Doctor Who: The Web Planet

 

 THE WEB PLANET.   Written by Bill Strutton.   6 Episodes.

                   13th February - 20th March 1965.

                  

 The Web Planet, The Zarbi, Escape to Danger, Crater of Needles, Invasion,

 The Centre.

 COMPANIONS:- Ian, Barbara and Vicki.

  This was a lavishly made story with a large budget going on costumes and

 make up. Unfortunately, what may have looked impressive in the studio still

 looked ordinary in black and white!

  The TARDIS lands on the moonlike planet Vortis. The Doctor and Ian go out

 to explore, leaving Vicki and Barbara in the ship. Barbara is pulled from the

 TARDIS by a strange force and meets up with the Menoptera, a strange, moth-

 like race whose world has been taken from them by the Animus who controls

 the ant-like Zarbi. They attack the Animus to try to regain their world but

 fail. 

  The Doctor manages to recover an isotope used in the attack and Barbara

 uses it to destroy the Animus.

  All of the actors in the story apart from the four regulars were made up

 and elaborately dressed. All of the sets and props had to be made from

 scratch and for the sixties, the budget was huge. Despite the obviously

 lavish production and high ratings, the overheads were just too high and 

 such a story was never made again.

  This is available as a BBC Video twin pack.