest appearance of [[Ian Marter]], who would go on to play [[Harry Sullivan]], and who had originally auditioned for the part of [[Mike Yates]].
* The Doctor claims [[Third Doctor's sonic screwdriver|his sonic screwdriver]] only works on [[electronic]] [[lock]]s.
*Working titles for this story included; '''The Labyrinth''' and '''Peepshow'''.
*It is interesting to note that the title is the same of a Ray Bradbury short story "Carnival of Monsters" published in the 1940's. In it, a millionare on Mars lures several Health Officails into his house where they meet a variety of gruesome fates inspired by different horror writers. However, the title of this episode may be unrelated.


===Ratings===
=== Species ===
*Episode 1 - 9.5 million viewers
* [[Wallarian]]s are known for their gambling.
*Episode 2 - 9.0 million viewers
* Jo argues that humans in the [[miniscope]] are smarter than [[whelk]]s.
*Episode 3 - 9.0 million viewers
* [[Valdek]] was a scientist who believed that life in the universe was infinitely variable.
*Episode 4 - 9.2 million viewers
* Vorg's miniscope contains [[Cybermen]].
* Vorg's fomer commander was a [[Crustacoid]] mercenary.


===Myths===
=== Planets ===
*The second episode as seen on the BBC video release of this story, which is about four minutes longer than the one originally transmitted and features the abandoned Delaware synthesiser arrangement of the theme music, is a specially extended version. ''(It is a rough cut that was prepared during the original editing of the story and never intended for public consumption. It still exists only because BBC Enterprises inadvertently included it a package of episodes supplied to the Australian Broadcasting Company. The video release also erroneously includes a version of Episode Four prepared for a repeat transmission in 1981, which has a section missing from the closing scene.)''
* The Doctor mentions Metebelis III, "the famous blue planet of the [[Acteon Galaxy|Acteon group]]".
* Vorg and Shirna previously visited the planet [[Demos]].
* Drashigs are from a satellite of [[Grundle]].


===Filming locations===
== Story notes ==
*Tillingham Marshes, Howe Farm, Tillingham, Essex
* Working titles for this story were ''The Labyrinth'' and ''Peepshow''. [[Terrance Dicks]] pointed out that ''Peepshow'' had lewd connotations, though [[Robert Holmes]] was unhappy with the change.
*RFA Robert Dundas (as the SS Bernice)
* [[Ian Marter]] (John Andrews) is credited as "Andrews" in ''Radio Times''.
*Carwoods Quarry (now known as Asheldham Nature Reserve), Asheldham, Essex
* [[Stuart Fell]] (Functionary) is uncredited on-screen for episode one, but credited in ''Radio Times''.
*[[BBC Television Centre]] (Studio 4 & 6), Shepherd's Bush, [[London]]
* This story carries no on-screen producer credit for [[Barry Letts]], as the BBC would only allow him to be credited as either producer or director.
* Vorg's [[Polari|parlare]] in episode four is translated as:
:: "Parlae the Carny?" ''(Do you talk the Carnival language?)''
::"Varda the Bona Palone." ''(Look at the good (looking) Young Girl.)''
::"Niente dinari here, y'jills." ''(No money to be made here, you know.)''
* The title is the same as a [[Ray Bradbury]] short story ''Carnival of Monsters'' published in the 1940s. In it, a millionaire on Mars lures several health officials into his house. They meet a variety of gruesome fates inspired by different horror writers. However, the title of this episode may be unrelated.
* This is the first story to feature the term Tellurian to mean human being. This term appeared in other stories written by [[Robert Holmes]], such as ''[[The Two Doctors (TV story)|The Two Doctors]]''.
* The Drashigs were named so by Holmes as an anagram of "dish rag". Accordingly, a white dish rag would be hung from a pole during filming so the actors had a position to look at while delivering their lines so it appeared they were looking at the Drashigs, even though the Drashigs were only added in post-production, according to [[Katy Manning]] in the documentary [[DOC]]: ''[[Destroy All Monsters! (documentary)|Destroy All Monsters]]''.
* The Ogron and the Cyberman, seen on the Miniscope's screen in episode two, were played by [[Rick Lester]] and [[Terence Denville]] respectively, who remained uncredited both on-screen and in ''Radio Times''. These were not flashbacks to past stories, but were specially recorded.
* The story was repeated on [[BBC2]] on consecutive evenings from Monday 16 to Thursday 19 November 1981 as part of the repeat season ''[[The Five Faces of Doctor Who]]'', as this was a fine example of a story from Jon Pertwee's era, and one which existed entirely in colour. Although episode four exists in its complete form in the BBC Archives, a new version of the episode (forty-four seconds shorter than the original) was made on 625 line PAL colour videotape for the repeat screening, which was slightly edited at the request of [[Barry Letts]] to remove certain shots in the closing scene where close-ups of Pletrac had revealed that [[Peter Halliday]]'s bald headpiece was starting to come loose.
* [[Katy Manning]] provided the noises of the chickens seen in episode one herself. This was a skill she taught herself as a child.
* ''[[The Diary of River Song (audio series)|The Diary of River Song]]'' story ''[[Peepshow (audio story)|Peepshow]]'' is set concurrently with this adventure.
* Both [[Cheryl Hall]] and [[Jenny McCracken]] were earlier considered for Jo Grant. According to the DVD Commentary for the Special Edition of the story, they were on the final shortlist of six actresses seen for the role. [[Barry Letts]] promised both actresses he'd use them in the future after [[Katy Manning]] was cast.
* [[Barry Letts]] named this as his favourite of [[Robert Holmes]]' contributions for the show. He particularly felt that the Drashigs were one of the best monsters in the series.
* [[Jon Pertwee]] recommended his friend and[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Navy_Lark  ''The Navy Lark''] co-star [[Tenniel Evans]] for the role of Major Daly. It was Evans who had originally encouraged Pertwee to consider playing the Doctor, and the leading man now repaid the favour.
* The RFA ''Robert Dundas ''doubled for the SS ''Bernice''. The ship spent part of the first day travelling along the River Medway to Sheerness, Kent, but was otherwise docked during production. At one point, the shoot was interrupted when it was discovered that an old brass ship's compass had disappeared. The culprit turned out to be none other than [[Jon Pertwee]], who had mistakenly believed that the compass was to be scrapped along with the ''Robert Dundas'' and therefore wouldn't be missed. In fact, it was to be auctioned off along with other ship artefacts and, after learning of his error, an embarrassed Pertwee duly returned it.
* Studio recording was interrupted by a bomb scare, although it transpired that this had been incited by the ticking of an alarm clock, stowed in a bag belonging to one of the effects assistants.
* During recording of the scene in episode three where the Drashig crashes through the hull of the SS ''Bernice'' and into the forward hold, where it is shot and killed by Major Daly with a machine-gun; and Lieutenant John Andrews and two of the Indian seamen armed with rifles, Barry Letts was forced to call a halt when one of the Indian extras started waving his gun around in a dangerous and alarming manner. Even though the rifles were only firing blanks, even blanks can be dangerous — and the extra's carelessness could easily have resulted in one of the other cast members being shot for real. The extra was therefore hastily removed from the set and replaced by another for the retake.<ref>''The Official Doctor Who Fan Club Volume 1: The Jon Pertwee Years'' by Keith Miller. "''Carnival of Monsters'' Set Report", page 80.</ref>
* The actors playing the Inter Minor officials were originally supposed to have their faces hidden behind masks. However, [[Barry Letts]] decided to dispense with them, since he thought the performances would benefit from a full range of facial expression. Unfortunately, the actors' headpieces began to detatch as time went on.
* [[Robert Holmes]] added the subplot about the attempted overthrow of President Zarb after [[Terrance Dicks]] was concerned that, as the story was originally structured, the only real threat facing Vorg and Shirna was the penalty for breaking import regulations.
* Inter Minor was named Odron for a time, and it was thought that the planet might host a convention of showmen.
* Pletrac was originally called Pletrac 4, while Orum, Kalik and the unseen Zarb were named Grig 07, X10 and X8, respectively.
* For a long time, the Miniscope was known as the Strobe.
* [[Robert Holmes]] scripted authentic Polari for [[Leslie Dwyer]] to utter as Vorg in episode four, and both Dwyer and [[Jon Pertwee]] delighted in showing off their extensive knowledge of the carny lingo.
* [[Barry Letts]] and [[Terence Lodge]] had previously appeared in [[The Avengers (TV series)|''The Avengers'']] episode "The Wringer".
* In post-production, both episodes two and four were found to be significantly overlong, which forced a number of scenes to be trimmed and others to be moved to a different point in the narrative. Material involving Vorg, Shirna and the Inter Minor officials was a particular target. The climax of episode three was completely rearranged. Originally, the cliffhanger involved the Doctor being attacked by a Drashig inside the Miniscope and falling down a shaft. At the start of episode four, the Drashig plummeted after him to its death, while the Doctor was seen to have been saved by catching his foot in a rope. As broadcast, this sequence was omitted altogether, although the dead Drashig still appeared. Instead, the Doctor's emergence from the Miniscope (which, as scripted, occurred during episode four) was brought forward to serve as the new cliffhanger.
* The closing titles for all four episodes differed from those for all other Third Doctor stories, as the first of the credit captions — i.e. that for Jon Pertwee — was presented entirely in capitals. This move was never repeated, and so may have been simply an error.


