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Jon Pertwee
Frontier in Space
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Synopsis


Meeting the Draconian Emperor
Meeting the Draconian Emperor
 It is the year 2450, and a fragile peace exists between the great empires of Earth and Draconia. The TARDIS materialises aboard an Earth cargo ship which comes under attack. Arrested and accused of espionage, The Doctor is sentenced to life imprisonment on the Moon, but salvation arrives in an unexpected form...

 Can The Doctor and Jo stop the Master’s plans to provoke a galactic war and reveal the deadly enemy waiting for the chance to destroy both empires?

Source: BBC DVD


General Information

Season: Ten
Production Code: QQQ
Story Number: 67
Episode Numbers:338 - 343
Number of Episodes: 6
Percentage of Episodes Held:100%
Working Titles:"Frontiers in Space"
Production Dates: August 1972 - January 1973
Broadcast Started: 24 February 1973
Broadcast Finished: 31 March 1973
Colour Status: Colour
Studio: Bray Studios, Ealing Television Film Studios and BBC Television Centre (TC3 and TC4)
Location: Hayward Gallery (Lambeth, London), Fitzroy Park (Highgate, London), South Bank Centre (Waterloo, London) and Beachfields Quarry (Redhill, Surrey).
Writer:Malcolm Hulke
Directors:Paul Bernard and David Maloney (Uncredited for the final moments of the story)
Producer:Barry Letts
Script Editor:Terrance Dicks
Editor:John Bush
Production Assistant:Nicholas John
Assistant Floor Manager:John Bradburn
Designer:Cynthia Kljuço
Costume Designer:Barbara Kidd
Make-Up Designer:Sandra Shepherd
Cameraman:John Tiley
Lighting:Ralph Walton
Visual Effects:Bernard Wilkie and Rhys Jones
Incidental Music:Dudley Simpson
Special Sounds (SFX Editor):Dick Mills
Studio Sounds:Brian Hiles
Title Sequence:Bernard Lodge and Ben Palmer
Title Music:Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Arranged by Delia Derbyshire
Daleks Originally Created By: Terry Nation
Number of Doctors: 1
The Doctor: Jon Pertwee (The Third Doctor)
Number of Companions: 1The Companion: Katy Manning (Jo Grant) Guest Cast: Roger Delgado (The Master) Additional Cast: Vera Fusek (President of Earth), Michael Hawkins (General Williams), Peter Birrel (Draconian Prince), Ray Lonnen (Gardiner), Barry Ashton (Kemp), John Rees (Hardy), James Culliford (Stewart), Louis Mahoney (Newscaster), Roy Pattison (Draconian Space Pilot), Karol Hagar (Secretary), Harold Goldblatt (Professor Dale), Madhav Sharma (Patel), Dennis Bowen (Prison Governor), Richard Shaw (Cross), Luan Peters (Sheila), Caroline Hunt (Technician), Lawrence Harrington (Lunar Guard), Bill Wilde (Draconian Captain), John Woodnutt (Draconian Emperor), Ian Frost (Draconian Messenger), Clifford Elkin (Earth Cruiser Captain), Stephen Thorne (First Ogron), Michael Kilgarriff (Second Ogron), Rick Lester (Third Ogron), Ramsay Williams (Congressman Brook), Bill Mitchell (Newscaster), Stanley Price (Pilot of Space Ship), John Scott Martin (Dalek), Cy Town (Dalek), Murphy Grumbar (Dalek), Michael Wisher (Dalek Voice)Setting: Earth (2540), The Moon (2540), Draconia (2540) and the Ogron’s Planet (2540) Villains: Daleks, Ogrons and The Master

The Episodes

No. Episodes Broadcast
(UK)
Duration Viewers
(Millions)
In Archive
338Episode 124 February 197323'17"9.1PAL 2" colour videotape
339Episode 203 March 197324'10"7.8PAL 2" colour videotape
340Episode 310 March 197324'00"7.5PAL 2" colour videotape
341Episode 417 March 197323'35"7.1PAL 2" colour videotape
342Episode 524 March 197323'57"7.7PAL 2" colour videotape
343Episode 631 March 197324'44"8.9PAL 2" colour videotape

Total Duration 2 Hours 24 Minutes


Audience Appreciation

Average Viewers (Millions) 8.0
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (1998)70.95%  (Position = 63 out of 159)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2009)68.60% Lower (Position = 113 out of 200)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2014)70.65% Higher (Position = 127 out of 241)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2023) Position = 17 out of 24


Archives


 All six episodes exist as PAL 2" colour videotapes. Episode 5 also exists as an earlier version than the final transmitted version; this version is one minute longer than the version transmitted. This version also includes an abandoned synthesizer rearrangement of the theme music created by Paddy Kingsland.



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Notes


"Frontier in Space" is the first half of a two-parted linked 12-episode story (designed as such after Producer Barry Letts and Script Editor Terrance Dicks wished to challenge "The Daleks' Master Plan" as the show’s longest story, but then decided against it on the advice of "The Daleks' Master Plan" Director Douglas Camfield).

This story exemplifies the 'space opera' approach not seen in the show for some time and introduced the Draconians the reptilian aliens who had apparently fought a war with Earth and were now embroiled in an uneasy peace. Despite being their first on-screen appearance The Doctor reveals that he has met the Draconians before where in he helped the Draconians with a space plague. Hence why they receive him as an honoured guest.

This story is significant as it would be the last appearance in Doctor Who of Roger Delgado as The Master. His final scene being the confusion outside the TARDIS which ended in him accidentally shooting The Doctor before disappearing with the panicking Ogrons. Sadly Roger Delgado was tragically killed in an automobile accident on the 18th June 1973 in Turkey, en-route to a location shoot for a film called Bell of Tibet. His untimely death was less than three months after this story’s broadcast and brought a premature end to both a beloved Doctor Who character, and indeed a well respected member of the acting profession.

As a result of Roger Delgado's death, the writers chose not to cast a new actor in the role of The Master and instead abandoned future plans for the character's interaction with the Third Doctor. He was originally slated to make one final appearance during the following year in a story, due to be written by Robert Sloman, which would have revealed the true nature of The Doctor and The Master's relationship and would have written The Master out of the show in his sacrifice to save The Doctor's life. Barry Letts began work on Delgado's swansong, "The Final Test", with Robert Sloman in early 1973. Unfortunately, this story never made it into production.

The Master would eventually return several years later in the 1976 Fourth Doctor story "The Deadly Assassin" but would not become a regularly recurring villain again until the 1981 story "The Keeper of Traken" during which the part was passed to Anthony Ainley, who would become a recurring guest star during the final seasons of the original run of the show.

Although "Frontier in Space" was scheduled to be the third broadcast story of the season - after "The Three Doctors" and "Carnival of Monsters" - it was actually recorded first in the tenth production block. This was because Patrick Troughton's schedule forced a delay in the recording of "The Three Doctors", while "Carnival of Monsters" had already been completed at the end of the preceding recording block.

In episode four, The Doctor is heard describing to his companion Jo Grant the details of his trial (that were seen at the end of "The War Games") by the Time Lords which resulted in his forced regeneration and exile to Earth.

At one point, in a moment of leisure, The Master is seen reading "The War of the Worlds" by H. G. Wells.

The Master is heard to characterise the Daleks, his ostensible allies, privately, as ‘stupid tin boxes’ and that The Doctor ‘does not fear death’.

When The Master is dying in the 2007 Tenth Doctor story "The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords" The Doctor tries to restore his will to live, reminding him of their adventure with the Daleks from this story.

It is revealed that on occasions the TARDIS can travel in hyperspace (this is confirmed by Romana's comments on hyperspace in 1978 Fourth Doctor story "The Stones of Blood"). We also learn that it helps The Doctor to get to a precise destination if he knows exactly where and when they are.

The Doctor is heard to state that when he ‘borrowed’ the TARDIS from the Time Lords that he intended to return it to them.

