The Robots Of Death is one of the best Doctor Who stories ever made, everything just comes together to create a triumph of style and substance. Super happy you're enjoying it! You can't go wrong with a Voc-tastic sci-fi murder mystery that has: - The Fourth Doctor and Leela combination. The Doctor has even more fantastic lines courtesy of Chris Boucher (RIP) and I can't stop smiling at Leela, she's so awesome. - A great cast locking horns and at each other's throats. There's a few weak links but all the strongest performers survive for the second half and the devious, greedy but still faceted Uvanov is especially fun to watch. - The robots themselves. Their design is iconic and their relentless but oh-so polite demeanour as they commit murder is so unsettling. The title giving them away doesn't lessen their menace at all. The red eyes and POV shots are brilliant touches. - Writing, directing and worldbuilding, all skillfully portraying this robot-dependent society and the intracacies of characters' pasts. Details like robophobia, costume design and the gorgeous decor all enhance the world. Even the innocuous scene with the Doctor explaining the Tardis with boxes to Leela is kind of genius. It definitely cracks my Top 10 Classics!
Brian Croucher, the "SHUDDAP!" guy, is best known for a role in another sci-fi series, Blake's 7, which started about a year after this story. It was created by Terry Nation, who also created the Daleks, and script edited by Chris Boucher, who wrote this story and the last one. If you're ever looking for a new show to react to, I'd recommend Blake's 7. If you like Classic Who, then I think you'd enjoy it, and I'm sure a lot of your Doctor Who subscribers would love to see you react to it as well.
Bearing in mind we’ve just lost Sarah-Jane Smith and this is only Leela’s second story, Louise Jameson is on the nail in character and it’s like she’s already been in the series for more stories due to her brilliant performance.
You've got the different classes of robots exactly right. The D's do the menial labor, the V's, or Vocs, can talk and handle more sophisticated tasks, the SV (Super Voc) is in charge. I love this story to pieces, I'm so glad you're having a good time with it!
The bigger on the inside scene is my favourite scene in all of Classic Who. I absolutely love the bonkers explanation that kind of makes sense as well as the "nine times out of ten"
The late actor David Collings who played Poul also played Vorus in Revenge of the Cybermen. In addition he played the time agent Silver in the seminal tv series Sapphire and Steel. Brian Croucher who played Borg also played the second version of Space Commander Travis in Blake'7.
@ezragoldstein1870 have you heard David Collings narrating the ghost stories of M.R. James? Wonderful. I think they’re available as audio CDs or MP3 downloads.
Gotta love Classic Who titles "The Robots of DEEEAAAATH!" Puts it right out there. But as always, there's nuances you have to watch the story to find. Baker has settled into the role with relish and Louise Jameson is a breath of fresh air. An iconic line: "You're a classic example of the inverse ratio between the size of the mouth and the size of the brain!" Looking forward to Part II! ❤❤
An Agatha Christie murder mystery in a future Art Deco Space world with killer robots...what's not to like!?! One of the best of Tom's era if not the entire Classic series!
Definitely a classic of Classic Who. The drama, the costumes, the camera work, the script, the fabulous rhythm of the movements of the creepy mechanical men -- and all with a fantastic little opening to explain the TARDIS. Also it reinforces that Leela is one of the most iconic, fun, just awesome companions ever. It's practically the Blink of Classic Who. Introducing your friends to Classic Who with this one is a fabulous idea.
Spot on! Rewatching this near my kids recently, they were hooked in for most of Leela's run, right up until Underworld, which I suffered through alone. It makes me wonder which are the 'anti-Blink' episodes, the ones most likely to cause casual viewers to break their viewing sequence (rather than the ones dedicated fans despise, but which don't actually cause the lounge to empty).
@Richard Gale oh, sadly, I think Underworld might be one (especially based on your evidence just now, but yeah!), but really any 60s story with a missing episode that doesn't have a really, really good animated recon. I won't mention any further ahead of here, though, for Sesska's sake.
Glad you're having fun with this one so far. :) Leela's so good! I like that she's primitive but not dumb. She's open-minded about new things too, as well as being a badass. I watched this one way back and didn't remember much about it but I LOVED rewatching these first two parts. They do a good job emphasising the suspicion and the in-fighting amongst the crew. It's really well done.
I'm kinda' surprised you didn't question the lavish outfits for a crew that were effectively strip miners, a really messy, filthy occupation in our society. I know when I first watched it, I thought, "What the h3ll is with the 'Vegas Review' type costumes and makeup?!" I was too dim at the time to catch the deeper meaning. This society is SO dependent upon robots to perform the drudging tasks that even the "physical laborers" can afford to dress in lavish attire and lounge within spas built into strip mining machines. When the Doctor observes "it's probably the end of this civilization," it's truly THAT serious! The robots would not even have to go on a murderous rampage. If they simply refused to perform their tasks, the human population likely would not even know HOW to do the same work, even if they were willing! I'm not sure when I finally "connected the dots", but when I did, it was certainly a "D'OH!!!" type moment of realization.
