History Recap / DoctorWhoS6E2TheMindRobber

'''Production code:''' UU

This five-episode serial first aired from September 14 to October 12, 1968.

Episode One was written (uncredited) by Creator/DerrickSherwin[[note]]He could not be credited as he was the script editor, and BBC rules at the time prevented script editors from writing for their own shows. This remains the only ''Doctor Who'' episode in history to have no credited writer; other stories written by script editors have used pseudonyms in the credits.[[/note]] while the remaining four episodes were written by Peter Ling.

* WritersCannotDoMaths: After hearing that a man wrote 5,000 words a week for 25 years, Zoe exclaims "but that's over half a million words." Technically, it is though, by 6 million. [[ZigZaggedTrope Although,]] to be fair, Zoe ''did'' say "'''[[ExactWords over]]''' half a million".

JustForFun/{{The|OneWith}} [[BizarroEpisode weird one]]. With a [[TemporarySubstitute knock-off version of Jamie.]]

The Doctor discovers that they are in the Land of Fiction, a realm of a different dimension presided over by The Master of the Land (not ''that'' Master, thankfully): an English writer from the 1920s who has been yanked out of his own time and is being controlled by the Master Brain computer. The Master wants the Doctor to take his place and the two enter a battle of wills using fictional characters.

-> ''We obey our creator, that is all that can be expected of any character, unless the Master bids us otherwise.''

The weird one. With a [[TemporarySubstitute knock-off version of Jamie.]]

* OffModel: This being the Land of Fiction, an in-Universe example isn't ''that'' unusual. Jamie's face is wiped off when he tries to attack a redcoat, and the Doctor tries to reconstruct it from memory and a convenient set of identikit strips. He doesn't do a very good job.

* CoolVsAwesome : How else to describe Theatre/CyranoDeBergerac vs [[Literature/TheThreeMusketeers D'artagnan]], with suitably epic music? And then Cyrano becomes UsefulNotes/BlackBeard and D'artagnan, [[Myth/KingArthur Lancelot]]!

Episode One was written (uncredited) by Creator/DerrickSherwin[[note]]He could not be credited as he was the script editor, and BBC rules at the time prevented script editors from writing for their own shows. This remanis the only ''Doctor Who'' episode in history to have no credited writer; other stories written by script editors have used pseudonyms in the credits.[[/note]] while the remaining four episodes were written by Peter Ling.

Episode One was written (uncredited) by Creator/DerrickSherwin, while the remaining four episodes were written by Peter Ling.

Episode One was written (uncredited) by Creator/DerrickSherwin, while the remaining four episodes were written by Peter Ling. This five-episode serial first aired from September 14 to October 12, 1968.

This is the only serial to use episodes of 20 minutes rather than the usual 25; it was made at the end of the fifth season's production block, and the show had been in production for 46 consecutive weeks, and the scripts were edited down out of sympathy for an exhausted Creator/PatrickTroughton. (Episode 5 has the distinction of being the shortest ''Doctor Who'' episode ever, running to exactly 18 minutes.) The first episode is also notable as having been hastily added when the previous serial was reduced from six episodes to five at the last minute; it has no credited writer, as it was written by script editor Creator/DerrickSherwin (a practice frowned upon by the BBC) using a minimal cast and sets and recycled costumes.

* TheNthDoctor: A highly unusual example for ''Doctor Who'' (well, unusual by modern standards) in that it doesn't involve any Time Lords at all. Instead, the character who changes appearance is ''Jamie'', whose face is wiped off and improperly reconstructed from memory by the Doctor.

* TrappedInAnotherWorld

* {{Corpsing}}: At one point the Doctor and Zoe are attempting to get through a door. Watch Zoe as the Doctor hides her under his cloak and you can just about tell that Creator/WendyPadbury is laughing underneath it.
** This was because Creator/PatrickTroughton had, [[{{Troll}} maybe accidentally or maybe not]], stuck his fingers up her nose.

* ExtradimensionalEmergencyExit: The events of the episode are kicked off by the TARDIS being stuck in the path of an erupting volcano and unable to dematerialise due to a fault in the fluid link. Out of desperation the Doctor activates the emergency unit which sends them flying "out of the time-space dimension, out of reality" and into a Blank White Void. Unfortunately, coming back proves more difficult than expected - given that said void leads into the Land of Fiction.

* RapunzelHair: Attached to Rapunzel herself, of course.

* TheNthDoctor[=/=]RealLifeWritesThePlot: Creator/FrazerHines took ill, and Hamish Wilson filled in. Since they don't look alike, Jamie lost his face and the Doctor reconstructed it wrong. It doesn't feel at all out of place in this particular story.

Written by Peter Ling. This five-episode serial first aired from September 14 to October 12, 1968.

Written by Peter Ling. This serial first aired September 14-October 12, 1968.

This is the only serial to use episodes of 20 minutes rather than the usual 25; it was made at the end of the fifth season's production block, and the show had been in production for 46 consecutive weeks, and the scripts were edited down out of sympathy for an exhausted Creator/PatrickTroughton. (Episode 5 has the distinction of being the shortest ''Doctor Who'' episode ever, running to exactly 18 minutes.) The first episode is also notable as having been hastily added when the previous serial was reduced from six episodes to five at the last minute; it has no credited writer, as it was devised on-set by the director, prop department and actors.

* WackyWaysideTribe: The first episode takes place in a white void containing aggressive robots. As soon as the characters escape, these robots have no bearing on the plot of the rest of the serial.

* TakeAThirdOption: The Master tries to trap the Doctor by forcing him into a situation where he either looks at the Medusa and turns to stone, or uses a sword to slay it. He instead has a EurekaMoment and pulls out a mirror, showing the monster it’s own reflection.

* FingerlessGloves: The Master wears them.

* TrailOfBreadCrumbs: The ball of thread version, [[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E7TheSpaceMuseum again]]. This time the circumstances are much closer to the version of Myth/ClassicalMythology, what with the [[OurMinotaursAreDifferent Minotaur]] and all...

* ALoadOfBull: The Minotaur.

* TrailOfBreadCrumbs: The ball of thread version, [[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E7TheSpaceMuseum again]]. This time the circumstances are much closer to the version of Myth/ClassicalMythology, what with the [[ALoadOfBull Minotaur]] and all...

* MinimalistCast: When an episode was cut from the previous story and this was expanded from four to five episodes, its first episode had this. There was no budget (even by ''Doctor Who''[='=]s notoriously low standards) for additional cast, props, costumes or even sets. The only resources available was the standing TARDIS control room set, the 3 leads, the robots that would appear later on in the story and a large empty stage painted white. Surprisingly it worked.

This is the only serial to use episodes of 20 minutes rather than the usual 25; it was made at the end of the fifth season's production block, and the show had been in production for 46 consecutive weeks, and the scripts were edited down out of sympathy for an exhausted Patrick Troughton. (Episode 5 has the distinction of being the shortest ''Doctor Who'' episode ever, running to exactly 18 minutes.) The first episode is also notable as having been hastily added when the previous serial was reduced from 6 episodes to 5 at the last minute; it has no credited writer, as it was devised on-set by the director, prop department and actors.