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State of Decay was the fourth story in the eighteenth season of Doctor Who and the second story of the E-Space trilogy. It saw the final publication of a script written by Terrance Dicks three years prior.

State of Decay followed Full Circle as the second part of the E-Space trilogy. Originally drafted in 1977, The Vampire Mutation - as it was then titled - was put on hold after the BBC commissioned an adaptation of Bram Stoker's Count Dracula. The script was kept by Nathan-Turner alongside a number of other unproduced serials. However, Decay was the only one he liked and he later suggested that it be re-drafted for the trilogy; Dicks accepted. The serial's title changed numerous times before becoming State of Decay, a title suggested by Christopher H. Bidmead.

The original script had been viewed by director Peter Moffatt and, as Nathan-Turner had predicted, he loved it. However, when he was handed the script in Bidmead's adapted form, he found it completely different as it no longer had the gothic atmosphere that had drawn him to the original. Moffat told Nathan-Turner that he no longer wanted to direct it and so, in order to have him complete the job, the original was reinstated. (DOC: The Vampire Lovers)

Synopsis

Still trapped in E-Space, the TARDIS materialises on a mediaeval planet. The townsfolk live in fear of the Three Who Rule, who govern from their mighty castle. Investigating, the Doctor discovers that the Three Who Rule are ancient astronauts who were turned into vampires long ago, and their castle is actually their spaceship. When Romana and Adric are kidnapped, the Doctor must ally himself with a band of renegade peasants to stop the resurrection of one of Gallifrey's greatest enemies: the King Vampire itself.

Plot

Part one

A castle sits on a rocky formation. Inside, Captain of the Guard Habris reports to the Three Who Rule that it is again the time of selection. They instruct him to choose well and he leaves. Next morning, in the surrounding village, leader of the villagers Ivo collects the residents together for the selection. Habris picks out various villagers including Ivo and Marta’s son Karl. Ivo protests the decision but Habris refuses to change his mind. Habris tells Ivo he will do his best to help him become a guard. Onboard the TARDIS, the Doctor and Romana sight an isolated planet. K9 scans the world revealing it to have one isolated settlement, which has high technology readings even though the people are primitive.

Romana borrows the Doctor's telescope.

The TARDIS lands in a forest close to the settlement. The Doctor and Romana set off to explore, leaving K9 behind. Adric has stowed away on the TARDIS and attempts to leave. K9 confronts him, but Adric tells him as a stowaway its best he leaves. He begins to follow the Doctor and Romana.

The Doctor and Romana arrive at the settlement as Ivo and Habris are arguing. The Doctor asks to speak to a scientist and his request is met with alarm. Habris mistakes them for lords and attempts to serve them. After the travellers and Habris leave, Ivo opens a podium and takes out a rusting radio transmitter. He contacts Kalmar and tells him of the two strangers and their unusual request.

In the throne room, Habris is berated for not taking action against the Doctor and Romana. Aukon summons his bats to hunt down the two.

Travelling through the forest Romana and the Doctor are quickly surrounded by a group of men. They surrender and are taken to a hidden cave, where they meet the rebels led by Kalmar. Kalmar is trying to get an old computer system working. The Doctor helps him to repair it and Romana identifies the equipment as a data bank of Earth origin, from the cargo vessel Hydrax. Images flash up of three officers, Captain Sharksy, Lauren MacMillan and Anthony O'Connor. Kalmar's deputy Tarak indicates the faces resemble those of the Three Who Rule. The Doctor and Romana are then allowed to leave, heading to visit the three.

In the village, Adric attempts to steal some food. Marta catches him and alerts Ivo. They pity him and offer him sanctuary. They tell him that the outside world is evil at night. The Doctor and Romana are making their way through the forest as they are attacked by bats. They look up to sight a swarm descending upon them.

Part two

The bats retreat as Habris arrives and escorts the pair for an audience at the tower. They are taken to the throne room, the doctor remarks after the absence of windows. Zargo and Camilla welcome the travellers, Zargo order wine for them and they toast. Romana glass shatters cutting her finger, she licks the blood. Camilla wants to look at the cut but Romana pulls away. It becomes apparent the rulers are responsible for the absence of technology.

