‘Doctor Who – The Wheel in Space' is a welcome new release from Demon Records. All six episodes feature in this set, with one episode per side. The three vinyl LPs are moulded using translucent 140g ‘Bernalium blue'. The partially-missing classic joins a legion of other titles from the Demon Records range featuring the first two Doctors, played by William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton, on vinyl LP.
The production standards are excellent as always. The design and layout by amazing15 features the iconic 1968 Cyberman helmet, with the jigsaw cut-out mouth and teardrop eyes, in vivid close-up. The creature looms menacingly over the space station wheel that humans inhabit. The reverse uses two dreaded Cybermats, the rodent-like creatures controlled by the Cybermen. The cover of the LP1 sleeve depicts the servo-robot, with the wheel on LP2 and a Cyberman on LP3. Each sleeve has detailed credits on the reverse. Credit is due to Demon Records for capturing the essence of the classic series in the design work. It is striking enough to aesthetically appeal to modern audiences, while retaining the authenticity of the distinctively 1960s visuals.
The sound recording was originally remastered by Marc Ayres for a 2004 CD release (I remember buying it like it was only yesterday!) It has been adapted for vinyl by Phil Kinrade and, considering the limitations of off-air recordings of a TV serial in 1968, the sound quality is remarkably good. With Wendy Padbury providing linking narration on the story that introduced her to the show as the companion Zoe, this release is the best and most immersive way of enjoying ‘The Wheel in Space'.
More nostalgia that I recall is waiting for the release of ‘Cybermen – The Early Years' VHS cassette in the early 1990s, which featured grainy copies of the two remaining episodes of ‘The Wheel in Space'. As a child, I found them oddly unengaging. The novelisation, notoriously difficult to get hold of, was similarly never a favourite (maybe more to do with the pain and expense of eventually acquiring it). Returning to the story now, I think I put my finger on my reservations. Principally, it is one of those ‘Doctor Who' adventures that takes an awfully long time to get going. The Doctor and his companions spend an episode navigating their way past a servo-robot. Once their story entwines with that of the inhabitants of the wheel, it feels a bit like a retelling of the plot of ‘The Moonbase', the previous Cyberman story. The final episode, which is one of those surviving in the archives, depicts the full invasion force of only two Cybermen, which feels a tad underwhelming (they would make up for this the following year with Troughton's final epic showdown with the Cybermen in ‘The Invasion'). This is admittedly less of a hindrance for an audio experience of the story, where the imagination fills in the blanks and can conjure an entire Cyber army if it wants to.
‘The Wheel in Space' has a notably good cast. Patrick Troughton will forever be one of the greatest Doctors, and he puts everything into every story, even when it's not one of the best scripts (David Whitacker's writing for ‘The Wheel in Space' is functional if often unremarkable). His rapport with Frazer Hines as Jamie was so good that, almost twenty years later, the two would team up for another television adventure. As the incoming companion Zoe Heriot, Wendy Padbury makes an immediate impression and fits seamlessly into the gap created by Debbie Watling's departure from the show. Although Zoe is smart and sure of herself, she never comes across as arrogant or unlikeable, and Padbury must be credited for that. The Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe makes for one of my all-time favourite TARDIS crew line-ups.
The guest actors are solid but also impressive. Listen out in particular for the dulcet tones of Donald Sumpter as Enrico Casali. With credits as long as your arm, Sumpter has graced everything from ‘Chernobyl' to ‘Peaky Blinders' with his talent. He would pop up again later in ‘Doctor Who' in the Jon Pertwee classic ‘The Sea Devils'. Although less notable outside of ‘Doctor Who', the other actors provide solid performances that bring the story to life.
Join the Doctor and his companions on board the space station W3 for a classic base-under-siege adventure. There are some standout, classic ‘Doctor Who' moments, such as the haunting death of technician Kemel Rudkin. Although he bravely disables one Cybermat, he is soon overwhelmed by the dreadful creatures, cornered in a storage room. Overall, ‘The Wheel in Space' isn't top tier ‘Doctor Who', and it's not the best of Patrick Troughton's four encounters with his biggest enemy, the Cybermen. But it's still six episodes of nostalgia and adventure. I rate this release very highly for the overall design, production values and listening quality. The audio experience from Demon Records brings the best out of a decent, if often-overshadowed 1960s ‘Doctor Who' adventure.
Cast: Patrick Troughton, Frazer Hines, Wendy Padbury, Donald Sumpter, Michael Turner, Eric Flynn, Clare Jenkins Writer: David Whitaker Director: Tristan de Vere Cole Running time: 150 mins Released by: Demon Records Release date: 13th February 2026 Buy ‘Doctor Who – The Wheel in Space'
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