Production Code: Y
First Transmitted
The Celestial Toyroom - 02/04/1966 17:50
The Hall of Dolls - 09/04/1966 17:50
The Dancing Floor - 16/04/1966 17:50
The Final Test - 23/04/1966 17:50
Plot
The travellers arrive in a strange domain presided over by the Celestial Toymaker - an enigmatic, immortal entity who forces them to play a series of games, failure at which will render them his playthings. The Doctor has to solve the complex Trilogic game while Steven and Dodo are faced with defeating a succession of apparently child-like but potentially lethal animated toys in contests such as 'blind man's buff', musical chairs and 'hunt the key'.
The Doctor finally overcomes the Toymaker by imitating his voice in order to complete the Trilogic game from within the TARDIS, which then dematerialises as his foe's universe is destroyed.
Episode Endings
The Doctor has passed move 350 in the Trilogic game. Meanwhile Dodo and Steven have discovered a riddle set by the Toymaker: 'Four legs, no feet; Of arms no lack; It carries no burden on its back; Six deadly sisters, seven for choice; Call the servants without voice.'
The Doctor has passed move 700 in the Trilogic game. Steven and Dodo, being pursued by three life-sized ballerina dolls, have another riddle to solve: 'Hunt the key, to fit the door; That leads out on the dancing floor. Then escape the rhythmic beat; Or you'll forever tap your feet.'
The Doctor has reached move 902. Cyril meanwhile leads Steven and Dodo to their next game, and warns them that they will not find it so easy this time - because they will be playing against him. The Doctor continues the Trilogic game: 'Lady luck will show the way; Win the game, or here you'll stay.'
With the TARDIS in flight once more, the Doctor takes from Dodo the sweets that Cyril gave to her and pops one of them in his mouth. Suddenly he cries out and doubles up in pain, dropping the bag of sweets to the floor...
Roots
The works of Lewis Carroll.
Cyril is inspired by the Artful Dodger in Oliver Twist and Billy Bunter (costume and performance).
Joey's use of a horn to communicate is reminiscent of Harpo Marx.
The Love for the Three Oranges.
Dialogue Triumphs
Toymaker : "The last time you were here I hoped you'd stay long enough for a game, but you hardly had time to turn around."
The Doctor : "And very wise I was, too."
Toymaker : "I'm bored. I love to play games but there's no-one to play against. The beings who call here have no minds, and so they become my toys. But you will become my perpetual opponent. We shall play endless games together, your brain against mine."
Toymaker : "Make your last move, Doctor. Make your move."
The Doctor : "But if I do, this place vanishes, hm?"
Toymaker : "And then you have won completely."
The Doctor : " And if this place vanishes, then the TARDIS and the rest of us will vanish also?"
Toymaker : "Correct. That is the price of success. Make your last move, Doctor. Make your last move."
Double Entendre
Steven : "I'm going to see if there's an invisible barrier around his backside."
Continuity
The Celestial Toymaker is a powerful, evil immortal who kidnaps others to play his 'quite notorious' deadly games. For his part, the Toymaker has been waiting for the Doctor 'for a long time'. Occasionally individuals beat the Toymaker, but this tends to lead to both their destruction and that of the Toymaker's current world.
The Toymaker says that he is bored with this world anyway and wants to create another [He could be an Eternal, since he seems to depend so much on Ephemerals (see Enlightenment).] Alternatively, his domain could be another aspect of the Land of Fiction (The Mind Robber), or he may be one of the Gods of Ragnarok (The Greatest Show in the Galaxy), or Fenric who played games with the Doctor long ago (The Curse of Fenric). Dodo mentions (and sees) the death of her mother.
QV
Location
The domain of the Celestial Toymaker.
Links
Steven sees himself on the planet Kembel (The Daleks' Master Plan) and refers to Monoids (The Ark).
Untelevised
The Doctor's first meeting with the Toymaker.
Trivia
Peter Stephens' portrayal of Cyril is very much in the style of the popular Billy Bunter character created by Frank Richards. This reportedly brought a complaint from Richards' representatives, and the BBC transmitted a voice-over announcement following the story's last episode disclaiming any intentional similarity between characters in the story and existing fictional characters.
Fashion Victim
Steven in hoops.
Dodo (with Bob Dylan cap) in circles.
Cast & Crew
Cast
The Doctor - William Hartnell
Dodo - Jackie Lane
Steven Taylor - Peter Purves
Clara - Carmen Silvera
Dancer - Beryl Braham
Dancer - Ann Harrison
Dancer - Delia Lindon
Joey - Campbell Singer
Joker - Reg Lever
King of Hearts - Campbell Singer
Kitchen Boy/Cyril - Peter Stephens
Knave of Hearts - Peter Stephens
Mrs Wiggs - Carmen Silvera
Queen of Hearts - Carmen Silvera
Sergeant Rugg - Campbell Singer
Toymaker - Michael Gough
Crew
Director - Bill Sellars
The Celestial Toymaker