In television and radio programming , a serial is a show that has a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode-by-episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the complete run of the series, and sometimes spinoffs, which distinguishes them from episodic television that relies on more stand-alone episodes. Worldwide, the soap opera is the most prominent form of serial dramatic programming . In the UK the first serials were direct adaptations of well known literary works , usually consisting of a small number of episodes.
76-595: The Sensorites is the seventh serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who . Written by Peter R. Newman and directed by Mervyn Pinfield and Frank Cox , the serial was first broadcast on BBC1 in six weekly parts from 20 June to 1 August 1964. In the serial, the First Doctor ( William Hartnell ), his granddaughter Susan Foreman ( Carole Ann Ford ), and her teachers Ian Chesterton ( William Russell ) and Barbara Wright ( Jacqueline Hill ) visit
152-531: A demand on episodes to be run in order, without which story arcs stretching over many episodes may be difficult for new viewers to delve into. Desperate Housewives also falls into the category while each season involves a new mystery that spans an entire season (and on one occasion, half the season) while planting hints throughout the episodes until the climax in the finale. To a lesser extent, series such as House and Fringe may also feature ongoing story arcs, but episodes are more self-encapsulated and so
228-405: A different story, though the concept is also nothing new. In the 1960s, ABC aired the first real breakthrough nighttime serial, Peyton Place , inspired by the novel and theatrical film of the same name. After its cancellation, the format went somewhat dormant until Norman Lear produced Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman in 1976. In 1977, ABC created another comedy soap (aptly called Soap ). Although
304-1225: A disadvantage at major awards shows such as the Primetime Emmy Awards . Such shows generally have to submit an atypical self-contained episode in order to gain recognition. Despite this, since 2000, every winner of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series has been a Serial Drama: The West Wing (2000–2003), The Sopranos (2004, 2007), Lost (2005), 24 (2006), Mad Men (2008–2011), Homeland (2012), Breaking Bad (2013–2014), Game of Thrones (2015–2016, 2018–2019), The Handmaid's Tale (2017), Succession (2020, 2022), and The Crown (2021). In terms of DVD sales, however, strongly serialized shows often perform better than shows which are strongly procedural. 24 (Season 6 ), Lost (Season 4 ), Heroes (Season 2 ), True Blood and even ratings minnow Battlestar Galactica (Season 4.0 ) sell significantly more units than hit procedurals such as CSI (Season 6 ), NCIS (Season 3, Season 5 ), CSI: Miami (Season 4, Season 5 ) and Criminal Minds (Season 2, Season 3 ). Serialized shows tend to develop
380-547: A junkyard, where they hear her voice coming from what appears to be a police box . During a confrontation with her grandfather, the Doctor ( William Hartnell ), Barbara rushes in to the police box, only to discover that its exterior hides the much larger interior of the TARDIS . After the Doctor reveals to Barbara and Ian that he and Susan are aliens exiled from their own planet, he tells them he cannot risk their revealing information about
456-507: A major reduction in serialized storytelling. To highlight the situation, in the 2006–2007 season, no fewer than five high-concept serials were introduced, including Jericho , Kidnapped , Vanished , The Nine , and Drive , all of which experienced fairly quick cancellation due to low ratings. In 2010 and 2011, more high-profile, high-cost serials failed to achieve success, including V , The Event , and FlashForward . Some reviewers have also noted that serialized dramas are at
532-485: A more dedicated fanbase interested in exploring the show online as well as becoming customers of additional merchandising. Barbara Wright (Doctor Who) Barbara Wright is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and a companion of the First Doctor . She was one of the programme's first regulars and appeared in the bulk of its first two seasons from 1963 to 1965, played by Jacqueline Hill . Prior to Hill being cast
608-512: A more serial structure, and now there are a much wider range of shows in serial form. The serial began with the advent of movie serials of the early 20th century. With the emergence of television and subsequent decline of the movie-going audience, production of movie serials ceased due to the decreasing revenues. But the serial lived on, moving instead to the small screen and the world of Broadcast syndication television reruns . The television serial format as known today originated in radio, in
684-477: A negative effect on ratings by making entry more difficult for new viewers as well as confusing fans who have missed an episode. Networks see them as riskier than dramas that focus on a self-contained story of the week. Tom O'Neil of the Los Angeles Times notes: "They're chancy because these shows are hard to join midway through." As of 2012 CBS has not aired a serial drama in many years, in part because of
