Kamelion
Encyclopedia
Kamelion is a fictional character
from the long-running British
science fiction television
series Doctor Who
. A shape-changing android voiced by Gerald Flood
in its default form, it is a companion
of the Fifth Doctor
and appears in the television series in two serials between 1983 and 1984.
in England, Earth, 1215 A.D. The King's Demons
, Kamelion is a tool of the renegade Time Lord
known as the Master
, who is forcing Kamelion to pose as King John
. At the conclusion of the Master's previous encounter
with the Doctor
, he was trapped on the planet Xeriphas. When the Master returns, he has Kamelion with him, calling it a souvenir he had picked up from there. Although Kamelion is sentient to a degree, it is also extremely weak-willed, and therefore open to manipulation by any strong personalities around it. The Doctor frees Kamelion from the Master's grip, and it joins the Doctor in the TARDIS (much to Tegan's disapproval). Here it presumably spends all the intervening time between its two full appearances, out of sight and mind – notably no reference is even made to the character on-screen otherwise.
Kamelion eventually falls under the Master's influence again in the serial Planet of Fire. Kamelion finally begs the Doctor to destroy it, and the Doctor uses the Master's tissue compression elimenator (T.C.E) on him, shrinking him and destroying him, the last that is seen of Kamelion is the doll sized robot shell lying on the floor, with wires hanging out of its shoulder. The Kamelion robot's last appearance is as one of the images of his companions that comes to the Fifth Doctor during his regeneration scene in The Caves of Androzani
.
prop. The reason why the Kamelion robot was used fully only in two serials was that it was very difficult for the Doctor Who production team to control. It malfunctioned frequently, and things were only made worse when its inventor, Mike Power, died in a boating accident without leaving behind the knowledge of the complex codes that controlled it. A third appearance by the character in the serial The Awakening
, designed to bridge the gap between its appearances and to remind viewers of its existence and the fact that it had been 'hiding' all this time somewhere in the TARDIS, was cut for timing reasons and was never broadcast. Thought lost forever, this scene was eventually recovered on a video copy of an early edit of The Awakening episode one, in the personal archive of the late Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner
. Presented to the Doctor Who Restoration Team
, it was included in the documentary Kamelion: Metal Man featured on the DVD release of The King's Demons.
novels The Crystal Bucephalus
by Craig Hinton
, Imperial Moon
and The Ultimate Treasure
both by Christopher Bulis
. In The Crystal Bucephalus its absence from the televised stories is here explained by saying that it remains secreted deep in the TARDIS for fear of being taken over by a stronger personality and used against the Doctor. In The Ultimate Treasure, it is stated that Kamelion is the product of a race known as the Gelsandorans. Some of Kamelion's personality survives due to interfacing with the TARDIS, and the Gelsandorans give it a new body only for it to sacrifice itself to save the Doctor and Peri
. A remnant of the interface resurfaces in the Virgin New Adventures
novel Christmas on a Rational Planet
.
Kamelion also features in several short stories set in the Doctor Who universe, notably "One Perfect Twilight" by Craig Hinton (Perfect Timing and Shelf Life), where the Doctor realises that obedience and slavery are built into Kamelion's makeup, and "The Reproductive Cycle" by Matthew Griffiths (Short Trips
: Life Sciences
). In the latter story, the "child" of Kamelion and the TARDIS, who becomes a double of Peri, takes her place on Earth while the real Peri travels with the Doctor.
Kamelion made a surprise appearance in the Big Finish
audio story Circular Time
. A final trap set by The Master was set to trigger when the Fifth Doctor regenerated. Kamelion's mental link to the Doctor still existed, and it was used to persuade him to not regenerate. A false life as a normal human was created within the Doctor's mind, and Kamelion watched over him as his wife (voiced by Sunny Ormonde). Kamelion ultimately went against his orders and confessed the plan, allowing the Doctor to change and live.
and Steve Lyons write that "An examination of Kamelion’s history reveals the possible existence of a curse of Poltergeist
proportions. Both Terence Dudley
and Peter Grimwade
, who scripted the robot companion’s appearances, have died. So too have Kamelion’s human alter-ego, Gerald Flood, and Dallas Adams
, who played his 'Howard Foster' form for most of 'Planet of Fire'. To say nothing of Kamelion’s software designer, Mike Power, who was killed shortly after the decision was taken to include the robot in the series. Eric Pringle
should thank his lucky stars that a Kamelion sequence was edited out of 'The Awakening' and Missing Adventure scribe Craig Hinton should start worrying." Hinton – who penned the Missing Adventure The Crystal Bucephalus, which featured Kamelion prominently – later died of a heart attack, at the age of 42, in 2006.
Season 21
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the long-running British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction television
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. A shape-changing android voiced by Gerald Flood
Gerald Flood
Gerald Flood was a British actor of stage and television.Born in Portsmouth, Hampshire but lived for most of his life in Farnham, Surrey, where he regularly appeared on stage at the Castle Theatre...
in its default form, it is a companion
Companion (Doctor Who)
In the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, the term "companion" refers to a character who travels with, and shares the adventures of the Doctor. In most Doctor Who stories, the primary companion acts as both deuteragonist and audience surrogate...
of the Fifth Doctor
Fifth Doctor
The Fifth Doctor is the fifth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Peter Davison....
and appears in the television series in two serials between 1983 and 1984.
Character biography
When first encountered by the DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
in England, Earth, 1215 A.D. The King's Demons
The King's Demons
The King's Demons is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was originally broadcast in two parts on March 15 and March 16, 1983...
, Kamelion is a tool of the renegade Time Lord
Time Lord
The Time Lords are an ancient extraterrestrial race and civilization of humanoids in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, of which the series' eponymous protagonist, the Doctor, is a member...
known as the Master
Master (Doctor Who)
The Master is a recurring character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is a renegade Time Lord and the archenemy of the Doctor....
, who is forcing Kamelion to pose as King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
. At the conclusion of the Master's previous encounter
Time-Flight
Time-Flight is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 22 March to 30 March 1982...
with the Doctor
Doctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
, he was trapped on the planet Xeriphas. When the Master returns, he has Kamelion with him, calling it a souvenir he had picked up from there. Although Kamelion is sentient to a degree, it is also extremely weak-willed, and therefore open to manipulation by any strong personalities around it. The Doctor frees Kamelion from the Master's grip, and it joins the Doctor in the TARDIS (much to Tegan's disapproval). Here it presumably spends all the intervening time between its two full appearances, out of sight and mind – notably no reference is even made to the character on-screen otherwise.
Kamelion eventually falls under the Master's influence again in the serial Planet of Fire. Kamelion finally begs the Doctor to destroy it, and the Doctor uses the Master's tissue compression elimenator (T.C.E) on him, shrinking him and destroying him, the last that is seen of Kamelion is the doll sized robot shell lying on the floor, with wires hanging out of its shoulder. The Kamelion robot's last appearance is as one of the images of his companions that comes to the Fifth Doctor during his regeneration scene in The Caves of Androzani
The Caves of Androzani
The Caves of Androzani is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 8–16 March 1984. It was Peter Davison's last regular appearance as the Doctor, and marks the first appearance of Colin Baker in the role...
.
Behind the scenes
When Kamelion changed shape, it was played by the actor whose character's form it took. However, when in its default form, it was a true computer-controlled robotRobot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
prop. The reason why the Kamelion robot was used fully only in two serials was that it was very difficult for the Doctor Who production team to control. It malfunctioned frequently, and things were only made worse when its inventor, Mike Power, died in a boating accident without leaving behind the knowledge of the complex codes that controlled it. A third appearance by the character in the serial The Awakening
The Awakening (Doctor Who)
The Awakening is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was originally broadcast in two parts on 19 and 20 January 1984.-Synopsis:...
, designed to bridge the gap between its appearances and to remind viewers of its existence and the fact that it had been 'hiding' all this time somewhere in the TARDIS, was cut for timing reasons and was never broadcast. Thought lost forever, this scene was eventually recovered on a video copy of an early edit of The Awakening episode one, in the personal archive of the late Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner
John Nathan-Turner
John Nathan-Turner was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, from 1980 until it was effectively cancelled in 1989...
. Presented to the Doctor Who Restoration Team
Doctor Who Restoration Team
The Doctor Who Restoration Team is a loose collection of Doctor Who fans, many within the television industry, who restore Doctor Who episodes for release on DVD....
, it was included in the documentary Kamelion: Metal Man featured on the DVD release of The King's Demons.
Other appearances
Kamelion is also featured in the spin-offDoctor Who spin-offs
Doctor Who spin-offs refers to material created outside of, but related to, the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
novels The Crystal Bucephalus
The Crystal Bucephalus
The Crystal Bucephalus is an original novel written by Craig Hinton and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Kamelion.-External links:*...
by Craig Hinton
Craig Hinton
Craig Paul Alexander Hinton was a British writer best known for his work on various spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who....
, Imperial Moon
Imperial Moon
Imperial Moon is a BBC Books original novel written by Christopher Bulis and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Fifth Doctor, Turlough and Kamelion.-External links:*...
and The Ultimate Treasure
The Ultimate Treasure
The Ultimate Treasure is a BBC Books original novel written by Christopher Bulis and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Fifth Doctor, and Peri.-External links:*...
both by Christopher Bulis
Christopher Bulis
Christopher Bulis is a writer best known for his work on various Doctor Who spin-offs. He is one of the most prolific authors to write for the various ranges of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who, with twelve novels to his name, and between 1993 and 2000 he had at least one Doctor...
. In The Crystal Bucephalus its absence from the televised stories is here explained by saying that it remains secreted deep in the TARDIS for fear of being taken over by a stronger personality and used against the Doctor. In The Ultimate Treasure, it is stated that Kamelion is the product of a race known as the Gelsandorans. Some of Kamelion's personality survives due to interfacing with the TARDIS, and the Gelsandorans give it a new body only for it to sacrifice itself to save the Doctor and Peri
Peri Brown
Peri Brown, full name Perpugilliam Brown, is a fictional character played by Nicola Bryant in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
. A remnant of the interface resurfaces in the Virgin New Adventures
Virgin New Adventures
The Virgin New Adventures were a series of novels from Virgin Publishing based on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who...
novel Christmas on a Rational Planet
Christmas on a Rational Planet
Christmas on a Rational Planet is an original novel written by Lawrence Miles and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
.
Kamelion also features in several short stories set in the Doctor Who universe, notably "One Perfect Twilight" by Craig Hinton (Perfect Timing and Shelf Life), where the Doctor realises that obedience and slavery are built into Kamelion's makeup, and "The Reproductive Cycle" by Matthew Griffiths (Short Trips
Big Finish Short Trips
The Big Finish Short Trips are a collection of short story anthologies published by Big Finish Productions based on the BBC Television series Doctor Who, beginning with the collection Short Trips: Zodiac in December 2002 and ending with the loss of their license in 2009...
: Life Sciences
Short Trips: Life Science
Short Trips: Life Science is a Big Finish original anthology edited by John Binns and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The collection's theme is the nature of life.-Stories:-Notes:...
). In the latter story, the "child" of Kamelion and the TARDIS, who becomes a double of Peri, takes her place on Earth while the real Peri travels with the Doctor.
Kamelion made a surprise appearance in the Big Finish
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
audio story Circular Time
Circular Time
Circular Time is a British audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is produced by Big Finish Productions.-Circular Time:...
. A final trap set by The Master was set to trigger when the Fifth Doctor regenerated. Kamelion's mental link to the Doctor still existed, and it was used to persuade him to not regenerate. A false life as a normal human was created within the Doctor's mind, and Kamelion watched over him as his wife (voiced by Sunny Ormonde). Kamelion ultimately went against his orders and confessed the plan, allowing the Doctor to change and live.
The Curse of Kamelion?
In their tongue-in-cheek reference book Doctor Who: The Completely Useless Encyclopedia (1996), Chris HowarthChris Howarth
Christopher "Chris" Howarth is an English goalkeeper who plays football for Salford City....
and Steve Lyons write that "An examination of Kamelion’s history reveals the possible existence of a curse of Poltergeist
Poltergeist
A poltergeist is a paranormal phenomenon which consists of events alluding to the manifestation of an imperceptible entity. Such manifestation typically includes inanimate objects moving or being thrown about, sentient noises and, on some occasions, physical attacks on those witnessing the...
proportions. Both Terence Dudley
Terence Dudley
Terence Dudley was a television director and producer who directed many programs for the BBC over a number of years....
and Peter Grimwade
Peter Grimwade
Peter Grimwade was a British television writer and director, best known for his work on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who....
, who scripted the robot companion’s appearances, have died. So too have Kamelion’s human alter-ego, Gerald Flood, and Dallas Adams
Dallas Adams
Dallas Adams was an English actor noted for his television performances.His credits include: Strange Report, Thriller , Space: 1999, Bergerac, Doctor Who , Robin of Sherwood and Agatha Christie's Poirot...
, who played his 'Howard Foster' form for most of 'Planet of Fire'. To say nothing of Kamelion’s software designer, Mike Power, who was killed shortly after the decision was taken to include the robot in the series. Eric Pringle
Eric Pringle
Eric Pringle is a British writer for radio and television. He has also written three novels for children....
should thank his lucky stars that a Kamelion sequence was edited out of 'The Awakening' and Missing Adventure scribe Craig Hinton should start worrying." Hinton – who penned the Missing Adventure The Crystal Bucephalus, which featured Kamelion prominently – later died of a heart attack, at the age of 42, in 2006.
Television serials
Season 20- The King's DemonsThe King's DemonsThe King's Demons is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was originally broadcast in two parts on March 15 and March 16, 1983...
Season 21
- Planet of FirePlanet of FirePlanet of Fire is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 23 February to 2 March 1984...
- The Caves of AndrozaniThe Caves of AndrozaniThe Caves of Androzani is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 8–16 March 1984. It was Peter Davison's last regular appearance as the Doctor, and marks the first appearance of Colin Baker in the role...
– illusion in episode 4