Back in the 1980s when I caught the ‘Doctor Who' bug, I read Gerry Davis' book ‘Doctor Who and the Cybermen'. It turned out to be a novelisation of the 1967 Second Doctor adventure ‘The Moonbase'. I still remember the sense of fear the claustrophobic story instilled as I turned the pages. It is a classic ‘base under siege' plot. The Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his companions (Jamie, played by Frazer Hines, Ben, played by Michael Craze and Polly, played by Anneke Wills) arrive some time in the future at a man-made base on the moon. There, people of every nationality work collaboratively to control the weather back on the earth using a Graviton machine.
Naturally, once the Doctor turns up, crew members start dying from what appears to be a virus. Suspicion falls on the newcomers, but the Doctor sets to work to discover the origins of the contagion. Meanwhile, an injured Jamie is recovering in the sickbay and has feverish dreams about a phantom piper. It turns out that the crew is deliberately under attack, with humans being picked off one by one to weaken them ahead of a full-scale invasion. And the problem with Cybermen is that they can stalk across the moon's surface without any need for oxygen…
The adventure taps into the spirit of the late 1960s. At the time, the Concorde project was underway. Although ‘The Moonbase' features a stereotypical Frenchman (played by French actor Andre Maranne at least), it is at least paying homage to the Anglo-French achievement in air travel. Only two years after the episodes originally aired, humans landed on the moon's surface for the first time and there was a lot of buzz about the American and Russian attempts to win the space race. It was no longer fanciful to think of humans travelling to earth's satellite.
When I later saw the two surviving episodes of ‘The Moonbase' (the other two are sadly missing from the archives), I recall a sense of disappointment that the creakiness of the production didn't accord with my memories of Gerry Davis' book. This release on vinyl allows listeners to enjoy the story as an audio adventure. The imagination fills in the gaps. It's a great way to see in your mind the vision that Kit Pedlar's script had for a moonbase under Cyber attack. Linking narration is provided by Frazer Hines, who recorded it for CD release in 2001.
The story marks Patrick Troughton's first of four encounters with the dreaded Cybermen. It is directed by Morris Barry, who would later return for ‘The Tomb of the Cybermen'. It features Alan Rowe in a guest role, who can be spotted in many classic ‘Doctor Who' stories. There's also a small role for Victor Pemberton, best-known among ‘Doctor Who' circles as the writer behind the Second Doctor adventure ‘Fury from the Deep'.
This release from Demon Records provides the soundtrack across two 140g vinyl LPs that are pressed in striking blue moon, matching the cover art. As with all of the ‘Doctor Who' releases in this range, the design work is spectacular. I was pleased to see the Cyber army amassing on the moon's surface, as that was the terrifying concept that stuck in my mind after reading the novelisation as a child. An air bubble holds Patrick Troughton's striking face against the backdrop of the earth, and the rebranded diamond logo is a much better fit for products from the classic era of ‘Doctor Who'. Demon Records' ‘Doctor Who' vinyls make for a spectacular collection.
‘The Moonbase' is one of those stories that works best as an audio experience, and those who appreciate the rich sound quality provided by the vinyl medium will appreciate this physical product. Heartily recommended.
Cast: Patrick Troughton, Frazer Hines, Michael Craze, Anneke Wills, Patrick Barr, Alan Rowe Writers: Kit Pedlar and Gerry Davis Director: Morris Barry Running time: 100 mins Released by: Demon Records Release date: 19th September 2025 Buy ‘Doctor Who – The Moonbase'
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