VV. The Invasion

  • Script Editor: Terrance Dicks;
  • Writer: Derrick Sherwin;
  • From an idea by: Kit Pedlar;
  • Produced by: Peter Bryant;
  • Director: Douglas Camfield;
  • Designer: Richard Hunt;
  • Incidental Music: Don Black (with John Baker and Brian Hodgson - both uncredited);
  • Extra Credit: The BBC wish to acknowledge the help given to them by the Ministry of Defence in the making of this programme (8);

Programme Description

The TARDIS materialises in London, 1970. The Doctor intends to visit Professor Travers, only to find that he has let his house to a friend, Professor Watkins. The Doctor learns from Watkin's niece, Isobel, that the Professor has disappeared.

The Doctor investigates the Professor's disappearance at his last known work place: the London HQ of International Electromatics. The Doctor's suspicions are heightened when he is taken by U.N.I.T. and brought to Lethbridge-Stewart, recently promoted to Brigadier.

Working with the newly formed U.N.I.T. the Doctor learns that the director of IE, Tobias Vaughn, is in league with the Cybermen and is assisting them with their invasion plans by inserting mind control circuits in his products.

When activated the circuits send a hypnotic signal to those nearby. The Doctor manages to protect his companions and U.N.I.T. against the hynotism, and confront Vaughn, who realises his mistake and then tries to stop the Cybermen. Vaughn is killed, but the Doctor manages to stop the Cybermen firing a gigantic bomb.

Regular Cast

  • Jamie McCrimmon: Frazer Hines;
  • Zoe Heriot: Wendy Padbury;

Guest Cast

  • Tobias Vaughn: Kevin Stoney;
  • Packer: Peter Halliday;
  • Isobel Watkins: Sally Faulkner (1-2,4-8);
  • Corporal Benton: John Levene (1-3,5,6,8);
  • Tracey: Geoffrey Cheshire (1-2);
  • Patrolman: Walter Randall (1);
  • Lorry Driver: Murray Evans (1);
  • Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart: Nicholas Courtney (2-8);
  • Captain James Turner: Robert Sidaway (2-8);
  • Sergeant Walters: James Thornhill (2-7);
  • Gregory: Iain Fairbarn (2,5,6);
  • Professor Watkins: Edward Burnham (3,4,6,7);
  • Major General Billy Rutlidge: Edward Dentith (4-5);
  • Phone Operator: Sheila Dunn (4-5);
  • Policeman: Dominic Allen (5);
  • Workman: Peter Thompson (5);
  • Private Perkins: Stacy Davies (6);
  • Cybermen: (all 6-8) John Bradbury, Ralph Carrigan, Charles Finch, Pat Gorman, Richard King, Peter Thornton;
  • Sergeant Peters: Norman Hartley (7-);
  • Major Bramwell: Clifford Earl (7-8);
  • Computer Voice: Sheila Dunn (1-2);

  • UNCREDITED CAST:
  • Cyberman and Cyberplanner Voices: Peter Halliday (2-8);
  • UNIT/Bunker Men: Leslie Conrad, Gary Dean, Barry Dupre, Charles Finch, James Holbrook, Ross Huntley, Steve Kelly, John Kirtley, Richard Kitteridge, Mike Lee, Crawford Lyle, Tony Manning, Victor Munt, Roy Pearce, David Pelton, Clark Reed, Peter Roy, Derek Slater and The 2nd Battalion of the Cold Stream Guards;
  • IE Guards: Leslie Bates, Maurice Brooks, Dave Carter, Ron Conrad, Terry Duggan, Kenneth Hale, Alistair McFarlane, Brian Nolan, Derek Slater;
  • Warehousemen: John Lord, Miles Northover, Gordon Stothard;
  • Extras: Bobby Beaumont, Derek Chafer, Reg Cranfield, Lyn Denton, Roy Denton, Terence Denville, Robert Pearce, Trevor Shewring, Simon Stapley;
  • Stuntmen: Alan Chuntz, Billy Horrigan, Terry Walsh;

Transmissions

ChannelEpisodeTitleDateViewersPosition
BBC 1 220 Episode 1 Sat 2 Nov 1968 217:15 - 17:40 7.3M 55th
BBC 1 221 Episode 2 Sat 9 Nov 1968 917:15 - 17:40 7.1M 55th
BBC 1 222 Episode 3 Sat 16 Nov 1968 1617:15 - 17:40 7.1M 66th
BBC 1 223 Episode 4 Sat 23 Nov 1968 2317:15 - 17:40 6.4M 73rd
BBC 1 224 Episode 5 Sat 30 Nov 1968 3017:15 - 17:40 6.7M 67th
BBC 1 225 Episode 6 Sat 7 Dec 1968 717:15 - 17:40 6.5M 72nd
BBC 1 226 Episode 7 Sat 14 Dec 1968 1417:15 - 17:40 7.2M 51st
BBC 1 227 Episode 8 Sat 21 Dec 1968 2117:15 - 17:40 7.0M 80th

Repeat Transmissions

This programme has not been repeated.

Locations

  • BBC Training Centre, Wood Norton;
  • Regent's Canal, London;
  • Blackfriars Embankment, London;
  • St. Paul's Cathedral, London;
  • RAF Northolt, London;
  • Fields nr. Ruislip;
  • Guinness Factory, Western Avenue, Acton;
  • Coln St. Aldwyns, Wallingford;

Studios

  • Lime Grove Studio D;
  • Ealing Television Film Studios;

Bloopers and Mistakes

This programme has no bloopers or mistakes. It's probably not perfect, just that they haven't been found or pointed out yet

Notes and Trivia

Wendy Padbury does not appear in Episode 3.

For both this and the following story, the story title is in inverted commas.

Working Titles

Return of the Cybermen
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