"Doctor Who"
The Brain of Morbius: Part 3 (1976)

Director:

Christopher Barry

Writer:

Robert Holmes (written by)
(more)

TV Series:

"Doctor Who" (1963)

Original Air Date:

17 January 1976 (Season 13, Episode 19)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Famous Opening Theme | Space Hero | Man With No Name | Extraterrestrial | Scientist Hero

Cast

Tom Baker	...	The Doctor
Elisabeth Sladen	...	Sarah Jane Smith
Colin Fay	...	Condo
Cynthia Grenville	...	Maren
Gilly Brown	...	Ohica
Sue Bishop	...	Sister
Janie Kells	...	Sister
Gabrielle Mowbray	...	Sister
Veronica Ridge	...	Sister
Michael Spice	...	Morbius (voice)
Stuart Fell	...	Morbius
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Philip Madoc	...	Mehendri Solon

Directed by
Christopher Barry

Writing credits
Terrance Dicks		uncredited
Robert Holmes		written by

Produced by
Philip Hinchcliffe	....	producer

Production Design by
Barry Newbery

Sound Department
Dick Mills	....	special sound

Writing credits
Sydney Newman		(creator) uncredited

Produced by
Peter Bryant	....	associate producer (1966)

Film Editing by
John Dunstan
Glenn Hyde
Ian McKendrick
Dan Rae
Sheila S. Tomlinson

Production Design by
John Asbridge
Jeremy Bear
David Buckingham
Roger Cann
Roger Cheveley
Bob Cove		(1970s)
Nigel Curzon
Don Giles
Victor Meredith
Geoff Powell
Anne Ridley
Stephen Scott
Rochelle Selwyn
Michael Trevor

Costume Design by
James Acheson		(1973-1976)
Nicholas Bullen
Richard Croft
Anushia Nieradzik
Dee Robson

Makeup Department
Dorka Nieradzik	....	makeup designer (1982, 1984-1988)

Art Department
Peter Brachaki	....	production designer: TARDIS interior

Sound Department
John Tellick	....	sound

Special Effects by
Mat Irvine	....	special effects (1970s-1980s)
Ian Scoones	....	special effects (1960s-1980s)
Ron Thornton	....	special effects (1980s)
Bernard Wilkie	....	special effects (1960s-1970s)

Visual Effects by
Mitch Mitchell	....	special video effects (1960's-1970's) (as A. J. Mitchell)
Oliver Elmes	....	title sequence designer (1987-1989) (uncredited)
Bernard Lodge	....	title sequence designer (1963-1979) (uncredited 1963-1969)
Sid Sutton	....	title sequence designer (1980-1986) (uncredited)

Stunts
Alan Chuntz	....	stunts (1960's-1970's)
Peter Diamond	....	stunts (1960s)
Max Faulkner	....	stunts (1960's-1970's)
Stuart Fell	....	stunts (1970s-1980s)
Alf Joint	....	stunts (1960s-1980s)
Derek Martin	....	stunts (1960s-1970s)
Roy Scammell	....	stunts (1960s-1980s)
Lee Sheward	....	stunt coordinator
Terry Walsh	....	stunts (1960s-1970s)
Derek Ware	....	stunts (1960s-1970s)

Camera and Electrical Department
Stewart A. Farnell	....	camera operator (1 episode)
Peter Hamilton	....	camera operator (12 episodes)
Alan Jonas	....	camera operator (6 episodes)
Reg Poulter	....	senior camera operator
Robert Sleigh	....	camera operator (pilot episode)
Ken Westbury	....	camera operator (4 episodes)

Music Department
Mark Ayres	....	composer: incidental music (1988-1989)
Carey Blyton	....	composer: incidental music (1970-1973)
Paddy Kingsland	....	composer: incidental music (1980-1985)
Keff McCulloch	....	composer: incidental music (1987-1989)
Humphrey Searle	....	composer: incidental music (1965)
Dudley Simpson	....	composer: incidental music (1964-1980)

Other crew
Christopher Baker	....	production assistant
Ali Bongo	....	magic advisor
Terry Brett	....	technical manager
Kenneth J. Bussanmas	....	creative consultant (1979-1985)
Patricia Greenland	....	production assistant
Jeremy Hare	....	assistant floor manager (three episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

"I, Morbius, who once led the High Council of the Time Lords, reduced to this - to the condition where I envy a vegetable." Great story.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius: Part 3 starts as the disembodied brain of Morbius is sure the Doctor (Tom Baker) has been sent by the Timelords to find out where he his so he can be destroyed, the brain of Morbius forces Solon (Philip Madoc) to go ahead with the operation & put his brain in an artificial brain case which will then be attached to the stitched together body created by Solon from various alien body parts. Solon forces Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) to assist him in the delicate operation after he had to shoot Condo (Colin Fay), Solon is called away as Sarah regains her sight but behind her the monster created by Solon gets up & approaches her...

Episode 19 from season 13 this Doctor Who adventure originally aired here in the UK during January 1976, directed by Christopher Barry this is a great story during my personal favourite era of the show. The script by Terrence Dicks & Robert Holmes under the Robin Bland pseudonym has borrowed heavily from Frankenstein & none more so than in this episode, brains in jars, mad scientists performing operations, stitched together creatures & a dim assistant are all used with a sci-fi slant to great effect here. Solon is a good villain while the Morbius creature is one of the better & scarier monsters from the show, the character's are good as is the dialogue for a change although I'm still not sure about the mystic Sisterhood & I'd be willing to bet the scenes featuring them were the ones most heavily edited in the early 80's video & laser-disc releases because they aren't really necessary & the elixir of life sub plot isn't really needed although having said that it's fine as it is.

I'm not sure about Sarah's blindness here, I was impressed that the makers were brave enough to blind a companion but just stretching your arms out in front of yourself isn't an accurate representation of what it's like to be blind! I would have liked her to be placed in real peril & considering she's on an alien planet she gets used to be blind very quickly! I just wish this angle had been used more effectively. The costumes & make-up for the mystic Sisterhood are actually rather good & don't look as silly as a lot of Doctor Who alien costumes while the Morbius creature makes for a great monster. This episode also sees Solon shoot Condo with a huge bloody bullet hole appearing in his stomach, this is the only occasion I can remember in the entire series of someone graphically getting shot complete with gory bullet wound.

The Brain of Morbius: Part 3 is another great episode from a great story from a great series, it's as simple & straight forward as that.