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{{Infobox ClassicTV|
{{title dab away}}
story name= Black Orchid |
{{real world}}
image= [[Image:Blackorchid title.jpg|250px]]|
{{ImageLinkTV}}
series=[[Doctor Who]] -<br/>[[List of Doctor Who television stories|TV Stories]]|
{{Infobox Story SMW
number= [[Season 19]]|
|image                 = From atop.jpg
story number= 121|
|novelisation          = Black Orchid (novelisation)
doctor=[[Fifth Doctor]] |
|series                 = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
companions=<ul><li>[[Adric]]</li><li>[[Tegan Jovanka]]</li><li>[[Nyssa]]</li></ul>|
|season number         = Season 19 (Doctor Who 1963)|
enemy=[[George Cranleigh]]|
|season serial number  = 5
year= [[Cranleigh Hall]], [[Oxfordshire]]; [[11th June]] [[1925]] |
|story number           = 120
writer= [[Terence Dudley]]|
|genre                  = Historical
director= [[Ron Jones]]|
|doctor                 = Fifth Doctor
producer= [[John Nathan-Turner]]|
|companions             = [[Adric]], [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]], [[Nyssa]]
broadcast date= [[1st March]] - [[2nd March]] [[1982]]|
|featuring              = [[Ann Talbot|Ann]]
format= 2 25-minute episodes|
|enemy                 = [[George Cranleigh]]
production code= [[List of production codes|6A]]|
|setting                = [[Cranleigh]], [[11 June]] [[1925]]
previous story= [[The Visitation]] |
|writer                 = Terence Dudley
next story= [[Earthshock]] }}
|director               = [[Ron Jones]]
|producer               = [[John Nathan-Turner]]
|epcount                = 2
|broadcast date         = 1 - 2 March 1982
|network                = BBC1
|format                 = 2x25-minute episodes
|serial production code = [[List of production codes|6A]]
|prev                  = The Visitation (TV story)
|next                  = Earthshock (TV story)
|made prev              = Castrovalva (TV story)
|made next              = Earthshock (TV story)
|clip                  = The Doctor Plays Cricket! - Black Orchid - Doctor Who
|clip2                  = The Doctor Has Been Framed! - Black Orchid - Doctor Who
|clip3                  = Nyssa's Rooftop Rescue - Black Orchid - Doctor Who
|thwr = 48
|thwr2 = 243
}}{{dab page|Black Orchid}}
'''''Black Orchid''''' was the fifth serial of [[Season 19 (Doctor Who 1963)|season 19]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''. It was the shortest story of the season at just two episodes. For the first time since [[Season 4 (Doctor Who 1963)|Season 4]]'s ''[[The Highlanders (TV story)|The Highlanders]]'', the only science-fiction elements in this story were [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] and its occupants.


''For other uses of Black Orchid see: [[Black Orchid]]''
''Black Orchid'' was notable for being the highest-rated story of the [[Peter Davison|Davison]] era. ([[REF]]: ''[[Doctor Who The Handbook: The Fifth Doctor|The Fifth Doctor Handbook]]'') It also gave [[Sarah Sutton]] a chance to play two different characters, [[Nyssa]] and [[Ann Talbot|Ann]], and Davison the opportunity to actually play [[cricket]] — thereby justifying his costume.


==Synopsis==
According to the DVD commentary, none of the regular cast truly enjoyed the script — though Sutton admitted to "disliking it less" than Davison, [[Janet Fielding]] and [[Matthew Waterhouse]]. Collectively, they believed it to be comprised of [[Edwardian era]] stereotypes and no mystery or dramatic tension whatsoever.
[[The Doctor's TARDIS|The TARDIS]] arrives on Earth in [[1925]] where, due to a case of mistaken identity, the Doctor ends up playing in a local cricket match. The travellers then accept an invitation to a masked fancy dress ball, but events take on a more sinister tone as a number of murders are perpetrated at the country home of their host, [[Charles Cranleigh|Lord Charles Cranleigh]].


==Plot==
== Synopsis ==
====Part One====
[[The Doctor's TARDIS|The TARDIS]] arrives on [[Earth]] in [[1925]] where, due to a case of mistaken identity, the [[Fifth Doctor]] ends up playing in a local [[cricket]] match. The travellers accept an invitation to a masked fancy dress ball, but events take on a more sinister tone as murders are perpetrated at the country home of their host, [[Charles Cranleigh|Lord Charles Cranleigh]].
[[The Doctor's TARDIS|The TARDIS]] lands in [[1925]] at Cranleigh Halt, a small railway station in rural [[England]].  The Doctor is surprised to find himself addressed by a [[Police|policeman]], who tells him he's expected at [[Cranleigh Hall]] for a [[cricket]] match. Though the invitation is unexpected, the Doctor is keen to play; soon he, [[Adric]], [[Nyssa]] and [[Tegan]] have arrived at [[Cranleigh Hall]], home of the Cranleigh family.  The Doctor is immediately put into the game, and does superbly--bringing the team back from defeat to a win and delighting [[Charles Cranleigh|
Lord Charles Cranleigh]], who invites the travellers to a fancy dress party to be held that evening.  


After the match, the cricketers and spectators retreat to [[Cranleigh Hall]] for introductions. In an opulent sitting room that houses a magnificent [[black orchid]], [[Madge Cranleigh|Lady Cranleigh]] laments the loss of her botanist son, [[George Cranleigh|George]], who was killed during an expedition to find the rare bloom. Her surviving son, [[Charles Cranleigh|Charles]], introduces his fiancée [[Ann Talbot]]--who could be Nyssa's double. The travellers then set off to rooms they had been given and prepare for the upcoming fancy dress ball.  
== Plot ==
[[Image:Blackorchid.jpg|thumb|198px|The titular [[Black orchid|Black Orchid]], a rare specimen from the [[Amazon]].]]
=== Part one ===
In the corridor of a stately home, a servant called [[Digby (Black Orchid)|Digby]] is strangled to death by a horribly scarred and disfigured man. The murderer is later overpowered and left tied up on a bed by [[Latoni]], a South American Indian with a lip disk. Elsewhere in the house, a young woman named [[Ann Talbot]] sleeps soundly, unaware of what has happened...


George provides the Doctor with a costume for the party: a harlequin suit, complete with a full mask. The Doctor emerges from the bath to hear a sound. He investigates, only to find himself trapped in a secret corridor. An unseen person takes the harlequin costume.  
[[The Doctor's TARDIS|The TARDIS]] lands in [[1925]] at [[Cranleigh Halt]], a small railway station in rural [[England]]. [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]] wonders where they are and the [[Fifth Doctor]] explains their location, saying he always wanted to drive a train when he was a boy. They walk out front to find a [[chauffeur]] named [[Tanner]], who says he has been waiting for the [[doctor (Black Orchid)|doctor]], much to his surprise, telling him he's expected for a [[cricket]] match. Though the invitation is unexpected, the Doctor is keen to play; soon he, [[Adric]], [[Nyssa]] and Tegan have arrived at [[Cranleigh Hall]], home of the Cranleigh family. The Doctor is immediately put into the game and does superbly — bringing the team back from defeat to a win and delighting Lord [[Charles Cranleigh]], who invites the travellers to a fancy dress party that evening as thanks for a splendid performance.


