WEBVTT 01:00.000 --> 01:29.000 Hello, my name's Derek Slodge. 01:29.000 --> 01:39.000 And I'm here really to talk about the storyline of The Mackerel Terror, which I filmed with 01:39.000 --> 01:40.000 Pat Troughton. 01:40.000 --> 01:43.000 My chief memory of that is the location filming. 01:43.000 --> 01:49.000 I did do quite a lot of sequences in the studio, which I'm far hazy about. 01:49.000 --> 01:57.000 But the character, Medoc, was heavily involved in some location filming in the Dunstable, 01:57.000 --> 02:02.000 in a quarry in Dunstable, which I used, I think, for Doctor Who sequences. 02:02.000 --> 02:08.000 And it entailed going out and filming on a very grey, bleak, miserable day. 02:08.000 --> 02:14.000 Very, very atmospheric for the episode concerned, but not a lot of fun for the performers. 02:14.000 --> 02:21.000 And, of course, in the quarry there were lots of crevices and holes where rain had gathered. 02:21.000 --> 02:27.000 And the director, John Davies, had the bright idea that it would be very good for some sequences 02:27.000 --> 02:33.000 if we splashed our way through these cold pools of water wearing a very slight costume. 02:33.000 --> 02:38.000 It was very slight from my memories of Doctor Who costumes in this particular instance. 02:38.000 --> 02:40.000 And it sounds a miserable experience. 02:40.000 --> 02:45.000 In fact, it was quite enjoyable, because my other memory of that is that in those days 02:45.000 --> 02:47.000 the BBC were, perhaps they weren't on such tight budgets. 02:47.000 --> 02:54.000 They were very happy to, very handy with the brandy when it came to cutting the action 02:54.000 --> 02:56.000 and getting ready for the next sequence. 02:56.000 --> 03:02.000 We wrapped up warm towels by the wardrobe people, and out would come the BBC brandy bottle 03:02.000 --> 03:05.000 to warm the cockles, and off we'd go again. 03:05.000 --> 03:09.000 So as the afternoon went on, it really became, not a grey day at all, 03:09.000 --> 03:12.000 but really quite an enjoyable experience, I have to say. 03:12.000 --> 03:19.000 The Macra Terror was the last Doctor Who story to be written by the author Ian Stuart Black, 03:19.000 --> 03:22.000 who had previously written the consecutive stories, 03:22.000 --> 03:26.000 The Savages and The War Machines, for William Hartnell's Doctor. 03:26.000 --> 03:31.000 Incidentally, The Macra Terror was the first story to feature a new title sequence, 03:31.000 --> 03:34.000 one that showed the face of Doctor Who in the title sequence, 03:34.000 --> 03:39.000 something we now are very familiar with, and perhaps think of as always having been the case. 03:39.000 --> 03:44.000 But that was the first time that the head appeared in the title sequence. 03:44.000 --> 03:49.000 Only one full-sized prop was ever built for The Macra Terror. 03:49.000 --> 03:54.000 In the final episode, where it had to represent the lead Macra, 03:54.000 --> 04:02.000 it was changed from what had been a black figure to a white one, totally repainted for that sequence. 04:04.000 --> 04:07.000 Incidentally, I had not remembered and had to be reminded 04:07.000 --> 04:12.000 that the character of Chiki was played by two different actresses. 04:12.000 --> 04:16.000 Now, I excuse myself because I died in episode three. 04:16.000 --> 04:20.000 The part was originally taken by an actress called Sandra Bryant. 04:20.000 --> 04:26.000 A more attractive offer of work came along in the interim between episodes one and episode four, 04:26.000 --> 04:28.000 when the character was to appear again. 04:28.000 --> 04:31.000 The BBC very kindly released her for that offer. 04:31.000 --> 04:38.000 And in episode four, her part was played by a totally different actress called Carol Keys. 04:38.000 --> 04:43.000 I apologise if I said Carol Keys, but I say I wasn't there during episode four. 04:43.000 --> 04:48.000 If somebody hadn't told me that, I wouldn't have recollected it, I'm afraid. 04:48.000 --> 04:55.000 The four-part story was transmitted from the 11th of March to the 1st of April, 1967. 04:55.000 --> 04:58.000 I was 30 at the time! 04:58.000 --> 05:01.000 This is really going down memory lane. 05:01.000 --> 05:05.000 Although the Macra Terra itself no longer exists, 05:05.000 --> 05:09.000 we are fortunate that a few short clips have survived. 05:09.000 --> 05:14.000 Some from a fan who filmed brief excerpts from the story on a cine camera. 05:14.000 --> 05:20.000 Others are clips cut by Australian censors, which have now become unuseful. 05:20.000 --> 05:25.000 We are also fortunate that a full set of tele-snaps have survived. 05:25.000 --> 05:31.000 This canon reconstruction utilises all the available material to retell the story. 05:31.000 --> 05:35.000 The story is set on an Earth colony in the far future. 05:35.000 --> 05:39.000 When the Doctor, Jamie, Ben and Polly arrive, 05:39.000 --> 05:41.000 they are welcomed by the people of the colony, 05:41.000 --> 05:45.000 all of whom seem to be living an absolutely idyllic existence. 05:45.000 --> 05:48.000 All except my character, Madoc, 05:48.000 --> 05:51.000 who gets accused of suffering from delusions 05:51.000 --> 05:56.000 when he talks about huge insects taking over the colony. 05:56.000 --> 06:00.000 But, as the Doctor is soon to discover, 06:00.000 --> 06:21.000 Madoc may be the only one not suffering from delusions.