An Unearthly Child
- Episode aired Nov 23, 1963
- TV-G
- 23m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
2.3K
YOUR RATING
Two schoolteachers investigate the personal life of one of their brilliant students and her mysterious grandfather.Two schoolteachers investigate the personal life of one of their brilliant students and her mysterious grandfather.Two schoolteachers investigate the personal life of one of their brilliant students and her mysterious grandfather.
Leslie Bates
- Shadow
- (uncredited)
Francesca Bertorelli
- Schoolgirl
- (uncredited)
Reg Cranfield
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
Heather Lyons
- Schoolgirl
- (uncredited)
Mavis Ranson
- Schoolgirl
- (uncredited)
Frederick Rawlings
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
Peter Sallis
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
Brian Thomas
- Schoolboy
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhen this episode was first aired, parts of Britain were suffering a power failure. It was also the day after President Kennedy was assassinated. Both of these factors meant the program was only seen by a disappointing 4.4 million people. When repeated a week later, it was watched by 6 million.
- GoofsAfter entering the TARDIS the top of the set is visible above and behind Ian as he says "you can't keep us here."
- Quotes
The Doctor: We are not of this race. We are not of this earth. Susan and I are wanderers in the fourth dimension of space and time, cut off from our own people by distances beyond the reach of your most advanced science.
- Alternate versionsFour versions of this episode exist. Besides the final broadcast version there was also a trial pilot run-through that was not broadcast initially due to technical problems. The 2006 DVD release "Doctor Who: The Beginning" contains an unedited version of this pilot, with several different takes of the TARDIS sequence. A specially made re-edited version of the pilot is included for the first time in this set, using the best takes and digitally manipulating others to remove errors. Previously, an alternate edit of the pilot -- which included dialogue and prop errors -- was broadcast on the BBC and released on VHS.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Lively Arts: Whose Dr. Who (1977)
- SoundtracksThree Guitars Mood 2
(uncredited)
Composed by Derek Nelson and Arthur Raymond
Performed by The Arthey-Nelson Group
(playing on Susan's radio)
Featured review
The Pilot episode is fascinating in its own right, if you look into the events surrounding its transmission, and subsequent alteration for the following week.
As a stand alone episode, it's loaded with mystery and intrigue, you really do question everything, who on Earth are these people, and where are they from, how do they know what they do? It's so imaginative.
Susan's artwork, the whoosh in the opening credits, the clothes, and some of the dialogue, just some of the differences keen eyed viewers will spot.
We hear the name John Smith, I wonder if in The Wheel in Space they looked back at this episode for a reference.
I think there is some real quality to this episode, Susan is a truly interesting character, she's more than just a screaming child here, her very existence is curious here, I liked this side of her character, an advanced girl out of her time.
It's fantastic, 10/10.
As a stand alone episode, it's loaded with mystery and intrigue, you really do question everything, who on Earth are these people, and where are they from, how do they know what they do? It's so imaginative.
Susan's artwork, the whoosh in the opening credits, the clothes, and some of the dialogue, just some of the differences keen eyed viewers will spot.
We hear the name John Smith, I wonder if in The Wheel in Space they looked back at this episode for a reference.
I think there is some real quality to this episode, Susan is a truly interesting character, she's more than just a screaming child here, her very existence is curious here, I liked this side of her character, an advanced girl out of her time.
It's fantastic, 10/10.
- Sleepin_Dragon
- Mar 3, 2021
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- An Unearthly Child (Pilot)
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime23 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
- 4:3
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What is the broadcast (satellite or terrestrial TV) release date of An Unearthly Child (1963) in Australia?
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