===Production errors===
=== Ratings ===
{{discontinuity}}
* Episode one - 9.5 million viewers
*In episode one the sound of a pencil dropping and rolling across the studio floor can be heard.
* Episode two - 9.0 million viewers
*The Drashigs are introduced twice in episode two. ''This was in an earlier longer edit of part 2 inadvertantly sold to ABC TV Australia by BBC Enterprises. Being over length, it features material later edited into part 1 and material cut completely from the transmitted version of part 2, it underwent a further edit to reduce its length for its UK premiere.''
* Episode three - 9.0 million viewers
*When Shirna does her little dance, the wire leading to the Miniscope is visible.
* Episode four - 9.2 million viewers
*The TARDIS doors are open when the Doctor steps out but instantly close when the giant hand reaches for it.
*The back of the Cyberman's head is loose
*After entering the Miniscope, the Doctor helps Jo over a piece of equipment. As they walk off, the shadow of the boom mike moves over a white piece of the set in the upper right part of the screen.
*Jo sinks waist-deep in the swamp, but by the time she reaches the cave, her trousers are dry.
*The table Vorg plays his shell game on is clearly made of spray painted cardboard.
*In the final scene, Pletrac's bald headpiece is quite obvious as it has detached from the actor's scalp. Barry Letts fixed this for a BBC2 repeat in the '80s by removing some of the shots and thus several lines of dialogue. ''Letts' amended ending appears as an extra on the DVD release.''
*At 3 minutes 12 seconds, when the Doctor steps out of the TARDIS, you can clearly see they are just stepping out of a police box prop, as there is no TARDIS interior wall.
*As Jo and The Doctor investigate the chickens in the cargo hold, the camera pans to the right and we can glimpse the edge of the set and the supports behind it.


