Beneath the Surface Box Set
(DVD)

 

Starring Jon Pertwee & Peter Davison
Featuring 3 Stories
Doctor Who and the Silurians (7 episodes)
The Sea Devils (6 episodes)
Warriors of the Deep (4 episodes)
 419 minutes (color)
Four Disc Set




 

 

Production Notes
Doctor Who
Jon Pertwee
&
Peter Davison

Liz Shaw
Caroline John

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
Nicholas Courtney

Jo Grant
Katy Manning

The Master
Roger Delgado

Tegan Jovanka
Janet Fielding

Turlough
Mark Strickson
Written by
Malcolm Hulke
&
Johnny Byrne


Directed by
Timothy Combe
Michael Briant
&
Pennant Roberts


Produced by
Barry Letts
&
John Nathan-Turner
 
Original Airdate
Jan 31, 1970 - Mar 14, 1970
Feb 26, 1972 - April 1, 1972
&
Jan 5, 1984 - Jan 13, 1984


R1 DVD Release Date
June 2008


Warner Home Video
#3000016371


U.K. Box Set Cover


 



Cover Blurb

All three classic battles with the Silurians and the Sea Devils!

Doctor Who and the Silurians - (7 eps, 175 mins)
The Doctor is summoned to an underground research center to investigate a series of inexplicable power losses and soon discovers that the nearby cave system conceals a colony of an ancient race called the Silurians.  Available in color for the first time!

The Sea Devils - (6 eps, 147 mins)
When the Doctor and Jo Grant pay a visit to the Master at a top security prison off the south coast of England, the Doctor soon finds himself pitted against the Sea Devils, an ancient race of reptile intent on eliminating humankind.

Warriors of the Deep - (4 eps, 97 mins)
When the TARDIS is forced to make an unplanned visit to Sea Base Four, the Doctor, Tegan and Turlough find themselves accused of being enemy agents.  However, there is a greater threat to humankind: the Silurians and Sea Devils have formed an alliance.
 



 

 

 

DVD Features
 

Disc One
Episodes 1-4 of "Doctor Who and the Silurians" as they were originally transmitted in 1970 plus these bonus features.
 

  • What Lies Beneath:

 This 35 minute featurette details the creation of "Doctor Who and the Silurians" and includes interviews with Caroline John (Liz Shaw), Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart), Peter Miles (Dr. Lawrence), Terrance Dicks (script editor), Timothy Combe (director), and Barry Letts (producer).  Other contributors include new series writer Paul Cornell and former MP Roy Hattersley.
 

 
  • Audio Options:
 The first option is to listen to an audio commentary.  The participants on this commentary are Caroline John (Liz Shaw), Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart), Peter Miles (Dr. Lawrence), Geoffrey Palmer (Masters), Terrance Dicks (script editor), Timothy Combe (director), and Barry Letts (producer). 

The second audio option is the isolated soundtrack.  With this feature you will hear the outstanding score composed by Carey Blyton composed sequentially as it appears in the episode (rather than edited together as in the case of "The Five Doctors Special Edition" DVD).  This does mean that there are long gaps of silence in between music cues.
 

 

 

 
 

Disc Two
Episodes 5 - 7 of "Doctor Who and the Silurians" as they were originally transmitted in 1970 plus these bonus features.
 
  • Going Underground:
 A documentary on the challenges of trying to film cave like environments and the prehistoric monsters that inhabit them.  Contributors include Barry Newberry (designer), Timothy Combe (director), and Barry Letts (producer).  Other contributors include  Terrance Dicks (script editor), Caroline John (Liz Shaw), Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart), and Peter Miles (Dr. Lawrence)
 

 
  • Musical Scales:
 A featurette that looks into the incidental music being created for Doctor Who in the late 60's and early 70's.  Contributors include Timothy Combe (director), Christopher Barry (director), Michael Briant (director), and Barry Letts (producer).  Other contributors include composer Mark Ayres as well as on old interview with the late composer Malcolm Clarke.
 

 
  • Now and Then:
 A featurette that highlights some of the locations used in the filming of this story and what they look like today.  Narrated by Geoffrey Palmer (Masters)
 

 
  • Color Silurian Overlay:
 A fascinating featurette that details the restoration work achieved on this story in order to return it to its original color format.
 

 
  • Coming Soon:
 A specially made trailer for the upcoming DVD release of "The Time Meddler."
 

 
  • Photo Gallery:
 Once again we are treated to many rare production stills and quite a few behind the scenes ones as well.
 

 
  • Radio Times Listings:
 Accessible from any computer with a DVD drive, a PDF of some of the original Radio Times press clippings.
 

