QQQ. Frontier In Space

Season Ten - 1972/1973

Script Editor: Terrance Dicks
Writer: Malcolm Hulke
Produced by: Barry Letts
Directors: Paul Bernard and David Maloney (TARDIS scene at end of 6 only - uncredited)
Designer: Cynthia Klujco
Incidental Music: Dudley Simpson

Synopsis

The TARDIS arrives on an Earth ship in the year 2450 at a time when there are tensions between humans and Draconians. After they have materialised the ship is attacked, and the humans on board perceive the Doctor and Jo as Draconians. The Doctor and Jo see the attackers as Ogrons.

The Ogrons stun the crew and take all the cargo, including the TARDIS. The Doctor and Jo are accused, and the Doctor is sent to a penal colony on the Moon whilst Jo is given over to the custody of the Commissioner of Sirius 4. Jo recognises the Commissioner as the Master.

The Master rescues the Doctor, and puts him and Jo on board a stolen police ship. The ship is intercepted by the Draconians, where the Doctor is able to tell the Draconians about the Master and the Ogrons, and that the Master has been using a hypnotic device to make the crews of the ships see what they feared most.

Jo is recaptured by the Master and taken to the Ogron's home planet. Along with an emissary from Earth, Williams, and a Draconian Prince the Doctor follows. Behind the plan are the Daleks who hope to start a space war, and in the aftermath take over. Williams and the Draconian Prince warn their people of the Daleks' intentions, but the Doctor is injured, and Jo manages to get him into the TARDIS where he manages to send a signal to the Time Lords ...

Regular Cast

  • Jo Grant: Katy Manning

Guest Cast

  • President of Earth: Vera Fusek (1-3,5-6)
  • General Williams: Michael Hawkins (1-3,5-6)
  • Draconian Prince: Peter Birrel (1,2,5,6)
  • Secretary: Karol Hagar (1-3)
  • Captain Gardiner: Roy Lonnen (1-2)
  • Lieutenant Kemp: Barry Ashton (1-2)
  • Hardy: John Rees (1-2)
  • Stewart: James Culliford (1-2)
  • First Newscaster: Louis Mahoney (1 - also credited for 2 but does not appear)
  • Draconian Space Pilot: Roy Pattison (1-2)
  • The Master: Roger Delgado (3-6)
  • Professor Dale: Harold Goldblatt (3-4)
  • Cross: Richard Shaw (3-4)
  • Prisoner Governor: Dennis Bowen (3-4)
  • Patel: Mudhav Sharma (3)
  • Sheila: Luan Peters (3)
  • Technician: Caroline Hunt (3)
  • Lunar Guard: Laurence Harrington (3)
  • Draconian Captain: Bill Wilde (4-5)
  • First Ogron: Stephen Thorne (5-6)
  • Second Ogron: Michael Kilgarriff (5-6)
  • Third Ogron: Rick Lester (5-6)
  • Draconian Messenger: Ian Frost (5)
  • Draconian Emperor: John Woodnutt (5)
  • Earth Cruiser Captain: Clifford Ekin (5)
  • Congressman Brook: Ramsay Williams (6)
  • Pilot of Space Ship: Stanley Price (6)
  • Second Newscaster: Bill Mitchell (6)
  • Daleks: (all 6) Murphy Grumbar, John Scott Martin, Cy Town
  • Dalek Voices: Michael Wisher (6)
Uncredited:
  • Doctor Who as Draconian: Bill Burridge (1)
  • Battle Cruiser Guard: Dennis Plenty (1)
  • Draconian First Secretary: Lawrence Davison (2)
  • Cell Guard: Timothy Craven (2)
  • Earth Prison Guards: (all 2) David Billa, Terry Denville, Emmett Hennessey, Derek Hunt, Ray Millar, Kevin Moran, Brian Nolan, Dennis Plenty, George Ribitt, Terry Sartain, Ken Wade, Geoff Witherick
  • Draconian Guards at Embassy: Bill Burridge (2), Terry Sartain (2)
  • Lunar Guards and Prisoners: (all 3) John Hughman, David Layton, Fred Looker, George McFarlane, John Moore, Clinton Morris, Michael Mulcaster, John St Louis, Steve Tierney, Wolf Van Jurgen, Ian Yardley
  • Female Lunar Prisoners: (all 3) Nancy Gabrielee, Nelly Griffiths, Monika
  • Lunar Guards: (all 3) Leslie Bates, Gary Dean, Laurence Held, Richard King
  • Draconian Guards: Andy Devine (4), Bill Matthews (4)
  • Sea Devil: Pat Gorman (5)
  • Earth Guards on Ogron Planet: (all 6) Leslie Bates, Richard King, Steve Tierney, David Waterman
  • Double for the Doctor: Terry Walsh
  • Presidential Guards: Jamie Griffin, Emmett Hennessey, Geoff Witherick
  • Ogrons: Maurice Bush, Steve Kelly, Maurice Purvis, Chris Stevens, Geoff Todd, Bruce Wells
  • Draconians and Earth Guards: Leslie Bates, Rodney Cardiff, Jim Delaney, Pat Gorman, Jamie Griffin, Steve Ismay, Richard King, Clinton Morris, Stewart Myers, Steve Tierney, Wolf Van Jurgen, Ken Wade

Original broadcast on the BBC

Channel Title Date Viewers Rating
BBC 1 338. Episode One Saturday, 24 February 1973 17:50 - 18:15 9.1M
BBC 1 339. Epiode Two Saturday, 3 March 1973 17:50 - 18:15 7.9M
BBC 1 340. Episode Three Saturday, 10 March 1973 17:50 - 18:15 7.5M
BBC 1 341. Episode Four Tuesday, 13 March 1973 17:50 - 18:15 7.1M
BBC 1 342. Episode Five Saturday, 24 March 1973 17:50 - 18:15 7.7M
BBC 1 343. Episode Six Saturday, 31 March 1973 17:50 - 18:15 8.9M

Studios

  • Television Centre Studio not known

Outside Locations

  • Fullers Earth Works, Reigate, Surrey
  • Royal Festival Hall, South Bank, London

Bloopers

Jo seems to change her outfit between episodes - while being held in the in the prison cell.

When the Doctor goes out to repair the spacecraft look out for the very obvious strings holding him up.

During the Doctor's spacewalk he pulls an oxygen tube from his spacesuit. Not only does his suit not depressurise, but the thrust from it only pushes him in one direction - toward the spaceship hatch!

After the Doctor's spacewalk you can see a production assistant waiting to help him back into the hatch.

During the last of the kidnapping attempts, the Doctor and Jo are running away from the Ogrons. Jon Pertwee dives behind a small wall, and Katy Manning comes behind him and bends over to hide behind the wall. But while she does this, the seat of her pants rip apart quite badly at the seam.

Notes

This story leads directly into the next, hence the David Maloney directed TARDIS scene at the end.

Episode Two duplicates the end credits to Episode One, despite having a different cast.