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'''''The Sun Makers''''' was the fourth story of [[Season 15]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''.
'''''The Sun Makers''''' was the fourth story of [[Season 15]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''. It was written by [[Robert Holmes]] to reflect his hatred of the [[Inland Revenue]]'s [[tax]]ation.


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
The TARDIS arrives in the future on the planet Pluto where there are now six suns, a breathable atmosphere and a large industrial community. The Company controls the planet and exploits the workers, pays them a pittance and then taxes them on everything imaginable. The Doctor and Leela join forces with an underground band of rebels led by a man named Mandrel.
[[The Doctor's TARDIS|The TARDIS]], along with the [[Fourth Doctor]], [[Leela]] and [[K9 Mark I]], arrives on [[Pluto]] in the [[far future]]. They discover that the planet has a breathable atmosphere and enjoys the heat from [[in-station fusion satellite|six suns]]. The [[human]]s who live there are [[tax]]ed and exploited heavily. When [[Leela]] is captured, the Doctor must save her and stop [[the Company]], before it is too late...


They learn that the head of the Company's operations on Pluto, represented by the human official Gatherer Hade, is an Usurian known as the Collector. The Usurians enslave planets through economic means and then fleece the inhabitants with exorbitant taxes. The Company keeps the citizens in line by diffusing a calming gas, PCM, through the air conditioning system.
==Plot==
===Part one===
[[Cordo]] visits [[Hade|Gatherer Hade]], having saved up the money to pay for the [[Golden Death]] his father received. However, he finds the fee has been increased to 117 [[talmar]]s, an amount he is unable to pay. Hade tells him he will have to increase his workload despite already working 23 hours a day.
 
The Doctor is playing [[chess]] with K9 while Leela moves the [[robot]]'s pieces for him. They land on [[Pluto]] and the Doctor exits with Leela, telling K9 to stay put. He is amazed to find that the planet has a breathable atmosphere and huge cities. They spot Cordo preparing to jump from the roof and the Doctor distracts him long enough for Leela to pull him away from the edge.
 
In his office, Hade is informed by [[Marn]] of an illegal airspace invasion and landing. Overjoyed that this will incur heavy fines upon the perpetrator, Hade heads out with Marn to catch the criminals. On the roof, Cordo tells the Doctor and Leela about the [[tax]]es all citizens are subject to. Hearing the warning that Hade is coming, the three escape down a ladder.


The Doctor manages to stop this, and the workers then rise up against the Company and hurl Gatherer Hade to his death from the roof of a tall building. The Doctor meanwhile gains access to the Company computer and programs it to apply a two per cent growth tax. The Collector, unable to cope with the loss of his profits, reverts to his natural form - a type of poisonous fungus - and is rendered harmless.
Hade finds the Doctor's TARDIS and tells Marn the tale of [[Kalmar]], an [[Executive Grade]] from [[Megropolis Four]] who stole millions from the Company.


==Plot==
Meanwhile, Cordo announces he is headed for the [[undercity]], a place where he has heard tax evaders and outlaws dwell. Leela and the Doctor opt to accompany him. As they walk, Cordo tells the Doctor that the planet has six suns and the latter judges them to be [[in-station fusion satellite]]s. Soon they found themselves surrounded by a band of humans and Leela pulls her knife. However, the Doctor warns her not to take any aggressive action.  
Mild-mannered Citizen [[Cordo]], a low-ranking employee of [[The Company]], is relieved to learn that his long-suffering father has died, but when he appears before [[Hade|Gatherer Hade]] to pay the death taxes, he is appalled to learn that the rates have increased. As he is only a D-grade laborer already working double-shifts, after interest penalties he'll never earn enough to pay the debt on top of his already substantial tax burden. The Gatherer is unsympathetic to Cordo's plight.


The [[TARDIS]] lands on the top of a thousand-story building in a vast urban complex on planet [[Pluto]]. The [[Fourth Doctor|Fourth Doctor]] and [[Leela]] are enjoying the view when they spot a distraught Cordo preparing to plummet to his death. They pull him away from the ledge, and he pours out his financial sorrows to them. An alarm rings out - it is illegal for workers of his grade to view direct sunlight. The three flee.
On a screen, Hade and Marn watch as K9 heads out of the TARDIS and ponder as to what he is. The Doctor and Leela are taken deeper into the undercity. Cordo tells [[Mandrel (The Sun Makers)|Mandrel]] of his failure to meet Hade's demands and requests to join his group. Mandrel tells him he must earn his keep through theft from the upper levels as well as killing. After Leela inadvertently demonstrates her skills with a knife, Mandrel notes that both she and the Doctor may be of use. Hade and Marn are still watching K9 as he makes his way through the city.


