The Seeds of Doom (TV story)
Synopsis
When scientists in the Antarctic uncover two mysterious seed pods, the Doctor is called in to investigate. He soon realizes they are both extraterrestrial and extremely dangerous. At the same time, however, ruthless plant-lover Harrison Chase has learned of the find and decides he must have the pods for his collection of rare and beautiful flora. And the pods themselves harbor intelligent life with sinister plans of its own…
Plot
The following plotline is unfinished, and contains information on the plot up to the end of Part Four.
Part One
Somewhere in Antarctica, scientists Charles Winlett and Derek Moberly discover up an egg-shaped object in the ninth layer of the permafrost, and take it back to their camp. John Stevenson, the base botanist identifies it as vegetable-based and estimates it has been buried in the ice for some 20,000 years. Winlett thinks it looks tropical, like a gourd, but Moberly points out that the Antarctica had ceased to be tropical at the time this was buried. Stevenson claims he feels something odd about the pod, as if it is alive, but the others laugh it off.
Back in London, Richard Dunbar of the World Ecology Bureau tries to show the Doctor photographs of the pod. Although he feels that the Doctor cannot help them, his superior Sir Colin Thackeray insisted. The Doctor examines the pictures and asks if they had considered the idea that the pod is extraterrestrial. He tells Dunbar to contact the expedition by their regular video link, and tell them not to touch it until he arrives.
Back at the base, Stevenson discovers that the pod is growing larger and he believes it is absorbing ultraviolet radiation. Winlett reminds Stevenson that London's orders are to leave it alone until the Doctor arrives tomorrow, but Stevenson thinks the Doctor is just some crank Thackeray is foisting on them. He feels it is their discovery and they can do what they want with it.
In England, Dunbar visits the estate of millionaire Harrison Chase. Chase's estate is filled with thousands of plants, and he considers it his mission to protect the plant life of Mother Earth. Dunbar has come to show him pictures of the pod, its possible extraterrestrial origin and hints that such a valuable specimen could easily disappear... for a price. Chase wants to know the precise location it was found, and Dunbar gives it to him. Chase calls for one of his men, Scorby, and gives him an assignment, telling him to take Keeler along.
At the base, Winlett is half asleep near the pod. The pod opens up and a frond-like tentacle whips out and stings his arm, causing Winlett to collapse in pain. When Stevenson and Moberly find him, Winlett's face is covered with green hives. A message is sent to London informing them of the situation, but with the bad weather, it will take a few days for a medical team to reach the base.
Meanwhile, the Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith arrive at the base by helicopter and are met by Moberly. He tells them that usually up to a dozen live at the base but currently the others are 60 miles away at South Bend, measuring the ice cap.
In the sickbay, Winlett's body temperature is dropping rapidly, as is his pulse rate. His face and body are now covered with a green fungus, and its growth is accelerating. By the time the medical team arrive it may be too late. However, Mike Wilson from South Bend radios them that the medical team has turned back due to whiteout conditions.
The Doctor asks for a blood test on Winlett and examines the now-empty pod. Stevenson acknowledges that it may be his fault; convinced that the pod was alive he placed it under a lamp. The Doctor tells him that his actions could result in the destruction of all life on the planet.
Moberly draws a sample of blood from Winlett, who is growing increasingly monstrous. Outside the base, the Doctor digs at the ice, uncovering another pod. Stevenson asks if there are any more and the Doctor shakes his head: the pods travel in pairs, "like policemen." He transfers the pod to the base freezer. On analysis, Winlett's blood is found to contain no blood platelets, but instead has schizophytes — microscopic organisms akin to plant bacteria.
The sound of engines is heard, and Moberly and Stevenson go meet what they presume is the medical team. The Doctor tells Sarah that Winlett is turning into a Krynoid, a kind of galactic weed that settles on planets and eats the animal life. He does not know exactly how the Krynoids travel between the stars — their planet may be geologically turbulent, with surface explosions sending matter shooting into space.
Stevenson and Moberly escort two men — Scorby and Keeler — into the base. The new arrivals were flying a private plane, but claim they got lost and wound up at the base. The Doctor leaves to check on Winlett taking the others and leaving Scorby and Keeler alone.
