The War Machines (TV story): Difference between revisions

The War Machines was the tenth and final story of Season 3 of Doctor Who. There were several companion cast changes in this story — Dodo Chaplet, played by Jackie Lane, left, while Polly Wright and Ben Jackson, played by Anneke Wills and Michael Craze, joined. Ben and Polly join Dodo herself, Barbara and Ian in the fact that they accidentally entered the TARDIS and then later joined the First Doctor as companions.

Synopsis

The TARDIS arrives in London in 1966 and the First Doctor and Dodo visit the Post Office Tower. There they meet Professor Brett, whose revolutionary new computer WOTAN (Will Operating Thought ANalogue) can actually think for itself and is shortly to be linked up to other major computers around the world — a project overseen by civil servant Sir Charles Summer.

It transpires, however, that WOTAN considers humans to be inferior to machines and should therefore be ruled by them. Exerting a hypnotic influence, it arranges the construction of War Machines — heavily-armed, self-contained mobile computers — with which to take over the world.

These prove more than a match for troops, but by establishing a magnetic force field the Doctor is able to capture one of them, which he then reprograms to destroy WOTAN. Dodo, now back in her own time, decides to remain on Earth. The Doctor enters the TARDIS alone, but Brett's secretary Polly and her merchant seaman friend Ben Jackson follow him inside just before it dematerialises.

Plot

Episode 1

The Doctor and Dodo arrive back in London, the Doctor taking care to hang an "OUT OF ORDER" sign on the TARDIS door to keep away any unwanted police — even though Dodo points out that the police could never open the door. Immediately the Doctor senses something isn't quite right about the newly completed Post Office Tower and takes Dodo to investigate.

The Doctor, posing as a computer specialist, is escorted to the top of the tower by Major Green, where he meets Professor Brett and the professor's life's work, WOTAN. Also in the room is Professor Brett's secretary, Polly. The Professor proceeds to explain how WOTAN is the most advanced computer ever made and how it will soon be linked to other computers around the world to create a central intelligence. The Doctor challenges WOTAN to give him the square root of a large number, which it does flawlessly. Dodo, hoping to stump the computer, asks it what the word TARDIS means which it also answers correctly, much to the Doctor's consternation. Dodo then pauses as she complains about a slight buzzing in the ears. Polly, looking after Dodo, invites her to go to a dance club called the Inferno.

Arriving at the club, Kitty, the bartender and Polly's friend, tells them that a sailor that Polly met the previous week has come into the bar every night since and sat at the end of the bar drinking and depressed. Just then, the sailor enters and Kitty asks Polly to try to cheer him up. Polly and Dodo make a valiant attempt, but finally decide to leave him to himself. But shortly after, when Polly is being harassed by another patron calling himself Flash, the sailor jumps to her defence, starting and quickly ending a minor bar fight. Dodo is then able to get the sailor's name, Ben Jackson.

Sir Charles at the press conference about WOTAN.

A taxi pulls up to the Royal Scientific Club, the location of a press conference about WOTAN. The assembled reporters learn that on the following Monday, 16 July, all other computers around the world will come under the control of WOTAN in an event called Computer Day or C-Day. After a number of questions from reporters, Sir Charles Summer, head of the Royal Scientific Club, tells those gathered that WOTAN actually thinks and has no political allegiances or any reason to lie or hide the truth. Professor Brett, who is oddly absent, is sent for by Sir Charles.

Professor Brett, caught on the phone in his office, finally prepares to leave for the press conference when he calls in Major Green. The Professor informs the Major that he's had the feeling all day that someone has been watching and listening to the goings on in the area. The Major assures the professor that the building, and especially the area WOTAN is in, is secure. After Major Green leaves, Professor Brett prepares to go, but hears a strange buzzing coming from WOTAN. Stopping momentarily, he is overcome by the buzzing, and though he attempts to fight off the sound, he quickly comes under the mental control of WOTAN.

Back at the Inferno, Dodo tells Polly and Ben that she has a bit of a headache, but tells them that she is really fine. When they go off to dance though, Dodo's face shows that something isn't right.

Just as Sir Charles prepares to dismiss the gathered reporters, Professor Brett finally arrives. While he refuses any comment to the media, he takes Professor Krimpton aside on urgent business. Sir Charles introduces himself to the Doctor who inquires about Professor Krimpton. Sir Charles, remarking that Krimpton is their foremost electronic expert, begins to worry that something is wrong with WOTAN, and leaves to find out. The Doctor seems to have other ideas.