Upstairs, Nyssa, Tegan, and Ann Talbot prepare for the party. Nyssa and Ann decide to dress in identical costumes in order to prank the guests; Tegan demonstrates the Charleston, a dance popular in [[1925]], for her alien friend.
After the match, the cricketers and spectators retreat to [[Cranleigh Hall]] for introductions. The Doctor is asked what his name is, but Charles explains the Doctor wishes to remain incognito. In an opulent sitting room that contains a display case housing a magnificent [[black orchid (flower)|black orchid]], [[Madge Cranleigh|Lady Cranleigh]] laments the loss of her botanist son, [[George Cranleigh|George]], who was killed on an Amazon expedition to find the rare bloom. When told that the party would be a costume party, Adric, Nyssa, and Tegan say that they do not have costumes to wear; Lady Cranleigh is confused as she believed they ''were'' already wearing costumes. While everyone asks for a drink, Lady Cranleigh wonders about Nyssa's origins, thinking she may be from a rich and prestigious family she knows, but Nyssa repeatedly asserts she is not from around there. Much to everyone's surprise, [[Charles Cranleigh|Charles]] walks in with his [[fiancée]], [[Ann Talbot]], who is almost an exact double of Nyssa, aside from a [[Mole (anatomy)|mole]] Ann has on one shoulder. The travellers set off to their rooms to prepare for the ball.


The Doctor finds his way out of the corridor into a hidden area of the mansion. He finds closets of old clothes and books... and [[Digby|a body]] in a cupboard.
[[File:The Man in the Mirror.jpg|left|thumb|The Doctor tries on the harlequin mask while preparing for the dance.]]
Charles provides the Doctor with a costume for the party: a harlequin suit with a full mask. The Doctor removes his frock coat and tries on the mask to see how he will look before putting the costume on his bed and heading to the bath to freshen up. Someone uses a secret passage to enter the Doctor's room and hides nearby while the Doctor emerges from the bathroom wearing a robe, wondering what caused the noise. He finds the secret passage and ends up locked out of his room, stuck in a secret passage. At the same time, the unknown person takes the Doctor's costume.


At the party, someone wearing the Doctor's costume arrives and dances with Ann. He takes her indoors and begins to attack her. [[James (Black Orchid)|James]], a servant, attacks the figure and is killed. Ann faints. The figure closes in on Ann...
Upstairs, Nyssa, Tegan, and Ann Talbot prepare for the party. Nyssa is confused on what to wear when Ann has a copy of her costume brought in for Nyssa to prank the guests as to which one of them is which. As Nyssa is not from Earth, she is unsure on how to dance at the party, so Tegan decides to demonstrate the [[Charleston (dance)|Charleston]] a dance popular in [[1925]] — for her friend's benefit.


====Part Two====
In the meantime, the Doctor finds his way out of the corridor and into a hidden area of the mansion. He finds closets of old clothes and books, as well as a more shocking discovery: a man's body in a cupboard.
The Doctor finds [[Madge Cranleigh|Lady Cranleigh]] and her servant [[Latoni]] in one of the secret passages, and shows them the body. The Doctor agrees to not tell the guests, in order to avoid causing panic, and returns to his room.
The Doctor's impostor carefully returns the costume. The Doctor arrives back at his room and dresses in the costume set out for him, unaware that it has just been worn by a killer.


Lady Cranleigh and Latoni come to a locked door in the secret passages; on the other side of the door, [[Ann Talbot|Ann]] wakes and panics at the unfamiliar surroundings, while a mysterious figure hides under her bed. Ann runs out the room and into the arms of Lady Cranleigh. Latoni enters the room and ties up the figure, a horribly disfigured man with dead drooping skin on his face, and no tongue.
Elsewhere, the Doctor's companions are enjoying the party. Nyssa is enjoying having people guess whether she is Ann or not, and Tegan is loving the dancing, while Adric is far more interested in enjoying the food. They begin to wonder where the Doctor is. The person who stole the harlequin costume walks out of the mansion, taking Ann in a dance, during which he leads her inside and she tries to excuse herself. However, the figure grabs Ann's wrists and she shouts to [[James (Black Orchid)|James]], a servant, for help. James attempts to comes to Ann's aid, but the figure grabs him around the neck and throws him violently to the floor. Ann faints, while the figure turns and closes in on her; his white-gloved hands reaching for her neck...


The second body has been discovered, and the servants alert Charles and Sir [[Robert Muir]]. As the Doctor descends the stairs, Ann identifies him as her assailant. Despite the Doctor's protests, he is betrayed when Lady Cranleigh refuses to corroborate his presence in the secret corridors, or the existence of the other body, and he is soon taken away by the police, along with Nyssa, Tegan, and Adric.
=== Part two ===
The Doctor finds [[Madge Cranleigh|Lady Cranleigh]] and her servant [[Latoni]] in one of the secret passages, and shows them the body. He agrees to not tell the guests to avoid causing panic and returns to his room. The Doctor's impostor carefully returns the costume. The Doctor arrives back at his room and dresses in the costume set out for him, unaware it has just been worn by a killer.


They stop at the railway station after the Doctor declares evidence is there, but the TARDIS is missing and they have little choice but to head on to the police station. There, coincidentally, a policeman declares they have found a [[police box]] which no key can open. The Doctor opens it, proving that he is an alien and that his story is true.
Lady Cranleigh and Latoni come to a locked door in the secret passages; on the other side of the door, [[Ann Talbot|Ann]] wakes and panics at the unfamiliar surroundings, while a mysterious figure hides under her bed. Ann runs out of the room and into the arms of Lady Cranleigh. Latoni enters the room and ties up the figure, a horribly disfigured man with dead, drooping [[skin]] on his [[face]] and no [[tongue]].


Back at the house, George has escaped his room by setting fire to the door. Nyssa is captured by George, who mistakes her for Ann, and carries her to the roof. Sir Robert demands answers.
James's body has been discovered, and the servants alert Charles and Sir [[Robert Muir]], the Chief Constable. As the Doctor descends the stairs, Ann identifies him as her assailant. The Doctor defends himself, saying he has just put the costume on and had only just come down the stairs after being lost in the secret passages of the house. However, Ann is adamant that the Doctor attacked her and killed James. Sir Robert asks Charles to conclude the party early, saying he should tell the guests there has been an accident and ask them to leave. The Doctor asks if "he" wore the mask while attacking. Ann confirms this and the Doctor tells her that someone may have worn an identical costume to his. However, Ann points out she was in charge of giving out the fancy dress costumes, and there was only one harlequin outfit. The Doctor asks Lady Cranleigh to help him establish his alibi.


[[Madge Cranleigh|Lady Cranleigh]] tells Sir Robert that the scarred figure is her son [[George Cranleigh|George]], not killed during the course of his search for the black orchid, but disfigured by a tribe that considered the bloom sacred and themselves its guardians. After George's maiming, Latoni's tribe looked after him and brought him home, where his family preferred that he stay out of sight and pretend to be dead. Chafing under the restrictions, he only wanted to speak to Ann, his former fiancée--which was why he was stalking her.
Lady Cranleigh refuses to corroborate his presence in the secret corridors, the existence of the other body or introducing him to Latoni. Charles receives a telephone call from his friend "Smutty" Thomas, who apologises that the doctor who was supposed to play in the cricket match missed the train. Having been exposed as an impostor, the Doctor tells them that he is a time-travelling alien. The family naturally do not believe him and send him away with the police along with Nyssa, Tegan, and Adric, believing them to be accessories to his "crime".


The Doctor attempts to get to him through the house while Charles climbs up the side. They confront George on the roof. George realises that the woman he is holding is not Ann, and returns her. Charles thanks him, and attempts to embrace his lost brother, but George recoils and falls from the roof to his death.
[[File:This one will.jpg|right|thumb|The Doctor tries to avoid a murder charge.]]
The police stop at the railway station after the Doctor declares evidence to prove his story is there, but the TARDIS is missing from the platform and they have no choice but to go to the police station. There, a policeman declares they have found a [[police box]] which no key can open. The Doctor says this time he can prove his story and opens the TARDIS with his key, telling everyone to get inside. Sir Robert Muir is amazed by the TARDIS and apologises to the Doctor for his wild accusations, but there is still the matter of the murders. Sir Robert decides to head back to Cranleigh Hall, but the Doctor tells him he can get him there more quickly than a car and activates the TARDIS.


After attending George's funeral, the TARDIS crew depart, but are frst given parting gifts of their fancy dresses and a copy of George's book, ''[[Black Orchid (book)|Black Orchid]]'', by Ann and Lady Cranleigh.
Back at the house, the disfigured man has broken free of his restraints. He violently attacks Latoni who, in his last moments of consciousness (it is unclear whether Latoni dies or not), manages to slip the key into a crack in the floor. Unable to unlock the door, the man piles paper beneath it and sets fire to this in order to escape. The TARDIS lands right outside the mansion as Ann runs out to Sir Robert. Upstairs, the unknown man breaks through his door and goes downstairs where Charles is assuring [[Madge Cranleigh|Lady Cranleigh]] that he will look after [[Ann Talbot|Ann]].


==Cast==
As Charles approaches, telling him everything will be all right, the disfigured man backs away into the Doctor and the others who just entered. In a panic, the man grabs Nyssa and takes her with him upstairs, into the burning area. The Doctor, Adric and Charles try to follow, but the stairs are ablaze and they are forced to come back. [[Madge Cranleigh|Lady Cranleigh]] tells Sir Robert that the scarred figure is [[George Cranleigh|George]], her son. However, the Doctor points out that George has taken Nyssa and not Ann, possibly due to his bad eyesight, and she will be in danger when he realises his mistake.
*[[Fifth Doctor | The Doctor]] - [[Peter Davison]]
*[[Adric]] - [[Matthew Waterhouse]]
*[[Tegan]] - [[Janet Fielding]]
*[[Nyssa]]/[[Ann Talbot]] - [[Sarah Sutton]]
*[[Madge Cranleigh|Lady Cranleigh]] - [[Barbara Murray]]
*Sir [[Robert Muir]] - [[Moray Watson]]
*Lord [[Charles Cranleigh]] - [[Michael Cochrane]]
*[[Brewster]] - [[Brian Hawksley]]
*[[Tanner]] - [[Timothy Block]]
*[[Latoni]] - [[Ahmed Khalil]]
*The Unknown/[[George Cranleigh]] - [[Gareth Milne]]
*Sergeant [[Markham]] - [[Ivor Salter]]
*Constable [[Cummings]] - [[Andrew Tourell]]
*[[Digby]] - [[David Wilde]] (uncredited)
*[[James (Black Orchid)|James]] - [[Derek Hunt]] (uncredited)


==Crew==
Outside on the terrace, Lady Cranleigh explains everything to Sir Robert: George was not killed during his search for the black orchid in the Amazon, but was captured and tortured by the Kojabe tribe, who considered the bloom sacred and themselves its guardians. After George's maiming, Latoni's tribe rescued and looked after him. Latoni brought George home, where his family preferred that he stay out of sight and pretend to be dead. Chafing under these restrictions, George only wanted to speak to Ann, his former [[fiancée]] — which was why he was stalking her.
*[[Assistant Floor Manager]] - [[Val McCrimmon]]
*[[Choreographer]] - [[Gary Downie]] (uncredited)
*[[Costumes]] - [[Rosalind Ebbutt]]
*[[Designer]] - [[Tony Burrough]]
*[[Film Cameraman]] - [[Peter Chapman]]
*[[Film Editor]] - [[Mike Houghton]]
*[[Incidental Music]] - [[Roger Limb]]
*[[Make-Up]] - [[Lisa Westcott]]
*[[Producer]] - [[John Nathan-Turner]]
*[[Production Assistant]] - [[Juley Harding]]
*[[Production Associate]] - [[Angela Smith]]
*[[Script Editor]] - [[Eric Saward]]
*[[Special Sounds]] - [[Dick Mills]]
*[[Studio Lighting]] - [[Fred Wright]]
*[[Studio Sound]] - [[Alan Machin]]
*[[Theme Arrangement]] - [[Peter Howell]]
*[[Title Music]] - [[Ron Grainer]]
*[[Visual Effects]] - [[Tony Auger]]


==References==
The Doctor attempts to reach George through the house, while Charles climbs up the side. They confront George on the roof, where the Doctor calms George down by explaining that it is not Ann he is holding; Ann is below in the garden. George realises this, and releases Nyssa. Charles thanks George, and attempts to embrace his lost brother, but a frightened George recoils from Charles and overbalances — falling over the edge of the roof to the terrace below. Sir Robert hurries forward to check on the sprawled figure, then looks up at Lady Cranleigh and shakes his head sadly: George is dead.
===[[:Category:Books|Books]]===
*Lady Cranleigh gives the Doctor a parting gift; ''[[Black Orchid (book)|Black Orchid]]'' by [[George Cranleigh]].


===[[:Category:The Doctor|The Doctor]]===
After attending George's funeral, Charles, Ann and Lady Cranleigh say goodbye to the Doctor and his companions outside the TARDIS. Tegan has a large box containing their fancy dress costumes, which they have been given as parting gifts; while the Doctor receives a further gift from Lady Cranleigh: a leather-bound copy of George's book ''[[Black Orchid (book)|Black Orchid]]'', which the Time Lord says he will treasure.
*The Doctor claims he always wanted to drive a [[train|steam train]] as a boy.


