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44) THE DOMINATORS

10 August - 7 September 1968

Average Viewing Figure: 6.2M

Plot

On the planet Dulkis the pacifistic Dulcians must join forces with, The Doctor if they are to defeat, The Dominators

Cast

Patrick Troughton (The Doctor), Frazer Hines (Jamie  McCrimmon), Wendy Padbury (Zoe), Ronald Allen (Rago), Kenneth Ives (Toba)

Arthur Cox (Cully), Philip Voss (Wahed), Malcolm Terris (Etnin), Nicolette Pendrell (Tolata), Felicity Gibson (Kando), Giles Block (Teel)

Johnson Bayly (Balan), John Hicks, Gary Smith, Freddie Wilson (Quarks), Sheila Grant (Quark Voices), Walter Fitzgerald (Senex)

Ronald Mansell, John Cross (Council Members), Alan Gerrard (Bovem), Brian Cant (Tensa)

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Uncredited Cast

Colin West, Blair Stewart (Dummies in Muesum), Malcolm Watson, Aubrey Danvers Walkers (Council Members)

John Tucker (Double for Balan (corpse))

Crew

Norman Ashby (Writer), Ron Grainer (Title Music), Brian Hodgson (Special Sound), Ron Oates (Visual Effects Designer)

Martin Baugh (Costumes), Sylvia James (Make-Up), Sam Neeter (Lighting), Richard Chubb (Sound), Peer Hamilton (Film Cameraman)

Chris Hayden (Film Editor), Derrick Sherwin (Script Editor), Barry Newbery (Designer), Peter Bryant (Producer), Morris Barry (Director)

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Uncredited Crew

Reg Jones (Technical Manager), Hugh Wilson (Film Operations Manager), Barbara Stuart (Assistant Floor Manager)

David Smith, Guy Francis (Floor Assistants), Alan Whibley (Visual Effects Assistant), Dave Thompson (Grams Operations)

Bill Morton (Vision Mixer), Barbara Parkes Buchanan (Artists' Booker), John Bruce (Production Assistant)​

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Gerrard Cross Sand and Gravel Pit, Gerrard Cross, Bucks

  • Television Centre: Puppet Theatre

  • Olley Sand Pit, Trottiscliffe, Kent

  • Ealing Film Studios: Stage 2

  • Television Centre: Studio 4

  • Television Centre: Studio 3

Deaths

  • Rago [killed when the Dominators spacecraft explodes]

  • Toba [killed when the Dominators spacecraft explodes]

  • Wahed [killed by a Quark]

  • Etnin [killed by a Quark]

  • Tolata [killed by a Quark]

  • Balan [killed after a Quark was attacked]

  • Quarks [killed when the Dominators spacecraft explodes]

  • Tensa [shot and killed by a Quark]

Production Days

  • 13 Days between Thursday 25 April - Friday 14 June 1968

Production Errors

  1. The shadow of a boom microphone can be seen dropping into shot during a War Museums scene in episode one

  2. The zip on Zoes skirt causes the actress numerous problems throughout the serial, it ends up that her skirt is open during episodes two, three and five

  3. There are a few moments when the hands belong to the actors playing the Quarks are visible

  4. During the exterior shots of the island, which was recorded in studio, wrinkles can be seen on the backcloth due to the fact that the lighting is so hard

  5. At one point Toba says that the Dominators are the 'masters of the Ten Galaxies' however this is later contradicted by Roga when he says that they control an entire galaxy 

Working Titles

  • The Beautiful People

Verdict

There is a serious lack of energy here where the whole plot is full of arguing, and that is about it. There is nothing to get excited about and there are no characters to invest interest in. The story can be seen as an allegory where stronger forces come across a weaker race who are easy to exploit for their own material gain. The Dominators are bland, one-dimensional creations who cannot even expand to more than one facial expression and vocal gesture. Patrick Troughton is at his weakest and the regulars are not that strong. There is almost excruciating plot point where Cully and Zoe are going to be a thing where thank goodness they never went down that line. Morris Barry tries his best as but the scripts are weak and very difficult to care about. **

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