4N. The Hand Of Fear
Season Fourteen - 1976/1977
Synopsis
The TARDIS lands on twentieth century Earth near a quarry. An accident leaves Sarah unconcious in the quarry, and clutching a stone hand. The hand belongs to an executed Kastrian criminal called Eldrad, whose essence lives on inside a blue ring.
The hand possesses Sarah, who takes it to the nearby Nunton Nuclear Research and Development centre where it soaks up the radiation from the reactor core and regenerates into a complete being - Eldrad.
Eldrad persuades the Doctor and Sarah to take him (even though he takes on the appearance of a female) back to Kastria to reclaim his heritage. But 150 million years have passed, and Kastria is now a dead planet.
Eldrad attempts to regenerate his race, but the final King of Kastria destroyed the race banks in case Eldrad should return. The Doctor and Sarah leave a furious Eldrad to his solitary fate. Inside the TARDIS the Doctor receves a summons from Gallifrey - he must return, and he is not allowed to take Sarah with him...
Regular Cast
- Sarah Jane Smith: Elisabeth Sladen
Guest Cast
- Doctor Carter: Rex Robinson (1-2)
- King Rokon: Roy Skelton (1,4)
- Intern: Renu Setna (1)
- Tom Abbott: David Purcell (1)
- Zazzka: Roy Pattison (1)
- Guard: Robin Hargrave (1)
- Professor Owen Watson: Glyn Houston (2-3)
- Driscoll: Roy Boyd (2-3, uncredited for 3)
- Miss Jackson: Frances Pidgeon (2-3, uncredited for 3)
- Elgin: John Cannon (2)
- Eldrad: Judith Paris (3-4), Stehpen Thorne (4)
- Computer Voice: Roy Skelton
- Hospital Nurse: Libby Ritchie (1)
- Path Lab Technicians: John Delieu (1), Derek Suthern (1)
- Double for Doctor Carter: Max Faulkner (2)
- Security Guards: Michael Dewlid (2), Barry Summerford (2)
- Radiation Suit Men: David Cleeve (2), Keith Simmons (2)
- Control Room Technicians: (all 2) Julia Burnett, Bruce Guest, Mark Holmes, Rosemary Jollisse, Kenneth Thomas
- Nunton Complex personnel: (all 2) Douglas Auchterlonie, Margaret Pilleaud, Roger Salter, Lionel Sansby, Sonia Stratton
- Frozen Operator (Technician Obarl): Peter Roy (4)
- Extras: Peter Bush (1), Carl Edwards (1), Alan Evans (1), Brian Gear (1), Tim Hooper (3), Bruce Hubble (1), David Hyde (1), Colin Jaggard (1), Simon Jones (1), Robert Lee (2), Paul Nicholason (2), Bob Peters (1), Ken Taylor (1), John Telfer (1), Robert Tucker (2), Michael Wadsworth (1), Roy Wadsworth (3)
Original broadcast on the BBC
| Channel | Title | Date | Viewers | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC 1 | 432. Part One |
|
10.5M | |
| BBC 1 | 433. Part Two |
|
10.2M | |
| BBC 1 | 434. Part Three |
|
11.1M | 62% |
| BBC 1 | 435. Part Four |
|
12.0M |
Click here to show repeat broadcasts on the BBC
Studios
- Ealing FIlm Studios
- Television Centre Studio 8
Outside Locations
- ARC Quarry, Crowhall, Avon
- Oldbury Nuclear Power Station, Avon
Working Titles
The Hand Of Death
The Hand Of Time
Notes
Elisabeth Sladen leaves at the end of the story.