The Tenth Planet
Joe Siegler
The Tenth Planet
This Story: Season 4, Story 2. Production Code DD.
Overall: Story 29, Episodes 131-134
Airdates: 8 Oct 1966 – 29 Oct 1966
Written by Kit Pedler (1,2) & Gerry Davis (3, 4). Directed by Derek Martinus
Notes
- This story has a couple of firsts. It was the first story with Cybermen, and also the first ever regeneration, although that term hadn’t yet been invented in the show’s lore yet.
- A few clips of this episode were re-used as part of the narrative in Peter Capaldi’s final story, Twice Upon a Time (2017).
- It is of course, the final (regular) story with William Hartell as the Doctor.
- Personal Note: When my brother and I were younger, we used to call these original Cybermen “Sock Cybermen”. When I showed him I was working on this story for my project, he said “Oh god, the socks are back”. :)
- On 12 Apr 2025, I queued up at 5:30AM at my local record shop for Record Store Day 2025. One of the special items for sale this RSD was the soundtrack to the Tenth Planet on white vinyl. I’ve included a copy of the cover I took in my car right after I left the store below.
- I inadvertently labeled the two tweets for Episode 1 as Story CC, when it should have been DD.
Links
[ Wikipedia | Tardis Data Core | SPS Historium | Amazon US DVD | Amazon UK DVD ]#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 131 - The Tenth Planet 1/4 (Serial CC, Story 29) - 8 Oct 1966. #DoctorWho 1/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) December 26, 2021
A legendary story. The final Hartnell story. The first Cybermen story. The first story with a regeneration. Sadly the 4th episode is missing. Parts of this story were used in 2017 pic.twitter.com/uyixNiBEiY
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 131 - The Tenth Planet 1/4 (Serial CC, Story 29) - 8 Oct 1966. #DoctorWho 1/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) December 26, 2021
as part of a Capaldi story. Our crew land at a base in the South Pole, and we get the traditional base under siege story here. Introduction of the Cybermen was handled quite well. pic.twitter.com/c63BjTw2qe
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 132 - The Tenth Planet 2/4 (Serial DD, Story 29) - 15 Oct 1966. #DoctorWho 1/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) December 28, 2021
The Cybermen get in the base and speak. Of every variant of the Cybermen over the decades, I loved the speech of this original version, I wish it was kept. Was the creepiest. pic.twitter.com/mXevFsj1l1
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 132 - The Tenth Planet 2/4 (Serial DD, Story 29) - 15 Oct 1966. #DoctorWho 2/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) December 28, 2021
The Cybermen prevent the base's astronauts from returning; they die. The Cybermen want to drain the Earth's energy for their planet Mondas, which is dying. Our people fight back. pic.twitter.com/zKsld53BXa
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 133 - The Tenth Planet 3/4 (Serial DD, Story 29) - 22 Oct 1966. #DoctorWho 1/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) December 29, 2021
The Doctor isn't in this ep due to real life illness of William Hartnell, so his lines were xferred to others. The General plans to destroy Mondas w/a bomb to stop their attack. pic.twitter.com/W5mtDCuYug
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 133 - The Tenth Planet 3/4 (Serial DD, Story 29) - 22 Oct 1966. #DoctorWho 2/2
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) December 29, 2021
The General's staff tries to stop him behind his back while more Cybermen approach, but rocket takes off. Without Hartnell, the vibe of this ep is different than the first two. pic.twitter.com/G86WDfNbsI
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 134 - The Tenth Planet 4/4 (Serial DD, Story 29) - 29 Oct 1966. #DoctorWho 1/4
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) December 29, 2021
Hartnell returns for his final (regular) episode of Doctor Who. This is what set the stage for everything that comes - the first regeneration, although it wasn't called that yet. pic.twitter.com/4JUeMF4DUp
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 134 - The Tenth Planet 4/4 (Serial DD, Story 29) - 29 Oct 1966. #DoctorWho 2/4
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) December 29, 2021
Ep4 is missing, and was animated. I liked the animation style, going for a straight duplication. The general's rocket doesn't launch, and he's killed by Cybermen. They take Polly pic.twitter.com/lfVzDL7cwI
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 134 - The Tenth Planet 4/4 (Serial DD, Story 29) - 29 Oct 1966. #DoctorWho 3/4
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) December 29, 2021
hostage on their ship. The Cybermen invade the rest of the Earth. Their planet eventually explodes when it absorbs too much energy, killing all the Cybermen. Ben, Polly, & The pic.twitter.com/3CPjRYTJAM
#DoctorWhoMarathon Ep 134 - The Tenth Planet 4/4 (Serial DD, Story 29) - 29 Oct 1966. #DoctorWho 4/4
— jᎾᎬ sᎥᎬᎶᏞᎬᏒ (@JoeSiegler) December 29, 2021
Doctor all meet up on the Cyberman's ship, and return to the Tardis. At this point the Doctor collapses on the floor, and regenerates for the first time - Chibnall be damned. pic.twitter.com/rTzHYA9JGe
In 2017, during the making of the final Peter Capaldi story, “Twice Upon a Time”, the production team recreated some scenes from the Tenth Planet. I found a video that collates the ones we have seen in the public. There is a lot more, but they are unreleased. Maybe some day. In the meantime, here’s those clips:
