6L. Warriors Of The Deep

Season Twenty One - 1983

Script Editor: Eric Saward
Produced by: John Nathan-Turner
Writer: Johnny Byrne
Director: Pennant Roberts
Designer: Tony Burroughs
Incidental Music: Jonathan Gibbs

Synopsis

The Doctor, Tegan and Turlough arrive on an underwater sea base in 2084 where they are accussed of being spies and saboteurs. The sea base is set to monitor a rival power bloc, and the crew regularly test their missiles to ensure they will be ready if they are called upon.

Underneath the sea a Silurian triad has survived, and they revive a colony of Sea Devils to attack the base. Icthar, the leader of the Silurians, aims to fire the base's missiles at the rival power bloc which would provoke a global nuclear war and kill all life on Earth. The Silurians would then emerge as the rightful inhabitants.

The base has in storage canisters of hexachromite gas which is lethal to all reptiles. Reluctantly the Doctor agrees to the use of the gas to kill the Sea Devils and Silurians while he disables the sea base's missiles.

Regular Cast

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

Guest Cast

  • Commander Vorshak: Tom Adams
  • Lieutenant Bulic: Nigel Humphreys
  • Lieutenant Preston: Tara Ward
  • Icthar: Norman Comer
  • Scibus: Stuart Blake
  • Tarpok: Vincent Brimble
  • Sauvix: Christopher Farries
  • Paroli: James Coombes (1-3)
  • Doctor Solow: Ingrid Pitt (1-3)
  • Controller Nilson: Ian McCulloch (1-3)
  • Lieutenant Maddox: Martin Neil (1-3)
  • Lieutenant Karina: Nitza Saul (1-3)
Uncredited:
  • Double for the Doctor: Gareth Milne (1-2)
  • The Myrka: John Asquith (2-3), William Perrie (2-3)
  • Sea Devils: Mike Braben, Steve Kelly, Dave Ould, Jules Walters, Chris Wolfe
  • Marine Guards: Peter Caton, Ridgewell Hawkes, Julian Hudson, Julian Larousse, Barney Lawrence, Dana Miche, Dorothy Ottey, Rose Pridmore, Trevor Steedman
  • Base Personnel: Russell Brook, Joanna Garcia, Joyce Goburn, Arnold Lee, Ling Tai

Original broadcast on the BBC

Channel Title Date Viewers Rating
BBC 1 603. Part One Thursday, January 5, 1984 6:40 PM - 7:05 PM 7.6M 65%
BBC 1 604. Part Two Friday, January 6, 1984 6:40 PM - 7:05 PM 7.5M 64%
BBC 1 605. Part Three Thursday, January 12, 1984 6:40 PM - 7:05 PM 7.3M 62%
BBC 1 606. Part Four Friday, January 13, 1984 6:40 PM - 7:05 PM 6.6M 65%

Studios

  • Shepperton Stage A
  • Television Centre Studio 6

Outside Locations

  • Royal Engineers Diving Establishment, McMullen Barracks, Marchwood, nr. Southampton, Hants

Bloopers

Part 4: Watch the scene where Doctor is standing on the Bridge as some Sea-Devils exit behind him. Two of them manage to walk straight into each other.

The Silurian costumes come apart in places, and white T-shirts can be seen through the holes! (This story fell more behind production schedule than any other and apparently some takes were, as far as the actors knew, just full-dress rehearsal.)