The Web of Fear

From TARDIS Index File, the free Doctor Who reference.

The Web of Fear was the fifth story of Season 5 of Doctor Who. The story featured the first appearance of future Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, played by Nicholas Courtney, although UNIT would not be conceived until his next appearance in The Invasion.

Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Plot 3 Cast 4 Crew 5 References 6 Story Notes 6.1 Ratings 6.2 Myths 6.3 Filming Locations 6.4 Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors 7 Continuity 8 DVD, Video and Other Releases 9 Novelisation 10 External links

[edit] Synopsis

The TARDIS narrowly avoids becoming engulfed in a web-like substance in space. It then arrives in the London Underground railway system, the tunnels of which are being overrun by the web and by the Great Intelligence's robot Yeti.

The time travellers learn that this crisis was precipitated when Professor Travers, whom they first met in the Himalayas some forty years earlier, accidentally caused one of the Yeti to be reactivated, opening the way for the Intelligence to make another invasion attempt.

The travellers work alongside army forces - led initially by Captain Knight and then by Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart - as they battle against the alien menace, hampered by the fact that one of their number has fallen under the Intelligence's influence and is a traitor in their midst.

The Intelligence's ultimate aim is to drain the Doctor's mind. The Doctor manages to sabotage the device with which it intends to achieve this, so that he can drain the Intelligence's mind instead, but he is 'rescued' by his friends before he can bring his plan to fruition.

The Intelligence is repelled into space, and the Doctor and his friends leave the army to clear up the mess.

[edit] Plot

to be added

[edit] Cast

• The Doctor - Patrick Troughton
• Jamie McCrimmon - Frazer Hines
• Victoria Waterfield - Deborah Watling
• Professor Edward Travers - Jack Watling
• Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart - Nicholas Courtney
• Anne Travers - Tina Packer
• Julius Silverstein - Frederick Schrecker
• Corporal Lane - Rod Beacham
• Corporal Blake - Richardson Morgan
• Captain Knight - Ralph Watson
• Harold Chorley - Jon Rollason
• Staff Sgt. Arnold - Jack Woolgar
• Craftsman Weams - Stephen Whittaker
• Soldier - Bernard G. High
• Yeti - John Levene, John Lord, Gordon Stothard, Colin Warman, Jeremy King, Roger Jacombs
• Soldier - Joseph O'Connell
• Driver Evans - Derek Pollitt

[edit] Crew

• Assistant Floor Manager - Roselyn Parker
• Costumes - Martin Baugh
• Designer - David Myerscough-Jones
• Fight Arranger - Derek Ware
• Film Cameraman - Alan Jonas
• Film Cameraman - Jimmy Court
• Film Editor - Philip Barnikel
• Film Editor - Colin Hobson
• Make-Up - Sylvia James
• Producer - Peter Bryant
• Production Assistant - Gareth Gwenlan
• Script Editor - Derrick Sherwin
• Special Sounds - Brian Hodgson
• Studio Lighting - Clive Leighton
• Studio Sound - Ray Angel
• Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire
• Title Music - Ron Grainer
• Visual Effects - Ron Oates

[edit] References

• The Great Intelligence is the intelligence controlling the Yeti.

[edit] Story Notes

• First appearance of Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart played by Nicholas Courtney.
• The surviving episode 1 was rebroadcast on BBC Three as part of the BBC's London Underground night in 2007.

[edit] Ratings

• Episode 1 - 7.2 million viewers
• Episode 2 - 6.8 million viewers
• Episode 3 - 7.0 million viewers
• Episode 4 - 8.4 million viewers
• Episode 5 - 8.0 million viewers
• Episode 6 - 8.3 million viewers

[edit] Myths

to be added

[edit] Filming Locations

• Old Brewer's Yard, Shelton Street, London
• Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London
• BBC Television Centre (Puppet Theatre)
• Ealing Television Film Studios, Ealing Green, Ealing
• Lime Grove Studios (Studio D), Lime Grove, London

[edit] Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

to be added

[edit] Continuity

• This directly follows on The Enemy of the World.
• This is a sequel to The Abominable Snowmen.
• The Yeti appear once more in MA: Downtime.
• Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart appears in The Invasion as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.
• Remembrance of the Daleks makes reference to the events in this story.

[edit] DVD, Video and Other Releases

DVD Release

The surviving episode (Episode 1) was released as part of the Lost in Time set.

Released:

• Region 2 1st November 2005

PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1353

• Region 4 2nd December 2005
• Region 1 2nd November 2005

NTSC - Warner Video E2082 (Troughton 2 disc set) / E2083 (Box set)

Video Releases

The surviving episode (Episode 1) was released alongside The Faceless Ones Episode 1 and 3 and the remaining episodes of The Reign of Terror as part of a two cassette release entitled Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror.

Released:

• UK November 2003

PAL - BBC Video BBCV7335

• US October 2003

NTSC - Warner Video E1853

Notes: The US release was also located in The End of the Universe Collection.

[edit] Novelisation

Main article: Doctor Who and the Web of Fear

• Novelised as Doctor Who and the Web of Fear by Terrance Dicks in 1976.

[edit] External links

• Official BBC Episode Guide for The Web of Fear
• Outpost Gallifrey The Web of Fear page
• Doctor Who Reference Guide detailed synopsis of The Web of Fear
• A Brief History of Time (Travel) Guide to The Web of Fear
• The Locations Guide to Doctor Who - The Web of Fear

Season 5
The Tomb of the Cybermen  • The Abominable Snowmen  • The Ice Warriors  • The Enemy of the World  • The Web of Fear  • Fury from the Deep  • The Wheel in Space