In the Village Adric is making preparations with the others for dinner when Habris enters. He tells them there is to another selection and that Aukon himself is coming to direct it. Aukon walks down the line of youths, stopping when he comes to Adric, declaring him a chosen one he takes the trance like Adric to the castle.

Habris makes his report to the Three Who Rule.

The Doctor mentions the Hydrax this disturbs Zargo and Camilla, Habris enters with news from Aukon that the Time of Arising is at hand. Left alone the Doctor takes it as a chance to look around. He pulls aside a drape to reveal a circular hatchway in a metal bulkhead. The castle is the Hydrax.

Back at the caves some of the outlaws want to initiate a rescue attempt for the Doctor However Kalmar is reluctant without more technological knowledge on their side, and the majority back him up. Tarak decides he will go alone taking on the disguise of a guard.

The Doctor and Romana arrive at the top of the tower where they see the three Scout ships the Hydrax has. They here a thumping voice and then begin to descend. At the cargo bay they find a group of corpses drained of their blood, they are all adolescents. The Doctor finds the blood is being stored in a fuel tank. The thumping is the sound of a creature that feeds on the blood fed through tubes. The Doctor cites there are vampire legends of many planets dropping out of the Hydrax through an engine nacelle they arrive in a large cave, the floor of which is moving in time with the sound of a heartbeat. A voice from the shadows tells them this is the Resting Place. Spinning round the Doctor and Romana are confronted by Aukon. The vampire greets them. "I am Aukon. Welcome to my domain!"

Part three

Aukon attempts to persuade the Doctor to join them to help at the Time of Arising, he tells him the Great One will reveal how to leave this universe. He states if the Doctor is wise he will join them just like his companion. Romana and the Doctor are worried to learn that Adric is here.

Aukon uses all his psychic powers to make the Doctor bend to his will but Romana picks up a piece of the cave wall in a stake like form and throws it at Aukon, who quickly turns around and destroys it.

The Doctor tells him they are Time Lords and his powers won't work on them. They try to escape but Zargo and Camilla prevents them from doing so. Camilla is eager to feed on the two Time Lords but Aukon listens to the great one and is instructed that they will be a sacrifice.

The Doctor and Romana in jail.

Tarak has gained entry to the Tower disguised as a guard and begins searching for the Doctor. The Doctor recounts to Romana how a hermit from the south of gallifrey told him of a war between the Time Lords and the Great Vampires, the King escaped, and Time Lords are obliged to destroy him if ever they find him. They tracked him across the universe but the trail went dead, he had disappeared.

Tarak attacks the guards of the cells and rescues the Doctor and Romana, but Romana refuses to leave until she has found Adric. The Doctor asks Tarak to stay with her while he goes back to the TARDIS.

In the rebels cave Kalmar has discovered a scanner for viewing the territory surrounding their base. It picks up a figure revealed to be Ivo. Ivo knows his son is dead, taken for his blood. He asks for support in an attack on the tower, Kalmar is undecided.

Tarak and Romana arrive at the inner sanctum. Zargo and Camilla are asleep and Adric is under hypnosis. Romana wakes him but the sun sets and Zargo and Camilla awake and kill Tarak. They then close in on the others.

Part four

Aukon prevents the pair killing them, proclaiming them as sacrifices. He tells them of how after the arising they will travel the universe and draining it of its life.

The Doctor lands the TARIDS in the rebels cave and tells them that he needs there help for an assault on the tower. They are ready to follow him but Kalmar is still reluctant. The Doctor uses the scanners to show him the King Vampire below the tower, he finally agrees to the plan.

The Doctor, Romana and Adric look on.

In the throne room Adric tells Aukon his is willing to join him and is taken to be initiated. The Doctor puts K9 in control of leading the raid as he goes elsewhere. K9 quickly disables the guards with his laser. Romana is hypnotised and led to an altar for sacrifice. Bats swoop and bite her.

Ivo confronts Habris and takes his revenge for the death of his son killing him. The Doctor makes his way to the tower top and launches a scout ship.

K9 hears the sound and tells his entourage to evacuate. The noise distracts the three who rule and Adric is able to help Romana escape. The Doctor arrives as a hand bursts through the ground. The scout ship plummets back down, its steel frontage impaling the king. The three advance on The Doctor but they crumble and die without the link to the great one.

The Doctor installs Kalmar’s computer with technological data and leaves in the TARDIS stating he must return Adric home.

