This is one of the best classic Who stories. It looks beautiful and expensive because it was all shot on film and had Robert Holmes on scripting duties so you know you're getting a brilliant story. What a start for the Pertwee Doctor.
My dad once met Jon Pertwee in London in the late 90s/early 2000s. He shouted “Hey, Worzel!” (A reference to Worzel Gummidge, another a character of Jon’s) and after requesting an impression of Worzel, Jon promptly told my dad where to shove it. I absolutely loved Worzel Gummidge when I was a kid, and so did my parents. Funny Jon!
Jon Pertwee's Doctor managed to capture that distinctly British vibe of being rather dry & posh even while being completely silly at times. Plus he looked like he was having fun with it.
Jon has always been my favorite, even when everyone was wearing a Tom Baker scarf. I met him in El Paso at a 25th Anniversary Who event, charming man who lit up the room. I walked into the auditorium for his presentation a few minutes late, and he stopped, pointed up at me and said "You're late! I hope you have a note from your mother!" I quickly held up any old piece of paper and waived it above my head. "Good," he said, without skipping a beat, "see me after class." And that's how I got his autograph, on a "note from my mum" that I wrote up while in the audience. ❤
Not HD, it only looks HD because we're watching it on our modern HD screens. Also most people would've seen this in black & white on its original broadcast (very few people had expensive colour TV's in the 70's)
@@Myne1001 There are plenty of recordings from the 2000s that aren't HD. Top Gear only switched to HD in 2009. Doesn't matter what screen you watch it on, not HD. Either this episode was filmed on tape, and the BBC transfered that to digital directly, or it's an upscale.
@@HALLish-jl5mo It was shot on film which has a higher “resolution” than tape. 16mm can be scanned in at roughly 1080p and 35mm can be scanned at 4K upwards.
This was my first Classic Who story I ever watched in 2006 when I just got into Series 2. UK Gold aired Doctor Who Omnibus and my Mom told me about it, had no clue what it was and was very thrilled to learn of more primitive access to Doctor Who stories! The Autons in this story still frighten the heck out of me! ❤
Before Jon Pertwee. I rardly saw a whole story from start to finish due to playing out. But I did get into it during Jon's era. I enjoyed his bossy but adventurous characterisation. He got me far more into the whole concept. I continued quite faithfully right into the Peter Davison era. So i am very pleased to have seen this video to experience those memories again.
Watching Pertwee steadily fall in love with his third incarnation was such a warm wholesome introduction to his era. I will always love Hartnell and Troughton, but the expressive range he demonstrated was captivating. Also 19:03 and the discussion that lead to selecting Bessie.
At about 5:56 I think that's a tattoo on Jon Pertwee's arm? I don't know why but I kind of like the idea that Time Lords can regenerate into a body with tattoos. Similarly to the Corsair.
An iconic set of villains and a truly classic episode. The Nestenes were haunting and truly Doctor Who in the sense of taking the ordinary and making extraordinary. May they soon return!
I first watched "Spearhead from Space" when it originally came out on VHS as an edited-together omnibus here in the UK. As a kid I found the scenes of the blank-faced Auton moving through the woods and smashing up the house incredibly eerie. I'm curious to know if anyone out there first discovered this story (and maybe even Doctor Who altogether) when it was repeated on BBC Two back in 1999 and were you converted and still life-long Whovians today?
Jon was my Dr, if that makes sense. I remember giant radioactive maggots in Welsh mines, Sea Devils attacking North Sea oil rigs, actual devils in an English village churchyard, and an awful lot of reversing polarities.
Have the spec edt DVD of Spearhead from Space...those mannequins scared me when I first saw this story 50 yrs ago but it is my favorite of the Jon Pertwee Dr Who era(have Jons bio "Moon boots and Dinner Suits" a treasured book and a great read) RIP Jon💎 Auckland New Zealand 2025
There’s something about Jon Pertwee that kinda makes it impossible to take any of his struggles seriously, he has this habit of going bug-eyed when attacked that is frankly hilarious.
Missed out the bit where a hand pushes Sam Seeley's trunk shut when he's caught out by Mrs Seeley. Go and check it out. Once seen, you'll never miss it again.
@@eldersprig Just been watching the Spearhead Blu-ray and saw the tribute to Caroline John feature where her daughter, Daisy Ashford, mentions her smoking a pipe. Were you referencing that by any chance?
