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Patrick Troughton
The Underwater Menace
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Synopsis


The Fish People
The Fish People
 The TARDIS materialises on a small volcanic island: on board are The Doctor, Polly, Ben and their new companion Jamie. Exploration of their surroundings reveals a network of caves inside the extinct volcano - and before long all four travellers have been captured by those who live within.

 The TARDIS materialises on a small volcanic island: on board are The Doctor, Polly, Ben and their new companion Jamie. Exploration of their surroundings reveals a network of caves inside the extinct volcano - and before long all four travellers have been captured by those who live within.

 A certain Professor Zaroff has persuaded the Atlanteans that he can raise the city once more above the waves. But The Doctor soon realises that Zaroff’s plan is insanely dangerous: the professor’s lunatic dreams of ultimate power could lead to the destruction of the entire planet Can The Doctor and company stop him?

Source: BBC Audio


General Information

Season: Four
Production Code: GG
Story Number: 32
Episode Numbers:145 - 148
Number of Episodes: 4
Number of Incomplete/Missing Episodes:2
Percentage of Episodes Held:50%
Working Titles:"The Fish People", "Atlanta" and "Doctor Who Under the Sea"
Production Dates: January 1967
Broadcast Started: 14 January 1967
Broadcast Finished: 04 February 1967
Colour Status: B&W
Studio: Ealing Television Film Studios and Riverside (Studio 1)
Location: Windspit Caverns and Beach (Worth Matravers, Dorset).
Writer:Geoffrey Orme
Director:Julia Smith
Producer:Innes Lloyd
Story Editor:Gerry Davis
Editor:Eddie Wallstab
Production Assistant:Norman Stewart
Assistant Floor Manager:Gareth Gwenlan
Designer:Jack Robinson
Costume Designers:Juanita Waterson and Sandra Reid
Make-Up Designer:Gillian James
Cameraman:Alan Jonas
Lighting:George Summers
Fights Arranged By:Derek Ware
Incidental Music:Dudley Simpson
Special Sounds (SFX Editor):Brian Hodgson
Studio Sounds:Bryan Forgham
Title Sequence:Bernard Lodge
Title Music:Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Arranged by Delia Derbyshire
Number of Doctors: 1
The Doctor: Patrick Troughton (The Second Doctor)
Number of Companions: 3The Companions: Anneke Wills (Polly Wright), Michael Craze (Ben Jackson) and Frazer Hines (Jamie McCrimmon) Guest Cast: Noel Johnson (Thous) Additional Cast: Joseph Furst (Zaroff), Catherine Howe (Ara), Tom Watson (Ramo), Peter Stephens (Lolem), Colin Jeavons (Damon), Gerald Taylor (Damon's Assistant), Graham Ashley (Overseer), Tony Handy (Zaroff's guard), Paul Anil (Jacko), P. G. Stephens (Sean), Roma Woodnutt (Nola)Setting: Atlantis Villain:Professor Zaroff

The Episodes

No. Episodes Broadcast
(UK)
Duration Viewers
(Millions)
In Archive
145Episode 114 January 196724'18"8.3Missing
146Episode 221 January 196725'00"7.516mm telerecording
147Episode 328 January 196724'09"7.116mm telerecording
148Episode 404 February 196723'20"7.0Missing

Total Duration 1 Hour 37 Minutes


Audience Appreciation

Average Viewers (Millions) 7.5
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (1998)45.48%  (Position = 156 out of 159)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2009)47.44% Higher (Position = 194 out of 200)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2014)55.53% Higher (Position = 224 out of 241)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2023) Position = 19 out of 21


Archives


 Only episodes 2 and 3 of this story exist as 16mm telerecordings. Just over 2 minutes of footage (from the lost episodes) were recovered, in October 1996, from Australian censor cuts.



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Notes


As a script this story was in development for over a year. Despite this because of the late completion of Geoffrey Orme's scripts (partially due to Frazer Hines, as Jamie McCrimmon, becoming a regular member of the cast barely a month before this story was due to start production) a planned New Year's Eve start date for the studio recording had to be delayed by a week (to the 7th January 1967). The result of this meant that as of this story the show was being recorded just one week ahead of transmission, an undeniably precarious situation which permitted the production team little room for error.

The normal studio recording of part four, on 28th January 1967, was unusually, prefaced by the taping of its very last scene: out-of-order recording was still a rarity for Doctor Who. This episode also featured the last appearance of The Doctor's stovepipe hat - the more overtly clownish elements of Patrick Troughton's costume had been gradually been toned down or removed since his debut in "The Power of the Daleks".

This story constitutes Jamie's first journey as a travelling companion with The Doctor in the TARDIS.