Leela is one of the best companions ever. She’s tough and can handle herself, but she has a great dynamic with the doctor. He teaches and educates her, but not because shes young and a bit dim. Makes a unique team
Such a classic it gives me the warm fuzzies! I’m 8 years old seeing it for the first time and never forgetting and then what felt a lifetime later seeing it again at 12 and countless times since. I’m kind of a lifer 😊
When I was a kid I only caught a few random episodes of Doctor Who on PBS. Mostly my friends and I laughed at the cheap old special effects, but I liked it enough to watch the TV movie when it came out in 96, then nuWho 9 years after that. I was unironically hooked as soon as the 9th Doctor explained to Rose - in the episode of the same name - who he was and how he could feel the Earth rotating underneath him, but a couple decades earlier I'd watched classic Who, and episodes from this story were the ones I remembered clearest. So I guess "my" Doctor gang - as it's said to be the first one that you knew - was Tom Baker's Doctor with Leela and a certain some one who joins them in a couple stories.
I have such fond memories of this episode, from way back in the day. Leela is one of my all-time favorite characters. I like the tight drama of this episode--and the wacky/fun costumes. Tom Baker is probably my favorite Classic Doctor. I'm so glad you saw this and I get to see you seeing this, especially since seeing it, for me, reminds me of those days when I was in a wee child, loving these episodes.
My go to 4th Doctor Story. Love the Art Deco Design and Murder Mystery plot, SV is the Super Voc The robot in carge of the other Robots V is a Voc. Can speak D is a Dum. Cannot speak Some of this story can be traced to Isaac Asimovs Robot stories and the 3 laws of Robotics
To be fair, if the Tardis keeps materializing on ships and planets without authorization, the Doctor and friend are likely to be suspected of wrongdoing.
Yes! Robots of Death, love this one! My next door neighbour owned this one too but it was a omnibus version. So I remember he and i watching at my mines, before I owned the story many years ago on dvd.
Definitely one of the better BUS stories. Can't really fault this one. It's held up well over time due to the rather timeless Art Deco design of the set and robots, the more diverse casting than usual, and not only the good dynamic between the characters, but also how they develop as you find out more about them. A lot of attention to detail about backstories. And everything else: the suspenseful writing, the tense music, The Doctor's comedic lines. Great story.
@@rnw2739 the world's boring and tedious that's why people have a obsession with that stuff, in my day we just watched stuff and talked about how entertaining the program was and the adventures etc. The things people obsess about now was the last thing on everyones minds. Ruining pop culture
Borg is played by Brian Croucher, who'd play Space Commander Travis on the Sci-fi BBC show, Blake's 7; one of many actors to do so, and the crossover actors sometimes go the other way as well, including a Doctor playing a villain in an episode.
Always a pleasure to see Russell Hunter pop up in a '70s TV show. I have treasured memories of seeing him in a one-man Edinburgh Fringe play entitled Xanadu in 1979, two years after his Robots of Death appearance, which was a treat for a 14-year-old schoolboy who was both a Doctor Who fan and an aspiring (but since lapsed) culture vulture. When I was living in Leith, I caught sight of him on a couple of occasions - the first time looking rather unwell, hunched up in a raincoat and bunnet (flat cap), then again a few years later looking much healthier and sporting an incongruous lurid shell-suit.
The red ‘badge’ attached to the back of a victim’s hand was in reality a reflector that would be on the rear mudguard of a bicycle in the UK in the 1960s and 1970s as an additional safety feature that would catch car headlight beams at night. So when people in this story keep asking “Do you know what THIS is?” I can’t help saying “Yes, it’s a bicycle reflector.” 😂 That aside, this is a marvellous story, a mystery/whodunnit and with the excellent art deco design complementing the action.
This is one very strong story made all the more memorable by Boucher's excellent script and handling of the Doctor and Leela, the murder mystery aspect of it and the creepiness of the main stars of the episodes the robots themselves. Jameson was in top form hitting the ground running especially considering this was her second story. Overall a very enjoyable story
One of the very, very best Who stories ever. Top 10, probably to 5 classic Who stories. The design is perfection, the robots look great, the support cast is superb and Chris Boucher has a Robert Holmes-like ability to world build the bigger picture around the story at hand. A rare talent. Passing comments are used to build that picture of a developing colony with exalted founding families resented by later arrivals, the scope of the planet & its civilisation. This is just brilliant. Leela is great. Jamieson & Baker in top form. 10/10
The Robots of Death!!!!!!!! I've been looking forward to this since, well, forever. My favorite Tom Baker story, possibly my favorite Classic Who story. This is going to be great! 👍😁😁
I absolutely love Robots of Death, nothing better than a good old fashioned murder mystery. The designs on this story are just fabulous, especially the Robots.
i'm not sure exactly what you said, but it was like, "they'll show & be accused of the murders." it's like you saw this episode before. lol. Robots of Death is one the best classic stories. One thing i loved about this story are the hats. no idea why, but i loved those hats. so cool. i especially liked the commander hat
A superb story - one of the best. Great mastery plot, outstanding supporting cast, and we also get probably the most succinct and “logical” explanation as to how the Tardis is bigger on the inside! Not to mention the fact we have Leela, one of the best companions there has been.
