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TARDIS Guide

Overview

First aired

Saturday, September 30, 1967

Production Code

NN

Directed by

Gerald Blake

Runtime

150 minutes

Time Travel

Past

Location (Potential Spoilers!)

Earth, Tibet

Synopsis

Mysterious forces are at work in 1930s Tibet. Savage Yeti are besieging a Buddhist monastery. The Second Doctor, Jamie and Victoria arrive expecting a friendly welcome from the abbot, but soon become ensnared in the plans of the extradimensional being known as the Great Intelligence.

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6 Episodes

Episode One  Missing

First aired

Saturday, September 30, 1967

Runtime

25 minutes

Directed by

Gerald Blake

UK Viewers

6.3 million

Appreciation Index

50

Synopsis

When the TARDIS materialises in the Himalayas, the Doctor decides to pay a return visit to the nearby Det-Sen monastery only to be accused of murder.


Episode Two

First aired

Saturday, October 7, 1967

Runtime

25 minutes

Directed by

Gerald Blake

UK Viewers

6 million

Appreciation Index

52

Synopsis

Jamie and Victoria make their way to the monastery shortly before it is attacked by the Yeti.


Episode Three  Missing

First aired

Saturday, October 14, 1967

Runtime

25 minutes

Directed by

Gerald Blake

UK Viewers

7.1 million

Appreciation Index

51

Synopsis

While the Doctor and Jamie return to the TARDIS for equipment, the control sphere Jamie brought to the monastery is reactivated.


Episode Four  Missing

First aired

Saturday, October 21, 1967

Runtime

25 minutes

Directed by

Gerald Blake

UK Viewers

7.1 million

Appreciation Index

50

Synopsis

The Yeti escapes from the monastery and Victoria and Thonmi are accused of assisting it, while the Doctor and Jamie endure a perilous journey back across the mountains.


Episode Five  Missing

First aired

Saturday, October 28, 1967

Runtime

25 minutes

Directed by

Gerald Blake

UK Viewers

7.2 million

Appreciation Index

51

Synopsis

Victoria falls under the mental influence of Padmasambhva as the Yeti attack in order to drive the monks from the area.


Episode Six  Missing

First aired

Saturday, November 4, 1967

Runtime

25 minutes

Directed by

Gerald Blake

UK Viewers

7.4 million

Appreciation Index

52

Synopsis

With the Great Intelligence on the verge of becoming corporeal, the Doctor challenges Padmasambhva to a mental battle in order to defeat it.



Characters

How to watch The Abominable Snowmen:

Reviews

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9 reviews
I probably would have enjoyed this if it was four episodes. At six, this one *really* overstays its welcome. The pace is glacially slow. I was largely just bored by the end. Not looking forward to more 6-parters...
D.

Azurillkirby

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With just episode 2 surviving, and the rest reconstructions, which I find boring to get through, I've never really like this story. However, watched the animation and found it not bad. Bit long with six episodes, but the great intelligence was a good villain and the yeti formidable lackeys.


Scottybguud

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The Abominable Snowmen has a meandering plot that would've been better suited to 4 rather than 6 episodes, a monster that fails at "scary" and lands firmly in "quite sweet, actually", and a lot of yellowface and racism. Maybe one day it will be found again, but honestly?, I cannot muster any strong feelings on the matter


greenLetterT

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“I think this is one of those instances where discretion is the better part of valour”

 

Un arc lent (trop lent !) qui malgré ses méchants hyper cute, et une atmosphère tibétaine sympa, ne se contente que d’aligner les clichés les plus fastidieux d’un format déjà usé.  

Le pire, c’est que malgré un Travers somme toute assez attachant, on retrouve un peu les mêmes défauts que The Tomb of the Cybermen, mais étirés en six parties. 

Là aussi le trio central et les valeurs de production sont donc la grâce salvatrice d’un épisode fondamentalement mal foutu. 

Mais si c’est seulement ça qui sauve la saison, alors elle peut vite s’écrouler. 


Dogtor

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This review contains spoilers!

This is a story with a classic set up. Within moments of The Doctor arriving in a place, he finds two men brutally murdered and is then accused by the locals of committing the crime. Sound familiar? Despite this, there is plenty that sets this story apart from the rest of Doctor Who.

Firstly, Victoria and Jamie have turned out to be a fantastic companion combination. The writers have yet to drop the ball with them. The setting of a Tibetan monastery is interesting and from what I can see, the sets look great. Within the first episode you are introduced to a whole host of interesting characters with credible motives. Stealing the show here is Travers, a man ridiculed in his own country, setting out to prove the existence of the Yeti. Tomney is also a stand out performer in this story, I have to say that the man who plays the abbot is not the best actor in the world, there is never any change in the expressions on his face (though I appreciate that he is playing a man whose mind has been exposed to consistent bouts of amnesia - a difficult role to play).

The Yeti are undoubtedly the most interesting aspect of this story, the first new enemies that we've been introduced to with a high level of impact since the Cybermen. They attain truly 'classic' status. Hilariously Travers mistakes The Doctor for them in his woolly coat.

The locations here are great, mountaintops and prisons. The Great Intelligence is fantastic in this story, I like that throughout the six episode we find out that each villain is being controlled by an even greater villain!


15thDoctor

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Statistics

AVG. Rating361 members
3.21 / 5

Trakt.tv

AVG. Rating426 votes
3.63 / 5

Member Statistics

Watched

656

Favourited

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Reviewed

9

Saved

3

Skipped

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Quotes

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DOCTOR: Victoria, I think this is one of those instances where discretion is the better part of valour. Jamie has an idea. Come along.

— Second Doctor, The Abominable Snowmen

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Transcript Needs checking

(Transcriber's note - episodes 1, 3 to 6 inclusive only exist as audio.)

Episode One

[Mountainside]

(High on a mountainside, sheltered by a rocky outcrop, a camp fire glimmers fitfully in the night air. A man cries out. Edward Travers, woken by the cry, sits up quickly.)

TRAVERS: John?


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