L is for... Logopolitans

A race of seemingly elderly men who lived on the planet Logopolis, led by a man named the Monitor. They were famous for being able to manipulate Space / Time events through the power of pure mathematics - a process known as Block Transfer Computation. The Doctor decided to visit the Logopolitans to seek their help in repairing the Chameleon Circuit of his TARDIS, worried that it drew attention to itself and to him. He took measurements of a real Earth Police Box and brought them to the Monitor, who would have his people carry out the necessary Computations. He was surprised to see a large radio-telescope overlooking the settlement, as the Logopolitans generally shunned technology. The Master had stowed away in the TARDIS in his own ship, and he sabotaged the Computations, causing the TARDIS to shrink. This was merely a distraction as he then caused disruption in the Logopolitans' on-going calculations. The Monitor was horrified, as Logopolis was keeping the entire Universe alive, bringing in energy from pocket dimensions such as E-Space. Without this, it would have long ago been destroyed. The Logopolitans and their world crumbled to dust - the result of rampant entropy. The Doctor and Master were forced to co-operate to run the Monitor's program from the Pharos Project on Earth - the model for their radio-telescope.

Played by: John Fraser (Monitor), Appearances: Logopolis (1981).

• The Logopolitan costumes were a reuse of the Argolin ones from the beginning of the Season.
• As with Login in Full Circle, Christopher H Bidmead used a computing term to name the Monitor.
• Among those considered for the part of the Monitor were Peter Cushing, Peter Wyngarde, Bernard Archard, Maurice Denham, Harry Andrews, Frank Finlay, Barry Foster, Marius Goering, Michael Gough, Frank Windsor, William Lucas and Nigel Stock.
• Logopolis means "City of words or speech". It can also derive from "the Word of God", as in creative order. 
• From above, the city was meant to look like a gigantic brain - symbolic of their refusal not to employ technology.