Talk:The War Machines (TV story)

First return to contemporary Earth?!

The article mentioned that this was the first adventure taking place on contemporary Earth, which is not true--Planet of Giants was the first. So, I removed that line from the opening paragraph.

Later, the story notes say, "This is the first return to contemporary London for the Doctor." I don't remember Planet of Giants ever saying exactly where it takes place, but my guess would be outside of London. The Chase also featured a return to contemporary Earth, but in New York. So, technically this is probably true, but a bit misleading. I'm not sure whether this line should stay or go, so I left it. --75.36.135.55 15:04, 27 December 2007 (UTC)

Firstly there is nothing explicitly stating that Planet of the Giants takes place on Earth. The assumption is that it takes place on Earth. But as there are not enough explicit identifying features to make a concise descsion.

Secondly, the statement "first return to contemporary London for the Doctor" is because in The Chase Babs and Ian return to 'contemporary London', but also like the former in the New York scene there is nothing identifying to mark out a date for when it is set. --Tangerineduel 15:29, 27 December 2007 (UTC)

It's nearly 9 years later, but I'll jump in anyway. I'll skip over the bizarre idea that Planet of Giants (not Planet of the Giants) may not be on Earth

In The Chase, Ian spots a car tax disc dated December 1965, so he knows they are sometime in that year. He tells Barbara as much, who comments they are two years out (from 1963). I'm not sure how specific with the actual month and day something needs to be, to be classed as "contemporary". Also, Vikki and The Doctor, watching on the Time-Space Visualiser, confirm they have made it.

In any case, the Doctor himself returns to contemporary London at the end of The Massacre, although he does not venture outside the TARDIS.

165.225.80.69^{talk to me} 11:23, August 9, 2016 (UTC)

And although it's not had so much attention, the dating of The War Machines is potentially as messy as the Unit stories. (How appropriate given it's a forerunner of them.) No year is given in the story. C-Day is set for Monday 16th July - in 1966 that day was a Saturday (when the last episode was transmitted) and it wouldn't be a Monday until 1973. The technology of C-Day itself is a bit into the future of 1966 and at a glance the most obvious real world event would the starting of ARPANET in 1969 or the first international connections in 1972.

However the fashions and music are all contemporary and there's no indication that Dodo has turned up at her aunt's after disappearing for years and coming back unaged, a la Rose. (The Post Office Tower is stated to be new but only by Dodo.)

The Underwater Menace gives a date for this one as 1966 and the end of The Faceless Ones states it's the same day and gives a specific date as the 20th July 1966 - maybe the Hartnell Doctor took a few days' holiday mid-episode but that doesn't seem to be the intention of The War Machines's final scene. Small stuff compared to some conundrums but a sign of the mess to come. Timrollpickering ☎ 01:20, December 18, 2016 (UTC)

Story Influences

This Doctor Who story had a number of "firsts".

Internal to Doctor Who, note how the Doctor works with Earth-bound authority figures to clear up a menace, foreshadowing the UNIT arc in years to come.

Contemporary influence may be seen in D.F. Jones' Colossus novels [1], the first published in 1966. Both stories with similar menaces are released about the same time, leaving the question, "Who influenced whom?"

Compare WOTAN to Skynet, the War Machines themselves to the T-1 terminators.

St John's Logo

Is it already noted somewhere that the TARDIS's St John's Ambulance logo disappears from its door between episodes 1 and 4? —BioniclesaurKing4t2 - "Hello, I'm the Doctor. Basically, . . . run." 01:03, September 1, 2013 (UTC)