The Sensorites (TV story)
The Sensorites was the seventh story of the first season of Doctor Who. Though The Keys of Marinus and The Daleks had both been clear examples of science fictional Doctor Who adventures, neither had specifically stated they were in the relative future of the series. By contrast, The Sensorites was the first story to flatly state a setting in advance of the century of broadcast.
The third episode, "Hidden Danger", had the dubious distinction of being the first episode of Doctor Who delayed because of programming from another BBC department. Just as most series of the BBC Wales version have featured a one-week gap for Eurovision, The Sensorites was interrupted for special sports programming. (REF: The First Doctor Handbook)
Narratively, certain elements of the story carried on into 21st century Doctor Who. Susan's description of her home planet was almost directly quoted by the tenth Doctor in Gridlock, and Planet of the Ood suggested a genetic kinship between the Ood and the equally telepathic Sensorites.
Summary
The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan arrive in the TARDIS on board a spaceship. Their initial concern is for the ship's human crew who are suffering from telepathic interference from the Sensorites, but Susan communicates with the Sensorites and finds that the aliens are fearful of an attack from the humans and are just defending themselves. Travelling to the Sense Sphere (the Sensorites' planet) the Doctor then seeks to cure an illness the Sensorites and Ian have succumbed to, but finds that this has been caused by deliberate poisoning. The political maneuvering of the Sensorite City Administrator adds an additional threat to the TARDIS crew as he seeks to discredit and implicate them.
Plot
Strangers in Space (1)
The TARDIS travellers find they have landed on a drifting spaceship and find the crew dead. As they inspect the bodies, they find that they are warm, even though their self-winding watches (which are powered by the movement of the wrist) say they have been dead for at least 24 hours. As the travellers go to leave, one of the crew members, Captain Maitland, regains consciousness and Ian Chesterton helps revive him using a device that he later calls a heart resussitator. They use this device on the other crew member, Carol Richmond. These two tell the travellers that they are on an exploration mission from 28th century Earth and are orbiting Sense-Sphere. However, its inhabitants, the Sensorites, refuse to let them leave the orbit as they are able to control the brains of any human around them. They go on to say that The Sensorites put them to sleep but never kill them, in fact they regually feed them whilst they are in these states to keep them alive.
As they are leaving they do not notice that a mysterious figure is burning the lock out of the TARDIS. As Ian starts to question Maitland on the future of Earth, the Doctor decides that they should leave for fear that Ian learns too much. It is then they discover that the lock is missing which means that the TARDIS is permanently locked.
As they come to terms with the fact that they are trapped, the Sensorites send the Earth ship on a collision course into the Sense-Sphere by taking over the minds of the two pilots and forcing them towards the planet. The Doctor manages to divert this because he and his travellers seem to be immune from the Sensorites power. Carol states that they have found that different people are affected in different ways. She speaks of another crew member named John who was affected more. When Maitland is questioned about John he says he'd rather not talk about it.
Later that day Barbara and Susan are making food for the rest of the crew and ask Carol where they can find some water. Misunderstanding the directions they go through a sensor operated door. As they go through, an unknown man, seemingly John, locks them in with him inside. John appears to be in a zombified state and begins to shuffle towards the frightened girls. However when he finally has them cornered he collapses in front of them and weeps. Barbara consoles him and says that she will make sure he gets better.
Meanwhile on the outside of the door the rest of the crew realise that Barbara and Susan are stuck inside the lock with John. Maitland begins to use a cutting device to get them out. While this is happening Carol confides to Ian that John was to be married to her when they returned to Earth. As the cutting goes on Maitland here's a noise. It is an approaching Sensorite ship. The crew prepare themselves at the controls as the ships roam into sight. Eventually the ship is surronded and Ian is astounded to see a Sensorite at the window.
The Unwilling Warriors (2)
The Sensorite at the window renders Carol and Maitland entirely incapable of movement. Eventually the doctor awakend Maitland and reminds him of Susan and Barbrara trapped on the other side of the door. Maitland continues to cut them out. In the locked area Barbara and Susan are comforting John who is still visibly distressed. He appears to be in semi-constant communication with the Sensorites who are trying to convince him to sare away the travellers. Something he refuses to do as they are his friends now. This act of defiance leaves him crumpled up in pain on the floor.
