C06S03 The invasion

Synopsis

Investigating the disappearance of an eminent scientist, the Doctor and his companions follow his trail to the London headquarters of International Electromatics, a global supplier of electronic equipment run by the formidable Tobias Vaughan.  Teaming up with the newly formed United Nations Intelligence Taskforce - UNIT - under the command of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, it soon becomes apparent that Vaughan is working to his own sinister agenda.  As Cybermen invade in cities all over the world, can the Doctor convince Vaughan to help him defeat their plan for global domination?

Cover notes

The punishing schedule of Season Five of Doctor Who had taken its toll on both the cast and the production team.  Patrick Troughton had announced his intention to move on, and both Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury decided they would be leaving at the same time.  It was clear that a radical re-think was required if the programme was to survive into the next decade.

Script editor Derrick Sherwin had joined the series to work on The Web of Fear, and returned to themes that had proved successful in that story, reworking a Cyberman story submitted by Kit Pedler in a bold experiment.  Making use of extensive location work and instantly recognisable London landmarks, The Invasion is a contemporary tale that takes the peril onto the viewer's doorstep.  The idea of Mankind versus alien invaders is realised through the introduction of UNIT, creating opportunities for dynamic action sequences and a sense of realism, and the story is further enhanced by an outstanding, cinematic score by Don Harper.

As a result, The Invasion is a stand-out achievement in Season Six, and proved to be a robust and successful template that would shape the entire Pertwee era, ensuring that Doctor Who met the challenge of the 1970s and colour television with a fresh new format.

Cast

Crew

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