The Mark of the Rani (TV story): Difference between revisions

The Mark of the Rani was the third serial of season twenty-two of Doctor Who. A new Time Lord villain, the Rani, was introduced in this serial. She would later return in Time and the Rani.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

In 19th century England, the Sixth Doctor finds himself facing two competing enemies: his old adversary, the Master, and the Rani, another Time Lord with a sinister plan. The local population is turning violent and unpredictable. With a major meeting of the brains of the Industrial Revolution due to happen in the village soon, the Doctor must work out what exactly is causing all the problems. Only the Doctor can stop the Master and the Rani's evil plans.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part 1[[edit] | [edit source]]

Something is amiss in the mining village of Killingworth in early 19th century England. Miners are being gassed in the bathhouse and turned into thugs and vandals, attacking men and smashing up machinery, seen as Luddites by other locals. The Sixth Doctor and Peri Brown witness this when they arrive in Killingworth looking for the cause of some sort of time distortion. They also notice one of the rampaging miners has a strange red mark on his neck. With his usual audacity, the Doctor foists himself upon the local landowner, Lord Ravensworth, who is concerned at the ferocity of the attacks, with the most passive of men suddenly turning violent and unpredictable.

The answer lies in the local bathhouse. The Tremas Master has turned up at this key point in human history. He forces his way into the presence of the old woman who runs the bathhouse, in reality, another Time Lord, the First Rani. She is a gifted chemist and is using the set-up of the bathhouse to anaesthetise the miners and distil from them the neuro-chemicals that enable sleep. This is what causes the red mark on the victims. These chemicals are synthesised for use back on Miasimia Goria, a planet she rules and which the Master has visited, where her other experiments have left the inhabitants without the ability to rest and are now rebelling. He persuades her they need to deal with the Doctor together. He also steals some of the precious brain fluid she has collected to ensure her collaboration. It is a rocky partnership, full of half-truths and deceptions. The Master goes to deal with the Doctor, egging on local miners to attack his enemy and persuading some to throw the Doctor's TARDIS down a mine shaft.

The Doctor has meanwhile dressed as a miner and entered the bathhouse. He soon deduces the Rani's schemes. She traps him but he challenges her ethics. She reveals she has been coming to Earth for centuries to harvest her precious chemicals. The Master convinces the Rani to let him deal with the Doctor. He has the TARDIS pushed down a mine shaft. The angry Luddites put the Doctor in a cart to ensure that he follows it.

Part 2[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor is saved by inventor George Stephenson. He and Peri return to Lord Ravensworth's, where Stephenson has planned a meeting of scientific and engineering geniuses in the village. The Doctor is worried about the wisdom of such a meeting in the current circumstances, but the Master is so desperate to see the event take place, he uses mind control of Stephenson's young aide, Luke Ward, telling him to kill anyone who tries to prevent it. The Master wants to use the finest brains of the Industrial Revolution to speed up Earth's development and then use the planet as a power base. He strikes a deal with the Rani; she may return to Earth at any time to harvest more brain fluid if she helps him achieve this.

While the villains are away, the Doctor returns to the bathhouse and dodges booby traps to enter the Rani's TARDIS. Her control room holds jars of preserved dinosaur embryos. She summons her ship to the old mine workings with a remote control device, with the Doctor still inside. He hides while his adversaries talk. The Rani has also set land mines in nearby Redfern Dell. When the coast is clear, the Doctor slips away to report back to Ravensworth, Stephenson and Luke, who is behaving strangely.

Peri is making herself useful by using her botanical knowledge to make a sleeping-draught for the afflicted miners. Her quest for herbs leads her to Redfern Dell. The Doctor surprises the Master and the Rani, who are lurking at the edge of the dell. Soon after he does, he sees Luke step on a mine and get turned into a tree. The Doctor takes the other two Time Lords prisoner with the Master's own Tissue Compression Eliminator. Peri takes charge of them but the Rani's deviousness outstrips the Master's and she is the one who enables them to escape. The Rani and the Master flee in her TARDIS, but the Doctor also has a trick or two:

he has sabotaged the navigational system. The ship is out of control. In the destabilised condition, one of the jars holding a Tyrannosaurus Rex embryo falls on the floor and the creature, affected by the time spillage, starts to grow.

The Doctor and Peri make a swap with Ravensworth, who has retrieved the TARDIS. He gets the phial of brain fluid, which he is told to give to the affected miners. Before the eyes of an astonished scientist and his financier, the TARDIS departs...

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Uncredited cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Writers - Pip & Jane Baker
Assistant Floor Manager - Penny Williams
Camera Supervisor - Alec Wheal
Costumes - Dinah Collin
Designer - Paul Trerise
Director - Sarah Hellings
Film Cameraman - Kevin Rowley
Film Editor - Ray Wingrove
Film Sound - Barrie Tharby
Incidental Music - Jonathan Gibbs
Make-Up - Catherine Davies
Producer - John Nathan-Turner
Production Assistant - Carolyn Mawdsley
Production Associate - Sue Anstruther
Production Manager - Tony Redston
Script Editor - Eric Saward
Special Sounds - Dick Mills
Studio Lighting - Don Babbage
Studio Sound - Keith Bowden
Technical Co-Ordinator - Alan Arbuthnott
Title Sequence - Sid Sutton
Theme Arrangement - Peter Howell
Title Music - Ron Grainer
Video Effects - Dave Chapman
Videotape Editor - Hugh Parson
Vision Mixer - Jayne Beckett
Visual Effects Designer - David Barton

Uncredited crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Visual Effects Assistants - Tom Davis, George Reed^[2]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Biology[[edit] | [edit source]]

An embryo of Tyrannosaurus Rex is in the Rani's TARDIS. The Doctor imagines she took it from the Cretaceous.
Peri Brown goes and searches for valerian (Valeriana officinalis), a herb to cure the Rani's victims.
The land mines of the Rani turn animal beings into conscious vegetable beings.
Talking about ecology and the difference with the 1800s, Peri says that in her time, some species of butterfly and birds are almost extinct.
The Doctor says that the Master would probably turn into a laburnum if he stepped on one of the Rani's mines since it is a poisonous tree.
The Rani blames the Earthlings for being carnivores.
According to the Rani, a tree has four times the life expectancy of a human being.
Peri Brown is afraid of rabies and guesses Time Lords are immune to it.
The Rani uses impregnated worm parasites to take over the minds of her victims and turn them into slaves, which is her version of hypnotism. When the parasites take hold, the eyes of the victim glow a blue colour briefly.

Cultural references from real world[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Rani's TARDIS is covered with a work by Turner.
The Doctor calls a dog "Fido".
The Doctor and Peri were originally headed to the Kew Gardens.
The scientists Thomas Telford, Michael Faraday, Humphry Davy and Marc Brunel are expected to attend the meeting.
The Doctor quotes Battle of the Baltic by Thomas Campbell: "There was silence deep as death".
The Doctor quotes Julius Caesar - "Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once".
The Doctor paraphrases Hamlet: "Now perhaps you'll accept there are more things in heaven and earth than are ever dreamed of in your barren philosophy".
The Doctor paraphrases The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt: ""Will you come into my parlour?" said the spider to the fly".
Peri misquotes Henry IV Part I: "Discretion is the better part of valour". The actual line is "The better part of valour is discretion," but Peri's is the more popular version.

