Trivia / Doctor Who S2 E5 "The Web Planet"

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• The Cast Showoff: Rosalyn de Winter, who played Vrestin, was also a choreographer and helped create the movements for the Zarbi and other creatures. She was famously credited for "Insect Movement" in the closing titles.
• Inspiration for the Work: Writer Bill Strutton was inspired by an incident when he was a kid of watching two bull ants fighting, and getting bit when he tried to get involved.
• Pop-Culture Urban Legends: The iconic smeared look of the story was said to be because vaseline was glossed onto the camera lens. While that was a common technique, the actual reason is because a Neutral-Density filtered lens was subbed in, which are used to reduce harsh light in non-digital cameras.
• Throw It In!: An actor in a Zarbi costume had such poor eyesight they bonked into the camera, and because of the serial’s rushed production, it was left in.
• Troubled Production: One of the worst examples during the show’s early days.
  • Director Richard Martin wanted to go ambitious for this serial. Much of the budget was put into its effects. He forwent Who’s regular score to licence experimental music. And to make the planet Vortis look more otherworldly, he went about using a unique lens. Unfortunately, the crew had to go with a cheaper alternative lens instead, giving the serial it’s (in)famous look.
  • Meanwhile, producer Verity Lambert was frustrated with Martin’s overspending and making major changes throughout production, which she suspected was because none of the actors were remembering their lines. She also voiced concern about the level of violence on the show.
  • According to Doctor Who: The Complete History, filming for the 2nd episode was when things completely fell apart. Both of the cheaper lens broke. Several sets were unfinished or not delivered, while a Zarbi costume fell apart during production. Filming continually went behind schedule, as technical issues persisted through the entire making-of. During one shoot, seaweed that was used for an effect was left to smell under the studio’s hot lights.
  • In the end, the serial would have the highest views of Doctor Who’s run so far. But even in its time, the episodes were considered confusing and later cost-cutting left it an oddity of the series. The serial also may have been a cause for William Russell, who played Ian, to leave the show over disinterest in its new direction.
• What Could Have Been: The larvae guns were originally meant to shoot venom, but it was changed thanks to Dennis Spooner.
• Working Title: The Zarbi and The Webbed Planet.

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