Doctor Who: The Masters of Luxor Review

Released in 2012, The Masters of Luxor

was part of Big Finish's third series of The Lost Stories. Written by Anthony Coburn

in 1963, the fabled story was adapted by

Nigel Robinson, and featured the vocal

talents of contemporaneous TARDIS

crewmembers, Carole Ann Ford and

William Russell.

The full, and unedited scripts were first

presented in 1992, by John McElroy, the

editor of Titan Books' Doctor Who: The

Scripts. Coburn's original documents were

only uncovered when the publishers were researching his only televised serial, The

 Tribe of Gum (published in 1988).

"THE WAIT IS OVER... A dark and silent

planet. A magnificent crystal edifice,

perched on a mountainside.

A legion of dormant robots, waiting for

the signal to bring them back to life.

The Doctor and his granddaughter Susan, and their reluctant companions,

Ian and Barbara, are about to unleash forces which will threaten their very survival.

Read for the first time the complete script of this magnificent, but regret-

tably never produced Doctor Who story."

The back-cover blurb of this paperback script book previews one of the

earliest lost Doctor Who stories, and like most of the William Hartnell

episodes, each instalment had individual titles: The Cannibal Flower,

The Mockery of a Man, A Light on the Dead Planet, Tabon of Luxor,

An Infinity of Surprises, and The Flower Blooms.

The embryonic series was to open with The Giants (latterly Planet of

 Giants) by C E Webber, followed by the six-part The Masters of

Luxor (initially titled The Robots), but ultimately both of these scripts

were abandoned in favour of 100,000 BC (aka The Tribe of Gum then

An Unearthly Child) and Terry Nation's The Daleks (aka The Mutants)

respectively. The rest, they say, is history.

SYNOPSIS

The crystal-city in which the TARDIS crew become trapped is in

fact an automated prison on one of Luxor's 700 satelites, in the

Primiddion galaxy.

The decadent Luxorite society was strictly ordered (effectively

enslaved by their own robots), and anyone who revolted against

the titular Masters was exiled to the prison-moon. The Masters

deemed the women of Luxor to be inferior, and any "imperfect"

female children were killed.

The rebels were then subjected to experimentation from Lord

Tabon, one of the Scientific Masters, in his quest to create the

 'Perfect One' in man's image. So both Tabon and his creation

(shades of Frankenstein) seem to have developed a God

complex, and this religious issue is touched upon in the scripts.

The Perfect One now seeks to drain the "flesh and blood" life-

force from the time-travellers too, particularly the elusive

"women". This idea is further explored in The Savages (1966).

Tabon's One has a liquid-metal cerebrum. When this Azzintium

cortex is solidified by making One immobile, an atomic device

linked to it's brain explodes and destroys the moon.

NOTES

• this story immediately follows the events of The Tribe of Gum (Coal Hill Comprehensive, Kal and Za are all mentioned here)
• the TARDIS can "free float" (ie. be manoeuvred "like a helicopter"), has a Fault Locator (seen in The Daleks, The Edge of Destruction and Planet of Giants), holds an "emergency" energy supply, is continually referred to as "she", possesses a kind of intuitive power, and is actually solar-powered
• the moon is described as a "dead planet" (but this one is not radio- active like Skaro), and the prison is a very similar setting to the Dalek city, with it's surveillance cameras and mountain-side "back-door"
• Barbara compares the city to the carnivorous cannibal flower, sucking the TARDIS' power away
• the Doctor has a photographic memory, quotes Karl Marx, and embraces Tabon's religion
• Susan is called Sue or Suzanne throughout the original scripts
• the Doctor and Susan are not human (Ian and Barbara are "you Earth people") which ties in more with the pilot epiosde
• cliffhanger recaps are absent from the scripts, and part six would have led directly into The Edge of Destruction
• Coburn's scripts feature a hierarchy of robots: the "primitive" Mark One machines (which bow at commands, and seem incapable of speech); the more humanoid Mark Twos; the more advanced Derivitrons (one is even named, Proto); and their overall master, the human-like 'Perfect One' (programmed by Tabon)
• these automata have a remarkable parallel to those central to The Robots of Death (1977) - here, the black Dum servants are the lowest ranked robots in their caste-system (they cannot speak), the green Vocs are superior to the Dums, whilst the silver Super Vocs control all other robots - the roboticist Dask (unmasked as Taren Capel, who was raised by robots and hates mankind) has reprogrammed all of the Sandminer's automata to obey his will