Back with WOTAN, Major Green enters the room on his rounds and quickly comes under the control of the machine. He then calls the Inferno and places WOTAN on the phone. It takes control of Dodo through the phone, and she then leaves. Shortly after, Professor Brett returns to WOTAN with Professor Krimpton and explains to him that WOTAN has come to the conclusion that humans cannot develop the world any further and that it will take control and humans will be the servants. When Professor Krimpton attempts to leave, he is stopped by Major Green and becomes the fourth to fall under WOTAN's control.

At the Inferno, Polly and Ben are looking for Dodo when the Doctor arrives. Polly tells the Doctor that Dodo had received a call about half an hour before and then seems to have left. Dodo then arrives in Professor Brett's office and is instructed to bring "Doctor Who" so that he can be brought under the control of WOTAN.

Episode 2

As Dodo leaves to find the Doctor, WOTAN issues his directions to Professor Brett, Major Green, and Professor Krimpton. London will be taken over first, followed by Washington and Moscow. A skilled labour force, obtained through telephone-based thought control, will be gathered in a number of points in London to construct "the machines", mobile computers. Green will determine the locations, Brett will oversee construction, and Krimpton will prepare their programming. Prior to programming preparation, though, Krimpton is instructed to assist with obtaining "Doctor Who".

The Doctor and Dodo waiting for a taxi outside the Inferno.

The Doctor remains at the Inferno until closing time. Polly prepares to call hospitals, but Dodo walks back in, claiming that the call was from some old friends and that she was just around the corner. The Doctor questions Dodo's story, but doesn't continue to press when she says that it was all a long story. As the four leave the club, Ben and Polly go to flag down a taxi for the Doctor and Dodo. Dodo, seeing fellow conspirators waiting in the shadows to grab the Doctor, begins to guide him a little way down the street when Ben and Polly arrive with the taxi. Polly decides to tag along with the Doctor and Dodo to visit with Sir Charles. A homeless man, who had gotten out of the Doctor's cab, stops Ben to ask for a little money for food, mentioning that he is planning on sleeping in an empty warehouse nearby.

In that no-longer empty warehouse is Professor Brett, handing out blueprints for the machines that the labourers are constructing. The homeless man, upon entering the warehouse, sees the activity and overhears Professor Brett's directions. Quickly an alarm comes from a nearby computer and Brett sends a number of the labourers to find the intruder. The homeless man attempts to leave, but is surrounded and quickly killed.

The next morning the Doctor is visiting with Sir Charles and looking at the paper when he sees the picture of the homeless man in an article about his murder. While Sir Charles is only mildly interested, he brings to the Doctor an issue of two well respected scientists who work for the Royal Scientific Club who both sent letters of resignation that morning and since cannot seem to be found. Shortly thereafter Polly enters informing Sir Charles that Major Green had called her and sent her to assist Sir Charles since Professor Brett did not need her for the day and because Sir Charles's secretary was ill. Sir Charles, surprised that Major Green knew of his secretary's absence, accepts Polly's assistance for the day. As Polly heads out of the room, Dodo walks in. When she hears Sir Charles's concern about the resignation of two of his computer scientists, Dodo presses the Doctor about returning to visit Professor Brett. The Doctor, not wanting to drop in unannounced, decides to call Brett's office to make an appointment.

Professors Brett and Krimpton are working in the office when the phone rings. Picking it up, Brett realises it is the Doctor and Krimpton patches the phone through to WOTAN.

The Doctor, still in Sir Charles's office, quickly realises what is happening and pulls the phone from his ear, though with some significant trouble, before he can be affected. Dodo and Sir Charles assist the weakened Doctor to a nearby chair and Sir Charles leaves to get some water. Dodo, believing that the Doctor is now under WOTAN's control, begins to give the Doctor WOTAN's instructions. The Doctor quickly shakes off the effect of the call, but is still confused as to what happened. As Polly and Sir Charles return with water, Dodo remarks that the Doctor did not receive any instructions. When Polly asks what happened, the Doctor realises that the problem was not with the phone, but that something in Professor Brett's office, specifically WOTAN, had attempted to take control of him and had control of Dodo. The Doctor uses his ring to aid in the hypnotism of Dodo to break her programming. The Doctor informs Sir Charles and Polly that Dodo will sleep for about 48 hours and afterward will need quiet and rest. Sir Charles agrees to have Dodo taken to his country estate where his wife will care for her, and turns to ask Polly to make arrangements, but she has already left the room. The Doctor then begins to wonder where the "strategic points in London" that Dodo mentioned might be.