 
  • Audio Options:
 The first option is to listen to an audio commentary.  The participants on this commentary are Caroline John (Liz Shaw), Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart), Peter Miles (Dr. Lawrence), Geoffrey Palmer (Masters), Terrance Dicks (script editor), Timothy Combe (director), and Barry Letts (producer). 

The second audio option is the isolated soundtrack.  With this feature you will hear the outstanding score composed by Carey Blyton composed sequentially as it appears in the episode (rather than edited together as in the case of "The Five Doctors Special Edition" DVD).  This does mean that there are long gaps of silence in between music cues.
 

 
  • Easter Eggs:
 There is 1 egg included in this release.  Scroll further down to find more details.  For a full list of known Easter Eggs and screen grabs of them click HERE.

 
   
 

 

 

 

Disc Three
All 6 episodes from the story "The Sea Devils" as they were originally transmitted in 1972 plus these bonus features.

 
  • Hello Sailor!
 A 35 minute featurette on the making of "The Sea Devils".  Contributors include Michael Briant (director), and Barry Letts (producer).  Other contributors include  Terrance Dicks (script editor), Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Donald Sumpter (Commander Ridgeway), and Stuart Fell (stuntman).
 

 
  • 8mm Film:
 Silent 8mm film footage taken by Naval personnel who participated as extras for this story.  The footage is accompanied by commentary from script editor Terrance Dicks, director Michael Briant, and producer Barry Letts.
 

 
  • Trails and Continuity:
 Original BBC1 trails and continuity announcements using original off air audio recordings, and reconstructed video clips.
 

 
  • Coming Soon:
 A specially made trailer for the upcoming DVD release of "The Time Meddler."
 

 
  • Photo Gallery:
 Once again we are treated to many rare production stills and quite a few behind the scenes ones as well.
 

 
  • Radio Times Listings:
 Accessible from any computer with a DVD drive, a PDF of some of the original Radio Times press clippings.
 

 
  • Audio Options:
 The first option is to listen to an audio commentary.  The participants on this commentary are Terrance Dicks (script editor), Michael Briant (director), and Barry Letts (producer).  Moderated by late 80's Doctor Who script editor Andrew Cartmel

The second audio option is the isolated soundtrack.  With this feature you will hear the outstanding score composed by Malcolm Clarke composed sequentially as it appears in the episode (rather than edited together as in the case of "The Five Doctors Special Edition" DVD).  This does mean that there are long gaps of silence in between music cues.
 

 
  • Easter Eggs:
 No easter eggs on this disc.  For a full list of known Easter Eggs and screen grabs of them click HERE.

 
     
 

 

 

 

Disc Four
All 4 episodes from the story "Warriors from the Deep" as they were originally transmitted in 1984 plus these bonus features.

 
  • The Depths:
 Clocking in at a little over 30 minutes, this documentary highlights the making of a story panned by many fans.  Contributors include Johnny Byrne (writer) and Pennant Roberts (director).  Other contributors include  Peter Davison (5th Doctor), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Ian McCulloch (Nilson), James Coombes (Paroli), John Asquith (1/2 of the Myrka) and Ian Levine (unofficial continuity advisor).
 

 
  • They Came from Beneath the Sea:
 This featurette focuses on bringing the Silurians, Sea Devils, and Myrka to life.  Interviews include director Pennant Robers, writer Johnny Byrne, and visual effects designer Matt Irvine.  Other contributors include Peter Davison (5th Doctor) and the two actors to don the Myrka costume - John Asquith and William Perrie.
 

 
  • Science in Action:
 Taken from an episode of the children's program "Science in Action" from 1987, visual effects designer Matt Irvine discusses how visual effects are achieved on a program like Doctor Who.
 

 
  • Trails and Continuity:
 Original BBC1 trails and continuity announcements.
 

 
  • Coming Soon:
 A specially made trailer for the upcoming DVD release of "The Time Meddler."
 

 
  • Photo Gallery:
 Once again we are treated to many rare production stills and quite a few behind the scenes ones as well.
 

 
  • Radio Times Listings:
 Accessible from any computer with a DVD drive, a PDF of some of the original Radio Times press clippings.
 

 
  • Audio Options:
 The first option is to listen to an audio commentary.  The participants on this commentary are Peter Davison (5th Doctor), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Eric Saward (script editor), and Matt Irvine (visual effects designer). 

The second audio option is the isolated soundtrack.  With this feature you will hear the outstanding score composed by Malcolm Clarke composed sequentially as it appears in the episode (rather than edited together as in the case of "The Five Doctors Special Edition" DVD).  This does mean that there are long gaps of silence in between music cues.
 

