The Robots of Death (TV story)
Synopsis
The The Doctor and Leela land in the cargo hopper of a Sandminer, whose crew are being murdered one by one. Suspicion falls on the two visitors, but they are freed by Poul. He reveals that he is an undercover policeman sent to locate a mad roboticist named Taren Capel, whom he believes to have infiltrated the Sandminer. Unfortunately, Poul suffers a nervous breakdown upon learning that the murders are being committed by robots reprogrammed by Capel. It is revealed that Capel has assumed the guise of Dask, the ship's engineer. However, the Doctor manages to trick the robots into killing Dask by using helium to alter the madman's voice, so the robots don't recognize him...
Plot
to be added
Cast
Dask/Taren Capel - David Bailie
Robots - Mark Blackwell Baker, John Bleasdale, Mark Cooper, Peter Langtry, Jeremy Ranchev, Richard Seager
Crew
Directors - Michael E Briant, Peter Grimwade
Incidental Music - Dudley Simpson
References
- The Doctor uses a respiratory bypass system to avoid inhaling helium in the story climax.
Story Notes
- This is one of the few stories which goes some ways to explain (in relative simplicity) how the TARDIS is dimensionally transcendental. (using a demonstration with two boxes)
- There have been several influences suggested for Robots of Death including:
- This story was obviously based on Isaac Asimov's Robot mysteries, such as I, Robot. In particular, the human/robot police duo Elijah Bailey and R Daneel Olivaw from Caves of Steel and its sequels may be the inspiration for the Poul/D84 pair. Promiment mention is made of Asimov's First Law of Robotics: "A robot may not harm a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm."
- Another inspiration for the story was Agatha Christie's novel, Ten Little Indians, in which several people on an island are murdered one by one.
- The Sandminer setting is based on Frank Herbert's Dune.
Ratings
to be added
Myths
to be added
Location Filming
to be added
Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
to be added
Continuity
- This episode is the last one in which the wood-panelled TARDIS control room appears.
- The characters from this episode reappear in several of Chris Boucher's later novels, starting with Corpse Marker, and continuing in the Kaldor City spinoffs.
DVD, Video, and Other Releases
DVD Releases
Released as Doctor Who: The Robots of Death, this was the first 'proper' title in the BBC DVD range of Doctor Who DVDs. It marked the debut of the 'roundel' template that diddn't prove popular with fans (although it has remained to date as the DVD template) and is the only one in the range not to feature Production Subtitles. The Continuities were meant to be an Easter Egg, but an error was made by the Authoring House and they were included as a regular menu item.
Released:
- Region 2 November 13th 2000
- PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1012
- Region 4 July 2nd 2001
- Region 1 September 11th 2001
- NTSC - Warner Video E1120
Contents:
- In-Studio - Section of material without sound effects, music, or voice-dubbing.
- Continuities
- Model Sequences
- Studio Floor Plans
- Photo Gallery
- Commentary: Chris Boucher and Philip Hinchcliffe
Video Releases
Released as Doctor Who: The Robots of Death.
Released:
- First Release:
-
- PAL - BBC Video BBCV4108
- NTSC - Warner Video E1120
Notes: Released in an edited movie-format.
- Second Release:
Notes: Released unedited.
Target Novelisations
to be added
