6G. Terminus
Season Twenty - 1983
Synopsis
On the orders of the Black Guardian Turlough sabotages the console of the TARDIS. Fortunately he doesn't fully succeed. As the alarms sound the Doctor rushes in, and Turlough acts innocent, although Tegan is not so sure. The Doctor finds that the Time Rotor is jamming, and as an emergency precaution the TARDIS locks onto the side of a leper ship.
At the same time a raiding party raids the ship believing that there is wealth aboard. When the leader realises he runs off, leaving the party behind. Everyone is trapped as the ship is sterilised. As the lepers leave the ship, Nyssa is touched and infected, and the guards treat her no differently.
The process of curing the lazar disease involves a dose of radiation, but when the Doctor investigates he finds that the ship's pilot was killed centuries ago, and that the computer was going to jettison the ship's fuel, which would cause Event Two: The destruction of the Universe.
Enlisting the help of a creature known as the Garm the Doctor manages to prevent the fuel dump, and disconnect the computer controls. While the Doctor, Turlough and Tegan return to the TARDIS, Nyssa remains behind to show how to synthesise a drug that keeps the guards going, and how to process the lazar's properly.
Regular Cast
- Nyssa: Sarah Sutton
- Tegan Jovanka: Janet Fielding
- Vislor Turlough: Mark Strickson
Guest Cast
- The Black Guardian: Valentine Dyall
- Lari: Liza Goddard
- Olvir: Dominic Guard
- Tannoy Voice: Martin Mulcaster (1-2,4)
- Inga: Rachel Weaver (1,3)
- Eirak: Martin Potter (2-4)
- Valguard: Andrew Burt (2-4)
- Sigurd: Tim Munro (2-4)
- Bor: Peter Benson (2-4)
- The Garm: R. J.Bell (2-4)
- Lazars: Fiona Alexander, Olwyn Atkinson, David Ballard, Rosemary Banks, Barbara Bermel, Chris Bradshaw, David Bulbeck, Johnny Clayton, Amir Coleman, Susan Dady, Christine Eatwell, Jill Goldstone, Martin Grant, Allen Hall, Janice Hollin, Mark Howard, Graham Jarvis, Anita Jayne, Nick Joseph, Debbi Lloyd, Ray Martin, Mykell Mills, Lee Montgomery, Pat Pelton, Annette Peters, Barbara Russell, Lionel Sansby, Rebecca Semark, Norman Warren
Original broadcast on the BBC
| Channel | Title | Date | Viewers | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC 1 | 592. Part One |
|
7.0M | 65% |
| BBC 1 | 593. Part Two |
|
7.5M | 67% |
| BBC 1 | 594. Part Three |
|
6.5M | 64% |
| BBC 1 | 595. Part Four |
|
7.4M | 67% |
Studios
- Ealing Film Studios
- Television Centre Studio 1
- Television Centre Studio 6
- Television Centre Studio 8
Bloopers
Part 1: Watch where Nyssa accidentally drops her book in the corridor of the Lazar ship. Some poltergeist has moved it at least a metre by the time the Doctor finds it 10 minutes later.
Part 2: Near the end of the episode there is a scene where the Doctor and Kari are walking along a sort of scaffolding towards some stairs. We see them about to descend and the camera pans down to one of the Vanir. As he moves towards the bottom of the staircase a foot can clearly be seen up towards the top. Then a small superimposed step is matted over the foot. It even moves with the shot. They tried to cover it up, but couldn't. In fact, they made it worse by attracting attention to it.
Part 4: Turlough is trying to operate the TARDIS console when the Black Guardian appears on the scanner, telling Turlough not to bother with the TARDIS. Turlough yells "I can operate it!" and slams his fist down hard on the console; so much that it visibly wobbles.
Notes
Sarah Sutton leaves at the end of the story.