Aquatic Turtles Emerge from the Ocean to reclaim the Earth: THE SEA DEVILS

When a series of shipwrecks leaves no survivors, The Doctor realises an ancient race of aquatic creatures called the Sea Devils are responsible. After awakening from millions of years in hibernation, The Master plans to help the pre-historic monsters reclaim the Earth, and wipe out humanity. The Doctor, meanwhile, believes humanity and the Sea Devil can live in peace, but not everyone agrees.

Cast

Jon Pertwee (The Doctor), Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Roger Delgado (The Master), Edwin Richfield (Captain Hart)

Clive Morton (Trenchard), Donald Sumpter (Commander Ridgeway), David Griffin (Lt Commander Mitchell)

Royston Tickner (Robbins), Neil Seiler (Radio Operator), Declean Mulholland (Clark), Hugh Futcher (Hickman)

Colin Bell (CPO Summers), Christopher Wray (Ldg Seaman Lovell), Brian Vaughan (Lt Commander Watts)

Rex Rowland (A/B Girton), Martin Boddey (Walker), Norman Atkyns (Rear Admiral), John Caesar (CPO Myers)

June Murphy (3rd Officer Jane Blythe), Alec Wallis (Ldg Telegraphist Bowman), Eric Mason (CPO Smedley)

Brian Justice (Castle Guard Wilson), Stanley McGeagh (Castle Guard Drew), Terry Walsh (Castle Guard Barclay)

Pat Gorman (Sea Devil), Peter Forbes-Robertson (Chief Sea Devil)

UNCREDITED CAST: Stewart Berry, Bob Blaine, Les Clarke, Philip Weston

Jim Dowdall, Brian Gilmar (Castle Guards), Michael Briant (Voice of DJ), Jim Dowdall (Naval Rating)

Roy Pearce, Ron Tingley, Dennis Plenty, Nick Llewellyn (Submarine Ratings), Mike Stevens, Brian Nolan

Steve Ismay, Geoff Witherick, Frank Seton (Sea Devils), Roy Pearce, Ron Tingley, Dennis Plenty, Nick Llewellyn

Philip Weston, Jim Dowdall, Brian Gilmar (Naval Base Sailors), Terry Walsh, Stuart Fell, Mike Stephens

Mike Horsborough, Marc Boyle, Peter Brace, Alan Chuntz, Billy Horrigan, Jack Cooper (Stunt Sea Devils)

Terry Walsh, Stuart Fell, Mike Stephens, Marc Boyle, Mike Horsborough, Peter Brace, Derek Ware, Alan Chuntz, Billy Horrigan (Stunt Sailors), Terry Walsh (Stunt Double for Doctor Who), Stuart Fell (Stunt Double for Jo Grant)

Derek Ware, Terry Walsh (Stunt Doubles for Master), Mike Stevens (Stunt Driver)

and the officers and men of HMS Reclaim and HMS St George

Crew

Malcolm Hulke (Writer), The BBC Wish to acknowledge the help given to them by the Royal Navy in the making of this programme, Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop (Title Music), Malcolm Clarke and BBC Radiophonic Workshop (Incidental Music), Brian Hodgson (Special Sounds), Peter Sargent (Film Cameraman)

Martyn Day (Film Editor), Peter Day (Visual Effects), HAVOC (Action), Maggie Fletcher (Costumes)

Sylvia James (Make-Up), Mike Jefferies (Studio Lighting), Tony Millier, Colin Dixon (Studio Sound)

Terrance Dicks (Script Editor), Tony Snoaden (Designer), Barry Letts (Producer), Michael Briant (Director)

UNCREDITED CREW: Len Hutton (Visual Effects Assistant), Jennie Betts (Location Bookings Assistant)

Gordon Phillipson, Barry Bonner (Grams Operators), PW Walsh (Film Operations Assistant)

Alec Christison (Film Sound Assistant), John Jefford (Film Camera Assistant), Joe Bates, John Watson (Props)

Joanne Burn (Make-Up Assistant), Peter Valentine (Technical Manager)

The Sea Devils arise from the sea, ready to conquest the Earth. Time to call in the navy.