Winlett's transformation is nearly complete. The Doctor suggests that the arm be amputed to try and stop the spread of the infection at its source. Even if it does not work, it might buy them time. As the Doctor is not a doctor of medicine and Stevenson is a botanist, Moberly is the most qualified. Moberly is hesitant but Sarah persuades him in the end. As they leave to gather the necessary equipment, Winlett rises from the bed.
When Moberly starts back towards the sickbay, he spots Winlett leaning against the wall. As Moberly approaches, Winlett reaches out and strangles him...
Part Two
Winlett leaves Moberly's dead body in the corridor and leaves the base. Meanwhile, Scorby finds the base's rifle and unloads it. Keeler is nervous, thinking that all they are here to do is to confirm the existence of the pod and report back to Chase, but Scorby disabuses him of the notion: they are to kill the others, take the pod and fly back. If Keeler is squeamish, Scorby warns him, there will be one more among the dead.
Sarah finds Moberly's body. Stevenson cannot believe that Winlett has done this, but the Doctor tells him that Winlett no longer exists; his mind has been taken over and soon he will turn completely into a Krynoid. They gather their things to search for the creature and take the rifle, not realising it has been sabotaged. When the others leave, Scorby and Keeler go in search of the pod.
Dunbar tells Chase about a report of an infection at the base, but is shocked when Chase tells him he has sent his own men to Antarctica. Dunbar seeks an assurance that should anything go wrong, Chase will protect his identity. Chase pays Dunbar off.
The Krynoid finds the generator hut — built far from the base because of its new fuel cell system. However, when it sees the Doctor, Stevenson and Sarah approach, it turns away. Unable to find the Krynoid, and hoping that it is frozen in the snow, the three head back to base, and the Krynoid seeks shelter in the hut after their departure.
Meanwhile, Scorby and Keller ransack the base. When South Bend calls about the medical team, Scorby pretends to be Moberly and asks them to cancel it. When South Bend gets suspicious, Scorby disconnects the radio. Keller finds the open pod, and realises that it has germinated. Scorby wants to find the actual plant that emerged, but they find Moberly's body in the sickbay instead.
When Sarah and the Doctor enter the sickbay, Scorby holds them at gunpoint. Scorby questions the Doctor about Moberly, and the Doctor tells them about the pod and Winlett's infection. When Stevenson discovers them, he finds his rifle useless and is put with the others, but lets slip that a second pod exists.
Scorby wants the second pod. He threatens Sarah's life and the Doctor relents, telling Scorby the second pod is in the freezer. Stevenson is forced to take it out and places it in a thermal container to keep it cool and safe. After this is done, Scorby forces Sarah to take him to the generator hut with Keeler in tow, leaving the others tied up behind.
While the Doctor knocks over an unlighted kerosene lamp and uses the broken glass to cut Stevenson's bonds, Scorby plants a bomb in the hut which will blow up the base. Keeler gets cold feet and tries to stop Scorby, who tosses him out of the hut.
Freed, the Doctor tells Stevenson to contact South Bend for the medical team, and goes in search of Sarah. However, the Krynoid has returned to the base, and kills Stevenson while he is making the call. The Doctor sees Scorby and Keller's plane take off, and runs to the generator hut where Sarah is tied up. She tells him about the bomb, but the creature arrives as well. They manage to get out the door and lock the Krynoid in, running away as the hut explodes, taking the rest of the base with it...
Part Three
Regaining consciousness in the snow, the Doctor and Sarah are picked up by a team from South Bend in their Snow Cat vehicle. Meanwhile, Scorby and Keeler return to Chase with the second pod. Dunbar also arrives, angered at how far Chase had gone to secure the pod but warns Chase that the Doctor and Sarah are still alive, and are scheduled to meet with him and Sir Colin in two hours.
At the meeting, the Doctor and Sarah describe how well-planned the theft of the pod was, but the Doctor believes that the two men were stooges. The discovery of the pod had only been reported to the Ecology Bureau, so the leak must have come from them. The Doctor is sure that the pod is in England, and says that if they do not find it, it will be the end of everything — even Sir Colin's pension. He tells Dunbar to arrange for him to go to the Botanic Institute.