Individuals[[edit] | [edit source]]

The First Rani was exiled from Gallifrey because her giant mice ate the Lord President's cat and took a bite out of the President himself according to the Master. She now rules Miasimia Goria, where she controls a race of aliens. The Rani had come to Earth for centuries, unnoticed; she has extracted brain fluid from people in the Trojan War, the Dark Ages and the American War of Independence. She is also aware of the Master's failed plan on Sarn and had thought he was dead.
The Master briefly disguises himself as a scarecrow.
The Doctor refers to Stephenson's "Rocket" in a pun. Peri tells him his puns are getting worse.

TARDIS and time travel[[edit] | [edit source]]

The TARDIS key manages to open the Rani's TARDIS.
The Rani has her TARDIS connected to a Stattenheim remote control. She is considered a genius because she managed to invent it. Both the Doctor and the Master are amazed by the achievement.
Time spillage causes one of the Tyrannosaurus Rex embryos in the Rani's TARDIS to begin maturing rapidly.
The Doctor sabotages the navigational system and the velocity regulator of the Rani's TARDIS. He foresees they will be flung beyond the Milky Way, maybe at the borders of the universe.
The acceleration in the Rani's TARDIS sends the Master and the Rani towards the wall in a manner similar to G force.
The Master uses his TARDIS to override the Doctor's TARDIS, bringing it to Killingworth.
The Doctor traces the Rani, thanks to a tracking device for time distortions. It detects a time machine nearby, perhaps belonging to a Time Lord, a Dalek or another alien force.

Weapons[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Rani employs mustard gas as a defensive mechanism against those who mean to break in her TARDIS. The Sixth Doctor and Peri Brown wear masks to avoid its effects.
The Master's Tissue Compression Eliminator now makes people and animals vanish totally.
The Master's device is able to unlock a wooden door secured by a wooden latch.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

This story had working titles of Too Clever by Far and Enter the Rani.^{[source needed]}
The music score for this story was provided by composer Jonathan Gibbs. John Lewis was originally hired to compose the score, but he fell ill from AIDS-related complications, which resulted in his death. By this time, he had composed thirty-two minutes of music, but it was decided that his work would not be used; his family was compensated all the same. Lewis' score for the first episode was included on the DVD release.^{[source needed]}
The following credit appeared in both episodes: "The BBC wish to acknowledge the cooperation of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum."
This was the last story of the original series of Doctor Who to be directed by a woman. The next such occasion was Blink, directed by Hettie MacDonald, in 2007.
The Mark of the Rani was shown in four twenty-five-minute episodes in the USA, Canada, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Australia and New Zealand.^{[source needed]}
The Rani was conceived as a new, ongoing villain, but the character only appeared once more in the series, two years later in the serial Time and the Rani. Kate O'Mara reprised the role for the charity special Dimensions in Time and the spin-off audio production The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind. The possibility of the Rani returning to the revival series has been a source of fan speculation since 2005, with virtually every female character from Rose Tyler to Donna Noble to Lucy Saxon to Missy being considered possible Ranis-in-disguise.
Colin Baker and Kate O'Mara had previously co-starred in the BBC drama series The Brothers.
Eric Saward found the script to be workmanlike. He also greatly disliked Pip and Jane Baker.^{[source needed]}
Pip and Jane Baker took the blame for the tree scene, saying that they would have changed it if they knew it wouldn't work on the budget.^{[source needed]}
Colin Baker did his own stunts in this serial.^{[source needed]}
The Rani's experimentation with the sleep centres of the human brain came from an article Pip and Jane Baker read in The New Scientist.^{[source needed]}
Joss Ackland, Harry Andrews, Bernard Archard, Robin Bailey, George Baker, Ian Bannen, Geoffrey Bayldon, John Carson, Peter Cushing, Allan Cuthbertson, James Ellis, Frank Finlay, Robert Flemyng, Michael Gough, Jeremy Kemp, Dinsdale Landen, T. P. McKenna, Donald Pickering, Peter Sallis, John Standing, Patrick Stewart and Peter Vaughan were considered for Lord Ravensworth.^{[source needed]}
Nicola Bryant injured her neck while sleeping. As a result, she would have to wear a brace for the remainder of the shoot — except while the cameras were actually rolling — and was in some discomfort.^{[source needed]}
During the scene where the Doctor makes his face dirty using Fuller's earth, Colin Baker unknowingly smeared dog excrement on his face.^{[source needed]}
The Rani's character came to Pip and Jane Baker after a chemist friend of theirs said, "All you are is chemicals", to which another friend replied, "But what about the soul?"^{[source needed]}
Kate O'Mara enjoyed the shoot, but found that old woman make-up was so good that she was ignored and not offered a seat. The experience made her feel sorry for real old people and how society treats them.^{[source needed]}
Pip and Jane Baker created the Rani after John Nathan-Turner said the Master was becoming too pantomime.^{[source needed]}
Eric Saward claimed to have suggested including the Master and the historical setting.^{[source needed]}
Sarah Hellings claims that when John Nathan-Turner offered her the chance to direct Doctor Who, she said "arrogantly" that she'd do it only if it were on film and if it were this story.^{[source needed]}
Sarah Hellings chose Blists Hill as the main location as she had made a Blue Peter film there several years earlier.^{[source needed]}
Terence Alexander had played Anthony Ainley's father in Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill.
Pip and Jane Baker were initially reluctant to write for the series, but were enthused by Eric Saward's suggestion that they might attempt an adventure with an historical setting. They decided to develop a narrative which used the Luddite uprisings as a backdrop. The Bakers wanted to contrast the Luddite philosophy with the achievements of George Stephenson.^{[source needed]}
The serial lost two of its five production delays due to an error by BBC schedulers. Fortunately, John Nathan-Turner was able to arrange for an extra week of location filming instead, and Pip and Jane Baker were asked to amend their scripts appropriately.^{[source needed]}
Pip and Jane Baker originally envisaged the story as being filmed at an open air museum in South Wales with which they were familiar; as such, they had included suitable elements such as overhead coal tracks and a turntable on the rails. These were not extant at Blists Hill, and so Eric Saward had to amend the action to reflect Hellings' chosen location.^{[source needed]}
Sarah Hellings cast Kate O'Mara as the Rani. John Nathan-Turner, on the other hand, preferred Sarah Badel, with whom he had worked on The Pallisers. When Badel turned down the offer, Nathan-Turner decided to follow Hellings's suggestion.^{[source needed]}

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part one - 6.3 million viewers
Part two - 7.3 million viewers

Myths[[edit] | [edit source]]

John Nathan-Turner cast Kate O'Mara as the Rani because of her starring role in the popular American soap opera Dynasty. (O'Mara had yet to begin work on Dynasty when she was cast as the Rani. She was well known for her appearances in UK soap operas, including for the BBC The Brothers - opposite Colin Baker - and Triangle. Her appearances on Dynasty were filmed between the production of this story and her later return in Time and the Rani.)^{[source needed]}

Filming locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Most of the location filming, including the village scenes, was done at Blists Hill Open Air Museum in Shropshire.^{[source needed]}
Granville Colliery Spoil Heaps (now known as Granville Park), Lodge Road, Donnington Wood, Telford, Shropshire (Scene of the TARDIS landing)^{[source needed]}
Coalport China Museum, Coalport, Telford, Shropshire (Lord Ravenworth's offices)^{[source needed]}
Blists Hill Victorian Town, Madeley, Shropshire^{[source needed]}
Park Wood, Bury Street, Ruislip, Middlesex (The tree scenes)^{[source needed]}
BBC Television Centre (TC6), Shepherd's Bush, London^{[source needed]}

Production errors[[edit] | [edit source]]

If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.

