Doctor Who
Object

Master's Surveillance System

The Master's Surveillance System comprises a control desk in a dimly lit control room, equipped with multiple screens that enable remote oversight of captures. The screens display Jamie McCrimmon as a cardboard cutout, Zoe Heriot trapped behind gothic doors, and the forest where the Doctor hides. The system allows the Master to switch views, issue commands, and intensify searches, revealing his frustration at the Doctor's evasion. The desk serves as the physical anchor for this surveillance, with its surface facilitating the Master's control over companions and forces amid the shadows of the control room.
2 appearances

Purpose

Monitors companions' captivity sites and scans locations to locate the Doctor

Significance

Exposes Master's incomplete control—he holds Jamie and Zoe but lacks the Doctor—forces him to escalate hunt, building tension toward direct confrontation

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments
S6E7 · The Mind Robber Part 2
Master escalates Doctor hunt

The Master’s surveillance screens are the primary tools of his control, displaying real-time images of Jamie as a cardboard cutout, Zoe behind gothic doors, and the Doctor’s elusive presence in the forest. They function as extensions of the Master’s authority, allowing him to monitor and direct his forces with precision. The screens are both a source of power and a point of vulnerability, as they highlight the Doctor’s continued evasion and the Master’s incomplete control.

Before: Active and displaying the companions’ states before the Master issues new commands.
After: Continue to display the companions’ states, now with an intensified search for the Doctor.
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S6E7 · The Mind Robber Part 2
Master deploys tin soldiers to hunt the Doctor

The forest search area is displayed on one of the Master’s control room screens, serving as a visual representation of the terrain being scoured by the tin soldiers. It is a key focal point for the Master, who monitors it intently as he issues commands. The forest is not just a physical location but a battleground in the Master’s psychological game, where the Doctor’s evasion is both a challenge and a point of obsession. The screen’s flickering images symbolize the Master’s surveillance and control, as well as the Doctor’s elusive presence within the fabricated world.

Before: The forest is a static but surveilled area on the Master’s screen, with no immediate signs of the Doctor’s location.
After: The forest remains under active surveillance, but the tin soldiers’ deployment marks a shift from passive observation to aggressive pursuit. The screen now reflects the soldiers’ movements as they carry out their orders, turning the forest into a hunting ground.
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