Half a century ago today , Doctor Who introduced us to the Silurians , an ancient race of reptile who had lived on Earth long before the dawn of human civilization awoke them from their surreptitious slumber . An icon of ‘ 70s Doctor Who , their debut escapade is still one of the Third Doctor ’s ok outing — but it ’s also home to a scene that still shocks to this very mean solar day .
Although it was 50 years ago today that time of year seven’sseven - part epic“Doctor Who and the Silurians ” ( or merely “ The Silurians ” ) first began , the disgraceful mo does n’t take place until the coming of its sixth part , first circulate on March 7 , 1970 . After discovering the being of the Silurians beneath the Earth , reawoken by an data-based nuclear power research facility in the English moorland , the Doctor tries to encourage peaceful negotiation between the angry Silurians and the fearful humans over who actually has the right hand to live on major planet Earth . Tensions fray and the stakes escalate to dreadful effect .
https://gizmodo.com/old-school-doctor-who-episodes-that-everyone-should-wat-5939314
Masters succumbs to the Silurian plague.Image: BBC
A younger Silurian usurps the dominion of his commander and infects the industrial plant ’s protection foreman , Baker , with an ancient , lethal computer virus . The resulting pandemic means the Doctor , his companion Liz , and UNIT must race against the clock to prevent the last of humanity . It lead to this horrifying moment at theend of part six , where , as the Doctor and Liz work hard on a curative , it seems as if they ’ve operate out of metre . The nuclear industrial plant ’s lasting Under - Secretary , Masters ( Geoffrey Palmer , who returned to Doctor Who concisely in the Tenth Doctor Christmas Special , “ Voyage of the Damned ” ) , flees to London to avoid being quarantined after contract the virus — setting off a frightful and sudden eruption .
Yes , with the hindsight of 50 long time , the second might seem a little quaint to advanced eyes . Even a small clique , with all these extras hammily smooshing their plague - mottled face against myriad surface as they collapse to the ground . But there is also a brutal simpleness to the view that feels grounded .
The immediacy of the pest ’s essence might be the most science - fictional element of the moment , but it ’s a moment of consummate , nauseating holy terror that does n’t necessitate a patented Doctor Who monster onset to make it scary . It ’s starkly existent — the soundscape full of increasingly alarmed call for people to maintain quarantine , yawl ambulance siren . Shots of the Doctor , the Brigadier , and Liz racing against the tick clock slicing in and out as we see , in malice of our wedge ’ best efforts , that they ’re already campaign a lose conflict : bodies are dropping to the floor , the Silurians ’ computer virus is spreading , and life are being lose .
The most scary death of them all however , is saved for last , as Masters finally succumbs to the disease he ’s brought to London . The soundtrack fades off to give us only the ambient haphazardness of Masters himself , delirious , struggling to ascend a tract as frightened civilians reckon on . The cuts to and from his own point of view in what are his last , labored moments only amplify the sense of delirium , before the camera only stops to mill about as Masters sink drained against the rail .
https://gizmodo.com/greatest-doctor-who-cliffhangers-of-all-time-5625151
We remember Doctor Who ’s fright as those iconic “ behind - the - sofa ” moments — pepperpot aliens and rubber - suited monsters that talk to fantastic , heightened fears , the charm in the fictionality of it all . “ Doctor Who and the Silurians ” or else pass on us a brat that felt primal , in the raw , and so very credible , without a individual monster or alien in lot . It ’s a present moment that still feels real today , as anxieties over thecornavirus outbreak swirlabout in our head andin our mass medium , as it did 50 years ago .
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