Dematerialisation Circuit

[cobalt]

I can't remember the specific episode, but during the Pertwee Era, I seem to recall an incident where the 3rd Doc tried to get his broken TARDIS working again by stealing The Master's demat circuit, only to have it blow up in his face. The reason being that The Master's TARDIS was a slightly different model than his, and the parts were incompatible.

[nebula1253]

"Terror of the Autons"

[tony farrell]

You are correct Cobalt and Nebula.  

In "Terror of the Autons", Pertwee's Doctor steals the Master's dematerialisation circuit and subsequently tries to adapt it to repair his (the Doctor's) Tardis. As you rightly say, the Master's dematerialisation circuit isn't compatible with the Doctor's older Tardis and the Doctor explains this incompatibility as being due to the fact that the Master's Tardis is a "Mark 2" version whereas the Doctor's Tardis was a "Mark 1". Down the years this partial explanation has been taken by some to imply that the Doctor was actually referring to the dematerialisation circuit rather than the version numbers of the Tardis.

In the closing moments of "The Three Doctors", the Time Lords send the Doctor a replacement dematerialisation circuit and restore his memory of all the dematerialisation theory. Pertwee doesn't explicitly call this circuit a Mark 3 version but refers to it as being "new". I suppose therefore that this could be taken to imply that it was the next 'version' number but if that were the case, it would still have to be compatible with the Doctor's Tardis.

As regards the Tardis(es)' version numbers, this is equally confusing. As Marc has said, the Meddling Monk's was referred to as being a later (Mark 4) version than the Doctor's and that therefore the dimensional unit Hartnell steals isn't compatible with the Doctor's Tardis.

The trouble with a programme that has been running for more than fifty years is that some inconsistencies inevitably creep in (we've had three versions of the destruction of Atlantis - Underwater Menace, The Daemons and The Time Monster) and the naming 'convention' for the various Tardises has become similarly 'stretched' with Robert Holmes ignoring/rewriting what had gone before and calling the Doctor's Tardis a "Type 40" time-travel capsule - which description seems to have stuck.

At the end of the day, you accept which description you most like - in terms of the Doctor's Tardis, for me it is Roger Delgado's description which is the most memorable: No proper stabiliser, over-weight, under-powered, second-hand old museum piece - might as well try to fly a gas stove!  

T

[tony farrell]

Sorry, I forgot to add - the dematerialisation circuit as a prop is identical in the three stories you cite. Presumably then, there was only ever one made.

T

[Rassilons Rod]

I thought there were two in one scene?

[tony farrell]

In that case, I might have forgotten one. 

Which story do you have in mind Marc?

T

[Rassilons Rod]

Not really sure tbh. Might be cheating memory.

In that case, I might have forgotten one. 

Which story do you have in mind Marc?

T

[tony farrell]

Well I've not watched my Pertwee DVDs for a year or so now - so I'll have a little look. 

T

[galacticprobe]

Excellent explanation of the "marks" above, Tony! I remember the bit in "Terror of the Autons" where the Doctor talks about the Master's demat circuit not being compatible with (the Doctor's), as the Master's was a "mark II" and the Doctor's was a "mark I". I've always taken that to mean the TARDIS mark, since that was all that was ever mentioned up to that point (i.e. the Meddling Monk's having been mentioned in dialogue from "The Time Meddler" as a "mark IV", and the discussion the Monk had with the Doctor was over the TARDIS itself, not any specific component; that all came later).

And with the Master's very vivid description of his feelings towards the Doctor's TARDIS (and all I could hear was Roger DelGado's voice as I read what you typed), it's obvious, at least, that the Doctor's TARDIS is an older mark than the Master's (if not an older "Type").

So at least for me - as you say we all take things we like most - the Doctor's "decrepit" TARDIS was (at least in the Pertwee era) a mark I, the Master's was a mark II, and the Monk's was a mark IV. (Maybe the Rani's was that elusive "mark III"?)

Dino.

[ionsith]

The Doctor's TARDIS being a Mk I would make sense also if we take Susan's word for it that SHE made up the name TARDIS from the initials (Unearthly Child). She's only a youngster by Time Lord standards so they must have been quite new on the scene on Gallifrey for her to be around to christen them. She could have meant that she made up the name after they fled Gallifrey, but then I'm sure the Monk referred to his ship as a TARDIS, as do the Time Lords in The War Games, in both cases not having heard the Doctor say it first...

    There must be a Time Lord version of Maplin where they are selling the most up to date Dematerialisation Circuits. I wonder if they have a catalogue?

[warmcanofcoke]

I thought there were two in one scene?

Terror of the Autons Episode 3

[tony farrell]

Oh well done Nathan - thanks for that. I stand corrected!

Cheers

T

[Rassilons Rod]

Cool! Nice work Nathan

[galacticprobe]

There must be a Time Lord version of Maplin where they are selling the most up to date Dematerialisation Circuits. I wonder if they have a catalogue?

I think they're going by the Earthbound name of "Mooncrest Models" at the moment. (See the bottom of that page.) They've got to have the most up-to-date version there (though they may still be all designed to fit a mark I).

Dino.

[warmcanofcoke]

Oh well done Nathan - thanks for that. I stand corrected!

Cheers

T

Cool! Nice work Nathan

Masters praise Dobby!!!!!