One man. Two faces. Zero trust. Troughton's acting masterclass in a '60s spy-fi sandwich.
On Earth in 2018, the Doctor and his companions are enmeshed in a deadly web of intrigue thanks to his uncanny resemblance to the scientist/politician Salamander. He is hailed as the "shopkeeper of the world" for his efforts to relieve global famine, but why do his rivals keep disappearing? How can he predict so many natural disasters? The Doctor must expose Salamander's schemes before he takes over the world.
Acting
Troughton plays both leads—charmingly different, chillingly similar.
Direction
Barry Letts squeezes Bond-movie scope from a BBC cupboard.
Writing
Dystopian 2018! Written in 1967! The audacity!
Director
Barry Letts
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was the first Doctor Who story to shoot extensively on location abroad—in Portugal, standing in for 'Kanawa.' The production ran out of money and had to fake the rest in England.
Salamander's 'shopkeeper of the world' persona eerily echoes real 1960s technocratic dictators like Trujillo or Perón—charismatic leaders who weaponized public works.
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