In a customs shed near the airport and in a large factory, parts for WOTAN's War Machines are being unloaded and constructed. Back in the warehouse, one of the machines is powered on, and Major Green arrives to test its destructive capabilities on one of the labourers.

WOTAN and the scientists.

At the Post Office Tower in Professor Brett's office, WOTAN inquires to the location of "Doctor Who". Moments later Polly enters to make sure that Professor Brett is all right, but quickly she realises something is very wrong.

At Sir Charles's office, Ben arrives looking for Polly to take her to lunch. When Ben says he can't find Polly, the Doctor is concerned about her. Mentioning the homeless man in the paper, the Doctor asks Ben to investigate the area around the club to see if they can find any information about what is going on.

Ben, looking around the Inferno's building, overhears Major Green's testing of WOTAN's machine and heads inside to find out what's going on. Ben watches the War Machine destroy a table with good results, look around the room with some problems, and then move around a room and destroy some crates that are in its way. As it comes around another corner Ben is caught directly in the machine's line of sight.

Episode 3

Ben, backed up against a wall of boxes, ducks behind another nearby box and makes his way to a door with the War Machine sounding an alert. Major Green calls the labourers to search for the unknown trespasser just as Ben ducks through the door... and finds Polly in the entryway. Ben warns Polly to get away and tells her he must inform the Doctor what he's seen. Polly asks him what he saw, and he explains; but as he moves toward the door to leave, Polly locks him in and he is captured.

Four hours later at Sir Charles's office, the Doctor has grown worried about Ben. Sir Charles tells the Doctor that rumours shouldn't postpone C-Day and that they should allow the police to look into them, but the Doctor fears that the police might only drive the threat further underground.

In the warehouse, Major Green tells Ben of the coming "mechanised evolution" and prepares to have him destroyed. Polly enters with directions from WOTAN that more labour is needed and that Ben is to be kept alive as long as he is useful. When Ben goes to thank Polly, she tells him he must work towards the victory of the War Machines.

Major Green in the warehouse.

In Professor Brett's office, he and Professor Krimpton take note of the completion time of noon on the following day. The purpose and function of the War Machines are also detailed.

The War Machine in the warehouse has almost completed all tests; the labourers are preparing armaments for the War Machines, but they are tiring. Ben, working in a back room of the warehouse, attempts to talk Polly into resting when he notices that the guard on the door is gone. He goes to investigate, but as he prepares to run he locks eyes with Polly. Instead of sounding an alarm, Polly simply goes back to moving crates. After prying the locks from the entryway door, Ben finally escapes the warehouse.

As the Doctor prepares to go in search of Ben, Sir Charles's doorbell rings and Ben stumbles in. He reports that Polly is in a warehouse and being controlled, and that there is a killer machine there as well.

Major Green confronts Polly concerning Ben's whereabouts. She informs Green that Ben has escaped, but she cannot answer why she didn't raise an alarm and then becomes confused. As the control over her breaks down, Major Green informs the labourers that Polly must be sent back to WOTAN to be punished.

Sir Charles refuses to believe Ben's story, while Ben is anxious to get moving and take action against the machine. As Sir Charles prepares to contact the police to raid the warehouse, the Doctor points out that something bigger is going on and that, from what Ben has told him, it sounds as if there are more machines being built around London. When the Doctor recommends striking at WOTAN, Sir Charles refuses and says that there is nothing to connect this machine to Professor Brett, even though Polly is one of those under control. The Doctor and Ben, knowing they have riled Sir Charles, depart, and Sir Charles contacts the authorities and decides to head toward the warehouse himself.

Based on Sir Charles' report, army soldiers are mobilised to the neighbourhood around the warehouse. They find considerable electrical and radio activity coming from the warehouse and surround it. Sir Charles informs the commanding officer of what he knows, and Orange Patrol is sent to enter the warehouse. Interference in the radio signals tips off Major Green that something is happening and he alerts the labourers. As Orange Patrol confronts the War Machine, Green gives the order to attack and the labourers and the War Machine assault the patrol. Orange Patrol quickly finds that its weapons are useless against the War Machine and thus they must retreat.

