GGG. The Claws Of Axos
Season Eight - 1971
Synopsis
An alien craft is detected by U.N.I.T. as it lands on Earth. The U.N.I.T. team, along with Hardiman and Winser from the nearby Nuton complex, go to the site and welcome the gold skinned humanoid visitors. The aliens, Axons, say that their craft is damaged at that they wish to use power from the complex to repair it. In return they offer Axonite; a substance that, amongst other things, can cause animals to grow to large size bringing about an end to famine.
The Doctor is naturally suspicious, but Government officials allow the transfer of Axonite all around the globe. The Doctor discovers that the Master has been helping the Axons and that the Axons, the craft and Axonite are all part of the same parasitic form, with a plan to feed on the energy of the Earth.
The Doctor tricks the Axons into believing he was helping them, and he manages to trap the Axon craft in a never-ending time-loop, but he may have allowed the Master to escape.
Regular Cast
- Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart: Nicholas Courtney
- Sergeant Benton: John Levene
- Jo Grant: Katy Manning
- Captain Yates: Richard Franklin
Guest Cast
- Horatio Chinn: Peter Bathurst
- Bill Filer: Paul Grist
- Sir George Hardiman: Donald Hewlett
- Axon Man: Bernard Holley
- Doctor Winser: David Saville (1-2)
- First Radar Operator: Michael Wisher (1-2)
- Second Radar Operator: David G. March (1-2)
- Axon Woman: Patricia Gordino (1-2)
- Corporal Bell: Fernanda Marlowe (1)
- Pigbin Josh: Derek Ware (1)
- Axon Boy: John Hicks (1)
- Axon Girl: Debbie Lee London (1)
- Captain Harker: Tim Piggot-Smith (2-3)
- The Minister: Kenneth Benda (3)
- The Master: Roger Delgado
- Technician: Royston Farrell (4)
- Voice of Axos: Bernard Holley
- Nuton Driver: Nick Hobbs
- Civil Servants: George Howse (3), Pierce McAvoy (3)
- Secretary: Gloria Walker (3)
- Fake Filer: Derek Ware (3)
- Aged Jo: Mildred Brown (3)
- Double for Axon Man: Nick Hobbs
- Double for Axon Woman: Sue Crossland
- Double for Hardiman: Jack Cooper
- Axon Monsters: Marc Boyle, Eden Fox, Peter Holmes, Clinton Morris, Stuart Myers, Douglas Rae, Clive Roger, Steve Smart
- Humanoid Axons: Steve King, Roger Minnie, Geoff Rightly
- Laboratory Technicians: Bill Barnsley, Victor Croxford, Peter Holmes, Paul Phillips
- UNIT Soldiers: Roy Brent, Bill Hughes, Pierce McAvoy, Douglas Rae, Clive Roger, Michael Stainer
- Regular Army Soldiers: George Howse, Pierce McAvoy, Steve Smart
- Stuntment: Bob Blaine, Jack Cooper, Steve Emmerson, Stuart Fell, Brian Gilmore, Reg Harding, Emmet Hennessey, Brian Justice, Derek Martin
Original broadcast on the BBC
| Channel | Title | Date | Viewers | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC 1 | 289. Episode One |
|
7.3M | |
| BBC 1 | 290. Episode Two |
|
8.0M | |
| BBC 1 | 291. Episode Three |
|
6.4M | |
| BBC 1 | 292. Episode Four |
|
7.8M |
Studios
- Television Centre Studio 3
- Television Centre Studio 4
Outside Locations
- Dungeness Beach, Kent
- Dungeness Power Station, Kent
Bloopers
Part 3: Katy Manning's knickers make a guest appearance when the Doctor drags Jo away from the claws imprisoning her on the floor, in the Axon ship, while Axos is convulsing. Her dress flies up at the back, showing her knickers briefly (the PAL version of this scene is converted back from NTSC so is, unfortunately, poor quality).
Part 4: In one scene Chromakey blue is visible through the windows in a jeep with nothing superimposed.
Watch out for the very wobbly brick wall in the scene where the Brigadier and company are running into the lab just as the Doctor is accelerating the Axonite.
Notes
The writer credit and episode number are brought up over a different pattern during the title sequence (actually the rushing diamond pattern that is used for the end credits)
Episodes Two and Three only survive as film prints and NTSC recordings.