==Continuity==
=== Myths ===
*The Doctor's involvement in the banning of miniscopes is also mentioned in [[MA]]: ''[[The Empire of Glass]]''.
* Episode two, as seen on the BBC video release of this story and as an extra on the ''Special Edition'' DVD release, which is about four minutes longer than the one originally transmitted and features the abandoned Delaware synthesiser arrangement of the theme music, is a specially extended version. ''(It is a rough cut that was prepared during the original editing of the story and never intended for public consumption. It still exists only because BBC Enterprises inadvertently included it in a package of episodes supplied to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The video release also erroneously includes a version of episode four prepared for a repeat transmission in 1981, which has a section missing from the closing scene.)''
*A similar device to the miniscope appears in [[DW]]: ''[[Nightmare of Eden]]''.
*The Drashigs have a brief cameo in ''[[Frontier in Space]]''.
*The Doctor compares the disappearance of the ''Bernice'' crew to that of the ''[[Mary Celeste]]''; an encounter between the [[First Doctor|First Doctor]] and the [[Dalek]]s was behind the disappearance of the earlier ship's crew, although the at the time the Doctor was unaware of what happened to the crew. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Chase]]'')


==Timeline==
=== Filming locations ===
*This story occurs after [[ST]]: ''[[Deep Stretch]]''
* Tillingham Marshes, Howe Farm, Tillingham, Essex
*This story occurs before [[PDA]]: ''[[The Suns of Caresh]]''
* RFA ''Robert Dundas'' (as the ''SS Bernice'')
* Carwoods Quarry (now known as Asheldham Nature Reserve), Asheldham, Essex
* [[BBC Television Centre]] (Studio 4 & 6), Shepherd's Bush, [[London]]


==Home video and audio releases==
=== Production errors ===
{{discontinuity}}
* In episode one, the wire lowering the cargo vessel during the opening shot is clearly visible
* In episode one, the sound of a pencil dropping and rolling across the studio floor can be heard.
* When Shirna does her little dance, the wire leading to the Miniscope is visible.
* The TARDIS doors are open when the Doctor steps out, but instantly close when the giant hand reaches for it.
* The back of the Cyberman's head is loose.
* After entering the Miniscope, the Doctor helps Jo over a piece of equipment. As they walk off, the shadow of the boom mike moves over a white piece of the set in the upper right part of the screen.
* Jo sinks waist-deep in the swamp, but by the time she reaches the cave, her trousers and both their sets of boots are dry and clean.
* In the final scene, Pletrac's bald headpiece has detached from the actor's scalp. Barry Letts fixed this for the BBC2 repeat in 1981 by removing some of the shots and therefore several lines of dialogue. ''Letts's amended ending appears as an extra on the DVD release.''
* As Jo and the Doctor investigate the chickens in the cargo hold, the camera pans to the right and we can glimpse the edge of the set and the supports behind it.
* In the opening sequence, because of the unique way CSO was used in this story, the Inter Minorians' legs flicker, and become incredibly thin.
* The grass inside the Miniscope differs in colour and texture between model shots and location filming.
* In the scenes inside the Miniscope circuits, the studio floor reflects light from different directions, even though there isn't actually a place to reflect. The lights are actually from studio lighting.


===DVD releases===
== Continuity ==
* Vorg mentions that Ogrons are sometimes used as servants by the [[Dalek]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Day of the Daleks (TV story)|Day of the Daleks]]'')
* The Doctor compares the disappearance of the ''Bernice'' crew to that of the ''[[Mary Celeste]]''; an encounter between the [[First Doctor]] and the Daleks was behind the disappearance of the earlier ship's crew, although at the time the Doctor was unaware of what happened to the crew. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Chase (TV story)|The Chase]]'') The Doctor had discovered his own involvement with the crew's disappearance by the time of his [[Second Doctor|second incarnation]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Forsaken (audio story)|The Forsaken]]'', ''[[The Rosemariners (audio story)|The Rosemariners]]'')
* Jo gets a chance to use her [[skeleton key]]s and show off her [[escapology]] skills. ([[TV]]: ''[[Terror of the Autons (TV story)|Terror of the Autons]]'')
* The Doctor's involvement in the banning of Miniscopes is also mentioned in [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Empire of Glass (novel)|The Empire of Glass]]''.
* The [[Fourth Doctor]] later encountered a similar device to the Miniscope, ([[TV]]: ''[[Nightmare of Eden (TV story)|Nightmare of Eden]]'') as did the [[Tenth Doctor]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Arena of Fear (comic story)|Arena of Fear]]'')
* The [[Twelfth Doctor]] later suspected that he might be inside a Miniscope again. ([[TV]]: ''[[Robot of Sherwood (TV story)|Robot of Sherwood]]'')
* The Doctor does eventually reach [[Metebelis III]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Green Death (TV story)|The Green Death]]'', ''[[Planet of the Spiders (TV story)|Planet of the Spiders]]'')


Released as ''Doctor Who: Carnival of Monsters''
== Home video and audio releases ==
=== DVD releases ===
This story was released as ''Doctor Who: Carnival of Monsters.''


Released:
Released:


*[[UK]] [[July]] [[2002]] Region 2
* [[UK]] [[July (releases)|July]] [[2002 (releases)|2002]] Region 2
*[[Australia]] [[2nd September]] [[2002]] Region 4
* [[Australia]] [[2 September (releases)|2 September]] 2002 Region 4
*[[US]] [[July]] [[2003]] Region 1
* [[US]] July [[2003 (releases)|2003]] Region 1


Special Features:
* Commentary by [[Katy Manning]] and [[Barry Letts]]
* Extended and Deleted Scenes
* Behind the Scenes Footage
* Model Sequences - The Original 16mm Visual Effects Tests
* Using CSO - Demonstrated by Barry Letts
* Alternative Theme Music
* Trailer - ''[[The Five Faces of Doctor Who]]''
* Alternative Episode Four Ending
* Photo Gallery & Production Subtitles
* [[TARDIS Cam No.5 (webcast)|TARDISCam Sequence]]
* [[Easter Egg]]s:
** Clean 1970 title sequence. To access this hidden feature, press left at Alternative Theme Music on the Special Features menu.
** VT countdown for Episode 2. To access this hidden feature, press left at Feature in the Subtitles menu.
Notes:
Notes:
*Editing for DVD release completed by [[Doctor Who Restoration Team]].
* Editing for the DVD release was completed by the [[Doctor Who Restoration Team]].
*A Special edition of "Carnival of Monsters" will be released on DVD as part of Revisitations 2 box set, out in Region 2 on 28th March 2011. It will be released with special editions of "[[The Seeds of Death]]" and "[[Resurrection of the Daleks]]".