A War Machine's 'eye' illuminates the Doctor as he confronts it.

Just as the remaining members of Orange Patrol exit the warehouse, the Doctor and Ben join Sir Charles and inquire about what is happening. As Orange Patrol rounds the corner toward the main army forces, the War Machine exits the warehouse in pursuit. The leader of Orange Patrol reports that the machine nearly wiped them out as it comes around the corner into view. Sir Charles, assuming someone is inside the tank-like machine, attempts to call the operator to stand down. As the army realises that their guns are somehow being jammed, the commanding officer informs Sir Charles that the area will have to be evacuated. As everyone retreats, the Doctor stands his ground and even walks a bit toward the machine as the light from the War Machine's "eye" falls across his face.

Episode 4

As the War Machine approaches, Ben attempts to pull the Doctor to safety, but the Doctor stands his ground. The War Machine moves around him and comes to a halt with its top mount radar dish ceasing to function.

On a television set in the bar of a local pub, the BBC News reports that the War Machine has been put out of action, but that further attacks of a similar nature can be expected over the next day.

The Doctor, examining the War Machine, finds that the programming and test had not been completed and that the computer has failed. Sir Charles notes to the Minister of Defence that if the programming and test had been completed, it would have been nearly unstoppable. The Minister remarks that the other War Machines must be found and destroyed before they are operational.

Elsewhere in London, construction of the second War Machine has been completed and testing begins.

The Doctor is investigating the inoperable War Machine when Ben arrives, having been unable to find Polly. When the Doctor hands his cloak to Ben, the TARDIS key falls from the pocket and Ben picks it up. As he goes to hand the key back to the Doctor, the Minister of Defence approaches, asking for a status report from the Doctor. The Doctor has determined that there are 11 more units in the 20 to 30 miles around London, all set to begin an attack at noon.

Testing of the second War Machine continues, but as the tester walks in front of the machine he is accidentally killed by a blast from its weaponry. At the Tower, Professor Brett notes that contact with the second War Machine has broken down and Professor Krimpton goes to correct the programming that is at fault.

At the army's operating headquarters, one of the survivors from the warehouse is brought in for questioning. As he passes, the Doctor realises it is Major Green and follows so that he may ask a few questions of the man. Major Green, disoriented and confused, doesn't recognise the Doctor or the War Machine that he built. While Sir Charles wants to raid the Post Office Tower and retrieve Professor Brett, the Doctor berates Sir Charles's "strong-arm" methods and the Minister seems to agree as he turns to the Doctor for guidance.

Meanwhile, a man in a telephone booth contacts the police to report that another of the War Machines is on the streets of London. While on the phone, the War Machine spots him and kills him. Over the radio, a warning goes out to the citizens of London to stay off the streets and not confront the machines.

Ben, at the army operating headquarters, is still worried about Polly's whereabouts. The Doctor tells Ben that if all he worries about is one person then nothing shall ever get done, but Ben feels he owes it to Polly since she saved his life.

As the second War Machine approaches the Battersea Power Station, Sir Charles goes to the Doctor and the Minister to find out if they have any other ideas. The Doctor wants to capture the machine by using electro-magnetics to paralyse it.

Back in Professor Brett's office, Polly enters and requests to be judged by WOTAN for allowing Ben to escape. Professor Brett informs her that she will be judged later because her assistance is currently needed.

Sir Charles assists the Doctor in obtaining the necessary equipment for the Doctor's magnetic field, and the Minister of Defence assists in closing off roads to funnel the War Machine to the optimal location to spring the trap.

Sir Charles, Ben, and the Doctor discuss the Doctor's plan, which requires moving behind the War Machine to connect a final cable to spring the trap. While the Doctor plans to do it himself, Ben feels that a younger man should take the risk.

The captured War Machine in a magnetic field.

As the machine approaches, Ben takes up his position, preparing to run and connect the cable. After hesitating, the War Machine moves into the trap area, Ben connects the cable, and the switch is thrown. While the War Machine isn't shut down by the magnetic field, it does allow the Doctor to get close enough to shut the machine down manually.

Elsewhere, questions are going out around the world wondering if the attacks are limited to London or if the whole world is at risk.