===[[:Category:Culture|Culture]]===
== Cast ==
*Tegan learnt the [[Charleston]] for a play when she was in school.
* [[Fifth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Peter Davison]]
* [[Adric]] - [[Matthew Waterhouse]]
* [[Tegan]] - [[Janet Fielding]]
* [[Nyssa]] / [[Ann Talbot]] - [[Sarah Sutton]]
* [[Madge Cranleigh|Lady Cranleigh]] - [[Barbara Murray]]
* [[Robert Muir|Sir Robert Muir]] - [[Moray Watson]]
* [[Charles Cranleigh|Lord Charles Cranleigh]] - [[Michael Cochrane]]
* [[Brewster (Black Orchid)|Brewster]] - [[Brian Hawksley]]
* [[Tanner]] - [[Timothy Block]]
* [[Latoni]] - [[Ahmed Khalil]]
* [[George Cranleigh|The Unknown / George Cranleigh]] - [[Gareth Milne]]
* [[Markham (Black Orchid)|Sergeant Markham]] - [[Ivor Salter]]
* [[Cummings (Black Orchid)|Constable Cummings]] - [[Andrew Tourell]]


===[[:Category:Foods and beverages|Foods and beverages]]===
=== Uncredited cast ===
*Tegan asks for a [[Alcohol#Cocktails and other alcoholic drinks|screwdriver]] ([[orange|orange juice]] and [[Alcohol#Spirits|vodka]]) at the Cranleigh's cocktail party, enjoys [[cricket]] and can Charleston.
* [[Digby (Black Orchid)|Digby]] - [[David Wilde]]
* [[Station master (Black Orchid)|Station Master]] - [[Jim Morris]]
* [[James (Black Orchid)|Footman James]] - [[Derek Hunt]]
* [[Henry (Black Orchid)|Footman Henry]] - [[Frederick Wolfe]]
* Maid Alice - [[Caron Heggie]]
* Maid - [[Amanda Carlson]]
* Police Driver - [[James Muir]] (all [[DWM 298]])
* Double for Nyssa and Ann - [[Vanessa Paine]]


==Story notes==
== Crew ==
*To preserve the mystery of his character's identity, Gareth Milne was credited as '''The Unknown''' for Part One and in ''Radio Times'', and as '''George Cranleigh''' for Part Two.
* [[Assistant Floor Manager]] - [[Val McCrimmon]]
*Although Sarah Sutton was credited as '''Nyssa/Ann''' on-screen, she was billed only as '''Nyssa''' in ''Radio Times''.
* [[Costumes]] - [[Rosalind Ebbutt]]
*This story has characters who are not evil or bad people, but have a vested interest in maintaining appearances to avoid the embarrassment of a disfigured relative.
* [[Designer (crew)|Designer]] - [[Tony Burrough]]
*This is the first story since ''[[The Highlanders]]'' not to feature any science fiction elements, apart from the use of the TARDIS, in the story. Of all the purely historical serials, this is set in the (as of 2008) closest time from its airdate.
* [[Film Cameraman]] - [[Peter Chapman]]
*While other stories have featured incidental indications that the Doctor likes [[cricket]] ([[DW]]: ''[[The Ribos Operation]]'', ''[[Castrovalva]]'', ''[[Four to Doomsday]]'', ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]''), this is the only televised story to depict the Doctor playing in an actual match. ([[Peter Davison]], a keen cricketer, actually did play cricket in the Doctor's cricket match, and did quite well--he bowled out his opponent.) The [[Fifth Doctor]]'s particular love of the game would be later developed in other media.  It has, for instance, significantly figured in a number of audio stories. ([[BFA]]: ''[[Phantasmagoria]]'', ''[[The Roof of the World (audio story)|Roof of the World]]'', ''[[Circular Time]]'')
* [[Film Editor]] - [[Mike Houghton]]
* [[Film sound|Film Sound]] - [[Ron Blight]]
* [[Incidental Music]] - [[Roger Limb]]
* [[Make-Up]] - [[Lisa Westcott]]
* [[Producer]] - [[John Nathan-Turner]]
* [[Production Assistant]] - [[Juley Harding]]
* [[Production Associate]] - [[Angela Smith]]
* [[Production Manager]] - [[Jim Capper]]
* [[Script Editor]] - [[Eric Saward]]
* [[Senior Cameraman]] - [[Alec Wheal]]
* [[Special Sounds]] - [[Dick Mills]]
* [[Studio Lighting]] - [[Fred Wright]]
* [[Studio Sound]] - [[Alan Machin]]
* [[Technical Manager]] - [[Alan Jeffrey]]
* [[Theme Arrangement]] - [[Peter Howell]]
* [[Doctor Who theme|Title Music]] - [[Ron Grainer]]
* [[Title Sequence]] - [[Sid Sutton]]
* [[Video Effects]] - [[Dave Chapman]]
* [[Videotape editor|Videotape Editor]] - [[Rod Waldron]]
* [[Vision Mixer]] - [[Carol Johnson]]
* [[Visual Effects Designer]] - [[Tony Auger]]


===Ratings===
== Worldbuilding ==
*Part 1 - 9.9 million viewers
=== Books ===
*Part 2 - 10.1 million viewers
* Lady Cranleigh gives the Doctor a parting gift, ''[[Black Orchid (book)|Black Orchid]]'' by [[George Cranleigh]].
* The Doctor finds ''[[A Textbook of Botany for Students]]''.
* The Doctor's story about being a time traveller is compared to something written by [[H. G. Wells]]; Sir Robert Muir says he has heard of Wells: "He writes fiction."


===Myths===
=== The Doctor ===
*''Black Orchid'' is sometimes referred to as the first historical ''Doctor Who'' serial since ''[[The Highlanders]]''. Although it takes place in an earlier era, it is not explicitly a history-based adventure, unlike ''The Highlanders''. It is correctly the first non-science fictional serial (disregarding the TARDIS and the presence of the Doctor and two non-Earthling individuals) since the earlier story (and, to date, the last).
* The Doctor claims he always wanted to drive a [[train|steam train]] as a boy.


===Filming locations===
=== Culture ===
*Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton, Buckinghamshire
* Tegan learnt the [[Charleston (dance)|Charleston]] for a play when she was in school.
*Buckhurst House, Withyham, East Sussex
* The song the Doctor is singing as he gets ready for his bath is "I Want to Be Happy" from the musical ''No No Nanette'' which is fairly apt as that production had its debut the year this story was set — [[1925]].
*Bewdley (Steam Railway), Worcestershire
*Quainton Road, Quainton, Buckinghamshire
*Withyham Cricket Club, Withyham, East Sussex
*[[BBC Television Centre]] ([[List of stories recorded at BBC Television Centre|Studio 3]]), Shepherd's Bush, [[London]]


===Production errors===
=== Cricket ===
{{discontinuity}}
* Charles Cranleigh says his team was "taking a terrible thrashing" and that he had "made a [[duck (cricket)|duck]]".
 
=== Foods and beverages ===
* Tegan asks for a [[Screwdriver (drink)|screwdriver]] ([[orange juice]] and [[vodka]]).
 
=== Locations ===
* Both Lady Cranleigh and Ann Talbot ask Nyssa if she is from [[Worcestershire]].
* Sir Robert assumes [[Traken]] is near [[Esher]].
 
