Original air dates March through May of 1970. Seven episodes, so long. Something has taken off from Mars in a probe, and hasn’t made a peep in seven months.
At Space Control, UNIT watches as the rocket links up. The astronaut opens the hatch between the ships, and there’s a terrible noise, and they lose contact. The Doctor knows the noise but can’t remember it, and has to go to Space Center.
There, there are strange signals that the Doctor is interested in tracking down. Two from the ships, two replies from London. Triangulated by UNIT troops to an abandoned warehouse in London, seven miles from space center. Troops arrive.
The men operating the transmitter have guns and several men to defend it. They stall for time to send a final transmission. UNIT fires back. The last man surrenders.
The Doctor needs computer time.
Solar flare going to happen, but nothing can be done to recover the men in space.
The capsules separate and one heads into Earth. It lands, and they rush out to where it is. It remains quiet. It’s locked from the inside.
It’s raining and the Doctor has the top up on Bessie.
They move the capsule back to the Space Center. A heliocopter harries them with grenades. Men are dropped off firing sonic weapons that knock the outriders out. They steal the truck and capsule.
The Doctor blocks the road with Bessie and needs a push. He captures them with an anti-theft device that sticks them to the car. Neat. The Doctor drives off with the capsule.
At Space Control, they get audio with an astronaut. The astronaut insists on being cleared for re-entry. Doctor suggests they cut it open.
The astronauts are gone, taken earlier.
UNIT discovers the army has done this, and goes to see the astronauts, just as they’re taken elsewhere at gunpoint.
Two of the gunmen are dropped off at a gravel pit.
An Ericophone!
One of the spacemen gets up, gets loose, and threatens some people before collapsing. They are told they need more radiation.
Lots of photos of men on the phone.
Doctor and Liz sent to look at the two bodies from the gravel pit. Doctor stays behind, Liz going alone in Bessie. Someone tries to kill her on the way. Bessie handles well for an old girl. Liz runs away from the men.
Liz is taken to the astronauts, and works to help stabilize them with more radiation.
Liz escapes, because she’s awesome. She’s picked up by Dr. Taliion, who takes her back.
He’s told to bomb the Doctor. The bomb goes off too early and kills him instead.
The aliens in spacesuits are sent out to do things. They kill Sir James. They steal some things. The Doctor interrupts and they move to kill him as the credits roll!
UNIT arrives and interrupts. The spacesuited man kills several UNIT troops.
The spacesuited man returns to his cage. Liz talks the scientist guy into fleeing to UNIT.
Regan is told to kill the doctor and the scientist. Someone radiates the scentist to death. Regan applies more of the new fuel and rocket boosts too fast. They take measures to slow it, most of which don’t work. One does, and they get into orbit. The Doctor links with Mars Probe 7.
An alien ship appears to hassle them. Credits roll.
A voice advises the Doctor he is safe and should leave the capsule. The three astronauts are reported safe as well. Doctor leaves the capsule.
The three astronauts are being held, but think they’re on Earth in extended quarrantine. The Martians there ask for their ambassadors back. Or else.
The Doctor come back, but won’t talk until he gets down.
Regan gets order to kill the Doctor, and tries to hire Liz, almost in the sme breath.
The bad guys gas the Doctor in decontamination and swipe him.
The General blames The Doctor for all these shennanegains.
Regan gets the Doctor to make a list of all the parts needed for the two-way translating machine. He wants to escape.
The General shows up, and is going to kill the Doctor as “his moral duty”. I wish he’d talk more and shoot less. Credits roll.
The General is sure the aliens are here to invade, and must protect the world. No one can convince him otherwise.
At the last minute UNIT storms the Space Center and stop the General from causing a worldwide panic and possible destruction. The Doctor leaves things in other capable hands as the final credits roll.
Tags: doctorwho