The Genesis of Doctor Who

After reading Brian J Robb's Timeless

 Adventures: How Doctor Who Conquered

TV, I've concluded just how fortunate

Whovians are that our beloved show was produced at all.

In March 1962, Eric Maschwitz, assistant to Controller of Programmes, Stuart Hood,

assigned Alice Frick and Donald Bull of

the BBC Survey Group to prepare a

feasibility study into the creation of a new

science fiction series. A second report by

Frick and John Braybon recommended a time travel format.

Sci-fi buff Sydney Newman began work

as new Head of Drama for BBC TV that

December, and was soon expanding

Frick's work with Donald Wilson and

C E Webber.
But the old guard at Television Centre

were determined for 'Dr. Who' to fail -

only for it's defenders - key personnel

Verity Lambert, David Whitaker, Anthony Coburn, and Waris 

Hussein - the embryonic show would have fallen at the first hurdle.

Fast forward to the transmission of the first Dalek adventure in

December 1963 - the Corporation's powers-that-be thankfully

reacted by abandoning the show's intended thirten-week lifespan.

Only after reading the production notes on The Rescue DVD did I

learn that by August 1964, Donald Baverstock again wanted to

 revert the Doctor Who contract to just 13 weeks, and cancel the

show when all remaining stories finished in January 1965.

Only when Lambert and William Hartnell's agent dug in their

heels did Baverstock finally agree to another, twenty-six-week run,

by which time the programme's long term future was secured.

The threat of cancellation would however revisit the show in times

of crisis. As The War Games concluded the black and white era in

1969, the BBC considered a six year run to have been a good

innings and there was some internal debate about whether to axe

Doctor Who. 

The lowest point in the show's history was the 'hiatus' of 1985

when Michael Grade 'rested' the Doctor's adventures for eighteen

months, then the end finally arrived in 1989 with outright can-

cellation.

It's hard to believe that the programme could have ended after

The Dalek Invasion of Earth (just fifty-one episodes), and was

so close to becoming a footnote in TV history.

Doctor Who On This Day #118

 

1965 - The Edge of Destruction,

Episode 2 first screened on CBC

1967 - The War Machines, Episode 1

repeated and Episode 2 first screened

both on ABC
1973 - Planet of the Daleks, Episode 4

first screened on BBC1

1976 - Robot, Part 1 repeated on ABC
1977 - Writer James Anthony Coburn

died in Canterbury, aged 49

1978 - The Talons of Weng-Chiang,

Part 3 first screened on ABC

1980 - Revenge of the Cybermen, Part

4 and Terror of the Zygons, Part 1 both

repeated on ABC; and The Ribos Operation,

Part 3 first screened on TV2

1981 - Revenge of the Cybermen, Part

1 repeated on KQED Plus; and Meglos,

Part 2 first screened on TV1
1982 - The Pirate Planet, Part 3 repeated

on KQED Plus; and Castrovalva, Part 2

repeated and Part 3 first screened, both on ABC

1983 - The Sontaran Experiment, Part 2 repeated

on KQED Plus; and Arc of Infinity, Part 3 repeated

 and Part 4 first screened, both on ABC

1984 - The Hand of Fear, Part 2 repeated

on KQED Plus
1985 - The Hand of Fear Omnibus

repeated on KQED Plus

1986 - Colony in Space, Episode 3 repeated

on ABC; Arc of Infinity, Part 3 first screened

on TROS; and Timelash Omnibus first

 screened on WTTW 11

1987 - The Silurians, Episode 7 repeated

 on KQED Plus; and The Seeds of Doom,

Part 1 repeated on TV2

1988 - Robot, Part 2 first screened on TV3;