Alex and Richard from 7th Hour Films didn't seem all that impressed, lol.🙄😅 Then again, those guys were also not fans of stories like Daleks' Master Plan, Power of the Daleks, Macra Terror, Mind Robber and Invasion of the Dinosaurs, so I guess I shouldn't expect too much from them....
@@tokublwhovian Dude, I swear you stalk me around this site... Kinda scary. Also, no it wasn't rude. I never said anything about them as people. Just pointed out a pattern of them often not liking popular stories.
@@Mrazmatmahmood Can I ask (without you thinking I’m stalking, I promise you I’m not. Your comments pop up in the comment section, that’s how UA-cam works) why you think it’s ok to dunk on others for not liking something that’s popular? just because [insert movie/show/book/game/song etc] is “popular”, doesn’t mean it’ll be amazing to others.
@@Mrazmatmahmood The MCU, Star Wars etc. are popular. But I don’t enjoy them personally. I prefer niche things like Classic Who, Tokusatsu, BL and soap operas.
The best part is the novel an author made based on this episode which was also a cross over with Blake's 7 universe, suggesting that the two universes were, in fact one.
Yes! The Kaldor Bots YES!!!! The Doctor's explanation about the Tardis is so simple! Leela with the Yo-Yo, such a wonderful bit. One of the best Classic Who stories EVER With the Craziest uniforms ever for a crew. It's like Drag in Space!!!! This story is so Popular, BF came out with a series about The Robots and their home world "Kaldor"!
I had a strong suspicion this one would be right up your alley, Jess, and it's thrilling to be proven right! Just as cool is seeing your appreciation of Leela as a companion, a near-perfect opposition of traits. I admit, tho, I am a bit surprised that there was no mention of the wild Mardi Gras outfits of the cast! Anyway, really looking forward to the rest, I can tell this'll be a good one.
A great story. The mystery may not work for the most part but the characters make it work. Love the Voc Robots especially the different types. Every job I've been to at some point i have speculated how many would be needed to do the work.
This one is an all time classic and was the first story to be released on DVD. D84 one of my favourite side characters. When you mention about The Doctor and Leela splitting up although she may have the mind of a savage she can pretty much take care of herself which is why i like her. The numbers are the name of the Robot like for example R2-D2 and C3PO from "Star Wars" which is also the same year this story came out 1977.
The first “proper” story to be released on DVD. The actual first Doctor Who DVD was the special edition of the 20th anniversary special. I’m intentionally not naming it to keep myself from getting blocked.
This show wouldn't last long past 1977 if they did not experiment like this to keep up with Star Wars and Star Trek. This episode sort of breathed new life into the show and with time became more iconic than a good bulk of the 1960s Dr. Who episodes.
“He’s a dick!” 😆🙃 Yes, murder-mystery, British style, with Robots! This is considered one of the top 4th Doctor stories! When WHO was shown on PBS, years ago (the only way to view in the US) and I was fifteen, watching this, my older Brother came in, and watched half this story with me, and he said that he could see why I liked this show. (1985)
SV: Super Vocs (can speak but highly intelligent, can give orders to other robots) V: Vocs (can speak, basic functionslity) D: Dums (can't speak, basic functionality)
It's got that nice 'Caves of Steel'/'Robots of Dawn' Asimov thing going on in the title, with hints of Metropolis-era Art Deco and everything. Is it really as good as people like to think? Well, the robots obviously inspire the hosts in 'Voyage of the Damned', so it has influence. The show is always ultimately derivative of one source or another - or maybe it's just something in the air that occurs multiple people at the same time.
My personal head canon places this story after Planet of the Ood. When the Ood were liberated humanity replaced them with androids. When the robots have their safety protocols removed they get red eyes in imitation of Ood red eye.
The homeworld of the people in the sandminer may have been descended from Earthlings, but the society they come from suggests a colony world grown rich enough to forget Earth, but keep some bad habits. Rather like worlds in several of Larry Niven's stories in fact.
Tom & Louise did not get along on set, the story goes that Tom disliked her and the Leela character and wanted to be a solo Doctor and he was resentful of her. Tom's displeasure on sharing the spotlight is legendary, but it appears that they patched things up in later years.
