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“THE MACRA TERROR – A CREEPY CRAWLY CONSPIRACY IN COLOURFUL DYSTOPIA”

With The Macra Terror, the Second Doctor finally gets his own title sequence—and what a strange debut it is for Pat's ghostly visage, peering out at us with eerie intensity! It's a fittingly uncanny prelude to one of Doctor Who’s more chilling and atmospheric lost stories, now lovingly restored in the form of a vibrant 2019 animation. Reimagined in colour, this dark tale of totalitarian control and monstrous manipulation emerges with new life—while retaining its uncanny tension and 1960s paranoia.

AN ANIMATED GEM

Right off the bat, let’s talk about that animation. As one of the more recent restorations, this version of The Macra Terror boasts gorgeous production values. The colours are bold and psychedelic, the movements slick and expressive, and the emotive faces bring a new dimension to the classic performances. The set designs remain true to the original but also gain fresh depth with added visual detail. A black-and-white option is available for purists, but the colour animation enhances the surrealism and unease of the story and is highly recommended.

A DYSTOPIAN DELIGHT

Ian Stuart Black returns for his third Doctor Who outing (after The Savages and The War Machines) and turns in what might be his finest script. The colony world he creates is a classic dystopia—cheerful on the surface, with forced happiness and regulation masking a sinister truth. The upbeat music, cheerleading chants, omnipresent surveillance, and hypnotic brainwashing broadcasts create an environment somewhere between Orwell and The Hunger Games. The jolly jingles that precede the Controller’s ominous announcements are particularly chilling.

The Macra themselves—the story’s central mystery—are built up expertly, with glimpses and shadows used sparingly to ramp up the tension. The cliffhanger to Part 1, with a crab-like claw emerging from the darkness, is a superb example of how to do monster horror on a budget. And in the animation, these moments are realised with striking style: glowing eyes, looming claws, and eerie movement.

A SOCIETY UNDER SIEGE

This is a story about control—both political and psychological. Every colonist is subliminally conditioned while they sleep. The Controller’s face (just a still image with a booming voice, powerfully delivered by Graham Leaman) looms over the society like a digital dictator. And beneath it all lies the big twist: the colony’s entire infrastructure is being run for the benefit of the Macra, who survive on the gas the colonists unknowingly help produce.

The story becomes especially compelling in Part 2, when the Doctor realises the truth and the stakes become clear. His alliance with Medok—the paranoid outcast who alone sees through the colony’s lies—is one of the best early examples of the Second Doctor’s cunning. Troughton is on top form here, delighting in subtle rebellion, clever manipulation, and quiet defiance. His scheming persona starts to take real shape.

COMPANION CONFLICTS AND CHARACTER GROWTH

One of the most interesting dynamics in the story comes from Ben’s brainwashing. Watching a loyal companion become an agent of the enemy, especially against Polly, adds real emotional weight. Her scenes fleeing from Ben in the darkened corridors are especially harrowing—reminiscent of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Jamie, still a new addition to the TARDIS team, gets to shine as the one unaffected by the brainwashing, standing by the Doctor and cementing their growing bond.

Ben’s eventual redemption—saving Polly and the others from gas poisoning—is earned, and not rushed. It’s one of the stronger character arcs from this era, and it gives him more complexity than many 60s companions ever get.

Jamie, meanwhile, starts to feel more integrated. He gets his own solo moments, including the bizarre but memorable dance sequence with the colony’s cheer squad in Part 4—a surreal moment of comedy that’s both hilarious and disquieting. “Rah, rah, rah!” indeed.

MONSTERS, MINES, AND MALICE

The Macra themselves are surprisingly effective. The animation replaces the famously clunky crab props from the original production with creatures that feel genuinely dangerous. Their movement, menace, and the grotesque concept of giant intelligent crabs controlling a human colony through mind control and gas poisoning makes them one of the more unique Classic Who monsters.

Part 3 slows things down a little, with the companions forced into gas-mining slave labour while the Doctor indulges in some low-key sabotage. It’s fairly standard for the era but is elevated by some intense scenes, particularly when Polly is attacked and nearly dragged away by a Macra—until Ben intervenes violently. The animation makes this moment especially gripping.

Meanwhile, the presence of Security Chief Ola adds an extra layer of tension. Played with relish by Gertan Klauber (returning from The Romans), Ola is the very model of an officious, power-hungry bureaucrat—blindly enforcing the rules without ever questioning their origin. He’s the first in a long line of sadistic security types in the Troughton era and sets the template well. His refusal to listen to reason and unwavering loyalty to the system makes him an infuriating but effective antagonist—though not quite as insidious as Milton Johns in The Enemy of the World.

The Pilot, by contrast, is far more sympathetic—a man caught between duty and morality who eventually sees through the Macra's illusion and helps bring about their downfall. He’s a rare example of a colony leader who sides with the truth over power.

A BRIGHTLY LIT NIGHTMARE

Perhaps the most effective horror in The Macra Terror comes not from the monsters, but the atmosphere. From the first moments—arriving in a brightly lit, music-filled colony that’s all too welcoming—it’s clear that something is off. The smiles are fake, the joy enforced, and the sense of creeping dread grows with each scene.

Medok is an excellent supporting character—unhinged but likeable—and his early alliance with the Doctor sets the tone. The brainwashing sequences are some of the most unsettling scenes in the story, and the idea of psychological conditioning during sleep is still a potent one.

Even the Macra’s high-pitched, almost comically light voices add to the unease. Their panicked chatter as the system fails is weirdly humanising—but only in a way that makes them seem more grotesque.

A CLASSIC LOST NO LONGER

Thanks to the brilliant animation, The Macra Terror is no longer one of the lost treasures of the Troughton era—it’s a vibrant, psychedelic nightmare that can be enjoyed afresh. Between its haunting visuals, creepy sound design (including one of Dudley Simpson’s best scores), and thought-provoking themes, it stands out as one of the best uses of the Earth colony dystopia in Doctor Who’s early years.

It may falter slightly in its middle episode, and the companions aren’t all equally well served, but overall, this is a thoughtful and terrifying tale that makes excellent use of its format and cast.

📝VERDICT: 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙🩶

THE MACRA TERROR is a classic slice of dystopian Doctor Who, blending psychological horror, social commentary, and monstrous menace into one of the Troughton era’s most effective stories. Gertan Klauber’s officious Security Chief Ola adds bureaucratic menace, while the vivid 2019 animation enhances the mood with creepy visuals and rich detail. Though a little uneven in places, it remains one of the strongest animated reconstructions and a prime example of how unsettling Classic Who could be—even when the monsters are giant crabs.