The Art of... The Rescue

The novelisation of Doctor Who: The Rescue was the final work by Ian Marter. Best known for playing Harry Sullivan in Seasons 12/13 he had met representatives from Target at a BBC party, where he expressed an interest in attempting a novelisation. His first was The Ark in Space, as it was a story which featured his character prominently. The book was characterised by some graphic body horror, and by rewriting the means by which the Doctor and companions leave the station at the end (he has them leave in the TARDIS). His next novel was the next story as broadcast - The Sontaran Experiment - which entailed extending a two-part story to the range's then 126 page limit. He also had to work around his own changed ending to the previous book.

He wrote a number of other stories, including two Cyberman ones, despite hating them. He also contributed a spin-off book for the short-lived "Companions of Doctor Who" range - a conventional spy caper involving Harry. He was planning another of these - one that possibly killed off his character - when he died from diabetes complications on his 42nd birthday.

The predominantly green cover is by artist Tony Clark. We have a portrait image of Koquillion, and a full image of the Sand Beast. Unusually, the Doctor is caught in the act of turning - either towards us or away - and the final element is the wall sculpture from the tunnel which triggers the spike trap at the end of the first episode. I believe the Hartnell image comes from Marco Polo - he's opening the TARDIS door as he glances back.

The green colouring, Hartnell's Doctor, and the insect-like face of Koquillion (it was based on microscope images of a fly) often confuses this with the cover for Planet of Giants in my mind.

When BBC Video began releasing Doctor Who on VHS, fans were unhappy that stories were being edited together, or shown in condensed form (The Brain of Morbius was the 60 minute compilation version). When they stopped editing the stories, fans then complained about six part stories being split over two tapes, which you had to buy separately (so double the cost). Arguments then ensued over what to do with the two-parters. Some wanted them grouped together on a tape of their own (The Edge of Destruction sharing with The Rescue for instance). Others suggested adding it on to a reissue of The Dalek Invasion of Earth. Instead, the BBC released The Rescue coupled with The Romans, which immediately follows it, and has a cliff-hanger connection - despite the BBC cutting this).

Released in September 1994, the artist is Andrew Skilleter. A side-on image of Koquillion and a portrait of Vicki  represent this story. The US VHS followed in March 1996.

The Rescue and The Romans remained linked for the DVD releases. The Region 2 disc arrived as part of a "Vicki Tales" box set in February 2009, with a cover design by Clayton Hickman.

The Region 1 DVD also coupled the story with The Romans. Unlike the UK release, however, the individual stories did not have their own artwork as this was a double DVD in a single slipcase. It was released in July 2009.

The audiobook of Ian Marter's novel was issued in April 2013, read by Maureen O'Brien. The cover makes use of the larger area available by placing the main image in a circle, surrounded by darkness - a clever way of using the same image but in a more interesting way.

The story was released on Blu-ray in December 2022. Koquillion featured on Lee Binding's cover.