Though I had seen bits of Doctor Who on TV ever since I was very little, this is the first Doctor Who story I ever properly watched. I only caught the last episode or two though, so the next story is the only one I watched from beginning to end. It was 1978 and I was only a few weeks away from turning 12. (I wonder if Leela had anything to do with attracting the attention of an almost 12-year-old lad… )
At least during the late 80s / 90s, Robots of Death was always in the Top 5 of WHO Polls. I think it absolutely stands the test of time. Yes, there's probably 1 particular weak link in the acting department, but otherwise... brilliance on all angles.
The Robots of Death is a true classic and one of the Fourth Doctor's absolute bests. Fabulous design work, hugely suspenseful music and a very believable scenario makes this one of the show's most durable tales where every bit of tension is wrung out to the bitter end.
The second attempt to explain 'It's bigger on the inside' is as much a fudge as the first time. Back then it was all about buildings on TV screens and now it's little boxes ticky-tacky. Of course Leela believes it's magic, because it's beyond her comprehension. Just as a microwave oven would be. Only, in this case, the Tardis is inexplicable to all of us.
Leela is the type of companion that is missing from new Who - alien or human from another time or culture. How many 20th/21st Century women from GB do we need?
If the formula of Nu Who gets shaken again (13th Doctor, as an example) there would up be uproar. But I would also like to see an RTD-written companion come from the past or different planet.
Unfortunately, it's the same with costuming. Nothing like 'Robots of Death' has happened in the modern Who age, ordinary off the peg suits and the same spacesuits? Never happened in classic Who.
I often want to ask Jess how she feels about this, now that she's met so many Classic companions (and will meet many more) that are from the past, from other planets, or that aren't even human. Compare that with NuWho's insistence on always, always having a current-day young Brit girl as the primary companion. It's such a telling note of the difference in audience and how the show markets to those audiences.
What I like about this story, among many things, is how UNlikable that crew can be! They all look like they stole David Bowie's glam outfits, whine and complain about almost everything, while the robots do All the Work! This crew isn't working, they're lounging!! LOL!! It makes watching them die fun! This whole society feels like Pre-Revolutionary France, and here comes the revolt!!
The Robots Of Death is one of the best Doctor Who stories ever made, everything just comes together to create a triumph of style and substance. Super happy you're enjoying it! You can't go wrong with a Voc-tastic sci-fi murder mystery that has:
- The Fourth Doctor and Leela combination. The Doctor has even more fantastic lines courtesy of Chris Boucher (RIP) and I can't stop smiling at Leela, she's so awesome.
- A great cast locking horns and at each other's throats. There's a few weak links but all the strongest performers survive for the second half and the devious, greedy but still faceted Uvanov is especially fun to watch.
- The robots themselves. Their design is iconic and their relentless but oh-so polite demeanour as they commit murder is so unsettling. The title giving them away doesn't lessen their menace at all. The red eyes and POV shots are brilliant touches.
- Writing, directing and worldbuilding, all skillfully portraying this robot-dependent society and the intracacies of characters' pasts. Details like robophobia, costume design and the gorgeous decor all enhance the world. Even the innocuous scene with the Doctor explaining the Tardis with boxes to Leela is kind of genius.
It definitely cracks my Top 10 Classics!
Definitely one of the great Dr. Who whodunits. Personally I feel these seasons with Leela are some of the best of Tom Baker era.
If there's one thing I've learned from Classic Who, it's there's ALWAYS a "This F****ing Guy" 😄
Brian Croucher, the "SHUDDAP!" guy, is best known for a role in another sci-fi series, Blake's 7, which started about a year after this story. It was created by Terry Nation, who also created the Daleks, and script edited by Chris Boucher, who wrote this story and the last one. If you're ever looking for a new show to react to, I'd recommend Blake's 7. If you like Classic Who, then I think you'd enjoy it, and I'm sure a lot of your Doctor Who subscribers would love to see you react to it as well.
Bearing in mind we’ve just lost Sarah-Jane Smith and this is only Leela’s second story, Louise Jameson is on the nail in character and it’s like she’s already been in the series for more stories due to her brilliant performance.
You've got the different classes of robots exactly right. The D's do the menial labor, the V's, or Vocs, can talk and handle more sophisticated tasks, the SV (Super Voc) is in charge. I love this story to pieces, I'm so glad you're having a good time with it!
The bigger on the inside scene is my favourite scene in all of Classic Who. I absolutely love the bonkers explanation that kind of makes sense as well as the "nine times out of ten"
My first memory was this episode , hiding behind the sofa from the red eyed robots. Still holds a special place in my memories. Great episode.
The late actor David Collings who played Poul also played Vorus in Revenge of the Cybermen. In addition he played the time agent Silver in the seminal tv series Sapphire and Steel. Brian Croucher who played Borg also played the second version of Space Commander Travis in Blake'7.
@ezragoldstein1870 have you heard David Collings narrating the ghost stories of M.R. James? Wonderful. I think they’re available as audio CDs or MP3 downloads.
