The first season of Tom Baker’s lengthy tenure as the Doctor started with the rather light hearted introductory serial 'Robot', and whilst there has been so much written on the creation of Tom Baker's costume -
from how it was based on a French poster advertising Aristide Bruant at a nightclub in 1982, to the oft repeated detail of how the scarf was made so long by accident - I'm not really going to highlight it here due to redundancy (besides, the My 4th Doctor Costume blog post I linked to coveres it in much more detail).
'The Ark in Space'
Costume Design by Barbara Kidd
This serial involved the crew of the 'Nerva' space station facing off an infiltration by giant insectoid aliens - the Nerva's crew are all in white uniforms consisting of flared trousers and zip-up jackets. The jackets having a panel over the shoulders (a design trait that Kidd would use in later futuristic productions) with coloured panelling and piping around the edges. The coloured panels are in a variety of colours, likely inspired by the colour-coded uniforms in
Star Trek.
'The Sontaran Experiment'
Costume Design by Barbara Kidd
Set on the same ruined Earth that the spacestation crew in the previous serial had escaped from, this just had a few survivors in drab jumpsuit with open helmets suggesting where a protective helmet would go.
'Genesis of the Daleks'
Costume Design by Barbara Kidd
This dystopian serial depicted the creation of the Daleks on their home planet at the end of a centuries long war between the Kaleds and the Thals. The serial starts with an unnamed Time Lord sent to give the Doctor his mission, wearing an ominous high-collared black robe – apparently this costume design was inspired by the depiction of Death in
The Seventh Seal.
Due to the setting, most of the cast are in uniforms with the Kaleds wearing buttonless black jackets and breeches; the design of the jackets feels slightly inspired by
WWI Royal Flying Corps jackets, with a more sloping cut.
Another futuristic uniform is worn by the Kaled scientists, the lead researchers wearing white vinyl jackets (vaguely inspired by the Howie labcoat?) with diagonal zips; a similar design is worn by Davros (Michael Wisher), but his is made of black vinyl.
The opposing Thals meanwhile have green as their signature colour, with the Thal leaders wearing smart wraparound green jackets (worn over turtleneck jumpers) and trousers.
Budget restrictions meant that the bulk of the serials costumes are just off-the-rack; Kaled extras wear black combat fatigues, dentist jackets and work overalls, while Thal extras wear military surplus, with the Thal dome guards wearing a uniform cobbled up from bought fencing jackets dyed green, green work overalls and orange safety goggles. However, I think the radiation suits worn by the rocket silo guards were bespoke made - the shiny material doesn't match any real fire suit, and the shoulders are ribbed and cut to let the sleeves out.
'Revenge of the Cybermen'
Costume Design by Prue Handley
The costume budget of this serial went to the Cybermen (which, more in the realm of robot/monster costume design, ergo not covered here) and their enemies the 'Vogans'. The Vogan noble Vorus (David Collings) sports the serials flashiest outfit – the Vogans are associated with gold and this motif is plainly demonstrated by his chain-mail like underclothes and symmetrical chest piece.
The soldiers under Vorus’ command wear similar outfits to him, minus the more ornate patterns, but still keeping up a pleasant symmetry.
The Chief Councillor of the Vogans, Tyrus (Kevin Stoney) is opposed to Vorus, and this opposition is also demonstrated in his own dress, which is much less officious or ornate as Vorus, instead essentially being a mesh gown adorned with golden pieces.
The guards loyal to Tyrus also are in similar golden gowns, but with belts and no added pieces, with their commander only distinguished by his belt having more 'gem' pieces stuck on.
'Planet of Evil'
Costume Design by Andrew Rose
Set on another planet in a plot ripping off
Forbidden Planet, the military detachment of the 'Morestrans' are all clad in blue bodysuits adorned with white hosing and shoulder pads, very much a 'space age' design.
The scientists of the Morestran team are clad in more drab tan and brown jumpsuits, with padded lining around the neck.
'Pyramids of Mars'
Costume Design by Barbara Kidd
This serial was a science-fiction spin on
The Mummy, with the evil alien Sutekh (Gabriel Woolf) having inspired Egyptian mythology as per the usual 'ancient aliens' cheese. Sutekh sends to Earth a 'servant' wearing an all-vinyl black robe and ominous helmet; simultaneously feeling like a spacesuit helmet, but also ancient sculptures.
More vibrant is Sutekh's regal robe of red and black, fitted with tubed material to give it a more futuristic feeling. The design of Sutekh's helmet is clearly inspired Ancient Egyptian headwear such as the red and white 'pschent' crown worn by rulers; Sutekh's species are known as Osirans, so naturally he should wear a helmet similar to how the deity Osiris is depicted in heiroglyhics.
'The Android Invasion'
Costume Design by Barbara Lane
This serial was a typical ‘alien duplicate’ plot, set on contemporary Earth; I however feel that Saran Jane's pink sailor costume was designed and bespoke made by Barbara Lane, due to looking like it was tailored to Elisabeth Sladen, having a consistent colour-scheme and is a fairly odd outfit as is! The white beret was most likely bought though.
Lane's duties also went to designing the uniforms of the invading rhino-like Kraal; they wear odd outfits consisting of of brown underclothes and rectangular meshing - the commanding Kraal has a necklace over his mesh uniform, which has a slightly golden hue as well.
'The Brain of Morbius'
Costume Design by L. Rowland-Warne
This serial was a scifi spin on Mary Shelley's
Frankenstein, and as such a lot of it is in dark and atmospheric lighting. This is rather irritating from a costume design perspective, as it results in a lot of the costume details to not be seen well, especially in the awful videotape quality that BBC TV shows were filmed in! Sarah wears an outfit that was presumably bespoke-made by Rowland-Warne, consisting of a quilted vest and shirt made of the same brown material, and adorned with powder blue lining.
The mad scientist Solon (Philip Madoc) wears a green buttonless jacket with raised shoulders; Rowland-Warne, in an interview with the fanzine In-Vision, described it as looking like something from a Gerry Anderson production.
The design highlight of this serial has to be, in my opinion, the robes worn by the Sisterhood of Karn, all clad in robes and gold and red with oranted lining around their headdresses and chest garments. The leader, Maren (Cynthia Grenville), sports a red robe with what looks like an ornate golden-lined vestment over it, as well as a flat-topped rounded headpiece.
Her deputy Ohica (Gilly Brown) wears a similar headpiece (with a red and gold striped band around it) and as well gold and red makeup on her face in the design of flames, keeping in line with how the Sisterhood are fire worshipers. Lesser members of the Sisterhood are dressed similarly, with some of them having slightly conical headpieces also covered in golden piping, as well as makeup similar to Ohica’s.