== Story notes ==
* The working title for this story was ''The Beast''.
* To preserve the mystery of his character's identity, [[Gareth Milne]] was credited as "The Unknown" for part one and in ''[[Radio Times]]''; and as "George Cranleigh" for part two.
* This is the first two-part serial of the 1980s, and the first since [[Season 12 (Doctor Who 1963)|Season 12]]'s ''[[The Sontaran Experiment (TV story)|The Sontaran Experiment]]'' in [[1975 (releases)|1975]].
* Although [[Sarah Sutton]] was credited as "Nyssa/Ann" on-screen for both episodes, she was billed only as "Nyssa" in ''Radio Times''.
* Outdoor conditions deteriorated during filming, so the actors were required to perform through wind and rain. ([[DCOM]]: ''Black Orchid'')
* [[Peter Davison]], [[Janet Fielding]] and [[Matthew Waterhouse]] did not look upon this story favourably, considering the script weak. ([[DCOM]]: ''Black Orchid'')
* [[Ahmed Khalil]] (Latoni) had to have his voice dubbed in for certain scenes due to his lip disk. ([[DCOM]]: ''Black Orchid'')
* While other stories have featured incidental indications that the Doctor likes [[cricket]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ribos Operation (TV story)|The Ribos Operation]]'', ''[[Castrovalva (TV story)|Castrovalva]]'', ''[[Four to Doomsday (TV story)|Four to Doomsday]]'', ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'') this is the only televised story to depict the Doctor playing in an actual match. (Peter Davison, a keen cricketer, actually did play cricket in the Doctor's cricket match, and did quite well — he bowled out his opponent.) The [[Fifth Doctor]]'s particular love of the game would be later developed in other media. It has, for instance, been significantly featured in a number of audio stories ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Phantasmagoria (audio story)|Phantasmagoria]]'', ''[[The Roof of the World (audio story)|Roof of the World]]'', ''[[Autumn (audio story)|Autumn]]'') and in a comic. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Forgotten (comic story)|The Forgotten]]'')
* [[Peter Davison]] claimed that [[Terence Dudley]] told him he had written the script for a murder mystery series, found it in a bottom drawer and just turned it into a ''Doctor Who'' story.
* According to [[Eric Saward]], this was [[John Nathan-Turner]]'s favourite story. Sarah Sutton also named it as a favourite.
* [[Sarah Sutton]] and [[Janet Fielding]] were delighted to take part in the dance sequences. Matthew Waterhouse was less enthusiastic, and suggested that Adric should be more interested in the food so he would not have to participate in the choreography. [[Gary Downie]] claimed that Waterhouse had two left feet.
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Bailey Robin Bailey], [[Geoffrey Bayldon]], [[John Carson]], [[William Lucas]], [[Nigel Stock]] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Vaughan Peter Vaughn] were considered for Sir Robert Muir.
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Anderson Jean Anderson], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9e_Asherson Renee Asherson], [[Honor Blackman]], [[Claire Bloom]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_Brook Faith Brook], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Byron Kathleen Byron,] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Calvert Phyllis Calvert], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Greenwood Joan Greenwood], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Kempson Rachel Kempson], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_McKenna Virginia McKenna], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muriel_Pavlow Muriel Pavlow], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moira_Redmond Moria Redmond], [[Beryl Reid]], [[Barbara Shelley]], [[Dinah Sheridan]], [[Joan Sims]] and [[Elizabeth Spriggs]] were considered for Lady Cranleigh.
* [[John Nathan-Turner]] intended for a long time to direct the story himself, but his overseeing Season 19 and ''[[K9 and Company (TV series)|K9 and Company]]'' made this impossible. [[John Black]] was asked, but he was also working on ''K9 and Company''. Nathan-Turner then selected [[Ron Jones]], whom he knew from his days as a production manager.
* The scene where George Cranleigh plummets off the roof went awry, with stuntman [[Gareth Milne]] missing his cushioned target and striking the ground with his legs — the sound of which is clearly audible in the finished programme. Fortunately, he wasn't seriously hurt.
* [[Sarah Sutton]] found playing two roles tiring due to constant costume changes. [[Ron Jones]] recalled that finding someone with her build was amazingly problematic. Her double, Vanessa Paine, wasn't the same height.
* [[Barbara Murray]] and [[Moray Watson]] previously appeared in the mini-series ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pallisers The Pallisers],'' which [[John Nathan-Turner]] worked on.
* Filming was badly delayed due to industrial action by the electricians' union. Although [[Ron Jones]] worked quickly and [[John Nathan-Turner]] authorised a costly one-hour overrun, two scenes in Ann's bedroom in which George spied on his former fiancee had to be abandoned. Jones subsequently tried to repair the damage by using shots of George which had been recorded the previous day.
* Earl De La Warr was reluctant to let his home be featured in the series, but he relented on the condition that personal photography be controlled.


*In the rooftop shots, you can clearly see that the film was horizontally flipped, because of the odd angle of the smoke's ascent.  
=== Ratings ===
*[[Peter Davison]] and [[Gareth Milne]] ([[George Cranleigh]]) are of substantially different heights, yet the same costume fits both of them perfectly.  On this point, the director could be said to be at fault for casting an actor to play George who could not plausibly be said to wear Davison's clothes.
* Part one - 9.9 million viewers
* Part two - 10.1 million viewers


==Continuity==
=== Myths ===
*[[DW]]: ''[[The Visitation]]'' follows straight into this story.
* ''Black Orchid'' is the first historical ''Doctor Who'' story since ''[[The Highlanders (TV story)|The Highlanders]]''. ''(Although the story takes place in an earlier era, it is not explicitly a history-based adventure, unlike ''The Highlanders'' — i.e. it is not set around an historical event and features no historical characters. However, it is correctly the first non-science fictional serial — disregarding the TARDIS and the presence of the Doctor and two non-Earthling individuals — since the earlier story and, to date, the last.)''
*Ace visits the Cranleigh's party and briefly meets Adric in [[DWM]]: ''[[Time & Time Again]]''. She sees either Nyssa or Ann--she can't tell which--but doesn't approach her.
*Ann Talbot reappears in [[MA]]: ''[[The Sands of Time]]''.
*Lord Cranleigh nearly mentions [[The Master]] being his other doctor.
*The Doctor gets trapped in the hallway and moans about how he always lets his curiosity get the best of him. His curiosity also gets him into bad predicaments in, among others, ''[[The Daleks]]'', ''[[The Web Planet]]'', ''[[The Time Meddler]]'' and ''[[The Leisure Hive]]''.
* The Doctor also plays a sport and is skilled at it in [[DW]]: ''[[The Lodger (TV Story)|The Lodger]].''


==Timeline==
=== Filming locations ===
*This story occurs after [[PDA]]: ''[[Divided Loyalties]]''
* Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton, Buckinghamshire
*This story occurs before [[ST]]: ''[[In the TARDIS: Christmas Day]]''
* Buckhurst House, Withyham, East Sussex
*[[DWM]]: ''[[Time & Time Again]]'' takes place during this story.
* Bewdley (Steam Railway), Worcestershire
* Quainton Road, waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
* Withyham Cricket Club, Withyham, East Sussex
* [[BBC Television Centre]] ([[List of stories recorded at BBC Television Centre|Studio 3]]), Shepherd's Bush, [[London]]


==Home video and audio releases==
=== Production errors ===
===DVD releases===
{{discontinuity}}
Black Orchid was released on DVD in [[April]] [[2008]]. It was originally scheduled for [[May]] but changed at the last moment, and [[The Invasion of Time]] was moved to May.
* In the rooftop shots, it's clear that the film was horizontally flipped, because of the odd angle of the smoke's ascent.
* George miraculously loses his seemingly permanent hunchback stance while dressed as the harlequin.
* Because of the aforementioned weather problems, the patio where the dance is held goes from bone-dry to wet from one shot to the next.


