THE MACRA TERROR

Written by Ian Stuart Black.

Directed by John Davies.

Transmitted originally: 11 March 1967 to 1 April 1967.

"This is an emergency! Control must be believed and obeyed! No-one in the colony believes in Macra! There is no such thing as Macra! Macra do not exist! There are no Macra!" - Control Voice.

THE STORY

The time travellers visit a human colony that appears to be a happy place, run along the lines of a gigantic holiday camp. It has in fact been infiltrated and taken over by a race of crab-like creatures - The Macra . The brainwashed inhabitants are forced to mine a gas toxic to humans themselves, but vital to the Macra's survival. Ben at one point comes under the control of the aliens and turns against his friends. He eventually regains control and and the Doctor's guidance, destroys the gas pumping equipment, killing the Macra and freeing the colony.

CAST:

The Doctor (Patrick Troughton), Ben (Michael Craze), Polly (Anneke Wills), Jamie (Frazer Hines), Pilot (Peter Jeffrey), Barney (Graham Armitage), Questa (Ian Fairbairn), Sunnaa (Jane Enshawe), Chicki (Sandra Bryant/Karol Keyes), Drum Majorette (Maureen Lane), Medok (Terence Lodge), Ola (Gertan Klauber), Controller (Graham Leaman), Alvin (Anthony Gardner), Control Voice (Denis Goacher), Broadcast Voice/ Broadcast and Propaganda Voice (Richard Beale), Macra Operater (Robert Jewell), Officia (John Harvey), Guards (John Caesar, Steve Emerson, Danny Rae), Cheerleaders (Roger Jerome, Terry Wright, Ralph Carrigan).

FACTS:

This story was the first to use a new title sequence incorporating an image of Patrick Troughton's face, designed by Bernard Lodge and realised by Ben Palmer. The series' theme was also rearranged slightly at this point by Delia Derbyshire, with assistance from Dick Mills.

The Macra seen to be in charge in the final episode is white rather than black.

OTHER FORMATS:

The Second Doctor Novelisations

Audio Adaptions

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