The Android Invasion, Part 3 repeated on

TV de Galicia; and Meglos, Part 3 repeated

on KQED Plus
1989 - Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Part

5 repeated on KQED Plus; and Terminus,

Part 4 first screened on TV2

1990 - 100,000 BC, Episode 4: The Firemaker repeated
on BSB; Destiny of the Daleks Omnibus repeated on
WTTW 11; The Caves of Androzani, Part 4 repeated on
KQED Plus; and Silver Nemesis, Part 1 repeated on TV2

1993 - Carnival of Monsters, Episode 3 repeated on

UK Gold; and Terminus, Part 1 repeated on ABC

1994 - Nightmare of Eden, Part 2 repeated on UK Gold

1995 - The Claws of Axos, Episode 4 repeated

on UK Gold; and Terror of the Vervoids, Part 11

repeated on VOX

1996 - Meglos Omnibus repeated on UK Gold
1997 - Robot, Part 1 repeated on UKTV (Aus)
1998 - The Daleks, Episode 3: The Escape

 repeated on Space; and The Caves of

Androzani, Part 2 repeated on UKTV (Aus)

1999 - The War Machines, Episode 1 repeated

 on Space; and Pyramids of Mars, Part 1

repeated on UKTV (Aus)

2000 - The Tomb of the Cybermen,

Episode 1 repeated on UKTV (Aus)
2001 - Horror of Fang Rock Omnibus repeated on UKTV
 (Aus); The Armageddon Factor, Part 1 first screened on
Prairie PTV; State of Decay Omnibus repeated on Iowa

PTV; Meglos Omnibus repeated on Colorado PTV;

 Mawdryn Undead, Part 2 repeated on BBC Prime; and

 Warriors of the Deep, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on MiND

2002 - Planet of the Spiders Omnibus repeated on UK
Gold; Robot, Part 3 repeated on WCNY; Genesis of the 
Daleks, Part 3 repeated on Lakeland PTV; Revenge

 of the Cybermen Omnibus repeated on MPT; The 

Brain of Morbius, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on

MiND; Horror of Fang Rock, Part 4 repeated on 
WILL; The Androids of Tara, Part 1 repeated on KUED; Meglos, 
Part 4 repeated on Twin Cities PTV; Four to Doomsday, Parts
3 and 4 both repeated on WCET; Black Orchid, Part 1 repeated 
on WQED; Arc of Infinity, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on Lake-
shore PTV; Snakedance, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on KBTC; 
Mawdryn Undead, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on NHPTV; and 
Vengeance on Varos, Parts 3 and 4 (of 4) both repeated on 
Iowa PTV

2003 - Logopolis Omnibus repeated on BBC Kids (Can)
2004 - Inferno, Episode 7 repeated on ABC; and The 
Awakening Omnibus repeated on BBC Kids (Can)
2005 - The Stones of Blood, Part 4 repeated on ABC
2006 - Tooth and Claw repeated on BBC3;

and Totally Doctor Who (1.3) repeated on

CBBC

2007 - Rose first screened on WVPB; Aliens of London 
first screened on OETA and repeated on WLIW 21;

Dalek and Doctor Who Confidential: The Daleks both

 first screened on WQLN; The Long Game first screened

 on Houston PB; The Empty Child first screened on KLCS;
Bad Wolf repeated on één; New Earth first screened on

ΣΚΑΙ and repeated on UK Gold; Evolution of the Daleks

first screened on BBC1; Doctor Who Confidential:

Making Manhattan first screened on BBC3; Doctor

Who Confidential: I Get a Sidekick Out of You

repeated on WLIW 21; and Totally Doctor Who

(2.4) repeated on BBC2 and CBBC

2008 - The Krotons, Episodes 2 and 3 both first screened
on MTV3 SciFi and TV4; Father's Day, Boom Town, Bad

Wolf and The Parting of the Ways all repeated on Syfy

 (US); Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown: Bringing Back

the Doctor repeated on UKTV (Aus); Daleks' Invasion

Earth 2150 AD screened on Syfy (Spa); and The

Commentaries, Episode 4 broadcast on Radio 7

2009 - The Time Meddler, Episodes 3 and 4 both repeated 
on MTV3 SciFi, TV2 and TV4; The Girl in the Fireplace and
Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown: From Script to Screen 
both repeated on UKTV (Aus); and The Satan Pit repeated
on BBC3

2010 - The Creature from the Pit, Episode

1 repeated and Episode 2 first broadcast on

Radio 7; The Impossible Planet repeated on

Syfy (FRG); and Love & Monsters repeated

on Syfy (Spa)
2011 - Destiny of the Daleks, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated
on MTV3 SciFi, TV2 and TV4; and Doomsday repeated on
Space

2012 - Attack of the Cybermen and Vengeance on Varos 
Omnibuses and The Two Doctors, Parts 1 and 2 (of 6) all
repeated on MTV3 SciFi and TV4; The Stolen Earth and
Doctor Who Confidential: Friends and Foe both repeated
 on BBC3; and Cold Blood first screened on DR3

2013 - The Seeds of Doom, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on
KBTC; The Robots of Death and City of Death Omnibuses
both repeated on UKTV; Army of Ghosts and Doomsday
both repeated on BBC Entertainment AP; Partners in Crime
repeated on BBC Entertainment LA; Victory of the Daleks
repeated on DR3; The Vampires of Venice first screened
on WPT Flagship; Cold Blood and Doctor Who Confidential:
What Goes on Tour both repeated on Iowa PTV; The
Almost People repeated on UKTV (NZ); Journey to the
Centre of the TARDIS first screened on BBC America,
BBC Entertainment RSA, BBC Polska, Space and ABC1;
and The Women of Doctor Who first screened and Doctor
Who Confidential Cutdown: What Dreams May Come
repeated, both on UKTV (Aus)

2014 - The Seeds of Death, Episodes 4 and 5 both first
screened on Horror; Full Circle, Part 1 and Kinda, Part 4
both repeated on Syfy (Aus); The Empty Child and The
Doctor Dances both repeated on BBC America; The 
Impossible Planet repeated on Syfy (Aus) and TV3
(Spa); The Satan Pit repeated on TV3; The Fires of 
Pompeii repeated on Really Scary TV; The Poison Sky
repeated on WPT; Amy's Choice and The Hungry Earth
both repeated on Fox (FRG); The Curse of the Black

Spot repeated on WSIU and Syfy (Port); The Doctor's

 Wife repeated on Ztélé and Syfy (Port); The Rebel Flesh 
repeated on Syfy (Port); and A Good Man Goes to War

repeated on BBC Nordic

2015 - Terror of the Zygons, Parts 3 and 4 both

repeated and Snakedance, Parts 1 and 2 both first

screened, all on Retro TV; City of Death, Part 3,

A Good Man Goes to War and Closing Time all 

repeated on Syfy (Aus); The Curse of Fenric, Parts

1 and 2 both repeated on Horror; School Reunion

repeated on TV Cultura; The Impossible Planet 

repeated on ABC2; Gridlock repeated on BBC

Entertainment AP; Turn Left repeated on KCPT2;