* Region 2 [[14th April]] [[2008]]
== Continuity ==
::PAL -
* The Doctor repeats his [[third incarnation]]'s desire to be a [[train driver]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Backtime (comic story)|Backtime]]'')
* Nyssa references their recent part in the [[Great Fire of London]] on [[2 September]] [[1666]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Visitation (TV story)|The Visitation]]'')
* The [[Seventh Doctor]]'s companion Ace visited the Cranleighs' party and briefly met Adric, who flirted with her, while she was searching for one of the segments of the [[Key to Time]]. However, Ace was not receptive to his advances and threatened to give him a permanent limp if he continued. Furthermore, she saw either Nyssa or Ann — she was unsure as to which — but did not approach her. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Time & Time Again (comic story)|Time & Time Again]]'')
* Ann Talbot reappears in [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Sands of Time (novel)|The Sands of Time]]''.
* Lord Cranleigh mentions "the Master", whom he also calls "the other doctor". This briefly confuses the Doctor, thinking it a reference to [[the Master]].
* The Doctor gets trapped in the hallway and moans about how he always lets his curiosity get the best of him. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Daleks (TV story)|The Daleks]]'', ''[[The Web Planet (TV story)|The Web Planet]]'', ''[[The Time Meddler (TV story)|The Time Meddler]]'', ''[[The Mind of Evil (TV story)|The Mind of Evil]]'', ''[[The Leisure Hive (TV story)|The Leisure Hive]]'')
* Like the Fifth Doctor on this occasion, the [[Eleventh Doctor]] would later play a sport, namely [[football]], and display a high level of skill. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Lodger (TV story)|The Lodger]]'')
* The TARDIS previously materialised on a train station platform in the [[1920s]], namely in [[Kent]] in [[November]] [[1920]] during the Doctor's [[second incarnation]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Mouthless Dead (audio story)|The Mouthless Dead]]'') It would later do so again in [[Calcutta]], [[India|British India]] on [[31 December]] [[1926]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Emerald Tiger (audio story)|The Emerald Tiger]]'')
* This story occurs before [[PROSE]]: ''[[In the TARDIS: Christmas Day (short story)|In the TARDIS: Christmas Day]]''.
* The [[Sixth Doctor]] would later describe ''Black Orchid'' as "a Boy's Own adventure about an aristocrat who yomped through the Brazilian rainforests, depriving the natives of their orchids". ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Year of the Pig (audio story)|Year of the Pig]]'')


* Region 4 [[5th June]] [[2008]]
== Home video and audio releases ==
::PAL -
=== DVD releases ===
''Black Orchid'' was released on DVD in April 2008. It was originally scheduled for May but changed at the last moment, and ''[[The Invasion of Time (TV story)|The Invasion of Time]]'' was moved to May.


* Region 1 [[5th August]] [[2008]]
* Region 2 - [[14 April (releases)|14 April]] [[2008 (releases)|2008]] (PAL)
::NTSC -
* Region 4 - [[5 June (releases)|5 June]] 2008 (PAL)
* Region 1 - [[5 August (releases)|5 August]] 2008 (NTSC)


Contents
* Commentary by [[Peter Davison]] ([[Fifth Doctor|The Doctor]]), [[Janet Fielding]] ([[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]]), [[Sarah Sutton]] ([[Nyssa]]) and [[Matthew Waterhouse]] ([[Adric]])
* Deleted Scenes
* ''[[Now & Then: The Locations of Black Orchid (documentary)|Now and Then]]'' - A look at the locations used in the making of this story
* ''[[Stripped for Action: The Fifth Doctor (documentary)|Stripped for Action - The Fifth Doctor]]'' - A look at the Fifth Doctor's comic strip adventures
* ''[[Blue Peter (series)|Blue Peter]]'' - A visit to the theatrical costumiers responsible for the period costumes used in ''Black Orchid''
* ''[[Points of View]]'' - Barry Took airs disgruntled viewers' letters about the rescheduling of ''[[Doctor Who]]''
* ''[[Black Orchid: Film Restoration (documentary)|Film Restoration]]'' - Before and after examples of techniques used during the restoration of the location film elements of this story
* ''[[Radio Times]]'' Billings - Listings from ''Radio Times'' (PDF DVD-ROM)
* Photo Gallery - Includes unreleased incidental music by [[Roger Limb]]
* Production Information Subtitles
* Coming Soon Trailer - ''[[The Trial of a Time Lord (box set)|The Trial of a Time Lord]]''
* [[Easter Egg]]: Continuity announcements. To access this hidden feature, press left at ''Points of View'' on the Special Features menu to reveal a hidden ''Doctor Who'' logo.
Notes:
Notes:
* Editing for DVD release completed by [[Doctor Who Restoration Team]].
* Editing for the DVD release was completed by the [[Doctor Who Restoration Team]].


<gallery>
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
File:Black Orchid DVD UK cover.jpg|DVD Region 2 UK cover
File:Black Orchid DVD UK cover.jpg|DVD Region 2 UK cover
File:Black Orchid DVD Australian cover.jpg|DVD Region 4 Australian cover
File:Black Orchid DVD Australian cover.jpg|DVD Region 4 Australian cover
Line 170: Line 240:
</gallery>
</gallery>


===Video releases===
=== Blu-ray release ===
Released as ''Doctor Who: The Visitation / Black Orchid'' with ''[[The Visitation]]'' as part of a two tape set.
Contents
* Audio commentary by [[Peter Davison]] ([[The Doctor]]), [[Janet Fielding]] ([[Tegan]]), [[Sarah Sutton]] ([[Nyssa]]) and [[Matthew Waterhouse]] ([[Adric]])
* Info Text
* Extended Version - Part One with deleted sequences re-integrated.
* Making-of Documentary - Peter Davison, Sarah Sutton, Janet Fielding, Matthew Waterhouse, Michael Cochrane (Cranleigh), Eric Saward and Rosalind Ebbutt (Costume Designer) discuss the making of Black Orchid. Hosted by Mark Strickson.
* Behind the Sofa
* Deleted Scenes
* ''[[Blue Peter (documentary)|Blue Peter]]'' - A visit to the theatrical costumiers responsible for period costumes used in ''Black Orchid.''
* ''[[Points of View]]'' - Barry Took airs disgruntled viewers' letters about the rescheduling of ''Doctor Who.''
* BBC1 Continuity Announcements
* ''[[Now and Then]]'' - Featurette on locations used in the story.
* DVD Film Restoration - Short featurette from the 2008 DVD. This Blu-ray supersedes the DVD, however, with a brand new HD film transfer.
* HD Photo Gallery
* PDF Written Archive
 
=== Video releases ===
This story was released as ''Doctor Who: The Visitation / Black Orchid'' with ''[[The Visitation (TV story)|The Visitation]]'' as part of a two-tape set.