760-548: A particularly popular format for children's serials on the radio. Guiding Light and such other daytime television program serials such as Search for Tomorrow , Love of Life , The Secret Storm , As the World Turns , The Edge of Night , The Doctors , Another World , Dark Shadows , One Life to Live , and All My Children were popular in the Golden and Silver Ages of television and still are today. Aside from
836-533: A planet known as the Sense-Sphere to find the cure to a disease afflicting the alien race the Sensorites. Newman's story for the serial was inspired by 1950s films set during World War II , exploring the notion of soldiers who continued to fight after the war . Pinfield was chosen to direct the first four episodes due to his directing style, while Cox directed the final two episodes. Designer Raymond Cusick avoided
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#1732852542068912-526: A radio or television production with a continuously evolving, unified plot and set of characters, spread over multiple episodes. In the United States, daytime soap operas have long had a serial structure. Television mini-series also commonly come in a serial form. Starting in the mid-1970s, series with soap opera-like stories began to be aired in prime time (e.g. Dallas , Dynasty ). In the 1990s, shows like The X-Files and The Sopranos began to use
988-510: A serial subplot . Shorter serial programs known as telenovelas (and earlier, radionovelas ), originating and often produced in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking Latin America , have become popular worldwide. The term "serial" refers to the intrinsic property of a series – namely its order . In literature, the term is used as a noun to refer to a format (within a genre ) by which
1064-673: A series composed of mostly standalone episodes. According to Todd A. Kessler , the second season of Damages will be less serialized in order to render the show more accessible to new viewers. Tim Kring , creator of Heroes , has also suggested that his show may move away from serialized storytelling: "I think the show needs to move towards [standalone episodes] in order to survive." Networks also discourage complex story arcs because they are less successful in reruns, and because standalone episodes can be rerun without concern for order. Entertainment Weekly and Chicago Tribune have expressed concern that declining ratings may lead to
1140-436: A show if they have missed some episodes. Cheers co-creator Les Charles regrets helping to make serialization common: "[W]e may have been partly responsible for what's going on now, where if you miss the first episode or two, you are lost. You have to wait until you can get the whole thing on DVD and catch up with it. If that blood is on our hands, I feel kind of badly about it. It can be very frustrating." Another problem
1216-436: A story is told in contiguous (typically chronological ) installments in sequential issues of a single periodical publication. More generally, "serial" is applied in library and information science to materials "in any medium issued under the same title in a succession of discrete parts, usually numbered (or dated) and appearing at regular or irregular intervals with no predetermined conclusion." The term has been used for
1292-405: A total of 15,762 episodes air on CBS. Some of the characters in soap operas have been portrayed as long-suffering (a common theme even in some of today's serials along with the social and economical issues of the day). Children's adventure serials were more like film serials , with continuing characters involved in exploits with episodes that often ended in a cliffhanger situation; Westerns were
1368-457: A week on WENR in Chicago during the early 1930s was credited as the "great-granddaddy of the soap operas" by radio historian Francis Chase, Jr. One of the other shows that helped pioneer the daytime soap opera/serial was The Guiding Light , which debuted on NBC radio in 1937, and then switched to CBS Television in 1952. The Guiding Light 's final episode aired on September 18, 2009, having
1444-717: Is one of Dr. Who 's granddaughters and the girlfriend of Ian Chesterton . Barbara does not appear in Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (1966) being replaced by Louise , Dr. Who's niece, with no mention as to her fate. The character also appears in the Dell comic strip adaptation of the film and the short story The House on Oldark Moor by Justin Richards . In Dr. Who and the House on Oldark Moor , Barbara met an ancient Roman legion in 64 A.D., and travelled to Oldark Moor and met Count Tarkin. Barbara
1520-671: Is revealed that he was actually poisoned by drinking water from the aqueduct. The Doctor finds the aqueduct and creates a cure for Ian. The plotting Sensorites capture and then impersonate a Sensorite leader, the Second Elder ( Bartlett Mullins ). Meanwhile, investigating the aqueduct, the Doctor finds strange noises and darkness. He sees and removes deadly nightshade , the cause of the poisoning, but while returning meets an unseen monster. Susan and Ian find him unconscious but unharmed. On recovering, he tells of his suspicion that some Sensorites are plotting to kill them. The plotting Sensorites kill
