Doctor Who: Galaxy 4 Review

 

SYNOPSIS

The TARDIS lands on an arid and seemingly deserted planet, but

the travellers soon discover two crashed spaceships. The crews are

physically diametrical - the humanoid Drahvins are beautiful, whilst

the reptilian Rills are ugly. But appearances can be deceptive - the

Drahvins are mindless female clones controlled by the cruel and

xenophobic matriarch, Maaga (played by Stephanie Bidmead),

whereas the Rills are friendly and intelligent explorers.

Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor learns that instead of the supposed

 "fourteen dawns" the planet has only one day of life left - the

stranded aliens must escape. The Doctor uses his Ship's power to

jump-start the Rill spacecraft, and they now leave the Drahvins to 

their fate - they perish when the planet explodes.

BACKGROUND

Penned by former English teacher, William Emms (1930-1993),

the central premise of Galaxy 4 is simple: never judge a book by

 it's cover. In his draft scripts (which still featured Ian and Barbara),

the Drahvin 'baddies' were male, but producer Verity Lambert

changed the race into women, which reinforced the message that

beauty is only skin-deep. In 2004, feminist writer, Kate Orman

commented on the genre cliche of 'Amazonian' women: "[female]

soldiers and astronauts were such an exotic idea in 1965 that they

warranted a sci-fi rationale" (DWM Special Editon #7).

The writer creates two interesting alien cultures here. Women

were the dominant gender in the militaristic, almost Aryan, Drahvin

society, which consisted of two castes: the governing Elite, (bred

in the usual manner) which produced their limited science; and the

artificially created 'Warrior' or slave class (not necessarily a cloned

race like the Sontarans), described by Maaga as "inferior products".

A small male population was cultivated purely for reproduction, and

servitude, the rest were culled. Their homeworld of Drahva was in

Galaxy Four, and was "400 dawns" from the unidentified, dying

planet seen here.

The technologically advanced and pacifistic Rills are telepathic, can

live hundreds of years, and breathe ammonia. They are large, scaly,

monstrous creatures, and possess six human-like hands, but cannot

speak vocally. They could communicate via their "blind" robots,

christened 'Chumblies' by Vicki.

• this four-part adventure originally aired in September and October 1965 - it achieved average ratings of 9.9M
• the working title was The Chumblies
• Derek Martinus replaced Mervyn Pinfield as director
• part three, Airlock (the only surviving instalment) was returned to the BBC archives in September 2011 - its discovery was announced at the BFI that December
• the missing episodes were animated, and the completed story was released on DVD in November 2021
• Emms novelised his scripts for Target in 1985
• a script book (correctly titled Galaxy 4) was published by Titan in 1994
• Peter Purves (Steven Taylor) provided linking narration on the CD soundtrack, issued in 2000 and 2010
• the cast included Robert Cartland (Rill Voices) who was Malpha in the next story, Mission to the Unknown; Bill Lodge (Rills) made uncredited appearances in The Silurians and The Daemons; and Chumblie operator Tommy Reynolds was the Troll Doll in Terror of the Autons
• Emms' rejected serial, The Imps (commissioned in July 1966), was eventually reworked into the Mission to Venus book in 1986 - he also submitted The Harvesters (aka The Vampire Planet) in 1969, The Zeldan, and The SCI (both circa 1983)
• the Drahvins were even referenced in The Pandorica Opens

Doctor Who On This Day #29

 

1930 - Writer William Emms born in

Britain

1965 - 100,000 BC, Episodes 2 and

3 both repeated on ABC; and The Edge

of Destruction Omnibus repeated on TV1

1966 - The Daleks' Master Plan, Episode

 12: Destruction of Time first screened on

BBC1

1970 - The Web of Fear, Episode 3, The Ice

Warriors, Episode 5 and Fury from the Deep,

Episode 2 all repeated on ABC

1972 - The Curse of Peladon, Episode

1 first screened on BBC1

1975 - Planet of the Daleks, Episode

6 repeated on ABC

1977 - The Robots of Death, Part

1 first screened on BBC1

1982 - The Seeds of Doom, Part

2 repeated on KQED Plus 

1983 - The Power of Kroll, Part 4

repeated on KQED Plus

1985 - Warriors of the Deep, Part

2 repeated on KQED Plus

1986 - The Mind Robber, Episode 1 repeated

on ABC; and The Invasion of Time, Part 4

repeated on KQED Plus

1987 - The Space Museum, Episode 4:

The Final Phase repeated on KQED Plus

1988 - Image of the Fendahl, Part

3 repeated on KQED Plus

1989 - Mawdryn Undead Omnibus

 repeated on KQED Plus

1990 - Paradise Towers, Part 1

first screened on TV2

1991 - The Deadly Assassin, Part 

2 repeated on KQED Plus

1992 - The Greatest Show in the Galaxy,

Part 2 repeated on KQED Plus

1993 - The Seeds of Death, Episode 5 repeated 

on UK Gold; and Genesis of the Daleks, Part 4

repeated on BBC2

1994 - Planet of Evil Omnibus

repeated on KQED Plus

1995 - Remembrance of the Daleks Omnibus

repeated on UK Gold; and Daleks' Invasion

Earth 2150 AD screened on Channel 4

1996 - Mindwarp Omnibus repeated

on KQED Plus

1997 - Colony in Space, Episode 4

repeated on UKTV (Aus)

