Directed by Barry Letts
Main Cast-
The Doctor - Jon Pertwee
Jo Grant - Katy Manning
Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart - Nicholas Courtney
Sgt. Benton - John Levene
Captain Mike Yates - Richard Franklin
The Master - Roger Delgado
Main Guest Cast-
Rex Farrell - Michael Wisher
Farrell Senior - Stephen Jack
Mrs. Farrell - Barbara Leake
Synopsis-
The Doctor and his new companion Jo Grant are joined by the Brigadier to investigate sabotage at a radio telescope facility. While at the facility, The Doctor is visited by a Time Lord from Gallifrey. This visiting Time Lord warns The Doctor about the arrival on Earth of the Master, a renegade Time Lord.
The Master has allied himself with the Nestene and the Autons. The Master takes control of a plastics factory run by Rex Farrell, by hypnotizing the hapless Farrell. The plant starts to churn out thousands of plastic daffodils, which are then given away for free during a promotional tour.
At the final showdown at the radio telescope, The Doctor is able to convince The Master to help him defeat the Nestene and the Autons, as it's now clear that the Nestene intends to discard The Master once they take over the Earth. Once the link between Earth and the Nestene homeworld is severed, the Autons become disabled.
The Master is able to escape UNIT custody, but is trapped on Earth due to The Doctor having taken the dematerialization circuit from The Master's Tardis. The Doctor fully expects that there will be a second meeting between himself and The Master and that he's "looking forward to it".
Review-
Terror of the Autons introduces three new characters to the UNIT mix, the new companion Jo Grant, Captain Mike Yates and the recurring villain The Master.
Roger Delgado is, of course, quite brilliant as The Master and it's his performance that makes this tale so interesting. The idea of having the Moriarty-like Master face off against the Sherlock-like Doctor is a brilliant idea, and unlike the previous attempt to do this with the Meddling Monk, The Master is treated very much as a serious character.
The introduction of Jo Grant is handled quite effectively. It was fun to watch The Doctor squirm a bit when The Brigadier tells The Doctor that if he wants to dismiss Jo, he'll have to do it himself. The Doctor, of course, can't bring himself to do that and hurt Jo's feelings. Jo may not be as smart as Liz Shaw, but she's got pluck and courage.
One does have to wonder why Captain Yates was added to the program. He doesn't seem all that different from Sergeant Benton, at least as a character. Both are underlings for The Brigadier, and as such the roles I suppose could have been easily combined at least in this story. Yates' obviously flirting with Jo Grant during this episode is quite humorous, however.
The early bit with the Time Lord showing up to warn the Doctor is handled somewhat humorously as well, which is probably just as well since the effect is somewhat ridiculous looking, with the Time Lord simply popping in and out. If Time Lords can travel this way, then why would any Time Lord bother with building and/or maintaining a Tardis?
Since we've got three major introductions of characters that would feature prominently in the show for the next three series/seasons, it was quite wise that the program would focus almost exclusively on the new main cast. The biggest qualm is that by doing this, it shoves the titular Autons into the background and basically makes them lackeys for the Master. It also begs the question, why is the Master helping the Nestene and the Autons? What exactly does the Master expect to get out of the Nestene taking over the Earth?
Overall, Terror of the Autons is, despite its flaws, a good start off the show's eighth series/season and a great introduction to the quintessential UNIT era.