1596-610: Is sold off as a slave and ends up as a servant in Nero 's palace; due to his interest in her, Nero's wife Poppaea tries to poison her. Barbara and Ian leave in The Chase (1965). After the Daleks who have been pursuing the TARDIS have been destroyed, Barbara suggests to Ian they use the abandoned Dalek time machine to get home. The Doctor is furious and tries to persuade them to stay with him by suggesting
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#17328525420681672-476: Is that many fans prefer to record these shows and binge watch the whole season in one session. These viewers are not included in TV ratings as they are much less likely to watch commercials than live viewers. The move away from live viewing and toward DVR or internet-streaming services has hurt many shows' prospects because there are fewer or no commercials and they may be fast-forwarded or out-of-date. Concerned about
1748-496: The Eleventh Doctor investigates strange psychic metal and finds Ian and Barbara inside, who believe they are teaching several classes for a wide range of students. In the following issues the two help the Doctor investigate a conspiracy that stretches through the years they knew 'their' Doctor and beyond. At the end, Ian and Barbara are married. In the film Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965), Barbara (portrayed by Jennie Linden )
1824-501: The French Revolution , where Barbara and Susan are captured and nearly guillotined . In the second season opener, Planet of Giants (1964), the TARDIS crew are miniaturised and Barbara becomes infected by a deadly insecticide. Barbara sees the departure of Susan and aids in the rescue of the abandoned orphan Vicki ( Maureen O'Brien ), who takes Susan's place on the TARDIS. In the subsequent adventure, The Romans , Barbara
1900-523: The 1960s. This non-aging rumour however, has been seemingly contradicted by an elderly Ian Chesterton ’s appearance in the 2022 episode story, The Power of the Doctor In the 2016 spin off Class , the refurbished Coal Hill Academy contains a building called "The Barbara Wright Building". Since 1994, the character has appeared in several Doctor Who novels from Virgin Publishing and BBC Books . In
1976-450: The 21st century in the United States. In the 1990s, American serial dramas included Twin Peaks , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Babylon 5 . The trend continued in the 2000s with 24 . Cable networks also produced serial dramas such as The Sopranos , Battlestar Galactica , Dexter , The Wire , Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul . Series such as Buffy
2052-516: The BBC Archives in 1978. Retrospective reviews of the serial were positive. In The Discontinuity Guide (1995), Paul Cornell , Martin Day , and Keith Topping wrote that "it veers from sinister to unintentionally hilarious, with everyone fluffing their lines". In The Television Companion (1998), David J. Howe and Stephen James Walker enjoyed the set-up of the first two episodes and the escalation of
2128-532: The BBC Books novel, The Face of the Enemy by David A. McIntee (1998), the story of Ian and Barbara, now married to each other, is picked up in the early 1970s. In this book, they have a young son named John. Barbara also appears in several Big Finish Productions audio dramas, which are narrated by surviving cast members Carole Ann Ford or William Russell. Actress Jemma Powell , who played Jacqueline Hill and Barbara in
2204-534: The BBC North region for their respective weeks. The final episode aired on 1 August to 6.9 million viewers. The Appreciation Index was an average of 58 for the six episodes, ranging from 56 to 60. Episodes 3–5 were erased by the BBC on 17 August 1967, while the remaining three were erased on 31 January 1969. BBC Enterprises retained negatives of the original 16 mm film with soundtracks made in 1967; these were returned to
2280-505: The Commander; Cox envisioned the Commander akin to Ben Gunn , a character from Robert Louis Stevenson 's Treasure Island , and cast Bailey after seeing him in the play Pygmalion in April 1962. The other human survivors were played by Martyn Huntley and Giles Phibbs, friends from drama school who knew the director's secretary and were scheduled an interview. Designer Raymond Cusick avoided
2356-402: The Doctor and Ian. The leader discovers the plotters a little while later. Ian and the Doctor discover that the monsters were actually the survivors of the previous Earth mission, and they had been poisoning the Sensorites. Their deranged Commander ( John Bailey ) leads them to the surface, where they are arrested by the Sensorites. The Doctor and his party return to the city, pleading clemency for
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2432-420: The Second Elder and one of them replaces him in his position. John tells the others that he knows the lead plotter, but he is now too powerful, so the Doctor and Ian go down to the aqueduct to find the poisoners. Elsewhere, a mysterious assailant abducts Carol; Susan, John, and Barbara Wright ( Jacqueline Hill ) eventually find and release her. On discovering the tampered tools, they go into the aqueduct to rescue
