Andrew Fettes

Andrew Fettes isn’t exactly a household name, but for anyone who’s into late-90s British sci-fi, you’ve probably spotted him in Auton, Auton 2: Sentinel, and Auton 3. The Auton movies are this wild, low-budget ride through the Doctor Who universe, focusing on those creepy plastic mannequins called Autons—the ones that make you side-eye department store dummies for the rest of your life. Fettes, honestly, brings that slightly off-kilter, intense energy you need for characters living in a world where plastic comes to life and starts gunning for humanity. The first movie, Auton (1997), basically throws you into a top-secret government facility where they’re poking at stuff they really shouldn’t be, like the Nestene Consciousness. Yeah, that’s the alien force that controls the Autons. Andrew Fettes nails his role—he’s got this sharp, skeptical vibe, which fits perfectly as everything starts going to hell. By the time Auton 2: Sentinel rolls around, the chaos ramps up. There’s more action, more weird science, and Fettes is right in the thick of it, trying (and mostly failing) to keep things under control. The third film, Auton 3 (1999), continues the madness, wrapping up the trilogy with even more mayhem and plastic-fueled paranoia. Fettes manages to be both believable and a little unhinged, which is honestly what you need when your coworkers keep getting murdered by mannequins. The Auton series is definitely niche, but if you’re into offbeat British sci-fi, it’s worth a late-night watch.