Hulke, Malcolm - Doctor Who: The Green Death (London, Target, 1975, 141 pp)
The Doctor Who series, emerging as it did during the 1960s,
always tended towards the progressive side of Science Fiction, but in the case
of this episode and the subsequent novelisation it appears the hidden leftie
moles at the BBC were really let loose. To wit- tension breaks out at UNIT,
the UN affiliated military organisation the Doctor works for, when they are
ordered to protect a petrochemical facility in Wales that has been coming under
fire from local ecologists. Since economic rationalism has forced the closure
of the town’s mines the local populace (made up of stereotypical salt
of the earth Welshmen) are initially keen to support a new chemical facility,
but suspicions grow after one of their number is struck down by a green fungus.
Whilst the Brigadier (UNIT’s leader) is initially all too keen to take
on the greenie commune dwellers the Doctor’s assistant Jo joins their
crusade against the arch polluters.
What starts out as a relatively straightforward NIMBY hippies versus the Establishment
type scenario soon takes on a number of bizarre twists including bullet proof
mutant maggots chomping on humans and a mind controlling computer called BOSS
"processing" people into corporate automatons. As things get heavy
and the earth is threatening by the twin perils of a pollution related "green
plague" and a computer led dictatorship even the straight laced Brigadier
begins to question the role of multinationals and the need to blindly follow
orders.
Novelisations as a general rule fail to live up to their source material, but
in this case Hulke, working for the first and only time on an episode not of
his making, did a sterling job. The characters and the plot are given new dimensions
yet the feel of the original remains. The only real complaint would be the fact
that a few key points were changed to keep various parties happy. Originally
the Brigadier was ordered by the Prime Minister to lay off the evil polluters
in order not affect foreign investment whilst in the novel it is merely BOSS
the meglomaniac computer doing an impersonation. Similarly the name of the chemical
facility was changed from Global to Panorama following complaints from a real
existing chemicals company of the same name.
Despite these quibbles the vociferousness of the original plot is largely intact
and one can easily imagine management at the Beeb bristling at such a blatant
tirade against the corporate mindset with its none too subtle message that industrial
by-products will bring forth new and terrifying dangers. Simplistic anti-corporate
propaganda this series and book may be, but if only most anti-corporate propaganda
was as enjoyable and witty as this. The chroma-key green slime and paper mache
meets bin liner giant insects on the original show and the hilarious illustrations
of giant maggots in the book don’t fail to score bonus points with the
kids either.
-IBM.
"Jo couldn’t resist butting in. ‘Do you always use the word
"man" when you mean "human being?’ The young man laughed
‘Oh very good! After that you’ll never believe that I support Women’s
Liberation will you? But please try and pardon a slip of the tongue.’
‘Thank you’ said Jo ‘Now please continue.’ ‘Here
at Wholeweal we’re trying to find out how to live a different way. We
want to be human beings again- not slaves of machines and industry and finance.’
‘Do you want a world without machines at all?’ asked Jo. ‘That
would be stupid’ said the young man ‘What matters is the type of
machines we use.’ ‘What’s your solution?’ ‘Solar
energy’ he said emphatically ‘The sun is producing great quantities
of energy and we could use it. Instead we burn oil one way or another and pollute
the air we breathe. And we could use the movement of the wind and the tides
and the rivers. Are you warm enough?'
Jo was surprised at the question. ‘Yes thank you.’ ‘Heat from
the river’ he explained ‘We have a water wheel in the river at the
back of the house. That drives an electrical generator and the electricity keeps
the house warm. Alternative technology you use. No waste. No pollution. Now
Panorama Chemicals hope to produce 25% more petrol and diesel from a given quantity
of crude oil. Do you realise how they are going to do that?’ Jo shook
her head ‘Not properly.’ ‘The process must be based on Bateson’s
polymerisation. And that means thousands of gallons of waste. A thick sludge
you can’t break down, it’s like liquid plastic.’ He paused
‘I think it’s connected with the death of Ted Hughes.’ ‘The
green man?’ asked Jo ‘You mean they’ve been pumping this sludge
down into the old mine here?’ He nodded ‘Could be.’ ‘That’s
terrible’ said Jo. She looked around the makeshift laboratory ‘What
exactly are you doing in here?’
‘Another side of our work’ said the young man. ‘Very soon
the world is going to need something to replace meat. A high protein fungus
could be the answer.’ He turned to her ‘Wholeweal isn’t a
place for dropouts you know.’ ‘I didn’t imagine it was’
she said quickly."
Doctor Who website -
http://www.gallifreyone.org/series/3t.htm
(Excellent guide to the various series)
Doctor Who novelisation guide -
http://www.treykorte.com/drwho.html
(Reviews of the various books)