Directed by Derek Martinus
Main Cast-
The Doctor - Jon Pertwee
Liz Shaw - Caroline John
Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart - Nicholas Courtney
Main Guest Cast-
Channing - Hugh Burden
Hibbert - John Woodnut
General Scobie - Hamilton Dyce
Ransome - Derek Smee
Synopsis-
Liz Shaw, a noted scientist, is summoned to UNIT headquarters by Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart. The Brigadier would like Liz's help and expertise in studying some meteorites that have fallen recently in the English countryside.
Meanwhile, the newly regenerated Doctor arrives on Earth and is found by UNIT personnel. The unconscious Doctor is taken to the hospital, where his alien physiology confuses the hospital doctors.
A man by the name of Channing makes an attempt to kidnap the Doctor but proves unsuccessful. The Doctor eventually makes a fully recovery, steals an antique roadster and makes his way to UNIT headquarters, where the Tardis has been taken by the Brigadier. The Brigadier, who has the Tardis key, gets the Doctor to agree to help investigate the meteorites for the return of the key.
The investigation of the meteorites eventually leads UNIT to investigate the Auto Plastics factory. The Auto Plastics factory, run by Mr. Hibbert, is really a front for Channing, who serves the Nestene conscious. The Nestene conscious intends to take over the Earth by the use of plastic mannequins known as Autons.
General Scobie, the Brigadier's superior, is replaced with an Auton lookalike to prevent UNIT from attacking the factory. The Doctor disables the Auton Scobie and the attack proceeds against the factory. The Doctor and Liz use a device that they've built to kill the Nestene consciousness, which destroys all the Autons, including the Auton leader Channing.
The Doctor agrees to remain with UNIT as their scientific advisor, so that he can use their facilities to repair the Tardis.
Review-
Spearhead From Space is probably one of the best reboots of a continuing series, and it reminds one a great deal of the first Ninth Doctor adventure Rose. Like Rose, Spearhead features the Nestene conscious as the main adversary along with the Nestene's servants, the Autons.
In addition, the story starts from the point of view of the companion, in this case Liz Shaw. Liz is the first character introduced in Spearhead and much of the early part of the story is told from her point of view.
There's also less focus on what came before, one can actually watch Spearhead without having seen any of the black and white era Doctor Who and I don't think one would get too lost.
The fact that the series would now be Earth-bound means that more location shooting was possible and I think this improves the look of the series. The addition of color is also a big help in making the show look better than its black and white predecessors.
Oddly, one thing I'll admit is that while I do like Jon Pertwee's portrayal of The Doctor, and I enjoy his stories when I watch them, I don't often seek out Third Doctor stories as a general rule. I'm not sure why that is, other than I just happen to like other Doctors better. Or perhaps it has to do with the fact that Pertwee replaced my favorite Doctor, Patrick Troughton.
Spearhead was a great way to start the Jon Pertwee and the UNIT era. Because it functions much like a reboot of the series, it marks a great jumping-on point for new viewers. Indeed, one of my recommendations for those wanting to do a marathon viewing of Classic Doctor Who is to start with Spearhead and work your way through the Third Doctor era and beyond. At some point, one can then jump back to the First and Second Doctor era's and the issues of dealing with missing episodes.