David Collins did other Doctor Who episodes later, I think. He was also a character in the final episode of Blake's 7.
I watched the musical Scrooge from 1970 this last Christmas and was pleasantly surprised to see him playing Bob Cratchit. He could sing as well.
I watched the musical Scrooge from 1970 this last Christmas and was pleasantly surprised to see him playing Bob Cratchit. He could sing as well.
Mawdryn
Gotta love Classic Who titles "The Robots of DEEEAAAATH!" Puts it right out there. But as always, there's nuances you have to watch the story to find. Baker has settled into the role with relish and Louise Jameson is a breath of fresh air.
An iconic line: "You're a classic example of the inverse ratio between the size of the mouth and the size of the brain!"
Looking forward to Part II! ❤❤
An Agatha Christie murder mystery in a future Art Deco Space world with killer robots...what's not to like!?! One of the best of Tom's era if not the entire Classic series!
Definitely a classic of Classic Who. The drama, the costumes, the camera work, the script, the fabulous rhythm of the movements of the creepy mechanical men -- and all with a fantastic little opening to explain the TARDIS. Also it reinforces that Leela is one of the most iconic, fun, just awesome companions ever. It's practically the Blink of Classic Who. Introducing your friends to Classic Who with this one is a fabulous idea.
Spot on! Rewatching this near my kids recently, they were hooked in for most of Leela's run, right up until Underworld, which I suffered through alone. It makes me wonder which are the 'anti-Blink' episodes, the ones most likely to cause casual viewers to break their viewing sequence (rather than the ones dedicated fans despise, but which don't actually cause the lounge to empty).
@Richard Gale oh, sadly, I think Underworld might be one (especially based on your evidence just now, but yeah!), but really any 60s story with a missing episode that doesn't have a really, really good animated recon. I won't mention any further ahead of here, though, for Sesska's sake.
This is a personal favourite story of mine- and has been since I first watched it as a kid in1977
Glad you're having fun with this one so far. :) Leela's so good! I like that she's primitive but not dumb. She's open-minded about new things too, as well as being a badass.
I watched this one way back and didn't remember much about it but I LOVED rewatching these first two parts. They do a good job emphasising the suspicion and the in-fighting amongst the crew. It's really well done.
I'm kinda' surprised you didn't question the lavish outfits for a crew that were effectively strip miners, a really messy, filthy occupation in our society. I know when I first watched it, I thought, "What the h3ll is with the 'Vegas Review' type costumes and makeup?!" I was too dim at the time to catch the deeper meaning. This society is SO dependent upon robots to perform the drudging tasks that even the "physical laborers" can afford to dress in lavish attire and lounge within spas built into strip mining machines. When the Doctor observes "it's probably the end of this civilization," it's truly THAT serious! The robots would not even have to go on a murderous rampage. If they simply refused to perform their tasks, the human population likely would not even know HOW to do the same work, even if they were willing! I'm not sure when I finally "connected the dots", but when I did, it was certainly a "D'OH!!!" type moment of realization.
Oh oh oh probably my favourite Tom Baker story ever! Classic lines classic Tom. A really enjoyable ride.
This was my favourite story as a kid... scared the bejeezus out of me... As an adult I love it on another level...
Leela is one of the best companions ever. She’s tough and can handle herself, but she has a great dynamic with the doctor. He teaches and educates her, but not because shes young and a bit dim. Makes a unique team
Leela is primitive and naive, not at all dim.
Such a classic it gives me the warm fuzzies! I’m 8 years old seeing it for the first time and never forgetting and then what felt a lifetime later seeing it again at 12 and countless times since. I’m kind of a lifer 😊
When I was a kid I only caught a few random episodes of Doctor Who on PBS. Mostly my friends and I laughed at the cheap old special effects, but I liked it enough to watch the TV movie when it came out in 96, then nuWho 9 years after that. I was unironically hooked as soon as the 9th Doctor explained to Rose - in the episode of the same name - who he was and how he could feel the Earth rotating underneath him, but a couple decades earlier I'd watched classic Who, and episodes from this story were the ones I remembered clearest. So I guess "my" Doctor gang - as it's said to be the first one that you knew - was Tom Baker's Doctor with Leela and a certain some one who joins them in a couple stories.
Ah, D84! You're going to love him.
Leela is epic, both pupil and bodyguard to the Doctor!
My local PBS station used to bundle the eps into a multi hour movie and show them on Saturday nights..😀
If the “Five Faces” was revived for the 60th, I would LOVE to see Classic Who stories (also, a Nu Who two or three parter) edited together as a movie.
I have such fond memories of this episode, from way back in the day. Leela is one of my all-time favorite characters. I like the tight drama of this episode--and the wacky/fun costumes. Tom Baker is probably my favorite Classic Doctor. I'm so glad you saw this and I get to see you seeing this, especially since seeing it, for me, reminds me of those days when I was in a wee child, loving these episodes.
