top of page

63) THE MUTANTS

8 April - 13 May 1972

Average Viewing Figure: 7.8M

Plot

On the planet Solos strange creatures lurk in the caves as the planet is about to become independent from Earths' rule

Cast

Jon Pertwee (The Doctor), Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Paul Whitsun-Jones (Marshal), James Mellor (Varan), Garrick Hagon (Ky)

Geoffrey Palmer (Administrator), Christopher Coll (Stubbs), Rick James (Cotton), George Pravda (Jaeger), John Hollis (Sondergaard)

Peter Howell (Investigator), Jonathan Sherwood (Vorn), Sidney Johnson (Old Man), Roy Peace (Solos Guard)

David Arlen (Warrior Guard), Martin Taylor (Skybase Guard), Damon Sanders (Solos Guard), John Scott Martin (Mutt)

​

Uncredited Cast

David J Grahame (Old Man), Vic Taylor, Brychan Powell, Peter Whitaker, Reg Cranfield (Solonians), Astely Harvey, Keith Ashley

Ron Tingley, David Waterman, Ronald Gough, Dave Carter, Dennis Plenty, Ali Baba (Skybase Guards), Steve Ismay (Bodyguard)

Terry Walsh, Geoff Witherick, Dennis Plenty, Brian Nolan (Overload/Solos Guard), Joe Santo (Exit Guard)

Mike Torres, Eddie Sommer, Laurie Goode, Nick Thompson Hill, Mike Mungarvan, Rick Newby, Bill Gosling (Mutts)

Ian Elliott (Guard Warrior), Derek Chafer, Alex Hood, Terry Sartain (Warriors), Ken Nazarin, Evan Ross (Advisors)

Crew

Bob Baker, Dave Martin (Writers), Ron Grainer (Title Music), Tristram Cary (Incidental Music), Brian Hodgson (Special Sounds)

Fred Hamilton (Film Cameraman), Dick Manton (Film Sound), Dave King (Film Editor), John Horton (Visual Effects Designer)

James Acheson (Costume Designer), Joan Barrett (Make-Up), Frank Cresswell (Studio Lighting), Tony Millier (Sound)

Terrance Dicks (Script Editor), Jeremy Bear (Designer), Barry Letts (Producer), Christopher Barry (Director)

​

Uncredited Crew

Fiona Cumming, Chris D'Oyly-John (Production Assistants), Joan Elliott (Director's Assistant), Philip Hill (Floor Assistant)

Gordon Phillipson (Grams Operator), Mike Turner (Vision Mixer)​

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Western Quarry, Northfleet, Kent

  • Stone House Farm Caves, Frindsbury, Kent

  • Chislehurst Chalk Caves, Chislehurst, Kent

  • Television Centre: Studio 3

  • Television Centre: Studio 4

  • Television Centre: Studio 8

  • Television Centre: Studio 4A

Deaths

  • Marshal [killed by Ky]

  • Varan [sucked into the vacuum of space]

  • Administrator [killed by Vorn]

  • Stubbs [killed by The Marshal]

  • Jaeger [killed when The Doctor sabotages his equipment]

  • Vorn [killed by The Marshal]

  • Warrior Guard [killed by a Skybase Guard]

  • Warriors [killed by Skybase Guards]

  • Bodyguard [shot dead by Stubbs]

  • Mutating Solonian [killed by Stubbs]

Production Days

  • 13 Days between Monday 7 February - Tuesday 28 March 1972

Production Errors

  1. Jon Pertwee says the line 'I couldn't open it even if I wanted to' twice 

  2. During episode two , a boom microphone appears above Stubb's head after The Doctor shoots the swords out of Varan's hand 

  3. Why doesn't Varan explode when he is sucked into the vacuum of space? And how did Jo, Cotton, Stubs and Ky manage to cling onto the inside of Skybase and survive?  ​​​

Working Titles

  • Independence

  • The Emergents

Verdict

The Mutants feels like a tattier rehash of Colony in Space and does nothing in the way to create a compelling tale of ruthless colonists who need to be taught a lesson or two. The story is nothing to get to excited where messages of pollution and colonisation are thrown about but never seem to mould the story together. There are poor production values throughout and some stick-your-fingers-in-your ears acting from the supporting cast. There are intelligent ideas here, but they are very hard pressed to find in amongst so much filler and constant nonsense. **

bottom of page