The Web of Caves (TV story)
The Web of Caves was a black and white tongue-in-cheek mini-episode. It was a pastiche of classic Doctor Who episodes, it was broadcast as part of BBC Two's Doctor Who Night.
Synopsis
A future incarnation of the Doctor has materialised on an alien planet. He eventually finds himself into unneeded trouble from annoying humanoids.
Plot
An enigmatic humanoid discovers the TARDIS situated on an unknown landscape and knocks on the door, identifying himself to the Doctor only as "I'm bad". The Doctor is uninterested however, until the alien speaks to him with a deep voice, and pronouncing his name as "Doc-tor". Wishing for the Doctor to stop him but lacking an actual plan, only an idea to " hollow out the Earth's core, and replace it with a giant motor, so I can pilot the planet anywhere in the universe", the Doctor replies that it "has been done", and so he agrees to come back tomorrow.
This time holding hands with another humanoid, he returns and knocks on the TARDIS door again, the Doctor again answers, telling someone inside the TARDIS that "it's for me." The humanoid's new plan is to "drain the world's oceans into the earth's white hot molten core, and boil them away". The Doctor says that this has also been attempted, but reluctantly agrees to stop them, much to their excitement. They then arrange to do this on "Wednesday, all day".
The two walk off as the TARDIS dematerialises, only to return mere seconds later. The Doctor unknowingly asks "where have you brought me to this time old girl", before spotting the two aliens attracting his attention. They both agree that "he's nice, isn't he", before walking off again.
Cast
- Mark Gatiss - The Doctor (DWM 285)
- David Walliams - Humanoid 1 (DWM 285)
- Paul Putner - Humanoid 2 (DWM 285)
Crew
Worldbuilding
Food and beverages
- The second time the Doctor answers the door, he is holding a cup of tea, having been having it with an unknown individual who asks if the knock on the TARDIS doors was for them.
Story notes
- This was the second of three sketches produced for BBC Two's Doctor Who Night, alongside The Pitch of Fear and The Kidnappers.
- The sketch makes both specific references to, and makes reference to several clichés of, the Classic series of Doctor Who.
- It was filmed in a generic looking quarry.
- Both humanoids have the appearance of Thals from TV: The Daleks.
- The title was a nod to common words used in story and episode titles.
- The two characters played by David Walliams and Paul Putner are never identified, and so are credited here as "Humanoid 1" and "Humanoid 2" purely on a descriptive basis.
- This story graced the cover to DWM 285 which featured an image of Mark Gatiss as the Doctor.
Home video releases
All three Doctor Who Night sketches, along with The Corridor Sketch, starring Nicholas Briggs, were released as a special feature on the An Unearthly Child disc of the DVD box-set, The Beginning.