Whilst this is going on two Sensorite have entered the ship. John senses this and informs his new friends. Barbara mentions to susan that sheonce visted a planet named Esto on which their lived a species of telepathic plants that screeched when you stood between them as you affected their thought pattern. With this in mind Barbara and Susan try and overpower the Sensorites thought patterns by both focusing on the phrase "We Defy You" at the same time. This seems to strongly effect the Sensorites who crumple to the floor.
Ian and the rest of the team manage to open the door and release Barbara, Susan and the unconcious John. Whilst Ian is putting John to bed he mentions the phrase "the riches of avarice." Ian shares a theory that John discovered something about the Sense Sphere that would prove valuable to the human race which is why they have trapped the vessel. This is backed up when Maitland states that John was the ship's mineralogist. A quick glance at his findings confirms to the Doctor that the Sense Sphere is rich in Molybdenum, a very precious material. As the Doctor makes this discovery the Sensorites mentally attack Carol and Maitland again. Barbara and Ian go and look for the Sensorites and eventually find them. Barbara runs back to the crew to ask how to lock the doors in an effort to imprison them whilst Ian slowly backs up, threatening them with a hammer he's found.
Barbara has to wake John to lock them in a supplies closet. Barbara notes that they were reasonably passive and never tried to harm Ian. As Barbara and Ian go back to the others to discuss what to do with their prisoners, the Sensorites use adevice to escape. Standing on the other side of the main door the Sensorites talk to Susan telepathically asking her to ask the others whether they can talk about why they are here as long as the humans don't hurt them. This is agreed to. They inform the travellers that they have allocated an area of the Sense Sphere where the humans can live in peace but they mustn't leave. The Doctor confronts the aliens and says that he will not be going to live on the Sense Sphere and demands the lock to his TARDIS back, The Sensorites leave to decide what to do. The Doctor notes to his companions that the Sensorites had very heavily dilated eyes in the light which measn that in semi-darkness they would be almost blind. It is then that the Sensorites contact Susan again, She appears to be agreeing to something. On being questioned to what she is agreeing to she informs the Doctor that she has agreed to go to live on the Sense Sphere with the Sensorites as they threatened to kill all of the humans otherwise. Two Sensorites take Susan away and the door to the control room closes.
Hidden Danger (3)
The Dcotor and his companions refuse to let Susan just leave and chase after her and the Sensorites. They demand that they give her back but The Sensorites argue that they need to take one of their number hostage to ensure the safety of their planet. Susan agrees with the Sensorites eager to save the lives of her friends. The Doctor shouts at her seeming submissiveness in the face of her kidnapping which upsets her. When The Doctor tries to grab Susan the Sensorites get out a weapon and ian dims the lights which, as The Doctor previously theorised, leaves the Sensorites blinded and terrified and allows the humans to slip away. The Doctor and Susan argue about whether she is adult enough to make her own decisions yet.
Meanwhile the Sensorites have brokered an agreement with Ian whereby Barbara and Maitland remain on the ship while the other humans go down to the Sense Sphere to talk with a Sensorite elder. Ian reluctantly agrees to this but is swayed when the Sensorites say they will be able to cure John on their planet. The Sensorites also share with the humans why they are trapping them in their atmosphere. They recount a story wherein humans visited the Sense Sphere. In their eagerness to leave and inform the rest of their people about the riches of the Sense Sphere they crashed. This crash caused the Sense Sphere to be polluted with a mysterious disease which has been killing large number of the Sensorites ever since. The Doctor promises to see if he can uncover the cause of this mysterious illness. The humans leave for the Sense Sphere.