Finally, the Doctor returns to the Minister and Sir Charles to let them know that he has reprogrammed the machine and that he is ready to send it to complete its new orders. As Ben flips a switch, the War Machine hums to life and moves out of the army operating headquarters, heading to the Post Office Tower. Ben, still concerned about Polly and fearing that she returned to the Tower, rushes off in hopes of arriving before the War Machine and rescuing Polly.

In the Minister's car, the Doctor explains that should everything go as planned with his reprogrammed War Machine, WOTAN should be deactivated and all those under hypnosis should be released.

It is 11:49 AM and in Professor Brett's office, he and Krimpton are preparing to release the ten remaining War Machines. Minutes later, as the War Machine arrives at the base of the Tower, Ben arrives in the hall outside Professor Brett's office and sees Polly working at the computer. He rushes in, and pushing past Professor Brett, grabs Polly and drags her out of the office and down the hall just as the War Machine exits the elevator. The War Machine fires repeatedly into WOTAN and finally destroys it. Krimpton attempts to get close enough to the War Machine to shut it down, but is killed in the process. Professor Brett, grabbing his head in pain, finally comes to his senses, though he has no memory of what happened.

The Doctor bidding farewell to Ben and Polly.

As the Doctor, Sir Charles and the Minister exit the elevator, they find the office filled with smoke and a charred WOTAN. As Professor Brett asks what happened, Sir Charles directs him to ask the Doctor... who is no longer there.

Later, the Doctor is standing outside the TARDIS, with the "OUT OF ORDER" sign still on the door, waiting for someone. As he begins to turn and enter the ship, Polly and Ben run across the street to greet him. Polly tells him that although Dodo feels much better, she wants to stay in London and that she sends her love. The Doctor, surprised and seeming a little hurt, thanks Polly and Ben for their help and sends them on their way. Down the street, they watch as the Doctor unlocks the police box and enters. When Polly mentions the key, Ben remembers that he still needs to return the one he picked up when it fell from the Doctor's cloak. They run back to return the key, and when the Doctor doesn't answer, Polly unlocks the door. She and Ben enter... and the TARDIS dematerialises.

Cast

Dr. Who - William Hartnell
Dodo Chaplet - Jackie Lane
Ben Jackson - Michael Craze
Polly - Anneke Wills
Major Green - Alan Curtis
Professor Brett - John Harvey
Kitty - Sandra Bryant
Flash - Ewan Proctor
Sir Charles Summer - William Mervyn
Professor Krimpton - John Cater
Roy Stone - Ric Felgate
Interviewer - John Doye
Workers - Desmond Cullum-Jones, Eddie Davis
Tramp - Roy Godfrey
Taxi-driver - Michael Rathborne
Machine Operator - Gerald Taylor
Captain - John Rolfe
Sergeant - John Boyd-Brent
Corporal - Frank Jarvis
Soldier - Robin Dawson
Television Newsreader - Kenneth Kendall
The Minister - George Cross
Garage Mechanic - Edward Colliver
Man in telephone box - John Slavid
Radio Announcer - Dwight Whylie
US Correspondent - Carl Conway
The Voice of WOTAN - Gerald Taylor
and WOTAN

Crew

Assistant Floor Manager - Lovett Bickford, Margot Hayhoe
Costumes - Daphne Dare, Barbara Lane
Designer - Raymond London
Film Cameraman - Alan Jonas
Film Editor - Eric Mival
Make-Up - Sonia Markham
Producer - Innes Lloyd
Production Assistant - Snowy White
Script Editor - Gerry Davis
Special Sounds - Brian Hodgson
Studio Lighting - George Summers
Studio Sound - David Hughes
Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire
Title Music - Ron Grainer

References

Individuals

WOTAN refers to the Doctor as "Doctor Who" and refers to the Doctor's brain as a "human brain" it needs.
Sir Charles Summer speaks by phone with an anonymous Minister of Defence.
The Doctor and WOTAN use hypnosis on Dodo.
The merry class war that typified Ben and Polly's relationship begins almost immediately in the second episode. Right out of the gate he admits to being no "deb's delight" and she swiftly agrees.
Like Tegan Jovanka, Ian Chesterton, Barbara Wright and Rose Tyler, Dodo returns to London some time after she initially left it. Her surprise at the now-completed Post Office Tower places the events at the end of "Bell of Doom" at least a few months prior to those of The War Machines.

Nightclubs and dance halls

Polly takes Dodo to the Inferno nightclub.