 
  • Easter Eggs:
 There is 1 egg included in this release.  Scroll further down to find more details.  For a full list of known Easter Eggs and screen grabs of them click HERE.

 
     



 

 

 

 

Easter Eggs

#1. "AMBASSADORS OF DEATH" TRAILER (IN COLOR)
(Disc Two)

 

Let the credits play to the end during episode 7 and the egg will play automatically

 

 

 
#1. MAT'S MODELS: RELICS FROM THE IRVINE WORKSHOP
 (Disc Four)

 

Go to the 'Special Features' menu.
Click on the hidden Doctor Who logo to the left of the 'Science in Action.'
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Notes
  • "Doctor Who and the Silurians" is the only story to incorporate the words "Doctor Who" in with the title of the story.
     
  • This adventure introduces a popular villain to Doctor Who, the Silurians, a race of reptiles once in charge of the Earth millions of years ago.  Unfortunately, the name Silurian is assigned to a much earlier age than the reptiles/dinosaurs and so, although cool sounding, is technically inaccurate.  Doctor Who and the Triassicans?   Jurassicons?  Cretaceousians?  Nah...
     
  • Blake's 7 fans look closely for Paul Darrow (Avon in Blake's 7) to play one of the Brigadier's endless supply of Captain Expendables.
     
  • The original color master tapes of this story were wiped in the mid to late 1980's.  When the junking was halted and an inventory done, it was discovered that this story did still exist in a 16mm black and white film recording (used for overseas sales).  As luck would have it, a fan with an early videotape machine recorded these episodes in color when they originally aired in the U.S.  Similar color recordings of junked Pertwee episodes exist for "The Ambassadors of Death," "Terror of  the Autons" and "The Daemons" but sadly not for "The Mind of Evil" or episode 3 of "Planet of the Daleks" or episode 1 of "Invasion of the Dinosaurs."  By combining elements of the color recordings with the black and white 16mm film prints we are able to see this story with restored color.
     
  • This story marks the first appearance of the 3rd Doctor's trademark car, Bessie.
  • Also a first - this was the first Doctor Who story to be shot on color videotape (the previous story, and season opener "Spearhead from Space", was shot on color film).
     
  • The Silurians, although a popular enemy, wouldn't return to Doctor Who until 14 years later in the Peter Davison story "Warriors of the Deep."
     
  • Following on the heels of the popular Silurians (see "Doctor Who and the Silurians"), the Sea Devils were created as an underwater version of the ancient reptile civilization.
     
  • Roger Delgado also returns as the Master, picking up where the story left off in "The Daemons."
     
  • Although Delgado had an aversion of swimming (and indeed, had never learned how to in his life), he pushed forward and filmed some key scenes in the water.  A testament to the man's professionalism.
     
  • Pay close attention to Katy Manning (Jo Grant) as she climbs the ladder of an abandoned oil rig.  Miss Manning's stunt double is a man!  :)
     
  • Also take time to note the huge overwhelming army of Sea Devils that storms the naval base... all five of them.  Sends a chill up your spine, doesn't it?
     
  • The Sea Devils, although a popular enemy, wouldn't return to Doctor Who until 14 years later in the Peter Davison story "Warriors of the Deep."
     
  • "Warriors of the Deep" begins the final season of Doctor Who with Peter Davison in the role.
     
  • "Warriors of the Deep" marks the return of two popular villains from the Pertwee era.  The Silurians and the Sea Devils ("Doctor Who and the Silurians" and "The Sea Devils") both return to Doctor Who after more than a decade.
  • Unfortunately, a rushed production drag this potential classic down to mediocrity.
     

  • Short on time, the designer of the Myrka rushed the project down to the wire, so much so that some of the actors were smeared with green paint from the thing when they came into contact with it.  The performers inside had no time to rehearse movements inside either.  Needless to say, the Myrka does not fair well upon viewing...
     

  • It was during the production of this story that both Peter Davison (5th Doctor) and Janet Fielding (Tegan) informed producer John Nathan-Turner of their intention to leave the series.
     
  • This story marks the third and final story written by author Johnny Byrne.  Byrne's other two entries in Doctor Who were the Tom Baker story "The Keeper of Traken" and the Peter Davison season 20 opener "Arc of Infinity".
     
  • This story is being released as part of the "Beneath the Surface" trilogy boxset.  The other two stories included are the Jon Pertwee classic "Doctor Who and the Silurians" and the follow-up story "The Sea Devils".  Each of these stories contain elements of the Silurians, their close relatives the Sea Devils, or both.
  • As with all of the DVD releases to date, the Doctor Who Restoration Team did extensive work on this story (including color restoration).  More information on the restoration of this story can be read at their website HERE.