On the surface of the mysterious planet. Three Sensorites are talking. The Elder Sensorite is justifying his decison to the others saying that the risk he is taking on inviting the humans into his palace will be rewarded if The Doctor can cure the Sensorites of the disease. The other two seem dismissive of the human race saying that they are lesser beings and loud and ugly and should have been met in the mouintains. Eventually the two other Sensorites act subservient to the Elder's face but as soon as he leaves they doubt his leadership. The most vocal Sensorite in this uprising is a Sensorite known as the Administrator. He informs the other Sensorite that he is so distrustful of the humans that he has aimed a device called the disintegrator at the room where the humans are to meet the Elder in order to preserve the Sense Sphere's purity.
When the humans are welcomed into the court of the Elder, John and Carol are taken away to be cured, while The Doctor, Ian and Susan are ushered in for a meeting with the Elder. While this is going on the administrator is setting the coordinates for the humans destruction. Just as he is about to shoot a Sensorite comes in and orders the Administrator to stop saying that the humansare harmless and are only there to help. The Administraor reluctantly complys however he also further doubts the Elders capabilities and discusses a potential uprising with his friend.
Back in the court the humans are given food and water. The elder shouts at a Sensorite servant incredulousas to why his guests have not been given the same food and water as he has. He sends the water back with the Sensorite ensuring that he return with the Crystal Water of which he drinks. However Ian has already drunk his, The Elder explains the rigid hierahy of the Sense Sphere. Elders such as he wear two sashes, other controllers wear the one while the populace are content with no sash. The Doctor asks what difference there is as you rise up the social order. The elder states that the higher up you get the better your quality of life and the better food and drink you get. The Doctor asks if any of the elders fall foul of the disease. the elder responds in the negative. All through this conversation Ian has been coughing and choking. On being asked what is wrong he says his throats burningup and asks for some water. Before he can answer he falls to the floor unconcious. The Elder informs the Doctor that this is the first sign of the illness and Ian is dying.
A Race Against Death (4)
The Doctor and Susan try to figure out what it is that may have caused Ian's collapse. They suspect that it may have been the water as that is they only thing that Ian experienced that they did not. He suspects that the disease of which the Sensorites speak isn't a disease but a poisoning. Meanwhile two elders discuss whether Ian's collapse is a subterfuge on the Doctor's part to gain the trust of the Sensorites, seemingly cure him and then regain the TARDIS. They decide that they should allow the Doctor to try and cure the poisoning.
This news does not go down well with the Administrator who orders the scientists to murder John, whose mind they are trying to erase. He is berated by an elder saying that his constant beligerance will get him into trouble. The Administrator talks to the scientist saying that the Doctor is evil and is trying to gain the trust of the Sensorites only to betray them. John, half concious seems to agree with this by saying "Evil." The Administrator convinces they scientist that this is the human admitting and tells him to pass it on to the elders. When the scientists leaves John tells the Administrator that he meant that their is evil in the Sensorites. The Administrator says that he knew that all along and does not care for what humans think as his only wish is to wipe them from existence. On hearing the Administrator's theory the elders decide to not allow the Doctor his TARDIS in order to conduct experiments on the water and instead allow him access to their own labpratory. This upsets the Doctor who shouts at them, which clearly causes them pain. Eventually he reluctantly agrees.
The Administrator talks to another Sensorite about how to claim back the key to the disintegrator. He says that the only way that Sensoritestell each other apart is by their sashes. He says that if he were to disguise himself as an elder he could gain it back. The Doctor briefs the scientists on what he is looking for. He suspects that the water supply has traces of atropine poision in it. The scientists tell him that their are 10 different areas fromwhcih the water is gathered. He asks them to fetch samples for him in order to test them all. When they do it is discovered that it is only Area 8 that possess traces of Atopine poison. The Doctor prepares an antidote for this affliction.
Meanwhile the Administrator kidnaps an Elder and his family. Taking off his sash he says that he will use this disguise to prove to the elder that the Doctor is eveil and does not intend to help them at all. He suspects that the antidote that the Doctor has made is actually a poison. He believes Ian has been play acting at being ill and that he will pretend to get better, when he does this the poison will be diseminated to the Sensorites which will wipe them out leaving the humans to harvest the Sense Sphere. The Administrator soon proves that this is an effectove plan when he encounters a scientist who thinks him to be the elder. He tells him to give him the antidote as he would like to give it to Ian. As soon as the scientist is out of sight he smashes the test tube on the floor. This way if Ian gets better regardless he will know that the Doctor has been lying, if he dies then the Doctor will be proved true.
