Keys of Marinus

"The Keys of Marinas", "The Rubber Men", "Terry Can't Be Arsed Thinking of a Proper Plot"

"The One with the Fetishists" (USA), "Doctor Who and the Microkeys" (Target), "Acid Bath Rubber Men Seek Brain Victory" (China)

Lots and lots of things happen one after the other, some to Doctor Who and some to his friends.

*** - I like it but that's me for you.

"There was a radiation leak - I'm dying" (this poor line was replaced by the vastly superior "Some power escaped and caused a deadly disease" by Terry Nation's eight year old nephew, Thalek)

"And if you'd had your pants on my boy you could've leant her hers"

Flushed with success, Terry Nation pitched an entire season of Dr Who to the production team and, in condensed form, Keys of Marinus was the result.

On set, actors were expressly forbidden from asking how the giant brains got into the jars in the first place and how, once in said jars, how they proceeded to take over an entire city.

Equally, actors were forbidden from mentioning giraffes as William Russell had been the victim of a stage hypnotist’s prank and would take all his clothes off if that particular animal was mentioned. He has, to date, not been cured of this problem.

The Chichester Telegraph described episode three as “A flawless gem” but by episode five had decided the story was “Produced by angry bowels”.

The rubber outfits worn by the Voord were supplied from Verity Lambert’s private collection.

William Hartnell was absent for a time during this story because he stood for Parliament in a local by-election. However, shortly after winning he was stripped of his seat when he insisted he was an alien from an unnamed planet and the Conservatives chose to enforce the rules on MPs being from Earth.

Si Hunt

Albanian Video

"I was once at a popular fan organised gathering when I overheard some young people discussing a not terribly fascinating matter a few feet away from my autograph table. Believing that they were simply shy and didn't have the courage to approach me and ask me to sign their well hidden copies of ''All the Fascinating Technical Production Information I know I Learned From Doctor Who Researchers' by Dennis Brent' I walked over to them and attempted to join in their jovial conversation. They were discussing possible return adventures for some of the series' less memorable monsters and one youth suggested a new adventure featuring the Voord. His colleagues laughed politely and I saw my chance to ingratiate myself into their party. "Don't be pathetically stupid" I quipped, "the Voord were beneath contempt as a worthy adversary and anyone who thinks there would be any merit in their return is a piece of mentally decayed flotsam." Alas I failed to break down their ingrained shyness and none of them summoned up the courage to get their well hidden books signed. Oh well, it's their loss."

Yale.co.uk

Conscience - the Board Game