Cast

Crew

References

The Doctor

The Doctor's TARDIS

  • K9 sets the TARDIS co-ordinates and can remotely open the doors from within.
  • There are 18,348 emergency instructions in the TARDIS data bank.
  • The Record of Rassilon is held on magnetic card in Type 40 TARDISes.
    • It refers to the construction and use of bowships.

Gallifrey

Individuals

  • The Great Vampire used the science officer Anthony O'Connor as a conduit to draw the Hydrax through to E-Space.

Spacecraft

Vampires

  • K9's memory contains vampire legends from 17 inhabited planets.
  • A directive (of Rassilon) states that the vampires are "the enemy of our people, and of all living things".
  • Vampire cardiovascular systems are very complex, they can only be killed by a direct blow to the heart.
  • During Rassilon's war against the vampires all but one was destroyed (the King Vampire).

Story notes

  • The story was originally entitled The Witch Lords and was written by Dicks to open Season 15. At that time (mid-1977) the BBC was preparing to mount a major production of Dracula and so cancelled the story. Dicks' replacement script was Horror of Fang Rock. The script was kept and then put into production. Dicks struggled to add Adric into it and so the character has little input to the main plot.
  • When the story was re-proposed Terrance wanted to call it The Vampire Mutation but Christopher H. Bidmead prevented him from doing so. Bidmead proposed The Wasting at first but Terrance disapproved. They then settled on State of Decay, proposed by Bidmead. The Vampire Mutation was later used as a chapter title for Dicks' The Eight Doctors.
  • When director Peter Moffatt received the script after Bidmead’s alterations he demanded the original back claiming it had lost its gothic atmosphere. John Nathan-Turner then gave him the original which he made.
  • This is the second story in the 'E-Space Trilogy'.
  • For the only time during his era as the Doctor, Tom Baker had to have his hair permed before filming commenced. It had lost its natural curl due to the actor being in ill health.
  • State of Decay was the first serial Matthew Waterhouse filmed.

Ratings

  • Part 1 - 5.8 million viewers
  • Part 2 - 5.3 million viewers
  • Part 3 - 4.4 million viewers
  • Part 4 - 5.4 million viewers

Myths

  • This story's location scenes were shot at Black Park near Iver Heath in Buckinghamshire. (They were shot at Burnham Beeches near Amersham, also in Buckinghamshire - it was Full Circle's location scenes that were shot at Black Park.)

Filming locations

  • Burnham Beeches, Burnham, Buckinghamshire
  • Lucas CAV, Acton, London
  • KJP Trading, 250 Western Avenue, Acton, London
  • BBC Television Centre (TC3 & TC6), Shepherd's Bush, London
  • Mont Saint Michel

Production errors

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 part three, Tarak bursts into the Doctor's cell, catching him across the nose with the door. Tom Baker appears slightly stunned, and misses his next cue because he was really struck by the door.
  • The Doctor says the Tower decor is rococo when actually it's late Saxon/early Romanesque. In-Universe mistake

Continuity

Timeline

DVD, VHS and audio releases

DVD releases

  • State of Decay has been released as a box set alongside Full Circle and Warriors' Gate. The box set in titled The E-Space Trilogy.

Notes:

Bounus features

  • The Vampire Lovers - The making of State of Decay.
  • Film Trimms - Clips of model effects filming.
  • Leaves of Blood - A history of vampires in fiction.
  • The Blood Show - Uses of blood in society and culture.
  • The Frayling Reading - Sir Christopher Frayling examines the story and references vampires in fiction.
  • Coming Soon - The Rescue/The Romans
  • DVD UK box set cover

    DVD UK box set cover

  • DVD Australian box set cover

    DVD Australian box set cover

  • DVD US box set cover

    DVD US box set cover

  • State of Decay region 2 cover

    State of Decay region 2 cover

Video releases

  • State of Decay was released by BBC Worldwide on video as part of a boxed set featuring; Full Circle, State of Decay and Warriors' Gate.
  • VHS UK box set cover

    VHS UK box set cover

  • VHS Australian box set cover

    VHS Australian box set cover

  • VHS US box set cover

    VHS US box set cover

Novelisation and its audiobook

State of Decay novel.jpg
Main article: Doctor Who and the State of Decay

See also

Vampire stories

External links

Template:Season 18

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