Doc of ages

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• Publication: TV & Satellite Week
• Date: 1999-11-13
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• Language: English

Crouch behind the couch for a night of wobbly sets, naff monsters and a quick trip through space and time with the good Doctor...

As we head towards the new millennium, BBC2 dedicates an evening of programmes to someone who has seen it all before... the infamous time-traveller, Doctor Who.

Introduced by Tom Baker — the Time Lord's fourth incarnation — Doctor Who Night traces the history of the world's longest-running science-fiction series, from the moment that battered police box first materialised in a junkyard 36 years ago with veteran actor William Hartnell at the controls.

The documentary Doctor Who — Adventures in Space and Time reveals how the Doctor — played by Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison and Paul McGann among others came into being. There are also three spoof sketches penned by The League of Gentlemen creator Mark Gatiss — a huge Doctor Who fan — as well as two short films exploring the scientific reality behind the TARDIS and the Time Lord's regenerative abilities. Plus, Carnival of Monsters investigates the Doctor's famous intergalactic adversaries, complete with series footage and behind-the-scenes secrets.

But first, here's a who's who of five of the Doctor's most terrifying foes...

THE DALEKS

Appearance

A dustbin on wheels with 'arms' including one that looks like a sink plunger and another that looks like a whisk.

Quest

To take over the universe by enslavement or extermination.

Who are they?

The Daleks are a mutant race from the planet Skaro, created by the ultra-intelligent, but insane Davros.

Strengths

Intelligence and powerful guns.

Weaknesses

Inability to see the colour red and move up or down stairs. However their strong, obedient and Neanderthal servants — the Ogrons — help make up for this.

Danger level

9/10

Did you know?

The name Dalek came from the spine of an encyclopedia with information on subjects beginning DAL-LEK.

THE CYBERMEN

Appearance

Tall, slim silver-suited zombies.

Quest

To rule Earth, turn its people into cybermen and use its resources to re-power their own planet Mondas.

Who are they?

One-time inhabitants of Earth's twin planet Mondas, the Mondasians created machines to cybernise them — replacing their organs with cybernetic parts.

Strengths

Virtually immortal and unemotional.

Weaknesses

Gold — which cripples their breathing mechanisms with fatal consequences; certain radiation; and gravitation.

Danger level

8/10

THE MASTER

Appearance

Handsome, charming Time Lord last seen in the hijacked body of an ambulance driver named Bruce (Eric Roberts, below).

Quest

To become Master of the universe and destroy Doctor Who.

Who is he?

Former friend and classmate of The Doctor.

Strengths

Telepathic and hypnotic powers; amazing chameleon-like disguises; the deadly Tissue Compression Eliminator, which can crush a human body to the size of a doll; and a fully operational TARDIS.

Weaknesses

Gloating and acting hastily — this often leads him to make errors and give away crucial information. Plus, having used up his penultimate 12th life, the fast decaying Master was last seen being sucked into the Eye of Harmony while searching for a way to prolong his time on Earth.

Danger level

7/10

THE ICE WARRIORS

Appearance

Tall, bulky and heavily armoured green scaly creatures with nasty claws.

Quest

Invade and make Earth their home. Who are they? Martians who abandoned their planet when it became too hot for them to survive. They make a wheezing sound as they talk in Earth's atmosphere.

Strengths

Fearsome sonic guns in their armour can shatter human bones and totally destroy internal organs.

Weaknesses

Sensitivity to heat.

Danger level

7/10

THE AUTONS

Appearance

Plastic mannequins.

Quest

To take over the Earth.

Who are they?

Synthetic androids (right) inhabited by the Nestene consciousness — a billion-year-old collective intelligence who have abandoned their own octopus-like tentacled bodies to live in others.

Strengths

They may resemble dummies, but the Autons aren't airheads. Relentless, they can gun down all who stand in their way with deadly wrist-blasters. Their Nestene controllers can also inhabit inanimate plastic objects such as chairs, dolls, telephone cords and plastic daffodils, turning them into the ultimate killing machines.

Weaknesses

They can be short-circuited.

Danger level

7/10

Doctor on call: Tom Baker (above), who was the longest serving incarnation of the eccentric Time Lord (right), presents Doctor Who Night

Doctor Who Night

BBC2, Saturday

Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org

• APA 6th ed.: (1999-11-13). Doc of ages. TV & Satellite Week .
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• Turabian: "Doc of ages." TV & Satellite Week, 1999-11-13, section, edition.
• Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Doc of ages | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Doc_of_ages | work=TV & Satellite Week | pages= | date=1999-11-13 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=11 June 2025 }}</ref>
• Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Doc of ages | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Doc_of_ages | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=11 June 2025}}</ref>