When Peri enters the bathhouse, she locks the door with the wooden bar. When the Rani and the Master return, the wooden bar is unlocked.
When they discover Peri, she stands at the foot of the Doctor. In the next shot, they come from the other room.
When the Doctor dangles above the pit, one of his three attackers falls in. A moment later there is a close-up of three pairs of hands aiming weapons at him. This shot belonged to an earlier part of the sequence before they arrived at the pit.
When the Doctor first dangles above the pit, he barely fits. When the TARDIS is thrown down, it also fits but is much bigger than the Doctor.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Master returns in this story, with no explanation given of his escape from what appeared to be a fiery demise at the end of TV: Planet of Fire. (The novelisation appears to assume he had actually been shrinking out of existence and gives the explanation that the flames generated gases that saved him. PROSE: A Town Called Eternity features a burned Master who is healed by the fountain of youth.)
This incarnation of the Rani later appears in PROSE: State of Change, TV: Time and the Rani, Dimensions in Time and AUDIO: The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind.
By the 1980s, a story had developed that the Rani was a witch. (AUDIO: The Carrionite Curse)

Home video and audio releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

DVD releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

This story was released as Doctor Who: The Mark of the Rani.

Released:

Region 2 - 4 September 2006
Region 4 - 2 November 2006
Region 1 - 7 November 2006

Contents:

Commentary by Colin Baker (The Doctor), Nicola Bryant (Peri Brown) and Kate O'Mara (The Rani)
Lords and Luddites - Actors and crew recall the making of The Mark of the Rani in this specially-shot documentary, featuring Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Kate O'Mara and Gary Cady (Luke), writers Pip & Jane Baker, script editor Eric Saward and composer Jonathan Gibbs
Deleted Scenes - Nearly ten minutes of additional material from an early edit of Part One
Now and Then - A short film featuring the Blists Hill Victorian Town location
Playing With Time - An interview with the story's composer, Jonathan Gibbs
Blue Peter - A short film from 1978 exploring the history of Ironbridge Gorge and Blists Hill
Saturday Superstore - An extract from 17 March 1984 featuring Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant and Anthony Ainley (The Master)
Alternative Soundtrack - The option to view Part One with the partially-completed original music score by John Lewis
Isolated Music Score - Clean synchronous music is available for both episodes
Radio Times Listings (DVD-ROM)
Doctor Who Annual 1985 (DVD-ROM)
Photo Gallery
Production Subtitles
Easter Egg: Continuity Announcements. To access this hidden feature, press left at Special Features on the Main menu to reveal a hidden Doctor Who logo.

Notes:

Editing for the DVD release was completed by the Doctor Who Restoration Team.
An extended version of the Saturday Superstore extract was also included in the Doctor Who: Vengeance on Varos DVD on 15 October 2001.

Region 2 cover
Region 4 cover
Region 1 cover

It was released as issue 63 of the Doctor Who DVD Files.

VHS releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

This story was released on VHS in July 1995.

UK VHS cover
AUS VHS cover
US VHS cover

Digital releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

The story is available for streaming in Canada & the US through BritBox or Amazon Instant Video in the UK.
It is also available to download through iTunes.

Blu-Ray[[edit] | [edit source]]

The story was released on Blu-ray as part of The Collection: Season 22 on 20 June 2022

Season 22

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 DWM 217^[which?]
↑ INFO: The Mark of the Rani

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

[DWM_217-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 DWM 217^[which?]