A scientist escorts the Doctor down to the aquaduct for the Doctor to experiment on the source of the poison. The scientist says that they can never stay down there too long as it is dark and for one reason or another their plans to light it are always scuppered. When the Doctor tells the scientist that he plans to enter the aquaduct the scientist balks and warns him that their are monsters inside. The Doctor questions whether they have ever seen the monster and the scientist says that they have only heard his roar. The Doctor disimisses the scientist but speculates how convenient it is that the aquaduct is both dark and noisy, too things the Sensorites are intolerant to. The scientist returns to the elder and tells him that the Doctor has gone into the aquaduct. The elder is disgusted saying that the aquaduct is death to anyone that enters. Hearing this Ian and Susan go to rescue him. The elder, impressed with the human's love for each telekinetically tells his fellow elder that they are mistaken and that the humans are noble people. This message is picked up by the Administratot who is disgusted with the elder's wakness but delighted that the humans are heading to their death in the aquaduct.
Ian and Susan reach the mouth of the aquaduct. The scientist gives them a Radio Electric Light. Ian seems to be getting weaker but stil enters. Deep inside the dark aquaduct the Doctor seems to have found what he suspected he would - Deadly Nightshade. As he does however a terrifying roar echos through the tunnel.
Kidnap (5)
Cast
- The Doctor - William Hartnell
- Ian Chesterton - William Russell
- Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill
- Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford
- John - Stephen Dartnell
- Carol Richmond - Ilona Rodgers
- Captain Maitland - Lorne Cossette
- First Sensorite - Ken Tyllsen
- Second Sensorite - Joe Greig
- Third Sensorite - Peter Glaze
- Fourth Sensorite - Arthur Newall
- First Elder - Eric Francis
- Second Elder - Bartlett Mullins
- First Scientist - Ken Tyllsen
- Second Scientist - Joe Greig
- Warrior - Joe Greig
- Commander - John Bailey
- First Human - Martyn Huntley
- Second Human - Giles Phibbs
- Sensorite - Anthony Rogers (uncredited)
- Sensorite - Gerry Martin (uncredited)
Crew
- Writer - Peter R. Newman
- Director - Mervyn Pinfield (episodes 1-4), Frank Cox (episodes 5-6)
- Producer - Verity Lambert
- Script Editor - David Whitaker
- Designer - Raymond Cusick
- Assistant Floor Manager - Dawn Robertson
- Assistant Floor Manager - Val McCrimmon
- Associate Producer - Mervyn Pinfield
- Costumes - Daphne Dare
- Incidental Music - Norman Kay
- Make-Up - Jill Summers
- Make-Up - Sonia Markham
- Production Assistant - David Conroy
- Special Sound - Brian Hodgson
- Studio Lighting - Peter Murray
- Studio Sound - Jack Brummitt
- Studio Sound - Les Wilkins
- Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire
- Title Music - Ron Grainer
References
- Dialogue suggests the Doctor has only one heart at this stage of his life. Ian only checks one side of the Doctor's chest, nor has any medical training, it's possible he didn't notice the second heart, or that unlike later in the Doctor's life both hearts beat at the same time.
- Despite travelling together for years, the Doctor and Susan have never argued. The Doctor may be exaggerating.
- Dialogue seems to confirm Susan and the Doctor are from the same planet.
- Susan has telepathic abilities which the Doctor is not aware of. However, it is suggested that many of those on their home planet have such abilities as the Doctor suggests her skills could be perfected if she gets home.
- The Doctor and Susan's home planet is similar to Earth but the sky at night is burnt orange and the tree leaves are bright silver.
- The Doctor once argued with Henry VIII as he wanted to be sentenced to the Tower of London where the TARDIS was located.
