5L. Horns Of Nimon

Season Seventeen - 1979/1980

Script Editor: Douglas Adams
Writer: Anthony Read
Produced by: Graham Williams
Director: Kenny McBain
Designer: Graeme Story
Incidental Music: Dudley Simpson

Synopsis

The people of Skonnos have been promised that their empire will be restored provided that they supply the alien Nimon with young sacrifices and radioactive hymetusite crystals. The Skonnons have been obtaining these from the nearby planet of Aneth.

The TARDIS has been stopped in space for repairs and encounters a Skonnon craft en route from Aneth, and Romana is taken aboard. The Doctor follows the craft in the semi-repaired TARDIS.

The people aboard the Skonnon craft are taken to the Nimons' lair, where the the Doctor and Romana discover that the Nimon are a parasitic race. An ambassador is sent to a planet and offers to help the natives. The hymetusite crystals are used to create a link through with the rest of the race can be transported.

The Doctor manages to destroy the link, and the Nimons are trapped on the last planet they visited - the dying Crinoth.

Regular Cast

  • Voice of K-9: David Brierley
  • Romana: Lalla Ward

Guest Cast

  • Soldeed: Graham Crowden
  • Sorak: Michael Osbourne
  • Teka: Janet Ellis
  • Seth: Simon Gipps-Kent
  • Nimon: Robin Sherringham, Bob Appleby (4), Trevor St John Hacker (4)
  • Co-Pilot: Malcolm Terris (1-3)
  • Pilot: Bob Horney (1)
  • Sezom: John Bailey (4)
Uncredited:
  • Anethians: Nicholas Draek, Katy Jarret, Daniel Toabori. Rachel Wheeler
  • Anethian Corpses: (all 3) Gary Gold, Jane Foot, Debbi Thomson
  • Guards: (all 2-3) Paul Barton, Norman Bradley, David Glen, Terry Gurry, Joe Santo, Derek Suthern, Edmund Thomas
  • Skonnon Elders: (all 2-3) Robert Baker, Roy Brent, Derek Chafer, Jim Delaney, Eric French, Donald Groves, David Harris, Peter Jackson, Ray Lavender, Ronald Mayer, Roy Seeley, Trevor Wedlock

Original broadcast on the BBC

Channel Title Date Viewers Rating
BBC 1 522. Part One Saturday, 22 December 1979 18:10 - 18:35 6.0M
BBC 1 523. Part Two Saturday, 29 December 1979 17:50 - 18:15 8.8M
BBC 1 524. Part Three Saturday, 5 January 1980 18:20 - 18:45 9.8M
BBC 1 525. Part Four Saturday, 12 January 1980 18:20 - 18:45 10.4M 67%

Studios

  • Television Centre Studio 3
  • Television Centre Studio 6

Notes

The season should have closed with Shada, but a BBC strike resulted in it not being completed.