Actually, Sean Pertwee did dress up as his dad for a picture posted to social media. He wore the dark jacket and cape with the red lining, as well as wearing a grey curly-haired wig. He looked so much like his father in that outfit!
@@DrWhoFanJ How am I missing the point? True, he won't play the part on TV or film, but his cosplaying of his father was on point and is probably the only time we'll ever see him dress up as the Third Doctor.
Caroline John was superb in 'Spearhead'... a shame that she became a 'screamer' later on in her short tenure. The idea of a strong female scientist companion should have been developed more. Also, Pertwee was a lot kinder in his early portrayals of the Doctor - his warmth / respect toward Liz Shaw in 'Spearhead' - especially in rebelling against the Brigadier, was wonderful. His pomp and vanity in later years becomes really rather annoying - plus he shoehorned in some quite awful ideas like Venusian Aikido and the flying 'Whomobile', because he saw the Doctor as a James Bond type character.
Hmm, I don't recall her screaming that much. Not as often as other companions anyway. The only time I can remember Liz screaming off the top of my head is when she was attacked by a Silurian. I'll have to rewatch the season sometime.
@@AndrewChapman They made her a lot more vulnerable in Ambassadors of Death too. I really liked Doctor Liz Shaw - the strong scientific type with little time for military chest-beating or bureaucracy... That was the key to her and the Doctor hitting it off instantly in Spearhead. He saw someone of intellect and courage and knew he'd enjoy working with her.
@@AndrewChapman If I recall, in Inferno, Liz gives the Brigadier her reason for leaving as 'The Doctor just needs someone to pass him things and tell him ow brilliant he is'. Hence how we ended up with Jo Grant - a shrieking little mouse who made tea, needed rescuing and made big eyes at the Doctor a lot. Pertwee having had veto of any replacement for Liz Shaw that he didn't like - Katy Manning was only brought in because Pertwee didn't like the original actress intended to replace Liz Shaw - she didn't suit his egotistical need for a damsel in distress, versus a capable or even equal companion.
Remember being scared sh*tless by Dr Who as a little boy!. Remember watching episodes through gaps in my fingers over my eyes. Well I had too, because if I had bad dreams about the baddies he was fighting, I knew how to defeat them!. 🤣
Watched this on DVD the autons were creepy,suspect the scenes at the end caused a few complaints I bet.Always wondered if Liz Shaw was an undercover Timelord sent to keep an eye on the Dr.
This is next Xmas’ special edition folks. A classic 4-parter down to less than 20 minutes, now all it needs is OTT music drowning out any drama, a whole new colour scheme, new fx….They can probably cgi in actors of colour and insert some dialogue to make Liz non-binary now. You know so the kids of today will “get it”.
Listen BBC, Sean is almost a clone of Jon. Use this. Before it's too late. Bring back the 'James Bond' type of doc. Please, as someone who has been watching Doctor Who from the late 1960s I beseech you.
@@AndrewChapman yeah i put one on last night after posting the comment, in colour it is, i was sure when watching on sky tv 34 years ago, black and white, i'll put it in the Mandela Effect part of my brain, thanks for your comment 🙂
Jon Pertwee is one of the BEST Doctors of the classic era! Him, and Tom Baker, of course!
concur 1000%
My personal favourite Doctor! Absolutely Love 3! Jon Pertwee was amazing in the roll!
This is one of the best classic Who stories. It looks beautiful and expensive because it was all shot on film and had Robert Holmes on scripting duties so you know you're getting a brilliant story. What a start for the Pertwee Doctor.
Rory: And now you're stealing...you're stealing patients clothes!
Eleven: Not the first time you know!
Eighth: Or the second.
My dad once met Jon Pertwee in London in the late 90s/early 2000s. He shouted “Hey, Worzel!” (A reference to Worzel Gummidge, another a character of Jon’s) and after requesting an impression of Worzel, Jon promptly told my dad where to shove it. I absolutely loved Worzel Gummidge when I was a kid, and so did my parents. Funny Jon!
Jon Pertwee's Doctor managed to capture that distinctly British vibe of being rather dry & posh even while being completely silly at times. Plus he looked like he was having fun with it.