The Daleks are again led by a gold Dalek and again they recognise The Doctor.

It is revealed that the Draconians have galaxy class battle cruisers, armed with neutronic missiles. Nobles address the Emperor with 'My life at your command' and the power of the throne depends on the great families for support. Female Draconians are not equal to males, and are not permitted to speak in the presence of the Emperor.

The Ogrons are portrayed as being stupid mercenaries, living on a barren, uninteresting planet, where they worship 'The Monster', a blobby orange creature which they fear almost as much as the Daleks. The Ogrons carry neuronic stun guns which can also kill.

It is revealed that The Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver can't undo bolts, unless the polarity of the power source is reversed so making the Sonic Screwdriver into an electromagnet.

Assistant Floor Manager John Bradburn played the Ogron-eating monster seen in the final episode of this story. The final sequence in The Master's headquarters however, was intended to contain more of this giant Ogron-eating monster.

It was planed that the Ogron-eating monster was to be a key element of this story’s climax. As originally written, the end of episode six would see the Ogrons recapturing General Williams and the Draconian Prince, and The Master then confronting The Doctor and Jo. When The Doctor activates the hypnosound machine, he appears to the Ogrons as the Eater. The Master shoots at him, only to have a panicking Ogron felled by the weapon instead. The Master escapes, pursued by the General and the Draconian Prince, while The Doctor and Jo set off in the TARDIS to pursue the Daleks. The conclusion of this story leads directly into the following story "Planet of the Daleks" and reveals that The Master was in league with the Daleks all the time.

Brief shots of a Sea Devil (from "The Sea Devils"), a Drashig (from "Carnival of Monsters") and a mutant Solonian (from "The Mutants") can be seen in the final episode during The Master's torture of Jo.

Director Paul Bernard was instructed to minimize the screen time for this monster, as the effects did not turn out to Barry Letts' liking (he felt it looked like little more than an unthreatening formless blob, rather than the scripted large lizard). Removing this footage resulted in this scene with just the frightened Ogrons running away from something unseen. However, Producer Barry Letts and Script Editor Terrance Dicks felt this end sequence now lacked impact and so a new ending was recorded in the TARDIS, featuring only The Doctor and Jo, as part of the first production block of the following story, "Planet of the Daleks". This was recorded during the first studio day for "Planet of the Daleks" on 22nd January 1973. This meant that the ending of "Frontier in Space" was in fact directed by David Maloney (the Director of "Planet of the Daleks") - David Maloney however, received no on screen credit. This revised ending, which finishes on a cliffhanger with The Doctor seriously injured and sending a message about the Daleks to the Time Lords via the TARDIS's telepathic circuits, created a more distinct link between the two stories.

As it transpired, "Frontier in Space" was Paul Bernard's final work on Doctor Who. He would go on to direct episodes of programmes such as The Tomorrow People and EastEnders.

The closing credits for episode two are incorrect; the credits for episode one were accidentally reused. This means that several cast members did not receive proper credit for their involvement. In particular Lawrence Davison (Draconian First Secretary) and Timothy Craven (Cell Guard) were not credited on-screen, though they were billed in Radio Times. While Louis Mahoney (Newscaster) and Roy Pattison (Draconian Space Pilot) received a credit even though their characters appeared only in the first episode.

Like "Carnival of Monsters" the titles for "Frontier in Space" were prepared with a new arrangement of the theme music performed by Paddy Kingsland on a synthesizer. Known as the "Delaware" arrangement it proved unpopular with BBC executives, so the original Delia Derbyshire theme was restored, although an early edit of episode five still contains the "Delaware" music. This early edit of episode five which is about a minute longer than the transmitted version, was included on the 1995 BBC VHS video release of this story. This early edit was never intended for public viewing.

This story was published by Target novelisation in September 1976 under the title "Doctor Who and the Space War". This was the last time Target would give a novelisation a substantially different title than that of the story on which it was based. This novel also abandons the cliffhanger ending of the televised program and has The Doctor simply leaving The Master on the Ogron’s planet to pursue the Daleks.