[2] INFO: The Mark of the Rani

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Infobox TV|
+{{title dab away}}
-story name= The Mark of the Rani |
+{{real world}}
-image= [[Image:Markoftherani_title.jpg|250px]] |
+{{ImageLinkTV}}
-series=[[Doctor Who]] -<br/>[[TV stories|TV Stories]] <br> [[Season 22]]|
+{{Infobox Story SMW
-number= 140 |
+|image                  = Markoftherani title.jpg
-doctor=[[Sixth Doctor]] |
+|novelisation           = The Mark of the Rani (novelisation)
-companions= [[Peri]] |
+|season number          = Season 22 (Doctor Who 1963)|
-enemy= <ul><li>[[The Master]]</li><li>[[The Rani]]</li></ul> |
+|season serial number   = 3
-year= [[Killingworth]]; [[1820s]] |
+|story number           = 139
-writer= [[Pip & Jane Baker]]|
+|doctor                 = Sixth Doctor
-director= [[Sarah Hellings]]|
+|companions             = [[Peri Brown|Peri]]
-producer= [[John Nathan-Turner]]|
+|featuring              = Ravensworth
-broadcast date= [[2nd February]] - [[9th February]] [[1985]] |
+|featuring2             = George Stephenson{{!}}Stephenson
-format= 2 45-minute episodes|
+|enemy                  = The [[Tremas Master]], the [[First Rani]]
-production code= [[List of production codes|6X]]|
+|setting                = [[Killingworth]], [[19th century]]
-previous story= [[Vengeance on Varos]] |
+|writer                 = Pip & Jane Baker
-next story= [[The Two Doctors]] }}
+|director               = [[Sarah Hellings]]
+|producer               = [[John Nathan-Turner]]
+|epcount                = 2
+|broadcast date         = 2 - 9 February 1985
+|network                = BBC1
+|format                 = 2x45-minute episodes
+|serial production code = [[List of production codes|6X]]
+|series                 = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
+|prev                   = Vengeance on Varos (TV story)
+|next                   = The Two Doctors (TV story)
+|made prev              = The Two Doctors (TV story)
+|made next              = Timelash (TV story)
+|clip                   = Doctor Who - Master of earwigging - Mark of the Rani - BBC
+|clip2                  = Time distortion in Killingworth? - Doctor Who - Mark of the Rani - BBC
+|clip3                  = The Doctor Vs Rani and the Master - Doctor Who - Mark of the Rani - BBC
+|thwr                   = 17
+}}
+{{you may|Mark of the Rani|n1=the titular mark}}
+'''''The Mark of the Rani''''' was the third serial of [[season 22 (Doctor Who 1963)|season twenty-two]] of ''[[Doctor Who (TV series)|Doctor Who]]''. A new [[Time Lord]] villain, [[First Rani|the Rani]], was introduced in this serial. She would later return in ''[[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]]''.
-'''The Mark of the Rani''' was the third story of [[Season 22]] of ''Doctor Who''. A new regular [[Time Lord]] villain, [[the Rani]], first appeared in this serial. It is also significant in that it was the [[Sixth Doctor]]'s only historical television story.
+== Synopsis ==
+In [[19th century]] [[England]], the [[Sixth Doctor]] finds himself facing two competing enemies: his old adversary, [[Tremas Master|the Master]], and [[First Rani|the Rani]], another [[Time Lord]] with a sinister plan. The local population is turning violent and unpredictable. With a major meeting of the brains of the [[Industrial Revolution]] due to happen in the village soon, the Doctor must work out what exactly is causing all the problems. Only the Doctor can stop the Master and the Rani's evil plans.
-==Synopsis==
+== Plot ==
-In 19th century England, the Doctor finds himself facing two competing enemies: his old adversary the Master, and the Rani, another Time Lord with a sinister plan. The local population are turning violent and unpredictable and, with a major meeting of the brains of the Industrial Revolution due to happen in the village soon, the Doctor must work out what exactly is causing all the problems.  Only the Doctor can stop both the Master and the Rani's evil plans.
+=== Part 1 ===
+Something is amiss in the mining village of [[Killingworth]] in early [[19th century]] [[England]]. [[Miner]]s are being gassed in the bathhouse and turned into thugs and vandals, attacking men and smashing up machinery, seen as Luddites by other locals. The [[Sixth Doctor]] and [[Peri Brown]] witness this when they arrive in Killingworth looking for the cause of some sort of [[time distortion]]. They also notice one of the rampaging miners has a strange red mark on his neck. With his usual audacity, the Doctor foists himself upon the local landowner, [[Ravensworth|Lord Ravensworth]], who is concerned at the ferocity of the attacks, with the most passive of men suddenly turning violent and unpredictable.
-==Plot==
+The answer lies in the local bathhouse. {{Ainley|c}} has turned up at this key point in human history. He forces his way into the presence of the old woman who runs the bathhouse, in reality, another [[Time Lord]], {{O'Mara}}. She is a gifted [[chemist]] and is using the set-up of the bathhouse to anaesthetise the miners and distil from them the neuro-chemicals that enable sleep. This is what causes the red mark on the victims. These chemicals are synthesised for use back on [[Miasimia Goria]], a planet she rules and which the Master has visited, where [[Great Experiment|her other experiments]] have left the inhabitants without the ability to rest and are now rebelling. He persuades her they need to deal with the Doctor together. He also steals some of the precious brain fluid she has collected to ensure her collaboration. It is a rocky partnership, full of half-truths and deceptions. The Master goes to deal with the Doctor, egging on local miners to attack his enemy and persuading some to throw [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] down a mine shaft.
-===Part 1===
-[[Image:Mark_rani_part1.JPG|thumb|right|150px|[[The Master]] and [[the Rani]] join forces]]
-Something is amiss in the mining village of [[Killingworth]], in the early part of [[19th-Century]] [[England]]. Miners are being gassed in the wash-house and transformed into thugs and vandals, attacking men and machinery, being perceived as Luddites by other locals. [[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]] and [[Peri Brown]] witness the phenomenon when they arrive in Killingworth looking for the cause of some sort of [[time distortion]], and he also notices one of the rampaging miners has a strange red mark on his neck. With his usual audacity, The Doctor foists himself upon the local landowner, [[Lord Ravensworth]], who is concerned by the ferocity of the local [[Luddite]] attacks, with the most passive of men suddenly turning violent and unpredictable.
-The answer lies in the local wash-house. [[The Master]] has turned up at this key point in human history and forces his way into the presence of the old woman who runs the wash-house: in reality another [[Time Lord]] known as [[the Rani]]. She is a gifted chemist and is using the set-up of the wash-house to anaesthetise the miners and distill from them the neuro-chemicals that enable sleep. This is what accounts for the red mark on the victims. These chemicals are then synthesised for use back on [[Miasimia Goria]], a planet she rules and which the Master visited, where her other experiments have left the inhabitants without the ability to rest. He persuades her that they need to deal with the Doctor together, but also steals some of the precious brain fluid she collected to ensure her collaboration. It is a rocky partnership, full of half-truths and deceptions. The Master heads off to deal with the Doctor, egging on local miners to attack his enemy and persuading some of them to throw [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] down a mine shaft.
+The Doctor has meanwhile dressed as a miner and entered the bathhouse. He soon [[deduce]]s the Rani's schemes. She traps him but he challenges her ethics. She reveals she has been coming to Earth for centuries to harvest her precious chemicals. The Master convinces the Rani to let him deal with the Doctor. He has the TARDIS pushed down a mine shaft. The angry Luddites put the Doctor in a cart to ensure that he follows it.