Jon has always been my favorite, even when everyone was wearing a Tom Baker scarf. I met him in El Paso at a 25th Anniversary Who event, charming man who lit up the room. I walked into the auditorium for his presentation a few minutes late, and he stopped, pointed up at me and said "You're late! I hope you have a note from your mother!" I quickly held up any old piece of paper and waived it above my head. "Good," he said, without skipping a beat, "see me after class."
And that's how I got his autograph, on a "note from my mum" that I wrote up while in the audience. ❤
Still the Best opening story for a Doctor, just excellent
A very good intro for Caroline John as Liz Shaw too.
@mikebasil4832 yep indeed and the autons
@@mikebasil4832Yes, as much as I love Katy Manning as Jo Grant, it is a shame we didn't see more of Caroline John as Liz.
@ BBV’s P.R.O.B.E. series thankfully made amends for that.
@mikebasil4832 Ah okay, never actually seen that.
Doctor Who was making plastic mannequins scary before it was cool to feel that way about them.
lol, That's goood one
Brilliant, the start of what could be considered one of the best, if not the best seasons of Doctor Who ever.
I love that it went from 405-line black and white to full colour HD.
Not HD, it only looks HD because we're watching it on our modern HD screens. Also most people would've seen this in black & white on its original broadcast (very few people had expensive colour TV's in the 70's)
@@Myne1001 There are plenty of recordings from the 2000s that aren't HD. Top Gear only switched to HD in 2009.
Doesn't matter what screen you watch it on, not HD.
Either this episode was filmed on tape, and the BBC transfered that to digital directly, or it's an upscale.
@@HALLish-jl5mo Spearhead from Space is the only episode to be entirely shot on film.
@@HALLish-jl5mo It was shot on film which has a higher “resolution” than tape. 16mm can be scanned in at roughly 1080p and 35mm can be scanned at 4K upwards.
@@Myne1001 This is HD as this episode (serial?) was filmed entirely on film and the version here was scanned from that film.
This was my first Classic Who story I ever watched in 2006 when I just got into Series 2. UK Gold aired Doctor Who Omnibus and my Mom told me about it, had no clue what it was and was very thrilled to learn of more primitive access to Doctor Who stories! The Autons in this story still frighten the heck out of me! ❤
I like Spearhead from Space
I remember first seeing Spearhead From Space on VHS. A good addition to my Doctor Who collection at the time.
It was one of the first of classic era I checked out after I got hooked on Dr Who.
The best Doctor Who has ever looked
Oh yes , this is fabulous.
Earliest story I can remember watching when it was first transmitted, I still have an uneasy feeling around shop mannequins!
You're not the only one. I had to work overnights doing patrols in a factory with a floor full of mannequins. I ran through that floor every time.
My favourite Doctor from the classic era and still my all time favourite.
Shoes 👞 the first words to be spoken by our 3rd Doctor 🥰
As a kid the autons gave me nightmares for years, the old designs were so creepy with the hollow eye sockets lol
Before Jon Pertwee. I rardly saw a whole story from start to finish due to playing out.
But I did get into it during Jon's era.
I enjoyed his bossy but adventurous characterisation.
He got me far more into the whole concept.
I continued quite faithfully right into the Peter Davison era.
So i am very pleased to have seen this video to experience those memories again.
Watching Pertwee steadily fall in love with his third incarnation was such a warm wholesome introduction to his era. I will always love Hartnell and Troughton, but the expressive range he demonstrated was captivating.
Also 19:03 and the discussion that lead to selecting Bessie.
At about 5:56 I think that's a tattoo on Jon Pertwee's arm? I don't know why but I kind of like the idea that Time Lords can regenerate into a body with tattoos. Similarly to the Corsair.
Yep, that is Pertwee's own tattoo.
Awww my first Doctor ❤
Happy 55th Anniversary!
An iconic set of villains and a truly classic episode. The Nestenes were haunting and truly Doctor Who in the sense of taking the ordinary and making extraordinary. May they soon return!
story*
That'd be cool if they did.
I first watched "Spearhead from Space" when it originally came out on VHS as an edited-together omnibus here in the UK. As a kid I found the scenes of the blank-faced Auton moving through the woods and smashing up the house incredibly eerie.
I'm curious to know if anyone out there first discovered this story (and maybe even Doctor Who altogether) when it was repeated on BBC Two back in 1999 and were you converted and still life-long Whovians today?