The Virgin Books' The New Adventures story "Love and War", written by Paul Cornell, is set after this story when Earth and Draconia are in relative peace. The war touched off by The Master during this story is the Second Dalek War, which will profoundly affect the life of future companion Bernice Summerfield.



First and Last

The Firsts:

 The first (and only) appearance for the Draconians.

 Despite being the third shown this story was the first recorded in the tenth production block.

 Barbara Kidd's first involvement in the show as Costume Designer.


The Lasts (Subject to Future Stories):

 Roger Delgado's last appearance in Doctor Who as The Master.

 The last Doctor Who story to be directed by Paul Bernard.

 The last Doctor Who story to be novelised by Target with a substantially different title than that of the story on which it was based.


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The Plot

WARNING: May Contain SpoilersHide Text
The Doctor and Two Draconians
The Doctor and Two Draconians

The TARDIS nearly collides with an Earth cargo ship just as it is about to enter hyperspace. To prevent disaster The Doctor materialises the TARDIS inside the cargo ship. As he starts to explore, along with his companion Jo Grant, The Doctor deduces that they might be in the twenty sixth century. What they do not realise is they have arrived just as the cargo ship is about to be attacked by what appears to be a Draconian battle cruiser. However, when The Doctor and Jo find a member of the cargo ship’s crew they hear a strange sound and Jo sees him as a Drashig while he sees them as Draconians. The attacking spaceship then docks with the cargo ship and a group of Ogrons enter. The Doctor is shot with a stun gun and Jo is locked up while the Ogrons leave with the spaceships cargo along with the TARDIS. Shortly afterwards The Doctor regains consciousness just as an Earth battle cruiser docks. Unable to explain their presence aboard the cargo ship The Doctor and Jo are accused of being stowaways.

The two time travellers are taken to Earth where The Doctor tries to convince the President that they are innocent. Her military advisor, General Williams, is not convinced and intends to get the truth from them. There have been many attacks on Earth vessels by the Draconians yet the Draconians claim that their ships are being attacked by humans. The Draconian Prince and First Secretary decide to free The Doctor and Jo so that they can be interrogated by the Draconians. The Doctor is therefore captured and taken to the Draconian’s Embassy. However, he cannot convince them that he is telling the truth. He escapes but is recaptured by Earth soldiers and is sent to a lunar penal colony for life imprisonment while Jo, who the President thinks has just been lead astray by The Doctor, stays on Earth.

What The Doctor and Jo do not realise is that The Master has arrived on Earth claiming to be a commissioner from the dominion government of Sirius 4. The Master informs the President that they have a claim on The Doctor and Jo as they are escaped criminals. The President agrees to release them both into his custody. When The Master comes to collect Jo she realises that The Master is behind the attacks on Earth and Draconia. Despite this she has little choice but to agree to go with him.

The Doctor and Jo in Prison
The Doctor and Jo in Prison

On the moon, The Doctor meets two supporters of a peace movement, Patel and Professor Dale, and tries to win their confidence. Cross, a trustee, helps Dale to escape by leaving space suits in an airlock. Dale asks The Doctor to come with him, but they find that the air tanks are empty. Cross then de-pressurises the airlock while they are in it, Luckily The Master arrives just in time to rescue them. The Governor of the penal colony refuses to allow The Master to take The Doctor, but The Master, who has realised that the Governor is behind the attempt on Dale's life which allows The Master to persuade the Governor to change his mind and to allow The Doctor to come with him.

The Master locks The Doctor and Jo in a cell in his prison ship. The Doctor, after escaping from the cell and space-walking round the hull, takes The Master by surprise. But their fight is interrupted by a Draconian spaceship which docks with them. They are all taken prisoner by the Draconian Captain and head for Draconia. The Master though is able to covertly send a signal to the Ogrons.