===<gallery widths="150" captionalign="left">
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true" widths="150">
File:Bbcdvd carnivalofmonsters.jpg|UK DVD cover
Carnival of monsters australia dvd.jpg|DVD Australia cover
Carnival_of_monsters_australia_dvd.jpg|DVD Australia cover
300px-Carnival of monsters us dvd.jpg|DVD US cover
300px-Carnival_of_monsters_us_dvd.jpg|DVD US cover
Bbcdvd carnivalofmonsters.jpg|Region 2 UK DVD cover
</gallery>===
</gallery>


==== Special Edition release ====
This story was released as ''Doctor Who: Carnival of Monsters: Special Edition.''


Released:


===VHS releases===
* [[UK]] [[28 March (releases)|28 March]] [[2011 (releases)|2011]] Region 2
* [[Australia]] [[5 May (releases)|5 May]] 2011 Region 4
* TBA - Region 1


Released as ''Doctor Who: Carnival of Monsters''
Special Features:
* Commentary #1 by Katy Manning ([[Jo Grant]]) and Producer/Director Barry Letts
* Commentary #2 by [[Peter Halliday]] ([[Pletrac]]), [[Cheryl Hall]] ([[Shirna]]), [[Jenny McCracken]] ([[Claire Daly|Claire]]), Special Sounds creator [[Brian Hodgson]] and Script Editor [[Terrance Dicks]], moderated by [[Toby Hadoke]]
* Episode 2 - Early Edit - A longer edit presented un-restored
* Behind the Scenes - On the studio floor and inside the gallery during production
* Visual Effects Models - Unused model shots, trims and tests
* ''Five Faces of Doctor Who'' Trailer
* Director's Amended Ending - Alternate edit to the ending of episode four that removes several shots in which Peter Halliday's bald cap is visibly detached from his scalp
* CSO Demo - Barry Letts demonstrates the then-new technique
* ''TARDIS Cam 2'' - A CGI model vignette
* ''[[Destroy All Monsters! (documentary)|Destroy All Monsters!]]'' - The making of the story, with Katy Manning, Cheryl Hall, Peter Halliday, Barry Letts, Terrance Dicks, [[Karilyn Collier]] and [[Colin Mapson]]
* ''[[On Target: Ian Marter (documentary)|On Target with Ian Marter]]'' - A retrospective of the actor and novelist
* ''[[The A to Z of Gadgets & Gizmos (documentary)|The A-Z of Gadgets and Gizmos]]'' - A tongue-in-cheek look at gadgets and gizmos in ''[[Doctor Who]]'' over the years
* ''[[Mary Celeste and other Maritime Mysteries|Mary Celeste]]'' - Experts discuss the disappearance of real ships
* ''[[Radio Times]]'' listings (DVD-ROM)
* Production information subtitles
* Photo gallery
* Coming Soon trailer - ''[[Planet of the Spiders (TV story)|Planet of the Spiders]]''
* Easter Egg: Clean 1970 title sequence. To access this hidden feature, press left at Director's Amended Ending on Disc One's Special Features menu to reveal a hidden ''Doctor Who'' logo.


Released:
Notes:
* This story is only available in the UK and Australia as part of the ''Revisitations 2'' box set. It was released with special editions of ''[[The Seeds of Death (TV story)|The Seeds of Death]]'' and ''[[Resurrection of the Daleks (TV story)|Resurrection of the Daleks]]''.


*[[UK]] [[March]] [[1995]]
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
*[[Australia]] [[May]] [[1995]]
Carnival-se.jpg|UK DVD cover
*[[US]] [[March]] [[1996]]
Carnival of monsters.jpg|US DVD cover
<gallery captionalign="left">
Carnival of Monsters SE Region 4 DVD cover.jpg|Aus DVD cover
200px-Carnival of monsters uk vhs.jpg|VHS UK cover
200px-Carnival of monsters australia vhs.jpg|VHS Australia cover
200px-Carnival_of_monsters_us_vhs.jpg|VHS US cover
</gallery>
</gallery>


==Novelisation and its audiobook==
==== Doctor Who DVD Files ====
[[Image:Carnival of Monsters novel.jpg|right|75px]]
It was released as [[DWDVDF 60|issue 60]] of ''[[Doctor Who DVD Files]]''.
: ''Main article: [[Doctor Who and the Carnival of Monsters]]''


*Novelised as ''[[Doctor Who and the Carnival of Monsters]]'' by [[Terrance Dicks]] in [[1977]].
=== Digital releases ===
This story is available:
* in non-continental [[iTunes]] stores ([[Australia]], [[Canada]], [[UK]] and [[US]]) as a stand-alone season of ''Doctor Who: The Classic Series'';
* on [[Amazon (service)|Amazon Video]] (UK) as Season 66 of ''Doctor Who (Classic)'' series;
* on Amazon Video (US) as part of Season 10 of ''Doctor Who: The 50th Anniversary Collection'', which additionally includes the story ''[[The Three Doctors (TV story)|The Three Doctors]]'';
* for streaming through [[BritBox]] (Canada and US) as part of Season 10 of ''Classic Doctor Who''.


==See also==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
*[[DW]]: ''[[Planet of Giants]]''
File:iTunes_Carnival_of_Monsters_cover.jpg|iTunes cover
*[[DW]]: ''[[The Invisible Enemy]]''
</gallery>
*[[DW]]: ''[[The Armageddon Factor]]''


==External links==
=== VHS releases ===
*{{bbcepguideclassic|carnivalmonsters/|Carnival of Monsters}}
This story was released as ''Doctor Who: Carnival of Monsters.''
*{{dwrefguide|who_3p.htm|Carnival of Monsters}}
*{{briefhistory|serials/ppp.html|Carnival of Monsters}}
*{{locguide|carnivalofmonsters|Carnival of Monsters}}


{{season 10}}
Released:


* [[UK]] [[March (releases)|March]] [[1995 (releases)|1995]]
* [[Australia]] [[May (releases)|May]] 1995
* [[US]] March [[1996 (releases)|1996]]
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
Carnival of Monsters Video.jpg|VHS UK cover
Carnival of monsters australia vhs.jpg|VHS Australia cover
Carnival of Monsters VHS US Cover.jpg|VHS US cover
</gallery>
== Footnotes ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{bbcepguideclassic|carnivalmonsters/|Carnival of Monsters}}
* {{radiotimes|2010-01-20/carnival-of-monsters|Carnival of Monsters}}
{{dwcast}}
{{dwrefguide|who_3p.htm|Carnival of Monsters}}
* {{briefhistory|serials/ppp.html|Carnival of Monsters}}
* {{locguide|carnivalofmonsters|Carnival of Monsters}}
{{DWTV}}
{{TitleSort}}
[[es:Carnival of Monsters]]
[[fr:Carnival of Monsters]]
[[fr:Carnival of Monsters]]
[[Category:Third Doctor television stories]]
[[ru:Карнавал монстров]]
[[Category:1973 television stories]]
 
[[Category:Doctor Who (1963) television stories]]
[[Category:Season 10 stories]]
[[Category:Season 10 stories]]
[[Category:Ogron stories]]
[[Category:Ogron television stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1926]]
[[Category:Television stories set on Earth]]
[[Category:Four part serials]]
[[Category:Stories that use the Delaware theme]]
[[Category:Cyberman television stories]]

Latest revision as of 18:36, 3 November 2024

RealWorld.png

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

Carnival of Monsters was the second serial of season 10 of Doctor Who. It was the first story to see the Third Doctor free from his exile. The serial was also the first to see a performance by Ian Marter, who later became a recurring face of the show as Harry Sullivan. In addition, this was the only televised Third Doctor-era story to feature a real appearance of a Cyberman, though not in a threatening manner. The Third Doctor would not truly be pitted against the Cybermen onscreen until The Five Doctors, after Jon Pertwee had left the role and then came back for the twentieth anniversary special.

Barry Letts chose to direct the story himself, as his contract permitted him to do so with one story per year — something he had previously done with Terror of the Autons. Originally titled Peepshow, Dicks took Vorg's line Carnival of Monsters to be a better name, despite Holmes's preference; there was concern that the name Peepshow might convey the wrong impression.

Much editing was done to Carnival of Monsters in order to thin it down to a workable running time. This resulted in the cliffhanger for part three being changed altogether. Originally intended to show the Doctor plummeting, apparently to his death, this sequence was cut and replaced with him leaving the miniscope.

Robert Holmes was interested in the Victorian period through to the 1920s and liked the idea of putting a fossilised social group in a fossilised situation.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor and Jo arrive on the SS Bernice, a cargo ship crossing the Indian Ocean. Things are not what they seem. A monster appears in the sea, events repeat themselves and a giant hand steals the TARDIS. Investigation reveals they are inside a miniscope, an alien peepshow sporting numerous miniaturised environments, which showman Vorg and his assistant Shirna have brought to amuse the populace of the planet Inter Minor.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Episode one[[edit] | [edit source]]

At a spaceport on the planet Inter Minor, travelling aliens Vorg and Shirna arrive and set up their show. Although Vorg's intentions aren't hostile, the representatives of the ruling class of Inter Minor display a cultural dislike of things that they view as alien or unnecessary, and their tribunal — Kalik, Orum, and their superior Pletrac — are suspicious and deny them an entrance visa.

Meanwhile, the TARDIS materialises on the planet Metebelis III — so the Doctor says. Yet when he and Jo Grant explore, they find they are aboard the cargo ship SS Bernice as it sails across the Indian Ocean in 1926.

The Doctor is sure that they are not on Earth and it seems something is afoot when a plesiosaurus rises from the sea. The Doctor and Jo meet Major Daly and his daughter, Claire Daly, passengers terrified by the plesiosaurus but who then forget about it. When the pair are caught by officer John Andrews, they are imprisoned, accused of being stowaways. Confined to a cabin, Jo notices a discrepancy: a clock in the room has gone back more than an hour in a few minutes. After escaping, they notice that Andrews, Daly and his daughter are repeating things they said and did when they met them before. They have forgotten about the meeting. The Doctor becomes interested in a mysterious hatch made of an alien alloy. He goes to fetch a magnetic core extractor from the TARDIS. As they reach the TARDIS, the Doctor and Jo are stunned as a giant hand swoops down out of nowhere and grabs the police box.

Episode two[[edit] | [edit source]]

Vorg pulls the "bit of bric-a-brac" (the TARDIS) out of his miniscope machine but sticks it back in. Later, Vorg shows the tribunal some of the creatures inside the scope, including Ogrons, Cybermen, Tellurians and Drashigs, huge deadly carnivores. Vorg explains how inside the miniscope the miniaturised creatures live in miniature versions of their natural habitats, and are completely unaware of the truth. As the tribunal members watch the events within the human environment, Vorg shows them the machine's capabilities by adjusting a dial which amplifies the specimens' hostility.

Inside, the Doctor and Jo are captured, but Andrews chooses to fight the Doctor rather than imprison him. Using skills he learned from John L. Sullivan, the Doctor overpowers Andrews, allowing him and Jo to escape. They are chased across the deck but make it to the hatch and find themselves in a place the Doctor describes as like being "inside a wristwatch".

The tribunal on Inter Minor chooses to eradicate the illegal specimens inside the scope, but the eradicator only damages the machine. The locals are disturbed that their great weapon was unable to destroy the scope, and they suppose that it's actually a plot by their enemies. Suspicious that the scope contains an illegal transmitter, Orum searches the machine and pulls out the mini-TARDIS. Soon it expands to its normal size, horrifying the tribunal.

The Doctor and Jo find another hatch inside and open it, finding themselves in another environment, an expanse of marshes, not what the Doctor was expecting. They turn to leave, but a Drashig rises from the marshes, ready for the kill.