2508-411: The Sensorites to return the TARDIS' lock in exchange for visiting the Sense-Sphere to speak with the leader; Ian Chesterton ( William Russell ), Susan, Carol, and John join him. On their journey to Sense-Sphere, the party learns that the previous visitors from Earth exploited Sense-Sphere for its wealth; half of them stole the spacecraft, which exploded on take-off. The Sensorite Council is divided over
2584-419: The Sensorites, refuse to let them leave orbit. The Sensorites visit and stop the travellers from leaving while sending them on a collision course, which the First Doctor ( William Hartnell ) diverts. The travellers then meet Carol's fiancé John, whose mind has been broken by the Sensorites. Susan Foreman 's ( Carole Ann Ford ) telepathic mind is flooded with the many voices of the Sensorites who remain scared of
2660-399: The TARDIS to their contemporary world, and dematerialises the craft against Susan's protests. At this point in the series the Doctor had no control over where or when it would land, making a return to London in 1963 impossible to co-ordinate. They are transported back in time to 100,000 BCE Earth, where they are captured by a prehistoric tribe seeking the secret of fire. Once they escape back to
2736-462: The TARDIS, their second trip takes them to the planet Skaro , where they encounter the Daleks for the first time. At the end of the first episode of that serial, Barbara becomes separated from her fellow travellers and is threatened by an unseen creature with a metal arm, marking the first appearance of a Dalek. In the subsequent story, The Edge of Destruction , tensions between the TARDIS crew reach
2812-505: The Vampire Slayer , Veronica Mars , Homicide: Life on the Street , The Good Wife , The X-Files and Damages fall somewhere between, featuring self-encapsulated plots that are resolved by the end of each episode, but also having overarching plots that span multiple episodes. The more serialized its storytelling, the less likely a show is to fare well in repeats. The format places
2888-438: The advent of DVRs, television networks shunned serials in prime time as they made broadcast programming reruns more difficult and television producers shunned them because they were tougher to go into broadcast syndication years down the road. Serials contrast with episodic television, with plots relying on a more independent stand-alone format. Procedural drama television programs are commonly episodic, sometimes including
2964-637: The course of history, and tries to persuade the Aztecs to abandon human sacrifice , so that by the time Hernán Cortés – who overthrew the Aztec empire – lands he will find a glorious civilisation. The Doctor warns Barbara that she cannot rewrite history, but his protests fall on deaf ears. Barbara fails and, although she has influenced some Aztecs, history remains on course. Angry at Ian, the Doctor tries to take him and Barbara home, but in The Reign of Terror they end up in
3040-487: The creatures' beards to allow the actors to speak. The Sensorites' feet were created by stretching out pieces of circular card at the end of the costume, making it difficult for the actors to walk. The hand tools used by the creatures were designed by Shawcraft Models. Model filming for The Sensorites took place in May 1964 at Ealing Studios . Rehearsals for the first episode took place from 25 to 28 March, and weekly recording for
3116-537: The docudrama An Adventure in Space and Time , also voiced the character in Big Finish audio dramas. In the novelisation of The Daleks , Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks by David Whitaker , Barbara and Susan have just been in a car accident when they first meet Ian. After entering the TARDIS, the remainder of the story largely follows the events of The Daleks . In issue #456 of Doctor Who Magazine ,
The Sensorites - Misplaced Pages Continue
3192-512: The first Doctor Who serial, An Unearthly Child (1963), where she is teaching history at Coal Hill School in London in 1963, working with science teacher Ian Chesterton ( William Russell ). They are curious about their student Susan Foreman ( Carole Ann Ford ), who shows an unusually advanced knowledge of science and history, but a rudimentary knowledge of other subjects. In an attempt to learn more about Susan, Barbara and Ian follow her home to
3268-443: The first two episodes and features some great set design and lighting", and commended the "shades of gray" used for the Sensorites' design, instead of the black and white creatures such as the Daleks . Nick Setchfield of SFX felt that the story was "ambitious" and the slow pace "actually works in episode one's favour", though the Sensorites' "chill-factor" was gone after the first episode. DVD Talk 's John Sinnott considered