The President of Earth
The President of Earth

On arriving on Draconia, The Doctor greets the Draconian Emperor, claiming to be a noble of the planet, an honour bestowed on him by the 15th Emperor 500 years ago. He tries to warn of The Master's intentions but while doing so the palace is attacked by Ogrons - although the Draconians see the attackers as humans - and The Master is rescued. In the confusion an Ogron is captured and it is only then that the Emperor believes The Doctor when the captured Ogron transforms back into its real form. The Draconian Prince agrees to travel back to Earth with The Doctor, Jo, and the captured Ogron, to try and warn the President.

Their spaceship though is followed by The Master who then opens fire on them. The Master’s spaceship then docks and the Ogrons attack. They rescue the captured Ogron and they also kidnap Jo. The Doctor and the Draconian Prince are then picked up by an Earth battle cruiser and returned to Earth. There The Doctor is able to persuade the President to allow him to travel to the Ogron planet. The Draconian Prince and General Williams agree to accompany him - the General wanting to make amends as he now realises that a war he instigated twenty years earlier was based on incorrect information and assumptions.

Meanwhile, on the Ogron planet, The Master tries to hypnotise Jo, but she is able to resist all his attempts by chanting nursery rhymes. He then tries to use the fear-generating device and, although this makes her see a Drashig, a Solonian Mutant and a Sea Devil, his attempts fail. The Master therefore locks her up but she manages to escape using a spoon to dig her way out of the cell. Jo finds a radio transmitter and is able to sends a radio message requesting assistance. But unknown to her she has done exactly what The Master intended as he wants The Doctor to locate his base.

The Commissioner from the Dominion Government of Sirius 4
The Commissioner from the Dominion Government of Sirius 4

On their way to the Ogron Planet, The Doctor’s spaceship is attacked by the Draconians. General Williams tries to use the hyperdrive to escape but one of the drive outlets is found to be defective. The Doctor has to space-walk again round the hull to fix it. He succeeds thus enabling them to finale reach the Ogron planet. On arriving The Doctor uses a hand held tracking device to locate The Master's base. But they are attacked by Ogrons, who are then scared off by the appearance of a monster that they hold sacred. The Doctor then comes face-to-face with The Master.

However, another spaceship has landed on the Ogron’s planet and The Master introduces The Doctor's party to a squad of Daleks. The Doctor's party are all taken prisoner and the Daleks return to their spaceship and depart but not before they reveal details of a huge Dalek army. Before being locked in a cell Jo manages to take the fear-generating device from The Master. The Doctor adjusts the device to make their Ogron guard think that there is a Dalek in the cell so making the terrified Ogron release them. The Doctor and Jo then head for the TARDIS but they encounter The Master and his Ogron servants. The Doctor operates the fear-generating device causing the Ogrons to panic. But in the confusion The Master's arm is jostled and his gun goes off, hitting The Doctor. The Master then departs along with the panicking Ogrons leaving Jo to help The Doctor into the TARDIS where, before he collapses, he sends a message to the Time Lords, using the telepathic circuits, to inform them about the huge army that the Daleks are amassing.

 
Jo and The Master
Jo and The Master
Draconian Interrogation
Draconian Interrogation
A Draconian
A Draconian
The Daleks Arrive
The Daleks Arrive
 
The Master
The Master
On Draconia
On Draconia
Jo Meets a Draconian
Jo Meets a Draconian
Meeting the Draconian Emperor
Meeting the Draconian Emperor




Quote of the Story


 'Nobody could be more devoted to the cause of peace than I! As a commissioner of Earth's Interplanetary Police, I have devoted my life to the cause of law and order; And law and order can only exist in a time of peace.'