Episode three[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor attacks the Drashigs using the sonic screwdriver, igniting marsh gas. Vorg is able to slow down the Drashigs with his hand, enabling the Doctor and Jo to reach the inner circuitry again. The Doctor realises they are in a miniscope, explaining that earlier in his life he convinced the Time Lords to ban the use of miniscopes. Jo is horrified that anyone would use such a device. They are troubled to find out that the Drashigs haven't given up their pursuit and have broken into the circuitry as well. The pair find a deep shaft which leads to the bottom of the circuitry and the way out, so they return to the Bernice circuit to fetch a rope. Jo is caught by Andrews again, who has once again forgotten they have previously met.

There is trouble outside the scope too. The tribunal are trying to have Vorg and Shirna deported, while the operators themselves have noticed the Drashigs have escaped from their circuit. When Kalik and Orum hear about this, they hatch a plan to let the Drashigs escape the machine and cause havoc, forcing the President to resign. Kalik believes the Functionaries need a purpose; rebellion will satisfy them. The Drashigs have now broken into the SS Bernice environment but are shot at and repelled by the crew. With a rope, the Doctor climbs down to the bottom of the shaft and exits the machine but collapses.

Episode four[[edit] | [edit source]]

There is commotion on Inter Minor as the Doctor grows to his normal size. The Doctor confronts the tribunal about their allowing the scope on their planet and is horrified that Vorg and Shirna are more concerned with claiming insurance on the loss of livestock than saving the lives inside the scope. The Doctor ventures back inside the machine, while Kalik and Orum sabotage the eradicator to leave the city defenceless against the Drashigs, who finally escape and grow to formidable size. Vorg repairs the eradicator and turns it on the Drashigs, but not before they eat Kalik and Orum.

The Doctor escapes.

Inside, Jo escapes yet another capture by the crew of the Bernice and is reunited with the Doctor, but the scope is overheating, and they are overcome by the heat. They are brought back by Vorg, who activates the device the Doctor left for him, which also returns the life-forms inside the scope to their rightful places in space and time.

With the scope inoperable, Vorg tries to earn enough credit bars to get home by entertaining Pletrac with the old shell trick, while the Doctor and Jo return to the TARDIS, ready for their next adventure.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Uncredited cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Foods and beverages[[edit] | [edit source]]

Cultural references from the real world[[edit] | [edit source]]

Technology[[edit] | [edit source]]

Species[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Wallarians are known for their gambling.
  • Jo argues that humans in the miniscope are smarter than whelks.
  • Valdek was a scientist who believed that life in the universe was infinitely variable.
  • Vorg's miniscope contains Cybermen.
  • Vorg's fomer commander was a Crustacoid mercenary.

Planets[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Doctor mentions Metebelis III, "the famous blue planet of the Acteon group".
  • Vorg and Shirna previously visited the planet Demos.
  • Drashigs are from a satellite of Grundle.

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

  • Working titles for this story were The Labyrinth and Peepshow. Terrance Dicks pointed out that Peepshow had lewd connotations, though Robert Holmes was unhappy with the change.
  • Ian Marter (John Andrews) is credited as "Andrews" in Radio Times.
  • Stuart Fell (Functionary) is uncredited on-screen for episode one, but credited in Radio Times.
  • This story carries no on-screen producer credit for Barry Letts, as the BBC would only allow him to be credited as either producer or director.
  • Vorg's parlare in episode four is translated as:
"Parlae the Carny?" (Do you talk the Carnival language?)
"Varda the Bona Palone." (Look at the good (looking) Young Girl.)
"Niente dinari here, y'jills." (No money to be made here, you know.)
  • The title is the same as a Ray Bradbury short story Carnival of Monsters published in the 1940s. In it, a millionaire on Mars lures several health officials into his house. They meet a variety of gruesome fates inspired by different horror writers. However, the title of this episode may be unrelated.
  • This is the first story to feature the term Tellurian to mean human being. This term appeared in other stories written by Robert Holmes, such as The Two Doctors.
  • The Drashigs were named so by Holmes as an anagram of "dish rag". Accordingly, a white dish rag would be hung from a pole during filming so the actors had a position to look at while delivering their lines so it appeared they were looking at the Drashigs, even though the Drashigs were only added in post-production, according to Katy Manning in the documentary DOC: Destroy All Monsters.
  • The Ogron and the Cyberman, seen on the Miniscope's screen in episode two, were played by Rick Lester and Terence Denville respectively, who remained uncredited both on-screen and in Radio Times. These were not flashbacks to past stories, but were specially recorded.
  • The story was repeated on BBC2 on consecutive evenings from Monday 16 to Thursday 19 November 1981 as part of the repeat season The Five Faces of Doctor Who, as this was a fine example of a story from Jon Pertwee's era, and one which existed entirely in colour. Although episode four exists in its complete form in the BBC Archives, a new version of the episode (forty-four seconds shorter than the original) was made on 625 line PAL colour videotape for the repeat screening, which was slightly edited at the request of Barry Letts to remove certain shots in the closing scene where close-ups of Pletrac had revealed that Peter Halliday's bald headpiece was starting to come loose.
  • Katy Manning provided the noises of the chickens seen in episode one herself. This was a skill she taught herself as a child.
  • The Diary of River Song story Peepshow is set concurrently with this adventure.
  • Both Cheryl Hall and Jenny McCracken were earlier considered for Jo Grant. According to the DVD Commentary for the Special Edition of the story, they were on the final shortlist of six actresses seen for the role. Barry Letts promised both actresses he'd use them in the future after Katy Manning was cast.
  • Barry Letts named this as his favourite of Robert Holmes' contributions for the show. He particularly felt that the Drashigs were one of the best monsters in the series.
  • Jon Pertwee recommended his friend andThe Navy Lark co-star Tenniel Evans for the role of Major Daly. It was Evans who had originally encouraged Pertwee to consider playing the Doctor, and the leading man now repaid the favour.
  • The RFA Robert Dundas doubled for the SS Bernice. The ship spent part of the first day travelling along the River Medway to Sheerness, Kent, but was otherwise docked during production. At one point, the shoot was interrupted when it was discovered that an old brass ship's compass had disappeared. The culprit turned out to be none other than Jon Pertwee, who had mistakenly believed that the compass was to be scrapped along with the Robert Dundas and therefore wouldn't be missed. In fact, it was to be auctioned off along with other ship artefacts and, after learning of his error, an embarrassed Pertwee duly returned it.
  • Studio recording was interrupted by a bomb scare, although it transpired that this had been incited by the ticking of an alarm clock, stowed in a bag belonging to one of the effects assistants.
  • During recording of the scene in episode three where the Drashig crashes through the hull of the SS Bernice and into the forward hold, where it is shot and killed by Major Daly with a machine-gun; and Lieutenant John Andrews and two of the Indian seamen armed with rifles, Barry Letts was forced to call a halt when one of the Indian extras started waving his gun around in a dangerous and alarming manner. Even though the rifles were only firing blanks, even blanks can be dangerous — and the extra's carelessness could easily have resulted in one of the other cast members being shot for real. The extra was therefore hastily removed from the set and replaced by another for the retake.[2]
  • The actors playing the Inter Minor officials were originally supposed to have their faces hidden behind masks. However, Barry Letts decided to dispense with them, since he thought the performances would benefit from a full range of facial expression. Unfortunately, the actors' headpieces began to detatch as time went on.
  • Robert Holmes added the subplot about the attempted overthrow of President Zarb after Terrance Dicks was concerned that, as the story was originally structured, the only real threat facing Vorg and Shirna was the penalty for breaking import regulations.
  • Inter Minor was named Odron for a time, and it was thought that the planet might host a convention of showmen.
  • Pletrac was originally called Pletrac 4, while Orum, Kalik and the unseen Zarb were named Grig 07, X10 and X8, respectively.
  • For a long time, the Miniscope was known as the Strobe.
  • Robert Holmes scripted authentic Polari for Leslie Dwyer to utter as Vorg in episode four, and both Dwyer and Jon Pertwee delighted in showing off their extensive knowledge of the carny lingo.
  • Barry Letts and Terence Lodge had previously appeared in The Avengers episode "The Wringer".
  • In post-production, both episodes two and four were found to be significantly overlong, which forced a number of scenes to be trimmed and others to be moved to a different point in the narrative. Material involving Vorg, Shirna and the Inter Minor officials was a particular target. The climax of episode three was completely rearranged. Originally, the cliffhanger involved the Doctor being attacked by a Drashig inside the Miniscope and falling down a shaft. At the start of episode four, the Drashig plummeted after him to its death, while the Doctor was seen to have been saved by catching his foot in a rope. As broadcast, this sequence was omitted altogether, although the dead Drashig still appeared. Instead, the Doctor's emergence from the Miniscope (which, as scripted, occurred during episode four) was brought forward to serve as the new cliffhanger.
  • The closing titles for all four episodes differed from those for all other Third Doctor stories, as the first of the credit captions — i.e. that for Jon Pertwee — was presented entirely in capitals. This move was never repeated, and so may have been simply an error.

