Ogron
Encyclopedia
Ogrons are a fiction
al extraterrestrial
race from the British
science fiction television series Doctor Who
. The name may be derived from the mythological ogre
s.
Ogrons are low-intelligence, ape-like hominids who live in scattered communities on an unnamed planet on the outer fringes of the Milky Way
, far from the central spaceways. The dominant lifeform on their home planet is a giant slug-like lizard named the Eater, and the Ogrons both pray to and are preyed on by it.
Ogrons are hired mercenaries. Those who have employed their services include the Master
and the Dalek
s. On some human planets, Ogrons are employed as police officers, usually led by a mentally augmented leader.
novel
The Romance of Crime
by Gareth Roberts
, the New Adventures
novels Shakedown
and Mean Streets
, both by Terrance Dicks
, and the BBC Books
novels Mission: Impractical
by David A. McIntee
and Interference by Lawrence Miles
. In these books, it is explained that the Ogrons are only able to fly spacecraft via their powerful sense of mimicry. Interference states that Ogron speech also uses subsonic frequencies and that they are more intelligent than they appear to be from their audible speech alone. A mentally augmented Ogron named Garshak appears as a supporting character in both Shakedown and Mean Streets, first as police chief for the corrupt megacity on Megarra and later as a private detective.
In The Romance of Crime and Mission: Impractical, the Ogron homeworld is given the name Braah. Because of rapid changes in Braah's climate, the evolutionary path the Ogrons were on got confused, resulting in them being a mixture of primate and carnivore instincts. The Virgin New Adventure So Vile a Sin
named it as Orestes. According to the Dalek Survival Guide, written by various Doctor Who novelists, the Ogrons have never named their planet, and a committee has proposed the name "the Ogron Planet".
The Ogrons also appear, in the employ of the Daleks, in the Big Finish Productions
audio drama Return of the Daleks
.
The Ogrons, their home planet and system are not to be confused with the Ogri, silicon-based lifeforms from the planet Ogros in the Tau Ceti
system which appear in the later Doctor Who serial The Stones of Blood
.
Television
Audio drama
Computer games
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al extraterrestrial
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
race from the 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 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...
. The name may be derived from the mythological ogre
Ogre
An ogre is a large, cruel, monstrous, and hideous humanoid monster, featured in mythology, folklore, and fiction. Ogres are often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings, and have appeared in many classic works of literature...
s.
Ogrons are low-intelligence, ape-like hominids who live in scattered communities on an unnamed planet on the outer fringes of the Milky Way
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
, far from the central spaceways. The dominant lifeform on their home planet is a giant slug-like lizard named the Eater, and the Ogrons both pray to and are preyed on by it.
Ogrons are hired mercenaries. Those who have employed their services include 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....
and the Dalek
Dalek
The Daleks are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Within the series, Daleks are cyborgs from the planet Skaro, created by the scientist Davros during the final years of a thousand-year war against the Thals...
s. On some human planets, Ogrons are employed as police officers, usually led by a mentally augmented leader.
Appearances
As well as the original Doctor Who television series, they appear in the Virgin Missing AdventuresVirgin Missing Adventures
The Virgin Missing Adventures were a series of novels from Virgin Publishing based on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who, which had been cancelled in 1989, featuring stories set between televised episodes of the programme. The novels were published from 1994 to 1997, and...
novel
Doctor 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....
The Romance of Crime
The Romance of Crime
The Romance of Crime is an original novel written by Gareth Roberts and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Fourth Doctor, Romana and K-9. It takes place directly before the Missing Adventure The English Way of Death, also by Gareth...
by Gareth Roberts
Gareth Roberts (writer)
Gareth John Pritchard Roberts is a British television screenwriter and novelist, best known for his work related to the science-fiction television series Doctor Who...
, the 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...
novels Shakedown
Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans
Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans is a film spin-off of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was released direct-to-video in 1995 and was produced by the independent production company Dreamwatch Media, a division of Dreamwatch magazine...
and Mean Streets
Mean Streets (Bernice Summerfield)
Mean Streets is an original novel by Terrance Dicks featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-External links:*...
, both by Terrance Dicks
Terrance Dicks
Terrance Dicks is an English writer, best known for his work in television and for writing a large number of popular children's books during the 1970s and 80s.- Early career :...
