The Macra Terror (TV story)

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The Macra Terror was the seventh story of Season 4 of Doctor Who. It was the first Doctor Who story to feature the lead actor's face in the opening title sequence.

Synopsis

When the Doctor, Polly and Ben visit a human colony that appears to be one big holiday camp, they think they have come across a truly happy place. But a shadowy presence soon makes them realise that the surface contentment is carefully controlled.

The colony's inhabitants have been brainwashed by giant crab-like creatures - the Macra. Insidious propaganda, broadcast by the Controller, forces the humans to mine a gas that is essential for the Macra to survive - but fatal to them.

The colony must be saved - but how? The Doctor and his team are up against it, particularly when Ben falls under the influence of the Macra. Can he be rescued from their evil clutches? Can the gas pumping equipment be destroyed, getting rid of the Macra for good?

Plot

To be added.

Cast

Crew

References

  • The ancestors of the colony came from Earth many centuries ago, and they retain the title of 'Pilot' for their leader.

Story notes

  • This story is the first to use a new title sequence incorporating an image of Patrick Troughton's face, designed by Bernard Lodge and realised by Ben Palmer. A new arrangement of the theme tune was also produced by Delia Derbyshire (with assistance from Dick Mills) to accompany the title sequence, but due to a production error it was not used until the following story.
  • This story had the working titles; The Spidermen, The Insect-Men, The Macra.
  • Sandra Bryant, who played Chicki in Episode 1, asked to be released from her contract so that she could accept another, more attractive offer of work. This was agreed to by Innes Lloyd, and so – in an unusual move – the role was recast for Episode 4 (the only other episode in which Chicki appears), going instead to Karol Keyes.
  • Richard Beale is credited as Broadcast Voice for Episodes 1 and 3. For Episode 2, he is billed as Broadcast and Propaganda Voice on-screen and as Broadcast and Propaganda Voices in Radio Times.
  • John Harvey (Officia) is erroneously credited as Official in Radio Times for Episode 4.
  • The Macra seen to be in charge in the last episode is white rather than black, a scene for which the sole Macra prop had to be repainted.
  • All four episodes are missing, though some clips survive.

Ratings

  • Episode 1 - 8.0 million viewers
  • Episode 2 - 7.9 million viewers
  • Episode 3 - 8.5 million viewers
  • Episode 4 - 8.4 million viewers

Myths

  • The image of the Controller seen on the screen in the Pilot's office was a photograph of story editor Gerry Davis. (It was a photograph of Graham Leaman, who played the Controller.)

Filming locations

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.
  • The Macra's top claw is longer than the bottom, but when it grabs the controller, they are the same length.

Continuity

  • The Macra returned to Doctor Who 40 years later in DW: Gridlock. To date, this marks the longest interval between appearances by a character or alien race in franchise history.

Timeline

Home video and audio releases

  • The full soundtrack was released with linking narration by Colin Baker
  • Surviving clips were released with the Lost in Time DVD boxed set.

Novelisation and its audiobook

Macra Terror novel.jpg
Main article: The Macra Terror (novelisation)

See also

to be added

External links

Template:Season 4

TVStub.png
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