Cordo has heard rumors of a network of tax-renegades, known as [[The Others]], lurking in the depths of the city, and they soon stumble into their midst. Their reception, however, is less than friendly. The renegades, led by [[Mandrel (The Sun Makers)|Mandrel]], take Leela hostage to blackmail the Doctor into withdrawing 1000 [[Talmar]]s from a Company ATM with a forged ConSum card. The Doctor is taken into custody, but is soon brought before a suspiciously apologetic Gatherer, presented with the 1000 Talmars, and released. He returns to the dumbfounded renegades, but he knows that the apology was a lie and that his movements are being tracked so that the renegade's hideout can be found. This finally motivates the renegades, up to now content with petty thieving, into fighting for their lives and overthrowing the Company. The Doctor summons [[K9]] from the TARDIS to assist.
[[File:I'll fillet you.jpg|left|thumb|150px|[[Leela]] shows off her knife skills.]]
The Doctor is instructed by Mandrel to take a [[Consumcard]] to the [[Consum Bank]] on [[subway 37]] with [[Cordo]] acting as his guide. Madrel warns him that he must return soon or Leela will be killed.  


The Doctor realizes that the sweet smell in the air is actually a tranquilizing gas called [[PCM]] to keep the citizens docile. The renegades reach the PCM refinery and shut it down. They then overtake the communication center and broadcast a false report that the revolution is already underway, hoping to inspire the citizens to actually revolt. Once the tranquilizing gas begins to wear off, the revolution gains momentum. The Gatherer is captured and thrown off the roof, while his assistant [[Marn]] opts to join the rebels (albeit at gunpoint).
Exiting the undercity, K9 meets up with the Doctor. Hade asks Marn to move the tracker onto the Doctor, taking him to be an [[Ajack]], a miner from [[Megropolis Three]] and his intended disguise. However, the tracker is keyed onto K9 and unable to follow. Hade deduces that the Doctor must be orchestrating arms smuggling and he decides to go to the palace to warn [[the Collector]].


The Doctor reaches the office of [[the Collector]], a bald-headed green-hued [[Usurian]] in a wheelchair, who is the CEO of the Pluto branch of the Company. Thousands of years earlier, the Company took over the Earth, which by then had fallen into economic decline - exhausted resources and starving populace - and relocated them to Mars, financing the enterprise through a program of oppressive taxation. Once Mars was exhausted, the Company relocated them to Pluto, incurring great expense to maintain the six artificial mini-suns that orbit the planet. Pluto's resources are nearing exhaustion as well, and the Company is planning to 'close' the Pluto branch, abandoning the citizens to their deaths. However, news of the Revolution and the resulting financial fallout - plus a 2% growth tax that the Doctor had programmed into his computer, causes the Collector so much emotional stress that he reverts to his natural form, a small bit of green slime, and he is easily bottled up. The liberated citizens plan to return to Earth, which by now has renewed itself.
At the bank, the Doctor inserts the Consumcard and the process seems to have worked. Suddenly, the cubicle he is in shuts and begins to fill with gas.  


==Cast==
==Cast==

Revision as of 19:21, 6 August 2011

RealWorld.png

The Sun Makers was the fourth story of Season 15 of Doctor Who. It was written by Robert Holmes to reflect his hatred of the Inland Revenue's taxation.

Synopsis

The TARDIS, along with the Fourth Doctor, Leela and K9 Mark I, arrives on Pluto in the far future. They discover that the planet has a breathable atmosphere and enjoys the heat from six suns. The humans who live there are taxed and exploited heavily. When Leela is captured, the Doctor must save her and stop the Company, before it is too late...

Plot

Part one

Cordo visits Gatherer Hade, having saved up the money to pay for the Golden Death his father received. However, he finds the fee has been increased to 117 talmars, an amount he is unable to pay. Hade tells him he will have to increase his workload despite already working 23 hours a day.

The Doctor is playing chess with K9 while Leela moves the robot's pieces for him. They land on Pluto and the Doctor exits with Leela, telling K9 to stay put. He is amazed to find that the planet has a breathable atmosphere and huge cities. They spot Cordo preparing to jump from the roof and the Doctor distracts him long enough for Leela to pull him away from the edge.

In his office, Hade is informed by Marn of an illegal airspace invasion and landing. Overjoyed that this will incur heavy fines upon the perpetrator, Hade heads out with Marn to catch the criminals. On the roof, Cordo tells the Doctor and Leela about the taxes all citizens are subject to. Hearing the warning that Hade is coming, the three escape down a ladder.

