6H. Enlightenment

Season Twenty - 1983

Script Editor: Eric Saward
Produced by: John Nathan-Turner
Writer: Barbara Clegg
Director: Fiona Cumming
Designer: Colin Green
Incidental Music: Malcolm Clarke

Synopsis

The Doctor receives a warning from the White Guardian and materialises the TARDIS on an an Edwardian racing yacht - although instead of being a seafaring craft it is space-faring.

The yacht is part of a space race, and there are many other ships racing for the ultimate prize - Enlightenment - on offer from the Guardians.

The Buccaneer commander Captain Wrack seriously covets the prize, and using power from the Black Guardian destroys other ships in the race.

Captain Wrack, with the aid of Turlough, is thrown overboard, and the Edwardian yacht wins the race. The Guardians banish the Eternals who were crewing all the ships, and Enlightenment is offered to the Doctor, who declines. Turlough hurls the prize at the Black Guardian, severing his contract.

Regular Cast

  • Tegan Jovanka: Janet Fielding
  • Vislor Turlough: Mark Strickson

Guest Cast

  • The Black Guardian: Valentine Dyall
  • Captain Striker: Kieth Barron
  • Mariner: Christopher Brown
  • Jackson: Tony Caunter (1-3)
  • The White Guardian: Cyril Luckham (1,4)
  • First Officer on the Shadow: James McClure (1-2)
  • Collier: Clive Kneller (1)
  • Captain Wrack: Lynda Baron (3-4)
  • Mansell: Lee John (3-4)
Uncredited:
  • Grogan: Pat Gorman (1)
  • Critas the Greek: Byron Sotiris (2)
  • Helmsman on the Shadow: John Cannon
  • First Officers on the Shadow: Richard Bonshill, Tim Olroyd
  • Sailors on the Shadow: Michael Bauer, Alan Crisp, Terence Duran, Laurie Goode, Kevin Goss, John Holland, Peter Jessup, Barney Lawrence, Greg Marlowe, Doug Roe, Steve Roxton, Pat Shepherd, Reg Woods
  • First Officers on the Buccaneer: Jerry Judge, Lloyd Williams
  • Buccaneer Guards: Alan Riches, David Rogue
  • Party Guests: Paul Baden, Raymond Chan, Robert Goodman, James Jackson, Laurie James, Chua Kahjoo, Arnold Lee, Tony Liotti, Dennis Masuki, Mick McKenny, Stuart Myers, Robert Pearson, Kenneth Sedd, Graham Stagg, Ray Sumby, Cy Town, Arturo Venegas, Lusan Wong, Vincent Wong
  • Eternals on the deck of the Buccaneer: Mike Handley, Miles Ross
  • Stuntman: Chua Kahjoo

Original broadcast on the BBC

Channel Title Date Viewers Rating
BBC 1 596. Part One Tuesday, March 1, 1983 6:55 PM - 7:20 PM 6.6M 67%
BBC 1 597. Part Two Wednesday, March 2, 1983 6:45 PM - 7:10 PM 7.2M 65%
BBC 1 598. Part Three Tuesday, March 8, 1983 6:55 PM - 7:20 PM 6.2M 68%
BBC 1 599. Part Four Wednesday, March 9, 1983 6:45 PM - 7:10 PM 7.3M 70%

Studios

  • Ealing Film Studios
  • Television Centre Studio unknown

Bloopers

Part 1: Early on in the story, when the sailors in Striker's ship are running up the stairs, one of them stumbles slightly.

Part 3: When Tegan enters Wrack's cabin she's talking (with her eyes open) when she's frozen by Wrack. Then cut to another shot of Tegan, with her eyes closed this time.

Working Titles

The Enlighteners

Notes

This story concludes the Black Guardian trilogy that began with Mawdryn Undead.