C03S06 The ark
Synopsis
In the final days of Earth, the TARDIS lands on a massive spaceship carrying the last members of the human race to a new home beyond the solar system. The humans are not out of danger however, as a deadly plague emerges from the most unlikely of sources: the common cold carried by the Doctor's companion, Dodo.
Put on trial for their lives, the TARDIS crew must find a way to repair the damage they have unwittingly caused - and face up to the devastating consequences...
Cover notes
Does humanity have a future? This question, familiar to modern audiences concerned by environmental issues, was also one asked by previous generations of viewers. In the 1960s, the very real threat of nuclear war made the long-term prospects for human civilisation uncertain, Even if humanity avoided wiping itself out, it was also apparent that it would not be able to rely on the Earth's resources or the Sun's power forever.
The Ark (1966) was the first attempt by Doctor Who to imagine how mankind would survive the death of its home planet. In this story, we find the humans of the far future are surprisingly flawed and fragile; in its second half, we are shown a scenario in which their former servants, the Monoids, have taken control. It is a powerful and disturbing twist, reminiscent of H. G. Well's The Time Machine (1895) and Pierre Boulle's Planet of the Apes (1963).
Doctor Who would return to this theme many times - most notably in The Ark in Space (1975), The End of the World (2005), and Utopia (2007). The questions raised by The Ark are still relevant today; their answers remain as elusive as the cure for the common cold.
Cast
| The Doctor | William Hartnell | listed as Dr. Who |
| Steven Taylor | Peter Purves | |
| Dodo Chaplet | Jackie Lane | |
| Commander | Eric Elliott | ep. 1,2 |
| Zentos | Inigo Jackson | ep. 1,2 |
| Manyak | Roy Spencer | ep. 1,2 |
| Mellium | Kate Newman | ep. 1,2 |
| 1st Monoid | Edmund Coulter | ep. 1,2 |
| 2nd Monoid | Frank George | ep. 1,2 |
| Rhos | Michael Sheard | ep. 2 |
| Baccu | Ian Frost | ep. 2 |
| 1st guardian | Stephanie Heesom | ep. 2 |
| 2nd guardian | Paul Greenhalgh | ep. 2 |
| Maharis | Terence Woodfield | ep. 3,4 |
| Monoid Two | Ralph Carrigan | ep. 3 |
| Yendom | Terence Bayler | ep. 3 |
| Monoid One | Edmund Coulter | ep. 3,4 |
| Dassuk | Brian Wright | ep. 3,4 |
| Venussa | Eileen Helsby | ep. 3,4 |
| Monoid Three | Frank George | ep. 3,4 |
| Monoid voice | Roy Skelton | ep. 3,4 |
| Monoid voice | John Halstead | ep. 3,4 |
| Refusian voice | Richard Beale | ep. 3,4 |
| Monoid Four | John Caeser | ep. 4 |
Crew
| Written by | Paul Erickson | |
| Written by | Lesley Scott | |
| Title music | Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop | |
| Incidental music | Tristram Cary | |
| Film Cameraman | Tony Leggo | listed final episode only; probably all |
| Film Editor | Noel Chanan | listed final episode only; probably all |
| Costumes designed by | Daphne Dare | listed final episode only; probably all |
| Make-up by | Sonia Markham | listed final episode only; probably all |
| Lighting | Howard King | listed final episode only; probably all |
| Sound | Ray Angel | listed final episode only; probably all |
| Story Editor | Gerry Davis | |
| Designer | Barry Newbery | |
| Producer | John Wiles | |
| Director | Michael Imison |
DVD Extras
| Peter Purves Michael Imison |
commentary track | |
| All's Wells that ends Wells | The first Doctor was the kind of scientist and adventurer popularised by the novels of H. G. Wells. But how much does Doctor Who owe to the 'Father of Science Fiction'? This documentary explores the influence of H. G. Wells on Doctor Who. | |
| One Hit Wonders | What gives a monster staying power? What separates one-off monsters such as the Monoids from eternal favourites like the Daleks? | |
| Riverside Story | Peter Purves returns to Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, home to numerous 1960s Doctor Who stories. | |
| photo gallery | ||
| Radio Times listings |
Special Edition DVD Extras
BluRay Extras
Commentary
| serial code : | Y |
| episode count : | 4 |
| initial broadcast date : | 1966-03-05 |
| DVD release date : | |
| DVD SE release date : | |
| BluRay release date : | |