Hade finds the Doctor's TARDIS and tells Marn the tale of Kalmar, an Executive Grade from Megropolis Four who stole millions from the Company.

Meanwhile, Cordo announces he is headed for the undercity, a place where he has heard tax evaders and outlaws dwell. Leela and the Doctor opt to accompany him. As they walk, Cordo tells the Doctor that the planet has six suns and the latter judges them to be in-station fusion satellites. Soon they found themselves surrounded by a band of humans and Leela pulls her knife. However, the Doctor warns her not to take any aggressive action.

On a screen, Hade and Marn watch as K9 heads out of the TARDIS and ponder as to what he is. The Doctor and Leela are taken deeper into the undercity. Cordo tells Mandrel of his failure to meet Hade's demands and requests to join his group. Mandrel tells him he must earn his keep through theft from the upper levels as well as killing. After Leela inadvertently demonstrates her skills with a knife, Mandrel notes that both she and the Doctor may be of use. Hade and Marn are still watching K9 as he makes his way through the city.

Leela shows off her knife skills.

The Doctor is instructed by Mandrel to take a Consumcard to the Consum Bank on subway 37 with Cordo acting as his guide. Madrel warns him that he must return soon or Leela will be killed.

Exiting the undercity, K9 meets up with the Doctor. Hade asks Marn to move the tracker onto the Doctor, taking him to be an Ajack, a miner from Megropolis Three and his intended disguise. However, the tracker is keyed onto K9 and unable to follow. Hade deduces that the Doctor must be orchestrating arms smuggling and he decides to go to the palace to warn the Collector.

At the bank, the Doctor inserts the Consumcard and the process seems to have worked. Suddenly, the cubicle he is in shuts and begins to fill with gas.

Cast

Crew

References

Books

The Doctor

Elements

  • Three types of gas are mentioned: Dianane, a deadly poison (to which Usurians are immune), Balarium, a muscle neutraliser, which also effects speech, and Pentocyleinicmethylhydrane (PCM), an anxiety inducing agent (which also purpourtedly eliminates air-borne infection).

Races and species

Story notes

  • Michael Keating (here playing Goudry) would later be cast as Vila in Blake's 7 based partially on this performance.
  • Most of the corridors were named after UK tax forms, as the story was intended as a satire of contemporary British taxes.
  • This story marks the last appearance of Leela's darker outfit. For the next two serials - her last - she would continue to wear the lighter (and more revealing) one.
  • Some textures of the walls are enlarged photographs of a die of an AMD microprocessor. The trademark of AMD is large visible.

Ratings

  • Part 1 - 8.5 million viewers
  • Part 2 - 9.5 million viewers
  • Part 3 - 8.9 million viewers
  • Part 4 - 8.4 million viewers

Myths

to be added

Filming locations

  • WD and HO Wills Tobacco Factory (now known as Imperial Park), Hartcliffe Way, Hartcliffe, Bristol
  • Camden Town Deep Tube Shelters, Stanmore Place, Camden Town, London
  • BBC Television Centre (TC3 and TC6), Shepherd's Bush, London

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.
  • At the start of Episode 2, the shadows of the extras playing the security guards are visible awaiting their cue to enter.
  • When the Gatherer is to be thrown off the roof by an angry mob it's quite obvious that it is a dummy.
  • A car park insignia is visible on the roof top.
  • A microphone enters the screen for a few seconds in upper left corner at minute 18 of the 3rd episode.
  • Near to the end of part three after K9 has exited the steamer, the Doctor praises K9 with his scarf rolled out and lengthend down his body yet less than a second after when he is given a communicator it is roled up over his shoulders.

Continuity

Timeline

Home video and audio releases

Video releases

Released as Doctor Who: The Sun Makers.

Released:


  • VHS UK cover

    VHS UK cover

  • VHS US cover

    VHS US cover

  • VHS AUS cover

    VHS AUS cover


DVD releases

Originally planned for release in a boxset with The Ambassadors of Death, The Sun Makers will now be released on DVD on its own on 1st August in the UK. Extras include a transmitted trailer from 1977, a making of documentary (called Running from the Tax Men) and another installment in the Doctor's Composer series focusing on Dudley Simpson.

  • Region 2 cover

    Region 2 cover

  • Region 1 cover

    Region 1 cover

  • Region 4 cover

    Region 4 cover

Novelisation and its audiobook

Sunmakers novel.jpg
Main article: Doctor Who and the Sunmakers

Novelised as Doctor Who and the Sunmakers by Terrance Dicks in 1982.

External links

Template:Season 15

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