The Web of Fear

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UK Viewers

7.2 million

Appreciation Index

54

Synopsis

The TARDIS becomes trapped in space before ending up in an underground station of a mysteriously deserted London.

Episode 2

First aired

Saturday, February 10, 1968

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

6.8 million

Appreciation Index

53

Synopsis

Jamie and Victoria are reunited with Travers before Jamie joins the soldiers in attempting to find out what has happened to the Doctor.

Episode 3 Missing

First aired

Saturday, February 17, 1968

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

7 million

Appreciation Index

51

Synopsis

The Doctor and Victoria are taken back to the Goodge Street base by Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart where the Doctor becomes convinced there is a traitor in their midst.

Episode 4

First aired

Saturday, February 24, 1968

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

8.4 million

Appreciation Index

53

Synopsis

With Travers having been captured by the Yeti, the Doctor attempts to find a way to gain control of the robots while Lethbridge-Stewart tries to recover the TARDIS.

Episode 5

First aired

Saturday, March 2, 1968

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

8 million

Appreciation Index

55

Synopsis

Victoria and Travers are held prisoner by the Great Intelligence, who is planning to drain the Doctor's mind.

Episode 6

First aired

Saturday, March 9, 1968

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

8.3 million

Appreciation Index

55

Synopsis

The Doctor and his friends are held prisoner by the Intelligence and their only hope lies with Jamie, Arnold and a reprogrammed Yeti.

Characters

Second Doctor

Patrick Troughton

Jamie McCrimmon

Frazer Hines

How to watch The Web of Fear:

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The Web of Fear

The Web of Fear

The Web of Fear [Steelbook]

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10 reviews

You know, at least this serial kept my attention unlike some of the other Second Doctor base-under-siege stories. The Brigadier gets a very good start, as well. I enjoyed it fine, but it's nothing that great.

C.

Azurillkirby

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Review last edited on 14-03-25

This review contains spoilers!

Nice to have a sequel to a previous story. The return of the Yeti, Travers and the Great Intelligence are all good. As a fan of continuity, it's also nice to have the introduction of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, who of course we will see features heavily with the third Doctor and have run ins with more incarnations. This story can be slow at times in the earlier episodes but still enjoyable. Interestingly they used the Cybermen theme tune from their previous two stories in the battle between the Yeti and the soldiers.

Scottybguud

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Review last edited on 13-03-25

The Abominable Snowmen 2: Less Yellowface And More Guns

The Web of Fear is a mostly acceptable Doctor Who story that doesn't really do anything special. I like the atmosphere created, more or less - the museum at the start was nice if let down immediately by the antisemitism, and the paranoia created by not knowing who the traitor was is knocked a bit when you know that the Brig (sorry, Colonel) is going to be a major recurring character. Also, the fungus subplot is never really solved?

I did like how the story played with trust. Neither the audience nor the characters can trust what anyone says - we can't even trust the Doctor. The ending, when all the plans come out, was really fun

greenLetterT

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Review last edited on 12-03-25

“Volunteer ? That’s a dirty word, that is.”

J’adore, mais j’ai des sentiments assez partagés.

Même si c’est au final un épisode assez cliché (et problématique), la réal’ de Camfield fait du métro londonien un espace insondable et flippant, et le voir envahi de toiles d’araignée et de grosses peluches est vraiment magique même des décennies après.

Mais ce qui frappe en plus c’est son ton assez désespéré : tout le monde est coincé face à une situation vraiment étrange et impossible.

Mais du coup c’est tout le temps hyper tendu, et je peux carrément oublier les limites évidentes de l’exercice.

Dogtor

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Review last edited on 17-11-24

This review contains spoilers!

Often a Classic Doctor Who story can make a bit of a hash of moving the characters around to where it needs them to be at a given time, but this story does so flawlessly. It's well-written, fun, light and uses the Yetis and The Great Intelligence better than The Abominable Snowmen.
A problem I get with Classic stories once I watch too many of them is the exact problem The Doctor laments in The Pirate Planet, that wherever they go, no matter what, they immediately get put in prison as the sole suspects of the trouble going on. This story toys with the idea of The Doctor and companions being suspicious, in a - I find - very natural way, without ever storing the gang away in a cell for 2 parts 'cause that's the only way the story can actually work. No, the suspicion levied at The Doctor and co. is used throughout the story to create a prevailing sense of paranoia, without anyone ever feeling paranoid, naturally created by being met by an enemy of unknown origin and motive.
The episode 3 twist set-up works really well, just before it happened I thought about the possibility of it happening and how his previous actions could make sense as a deliberately bumbling distraction from the real danger. Sadly it's turns out to be a fake-out to show how much of a self-serving sleazeball the reporter is, which is a bit disappointing. But, I guess necessary in a mystery, red herrings and all that, however, as red herrings go, I don't thing it's that good as the actions don't really make sense once you know he isn't being controlled by the Intelligence.
Notably this is the story known for introducing Nicolas Courtney as The Brigadier, though this wasn't Nic first story (that's Mission To the Unknown) and he's not a Brigadier, which I just think is fun.

All-together it is a fun little story, that decently written with a good sense of paranoia throughout, but it just lacks that special something for me to give it more than a...

7.5/10

RoseBomb

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Review last edited on 27-10-24