Released:
Released:
*[[UK]] [[July]] [[1994]]
* [[UK]] [[July (releases)|July]] [[1994 (releases)|1994]]
::PAL - [[BBC Video]] BBCV5349
::PAL - [[BBC Video]] BBCV5349


*Australia [[August]] [[1994]]
* [[Australia]] [[August (releases)|August]] 1994
::PAL  
::PAL


*US [[June]] [[1996]]
* [[US]] [[June]] [[1996 (releases)|1996]]
::NTSC
::NTSC


<gallery>
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
File:5x-video.jpg|VHS UK cover
File:5x-video.jpg|VHS UK cover
File:The Visitation and Black Orchid VHS US cover.jpg|VHS US cover
File:The Visitation and Black Orchid VHS US cover.jpg|VHS US cover
The Visitation and Black Orchid.jpg|VHS AUS cover
</gallery>
</gallery>


==Novelisation and its audiobook==
== External links ==
[[Image:Black Orchid novel.jpg|right|75px]]
* {{bbcepguideclassic|blackorchid/|Black Orchid}}
: ''Main article: [[Black Orchid (novelisation)]]''
* {{radiotimes|2012-01-19/black-orchid}}
 
{{dwcast}}
*Novelised as ''[[Black Orchid (novelisation)|Black Orchid]]'' by [[Terence Dudley]] in [[1987]].
{{dwrefguide|who_6a.htm|Black Orchid}}
 
* {{briefhistory|serials/6a.html|Black Orchid}}
==See also==
* {{locguide|blackorchid|Black Orchid}}
'''People meeting their doubles'''
{{DWTV}}
*[[DW]]: ''[[The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve]]'' - the [[First Doctor]] and the [[Abbot of Amboise]]
{{TitleSort}}
*[[DW]]: ''[[The Enemy of the World]]'' - the [[Second Doctor]] and [[Ramón Salamander]]
[[es:Black Orchid]]
*[[BFA]]: ''[[The Church and the Crown]]'' - [[Peri]] and Queen Anne of France
 
==External links==
*{{bbcepguideclassic|blackorchid/|Black Orchid}}
*{{dwrefguide|who_6a.htm|Black Orchid}}
*{{briefhistory|serials/6a.html|Black Orchid}}
*{{locguide|blackorchid|Black Orchid}}


{{season 19}}
[[Category:Doctor Who (1963) television stories]]
[[Category:Fifth Doctor episodes]]
[[Category:1982 television stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1925]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1925]]
[[Category:Stories set in Oxfordshire]]
[[Category:Stories set in Oxfordshire]]
[[Category:Gothic stories]]
[[Category:Pseudohistorical serials]]
[[Category:Season 19 stories]]
[[Category:Season 19 stories]]
[[Category:Two part serials]]

Latest revision as of 18:21, 3 November 2024

RealWorld.png

You may wish to consult Black Orchid for other, similarly-named pages.

Black Orchid was the fifth serial of season 19 of Doctor Who. It was the shortest story of the season at just two episodes. For the first time since Season 4's The Highlanders, the only science-fiction elements in this story were the TARDIS and its occupants.

Black Orchid was notable for being the highest-rated story of the Davison era. (REF: The Fifth Doctor Handbook) It also gave Sarah Sutton a chance to play two different characters, Nyssa and Ann, and Davison the opportunity to actually play cricket — thereby justifying his costume.

According to the DVD commentary, none of the regular cast truly enjoyed the script — though Sutton admitted to "disliking it less" than Davison, Janet Fielding and Matthew Waterhouse. Collectively, they believed it to be comprised of Edwardian era stereotypes and no mystery or dramatic tension whatsoever.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

The TARDIS arrives on Earth in 1925 where, due to a case of mistaken identity, the Fifth Doctor ends up playing in a local cricket match. The travellers accept an invitation to a masked fancy dress ball, but events take on a more sinister tone as murders are perpetrated at the country home of their host, Lord Charles Cranleigh.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part one[[edit] | [edit source]]

In the corridor of a stately home, a servant called Digby is strangled to death by a horribly scarred and disfigured man. The murderer is later overpowered and left tied up on a bed by Latoni, a South American Indian with a lip disk. Elsewhere in the house, a young woman named Ann Talbot sleeps soundly, unaware of what has happened...

The TARDIS lands in 1925 at Cranleigh Halt, a small railway station in rural England. Tegan wonders where they are and the Fifth Doctor explains their location, saying he always wanted to drive a train when he was a boy. They walk out front to find a chauffeur named Tanner, who says he has been waiting for the doctor, much to his surprise, telling him he's expected for a cricket match. Though the invitation is unexpected, the Doctor is keen to play; soon he, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan have arrived at Cranleigh Hall, home of the Cranleigh family. The Doctor is immediately put into the game and does superbly — bringing the team back from defeat to a win and delighting Lord Charles Cranleigh, who invites the travellers to a fancy dress party that evening as thanks for a splendid performance.

After the match, the cricketers and spectators retreat to Cranleigh Hall for introductions. The Doctor is asked what his name is, but Charles explains the Doctor wishes to remain incognito. In an opulent sitting room that contains a display case housing a magnificent black orchid, Lady Cranleigh laments the loss of her botanist son, George, who was killed on an Amazon expedition to find the rare bloom. When told that the party would be a costume party, Adric, Nyssa, and Tegan say that they do not have costumes to wear; Lady Cranleigh is confused as she believed they were already wearing costumes. While everyone asks for a drink, Lady Cranleigh wonders about Nyssa's origins, thinking she may be from a rich and prestigious family she knows, but Nyssa repeatedly asserts she is not from around there. Much to everyone's surprise, Charles walks in with his fiancée, Ann Talbot, who is almost an exact double of Nyssa, aside from a mole Ann has on one shoulder. The travellers set off to their rooms to prepare for the ball.

The Doctor tries on the harlequin mask while preparing for the dance.

Charles provides the Doctor with a costume for the party: a harlequin suit with a full mask. The Doctor removes his frock coat and tries on the mask to see how he will look before putting the costume on his bed and heading to the bath to freshen up. Someone uses a secret passage to enter the Doctor's room and hides nearby while the Doctor emerges from the bathroom wearing a robe, wondering what caused the noise. He finds the secret passage and ends up locked out of his room, stuck in a secret passage. At the same time, the unknown person takes the Doctor's costume.

Upstairs, Nyssa, Tegan, and Ann Talbot prepare for the party. Nyssa is confused on what to wear when Ann has a copy of her costume brought in for Nyssa to prank the guests as to which one of them is which. As Nyssa is not from Earth, she is unsure on how to dance at the party, so Tegan decides to demonstrate the Charleston — a dance popular in 1925 — for her friend's benefit.

In the meantime, the Doctor finds his way out of the corridor and into a hidden area of the mansion. He finds closets of old clothes and books, as well as a more shocking discovery: a man's body in a cupboard.

Elsewhere, the Doctor's companions are enjoying the party. Nyssa is enjoying having people guess whether she is Ann or not, and Tegan is loving the dancing, while Adric is far more interested in enjoying the food. They begin to wonder where the Doctor is. The person who stole the harlequin costume walks out of the mansion, taking Ann in a dance, during which he leads her inside and she tries to excuse herself. However, the figure grabs Ann's wrists and she shouts to James, a servant, for help. James attempts to comes to Ann's aid, but the figure grabs him around the neck and throws him violently to the floor. Ann faints, while the figure turns and closes in on her; his white-gloved hands reaching for her neck...

Part two[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor finds Lady Cranleigh and her servant Latoni in one of the secret passages, and shows them the body. He agrees to not tell the guests to avoid causing panic and returns to his room. The Doctor's impostor carefully returns the costume. The Doctor arrives back at his room and dresses in the costume set out for him, unaware it has just been worn by a killer.