3344-459: The form of children's adventure shows and daily 15-minute programs known as soap operas (so-called because many of these shows were sponsored by soap companies, such as Colgate-Palmolive and Procter & Gamble ). Soap operas were specifically engineered to appeal to women (with the intention of increasing sale of soap). They usually ran from Monday through Friday at the same time every day. A show called The Smith Family which ran only one night
3420-493: The full nature of the story hidden and revealing elements episode by episode, to encourage spectators to tune in to every episode to follow the plot. Often these shows employ recapping segments at the beginning and cliffhangers at the end of each episode. The invention of recording devices such as VCRs and DVRs along with the growing popularity of streaming services has made following this type of show easier, which has resulted in increased success and popularity. Prior to
3496-439: The humans and are trying to communicate with her. Meanwhile, the Doctor calculates that the Sensorites attacked the human craft because John ( Stephen Dartnell ), a mineralogist, had discovered a vast supply of molybdenum on Sense-Sphere. Susan reports that the Sensorites wish to make contact with travellers, asking the crew to board Sense-Sphere and reveal that a previous Earth expedition caused them great misery. The Doctor asks
3572-413: The issue of inviting the party to Sense-Sphere: some members plot to kill them on arrival, but others believe that the humans can help with the disease that is currently killing many Sensorites. When their first plot is foiled by other Sensorites, they continue to plot in secret. John's mind is eventually unblocked. Ian contracts the disease that has blighted the Sensorites, and told that he will soon die; it
3648-430: The journey might kill them, but the two teachers had made up their minds. After an emotional farewell to the Doctor and Vicki, Barbara and Ian are returned to London, albeit two years after their disappearance. Back on the TARDIS, the Doctor uses the time-space visualiser to check they have returned safely, and tells Vicki how much he will miss them. Following her departure in The Chase , Barbara has been name-checked in
3724-405: The last of the 1980s nighttime soaps ended during the first years of the following decade, then a second wave came with series like Beverly Hills, 90210 , Melrose Place , Models, Inc. , Savannah and Central Park West . But as the 1990s came to a close, the primetime soap as an official format gradually faded away, where it largely seems to remain as of the middle of the first decade of
3800-780: The latter included several special features, including audio commentary and a documentary about Newman. The original television soundtracks were released by BBC Audio in July 2008, with Russell providing linking narration and an interview; this was later packaged as part of The TV Episodes: Collection Six box set in September 2013, featuring original camera scripts. Action figures of Sensorites were created by Fine Art Castins in 1985, Harlequin Miniatures in 1999–2000, and Eaglemoss in December 2015. Serial (radio and television) Serials rely on keeping
3876-402: The part had originally been offered to actress Penelope Lee, who turned the role down. Barbara appeared in 16 stories (74 episodes). In the film version of one of the serials, Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965), Barbara was played by actress Jennie Linden , but with a very different personality and backstory, which includes her being a granddaughter of " Dr Who ". Barbara Wright first appears in
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#17328525420683952-417: The point of overt conflict when he accuses them of trying to sabotage the TARDIS in an attempt to return to 1963. Barbara remains level-headed and logical, allowing the Doctor to trace the source of the distress to telepathic influences from the TARDIS (which is trying to warn them of a major failure). Seeing that Barbara has been hurt by his accusations, the Doctor apologises and begins to realise he can rely on
4028-489: The poisoners. The leader of the Sensorites agrees and sends them back with Maitland, John, and Carol to Earth for treatment. Peter R. Newman developed the concept for The Sensorites in January 1964 and was officially commissioned to write the serial on 25 February by script editor David Whitaker . Newman's story was inspired by 1950s films set during World War II , exploring the notion of soldiers who continued to fight after
4104-594: The re-imagined Battlestar Galactica , showrunner Ronald D. Moore was also pressured to make episodes more stand-alone. This move resulted in negative criticism from both fans and critics, and Moore revealed in the Season 3 finale podcast that the network finally accepted that standalone episodes simply do not work for the story he is trying to tell. Moore has also stated that the network was reluctant to greenlight Caprica mainly because story-arc-heavy series notoriously have difficulty in picking up new viewers, as compared to
4180-625: The real world and killed the Scriptwriter by staking him through the heart. In a review of Meglos (1980), in which Hill was cast as the villain, Radio Times 's Mark Braxton wrote that Barbara "will always be one of the great companions", speculating that her "magnificently haughty turn" as Yetaxa in The Aztecs was why she was cast in Meglos . Gavin Fuller of The Daily Telegraph named Barbara