1998 - The War Machines, Episode 2 first

screened on Space; and Four to Doomsday,

Part 1 repeated on UKTV (Aus)

1999 - The War Machines, Episode

2 repeated on Space

2000 - The Daleks Omnibus repeated on UKTV

(Aus); The Mind Robber, Episode 4 repeated on

Space; Planet of the Spiders, Parts 4 to 6 all

repeated on Iowa PTV; The Masque of Mandragora,

Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on BBC America and

Omnibus repeated on Colorado PTV; The Face of

Evil, Part 2 first screened on Prairie PTV; and

Nightmare of Eden, Part 3 repeated on BBC Prime

2001 - The Keys of Marinus Omnibus repeated

on KQED Plus; Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Part 5

repeated on Prime; Genesis of the Daleks, Parts

5 and 6 both repeated on BBC America; and The 

Android Invasion, Part 1 repeated on UKTV (Aus)

2002 - The Deadly Assassin, Part

3 repeated on BBC Kids (Can)

2003 - Revenge of the Cybermen, Parts

3 and 4 both repeated on BBC Kids (Can)

2004 - The War Machines, Episode 2 repeated 

on ABC; and The Face of Evil, Parts 1 and 2

both repeated on BBC Kids (Can)

2005 - The Seeds of Doom Omnibus

repeated on UK Gold

2006 - Mindwarp Omnibus and Bad

Wolf both repeated on UK Gold

2007 - World War Three repeated on People+

Arts; The Long Game repeated on Prime; and

New Earth first screened on Yes Action

2008 - The Impossible Planet repeated on NHK

BS3; Army of Ghosts repeated on UKTV (Aus);

and Blink and Utopia both first screened on

France 4

2009 - The Two Doctors, Part 4 (of 6)

first screened on MTV3 SciFi and TV4 

2010 - The End of the World repeated on Syfy (Spa);

Father's Day repeated on HRT2; The Doctor Dances 

repeated on Syfy (FRG); Boom Town repeated on Syfy

 (Rus); The Impossible Planet repeated on BBC3; Blink

repeated on Prime; and Planet of the Dead repeated

 on BBC HD

2011 - The Idiot's Lantern and Gridlock both

repeated on AXN SciFi; Planet of the Dead

repeated on UKTV (Aus); and The Hungry

Earth repeated on Syfy (Spa)

2012 - The Ambassadors of Death, Episodes 2 and 3 both repeated 

on KBTC; Terror of the Vervoids, Parts 11 and 12, The Ultimate Foe 

and Time and the Rani Omnibuses all repeated on MTV3 SciFi and 

TV4; Cold Blood and Doctor Who Confidential: What Goes On Tour 

both repeated on MPTV;The Lodger and The Pandorica Opens both 

repeated on Fox (FRG); and A Good Man Goes to War first screened 

on KBS2

2013 - The Age of Steel repeated on UKTV

 (NZ); Utopia repeated on BBC America; and

Smith and Jones repeated on Watch

2014 - The Seeds of Doom, Parts 1 and 2 and Terminus, Parts 3 

and 4 all repeated on Syfy (Aus); Doomsday repeated on TV3

 (Spa); The Shakespeare Code repeated on France 4; Gridlock 

repeated on BBC Entertainment LA and France 4; Utopia, 

The Sound of Drums, Last of the Time Lords and Voyage 

of the Damned all repeated on BBC America; The Fires of

Pompeii and Turn Left both repeated on Syfy (Port); Flesh

and Stone repeated on Watch; The Big Bang and The Doctor,

the Widow and the Wardrobe both repeated on DR3; The 

Impossible Astronaut repeated on UKTV (Aus); and The

Bells of Saint John and The Rings of Akhaten both repeated 

on BBC Entertainment LA HD

2015 - Planet of the Spiders, Parts 4 and 5 both repeated on

Horror; The Talons of Weng-Chiang, Parts 3 and 4 both first

screened on Retro TV and Part 2 repeated on Syfy (Aus);

Rose repeated on KCPT2; The Doctor Dances and Doctor

Who Confidential: Weird Science both repeated on UNC-MX;

The Girl in the Fireplace repeated on Syfy (Aus); The Doctor's

 Daughter and The Unicorn and the Wasp both repeated

on BBC America; Asylum of the Daleks repeated on Watch;

The Snowmen repeated on BBC Entertainment AP; and

The Crimson Horror repeated on UKTV (NZ)

2016 - Frontier in Space, Episodes 4 to 6 all repeated on UNC-

MX; The Ribos Operation, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on Retro

