- Planet of Giants
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009 – Planet of Giants Doctor Who serial 
The miniaturised Susan and Ian encounter a normal-sized antCast Others- Alan Tilvern — Forester
- Frank Crawshaw — Farrow
- Reginald Barratt — Smithers
- Rosemary Johnson — Hilda
- Fred Ferris — Bert
Production Writer Louis Marks Director Mervyn Pinfield
Douglas Camfield (episode 3)Script editor David Whitaker Producer Verity Lambert
Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer, uncredited)Executive producer(s) None Production code J Series Season 2 Length 3 episodes, 25 minutes each Originally broadcast October 31–November 14, 1964 Chronology ← Preceded by Followed by → The Reign of Terror The Dalek Invasion of Earth Planet of Giants is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in three weekly parts from October 31 to November 14, 1964. The story was the first since An Unearthly Child to be set on a contemporary Earth.[1]
Contents
Plot
Following a malfunction on the TARDIS console and the bleating of a klaxon indicating something is amiss, the Doctor insists the fault locator shows nothing is wrong and it is safe to venture outside. He leads his companions Ian, Barbara and Susan to the world beyond and within minutes they find a dead giant earthworm followed by a large deceased ant. They seem to have died immediately. After some deduction the travellers realise they have arrived on Earth but have shrunk in size to about an inch.
Ian is investigating a discarded matchbox when someone picks it up and he is hurled around inside. That someone is a government scientist called Farrow. He is visited at his home by a callous industrialist named Forester to tell him that his application for DN6, a new insecticide, has been rejected. In reality DN6 should not be licensed: it is far too deadly to all insect life. When they fall out over this news, Forester shoots Farrow and leaves him for dead on the lawn.
The Doctor, Barbara and Susan hear the gunshot as an enormous explosion, and head for the house. They find Ian unhurt near the dead body and surmise a murder has taken place but can do little about it. They are determined, however, to ensure the murderer is brought to justice despite their microscopic size. While avoiding a cat, the travellers get split up again with Ian and Barbara hiding in a briefcase. The giant Forester returns to the lawn and collects the briefcase, taking it inside to the laboratory. His aide, Smithers, arrives and suspects him of murder, but does not report him for fear of undermining the DN6 project to which he has given his life.
The Doctor and Susan scale a drainpipe to gain access to the house and locate their friends, braving the height as they go. Meanwhile Ian and Barbara examine the laboratory and encounter a giant fly, which is killed instantly when it contacts sample seeds that had been sprayed with DN6. Barbara foolishly touched one seed earlier and soon starts to feel unwell. Nevertheless, attracted by Susan’s voice in the reverberating plughole, the four friends are reunited.
Forester has meanwhile doctored Farrow’s report so as to give DN6 the licence he wants and, disguising his voice as Farrow’s, makes a supportive phonecall to the ministry to the same effect. This is overheard by the local telephone operator, Hilda Rowse, and her policeman husband, Bert, who start to suspect something is wrong.
The Doctor has meanwhile realised the deadly and everlasting nature of DN6 and the probable contamination of Barbara. They try to alert someone by hoisting up the phone receiver with corks, but cannot make themselves heard. Hilda notes the engaged signal, however, and she and Bert become even more concerned. Forester and Smithers return to the lab and correct the engaged handset and then Hilda rings to check things are okay. She rings again moments later and asks for Farrow and, when Forester impersonates him, immediately spots the faked voice and so knows there is something badly wrong. Bert heads off to the house to investigate.
The Doctor and his companions decide to start a fire to attract attention to the house and succeed in setting up an aerosol can of insecticide and a lab bench gas jet as a bomb. This coincides with Smithers discovering the true virulence of DN6 - it's lethal to everything - and demanding Forester stop seeking a licence. Forester spots the makeshift bomb, which goes off in his face. Smithers retrieves the gun as PC Rowse arrives and then places both under arrest.
Their work done, the travellers return to the TARDIS and the Doctor reconfigures the machine to return them to normal size. Barbara, who was on the verge of death, recovers on being returned to full size; the insecticide and seed responsible aboard the TARDIS shrinking to their real microscopic and minuscule sizes.
