main index Narrative
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 We deal with the odd... the unexplained. Anything on Earth... or beyond. The TARDIS materialises (in colour, no less!) and a tall, white-haired man steps out and collapses.UNIT troops arrive and find the man, taking him off to hospital, where he explains to the incredulous Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart that he is the Doctor, with a new face and body. As unlikely as this seems, an employee of the local plastic factory is also claiming that he's seen a walking mannequin. And there's a meteorite shower on.The new Doctor discovers that the meteorites are in fact hollow globes containing the Nestene Consciousness, another disembodied alien intelligence (see "The Abominable Snowmen"), which uses plastics to achieve its ends. In one classic scene, shop dummies come to life, smashing through the shop windows and firing guns concealed in their hands, spreading panic - but the Nestene Consciousness's real plan is to create plastic replicas of world leaders and take over the Earth.The Doctor and UNIT scientist Liz Shaw manage to repel the Consciousness back into space and the Doctor agrees to sign on as UNIT's "Scientific Advisor" for the duration of his exile, signing the paperwork as Dr. John Smith. In exchange UNIT will give him technical facilities to try and repair the TARDIS (which has been deactivated by the Time Lords), and the use of a vintage car which he had earlier appropriated from the hospital.Spearhead from Space not only introduces a new Doctor and companion (Liz Shaw) but also marks the start of a new phase of Doctor Who. Budgetary restraints now meant that the setting would be "contemporary Earth" for the forseeable future, with the Doctor's "exile" being a case of Real Life Writes the Plot. It's also the only classic series story to be shot entirely on film. And the only story in colour, and the first story without the Doctor/male/female format.Watch it here— The Brigadier sets out UNIT's mission statement  Tropes
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