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Episode one - 9.5 million viewers
  • Episode two - 9.0 million viewers
  • Episode three - 9.0 million viewers
  • Episode four - 9.2 million viewers

Myths[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Episode two, as seen on the BBC video release of this story and as an extra on the Special Edition DVD release, which is about four minutes longer than the one originally transmitted and features the abandoned Delaware synthesiser arrangement of the theme music, is a specially extended version. (It is a rough cut that was prepared during the original editing of the story and never intended for public consumption. It still exists only because BBC Enterprises inadvertently included it in a package of episodes supplied to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The video release also erroneously includes a version of episode four prepared for a repeat transmission in 1981, which has a section missing from the closing scene.)

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

  • Tillingham Marshes, Howe Farm, Tillingham, Essex
  • RFA Robert Dundas (as the SS Bernice)
  • Carwoods Quarry (now known as Asheldham Nature Reserve), Asheldham, Essex
  • BBC Television Centre (Studio 4 & 6), Shepherd's Bush, London

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.
  • In episode one, the wire lowering the cargo vessel during the opening shot is clearly visible
  • In episode one, the sound of a pencil dropping and rolling across the studio floor can be heard.
  • When Shirna does her little dance, the wire leading to the Miniscope is visible.
  • The TARDIS doors are open when the Doctor steps out, but instantly close when the giant hand reaches for it.
  • The back of the Cyberman's head is loose.
  • After entering the Miniscope, the Doctor helps Jo over a piece of equipment. As they walk off, the shadow of the boom mike moves over a white piece of the set in the upper right part of the screen.
  • Jo sinks waist-deep in the swamp, but by the time she reaches the cave, her trousers and both their sets of boots are dry and clean.
  • In the final scene, Pletrac's bald headpiece has detached from the actor's scalp. Barry Letts fixed this for the BBC2 repeat in 1981 by removing some of the shots and therefore several lines of dialogue. Letts's amended ending appears as an extra on the DVD release.
  • As Jo and the Doctor investigate the chickens in the cargo hold, the camera pans to the right and we can glimpse the edge of the set and the supports behind it.
  • In the opening sequence, because of the unique way CSO was used in this story, the Inter Minorians' legs flicker, and become incredibly thin.
  • The grass inside the Miniscope differs in colour and texture between model shots and location filming.
  • In the scenes inside the Miniscope circuits, the studio floor reflects light from different directions, even though there isn't actually a place to reflect. The lights are actually from studio lighting.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

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

This story was released as Doctor Who: Carnival of Monsters.

Released:

Special Features:

  • Commentary by Katy Manning and Barry Letts
  • Extended and Deleted Scenes
  • Behind the Scenes Footage
  • Model Sequences - The Original 16mm Visual Effects Tests
  • Using CSO - Demonstrated by Barry Letts
  • Alternative Theme Music
  • Trailer - The Five Faces of Doctor Who
  • Alternative Episode Four Ending
  • Photo Gallery & Production Subtitles
  • TARDISCam Sequence
  • Easter Eggs:
    • Clean 1970 title sequence. To access this hidden feature, press left at Alternative Theme Music on the Special Features menu.
    • VT countdown for Episode 2. To access this hidden feature, press left at Feature in the Subtitles menu.