John Collins, Tony Thorpe (Film Unit Electricians), Ian Punter, Roger Twyman (Film Camera Assistants)

Grace Dawson, Jack Roe (Costume Assistants), Sarah Newman (Production Secretary),

Tony Cox (Floor Assistant)ohn Gorman (Vision Mixer), Pauline Silcock (Producer's Secretary),

Bill Paget (Grips). Douglas Needham (Armoruer), Barry Simmons (Costume Assistant)

Broadcast

EPISODE	DATE	TIME	RATING	CHART POSITION	APPRECIATION INDEX
1	26/02/1972	5:50-6:15pm	6.4M	76th	-
2	04/03/1972	5:50-6:15pm	9.7M	26th	-
3	11/03/1972	5:50-6:15pm	8.3M	45th	-
4	18/03/1972	5:50-6:15pm	7.8M	40th	-
5	25/03/1972	5:50-6:15pm	8.3M	39th	-
6	01/04/1972	5:50-6:15pm	8.5M	47th	-

Connections in the Who-Niverse

Edwin Richfield returned as Mestor for The Twin Dilemma - more fool him did he not read the script? Royston Farrell was apart of the long cast of The Daleks' Master Plan, he played Steinberger P. Green. Neil Seiler can be seen as Commander Stewart for Death to the Daleks. Declan Mulholland was the hunchback manservant, Till during The Androids of Tara. June Murphy played Maggie Harris for Fury from the Deep. Alec Wallis appeared as Warner for Revenge of the Cybermen - the last Cyberman story for 8 years. Brian Justice was Yates' Guard for The Green Death; he was an extra in five 3rd Doctor serials. He played a UNIT Soldier in The Ambassadors of Death and The Claws of Axos, an IMC Guard for Colony in Space and a Guerrilla for Day of the Daleks. Eric Mason was Senior Prison Officer Green for The Mind of Evil

Walker, a Parlimentary employee does not 'peace' in mind when dealing with the Sea Devils; would you expect anything else?

Donald Sumpter was previously Enrico Casali for The Wheel in Space and he was Rassilon for Hell Bent. Christopher Wray played the doome

d PC Groom for The Dæmons. Stanley McGeagh was also a Colony in Space veteran where he played Allen. Colin Bell later joined UNIT as Private Bryson for Invasion of the Dinosaurs. Norman Atkyns - yet another Colony in Space veteran played the Guardian. Peter Forbes-Robertson played a Guard for The Power of the Daleks and a Time Lord for Colony in Space (yes, another one). John Caesar is a little unknown Doctor Who veteran. He landed five credited parts and five uncredited parts. He can be seen as Monoid Four for The Ark, C.P.O. Myers for The Sea Devils and the R/T Soldier for Invasion of the Dinosaurs; watch-out for him in the background as a Roboman for The Dalek Invasion of Earth, an Egyptian Soldier for The Daleks' Master Plan and a Cowboy for The Gunfighters,

Death the Constant Companion

Several unknown sailors are killed when the Sea Devil sink their ship in the opening moments of part one. The Radio Operator is also killed by a Sea Devil. Hickman is murdered by a Sea Devil. Several castle guards are killed by a horde of Sea Devils who attack the prison on Fortress Island. The massacre sees Wilson, Barclay and Drew all being killed in the crossfire. A lone Sea Devil is shot by Trenchard; before he himself is also killed. The Sea Devils

The Doctor squares off with a Sea Devil. Having failed with the Silurians, will The Doctor get these aquatic turtles and humans to co-exist

also take heavy causalities throughout the serial. Ridgeway, CPO Myers and Captain Hart 'successfully' dispose of the turtle-headed aquatic monsters, whilst several more are brutally gunned down at a Naval Base. A couple of Marine Sailor also take direct hits from the Sea Devils. Several other Sea Devils are crushed by falling debris when their base is hit by torpedoes. The rest of the Sea Devil triad - and the Chief Sea Devil are killed when the Sea Devil base explodes. One Sea Devil is killed by a Sailor.

Episode Cliffhangers

(1) The Doctor and Jo investigate the sea port when their boat is destroyed, trapping them until they can call for help. Whilst investigating they find Hickman's corpse, and then hear the struggling breaths of someting

The Master and Sea Devils aligns themselves. What will this mean for the future of planet Earth?

approaching them

(2) The Doctor and The Master engage in a sword fight, which The Doctor wins. When The Doctor turns to go, The Master pulls out a knife, and throws it at The Doctor

(3) Jo helps The Doctor escape, and together they head for the beach. However, their path is blocked on all sides, they are surrounded by Prison Guards, a mine field, and a Sea Devil which rises out of the watery depths

(4) The Doctor takes a diving bell to the seabed to contact the Sea Devils. Communication is soon lost with The Doctor, so the diving bell is brought back up. The Doctor has been kidnapped and the diving bell is empty.

(5) The Sea Devils launch an attack on the naval base. The Doctor, Jo, and Captain Hart all head off to make another peace offering to the Sea Devils, when one of the aquatic creatures jumps out and primes its weapon

(6) The Sea Devil’s base has been destroyed, but The Master escapes again, this time in a naval hovercraft.