Production
Serial details by episode Episode Broadcast date Run time Viewership
(in millions)Archive "Planet of Giants" 31 October 1964 23:15 8.4 16mm t/r "Dangerous Journey" 7 November 1964 23:40 8.4 16mm t/r "Crisis" 14 November 1964 26:35 8.9 16mm t/r [2][3][4] - An early draft of this story – by C.E. Webber and entitled The Giants – was originally meant to be the first story of the first season.[5]
Episode 4
- This story was originally four episodes in length. Upon viewing Episodes 3 and 4, which focused more heavily on Hilda and Bert, Head of Drama Sydney Newman ordered them spliced together in order to form a faster-paced climax (Episode 3) focusing on the core characters of the series. Episode 4 was called "The Urge to Live" and directed by Douglas Camfield (instead of Mervyn Pinfield, who directed Episodes 1-3). When Episodes 3 and 4 were edited together to make the new Episode 3, only Camfield was credited.
- The decision to splice the last two episodes into one would have ramifications for the second production block of the series, when the producers were left with a one-episode space following Galaxy 4. Rather than producing a single-episode stand-alone story or extend any of the planned serials, Mission to the Unknown was commissioned to serve as a prelude to The Daleks' Master Plan without the participation of any of the regular cast. This was produced in the same block as Galaxy 4, and both were held over to be the first two serials of Season 3.[6]
In print
A novelisation of this serial, written by Terrance Dicks, was published by Target Books in January 1990. It was the final serial of the William Hartnell era to be novelised. The novel also reinstated much of the material cut to make the televised serial into three episodes.
Doctor Who book 
Planet of Giants Series Target novelisations Release number 145 Writer Terrance Dicks Publisher Target Books Cover artist Alister Pearson ISBN 0-426-20345-3 Release date 18 January 1990 Preceded by ' Followed by ' VHS and DVD releases
- This serial was released on VHS in 2002; it was the first commercially-released story to receive the VidFIRE process.[7]
- The serial is scheduled to be released on DVD in 2012[8].
References
- ^ The episode is undated, though its general appearance is consistent with the year of transmission.
- ^ Shaun Lyon et al. (2007-03-31). "Planet of Giants". Outpost Gallifrey. Archived from the original on 2008-03-31. http://web.archive.org/web/20080331033343/http://www.gallifreyone.com/episode.php?id=j. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
- ^ "Planet of Giants". Doctor Who Reference Guide. http://www.drwhoguide.com/who_j.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
- ^ Sullivan, Shannon (2005-04-04). "Planet of Giants". A Brief History of Time Travel. http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/j.html. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
- ^ Howe, David J.; Stammers, Mark; Walker, Stephen James (1994). Doctor Who The Handbook - The First Doctor. London: Doctor Who Books. pp. 178–9. ISBN 0 426 20430 1.
- ^ Sullivan, Shannon. "Mission to the Unknown (aka. Dalek Cutaway)". A Brief History of Time (Travel). http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/ta.html. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
- ^ Roberts, Steve. "VidFIRE". The Doctor Who Restoration Team Website. http://www.purpleville.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/rtwebsite/vidfire.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
- ^ http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2011/05/dwn030511125312-dvd-schedule-update.html
External links
- Planet of Giants at BBC Online
- Planet of Giants at Doctor Who: A Brief History Of Time (Travel)
- Planet of Giants at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
- Planet of Giants on TARDIS Index File, an external wiki
Reviews
- Planet of Giants reviews at Outpost Gallifrey
- Planet of Giants reviews at The Doctor Who Ratings Guide
Target novelisation
Doctor Who season 2 serials Planet of Giants • The Dalek Invasion of Earth • The Rescue • The Romans • The Web Planet • The Crusade • The Space Museum • The Chase • The Time MeddlerCategories:- First Doctor serials
- Size change in fiction
- Doctor Who serials novelised by Terrance Dicks
- 1964 television episodes
- Doctor Who stories set on Earth
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