-The Doctor has meanwhile dressed as a miner and infiltrated the bath-house, where he soon deduces the Rani's schemes. She entraps him but he still challenges her ethics, prompting her to reveal she has been coming to Earth for centuries to harvest her precious chemicals. The Master convinces the Rani to let him deal with the Doctor. He has the TARDIS pushed down a mine shaft, and the angry Luddites put the Doctor in a cart to ensure that he follows it.
+=== Part 2 ===
+The Doctor is saved by inventor [[George Stephenson]]. He and Peri return to Lord Ravensworth's, where Stephenson has planned a meeting of scientific and engineering geniuses in the village. The Doctor is worried about the wisdom of such a meeting in the current circumstances, but the Master is so desperate to see the event take place, he uses [[mind control]] of Stephenson's young aide, [[Luke Ward]], telling him to kill anyone who tries to prevent it. The Master wants to use the finest brains of the [[Industrial Revolution]] to speed up [[Earth]]'s development and then use the planet as a power base. He strikes a deal with the Rani; she may return to Earth at any time to harvest more brain fluid if she helps him achieve this.
-===Part 2===
+While the villains are away, the Doctor returns to the bathhouse and dodges booby traps to enter [[the Rani's TARDIS]]. Her control room holds jars of preserved [[dinosaur]] embryos. She summons her ship to the old mine workings with a remote control device, with the Doctor still inside. He hides while his adversaries talk. The Rani has also set [[land mine]]s in nearby [[Redfern Dell]]. When the coast is clear, the Doctor slips away to report back to Ravensworth, Stephenson and Luke, who is behaving strangely.
-[[Image:Mark_rani_part2.JPG|thumb|left|150px|Inside [[the Rani's TARDIS]]]]
-After the Doctor is saved by inventor [[George Stephenson]], he and Peri return to Lord Ravensworth's, where Stephenson has planned a meeting of scientific and engineering geniuses in the village. The Doctor is worried about the wisdom of such a meeting in the current circumstances, but elsewhere the Master is so desperate to see the event take place he uses mind-control over Stephenson's young aide, [[Luke Ward]], telling him to kill anyone who tries to prevent it. The Master wants to use the finest brains of the [[Industrial Revolution]] to help speed up [[Earth]]'s development and then use the planet as a powerbase. He strikes a deal with the Rani that she may return to Earth at any time to harvest more brain fluid if she helps him achieve this.
-While the villains are away, the Doctor returns to the wash-house and dodges the booby traps to find a way into [[the Rani's TARDIS]]. Her control room contains jars of preserved dinosaur embryos. She summons her ship to the old mine workings using a remote control device, with the Doctor still inside. He hides while his adversaries converse, with the Rani confessing to have also laid landmines in nearby [[Redfern Dell]]; and when the coast is clear the Doctor slips away to report back to Ravensworth, Stephenson and Luke, whom he sees is behaving strangely.
+Peri is making herself useful by using her botanical knowledge to make a sleeping-draught for the afflicted miners. Her quest for herbs leads her to Redfern Dell. The Doctor surprises the Master and the Rani, who are lurking at the edge of the dell. Soon after he does, he sees Luke step on a mine and get turned into a [[tree]]. The Doctor takes the other two Time Lords prisoner with the Master's own [[Tissue Compression Eliminator]]. Peri takes charge of them but the Rani's deviousness outstrips the Master's and she is the one who enables them to escape. The Rani and the Master flee in her TARDIS, but the Doctor also has a trick or two:
-To make herself useful Peri is using her botanical knowledge to make a sleeping draught for the afflicted miners, but her quest for herbs leads her to Redfern Dell. The Doctor gets there in time to save her, but not before Luke accidentally steps on a mine and is turned into a tree. The Doctor then surprises the Master and the Rani, who are lurking at the edge of the Dell, and takes them prisoner with the Master's own [[Tissue Compression Eliminator]]. Peri is given charge of them but the Rani's deviousness outstrips the Master's and she is the one who enables them to escape. The Rani and the Master flee in her TARDIS, but the Doctor has also developed a trick or two: he has sabotaged the navigational system and the ship starts heading out of control. In the destabilised condition, one of the jars containing an embryo tyrannosaurus rex falls to the floor and the creature begins to grow, affected by the time spillage.
+{{video|Doctor Who - Will the Master and the Rani escape? - Mark of the Rani - BBC|thumb|left|The Doctor having sabotaged [[the Rani's TARDIS]], [[the Master]] and {{O'Mara}} are defeated.}}
+he has sabotaged the navigational system. The ship is out of control. In the destabilised condition, one of the jars holding a [[Tyrannosaurus Rex]] embryo falls on the floor and the creature, affected by the [[time spillage]], starts to grow.
-The Doctor and Peri make an exchange with Ravensworth, who has retrieved the TARDIS and accepts the phial of brain fluid, which he is told to return to the affected miners. Before the eyes of an astonished scientist and his financier, the TARDIS departs…
+The Doctor and Peri make a swap with Ravensworth, who has retrieved the TARDIS. He gets the phial of brain fluid, which he is told to give to the affected miners. Before the eyes of an astonished scientist and his financier, the TARDIS departs...
-==Cast==
+== Cast ==
-*[[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Colin Baker]]
+* [[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Colin Baker]]
-*[[Peri]] - [[Nicola Bryant]]
+* [[Peri Brown|Peri]] - [[Nicola Bryant]]
-*[[The Master]] - [[Anthony Ainley]]
+* [[Tremas Master|The Master]] - [[Anthony Ainley]]
-*[[The Rani]] - [[Kate O'Mara]]
+* [[First Rani|The Rani]] - [[Kate O'Mara]]
-*[[Lord Ravensworth]] - [[Terence Alexander]]
+* [[Ravensworth|Lord Ravensworth]] - [[Terence Alexander]]
-*[[Luke Ward]] - [[Gary Cady]]
+* [[George Stephenson]] - [[Gawn Grainger]]
-*[[Jack Ward]] - [[Peter Childs]]
+* [[Luke Ward]] - [[Gary Cady]]
-*[[George Stephenson]] - [[Gawn Grainger]]
+* [[Jack Ward]] - [[Peter Childs]]
-*Guard - [[Richard Steele]]
+* [[Guard (The Mark of the Rani)|Guard]] - [[Richard Steele (actor)|Richard Steele]]
-*[[Tim Bass]] - [[William Ilkley]]
+* [[Tim Bass]] - [[William Ilkley]]
-*[[Edwin Green]] - [[Hus Levent]]
+* [[Edwin Green]] - [[Hus Levent]]
-*[[Sam Rudge]] - [[Kevin White]]
+* [[Sam Rudge]] - [[Kevin White]]
-*[[Drayman]] - [[Martin Whitby]]
+* [[Drayman]] - [[Martyn Whitby]]
-*Young Woman - [[Sarah James]]
+* [[Young woman (The Mark of the Rani)|Young Woman]] - [[Sarah James]]
-*Older Woman - [[Cordelia Ditton]]
+* [[Old woman (The Mark of the Rani)|Older Woman]] - [[Cordelia Ditton]]
-==Crew==
+=== Uncredited cast ===
-*[[Writer]]s - [[Pip & Jane Baker]]
+* [[Josh (The Mark of the Rani)|Josh]] - [[Nigel Johnson]]<ref name="DWM 217">[[DWM 217]]{{which}}</ref>
-*[[Assistant Floor Manager]] - [[Penny Williams]]
+* [[Tom (The Mark of the Rani)|Tom]] - [[Alan Talbot]]<ref name="DWM 217"/>
-*[[Costumes]] - [[Dinah Collin]]
+* Miner - [[Nick Joseph]]<ref name="DWM 217"/>
-*[[Designer]] - [[Paul Trerise]]
-*[[Film Cameraman]] - [[Kevin Rowley]]
-*[[Film Editor]] - [[Ray Wingrove]]
-*[[Incidental Music]] - [[Jonathan Gibbs]]
-*[[Make-Up]] - [[Catherine Davies]]
-*[[Production Assistant]] - [[Carolyn Mawdsley]]
-*[[Production Associate]] - [[Sue Anstruther]]
-*[[Script Editor]] - [[Eric Saward]]
-*[[Special Sounds]] - [[Dick Mills]]
-*[[Studio Lighting]] - [[Don Babbage]]
-*[[Studio Sound]] - [[Keith Bowden]]
-*[[Theme Arrangement]] - [[Peter Howell]]
-*[[Title Music]] - [[Ron Grainer]]