- The Doctor and Susan encountered telepathic plants on the planet Esto.
- The Doctor mentions 19th century fashion designer Beau Brummel, claiming that he always told him he looked better in a cloak.
Story notes
- All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
- Negative film prints of all episodes were recovered from BBC Enterprises in 1978.
- Jacqueline Hill does not appear in episodes 4 and 5 as she was on holiday while they were filmed.
- This story was nearly cancelled as a result of a studio dispute.
- Hidden Danger (Episode 4) was postponed for one week due the BBC's sports programme Grandstand being extended on 4th July 1964, Hidden Danger was therefore postponed and shown the following week.[1]
- Stephen Dartnell, who appears as John, had previously appeared as Yartek in The Keys of Marinus.
- John Bailey, later to feature as Edward Waterfield in 1967's The Evil of the Daleks, has a role here as the Commander.
- Designer Raymond Cusick used almost all curves in his sets for the Sense Sphere, feeling that this would give a more alien look.
- Russell T Davies has acknowledged the Sensorites as an influence on the basic concept of the Ood in The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit. Computer readouts (and a mention by Davies in an episode commentary) revealed that the Ood sphere and Sense Sphere are part of the same star system.
Ratings
- Strangers in Space - 7.9 million viewers
- The Unwilling Warriors - 6.9 million viewers
- Hidden Danger - 7.4 million viewers
- A Race Against Death - 5.5 million viewers
- Kidnap - 6.9 million viewers
- A Desperate Venture - 6.9 million viewers
Myths
- The Humans responsible for poisoning the water supplies were part of a group called INEER. (The initials INEER were meant to be the end of the word Engineer.).
- Arthur Newall appeared in Doctor Who as a Dalek. (He in fact appeared in this story as a Sensorite.)
Filming locations
- BBC Television Centre Studio (TC3)
- Lime Grove Studios (Studio D)
Production errors
- During episode 1 while the Doctor is delivering his lines the camera hits the table in front of him.
- The drill marks are visible before Maitland starts to use the drill.
- In some scenes, the walls are visibly unstable.
- The Doctor calls Maitland "John" in episode 1.
Continuity
- The Doctor and his companions, in episode one, all talk about how a simple trip turned into one big adventure (A paraphrase of "it all started as a mild curiosity in a junkyard" from The Pilot Episode). They then recount the events of An Unearthly Child, The Daleks, Marco Polo, The Keys of Marinus and The Aztecs.
- In his tenth incarnation, the Doctor visited the Ood Sphere, located in the same galaxy as the Sense Sphere.
- The Doctor first mentions his dislike of weapons, which is very prominent in the newer series.
Timeline
Carol Richmond states that the story takes place in the 28th century.
Timeline
- This story occurs after ST: Room for Improvement
- This story occurs before CC: The Transit of Venus
Novelisation and its audiobook
- Main article: The Sensorites (novelisation)
- The story novelisation was published as Doctor Who: The Sensorites in July 1987 ISBN 0426202953. The story was written by Nigel Robinson and was number 118 in the series of 156 Doctor Who novels published by Target Books.
DVD, video and audio releases
- Video Release - Released as Doctor Who: The Sensorites
- Released as part of The First Doctor Collection boxset in the UK - BBCV7278.
- Released as part of The End of the Universe Collection in the US.
- The Sensorites was released by BBC Audio in July 2008, with linking narration by William Russell.
- Editing for VHS release completed by Doctor Who Restoration Team
- No DVD Release has been anounced since 2010. Commentary is currently being recorded.
External links
- The Sensorites at the BBC's official site
- The Sensorites at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
- The Sensorites at Shannon Sullivan's A Brief History of Time (Travel)
- Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film and Television - The Sensorites
- BBC Production Information - The Sensorites (PDF)
Footnotes
- ↑ Howe, David J., Stammers, Mark, Walker, Stephen James, 1992, Doctor Who: The Sixties, Doctor Who Books, an imprint of Virgin Publishing Ltd, London, p.34