Notes:

  • DVD Australia cover

    DVD Australia cover

  • DVD US cover

    DVD US cover

  • Region 2 UK DVD cover

    Region 2 UK DVD cover

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

This story was released as Doctor Who: Carnival of Monsters: Special Edition.

Released:

Special Features:

  • Commentary #1 by Katy Manning (Jo Grant) and Producer/Director Barry Letts
  • Commentary #2 by Peter Halliday (Pletrac), Cheryl Hall (Shirna), Jenny McCracken (Claire), Special Sounds creator Brian Hodgson and Script Editor Terrance Dicks, moderated by Toby Hadoke
  • Episode 2 - Early Edit - A longer edit presented un-restored
  • Behind the Scenes - On the studio floor and inside the gallery during production
  • Visual Effects Models - Unused model shots, trims and tests
  • Five Faces of Doctor Who Trailer
  • Director's Amended Ending - Alternate edit to the ending of episode four that removes several shots in which Peter Halliday's bald cap is visibly detached from his scalp
  • CSO Demo - Barry Letts demonstrates the then-new technique
  • TARDIS Cam 2 - A CGI model vignette
  • Destroy All Monsters! - The making of the story, with Katy Manning, Cheryl Hall, Peter Halliday, Barry Letts, Terrance Dicks, Karilyn Collier and Colin Mapson
  • On Target with Ian Marter - A retrospective of the actor and novelist
  • The A-Z of Gadgets and Gizmos - A tongue-in-cheek look at gadgets and gizmos in Doctor Who over the years
  • Mary Celeste - Experts discuss the disappearance of real ships
  • Radio Times listings (DVD-ROM)
  • Production information subtitles
  • Photo gallery
  • Coming Soon trailer - Planet of the Spiders
  • Easter Egg: Clean 1970 title sequence. To access this hidden feature, press left at Director's Amended Ending on Disc One's Special Features menu to reveal a hidden Doctor Who logo.

Notes:

  • UK DVD cover

    UK DVD cover

  • US DVD cover

    US DVD cover

  • Aus DVD cover

    Aus DVD cover

Doctor Who DVD Files[[edit] | [edit source]]

It was released as issue 60 of Doctor Who DVD Files.

Digital releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

This story is available:

  • in non-continental iTunes stores (Australia, Canada, UK and US) as a stand-alone season of Doctor Who: The Classic Series;
  • on Amazon Video (UK) as Season 66 of Doctor Who (Classic) series;
  • on Amazon Video (US) as part of Season 10 of Doctor Who: The 50th Anniversary Collection, which additionally includes the story The Three Doctors;
  • for streaming through BritBox (Canada and US) as part of Season 10 of Classic Doctor Who.
  • iTunes cover

    iTunes cover

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

This story was released as Doctor Who: Carnival of Monsters.

Released:

  • VHS UK cover

    VHS UK cover

  • VHS Australia cover

    VHS Australia cover

  • VHS US cover

    VHS US cover

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2017/12/doctor-who-in-memoriam-2017.html
  2. ↑ The Official Doctor Who Fan Club Volume 1: The Jon Pertwee Years by Keith Miller. "Carnival of Monsters Set Report", page 80.

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

v • e
Doctor Who television stories
 
Seasons 1-4: William Hartnell
Season 1: 1963-1964
Season 2: 1964-1965
Season 3: 1965-1966
Season 4: 1966
 
Seasons 4-6: Patrick Troughton
Season 4: 1966-1967
Season 5: 1967-1968
Season 6: 1968-1969
 
Seasons 7-11: Jon Pertwee
Season 7: 1970
Season 8: 1971
Season 9: 1972
Season 10: 1972-1973
Season 11: 1973-1974
 
Seasons 12-18: Tom Baker
Season 12: 1974-1975
Season 13: 1975-1976
Season 14: 1976-1977
Season 15: 1977-1978
Season 16: 1978-1979
Season 17: 1979-1980
Season 18: 1980-1981
 
Seasons 19-21: Peter Davison
Season 19: 1982
Season 20: 1983
Children in Need 1983
Season 21: 1984
 
Seasons 21-23: Colin Baker
Season 21: 1984
Season 22: 1985
Season 23: 1986
 
Seasons 24-26: Sylvester McCoy
Season 24: 1987
Season 25: 1988-1989
Season 26: 1989
 
TV Movie & 2013 specials: Paul McGann
TV Movie: 1996
Specials: 2013
Minisodes
 
Series 1: Christopher Eccleston
Series 1: 2005
Regular episodes
 
Series 2-4: David Tennant
Series 2: 2005-2006
Minisode
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
Series 3: 2006-2007
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
Animated special
Series 4: 2007-2010
Minisode
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
Minisodes
Animated special
Seasonal specials
 
Series 5-2013 specials: Matt Smith
Series 5: 2010
Regular episodes
Series 6: 2010-2011
Christmas Special
Minisodes
Regular episodes
(Part 1: Apr 2011)
Regular episodes
(Part 2: Aug 2011)
Minisode
Series 7: 2011-2013
Christmas Special
Minisodes
Regular episodes
(Part 1: 2012)
Minisode
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
(Part 2: 2013)
Specials: 2013
 
Series 8-10: Peter Capaldi
Series 8: 2014
Regular episodes
Series 9: 2014-2015
Christmas Special
Minisode
Regular episodes
Christmas Special
Series 10: 2016-2017
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
Christmas Special
 
Series 11-13: Jodie Whittaker
Series 11: 2018-2019
Regular episodes
New Year Special
Series 12: 2020-2021
Regular episodes
New Year Special
Series 13: 2021
Minisodes
Regular episodes
Seasonal specials
 
60th Anniversary Specials: David Tennant
Specials: 2023
Minisodes
60th Anniversary Specials
 
Season 1 (2023)-present: Ncuti Gatwa
Season 1: 2023-2024
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
Retrieved from "https://tardis.wiki/w/index.php?title=Carnival_of_Monsters_(TV_story)&oldid=3887996"