Doctor Who: Spearhead from Space deals with the newly-regenerated Second Doctor (Jon Pertwee) having to deal with memory issues and the Autons.
Spearhead from Space (1970) starring Jon Pertwee, Caroline John, Nicholas Courtney
Product Description
Synopsis Exile! The Time Lords have banished the newly regenerated Doctor to Earth.But the Doctor isn’t the only alien to have arrived, as a swarm of meteorites have crashed into the sleepy English countryside, bringing with them a terrible new threat to mankind. As the Nestene plan takes shape, UNIT, the Doctor and his newly appointed scientific advisor, Liz Shaw, race against time to stop humanity being replaced by a terrifying plastic facsimile race.
Episode 1
The TARDIS takes the newly-regenerated Doctor to Earth to begin his exile. Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart leads a UNIT investigation into a mysterious meteorite shower. And UNIT’s been assigned a very intelligent scientist, Liz Shaw, who’s slightly skeptical. She finds it hard to believe that UNIT has repelled two alien invasions recently, with the help of a scientific advisor — The Doctor.
Lethbridge-Stewart: In the last decade, we’ve been sending probes deeper and deeper into space. We’ve drawn attention to ourselves, Miss Shaw.
The duo visit the recovering Doctor in the hospital — but the Brigadier doesn’t recognize him. And when he’s handed a mirror, the Doctor doesn’t either. Towards the end of the episode, the Doctor is kidnapped by unknown assailants from the hospital. He escapes, but he’s accidentally shot by UNIT troops!
Episode 2
A recovered Doctor escapes the hospital in borrowed clothes, and “borrows” a car as well! His beloved Betsy, in fact. And we see strange goings-on at the plastics factory, and a strange plastic man. The creature recovers an odd, glowing meteorite. And the Doctor joins UNIT in their investigations. Meanwhile, Channing directs one of his Aston servants to recover a meteorite.
Liz Shaw: What are you a doctor of, by the way?
The Doctor: Practically everything, my dear.
Episode 3
Sam Seeley has found one of the meteorites. But the Autons want it back, and they’re closing in. General Scobie visits Auto Plastics, playing into the hands of Channing.
Episode 4
the invasion begins as Anton Anton shop dummies come to life and attack the public. The Doctor and UNIT infiltrate Auto Plastic where the Doctor faces the Nestene consciousness.
The Doctor: Don’t you realise that when I was stranded on this simple planet of yours I had nothing but these clothes- Oh, my goodness!
Liz Shaw: What is it, Doctor?
The Doctor: Well, I just realised I don’t even own these, I borrowed them from a hospital.
Cast of characters
- Jon Pertwee (Doctor Who: Planet of the Spiders; The House That Dripped Blood) … The Doctor. The freshly regenerated Third Doctor. Forced by the Time Lords to regenerate, he arrives on Earth in his TARDIS, and promptly passes out. He spends time recovering, both physically as well as his memory.
- Caroline John Doctor Who: Inferno … Liz Shaw. The newly regenerated Doctor’s new assistant. An intelligent scientist in her own right, she doesn’t have The Doctor’s advanced technology or experience.
- Nicholas Courtney (Doctor Who: Battlefield) … Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. The Doctor’s liaison with UNIT, and his friend. Who’s not sure what’s happened to the Second Doctor.
- Hugh Burden (The House in Nightmare Park) … Channing.
- Hamilton Dyce (Unman, Wittering and Zigo) … Major General Scobie
- John Breslin … Captain Munro
- John Woodnutt (Lifeforce) … Hibbert
- Edmund Bailey (Doctor Who: The Time Monster) … Attendant