Technology

WOTAN knows what TARDIS means.
The press briefing shows a chart naming the computers that will come under WOTAN's control. While six of the names are not clearly visible on-screen, those that can be made out are: WOOMERA (rocket testing range in Australia); Cape Kennedy (which assumed its original name of Cape Canaveral in 1973); Parliament; ELDO; TELSTAR (early communication satellite); White House; EFTA (European Free Trade Association); RN (Royal Navy); and RAF (Royal Air Force). According to Doctor Who: A History of the Universe in 100 Objects by James Goss and Steve Tribe, published by BBC Books in 2012, the remaining six names on the chart are: Kremlin; Charities; Army; NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation); SEATO (South-East Asia Treaty Organisation); and JK (what this refers to remains unclear).

Story notes

This story had the working title of The Computers.
The original idea behind The War Machines was devised by Doctor Who's scientific advisor Kit Pedler.
William Mervyn is credited as 'Sir Charles' in Radio Times for episode four.
Gerald Taylor is credited as 'Machine Operator' for episodes two and three, as both 'Machine Operator' and 'The Voice of WOTAN' (separate on-screen captions) for episode four and only as 'Machine Operator' in Radio Times for episode four. He also provided 'The Voice of WOTAN' for episodes one and two, but was uncredited for this on-screen.
WOTAN is given its own billing, '...and WOTAN', on the closing credits of episodes one to three and in Radio Times; although billed in Radio Times for episode four, it is not credited on-screen. This is the only time in the series' history that a fictional creation receives a cast credit.
The 'Based on an idea by...' credit for Kit Pedler appears only on the closing credits and in the Radio Times programme listings for all four episodes, where his surname is misspelt as 'Pedlar' in both cases. The on-screen writer's name caption seen during the opening 'computer-style lettering' credit graphics (see below) bills only Ian Stuart Black.
Although Polly was never given an on-screen surname, "Wright" was used in an audition piece for the character at the time. It has since been adopted into various spin-off novels.
This story is also the first time we hear Ben call Polly by the nickname "Duchess".
WOTAN is pronounced with a soft V as VOTAN by many of the characters.
This is the Doctor's first return to 20th century London since a brief interlude at the end of "Bell of Doom".
The Doctor is particularly ruthless in this story, sending a War Machine to destroy WOTAN when he knows that Brett and Krimpton (and most likely Polly too) are with WOTAN, and are very likely to get killed (as Krimpton does). He does this despite the fact that all three are not acting for themselves, but are under WOTAN's control, so they have no choice about being there, nor any impulse to escape.
This is the only time during the First or Second Doctor's era when the TARDIS crew is completely replaced, leaving no continuing character other than the Doctor.
As was common in mid-late 1960s Doctor Who, this serial employs interstitial titling for the story title, writer's name and episode number captions, which are in computer-style lettering. For episodes two and three, the titling is unusually placed at the end of a short teaser sequence. For the first and last episodes, the sequence occupies a more usual position immediately after the main titles.
Due to budgetary constraints, this story had no original incidental music. (BBC DVD: The War Machines)
This is the story in which the Doctor is infamously referred to as "Doctor Who" by WOTAN. This is the only time on television that the Doctor is directly called this.
BBC newsreader Kenneth Kendall plays himself in episode four, announcing the destruction of the first War Machine.

Ratings

Episode 1 - 5.4 million viewers
Episode 2 - 4.7 million viewers
Episode 3 - 5.3 million viewers
Episode 4 - 5.5 million viewers

Myths

A fan myth alleges that Pat Dunlop contributed to the writing of the televised version of the story. In fact, though Dunlop was the writer originally commissioned to turn Kit Pedler's story idea into script form, he had to pull out due to a clash of commitments with another BBC series, United! Ian Stuart Black used none of Dunlop's work when he took over.

Filming locations

Bedford Square, London
Maple Street, Fitzrovia
Royal Opera House, Bow Street
Tottenham Court Road, London
Conway Street, London
Charlotte Place, Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia
Berners Mews, Fitzrovia
Covent Garden Market, London
Cornwall Gardens Walk, London
Ealing Television Film Studios
Riverside Studio 1, Hammersmith, London

Production errors

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 three, the War Machine that is ordered to kill the worker misses him completely, but the man obligingly drops dead anyway.
In episode four, the Doctor knocks off the end of a War Machine's gun arm with his cloak. Later, examining the machine, the Doctor stands up and whacks his head against it; however, William Hartnell carries on with the scene as if nothing had happened.

