Invasion of the Dinosaurs

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Invasion of the Dinosaurs is a Doctor Who serial from 1974, broadcast in six 25-minute episodes. The Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and his companion Sarah Jane Smith arrive in a deserted, increasingly strange London where dinosaurs keep appearing in the streets.

Plot
A conspiracy is at work behind the dinosaur sightings. MP Sir Charles Grover and General Finch, with the help of Professor Whitaker, are using a secret Timescoop device to reverse time and return Earth to a mythical “golden age” when humanity supposedly thrived. Their plan, called Operation Golden Age, requires evacuating London and sending a chosen few aboard a hidden spaceship to a new Earth-like planet. Whitaker is aided by Captain Yates, who has become disillusioned with UNIT. Sarah is captured, then learns of the larger plot and escapes. The Doctor, with UNIT and the Brigadier, uncovers the scheme and the use of the Timescoop to manipulate time itself. In the end, the Doctor reverses the Timescoop’s polarity, sending Grover, Whitaker and the device into the past; Finch is arrested, and Yates resigns. London is saved, and the conspiracy is thwarted.

Production notes
- The story used several London locations and introduced the Timescoop concept to mask the dinosaur plot.
- Working titles included Timescoop and Bridgehead from Space; the first episode’s title was shortened to Invasion to conceal the real plan.
- The dinosaur effects were widely criticized for looking fake, though the performances and direction were praised.
- Part One exists as a monochrome film print, but has since been recoloured for some releases; the remaining episodes survive on colour master tapes.

Release and reception
- A novelisation by Malcolm Hulke followed in 1976.
- The serial has been released on DVD and VHS, with various restorations, including colour restoration for Part One in some editions.
- Critics and fans have noted the strong plotting and character work, even as the dinosaur visuals remained a point of contention.