4256-599: The serial began on 29 March at the BBC Television Centre in Studio 3. To achieve the effect of the spaceship rolling on its axis, the camera was rocked erratically. The third and sixth episodes were recorded at Lime Grove Studios in Studio D and the fifth in Studio G, while the fourth was recorded at the Television Centre in Studio 4. Jacqueline Hill was absent from the recording of the fourth and fifth episodes as she
4332-605: The serial was included as part of Doctor Who: 30 Years at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in July 1993, Doctor Who at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop Volume 1: The Early Years 1963–1969 in May 2000, and The 50th Anniversary Collection in November 2014. A restored version of the serial was released on VHS in November 2002 as part of The First Doctor Box Set , and separately on DVD in January 2012;
4408-475: The series fall into a more conventional drama category. Fringe has experimented with "myth-alones", a hybrid that attempts to advance the story arc in a self-contained episode. In addition, it has been noted that the use of cliffhangers is still prevalent in adventure shows; however, they are now typically used just before a commercial break and the viewer need only wait a few minutes to see its resolution. In addition, many series have also made extensive use of
4484-453: The series on four subsequent occasions. She was mentioned by Vicki in episode one of The Time Meddler ; by the first Doctor in episode four of The Massacre , by his third incarnation on Spiradon in episode one of Planet of the Daleks and again by the seventh Doctor, who intoned her name amongst a list of former companions to ward off the haemovore attack in The Curse of Fenric . Barbara
4560-442: The show goes on, by its nature, it might find itself becoming a little more serialized." Early in their runs, shows such as Lost , Buffy , Angel , Dollhouse and Torchwood put greater emphasis on the "story-of-the-week", but over time story arcs begin to dominate. In contrast, Alias became more focused on standalone stories in later seasons, because of pressures by network executives. Complex story arcs may have
4636-763: The show was controversial for its time (with a homosexual character among its cast roster), it was (and still is today) a cult classic. The success of Dallas popularized serial storylines on prime-time television. Its end-of-season cliffhangers , such as " Who shot J. R.? " and "Bobby in the Shower?", influenced other shows like Dynasty (ABC's answer to Dallas ), Knots Landing , Falcon Crest , The Colbys , Flamingo Road , Hotel , The Yellow Rose , Bare Essence , and Berrenger's . There were some serial shows such as Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere that did not officially fit into this category, but were nonetheless ratings hits season after season. While
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#17328525420684712-407: The social issues, the style and presentation of these shows have changed. Whereas in the 1950s and 1960s the drama was underscored with traditional organ music, and in the 1970s and the 1980s a full orchestra provided the score, the daytime dramas of today use cutting-edged synth-driven music (in a way, music for soaps has come full-circle, from the keyboard to the keyboard). The nighttime serials are
4788-485: The story "well constructed" with impressive set design and an expanded role for Susan, but felt that there was "nothing special" about the serial. A novelisation of this serial, written by Nigel Robinson was published as a hardback in February 1987 by Target Books ; the paperback was released in May 1987. An audiobook reading of the novelisation, narrated by William Russell, was published by AudioGO in May 2012. Music from
4864-498: The story demands it of them". In 2008, Mark Braxton of Radio Times described the Sensorites as "a triumph of realisation, in their appearance ... and in their hierarchy, culture and customs" but felt they were developed to the detriment of the humans; Braxton praised the performance of Dartnell, Hartnell and Ford, noting the serial's importance to the relationship between the Doctor and Susan. In 2012, IGN 's Arnold T. Blumburg wrote that "the story builds some nice suspense in
4940-769: The success of its non-serial procedurals . Marketing for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022) emphasized its episodes being standalone, which cast and crew described as being similar to Star Trek: The Original Series . Scott Collins of the Los Angeles Times stated that "serialized storytelling ... though popular with hard-core fans and many critics, requires more dedication from viewers and has almost certainly tamped down ratings for many shows". He quoted an ad executive who states that close-ended story lines "[make] it easier for new viewers to tune in and figure out what's going on". According to Dick Wolf , serialized elements also make it more difficult for viewers to return to