My go to 4th Doctor Story. Love the Art Deco Design and Murder Mystery plot,
SV is the Super Voc The robot in carge of the other Robots
V is a Voc. Can speak
D is a Dum. Cannot speak
Some of this story can be traced to Isaac Asimovs Robot stories and the 3 laws of Robotics
To be fair, if the Tardis keeps materializing on ships and planets without authorization, the Doctor and friend are likely to be suspected of wrongdoing.
Yes! Robots of Death, love this one! My next door neighbour owned this one too but it was a omnibus version. So I remember he and i watching at my mines, before I owned the story many years ago on dvd.
Definitely one of the better BUS stories. Can't really fault this one. It's held up well over time due to the rather timeless Art Deco design of the set and robots, the more diverse casting than usual, and not only the good dynamic between the characters, but also how they develop as you find out more about them. A lot of attention to detail about backstories. And everything else: the suspenseful writing, the tense music, The Doctor's comedic lines. Great story.
@@rnw2739 the world's boring and tedious that's why people have a obsession with that stuff, in my day we just watched stuff and talked about how entertaining the program was and the adventures etc. The things people obsess about now was the last thing on everyones minds. Ruining pop culture
@@phantomsidious2934 They're hardly 'obsessing'. They just mentioned that it makes it seem less dated.
@@phantomsidious2934 "In my day we didn't notice racism in casting standards" isn't the flex you think it is.
Borg is played by Brian Croucher, who'd play Space Commander Travis on the Sci-fi BBC show, Blake's 7; one of many actors to do so, and the crossover actors sometimes go the other way as well, including a Doctor playing a villain in an episode.
Always a pleasure to see Russell Hunter pop up in a '70s TV show. I have treasured memories of seeing him in a one-man Edinburgh Fringe play entitled Xanadu in 1979, two years after his Robots of Death appearance, which was a treat for a 14-year-old schoolboy who was both a Doctor Who fan and an aspiring (but since lapsed) culture vulture. When I was living in Leith, I caught sight of him on a couple of occasions - the first time looking rather unwell, hunched up in a raincoat and bunnet (flat cap), then again a few years later looking much healthier and sporting an incongruous lurid shell-suit.
Lonely.
@@ajivins1 Indeed. That's another series I'd like to binge. Talking Pictures was running them, but I could never find the time.
One of the best of all time!!!! True classic!
As soon as Leela joins we got some back to back to back fuckin classics.
I couldn't agree more, this story and the next two stories are 3 of my favourites from classic Who.
Leela like Jamie, is a perfect example for demonstrating what is wrong (bland) about the companions of modern who.
The red ‘badge’ attached to the back of a victim’s hand was in reality a reflector that would be on the rear mudguard of a bicycle in the UK in the 1960s and 1970s as an additional safety feature that would catch car headlight beams at night. So when people in this story keep asking “Do you know what THIS is?” I can’t help saying “Yes, it’s a bicycle reflector.” 😂 That aside, this is a marvellous story, a mystery/whodunnit and with the excellent art deco design complementing the action.
This is one very strong story made all the more memorable by Boucher's excellent script and handling of the Doctor and Leela, the murder mystery aspect of it and the creepiness of the main stars of the episodes the robots themselves. Jameson was in top form hitting the ground running especially considering this was her second story. Overall a very enjoyable story
Probably the best explanation of how the Tardis is bigger on the inside I do remember when this went out.
7:40...That's D84, the greatest companion the Doctor never had 🥰
One of the very, very best Who stories ever. Top 10, probably to 5 classic Who stories.
The design is perfection, the robots look great, the support cast is superb and Chris Boucher has a Robert Holmes-like ability to world build the bigger picture around the story at hand. A rare talent. Passing comments are used to build that picture of a developing colony with exalted founding families resented by later arrivals, the scope of the planet & its civilisation.
This is just brilliant. Leela is great. Jamieson & Baker in top form. 10/10
The Robots of Death!!!!!!!! I've been looking forward to this since, well, forever. My favorite Tom Baker story, possibly my favorite Classic Who story. This is going to be great! 👍😁😁
I absolutely love Robots of Death, nothing better than a good old fashioned murder mystery.
The designs on this story are just fabulous, especially the Robots.
i'm not sure exactly what you said, but it was like, "they'll show & be accused of the murders." it's like you saw this episode before. lol. Robots of Death is one the best classic stories. One thing i loved about this story are the hats. no idea why, but i loved those hats. so cool. i especially liked the commander hat
A superb story - one of the best. Great mastery plot, outstanding supporting cast, and we also get probably the most succinct and “logical” explanation as to how the Tardis is bigger on the inside! Not to mention the fact we have Leela, one of the best companions there has been.
This is an episode that the majority of people love. And you can see why - it's Cluedo, in a spaceship, with robots!