, and the BBC Books
BBC Books
BBC Books is an imprint majority owned and managed by Random House. The minority shareholder is BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation...
novels Mission: Impractical
Mission: Impractical
Mission: Impractical is a BBC Books original novel written by David A. McIntee and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
by David A. McIntee
David A. McIntee
-Biography:McIntee has written many spin-off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, as well as one each based on Final Destination and Space: 1999. He has also written a non-fiction book on Star Trek: Voyager and one jointly on the Alien and Predator movie franchises...
and Interference by Lawrence Miles
Lawrence Miles
Lawrence Miles is a science fiction author known for his work on original Doctor Who novels and the subsequent spin-off Faction Paradox...
. In these books, it is explained that the Ogrons are only able to fly spacecraft via their powerful sense of mimicry. Interference states that Ogron speech also uses subsonic frequencies and that they are more intelligent than they appear to be from their audible speech alone. A mentally augmented Ogron named Garshak appears as a supporting character in both Shakedown and Mean Streets, first as police chief for the corrupt megacity on Megarra and later as a private detective.
In The Romance of Crime and Mission: Impractical, the Ogron homeworld is given the name Braah. Because of rapid changes in Braah's climate, the evolutionary path the Ogrons were on got confused, resulting in them being a mixture of primate and carnivore instincts. The Virgin New Adventure So Vile a Sin
So Vile a Sin
So Vile a Sin is an original novel written by Ben Aaronovitch & Kate Orman and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Chris and Roz, Bernice, Jason, Kadiatu Lethbridge-Stewart...
named it as Orestes. According to the Dalek Survival Guide, written by various Doctor Who novelists, the Ogrons have never named their planet, and a committee has proposed the name "the Ogron Planet".
The Ogrons also appear, in the employ of the Daleks, in the Big Finish Productions
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 drama Return of the Daleks
Return of the Daleks
Return of the Daleks is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Synopsis:...
.
The Ogrons, their home planet and system are not to be confused with the Ogri, silicon-based lifeforms from the planet Ogros in the Tau Ceti
Tau Ceti
Tau Ceti is a star in the constellation Cetus that is spectrally similar to the Sun, although it has only about 78% of the Sun's mass. At a distance of just under 12 light-years from the Solar System, it is a relatively close star. Tau Ceti is metal-deficient and so is thought to be less likely to...
system which appear in the later Doctor Who serial The Stones of Blood
The Stones of Blood
The Stones of Blood is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from October 28 to November 18, 1978...
.
Television
- Day of the DaleksDay of the DaleksDay of the Daleks is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 1 January to 22 January 1972.-Synopsis:...
(1 January – 22 January 1972) - Carnival of MonstersCarnival of MonstersCarnival of Monsters is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 27 January to 17 February 1973....
(27 January – 17 February 1973) - Frontier in SpaceFrontier in SpaceFrontier in Space is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from February 24 to March 31, 1973...
(24 February – 31 March 1973) - Dimensions in TimeDimensions in TimeDimensions in Time is a charity special crossover between the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and the soap opera EastEnders that ran in two parts on 26 and 27 November 1993. It was filmed on the EastEnders Albert Square set, and features several of the stars of that programme...
(1993)
Audio drama
- Return of the DaleksReturn of the DaleksReturn of the Daleks is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Synopsis:...
(released December 2006)
Computer games
- Dalek AttackDalek AttackDalek Attack is a computer game based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which the player plays the Doctor and fights the Daleks...
(1992)
Other uses
- Ogrons bear a certain amount of similarity (including their name) to, and therefore may have inspired the Ogryn race of the Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
universe, especially as the Ogrons are led by a mentally enhanced leader, and the Ogryns are led by a mentally enhanced leader (usually of a Sergeant rank) known as a Bone-head.
- In Emotional ChemistryEmotional ChemistryEmotional Chemistry is a BBC Books original novel written by Simon A. Forward and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Eighth Doctor, Fitz and Trix....
by Simon A. ForwardSimon A. ForwardSimon A. Forward is an author and dramatist most famous for his work on a variety of Doctor Who spin-offs. He currently lives and works in Penzance with his wife as a full-time writer.-Work:...
, ОГРОН (OGRON) (Оперативная Группа Разведкой Объединённых Наций, or, Operativnaya Gruppa Rasvedkoy Obyedinyonnih Natsiy, which roughly translates to "United Nations Reconnaissance Operations Group") is the RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n division of the alien defence organisation UNITUnited Nations Intelligence TaskforceUNIT is a fictional military organisation from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures...
. The coincidence of names is likely a metafictionMetafictionMetafiction, also known as Romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature, is a type of fiction that self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction, exposing the fictional illusion...
al in-jokeIn-jokeAn in-joke, also known as an inside joke or in joke, is a joke whose humour is clear only to people who are in a particular social group, occupation, or other community of common understanding...
.