The Wheel in Space

Directed by

UK Viewers

7.2 million

Appreciation Index

57

Synopsis

The Doctor and Jamie arrive on a mysterious spacecraft whose only occupant is a dangerous Servo Robot.

Episode 2 Missing

First aired

Saturday, May 4, 1968

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

6.9 million

Appreciation Index

60

Synopsis

The Doctor and Jamie are brought aboard the Wheel where Jamie is horrified to learn the crew plan to destroy the Silver Carrier with the TARDIS on board.

Episode 3

First aired

Saturday, May 11, 1968

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

7.5 million

Appreciation Index

55

Synopsis

Jamie sabotages the Wheel's x-ray laser, unknowingly giving the Cybermen an opportunity to reach the Wheel.

Episode 4 Missing

First aired

Saturday, May 18, 1968

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

8.6 million

Appreciation Index

56

Synopsis

The Cybermen instruct their human slaves to smuggle them onto the Wheel while the Doctor attempts to convince Bennett of the threat they pose.

Episode 5 Missing

First aired

Saturday, May 25, 1968

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

6.8 million

Appreciation Index

57

Synopsis

The Cybermen gain control of more members of the Wheel crew and the Doctor realises the only way to stop them is for Jamie and Zoe to make a dangerous space walk.

Episode 6

First aired

Saturday, June 1, 1968

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

6.5 million

Appreciation Index

62

Synopsis

Jamie and Zoe attempt to recover the time vector generator while the Cybermen realise the Doctor is on the Wheel and make him their prime target.

Characters

Second Doctor

Patrick Troughton

Jamie McCrimmon

Frazer Hines

How to watch The Wheel in Space:

Watch on iPlayer

DVD

Lost in Time

VHS

Cybermen: The Early Years (VHS)

Reviews
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8 reviews

I was a fan of the novelization, and now that I can watch the missing serial with the new fan animations, I can say that I'm a fan of the serial, too! The animation is surprisingly great.

A. Maybe A+.

Azurillkirby

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Review last edited on 24-04-25

This review contains spoilers!

So I liked the introduction for Zoe here, especially thanks to the setting, which feels creative, unique, and like a fun choice overall. I also like how this is the first use of the "Doctor John Smith" alias for the Doctor, and there's some fun back and forth between the Doctor and Jaime thanks to scenes like that.

The rest of the serial feels like a real slog, though. It's a boring and slow-moving story, while the Cybermen don't really feel effectively used at all. It's too bad, as this feels like a story full of missed potential rather than one devoid of any value at all.

dema1020

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Review last edited on 22-03-25

There's "slow-building plot" and then there's "the central antagonists don't show up properly until episode 3 of 6, rendering the first 40 minutes an awful lot of people standing around in spaceships and talking."

I liked Zoe, but it feels like they just forgot to give anyone else on-board the Wheel any sort of characterisation

greenLetterT

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Review last edited on 22-03-25

This most recent watch, I enjoyed this a little more than previously. Good side characters, the Cybermen are seem more intimidating here than most of classic, especially stories after this. Not bad.

Scottybguud

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Review last edited on 17-03-25

“Logic, my dear Zoe, merely enables one to be wrong with authority.”

Un dernier faux pas pour la saison.

On peut au moins louer la caractérisation de Zoé, mais le reste est tellement dispensable que même avec ses qualités, The Wheel in Space ne décolle pas vraiment.

Ceci dit la première partie est particulièrement intéressante, car c’est du pur Hartnell, avec des personnages qui explorent un vaisseau et un développement intelligent.

Mais j’aurais quand même presque aimé que l’histoire soit plus courte, plus intense, car ici ça traîne trop et pour rien.

“Logic, my dear Zoe, merely enables one to be wrong with authority.”

One last misstep for the season.

We can at least praise Zoe's characterization, but the rest is so dispensable that even with its qualities, The Wheel in Space never really takes off.

That said, the first part is particularly interesting because it's pure Hartnell, with characters exploring a spaceship and smart development.

But I would have almost preferred that the story be shorter, more intense, because here it drags too much and for no reason.

(Translation generated by AI, so mistakes are possible).

Dogtor

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Review last edited on 17-11-24