-*[[Visual Effects]] - [[David Barton]]
-*[[Producer]] - [[John Nathan-Turner]]
-*[[Director]] - [[Sarah Hellings]]
-==References==
+== Crew ==
-[[The Rani]], [[The Master]]
+* [[Writer]]s - [[Pip & Jane Baker]]
+* [[Assistant Floor Manager]] - [[Penny Williams]]
+* [[Camera supervisor|Camera Supervisor]] - [[Alec Wheal]]
+* [[Costumes]] - [[Dinah Collin]]
+* [[Designer (crew)|Designer]] - [[Paul Trerise]]
+* [[Director (crew)|Director]] - [[Sarah Hellings]]
+* [[Film Cameraman]] - [[Kevin Rowley]]
+* [[Film Editor]] - [[Ray Wingrove]]
+* [[Film sound|Film Sound]] - [[Barrie Tharby]]
+* [[Incidental Music]] - [[Jonathan Gibbs]]
+* [[Make-Up]] - [[Catherine Davies]]
+* [[Producer]] - [[John Nathan-Turner]]
+* [[Production Assistant]] - [[Carolyn Mawdsley]]
+* [[Production Associate]] - [[Sue Anstruther]]
+* [[Production Manager]] - [[Tony Redston]]
+* [[Script Editor]] - [[Eric Saward]]
+* [[Special Sounds]] - [[Dick Mills]]
+* [[Studio Lighting]] - [[Don Babbage]]
+* [[Studio Sound]] - [[Keith Bowden]]
+* [[Technical co-ordinator|Technical Co-Ordinator]] - [[Alan Arbuthnott]]
+* [[Title Sequence]] - [[Sid Sutton]]
+* [[Theme Arrangement]] - [[Peter Howell]]
+* [[Doctor Who theme|Title Music]] - [[Ron Grainer]]
+* [[Video effects|Video Effects]] - [[Dave Chapman]]
+* [[Videotape editor|Videotape Editor]] - [[Hugh Parson]]
+* [[Vision Mixer]] - [[Jayne Beckett]]
+* [[Visual Effects Designer]] - [[David Barton]]
-==Story Notes==
+=== Uncredited crew ===
-*The working titles for this story were ''Too Clever By Far'' and ''Enter The Rani''.
+* [[Visual effects assistant|Visual Effects Assistants]] - [[Tom Davis]], [[George Reed (crew)|George Reed]]<ref>[[INFO]]: ''The Mark of the Rani''</ref>
-*The music score for this story was provided by composer [[Jonathan Gibbs]]. [[John Lewis]] was originally hired to compose the score, but a sudden onset of illness — which ultimately resulted in his death — prevented him being able to finish the work and forced the production team to give the assignment to Gibbs just after Lewis had completed scoring the first episode. Lewis' score for the first episode was included on the DVD release.
-*The following was credited in both episodes: "The [[BBC]] wish to acknowledge the cooperation of the [[Ironbridge Gorge Museum]]."
-*This was the last story of the original series of ''Doctor Who'' to be directed by a woman. The next such occasion was the [[2007]] [[Tenth Doctor]] episode ''[[Blink]]'' (directed by [[Hettie MacDonald]]).
-*The Mark of the Rani was shown in 4-25 minute episodes in the USA.
-===Ratings===
+== Worldbuilding ==
-*Part 1 - 6.3m viewers.
+=== Biology ===
-*Part 2 - 7.3m viewers.
+* An embryo of ''[[Tyrannosaurus Rex]]'' is in the Rani's TARDIS. The Doctor imagines she took it from the [[Cretaceous]].
+* Peri Brown goes and searches for valerian (''[[Valeriana officinalis]]''), a herb to cure the Rani's victims.
+* The [[land mine]]s of the Rani turn animal beings into conscious vegetable beings.
+* Talking about ecology and the difference with the 1800s, Peri says that in her time, some species of [[butterfly]] and [[bird]]s are almost extinct.
+* The Doctor says that the Master would probably turn into a [[laburnum]] if he stepped on one of the Rani's mines since it is a poisonous tree.
+* The Rani blames the Earthlings for being [[carnivore]]s.
+* According to the Rani, a tree has four times the life expectancy of a [[human]] being.
+* Peri Brown is afraid of [[rabies]] and guesses [[Time Lord]]s are immune to it.
+* The Rani uses impregnated worm parasites to take over the minds of her victims and turn them into slaves, which is her version of [[hypnotism]]. When the parasites take hold, the eyes of the victim glow a blue colour briefly.
-===Myths===
+=== Cultural references from real world ===
-*[[John Nathan-Turner]] cast [[Kate O'Mara]] as the Rani because of her starring role in the popular American soap opera Dynasty. (O'Mara had yet to begin work on Dynasty when she was cast as the Rani. She was however well known for her appearances in a number of UK soap operas, including for the BBC The Brothers - opposite Colin Baker - and Triangle.)
+* The Rani's TARDIS is covered with a work by [[J. M. W. Turner|Turner]].
+* The Doctor calls a [[dog]] "Fido".
+* The Doctor and Peri were originally headed to the [[Kew Gardens]].
+* The scientists [[Thomas Telford]], [[Michael Faraday]], [[Humphry Davy]] and [[Marc Brunel]] are expected to attend the meeting.
+* The Doctor quotes ''Battle of the Baltic ''by Thomas Campbell: "There was silence deep as death".
+* The Doctor quotes ''[[Julius Caesar]] - ''"Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once".
+* The Doctor paraphrases ''[[Hamlet]]'': "Now perhaps you'll accept there are more things in heaven and earth than are ever dreamed of in your barren philosophy".
+* The Doctor paraphrases ''The Spider and the Fly'' by Mary Howitt: ""Will you come into my parlour?" said the spider to the fly".
+* Peri misquotes ''[[Henry IV, Part 1|Henry IV Part I]]'': "Discretion is the better part of valour". The actual line is "The better part of valour is discretion," but Peri's is the more popular version.
-===Location Filming===
+=== Individuals ===
-*Most of the location filming, including the village scenes, was done as [[Blists Hill Open Air Museum]] in [[Shropshire]].
+* {{O'Mara|c}} was exiled from [[Gallifrey]] because her giant [[mouse|mice]] ate the [[Lord President]]'s [[cat]] and took a bite out of the President himself according to the Master. She now rules [[Miasimia Goria]], where she controls a race of aliens. The Rani had come to Earth for centuries, unnoticed; she has extracted brain fluid from people in the [[Trojan War]], the [[Dark Ages]] and the [[American War of Independence]]. She is also aware of the Master's failed plan on [[Sarn (planet)|Sarn]] and had thought he was dead.
-*The scene of the [[TARDIS]] landing was filmed nearby at the Granville Colliery spoil heaps.
+* The Master briefly disguises himself as a [[scarecrow]].
-*The mine/tree scenes were filmed at Park Wood, Ruislip in Middlesex.
+* The Doctor refers to Stephenson's "Rocket" in a pun. Peri tells him his puns are getting worse.
-===Discontinuity===
+=== TARDIS and time travel ===
-*No Luddites ever attacked pit machinery, which didn't threaten their livelihoods.
+* The [[TARDIS key]] manages to open [[the Rani's TARDIS]].
-*Lord Ravensworth's amateur botany is the source of the drugs required - is there no local medic?
+* The Rani has her TARDIS connected to a [[Stattenheim remote control]]. She is considered a genius because she managed to invent it. Both the Doctor and the Master are amazed by the achievement.
-*Three Time Lords turn up in the same place for entirely different reasons.
+* [[Time spillage]] causes one of the ''[[Tyrannosaurus Rex]]'' embryos in the Rani's TARDIS to begin maturing rapidly.
-*[[Kew Gardens]] was not open in the [[1820s]].
+* The Doctor sabotages the navigational system and the [[velocity regulator]] of the Rani's TARDIS. He foresees they will be flung beyond the [[Milky Way]], maybe at the borders of the universe.
-*Thomas Edison was not born until [[1847]] (well after the Luddite riots).
+* The acceleration in the Rani's TARDIS sends the Master and the Rani towards the wall in a manner similar to G force.
+* The Master uses [[The Master's TARDIS|his TARDIS]] to override [[the Doctor's TARDIS]], bringing it to [[Killingworth]].
+* The Doctor traces the Rani, thanks to a tracking device for [[time distortion]]s. It detects a [[time machine]] nearby, perhaps belonging to a [[Time Lord]], a [[Dalek]] or another [[alien]] force.
-==Continuity==
+=== Weapons ===
-*Kate O'Mara would go on to reprise the role of the Rani twice, in the [[Seventh Doctor]]'s debut story ''[[Time and the Rani]]'' and the 30th anniversary special, ''[[Dimensions in Time]]''.
+* The Rani employs [[mustard gas]] as a defensive mechanism against those who mean to break in [[the Rani's TARDIS|her TARDIS]]. The [[Sixth Doctor]] and [[Peri Brown]] wear masks to avoid its effects.
