Doctor Who and the Giant Robot


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Doctor Who and the Giant RobotDoctor Who and the Giant Robot
Doctor Who and the Giant RobotDoctor Who and the Giant Robot


BOOK DETAILS

Pages 124
ISBN 0-426-10858-2
Publication Date 13 March 1975

SYNOPSIS

1975 Target Books edition

`Look, Brigadier! It’s growing!’ screamed Sarah.

The Brigadier stared in amazement as the Robot began to grow … and grow … swelling to the size of a giant!

Slowly the metal colossus, casting its enormous shadow upon the surrounding trees and buildings, began to stride towards the Brigadier. A giant metal hand reached down to grasp him … Can DOCTOR WHO defeat the evil forces controlling the Robot before they execute their plans to blackmail – or destroy – the world?

The first adventure of DOCTOR WHO’s 4th increditedible incarnation!

1992 Target Books edition

‘BRIGADIER! IT’S GROWING!’ SCREAMED SARAH.

Still weakened by this third regeneration, The Doctor, along with Sarah, the Brigadier, and Harry Sullivan, faces the threats made by a group of dissident scientists, including the icy Miss Winters, to enslave the world – or perhaps to destroy the planet entirely.

Written by Terrance Dicks and broadcast in 1974, this story was first published under the title The Giant Robot. It was the first television story ever to feature the Fourth Doctor, as played by Tom Baker – regarded by many as the definitive Doctor. Robot also introduced Harry Sullivan to the TARDIS crew.

NOTES


CHAPTER TITLES

  1. Killer in the Night
  2. Something More than Human
  3. Trouble at Thinktank
  4. Robot!
  5. The Killer Strikes Again
  6. Trapped by the Robot
  7. The World in Danger
  8. In the Hands of the Enemy
  9. The Battle at the Bunker
  10. The Countdown Begins
  11. The Kidnapping of Sarah
  12. The Giant Terror

DEVIATIONS FROM THE TELEVISED STORY

  • When the Third Doctor regenerates, he is described as writhing and twisting in agony.
  • The Fourth Doctor spends several days in sick bay, rather than a few minutes.
  • In the televised story, Harry drives Bessie towards the Robot so The Doctor can pour the metal virus on it. In the novelisation, he drives the Brigadier’s Land Rover to do it instead.
  • The novelisation effectively omits the first scene, although parts of it are used as flashback when the Brigadier visits The Doctor’s laboratory, opening with the K1’s first robbery.
  • Jellicoe and Chambers’ first names are not mentioned. Short is not named at all, but does replace Jellicoe letting Kettlewell into the meeting.
  • Conversely, Kettlewell’s first name is given as Jeremiah, expanding on the televised version giving his first initial as J.
  • Benton is referred to as a sergeant several times before he tells Sarah about his promotion; on television, he wears his new rank insignia and is referred to as “Mr. Benton” throughout.
  • Jellicoe is said to be Thinktank’s Public Relations officer rather than Hilda Winters’ assistant.
  • Jellicoe tries to talk Miss Winters out of letting the SRS members attack Sarah.
  • The K1’s pursuit of the Doctor at Kettlewell’s house goes on longer.
  • The Thinktank gate guard lets Sarah into the building rather than her sneaking in.
  • Sarah passes out after her first encounter with the Robot.
  • Harry is knocked out by an anonymous security guard rather than Jellicoe and Phillips (the latter does not appear at all in the novelisation).
  • UNIT raid the Thinktank and find it deserted before going to the bunker.
  • The K1 places Sarah on the roof of the bunker rather than a ro oftop.
  • There is a sequence of RAF jet fighters unsuccessfully attacking the giant K1.
  • At one point, The Doctor addresses Harry as “my boy”, a phrase not normally associated with his fourth incarnation.
  • The K1 hides himself and Sarah in a secret compartment at the bunker, where Sarah helps herself to the supplies.
  • There is a brief battle between UNIT and the Thinktank troops when they storm the bunker.

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