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Invasion of

the Dinosaurs

12TH JANUARY 1974 - 16TH FEBRUARY 1974

(6 EPISODES)

Although “The Time Warrior” kicked off Doctor Who’s eleventh season on television, the eleventh production block began in the Autumn of 1973 with Malcolm Hulke’s “Invasion of

the Dinosaurs.” This serial has the dubious distinction of being the last Doctor Who story to be released on VHS by the BBC, though rather than being analogous to the last little fat boy to be picked for the school football team, I think that this six-parter is more like a slightly out of shape but nonetheless greatly skilful, forty cigs a day, Sunday League player. Or to be a little less cryptic, it is an absolutely first-rate story with the worst special effects in the entire history of creation.

If you can force yourself to look at “Invasion of the Dinosaurs” without prejudice, it is an absolutely cracking piece of science fiction. Were it made back in William Hartnell or

Patrick Troughton’s day I have no doubt at all that it would have been celebrated as an all-time classic. In fact, watching this serial again I was reminded very much of “The Web of Fear,” particularly in the first, atmospheric episode that sees the Doctor and Sarah Jane return to Earth to find London deserted.

It is a great pity that the finished product is so visually lacking as this story is right up there with some of Hulke’s best scripts. It is ironic then that the actual plot is not really dependent on dinosaurs at all; in truth they are completely incidental to the main plot. Do not blame Hulke though - apparently the dinosaurs were only included at the behest of producer Barry Letts who decided to throw a few bona fide monsters into the mix after receiving assurances that the special effects could be done satisfactorily on the show’s meagre budget. Never mind, Barry.

As Alan Partridge might be inclined to yell, "JURASSIC PARK!"

That said, the original colour version of Part One (or, if you like, “Invasion”) was lost in the flames and so it only exists today in the form of an old monochrome film recording - proof certain that black and white forgives a multitude of sins. If you look at the first episode’s cliff-hanger, the Tyrannosaurus Rex looks so much better in black and white. Turn the colour on your television down for the whole six episodes and quite truthfully, this story is a whole new experience.

Turning to the story itself, there is so much interesting stuff going on. I love the scientists’

plan to roll back time and make the Earth a paradise once again – it is almost a commendable goal, and at times you really do sympathise with these ‘baddies’. I think that

is one reason why Captain Yates’ perfidy works so well. Had he suddenly and for no apparent reason turned out to be working for, say, the Master or the Daleks, then it just would not have been plausible. But for Hulke to take the time to explain that after the events of “The Green Death” Yates had taken time out to put his life in perspective, and to show him

actually being seduced by this idea of a perfect world and visibly wrestling with his conscience throughout is absolutely first-rate drama and Richard Franklin plays it so, so

well. More than that though, for a supporting character the likes of Captain Yates such interesting development was years ahead of its time. The downside, however, was that with Yates being cashiered out of UNIT at the end of the story the ‘UNIT family’ was broken up yet further. By the end of this story only the Doctor, the Brigadier, and good old Sergeant Benton

remained from the so-called Blunder days, but happily Hulke’s script has room for some quite poignant moments between the three of them. There is one scene above all that sticks in my mind where General Finch orders that the Doctor is to be arrested, Benton lets him escape, Finch orders the Brigadier to court martial Benton who instead he sends to help the Doctor! Brilliant.

There are so many other things to like about this story too – Sarah Jane’s dogged investigating; the ‘New Earth’ twist; that brilliant Airlock scene; and, unforgettably, the Doctor and the Brigadier’s return to the London Underground! The Doctor even gets a new car, although in my opinion it does lack Bessie’s old school charm. By the time “Invasion of the Dinosaurs” was broadcast though, the futuristic, hovercraft-like Whomobile (a designation never referred to on screen, mercifully) had already been seen on practically every other contemporary television show – Blue Peter, Pebble Mill at One, Billy Smart’s Children’s Circus… The bloody car got more even more publicity than Jon Pertwee’s imminent departure!

Finally, “Invasion of the Dinosaurs” is something of an oddity in that the first episode (oh sorry, the first ‘Part’) was broadcast under the contracted title of “Invasion” with the idea being that at the end of Part One the audience would be blown away by shock at the appearance of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Unfortunately the Radio Times did not get the memo and gave away the full story title and a blurb - a slip-up that I feel sums up the plight of this unfortunate but quite wonderful serial.

Copyright © E.G. Wolverson 2008

E.G. Wolverson has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

When is now? Sarah Jane claims to be 23 years old here. As The Sarah Jane Adventures serials Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? and The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith suggest that she was born in or just prior to 1951, this would place this story in 1973 or 1974, depending on when exactly her birthday falls.

As we believe that this story is better placed in 1976 (for reasons set out in the UNIT Dating Dossier), then we must assume that Sarah is either mistaken (which is, admittedly, a bit unlikely) or that she’s started lying about her age earlier than most women do.

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