Noel Johnson, appearing as King Thous, was better known as the voice of Dick Barton in the famous radio serial Dick Barton: Special Agent. He would later play Grover in the 1974 Third Doctor story "Invasion of the Dinosaurs".

This story provides the first of three different explanations for the sinking of Atlantis in Doctor Who, the other two being in the 1971 and 1972 Third Doctor stories "The Dæmons" and "The Time Monster". Whereas "The Underwater Menace" depicts the destruction of an already sunken civilisation in the late twentieth century, "The Dæmons" has it as one unspecific claim by Azal as he rants, and in "The Time Monster", we witness Kronos destroying a temple and no more.

In the opening TARDIS scene, Polly Wright, Ben Jackson and The Doctor are each heard 'thinking' about where they would like to land next. (Polly hopes for Chelsea in 1966, Ben does not to want to meet the Daleks and The Doctor relishes the idea of encountering prehistoric monsters.) This was achieved by prerecording the actors' voices and playing them back during the making of the episode.

When the TARDIS lands Polly thinks they're in Cornwall again (see "The Smugglers").

A choir, the Cliff Adam Singers, was used for background music in the temple.

The Doctor signs a note to Professor Zaroff as ‘Dr. W.’ - apparently again suggesting he does have a surname. (see "The Highlanders").

Zaroff is described as 'the greatest living scientist since Leonardo'.

In Orme's original draft scripts, Zaroff's motivation was explained as being a sort of warped revenge for the deaths of his wife and children in a car crash. This was edited out before recording.

Location filming for episodes one and four took place at the Dorset quarry of Winspit, the same location used in the 1979 Fourth Doctor story "Destiny of the Daleks".

The story is frequently criticized for its poor production values, which were due to a combination of last-minute production and an ambitious script. It is therefore considered by some to be the worst of the Second Doctor’s era.

This story is the second Doctor Who story and also the last Doctor Who story directed by Julia Smith (her previous story being "The Smugglers"). She did though continue to direct for programmes including Z Cars and Dr Finlay's Casebook before becoming a producer in the Seventies, subsequently taking the reins of such shows as Angels and EastEnders.

Unfortunately, only the second and third episodes currently exist in the BBC Archives. Following an audit in 1978 only episode three was held by the BBC Film and Videotape Library. However, the second episode was returned, in December 2011, by a private collector. This story was released on DVD, in October 2015, using a reconstruction of still images, and the original soundtrack, for the missing episodes 1 and 4.

As both previous stories "The Power of the Daleks" and "The Highlanders" are both missing, episode two of this story is the earliest surviving episode to feature Patrick Troughton as The Doctor and also Frazer Hines as companion Jamie.



First and Last

The Firsts:

 The first trip in the TARDIS for new companion Jamie McCrimmon played by Frazer Hines.

 The first of three stories giving different explanations for the sinking of Atlantis in the show.

 The first Doctor Who story to be written by Geoffrey Orme.

 Episode three is the first Second Doctor story to still exist in the BBC archives. It is therefore the earliest to feature Patrick Troughton as The Doctor and also Frazer Hines as companion Jamie McCrimmon.


The Lasts (Subject to Future Stories):

 The last Doctor Who story to be directed by Julia Smith.


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Story Images

Show Text
The Fish people
The Fish people
Professor Zaroff and King Thous
Professor Zaroff and King Thous
The Doctor
The Doctor
Polly Restrained on Table
Polly Restrained on Table
 
Professor Zaroff
Professor Zaroff
Atlantean Guard
Atlantean Guard
The Doctor, Jamie and Ben
The Doctor, Jamie and Ben
The Doctor in Disguise
The Doctor in Disguise
 
Jamie, Polly and Ben
Jamie, Polly and Ben
The Doctor and Ramo
The Doctor and Ramo
The Doctor and Professor Zaroff
The Doctor and Professor Zaroff
Professor Zaroff Drowning
Professor Zaroff Drowning




Quote of the Story


 'Nothing in the world can stop me now!'