Fun Facts

(1) The production office aimed to make a story with a nautical setting, the production office had previously went to the coast for Fury from the Deep. It was also hoped the Navy could help out; the Army and Military of Defence had helped out during The Invasion and the RAF during The Mind of Evil; (2) The serial was originally called 'THE SEA SILURIANS' and were originally set to feature the Silurians who had previously appeared in Doctor Who and the Silurians. Writer Malcolm Hulke was once again hired to the scripts; (3) Location production took place over October 1971, as December would cause problems due to the winter weather. This meant that the preceding serial The Curse of Peladon was recorded after The Sea Devils. For the first time in the programme's history, stories were recorded out-of-order; (4) The Sea Devils were originally going to be naked, but since they were intelligent creature, it was decided they [would] not knowingly walked about naked, and were given clothes; (5)

A submarine goes looking for deep-diving sea creature. If they go further north, they'll meet the Loch Ness Monster out for a swim.

Stuntman Stuart Fell doubled for Katy Manning whilst climbing up to the Sea Fort. At the time only around 12 female stunt people worked in the country, and none were available for the programme; (6) Stuart Fell who also played a Sea Devil performed a 12-foot high pratfall and even a backflip as another Sea Devil. His death scenes were felt to be OTT by some members of the production team; (7) A majority of the cast and cr

ew found themselves succumbing to sea sickness. Jon Pertwee and Michael Briant were exceptions; (8) Whilst filming at Norris Castle, a horse was supplied by Major Digby Coventry, who owned the castle. Stuntman Mike Horsborough rode the horse during filming; (9) Stuntman and diving expert Mike Stephens played the Sea Devil who grabbed hold of The Doctor and Jo's boat. He donned a Sea Devil, and then grabbed hold of the boat under close supervision; (10) John Baker of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop was originally going to compose the music for the serial; but Malcolm Clarke eventually completed the assignment

Recording Days

Production took place over 13 days between Thursday 21 October - Tuesday 14 December 1971. Three days were spent at the Fraser Gunnery Range on Thursday 21 - Friday 22 October and for a third day on Monday 25 October. The production team filmed at the HMS Reclaim and No Man's Land Fort for a single day on Tuesday 26 October. One recording day (Wednesday 27 October) was spent at the Red Cliff on the Isle of Wright. Thursday 28 October saw the team record at Bembridge Harbour and Bembridge Sailing Club and Priory Bay - it was a busy day. One final location filming day was conducted at Norris Castle on the Isle of Wright on Friday 29 October. Studio recording took six days to complete, with sessions taking place on Monday and Tuesday evenings over a three week period. These sessions took place between Monday 15 November - Tuesday 14 December. All episodes were recorded at Television Centre Studio 8.

Verdict

The Sea Devils is an-all out sequel to Doctor Who and the Silurians substituting cave-dwelling monsters for aquatic deep-sea creatures, but lacks tension overall, and as a result is a weaker counterpart in comparison. Overall it’s basically the same story again, with the same basic outcomes, but the threat of world domination is very much restrained, but somehow it is more brutal. The Sea Devils themselves are disposed of in inhumane ways which can make for some distressing and downright diabolical imagery, we actually see Sea Devils succumbing to their fates, compared to the off-screen fatalities of the Silurians.

The Doctor attempts to reason with the Chief Sea Devil. Will he succeed or the other thing..... ?

The Doctor himself is more ruthless, he continually puts the Sea Devils in harm’s way and abandons any chance of peaceful cooperation, and blows the Sea Devils up in the closing moments, undermining his moral standpoints from before. The resolution is less striking as a result, the editing fails to capture suspense, resulting in a stilted escape after 2½ hours of viewing. The story perhaps has more to say. There are various moments when other secondary characters consider co-operating with the Sea Devils, and nobody takes overall pride in vanquishing the Sea Devils, The Doctor seems saddened that the ordeal had to end with violence. We’ll never see the Third Doctor overtly use excessive violence to annihilate an enemy again.

Generally, the execution is sound, there are effective action sequences which fully utilise the extensive help the production team got from the Navy, but at times it lacks overall excitement. The extent of the situation is aided by excellent stock footage which gives the narrative a grander aesthetic feel, but (again) the same shots are continually recycled which makes the final product look rather lazy (when it isn’t). The storyline is generally solid, but padding issues, an inconsistent structure; but well-written dialogue gives out mixed signals. A good idea, but the finished product is far from polished, and can make for some difficult viewing.***