58) COLONY IN SPACE

10 April - 15 May 1971

Average Viewing Figure: 8.5M

Plot

The Time Lords send The Doctor to the planet Uxarieus to prevent, The Master from using the Doomsday Weapon, meanwhile a human colony on Uxarieus is being terrorised by mysterious creatures, who disappear into the night

Cast

Jon Pertwee (The Doctor), Peter Forbes-Robertson (First Time Lord), John Baker (Second Time Lord), Graham Leaman (Third Time Lord)

Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart), John Scott Martin (Robot), David Webb (Leeson)

Sheila Grant (Jane Leeson), John Line (Martin), John Ringham (Ashe), Mitzi Webster (Mrs Martin), Nicholas Pennell (Winton)

Helen Worth (Mary Ashe), Roy Skelton (Norton), Pat Gorman (Primitive/Long/Colonist), Bernard Kay (Caldwell), Morris Perry (Dent)

Tony Caunter (Morgan), John Herrington (Holden), Stanley McGeagh (Allen)Roger Delgado (The Master), Roy Heymann (Alien Priest)

John Tordoff (Alec Leeson), Norman Atkyns (Guardian)

Uncredited Cast

Terry Walsh, Dinny Powell, Alf Joint, Mike Horsburgh, Les Clark, Valentino Musetti, Stewart Anderson, Emmett Hennessy

Walter Turner, Mike Stephens (Primitives), Charles Pickless, Ken Halliwell, Bob Blaine, Alan Peters, Brian Gilmar, John Caesar

Ian Elliott, Jay McGrath, Les Conrad, Clay Hunter, Charles Finch, Monique Briant, Terry Walsh, Max Diamond

Valentino Musetti, Bill Horrigan (Colonists), Brian Gilmar, Brian Justice, Les Clark, Keith Simon, Stewart Stephens, Mike Stephens

Bob Blaine, Barry Stephens, Jay Neill, Les Clark, Mike Horsburgh, Dinny Powell, Alf Joint (IMC Guards)

Stanley Mason Antonia Moss (Alien Priests), Terry Walsh (Rogers)

Crew

Uncredited Crew

Pauline Silcock (Director's Assistant), Bernard Fox (Technical Manager), Derek Medus (Film Sound Recordist)

Eddie Dougall (Film Sound Assistant), Alec Curtis (Film Camera Assistant)

Ian Scoones, Colin Mapson, John Friedlander (Visual Effects Assistants), Gordon Phillipson (Grams Operator), John Turner (Floor Assistant)

Jim Stephens (Vision Mixer), Crew 19 (Camera Crew)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

Caravel Studios, Slough
Ealing Studios
The Old Baal China Clay Pit, Carclaze, Cornwall
BBC Television Centre: Studio 4
BBC Television Centre: Studio 3

Deaths

Leeson [killed by the IMC Robot]
Jane Leeson [killed by the IMC Robot]
Ashe [sacrifices his own life]
Norton [shot and killed by Winton]
Morgan [shot and killed]
Holden [killed by Norton]
Allen [killed by a Primitive]
Alien Priest [killed during the destruction of his city]
Alec Leeson [shot and killed by Norton]
Guardian [killed during the destruction of his city]
Alien Priests [killed during the destruction of their city]
Primitive [killed by Allen]
- other Primitives, Colonists and IMC Guards are also killed

Production Days

13 Days between Early February - Saturday 3 April 1971

Production Errors

Why is Jo sceptical about the Tardis's abilities when she saw it dematerialise in The Claws of Axos
The calendar in the Leeson's dome gives the date as Monday 2 March 2472. This is incorrect, the 2 March 2472 will be a Wednesday. Unless of course, a radical change occurs with Earth's rotation
During episode three seagulls can be heard when Winton is pursued by IMC Guards, and falls at Caldwell's feet
A crewmember's shadow can be seen on the Brigadier's front during the final scene of episode six
During episode one when The Doctor and Jo are in the Tardis, Jo is wearing a pink shirt with black stripes. Her shirt changes to grey with black stripes when she exits the Tardis, and changes back to pink when held hostage
During episode three, Winton's handcuffs open before Caldwell gets a change to open them
During episode four, a boom microphone briefly appears during a scene set in the Colonists dome
When the leader of the Primitives, the Guardian emerges, Norman Atkyns and his hand is briefly visible

Working Titles

[no known working titles]

Verdict

After seven long adventures the show returns to its natural roots, sending The Doctor to an alien world to meet an alien race and learn about colonisation and the exploitation of natives – wait what? Yeah, the themes running throughout the narrative are rather on-the-nose, and quiet obvious, but they never feel like they’re lecturing the audience, and do provide some decent material. Sadly, everything else is mixed. The writing seems too interested in focusing on Colonists moping about their situations, whilst the conniving IMC plot their devious plans behind closed doors. It’s also overtly political, The Master posing as the Adjudicator is as bland as watching paint dry and the constant fighting/bickering/yelling/assaulting/annihilating between the Colonists and IMC descends into a ridiculous game of Cowboys vs. Indians – with no rules to keep things fair.
There is some great design work: the colonist settlement, the alien priests and natives, the space buggies, and the IMC robot provide some fresh material within a story that never seems to accelerate for long periods. The location work is superb, which accommodates several set-pieces, and some impressive stunt work. There are some strange, but unique camerawork shots and angles, and the writing does try its best, most of the time, but unfortunately it has to deal with equally bland characters. The main characters have one of three views on the natives: they tolerate them, they loathe them, or they hate them, that’s it. It provides very little in the way of social commentary, and could have been developed more. There’s an excellent scene, tucked away in episode 6, where The Doctor and The Master almost bond whilst studying the history of the natives, and what caused their downfall; it matches perfectly with their conquering/exploring desires later on within the same episode; a clever piece of writing.
Despite its many flaws, Colony in Space is far from being terrible, it’s actually quite enjoyable, if watched episode-by-episode, it can be quite entertaining. It makes for middle-of-the-road entertainment. Just ignore the acting of Helen Worth.***