Professor Zaroff



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Release Information

FormatTitleRelease Date (UK)Code NumberCover ArtRemarks
Audio
CD
30 Years at the Radiophonic Workshop1993BBC CD 871Photo-montageSound effects
Video
VHS
The Missing YearsNovember 1998BBCV 6766Photo-montageA 56 minute documentary presented by Frazer Hines (Jamie McCrimmon) and Deborah Watling (Victoria Waterfield) Includes all of episode 3 and a clip from episode 4 Released as part of The Ice Warriors Collection (BBCV 6387)
Audio
CD
Doctor Who at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop Volume One - The Early Years 1963-1969June 2000WMSF 6023-2Music and sound effects
Video
DVD
Doctor Who: Lost in TimeNovember 2004BBCDVD 1353Photo-montageEpisode 3 as well as the surviving clips and footage from episodes 1, 2 and 4
Audio
CD
The Underwater MenaceFebruary 2005Narrated by Anneke Wills (Polly Wright) Double CD Release
Audio
CD
The Underwater MenaceAugust 2011Photo-montagePart of the "Doctor Who: The Lost TV Episodes: Collection Three 1966-1967" Box Set Narrated by Anneke Wills (Polly Wright)
Video
DVD
The Underwater MenaceOctober 2015BBCDVD 3691Photo-montageIncludes a reconstruction of episodes 1 and 4.
Audio
LP
The Underwater MenaceJune 2020Photo-montageLimited Edition Double LP - Narrated by Anneke Wills (Polly Wright)
Video
DVD
The Underwater MenaceNovember 2023BBCDVD 4560Photo-montageDVD containing black & white and colour versions of animated episodes 1 and 4.
Video
Blu-Ray
The Underwater MenaceNovember 2023BBCBD 0577Photo-montageBlu-Ray containing black & white and colour versions of animated episodes 1 and 4.
Video
Blu-Ray
The Underwater MenaceNovember 2023BBCBD 0578Photo-montageLimited Edition Blu-Ray Steelbook boxed set containing black & white and colour versions of animated episodes 1 and 4.


In Print

FormatTitleRelease Date (UK)PublisherAuthorCover ArtRemarks
Novel
Novel
The Underwater MenaceJuly 1988Target No. 129Nigel RobinsonAlister PearsonISBN: 0-426-20326-7
CD
CD
The Underwater MenaceDecember 2021Target No. 129Nigel RobinsonAlister PearsonAudio version of the Target Novel read by Anneke Wills (Polly Wright).
Doctor Who CMS Magazine (An Adventure in Space and Time)Issue 32
Doctor Who Monthly - Article/FeatureIssue 78 (Released: July 1983)
Doctor Who Magazine - ArchiveIssue 209 (Released: February 1994)
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap ArchiveIssue 220 (Released: December 1994)
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap ArchiveIssue 221 (Released: January 1995)
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap ArchiveIssue 222 (Released: February 1995)
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap ArchiveIssue 223 (Released: March 1995)
Doctor Who Magazine - Time TeamIssue 299 (Released: January 2001)
Doctor Who Magazine - ReviewIssue 443 (Released: February 2012)

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Photo Gallery


The Doctor and Companions

 
Patrick Troughton
The Second Doctor

   

Anneke Wills
Polly Wright
Michael Craze
Ben Jackson
Frazer Hines
Jamie McCrimmon
   




On Release

Sound Effects CD Cover
Sound Effects CD Cover

BBC
AUDIO
Missing Years VHS Video Cover
Missing Years VHS Video Cover

BBC
VIDEO
Audio - Volume 1: The Early Years
Audio - Volume 1: The Early Years

BBC
AUDIO
Lost In Time DVD Cover
Lost In Time DVD Cover

BBC
VIDEO
   
Soundtrack CD Cover
Soundtrack CD Cover

BBC
AUDIO
The Lost TV Episodes: Collection Three CD Cover
The Lost TV Episodes: Collection Three CD Cover

BBC
AUDIO
DVD Cover
DVD Cover

BBC
VIDEO
Original Television Soundtrack LP Cover
Original Television Soundtrack LP Cover

Demon Records
AUDIO
   
Animated DVD Cover
Animated DVD Cover

BBC
VIDEO
Blu-Ray Cover
Blu-Ray Cover

BBC
VIDEO
Blu-Ray Steelbook Cover
Blu-Ray Steelbook Cover

BBC
VIDEO



In Print

Target Book Cover
Target Book Cover

Target
NOVEL
 
Target Audio CD Cover
Target Audio CD Cover

BBC
CD
   


Magazines

Doctor Who CMS Magazine (An Adventure in Space and Time): Issue 32
Doctor Who CMS Magazine (An Adventure in Space and Time): Issue 32

CMS
Doctor Who Monthly - Article/Feature: Issue 78
Doctor Who Monthly - Article/Feature: Issue 78

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - Archive: Issue 209
Doctor Who Magazine - Archive: Issue 209

Marvel Comics
   
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap Archive: Issue 220
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap Archive: Issue 220

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap Archive: Issue 221
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap Archive: Issue 221

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap Archive: Issue 222
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap Archive: Issue 222

Marvel Comics
   
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap Archive: Issue 223
Doctor Who Magazine - Telesnap Archive: Issue 223

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - Time Team: Issue 299
Doctor Who Magazine - Time Team: Issue 299

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - Review: Issue 443
Doctor Who Magazine - Review: Issue 443

Marvel Comics
   

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