-*The Master returns in this story, with no explanation given as to his escape from what appeared to be a fiery demise at the end of ''[[Planet of Fire]]''. The novelisation appears to assume he had actually been shrinking out of existence, and gives the explanation that the flames generated gases that saved him.
+* [[The Master]]'s [[Tissue Compression Eliminator]] now makes people and animals vanish totally.
+* The Master's device is able to unlock a wooden door secured by a wooden latch.
-==DVD and Video Releases==
+== Notes ==
+* This story had working titles of ''Too Clever by Far'' and ''Enter the Rani''.{{fact}}
+* The music score for this story was provided by composer [[Jonathan Gibbs]]. [[John Lewis (composer)|John Lewis]] was originally hired to compose the score, but he fell ill from [[AIDS]]-related complications, which resulted in his death. By this time, he had composed thirty-two minutes of music, but it was decided that his work would not be used; his family was compensated all the same. Lewis' score for the first episode was included on the DVD release.{{fact}}
+* The following credit appeared in both episodes: "The [[BBC]] wish to acknowledge the cooperation of the [[Ironbridge Gorge Museum]]."
+* This was the last story of the original series of ''Doctor Who'' to be directed by a woman. The next such occasion was ''[[Blink (TV story)|Blink]]'', directed by [[Hettie MacDonald]], in 2007.
+* ''The Mark of the Rani'' was shown in four twenty-five-minute episodes in the [[United States of America|USA]], [[Canada]], [[Germany]], United Arab Emirates, [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]].{{fact}}
+* The Rani was conceived as a new, ongoing villain, but the character only appeared once more in the series, two years later in the serial ''[[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]]''. [[Kate O'Mara]] reprised the role for the charity special ''[[Dimensions in Time (TV story)|Dimensions in Time]]'' and the spin-off audio production ''[[The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind (audio story)|The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind]]''. The possibility of the Rani returning to the revival series has been a source of fan speculation since 2005, with virtually every female character from [[Rose Tyler]] to [[Donna Noble]] to [[Lucy Saxon]] to [[Missy]] being considered possible Ranis-in-disguise.
+* [[Colin Baker]] and [[Kate O'Mara]] had previously co-starred in the BBC drama series {{wi|The Brothers (1972 TV series)|The Brothers}}.
+* [[Eric Saward]] found the script to be workmanlike. He also greatly disliked [[Pip and Jane Baker]].{{fact}}
+* [[Pip and Jane Baker]] took the blame for the tree scene, saying that they would have changed it if they knew it wouldn't work on the budget.{{fact}}
+* [[Colin Baker]] did his own stunts in this serial.{{fact}}
+* The Rani's experimentation with the sleep centres of the human brain came from an article [[Pip and Jane Baker]] read in ''[[The New Scientist]]''.{{fact}}
+* {{w|Joss Ackland}}, {{w|Harry Andrews}}, [[Bernard Archard]], {{w|Robin Bailey}}, [[George Baker]], {{w|Ian Bannen}}, [[Geoffrey Bayldon]], [[John Carson]], [[Peter Cushing]], {{w|Allan Cuthbertson}}, [[James Ellis]], [[Frank Finlay]], {{w|Robert Flemyng}}, [[Michael Gough]], {{w|Jeremy Kemp}}, [[Dinsdale Landen]], [[T. P. McKenna]], [[Donald Pickering]], [[Peter Sallis]], [[John Standing]], [[Patrick Stewart]] and {{w|Peter Vaughan}} were considered for Lord Ravensworth.{{fact}}
+* [[Nicola Bryant]] injured her neck while sleeping. As a result, she would have to wear a brace for the remainder of the shoot — except while the cameras were actually rolling — and was in some discomfort.{{fact}}
+* During the scene where the Doctor makes his face dirty using Fuller's earth, [[Colin Baker]] unknowingly smeared dog excrement on his face.{{fact}}
+* The Rani's character came to [[Pip and Jane Baker]] after a chemist friend of theirs said, "All you are is chemicals", to which another friend replied, "But what about the soul?"{{fact}}
+* [[Kate O'Mara]] enjoyed the shoot, but found that old woman make-up was so good that she was ignored and not offered a seat. The experience made her feel sorry for real old people and how society treats them.{{fact}}
+* [[Pip and Jane Baker]] created the Rani after [[John Nathan-Turner]] said the Master was becoming too [[pantomime]].{{fact}}
+* [[Eric Saward]] claimed to have suggested including the Master and the historical setting.{{fact}}
+* [[Sarah Hellings]] claims that when [[John Nathan-Turner]] offered her the chance to direct ''Doctor Who'', she said "arrogantly" that she'd do it only if it were on film and if it were this story.{{fact}}
+* [[Sarah Hellings]] chose Blists Hill as the main location as she had made a ''[[Blue Peter]]'' film there several years earlier.{{fact}}
+* [[Terence Alexander]] had played [[Anthony Ainley]]'s father in {{wi|Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill}}.
+* [[Pip and Jane Baker]] were initially reluctant to write for the series, but were enthused by [[Eric Saward]]'s suggestion that they might attempt an adventure with an historical setting. They decided to develop a narrative which used the Luddite uprisings as a backdrop. The Bakers wanted to contrast the Luddite philosophy with the achievements of George Stephenson.{{fact}}
+* The serial lost two of its five production delays due to an error by BBC schedulers. Fortunately, [[John Nathan-Turner]] was able to arrange for an extra week of location filming instead, and [[Pip and Jane Baker]] were asked to amend their scripts appropriately.{{fact}}
+* [[Pip and Jane Baker]] originally envisaged the story as being filmed at an open air museum in South Wales with which they were familiar; as such, they had included suitable elements such as overhead coal tracks and a turntable on the rails. These were not extant at [[Blists Hill Open Air Museum|Blists Hill]], and so [[Eric Saward]] had to amend the action to reflect Hellings' chosen location.{{fact}}
+* [[Sarah Hellings]] cast [[Kate O'Mara]] as the Rani. [[John Nathan-Turner]], on the other hand, preferred [[Sarah Badel]], with whom he had worked on {{wi|The Pallisers}}. When Badel turned down the offer, Nathan-Turner decided to follow Hellings's suggestion.{{fact}}
-'''DVD Releases'''
+=== Ratings ===
-[[Image:Mark_rani_region2.jpg|right|75px]]
+* Part one - 6.3 million viewers
-[[Image:Mark_rani_region1.jpg|right|75px]]
+* Part two - 7.3 million viewers
-Released as ''Doctor Who: The Mark of the Rani'''.
+=== Myths ===
+* [[John Nathan-Turner]] cast [[Kate O'Mara]] as the Rani because of her starring role in the popular American soap opera ''Dynasty''. ''(O'Mara had yet to begin work on ''Dynasty'' when she was cast as the Rani. She was well known for her appearances in UK soap operas, including for the BBC ''The Brothers'' - opposite Colin Baker - and ''Triangle''. Her appearances on ''Dynasty'' were filmed between the production of this story and her later return in [[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]].)''{{fact}}
+=== Filming locations ===
+* Most of the location filming, including the village scenes, was done at [[Blists Hill Open Air Museum]] in [[Shropshire]].{{fact}}
+* Granville Colliery Spoil Heaps (now known as Granville Park), Lodge Road, Donnington Wood, Telford, Shropshire (Scene of the TARDIS landing){{fact}}
+* Coalport China Museum, Coalport, Telford, Shropshire (Lord Ravenworth's offices){{fact}}
+* Blists Hill Victorian Town, Madeley, Shropshire{{fact}}
+* Park Wood, Bury Street, Ruislip, Middlesex (The tree scenes){{fact}}
+* [[BBC Television Centre]] ([[List of stories recorded at BBC Television Centre|TC6]]), Shepherd's Bush, [[London]]{{fact}}
+=== Production errors ===
+{{discontinuity}}
+* When Peri enters the bathhouse, she locks the door with the wooden bar. When the Rani and the Master return, the wooden bar is unlocked.