TV; The Caves of Androzani, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated on

Horror; Rose repeated on France 4; The Satan Pit repeated

on Watch; The Runaway Bride and Smith and Jones both

repeated on EBRU; The 
Shakespeare Code, Gridlock, A Christmas Carol, The Impossible 
Astronaut, Day of the Moon, The Curse of the Black Spot and The 
Doctor's Wife  all repeated on BBC America; The Beast Below and 
Vincent and the Doctor both repeated on BBC Polska HD; The God 
Complex, A Town Called Mercy, The Power of Three, The Angels 
Take Manhattan and The Snowmen all repeated on Syfy (Aus); 
The Bells of Saint John repeated on TV Cultura and Syfy (Aus); 
Deep Breath repeated on KLRU; Listen repeated on BBC

Entertainment AP; In the Forest of the Night repeated on

KUAC; Death in Heaven repeated on FX (Ind); and Before

the Flood first screened on RAI4

2017 - The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Episodes 5 and 6 both 
repeated on KBTC; The Rescue, Episode 2: Desperate Measures 
repeated on Retro TV; The Romans, Episode 1 repeated on Retro 
TV and Omnibus repeated on The Zone; The Time Meddler, 
Episode 1: The Watcher repeated on The Zone; Death to the 
Daleks Omnibus repeated on MPTV; Robot Omnibus repeated 
on WYCC; Revenge of the Cybermen, Part 4 repeated on KRWG;
The Masque of Mandragora Omnibus repeated on WVPB; The 
Invisible Enemy, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on KPTS; The 
Sun Makers Omnibus repeated on WILL; Image of the Fendahl
Omnibus repeated on WXXI; The Ribos Operation Omnibus
repeated on Iowa PTV; The Armageddon Factor Omnibus
repeated on KERA; Destiny of the Daleks Omnibus repeated
on WFWA; The Leisure Hive Omnibus repeated on Idaho PTV;
Full Circle Omnibus repeated on WSRE; The Unquiet Dead,
Aliens of London, World War Three and Dalek all repeated on
 FX (Ind); Voyage of the Damned and The Vampires of Venice 
both repeated on Syfy (Aus); The Poison Sky and The Doctor's 
Daughter both repeated on W; Let's Kill Hitler repeated on TLC 
TV; Nightmare in Silver and The Name of the Doctor both 
repeated on Fox (FRG); Kill the Moon repeated on KLRU;

Under the Lake and Before the Flood both repeated on BBC

Entertainment EU; The Return of Doctor Mysterio repeated 

on Prime; and Behind the Lens: The Day of the Doctor

repeated on BBC Polska HD
2018 - Snakedance Omnibus repeated on PBS North; The Two
Doctors, Part 2 repeated on WETA-UK; The Happiness Patrol,
Part 3 repeated on Jones! too;  The Impossible Planet and The
Satan Pit both repeated on RAI4; Smith and Jones repeated on 
Star World Premiere; The Doctor's Daughter repeated on BBC 
America, ABC and ABC ME; The Unicorn and the Wasp and 
Silence in the Library both repeated on BBC America; The 
Hungry Earth, Cold Blood and The Husbands of River Song all
repeated on Syfy (LA); The Girl Who Waited repeated on BBC

 Polska HD; Closing Time repeated on Syfy (Aus); and In the 

Forest of the Night and Dark Water both repeated on Syfy (Bra)

2019 - Paradise Towers, Part 4 and Delta and the Bannermen,

Part  1 both repeated on Retro TV; The Almost People repeated

on BBC Polska HD; Thin Ice repeated on BBC First (ME) and

Syfy (Aus); and Knock Knock repeated on BBC First (ME)

2020 - The Romans, Episodes 2 and 3 both

repeated on Retro TV; The Doctor's Wife

repeated on Syfy (Fra); and The Eaters of

Light repeated on Star World Premiere

2021 - The Ambassadors of Death, Episode

7 and Inferno, Episodes 1 to 3 all repeated

on Retro TV; The Idiot's Lantern repeated on

ABC2; Flesh and Stone and The Vampires of

Venice both repeated on Syfy (Fra); and

The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe

repeated on BBC Polska HD

2022 - The War Games, Episode 5

repeated on ONS; The Invasion of

Time, Parts 3 to 6 and Mawdryn

Undead, Parts 1 and 2 all repeated

on Retro TV; The Eleventh Hour, The

Beast Below, Victory of the Daleks,

The Time of Angels, Flesh and Stone,

The Vampires of Venice and Amy's

Choice all repeated on Fox SciFi; The

Girl Who Waited repeated on W; and

Extremis, The Pyramid at the End of

the World and The Lie of the Land all

repeated on BBC Entertainment EU

2024 - World Enough and Time

repeated on Fox SciFi

2025 - Planet of the Dead and The

Waters of Mars both repeated on

ABC Family; and Eve of the Daleks

repeated on ABC Entertains