Continuity

The War Machines make a cameo in PROSE: EarthWorld: knowing they came from the Post Office Tower but little else, New Jupiter's historians thought the machines were used to deliver the post.
Dodo's life following this story is explored in PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy, which also explains how the events in this story appeared from the perspective of the general public. (This is also a continuity error, as the War Machines were public knowledge in The War Machines but covered up in Who Killed Kennedy)
PROSE: The Time Travellers, set before this story (from the Doctor's point of view), reveals that the Doctor's actions in The War Machines altered history. In the original timeline, WOTAN managed to conquer Earth prior to its destruction in 1969.
After defeating WOTAN, the Doctor checked to see if the Hand of Omega had been buried in Shoreditch Cemetery as per his instructions in November 1963, only to discover that it had been removed. (PROSE: The Rag and Bone Man's Story) He determined that his future self would arrive at an earlier point in order to deal with it. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks)
Following WOTAN's destruction, its processing banks were recovered from the Post Office Tower by Daniel Prestaigne, who used them to create the Apocalypse Clock. Like WOTAN, the Clock stated that "Doctor Who is required." Upon inspecting the Apocalypse Clock, the Third Doctor recognised the components salvaged from WOTAN. (AUDIO: The Last Post)
While in the Post Office Tower, Ben proposed to Polly. This was witnessed by the Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler. (COMIC: The Love Invasion)
The Second Doctor would later return Ben and Polly to London on 20 July 1966, the same day that they left. (TV: The Faceless Ones)
In his investigation of reports of a series of agent provocateurs known as "the Doctor" who had been involved in numerous unusual incidents, the journalist James Stevens collected information about the C-Day fiasco. He noted that, in his memoirs, Sir Charles Summer claimed that the public failed to realise the magnitude of the disaster which had been averted. He attributed the successful resolution of the crisis to "an aged but spritely scientist he knew only as 'the Doctor.'" Sir Charles described the Doctor as an English gentleman in his early sixties with "imperious white hair swept back from his face and reaching almost to collar length, with haughty features and piercing eyes that burned with intelligence and wit." Furthermore, he noted that the Doctor simply disappeared after the crisis had ended. Stevens found it bizarre that on the same day as the C-Day fiasco, namely 20 July 1966, another man who called himself "the Doctor" was involved in the investigation of a case of holiday fraud involving Chameleon Tours at Gatwick Airport. (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy)
It is implied that WOTAN had heard the message "Doctor Who?" from the crack in time. Having mistaken it for his name, it states that "Doctor Who is required". This is supported by a wooden cyberman (that also heard the message) saying "The Doctor is required" because it knows that the Doctor is not actually named "Doctor Who". (TV: The Time of the Doctor)

Home video and audio releases

VHS releases

The Doctor Who Restoration Team did very extensive work on this story for the VHS release. In addition to lots of film and video cleanups, and patching censor clips in for many bits missing from the master copy, this included creation of short sections of new footage from stills and off-cuts to cover missing bits. Despite this, it still has a small amount of missing material where no video could be found to match the complete off-air audio. The audio release is complete. (TV broadcasts prior to the video release usually used the unimproved, substantially cut, and very, very dirty master.)

DVD releases

Region 2 - 25 August 2008

PAL -

Region 4 - 6 November 2008

PAL -

Region 1 TBA

NTSC -

Contents:

Now and Then - Location featurette
Blue Peter - Clips featuring the new Post Office Tower and the War Machines
One Foot in the Past - Archive clip on Post Office Tower
WOTAN Assembly - How the story was pieced back together from disparate sources for the DVD release
Easter Egg
Photo Gallery
Production Notes subtitles
Radio Times listing (PDF)
War Machine design plan (PDF)
Audio commentary by actor Anneke Wills (Polly) and director Michael Ferguson

Rear Credits:

Starring William Hartnell with Jackie Lane, Anneke Wills and Michael Craze
Written by Ian Stuart Black
Produced by Innes Lloyd
Directed by Michael Ferguson

Notes:

This story was restored for DVD release by the Doctor Who Restoration Team.

Region 2 cover
Region 4 cover
Region 1 cover

External links

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The War Machines (TV story): Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 06:42, 29 December 2013

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Synopsis