Terror of the Vervoids

] [cite web
url= http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/7c-1.html
title= Terror of the Vervoids
publisher = A Brief History of Time Travel
last = Sullivan
first = Shannon
date = 2007-08-07
accessdate = 2008-08-30]

Preproduction

This story segment of "Trial" was originally supposed to be written by Peter J. Hammond, creator of the cult science fiction series "Sapphire & Steel". Hammond's story outline, titled "Paradise Five", was liked by script editor Eric Saward but disliked by producer John Nathan-Turner, who rejected it and commissioned Pip and Jane Baker to do the segment instead.Brief | id=7c-1 | title=Terror of the Vervoids] Hammond later wrote two episodes of the "Doctor Who" spin-off drama, "Torchwood".

Designed as a typical Agatha Christie murder mystery set on a space liner, the actual structure of the story (and its bubbly tone) are reminiscent of the series during Douglas Adams' tenure as script editor, during season seventeen. In the first episode, Professor Lasky is briefly seen reading a copy of Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express".

Production

The Vervoids bear a strong resemblance to the Flatwoods monster, a common template for alien creatures.Fact|date=July 2008

Post-production

This serial marked the last time the BBC Radiophonic Workshop provided a music score for the series.

As no individual title was used onscreen or on the final scripts for this story, there has been some confusion over how to refer to the story. It was initially commissioned with the title of "The Ultimate Foe". However this title was later given to the novelisation of the 13th and 14th parts of the season. Writers Pip and Jane Baker repeatedly referred to the story as "The Vervoids" in subsequent interviews, as have other production team members, but this title does not appear to exist on any contemporary documentation. When Target Books published Pip and Jane Baker's novelisation, it was under the title of "Terror of the Vervoids", which is now generally used to refer to the story (see "The Ultimate Foe" and Doctor Who story title controversy).

Commercial releases

* In October 1993, this story was released on VHS as part of the three-tape "The Trial of a Time Lord" set.
* It is also due for DVD release on 29 September 2008 [Cite web|url=http://www.gallifreyone.com/news.php#newsitemEkpFVukpZkILCFwsyy|publisher=Outpsot Gallifrey|title=Doctor Who News Page|date=2008-02-20|accessdate=2008-02-21] , similarly packaged with the other stories in The Trial of a Time Lord season. Special Features include: deleted and extended scenes • "The Making of a Trial of a Time Lord - Part Three - Terror of Vervoids" • "Now Get Out of That - Doctor Who Cliffhangers" (a 28-minute feature) • "The Lost Season" (an 11-minute feature) • Saturday Picture Show archival television footage • photo gallery • and trails and continuities.

In print

Doctorwhobook
title=Terror of the Vervoids
series=Target novelisations
number=125
featuring=


writer=Pip and Jane Baker
publisher=Target Books
coverartist=Tony Masero
isbn=0 426 20313 5
set_between=
pages=
date=17th September 1987 (Hardback)18th February 1988 (Paperback)
preceding=The Rescue
following=The Time Meddler|A novelisation of this serial, written by Pip and Jane Baker, was published by Target Books in September 1987.

References

External links

*BBCCDW|id=trialtimelord3|title=Terror of the Vervoids
*Doctor Who RG|id=trial.htm#7C1|title=Terror of the Vervoids
*OG|7c1|Terror of the Tervoids

Reviews

*OG review | id=7c1 | title=Terror of the Vervoids
*DWRG | id=terrv | title=Terror of the Vervoids

Target novelisation

* [http://www.personal.leeds.ac.uk/~ecl6nb/OnTarget/1988/terror/88terror.htm On Target — "Terror of the Vervoids"]