+* When they discover Peri, she stands at the foot of the Doctor. In the next shot, they come from the other room.
+* When the Doctor dangles above the pit, one of his three attackers falls in. A moment later there is a close-up of three pairs of hands aiming weapons at him. This shot belonged to an earlier part of the sequence before they arrived at the pit.
+* When the Doctor first dangles above the pit, he barely fits. When the TARDIS is thrown down, it also fits but is much bigger than the Doctor.
+== Continuity ==
+* The Master returns in this story, with no explanation given of his escape from what appeared to be a fiery demise at the end of [[TV]]: ''[[Planet of Fire (TV story)|Planet of Fire]]''. (The [[Planet of Fire (novelisation)|novelisation]] appears to assume he had actually been shrinking out of existence and gives the explanation that the flames generated gases that saved him. [[PROSE]]: ''[[A Town Called Eternity (short story)|A Town Called Eternity]]'' features a burned Master who is healed by the fountain of youth.)
+* This incarnation of the Rani later appears in [[PROSE]]: ''[[State of Change (novel)|State of Change]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]]'', ''[[Dimensions in Time (TV story)|Dimensions in Time]]'' and [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind (audio story)|The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind]]''.
+* By the [[1980s]], a story had developed that the Rani was a witch. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Carrionite Curse (audio story)|The Carrionite Curse]]'')
+== Home video and audio releases ==
+=== DVD releases ===
+This story was released as ''Doctor Who: The Mark of the Rani.''
 Released:
-*Region 2 - [[4th September]] [[2006]]
+* Region 2 - [[4 September (releases)|4 September]] [[2006 (releases)|2006]]
-*Region 4 - [[2nd November]] [[2006]]
+* Region 4 - [[2 November (releases)|2 November]] 2006
-*Region 1 - [[7th November]] [[2006]]
+* Region 1 - [[7 November (releases)|7 November]] 2006
 Contents:
-*Commentary by [[Colin Baker]], [[Nicola Bryant]] and [[Kate O'Mara]]
+* Commentary by [[Colin Baker]] ([[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]]), [[Nicola Bryant]] ([[Peri Brown]]) and [[Kate O'Mara]] ([[First Rani|The Rani]])
-*[[Lords and Luddites]] - Actors and crew recall the making of '''The Mark of the Rani''' in this specially-shot documentary, featuring Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Kate O'Mara and [[Gary Cady]], writers [[Pip & Jane Baker]], script editor [[Eric Saward]] and composer [[Jonathan Gibbs]]
+* ''[[Lords and Luddites]]'' - Actors and crew recall the making of ''The Mark of the Rani'' in this specially-shot documentary, featuring Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Kate O'Mara and [[Gary Cady]] ([[Luke Ward|Luke]]), writers [[Pip & Jane Baker]], script editor [[Eric Saward]] and composer [[Jonathan Gibbs]]
-*Deleted Scenes -  Nearly ten minutes of additional material from an early edit of Part 1.
+* Deleted Scenes - Nearly ten minutes of additional material from an early edit of Part One
-*[[Now and Then]] - A short film featuring the Blists Hill Victorian Town location.
+* ''[[Now and Then: The Mark of the Rani (documentary)|Now and Then]]'' - A short film featuring the Blists Hill Victorian Town location
-*Playing With Time - An interview with the story's composer, Jonathan Gibbs.
+* ''[[Playing with Time: Scoring Doctor Who|Playing With Time]]'' - An interview with the story's composer, Jonathan Gibbs
-*[[Blue Peter]] - A short film from [[1978]] exploring the history of [[Ironbridge Gorge]] and [[Blists Hill]]
+* ''[[Blue Peter (series)|Blue Peter]]'' - A short film from 1978 exploring the history of [[Ironbridge Gorge]] and [[Blists Hill]]
-*Saturday Superstore - An extract from [[March]] [[1984]] featuring Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant and [[Anthony Ainley]].
+* ''[[Saturday Superstore]]'' - An extract from 17 March 1984 featuring Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant and [[Anthony Ainley]] ([[Tremas Master|The Master]])
-*Alternative Soundtrack - The option to view Part 1 with the partially-completed original music score by [[John Lewis]]
+* Alternative Soundtrack - The option to view Part One with the partially-completed original music score by [[John Lewis (composer)|John Lewis]]
-*Isolated Music Score - Clean synchronous music is available for both episodes.
+* Isolated Music Score - Clean synchronous music is available for both episodes
-*Radio Times Listings (DVD-ROM)
+* ''[[Radio Times]]'' Listings (DVD-ROM)
-*Photo Gallery
+* ''[[Doctor Who Annual 1985]]'' (DVD-ROM)
-*Production Subtitles
+* Photo Gallery
+* Production Subtitles
+* [[Easter Egg]]: Continuity Announcements. To access this hidden feature, press left at Special Features on the Main menu to reveal a hidden ''Doctor Who'' logo.
+Notes:
+* Editing for the DVD release was completed by the [[Doctor Who Restoration Team]].
+* An extended version of the Saturday Superstore extract was also included in the ''Doctor Who: [[:Vengeance on Varos (TV story)|Vengeance on Varos]]'' DVD on [[15 October (releases)|15 October]] [[2001 (releases)|2001]].
+<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
+Mark rani region2.jpg|Region 2 cover
+The Mark of the Ranidvd.jpg|Region 4 cover
+The Mark of the Rani.jpg|Region 1 cover
+</gallery>It was released as [[DWDVDF 63|issue 63]] of the ''[[Doctor Who DVD Files]]''.
+=== VHS releases ===
+* This story was released on VHS in [[July (releases)|July]] [[1995 (releases)|1995]].
+<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
+The Mark of the Raniuk.jpg|UK VHS cover
+The Mark of the Raniaus.jpg|AUS VHS cover
+The Mark of the Ranius.jpg|US VHS cover
+</gallery>
+=== Digital releases ===
+* The story is available for streaming in Canada & the US through BritBox or Amazon Instant Video in the UK.
+* It is also available to download through iTunes.
-'''VHS Releases'''
+=== Blu-Ray ===
-*This story was released on VHS in [[July]] of [[1995]].
+The story was released on Blu-ray as part of [[The Collection]]: [[Season 22 (Doctor Who 1963)|Season 22]] on [[20 June (releases)|20 June]] [[2022 (releases)|2022]]
+<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
+Doctor Who The Collection Season 22.jpg|[[Season 22 (Doctor Who 1963)|Season 22]]
+</gallery>
-==Novelisation==
+==Footnotes==
-[[Image:Mark of the Rani novel.jpg|right|75px]]
+{{Reflist}}
-: ''Main article: [[The Mark of the Rani (novelisation)]]''
-* Novelised by [[Pip and Jane Baker]] in [[1986]].
+== External links ==
+* {{Bbcepguideclassic|markrani/}}
+* {{radiotimes|2012-05-01/the-mark-of-the-rani}}
+{{dwrefguide|who_6x.htm|The Mark of the Rani}}
+* [http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/6x.html A Brief History of Time (Travel): '''The Mark of the Rani''']
+* [http://www.doctorwholocations.net/stories/markoftherani The Locations Guide to Doctor Who - '''The Mark of the Rani''']
+{{DWTV}}
+{{Tremas Master stories}}
+{{Rani stories}}
+{{TitleSort}}
-==External Links==
+[[Category:Doctor Who (1963) television stories]]
-''to be added''
+[[Category:Tremas Master television stories]]
+[[Category:Stories set in England]]
+[[Category:Stories set in the 19th century]]
+[[Category:Season 22 stories]]
+[[Category:Two part serials]]
+[[Category:The Rani television stories]]
+[[Category:An Introduction To The Sixth Doctor television stories]]
-{{season 22}}
+[[cy:The Mark of the Rani (stori deledu)]]
-{{Master stories}}
+[[de:140 - The Mark of the Rani]]
-[[Category:Sixth Doctor episodes|Mark of the Rani, The]]
+[[es:The Mark of the Rani]]
-[[Category:The Master episodes|Mark of the Rani, The]]
+[[ro:The Mark of the Rani]]
-[[Category:The Rani episodes|M]]
+[[ru:Метка Рани]]
-[[Category:Stories set in England|Mark of the Rani, The]]
-[[Category:Stories set in the 1820s|Mark of the Rani, The]]
-[[Category:1985 television stories|Mark of the Rani, The]]
-[Category:Historical stories|Mark of the Rani, The]]

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