The Eleventh Hour, The Beast Below and Victory of

the Daleks all repeated on BBC America; Dinosaurs

on a Spaceship repeated on BBC Nordic HD, BBC

Polska HD and WGVU; and A Town Called Mercy and

The Power of Three both repeated on BBC Nordic

HD and BBC Polska HD

2016 - Planet of Fire, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on Retro
TV; The Christmas Invasion repeated on BBC Polska HD;
Daleks in Manhattan and The Doctor's Wife both repeated
on Syfy (Aus); Last of the Time Lords repeated on TV
 Cultura; Planet of the Dead repeated on ABC2; Vincent 
and the Doctor repeated on BBC Entertainment AP; The 
Pandorica Opens repeated on Syfy (LA) and Syfy (Bra); 
The Name of the Doctor repeated on Syfy (Port);

The Day of the Doctor and The Time of the Doctor

both repeated on Fox (FRG); Flatline repeated on

BBC First (ME); and Under the Lake repeated on TLC TV
2017 - The Time Warrior, Part 1 repeated on The Zone; 
The Ultimate Foe, Part 14 and Time and the Rani, Part 1 
both repeated on Retro TV; Rose, The End of the World,

 The Unquiet Dead and The Zygon Invasion all repeated

on Syfy (Aus); The Beast Below and Victory of the Daleks

both repeated on BBC Polska HD; The Time of Angels

repeated on FX (Ind); The Bells of Saint John and 

The Rings of Akhaten both repeated on Syfy (Bra); 

The Day of the Doctor and Hell Bent both repeated on 

Syfy (LA); and Smile repeated on BBC First (ME)
2018 - Nightmare of Eden, Parts 2 to 4 and The Horns of
 Nimon, Part 1 all repeated on Retro TV; The Almost People
and A Good Man Goes to War both repeated on Star World 
Premiere; Time Heist, The Caretaker, Kill the Moon, Mummy
on the Orient Express and Flatline all repeated on Sony SciFi;
Before the Flood repeated on BBC Entertainment EU; Smile
repeated on Syfy (Aus); and Extremis repeated on BBC
Polska HD
2019 - The Robots of Death, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated

on KBTC and Omnibus repeated on WSRE; The Sun Makers

Omnibus repeated on MPTV; The Pirate Planet, Parts 1 and 2

both repeated on Retro TV; The Creature from the Pit, Part 4

repeated on KPTS; The Visitation Omnibus repeated on Iowa

PTV; The King's Demons Omnibus repeated on Idaho PTV; 
The Family of Blood, Blink, Utopia, The Sound of Drums, Last 
of the Time Lords and Partners in Crime all repeated on W;
In the Forest of the Night and Dark Water both repeated on 
One ARD; The Pilot repeated on BBC Entertainment EU; and 
World Enough and Time and The Doctor Falls both repeated
on BBC Polska HD

2020 - The Mutants, Episode 6 and The Time Monster,

Episode 1 both repeated on Retro TV; The Lodger and

 The Pandorica Opens both repeated on One ARD; and

World Enough and Time repeated on Syfy (Fra)

2021 - The Sun Makers, Parts 3 and

4 both repeated on Retro TV; The Girl

Who Waited repeated on ABC2; and

Deep Breath repeated on BBC America

2022 - The Mysterious Planet, Parts 3

and 4 and Mindwarp, Parts 1 and 2 all

repeated on Retro TV; The Sontaran

Stratagem repeated on Fox SciFi;

Turn Left and The Eleventh Hour both

repeated on Syfy (Fra); The Impossible

Astronaut repeated on BBC Polska HD;

The God Complex repeated on BBC First

Turkey; and Survivors of the Flux repeated

on BBC America

2023 - The Zygon Inversion repeated

on ABC2; and The Tsuranga Conundrum

and Demons of the Punjab both repeated

on Fox SciFi

2024 - The Seeds of Doom, Parts

1 and 2 both repeated on KBTC

2025 - The Wedding of River Song

repeated on ABC Entertains

2026 - The Daemons, Episodes

1 and 2 both repeated on Retro TV