They’ll need to upload the 2nd Doctor new regeneration on here, maybe they are waiting for the DVD to come out?
Yes, they probably are.
MY Doctor. ❤
Jon was my Dr, if that makes sense. I remember giant radioactive maggots in Welsh mines, Sea Devils attacking North Sea oil rigs, actual devils in an English village churchyard, and an awful lot of reversing polarities.
The green death scared me 😂😂😂😂
Didn't the polarities line only get used once by Pertwee?
@@robertbarnard6120 It got used several times by Pertwee and occasionally by other Doctors who came after.
@@robertbarnard6120 no
Have the spec edt DVD of Spearhead from Space...those mannequins scared me when I first saw this story 50 yrs ago but it is my favorite of the Jon Pertwee Dr Who era(have Jons bio "Moon boots and Dinner Suits" a treasured book and a great read) RIP Jon💎 Auckland New Zealand 2025
Yeah, I actually feel they're a bit more terrifying than new series autons tbh.
There’s something about Jon Pertwee that kinda makes it impossible to take any of his struggles seriously, he has this habit of going bug-eyed when attacked that is frankly hilarious.
2:15 3rd Doctor makes his entrance by collapsing from the TARDIS and then exits by collapsing from the TARDIS.
True, never thought about that!
2:08 I've always loved how the miniature shot of the TARDIS materialising doesn't match the close up shot of the Doctor emerging.
Superb debut story for Jon Pertwee. Just finished watching this story for the…….well, umpteenth time
So have I lol
Same here 👍🏻
Bring these Autons back
Watching it now.😅😅😅😅
Happy 55th to 3rd Doctor. Watching Spearhead now as I type.
This clip show version of the episode is how the 90-minute cuts of The Daleks and The War Games feel to me
story*
55 years of doctor number 3 rip Jon Pertwee
Haven't seen Autons since the 11th Doctor
Shame 12 never got one given his fav was jon pertwee
@@topmandog1 Wonder if that's why his coat has the red lining which mirrors 3's cape in his earlier episodes.
@AndrewChapman yes, it's documented that his outfit was inspired by 3 and the pose he did was more 3 like then previous doctors
@@topmandog1 I thought so.
Jon Pertwee was Absolutely Grand as The Doctor. Can't Touch What He Did.
Jon had one of the best debut stories ever.
Rule #1...the doctor lies.
Well at least they were well dressed 😂😂😂
Elizabeth Shaw you underrated icon ily
they needed a dumb piece of eye candy so the doctor could explain things to the audience
Missed the intro of Liz Shaw where they play that music as she drives up to UNIT
she smokes a pipe. always thought that was kind of neat.
@@eldersprig She doesn't.
Missed out the bit where a hand pushes Sam Seeley's trunk shut when he's caught out by Mrs Seeley. Go and check it out. Once seen, you'll never miss it again.
@@hopebgood It’s not difficult to miss it, given the info text makes a point of mentioning it!
@@eldersprig Just been watching the Spearhead Blu-ray and saw the tribute to Caroline John feature where her daughter, Daisy Ashford, mentions her smoking a pipe. Were you referencing that by any chance?
🎉
9:25 third doctor: flexibel you know could be useful on the Planet dell farm where they communicate with their eyebrows
Shooooes
*Dr Henderson:* I beg your pardon?
@AndrewChapman Shoooooooooooöøooes
💙💙💙💙💙💙👍
Brigadier lks so dm hot in this
Be nice if they bring back the doctor his son can play him. He looks like his pop.
He’s long confirmed he never will. And he doesn’t have a "pop" because that is not a term that refers to a person.
Actually, Sean Pertwee did dress up as his dad for a picture posted to social media. He wore the dark jacket and cape with the red lining, as well as wearing a grey curly-haired wig. He looked so much like his father in that outfit!
@ Missing the point entirely.
@@markvonschlegell4953 Yes, I saw that.
@@DrWhoFanJ How am I missing the point? True, he won't play the part on TV or film, but his cosplaying of his father was on point and is probably the only time we'll ever see him dress up as the Third Doctor.