As they leave the building, a driver comes up and claims to be their car, and the Doctor and Sarah board the limousine. The car stops in the countryside, and the driver orders them out at gunpoint. As they exit, the Doctor manages to knock the driver over and both he and Sarah run for it. With a bit of teamwork, the Doctor manages to jump the driver and punch him out. The two search the car, and find a painting by Amelia Ducat, one of the world's leading flower artists, in the boot. They go and speak to her, who tells them that the owner of the painting is Harrison Chase, and that he never paid her for the painting.
Keeler, who is a botanist himself, unsuccessfully tries to convince Chase to stop the experiments on the pod. Chase orders him to inect the pod with fixed nitrogen. Dunbar calls Chase and tells him that his chauffer is in the hospital. So when the Doctor and Sarah try to sneak into the mansion, they are spotted by some guards and Scorby, who capture them.
The Doctor and Sarah are brought before Chase, and despite having Scorby's gun at his head, the Doctor asks Chase grimly to hand over the pod. Chase politely refuses: he has the greatest collection of plants in the world, and when the pod flowers, it will be his crowning achievement. Before he executes them, Chase decides to show the Doctor and Sarah around the mansion, and his plant laboratory.
Keeler notes that the pod is growing, and tells Hargreaves, the butler, to summon Chase to the annex. There, Chase tells Keeler to inject more nitrogen into the pod. Scorby escorts the Doctor and Sarah into the gardens to kill them, but the two manage to overpower Scorby. The Doctor uses rope to lower Sarah down the wall so she can go and warn Sir Colin while he returns to the house to exaine the pod. However, Sarah gets captured again.
The Doctor makes his way back into the mansion while Sarah is escorted by Scorby back to Chase. The Doctor watches, horrified, through the skylight as Chase orders Sarah forced down to a chair, grabbing her arm and pinning it next to the pod. He wants to know what happens when the Krynoid touches human flesh. As Sarah struggles, the pod begins to open...
Part Four
The Doctor crashes through the skylight, knocking Scorby out and grabbing Sarah. They rush out the door, locking Chase and his men in. As Chase tries to get the guards' attention, a frond from the pod stings Keeler's arm. Finally, a guard opens the door; he and Scorby go in pursuit of the Doctor. Sneaking around the grounds again, the Doctor tells Sarah once more he is returning to examine the pod.
Keeler begs Chase to get him to a hospital, but Chase is more fascinated with the transformative process than saving Keeler's life. Chase and Hargreaves take Keeler to the nearby cottage. Chase observes that the growth seems to be absorbing protein from Keeler's body, and tells Hargreaves to keep Keeler fed.
When the Doctor returns to the laboratory he finds it empty, but Scorby now has the drop on him. Scorby and the guard take the Doctor to the compost room, and activates the crusher, remarking that Chase recycles everything. The main gate calls the house: Amelia Ducat is here demanding her money. To avoid a fuss, he agrees to see her. Sarah has entered the cottage, and sees Keeler, who is still lucid, although covered with the Krynoid growth. Keeler tries to convince Sarah to free his bonds, and when Sarah refuses, he grows more angry and paranoid. Sarah hides in a cupboard when she hears Hargreaves approach with a meal and leaves at the first opportunity.
In the library, Chase writes Ducat a check. Scorby enters and asks if they should start the "recycling experiment", and Chase says he wants to see it, asking Scorby to escort Ducat out. Chase goes to the compost room, and reveals that he has been feeding Keeler. The Doctor, tied up, is placed in the machine, to be shredded and pumped into the garden.
Sarah is back in the house, and hides behind a suit of armor as Ducat and Scorby pass. Sarah attracts Ducat's attention and asks her to take a message to Sir Colin. Sarah goes back into hiding when Scorby returns to show Ducat out. Outside, Ducat enters a car with Sir Colin and Dunbar inside, and tells them what Sarah said. Dunbar, realising he has made a terrible mistake, says he will go in and get the Doctor. He tells Sir Colin that, if he does not return in half an hour, to return to London and call UNIT.
Sarah finds her way into the compost room and turns off the crusher just in time to save the Doctor. Hargreaves finds that Keeler has now almost completed his transformation, and runs in a panic as the creature frees itself. In the mansion, Dunbar pleads with Chase to abandon the experiment as Hargreaves reports Keeler's transformation to Chase. Dunbar says that this has gone far enough, and he is going to get help. Chase tells Scorby to stop him.
