5G. The Creature From The Pit
Season Seventeen - 1979/1980
Synopsis
Receving a distress call the TARDIS materialises on the planet Chloris. Chloris is a lush green world, but is short on metals. All available metals is controlled by Lady Adrasta.
Lady Adrasta keeps control over her people with the Huntsman and his wolfweeds. A group of bandits, lead by Torvin, attempt to steal whatever metals they can from the Palace.
The Doctor is captured by Lady Adrasta, and in an attempt to escape jumps into the pit. The pit is used by Lady Adrasta to get rid of all who incur her wrath. It is the entrance to a cave system in which lives an immense green golbular creature. The creature's own planet lacks the chlorophyll that the creature needs, but does have an abundance of metal. Chloris has an abundance of chlorophyll.
The creature, an ambassador from the planet Tythonus, planned to trade metals with the Chlorisans. The first person it came in contact with was Lady Adrasta who imprisoned it as it threatened her monopoly on metals. The creature kills Adrasta, and warns the Doctor that the planet will soon be destroyed by a neutron star.
The Doctor manages to tractor the neutron star out of the path of Chloris, saving the planet and its people.
Regular Cast
- Voice of K-9: David Brierley
- Romana: Lalla Ward
Guest Cast
- Lady Adastra: Myra Frances
- Madam Karela: Eileen Way
- Torvin: John Bryans
- Edu: Edward Kelsey
- Ainu: Tim Munro
- Huntsman: David Teller (1,4)
- Engineer Doran: Terry Walsh (1)
- Tollund: Morris Barry (1)
- Organon: Geoffrey Bayldon (2-4)
- Guardsmaster: Tommy Wright (2-3)
- Guards: Philip Denyer (2-3), David Redgrave (3)
- Handmaiden: Gail Hunter (1-2)
- Engineer: Bobby James (1)
- Stuntmen: Max Faulkner (1), Terry Walsh (1)
- Guards: Roy Brent (1), John Cannon (1-3), Ian Munroe (1-3), Ron Nunnery (1-3), Robert Smythe (1-2), Barry Summerfield (1-2), Derek Suthern (1-3), Reg Turner
- Bandits: Douglas Bather (1,3); Laurie Goode (1,3), Billy Gray (1), Mike Handley (1), Ridgewell Hawkes (1), Nick Joseph (1,2,4), Jerry Judge (1), George Miller (1,2,4), Reg Woods; Bearers: Peter Caton, Alf Mangan
Original broadcast on the BBC
| Channel | Title | Date | Viewers | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC 1 | 514. Part One |
|
9.3M | |
| BBC 1 | 515. Part Two |
|
10.8M | 67% |
| BBC 1 | 516. Part Three |
|
10.2M | |
| BBC 1 | 517. Part Four |
|
9.6M |
Studios
- Ealing Television Film Studios
- Television Centre Studio 6