Alex and Richard from 7th Hour Films didn't seem all that impressed, lol.🙄😅 Then again, those guys were also not fans of stories like Daleks' Master Plan, Power of the Daleks, Macra Terror, Mind Robber and Invasion of the Dinosaurs, so I guess I shouldn't expect too much from them....
@@Mrazmatmahmood wow, rude much?! I didn’t know people (especially, reactors) have to think, feel, say and react the same as you or anyone else 😧
@@tokublwhovian Dude, I swear you stalk me around this site... Kinda scary. Also, no it wasn't rude. I never said anything about them as people. Just pointed out a pattern of them often not liking popular stories.
@@Mrazmatmahmood Can I ask (without you thinking I’m stalking, I promise you I’m not. Your comments pop up in the comment section, that’s how UA-cam works) why you think it’s ok to dunk on others for not liking something that’s popular? just because [insert movie/show/book/game/song etc] is “popular”, doesn’t mean it’ll be amazing to others.
@@Mrazmatmahmood The MCU, Star Wars etc. are popular. But I don’t enjoy them personally. I prefer niche things like Classic Who, Tokusatsu, BL and soap operas.
Louise Jameson said that one of her early scripts was originally written for Elizabeth Sladen. I’ve never been able to figure out which one.
I’ve heard it was Horror of Fang Rock, which is surprising because it’s a great Leela serial!
The best part is the novel an author made based on this episode which was also a cross over with Blake's 7 universe, suggesting that the two universes were, in fact one.
Yes! The Kaldor Bots YES!!!!
The Doctor's explanation about the Tardis is so simple! Leela with the Yo-Yo, such a wonderful bit.
One of the best Classic Who stories EVER With the Craziest uniforms ever for a crew. It's like Drag in Space!!!! This story is so Popular, BF came out with a series about The Robots and their home world "Kaldor"!
Best ever episodes one of my top favourites and best of the season ps also great side characters and acting which you say you always like too
AN ALL TIME CLASSIC 😍 my personal theory is that the Heavenly Host in Voyage of the Damned with David Tennant are developed from the Voc Robots
That’s a damn good theory.
Voyage sucks in comparison to this
And the Ood with the red eye
That was my first thought when I saw the Heavenly Host. I reckon it might the same manufacturer
@@joeltasker6956 Sto probably has a sister culture to Kaldor
I had a strong suspicion this one would be right up your alley, Jess, and it's thrilling to be proven right! Just as cool is seeing your appreciation of Leela as a companion, a near-perfect opposition of traits. I admit, tho, I am a bit surprised that there was no mention of the wild Mardi Gras outfits of the cast! Anyway, really looking forward to the rest, I can tell this'll be a good one.
A great story. The mystery may not work for the most part but the characters make it work.
Love the Voc Robots especially the different types. Every job I've been to at some point i have speculated how many would be needed to do the work.
This one is an all time classic and was the first story to be released on DVD.
D84 one of my favourite side characters.
When you mention about The Doctor and Leela splitting up although she may have the mind of a savage she can pretty much take care of herself which is why i like her.
The numbers are the name of the Robot like for example R2-D2 and C3PO from "Star Wars" which is also the same year this story came out 1977.
The first “proper” story to be released on DVD. The actual first Doctor Who DVD was the special edition of the 20th anniversary special. I’m intentionally not naming it to keep myself from getting blocked.
This show wouldn't last long past 1977 if they did not experiment like this to keep up with Star Wars and Star Trek. This episode sort of breathed new life into the show and with time became more iconic than a good bulk of the 1960s Dr. Who episodes.
Enjoy Leela, another great classic who era with a few surprises for you.
Can't wait for you to experience this.
Best insult ever. “You are the perfect example of the inverse ratio between the size of the mouth and the size of the brain.”
"Of course I can control it!"
For the Doctor, "operating" the TARDIS is
NOT the same as "controlling" it.
Louise Jameson (Leela) was given a ‘rubber’ prop replica knife after she threw the original prop knife as directed and nearly hit a cameraman!
“He’s a dick!” 😆🙃
Yes, murder-mystery, British style, with Robots!
This is considered one of the top 4th Doctor stories!
When WHO was shown on PBS, years ago (the only way to view in the US) and I was fifteen, watching this, my older Brother came in, and watched half this story with me, and he said that he could see why I liked this show. (1985)
SV: Super Vocs (can speak but highly intelligent, can give orders to other robots)
V: Vocs (can speak, basic functionslity)
D: Dums (can't speak, basic functionality)
This era's far too intelligent for 80's apologists like you. Stick to garbage like Time and the Rani.
These are the most terrifying monsters in all of who for me.
It's got that nice 'Caves of Steel'/'Robots of Dawn' Asimov thing going on in the title, with hints of Metropolis-era Art Deco and everything. Is it really as good as people like to think? Well, the robots obviously inspire the hosts in 'Voyage of the Damned', so it has influence. The show is always ultimately derivative of one source or another - or maybe it's just something in the air that occurs multiple people at the same time.