Lady Cranleigh and Latoni come to a locked door in the secret passages; on the other side of the door, Ann wakes and panics at the unfamiliar surroundings, while a mysterious figure hides under her bed. Ann runs out of the room and into the arms of Lady Cranleigh. Latoni enters the room and ties up the figure, a horribly disfigured man with dead, drooping skin on his face and no tongue.

James's body has been discovered, and the servants alert Charles and Sir Robert Muir, the Chief Constable. As the Doctor descends the stairs, Ann identifies him as her assailant. The Doctor defends himself, saying he has just put the costume on and had only just come down the stairs after being lost in the secret passages of the house. However, Ann is adamant that the Doctor attacked her and killed James. Sir Robert asks Charles to conclude the party early, saying he should tell the guests there has been an accident and ask them to leave. The Doctor asks if "he" wore the mask while attacking. Ann confirms this and the Doctor tells her that someone may have worn an identical costume to his. However, Ann points out she was in charge of giving out the fancy dress costumes, and there was only one harlequin outfit. The Doctor asks Lady Cranleigh to help him establish his alibi.

Lady Cranleigh refuses to corroborate his presence in the secret corridors, the existence of the other body or introducing him to Latoni. Charles receives a telephone call from his friend "Smutty" Thomas, who apologises that the doctor who was supposed to play in the cricket match missed the train. Having been exposed as an impostor, the Doctor tells them that he is a time-travelling alien. The family naturally do not believe him and send him away with the police along with Nyssa, Tegan, and Adric, believing them to be accessories to his "crime".

The Doctor tries to avoid a murder charge.

The police stop at the railway station after the Doctor declares evidence to prove his story is there, but the TARDIS is missing from the platform and they have no choice but to go to the police station. There, a policeman declares they have found a police box which no key can open. The Doctor says this time he can prove his story and opens the TARDIS with his key, telling everyone to get inside. Sir Robert Muir is amazed by the TARDIS and apologises to the Doctor for his wild accusations, but there is still the matter of the murders. Sir Robert decides to head back to Cranleigh Hall, but the Doctor tells him he can get him there more quickly than a car and activates the TARDIS.

Back at the house, the disfigured man has broken free of his restraints. He violently attacks Latoni who, in his last moments of consciousness (it is unclear whether Latoni dies or not), manages to slip the key into a crack in the floor. Unable to unlock the door, the man piles paper beneath it and sets fire to this in order to escape. The TARDIS lands right outside the mansion as Ann runs out to Sir Robert. Upstairs, the unknown man breaks through his door and goes downstairs where Charles is assuring Lady Cranleigh that he will look after Ann.

As Charles approaches, telling him everything will be all right, the disfigured man backs away into the Doctor and the others who just entered. In a panic, the man grabs Nyssa and takes her with him upstairs, into the burning area. The Doctor, Adric and Charles try to follow, but the stairs are ablaze and they are forced to come back. Lady Cranleigh tells Sir Robert that the scarred figure is George, her son. However, the Doctor points out that George has taken Nyssa and not Ann, possibly due to his bad eyesight, and she will be in danger when he realises his mistake.

Outside on the terrace, Lady Cranleigh explains everything to Sir Robert: George was not killed during his search for the black orchid in the Amazon, but was captured and tortured by the Kojabe tribe, who considered the bloom sacred and themselves its guardians. After George's maiming, Latoni's tribe rescued and looked after him. Latoni brought George home, where his family preferred that he stay out of sight and pretend to be dead. Chafing under these restrictions, George only wanted to speak to Ann, his former fiancée — which was why he was stalking her.

The Doctor attempts to reach George through the house, while Charles climbs up the side. They confront George on the roof, where the Doctor calms George down by explaining that it is not Ann he is holding; Ann is below in the garden. George realises this, and releases Nyssa. Charles thanks George, and attempts to embrace his lost brother, but a frightened George recoils from Charles and overbalances — falling over the edge of the roof to the terrace below. Sir Robert hurries forward to check on the sprawled figure, then looks up at Lady Cranleigh and shakes his head sadly: George is dead.

After attending George's funeral, Charles, Ann and Lady Cranleigh say goodbye to the Doctor and his companions outside the TARDIS. Tegan has a large box containing their fancy dress costumes, which they have been given as parting gifts; while the Doctor receives a further gift from Lady Cranleigh: a leather-bound copy of George's book Black Orchid, which the Time Lord says he will treasure.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Books[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Doctor claims he always wanted to drive a steam train as a boy.

Culture[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Tegan learnt the Charleston for a play when she was in school.
  • The song the Doctor is singing as he gets ready for his bath is "I Want to Be Happy" from the musical No No Nanette which is fairly apt as that production had its debut the year this story was set — 1925.

Cricket[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Charles Cranleigh says his team was "taking a terrible thrashing" and that he had "made a duck".

Foods and beverages[[edit] | [edit source]]

Locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Story notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Part one - 9.9 million viewers
  • Part two - 10.1 million viewers

Myths[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Black Orchid is the first historical Doctor Who story since The Highlanders. (Although the story takes place in an earlier era, it is not explicitly a history-based adventure, unlike The Highlanders — i.e. it is not set around an historical event and features no historical characters. However, it is correctly the first non-science fictional serial — disregarding the TARDIS and the presence of the Doctor and two non-Earthling individuals — since the earlier story and, to date, the last.)

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

  • Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton, Buckinghamshire
  • Buckhurst House, Withyham, East Sussex
  • Bewdley (Steam Railway), Worcestershire
  • Quainton Road, waddesdon, Buckinghamshire
  • Withyham Cricket Club, Withyham, East Sussex
  • BBC Television Centre (Studio 3), Shepherd's Bush, London

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.
  • In the rooftop shots, it's clear that the film was horizontally flipped, because of the odd angle of the smoke's ascent.
  • George miraculously loses his seemingly permanent hunchback stance while dressed as the harlequin.
  • Because of the aforementioned weather problems, the patio where the dance is held goes from bone-dry to wet from one shot to the next.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

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

Black Orchid was released on DVD in April 2008. It was originally scheduled for May but changed at the last moment, and The Invasion of Time was moved to May.

Contents

Notes:

Blu-ray release[[edit] | [edit source]]

Contents

  • Audio commentary by Peter Davison (The Doctor), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) and Matthew Waterhouse (Adric)
  • Info Text
  • Extended Version - Part One with deleted sequences re-integrated.
  • Making-of Documentary - Peter Davison, Sarah Sutton, Janet Fielding, Matthew Waterhouse, Michael Cochrane (Cranleigh), Eric Saward and Rosalind Ebbutt (Costume Designer) discuss the making of Black Orchid. Hosted by Mark Strickson.
  • Behind the Sofa
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Blue Peter - A visit to the theatrical costumiers responsible for period costumes used in Black Orchid.
  • Points of View - Barry Took airs disgruntled viewers' letters about the rescheduling of Doctor Who.
  • BBC1 Continuity Announcements
  • Now and Then - Featurette on locations used in the story.
  • DVD Film Restoration - Short featurette from the 2008 DVD. This Blu-ray supersedes the DVD, however, with a brand new HD film transfer.
  • HD Photo Gallery
  • PDF Written Archive

Video releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

This story was released as Doctor Who: The Visitation / Black Orchid with The Visitation as part of a two-tape set.

Released:

PAL - BBC Video BBCV5349
PAL
NTSC

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