The Master



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Release Information

FormatTitleRelease Date (UK)Code NumberCover ArtRemarks
Video
VHS
The Pertwee YearsMarch 1992BBCV 4756PhotoIncludes episode 6 Introduced by Jon Pertwee
Video
VHS
Frontier in SpaceAugust 1995BBCV 5640Colin HowardIncludes the version of episode 5 with the alternate "Delaware" version of the theme music and extra scenes
Video
DVD
Frontier in SpaceOctober 2009BBCDVD 2614(A)Photo-montagePart of the "Dalek War" box set (BBCDVD 2614) along with "Planet of the Daleks" Includes the originally transmitted version of episode 5
Audio
CD
The 50th Anniversary CollectionDecember 2013Photo-montageOriginal Television Soundtracks
Video
Blu-Ray
Doctor Who: The Collection - Season 10 (Limited Edition)July 2019BBCBD 0468Photo-montageBlu-Ray Limited Edition boxed set containing 5 specially restored stories
Video
Blu-Ray
Doctor Who: The Collection - Season 10 (Standard Edition)July 2021BBCBD 0528Photo-montageBlu-Ray Standard Edition boxed set containing 5 specially restored stories


In Print

FormatTitleRelease Date (UK)PublisherAuthorCover ArtRemarks
Novel
Novel
Doctor Who and the Space WarSeptember 1976Target No. 57Malcolm HulkeChris AchilleosISBN: 0-426-11033-1
(1st Edition Target Cover)
Novel
Novel
The Doctor Who Omnibus1977Target No. 57Malcolm HulkeBook Club Associates edition. Released along with "Doctor Who and the Web of Fear" and "Doctor Who and the Revenge of the Cybermen".
Novel
Novel
Doctor Who and the Space WarJanuary 1979Target No. 57Malcolm HulkeChris AchilleosISBN: 0-426-11033-1
(Reprinted Target Book Cover)
CD
CD
Doctor Who and the Space WarFebruary 2008Target No. 57Malcolm HulkeChris AchilleosAudio version of the Target Novel read by Geoffrey Beevers (The Master).
Doctor Who CMS Magazine (An Adventure in Space and Time)Issue 67
Doctor Who Magazine - ArchiveIssue 201 (Released: July 1993)
Doctor Who Magazine - Time TeamIssue 335 (Released: October 2003)
Doctor Who Magazine - Time TeamIssue 336 (Released: November 2003)
Doctor Who Magazine - The Fact of FictionIssue 502 (Released: September 2016)
Doctor Who Magazine Special - Archive1982 Winter Special (Released: 1982)
Doctor Who DVD FilesVolume 104 (Released: December 2012)

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Photo Gallery


The Doctor and Companion

 
Jon Pertwee
The Third Doctor

   

 
Katy Manning
Jo Grant
 
   




On Release

Pertwee Years VHS Video Cover
Pertwee Years VHS Video Cover

BBC
VIDEO
VHS Video Cover
VHS Video Cover

BBC
VIDEO
DVD Cover
DVD Cover

BBC
VIDEO
   
The 50th Anniversary Collection Cover
The 50th Anniversary Collection Cover

BBC
AUDIO
The Collection Season 10 Limited Edition Blu-Ray Cover
The Collection Season 10 Limited Edition Blu-Ray Cover

BBC
VIDEO
The Collection Season 10 Standard Edition Blu-Ray Cover
The Collection Season 10 Standard Edition Blu-Ray Cover

BBC
VIDEO
   


In Print

Original Target Book Cover
Original Target Book Cover

Target
NOVEL
Book Club Associates Edition
Book Club Associates Edition

Book Club Associates
NOVEL
Reprinted Target Book Cover
Reprinted 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 67
Doctor Who CMS Magazine (An Adventure in Space and Time): Issue 67

CMS
Doctor Who Magazine - Archive: Issue 201
Doctor Who Magazine - Archive: Issue 201

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - Time Team: Issue 335
Doctor Who Magazine - Time Team: Issue 335

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - Time Team: Issue 336
Doctor Who Magazine - Time Team: Issue 336

Marvel Comics
   
Doctor Who Magazine - The Fact of Fiction: Issue 502
Doctor Who Magazine - The Fact of Fiction: Issue 502

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine Special - Archive: 1982 Winter Special
Doctor Who Magazine Special - Archive: 1982 Winter Special

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who DVD Files: Volume 104
Doctor Who DVD Files: Volume 104

GE Fabbri


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