Caroline John was superb in 'Spearhead'... a shame that she became a 'screamer' later on in her short tenure. The idea of a strong female scientist companion should have been developed more. Also, Pertwee was a lot kinder in his early portrayals of the Doctor - his warmth / respect toward Liz Shaw in 'Spearhead' - especially in rebelling against the Brigadier, was wonderful. His pomp and vanity in later years becomes really rather annoying - plus he shoehorned in some quite awful ideas like Venusian Aikido and the flying 'Whomobile', because he saw the Doctor as a James Bond type character.
Hmm, I don't recall her screaming that much. Not as often as other companions anyway. The only time I can remember Liz screaming off the top of my head is when she was attacked by a Silurian. I'll have to rewatch the season sometime.
@@AndrewChapman They made her a lot more vulnerable in Ambassadors of Death too. I really liked Doctor Liz Shaw - the strong scientific type with little time for military chest-beating or bureaucracy... That was the key to her and the Doctor hitting it off instantly in Spearhead. He saw someone of intellect and courage and knew he'd enjoy working with her.
@@AndrewChapman If I recall, in Inferno, Liz gives the Brigadier her reason for leaving as 'The Doctor just needs someone to pass him things and tell him ow brilliant he is'. Hence how we ended up with Jo Grant - a shrieking little mouse who made tea, needed rescuing and made big eyes at the Doctor a lot. Pertwee having had veto of any replacement for Liz Shaw that he didn't like - Katy Manning was only brought in because Pertwee didn't like the original actress intended to replace Liz Shaw - she didn't suit his egotistical need for a damsel in distress, versus a capable or even equal companion.
@@paulosborne6517 Yes, think it was mostly down to Barry Letts after he took over from Derrick Sherwin as producer.
@@paulosborne6517 Almost. That's how it's explained after the fact in _Terror of the Autons._
Remember being scared sh*tless by Dr Who as a little boy!. Remember watching episodes through gaps in my fingers over my eyes. Well I had too, because if I had bad dreams about the baddies he was fighting, I knew how to defeat them!. 🤣
One of my fav seasons the blu ray collection coming out just in time ☕️❓️✨️
Dr Who had a Smartwatch😀
Just like the original Star Trek series had flip phones😄
How we the audience longed for the Tardis to still work.
Doctor Who please notice me
When I think Doctor Who... it's Baker and Pertwee. You can see the balance of experience but child-like wonder which I think makes a good Doctor.
The one time that Pertwee got to tell off his then boss Derrick Sherwin and not lose his job.
Couldn’t help but notice Jon’s tattoo. Not a tattoo like Popeye but a cobra from his time in the Royal Navy.
Apparently he woke up with it after a drunken night lol
And to think it all started with an unconscious man found outside a police box!
Back when Doctor Who was well worth watching.
How times have changed.
It still is.
Watched this on DVD the autons were creepy,suspect the scenes at the end caused a few complaints I bet.Always wondered if Liz Shaw was an undercover Timelord sent to keep an eye on the Dr.
I just hope they cast Hugh Laurie as a doctor. Watching him house md u could say he would make a great doctor..
First
It's hilarious that an advanced alien race is trashing an English cottage.
This is next Xmas’ special edition folks. A classic 4-parter down to less than 20 minutes, now all it needs is OTT music drowning out any drama, a whole new colour scheme, new fx….They can probably cgi in actors of colour and insert some dialogue to make Liz non-binary now. You know so the kids of today will “get it”.
Stop talking utter gibberish.
Anything more scary than dummies comming to life in the shop window...in the day time?!
Listen BBC, Sean is almost a clone of Jon.
Use this.
Before it's too late.
Bring back the 'James Bond' type of doc.
Please, as someone who has been watching Doctor Who from the late 1960s I beseech you.
As great as that would be, Sean has said he will never actually do this.
EalinG BroadWaY
And UXbridGe Road
WeST London
15:01.......
After John per tweet went I never enjoyed it. Tom baker was boring . And it was downhill from there .
Said no-one with a brain ever.
So what are the black and white Movies all about with Peter Cushing
If you mean the Dalek movies with Peter Cushing, they're in colour.
different continuity. Cushing is an eccentric human scientist.
The Peter Cushing films aren't black and white.
@@AndrewChapman yeah i put one on last night after posting the comment, in colour it is, i was sure when watching on sky tv 34 years ago, black and white, i'll put it in the Mandela Effect part of my brain, thanks for your comment 🙂
@@user-qm3vm1cw8 Ah okay, it's cool.