Scorby pursues Dunbar through the grounds as the Doctor and Sarah find Keeler missing from the cottage. The Doctor takes a sword from over the fireplace and they leave to search for it. Dunbar runs into the Krynoid, which is far larger than the Winlett creature was, and no longer even humanoid. He shoots at it uselessly, and is held fast by the surrounding plant life as the Krynoid kills him. Dunbar's screams attract the attention of Scorby and the guards as well as the Doctor and Sarah. The latter get there first, the Doctor drawing the sword above Dunbar's body as the Krynoid lurches towards them...
Part Five
Part Six
Cast
Sarah Jane Smith - Elisabeth Sladen
Richard Dunbar - Kenneth Gilbert
Sir Colin Thackeray - Michael Barrington
Amelia Ducat - Sylvia Coleridge
Arnold Keeler / Krynoid Voice - Mark Jones
Derek Moberley - Michael McStay
Charles Winlett - John Gleeson
Doctor Chester - Ian Fairbairn
Major Beresford - John Acheson
Sergeant Henderson - Ray Barron
Chauffeur - Alan Chuntz
Guard Leader - David Masterman
Guard - Harry Fielder
Crew
Incidental Music - Geoffrey Burgon
Visual Effects - Richard Conway
Production Unit Manager - George Gallacio
Title Music - Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, arranged by Delia Derbyshire
Production Assistant - Graeme Harper
Production Unit Manager - Janet Radenkovic
Assistant Floor Manager - Sue Shearman
References
to be added
Story Notes
- Episodes 1 and 2 are heavily influenced by Howard Hawks' 1951 film The Thing From Another World: An artifact found frozen in the Antarctic ice is revealed to be a deadly plant-like alien. The film was itself based on the short story, "Who Goes There?," written by John W. Campbell, Jr. Others have noticed a strong similarity between this story and "Man-Eater of Surrey Green," an installment of The Avengers television series of the 1960s, and also the 1953 BBC production The Quatermass Experiment.
- The serial also marked the final major appearance of UNIT in the series until 1989's Battlefield (although it would be referenced in the Fifth Doctor story Time-Flight, Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart appeared in the 1983 story Mawdryn Undead as a retired civilian, and there is a sequence set at UNIT HQ in The Five Doctors). None of the established UNIT characters are seen in UNIT's brief appearance in this story, as it was felt that there was too little material to warrant bringing back the Brigadier and Sergeant John Benton. It was also director Douglas Camfield's last involvement with Doctor Who. Camfield went on to direct other television programs and died in his sleep in 1984.
- A few weeks before the serial was due to begin its original transmission, the master tape for the first episode was found to be missing. A brief panic ensued and producer Philip Hinchcliffe began planning a re-edit of the second episode allowing the story to begin at this point, but fortunately the tape of the opening episode was eventually located, having been misplaced in the tape storage system (apparently due to having been wrongly numbered).
- A novelisation of this serial, written by Philip Hinchcliffe, was published by Target Books in February 1977.
- The costume for the humanoid stage of the Krynoid was created by taking one of the surviving Axon costumes from The Claws of Axos and spraying it green.
- The TARDIS returns to Antarctica at the end of the story, the Doctor having not re-set the coordinates - but the TARDIS never went there in the first place (he and Sarah travelled by helicopter).
Ratings
to be added
Myths
- This story was originally written as a four-parter and the opening two episodes were added by script editor Robert Holmes and/or director Douglas Camfield. (It was commissioned and written as a six-parter by Robert Banks Stewart from the outset.)
- The location scenes for this story were shot at a house owned by rock star Mick Jagger. (Jagger's house, Stargroves near Newbury in Hampshire, was used as a location for Pyramids of Mars; the house seen in The Seeds of Doom is Athelhampton House in Athelhampton, Dorset.)
Location Filming
to be added
Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
to be added
Continuity
to be added
DVD and Video Releases
to be added
Target Novelisations
to be added
External Links
- The Seeds of Doom episode guide on the BBC website
- Outpost Gallifrey The Seeds of Doom page
- The Doctor Who Reference Guide detailed synopsis of The Seeds of Doom
- A Brief History of Time (Travel) Guide to The Seeds of Doom