5016-458: The third episode was provisionally scheduled to run two hours late on 4 July, due to extended coverage of the Wimbledon tennis championships and Ashes Test match , it was replaced by Juke Box Jury and postponed to the following week, receiving 7.4 million viewers. The fourth and fifth episodes dropped to 5.5 and 6.9 million viewers, respectively, but were nonetheless the highest-rated BBC show in
5092-429: The threat, though noted that it contained a "classic piece of sixties sexism" in the traditional roles of Susan and Barbara; they praised the "bravura performance" of Dartnell, and felt that the characters of Maitland and Carol are "well defined". In A Critical History of Doctor Who (1999), John Kenneth Muir considered the Sensorites justified in their hatred of humans, appreciating that they "are not merely evil because
5168-433: The toll on ratings of complex story arcs, networks sometimes ask showrunners to reduce serialization. Network executives believe that standalone episodes serve as a better jumping on point for new viewers, although this may result in a conflict with regular watchers who tend to prefer more focus on story arcs. Alias began as a more serialized show but later became more stand-alone under network pressure. During season 3 of
5244-400: The traditional end-of-episode cliffhanger format. This is most common in season finales which often end in a cliffhanger that would only be resolved in the next season's premiere. Over the course of its run, a show may change its focus. Matt Cherniss, executive vice president of programming at Fox says: "Sometimes early on, being a little more episodic allows more people into the room. And as
5320-432: The two teachers, sealing a friendship which lasts until their eventual departure from the TARDIS. Although mutually respectful and increasingly affectionate, the relationship between the Doctor and Barbara is often tested by their opposing viewpoints. In The Aztecs , Barbara is mistaken for the reincarnation of a high priest, Yetaxa, after they find her in possession of his bracelet. Barbara seizes this opportunity to change
5396-707: The use of right angles in his set designs, recalling Antoni Gaudí 's work on the Sagrada Família . The serial premiered with 7.9 million viewers but failed to maintain these figures due to the holiday sports season. Retrospective response for the serial was generally positive, and it later received several print adaptations and home media releases. The TARDIS crew land on a spaceship, where they meet crew members Captain Maitland (Lorne Cossette) and Carol Richmond ( Ilona Rodgers ), who are on an exploration mission from Earth and are orbiting Sense-Sphere. However, its inhabitants,
5472-605: The use of straight lines and right angles in his sets for the Sense Sphere, in deliberate contrast to the "alien" buildings of other stories. He recalled the work of architect Antoni Gaudí , who designed the Sagrada Família without using right angles. Cusick designed the spaceships sets to resemble the 1940s Dakota military aircraft. The Sensorite masks, created by costume designer Daphne Dare and make-up artist Jill Summers, were designed for short actors; Dare designed them to look like wise old men. Mouth flaps were concealed beneath
5548-479: The war . Mervyn Pinfield was chosen to direct the first four episodes, as it was felt that he could evoke great visual atmosphere despite a small budget, while Frank Cox directed the final two episodes. Stephen Dartnell, who had previously appeared in The Keys of Marinus , was chosen to portray John, while Ilona Rodgers played his fiancée Carol. Canadian actor Lorne Cossette played Maitland, and John Bailey portrayed
5624-507: Was absent during two of Dr. Who and Susan's subsequent adventures, as was Ian, with Susan believing that she eventually stopped seeing, though she had not actually gotten over him. In Doctor Who 3 - The Third Motion Picture , partway through the Scriptwriter's typing the script of the third Dr. Who film which would have featured Barbara rekindling her relationship with an increasingly, literally clownish Ian, Susan realised that she and all her family were fictional constructs; she reached out into
5700-687: Was also mentioned in episode one of the 1993 Children In Need charity special Dimensions In Time and again in Death of the Doctor , a two part story in the fourth series of The Sarah Jane Adventures transmitted in October 2010. After meeting Jo Grant and the Eleventh Doctor , Sarah Jane Smith reveals that she has researched the lives of some of the Doctor's Earth-bound companions and discovered that Ian and Barbara have married each other, become professors, live in Cambridge and are rumoured to have not aged since
5776-415: Was on holiday. A final insert shot of the spaceship was recorded at Lime Grove Studio D on 10 July 1964 by Henric Hirsch, director of the following episode . The first episode was broadcast on BBC1 on 20 June 1964 and was watched by 7.9 million viewers. The second episode aired 25 minutes late on 27 June due to an overrun of the previous programme Summer Grandstand , achieving 6.9 million viewers. While
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