My personal head canon places this story after Planet of the Ood. When the Ood were liberated humanity replaced them with androids. When the robots have their safety protocols removed they get red eyes in imitation of Ood red eye.
The homeworld of the people in the sandminer may have been descended from Earthlings, but the society they come from suggests a colony world grown rich enough to forget Earth, but keep some bad habits. Rather like worlds in several of Larry Niven's stories in fact.
One of my favourite stories
This is in my top ten. Love the channel.
“You know, you’re the perfect example of the inverse ratio of the size of the mouth and the size of the brain…” *gets choked out*
this is such a great story to watch, yes the title is a dead giveaway but it is well written and designed
Tom & Louise did not get along on set, the story goes that Tom disliked her and the Leela character and wanted to be a solo Doctor and he was resentful of her. Tom's displeasure on sharing the spotlight is legendary, but it appears that they patched things up in later years.
They're really good friends these days, in fact... Apparently they hit it off when they were doing DVD commentaries...
@@petersvillage7447 I love that so much
Yeah Tom patched things up with most of his former costars except for possibly one but not sure (I won't say who since seska hasn't got that far yet).
2 : 45 "Quite the lungs on him"......says Miss Pot to the Kettle!!!!!
Always liked the concept of how there civilization is finished if it's the robots that are the killers
Though I had seen bits of Doctor Who on TV ever since I was very little, this is the first Doctor Who story I ever properly watched. I only caught the last episode or two though, so the next story is the only one I watched from beginning to end. It was 1978 and I was only a few weeks away from turning 12. (I wonder if Leela had anything to do with attracting the attention of an almost 12-year-old lad… )
I'm about to watch your reaction to 1 of my favourite stories, no pressure lol
The visuals are like Italian Sci Fi movies - lots of funny hats 😁
Like Italian police and military too then :D
Please don't throw hands at me.
I love Leela.
At least during the late 80s / 90s, Robots of Death was always in the Top 5 of WHO Polls. I think it absolutely stands the test of time. Yes, there's probably 1 particular weak link in the acting department, but otherwise... brilliance on all angles.
This one is a bit of a Who Dunnit, where we can only be certain that Who and Leela didn't do it.
You know the drill ladies and gentlemen "Classic Who" classic knockers.
@@rnw2739 Yes you have a point there,no more stupid comments from me.
The Robots of Death is a true classic and one of the Fourth Doctor's absolute bests. Fabulous design work, hugely suspenseful music and a very believable scenario makes this one of the show's most durable tales where every bit of tension is wrung out to the bitter end.
One of my favourites.
The second attempt to explain 'It's bigger on the inside' is as much a fudge as the first time. Back then it was all about buildings on TV screens and now it's little boxes ticky-tacky. Of course Leela believes it's magic, because it's beyond her comprehension. Just as a microwave oven would be. Only, in this case, the Tardis is inexplicable to all of us.
What a masterpiece
Agatha Christie anyone? she does inspire great Dr Who episodes....and great reactions
Love the Robot designs here, not sure why everyone else was dressed like a Mummer, though ...
Out of the 4 Doctors that you have seen so far, do you have a favorite?
I have got the robots of death on dvd it's the 2012 released from Revisitation 3
Leela is the type of companion that is missing from new Who - alien or human from another time or culture. How many 20th/21st Century women from GB do we need?
If the formula of Nu Who gets shaken again (13th Doctor, as an example) there would up be uproar. But I would also like to see an RTD-written companion come from the past or different planet.
@@tokublwhovianit's time!
Unfortunately, it's the same with costuming. Nothing like 'Robots of Death' has happened in the modern Who age, ordinary off the peg suits and the same spacesuits? Never happened in classic Who.
ten Mark i agree im so sick of modern day earth companions when the Doctor could go anywhere and meet another being from another Planet.
I often want to ask Jess how she feels about this, now that she's met so many Classic companions (and will meet many more) that are from the past, from other planets, or that aren't even human. Compare that with NuWho's insistence on always, always having a current-day young Brit girl as the primary companion. It's such a telling note of the difference in audience and how the show markets to those audiences.
Wooooo! Dr. Who!
Thanks
I think Jess is going to have an Rf accent at the end of Classic Who.
@@rnw2739 BBC English, renounced accent, its the accent a lot of people spoke in back in the 50's, 60s and 70's.
Youre amazing
Love this one!
cheesy effects but nothing beats Tom Baker's 4th doctor
What I like about this story, among many things, is how UNlikable that crew can be! They all look like they stole David Bowie's glam outfits, whine and complain about almost everything, while the robots do All the Work! This crew isn't working, they're lounging!! LOL!! It makes watching them die fun! This whole society feels like Pre-Revolutionary France, and here comes the revolt!!
😍🍑
Pleaseeee make a reaction for tarzan disney 1999