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131) THE AWAKENING

19 - 20 January 

Average Viewing Figure: 7.3M

Plot

In Little Hodcombe, The Malus is manipulating the local villagers into re-enacting scenes from the English Civil War 

Cast

Peter Davison (The Doctor), Polly James (Jane Hampden), Denis Lill (Sir George), Jack Galloway (Joseph Willow), Glyn Houston (Colonel Wolsey)

Mark Strickson (Turlough), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Keith Jayne (Will Chandler), Christopher Saul (Trooper), Frederick Hall (Andrew Verney)

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Uncredited Cast

John Kearns (Half Blind Man), Christopher Wenner (Second Trooper), Nigel Tisdall (Phantom Cavalier)

Nigel Tisdall, Scott Free, Sean McCabe (Phantom Roundheads), Bob Tarff, Peter Dukes (Troopers)

Crew

Eric Pringle (Writer), Ron Grainer (Title Music), Peter Howell (Incidental Music), Dick Mills (Special Sound)

Mike Hudson, Liz Trubridge (Production Managers), June Collins (Production Associate), Rosemary Parson (Production Assistant)

Marcus DF White (Assistant Floor Manager), Paul Wheeler (Film Cameraman), Bryan Showell (Film Sound), MAC Adams (Film Editor)

Tony Harding (Visual Effects Designer), Dave Chapman, Dave Jervis (Video Effects), Paul Wheeler (Vision Mixer)

Alan Arbuthnott (Technical Manager), Alec Wheal (Camera Supervisor), Hugh Parson (Videotape Editor), Peter Catless (Studio Lighting)

Martin Ridout (Studio Sound), Jackie Southern (Costume Designer), Ann Ailes (Make-Up Artist), Eric Saward (Script Editor)

Sid Sutton (Title Sequence), Barry Newbery (Designer), John Nathan-Turner (Producer), Michael Owen Morris (Director)

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Uncredited Crew

Ros Farnvombe (Film Sound Assistant), Ian Buckley (Grips), Peter Robinson (Lighting Gaffer), John Downes (Grams Operator)

Garrie Mallen (Floor Assistant), Peter Sporle (Properties Buyer), Michael Daniel, Janet Phillips (Make-Up Assistants)

George Reed, Martin Geeson (Visual Effects Assistants), Jonathan Taylor (Design Assistant), Jane Judge (Production Secretary)

Graham Richmond (Film Operations Manager), Frank Sadler (Show Working Supervisor)

Bob Eltringham, Ray Greenhill, Isabelle Harris, Aneila Harris (Dressers), Ian Hewitt (Graphics)​

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Tarrant Monkton, Dorest

  • Church of St Bartholomew, Shapwick, Dorset

  • Market Cross, Shapwick, Dorest

  • Bishops Court Farm, Shapwick, Dorset

  • Martin, Hanrs

  • Martin Down, Hants

  • Damers Cottage, Martin, Hants

  • Television Centre: Studio 6

Deaths

  • Sir George [dies when Will Chandler pushes him at The Malus]

  • Trooper [decapitated]

Production Days

  • 7 Days between Tuesday 19 July - Saturday 6 August 1983

Production Errors

  1. When the face of the Malus appears in the church wall, a hand can be seen pushing off one of the set pieces

  2. The trooper who is killed by the three Roundheads is still moving later on in the same episode 

Working Titles

  • Poltergeist

  • Wargame 

Verdict

The plot is basic as you can get which is not a bad thing. The serial is an example that sometimes the most effective storytelling can occur when you slow the pacing right down and set it on Earth. The story turns into a mystery than science fiction which is not a bad thing if done right and The Awakening gets it right. The Malus has a lot of effort and is a selling point, a good villain created through sound and visual effects. Model shots again shines especially the collapsing church at the end and the little Malus who clings to the Tardis wall. Costume and make-up helps the aesthetic feel of the story. Good pacing all around which could have benefitted with some scenes needing more time to express themselves. Some ideas are a little unrealistic but because they are not the main focus point of the serial they do not distract or even deviate from the overall quality. Wonderful filming location make this one indeed a sleeping giant which needs to awake for all Whovians fans to find. ***​

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