The Leisure Hive (TV story)

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Synopsis

The TARDIS has arrived on Brighton Beach. The Doctor has taken to sunbathing on a cold windy day. K9 is damaged when he rides into the sea. Bored of sunbathing, Romana convinces the Doctor to go to Argolis, the first of the leisure planets, where is a recreation building called the Leisure Hive. The Argolins have been conducting experiments with a science called Tachyonics. With the help of Hardin, an Earth scientist, they plan to use their Recreation Generator to rejuvenate themselves, as they are sterile because of a war with a neighbouring species called the Foamasi.

A group of Foamasi from the criminal association called the West Lodge murder two people and commit acts of sabotage. They masquerade as humans and try to get the Argolins to sell the hive to the West Lodge.

Foamasi officials arrive and arrest the two criminals. The Foamasi, like the Argolins, want to live in peace and so do not harm each other. Pangol, a clone made in the Recreation Generator wants to create an army of Argolins with the generator and conquer the planet for himself. The Doctor trips the machine to clone him instead and gradually the clones fade away.

The two West Lodge criminals are killed; when they try to escape in the Foamasi ship, the Argolins blow them up. Pangol enters the generator and it rejuvenates him into a baby.

The Doctor and Romana remove the randomiser from the TARDIS before setting off again.

Plot

While vacationing, the Doctor and Romana stop a plot to destroy a planet-the leisure hive.

Cast

Crew

References

  • Theron's helmet
  • The randomiser is left on Argolis.
  • K9 lists all known recreational planets for Romana, ending with "Yegros Alpha: speciality, atavistic therapy of primitive asteroids. Zaakros: galaxy's largest flora collection... Zeen 4: historical re-enactments.".
  • In 2250 Argolis (led by Theron) was all but destroyed by 2000 nuclear warheads (in 20 minutes) during a war with the reptilian Foamasi.
  • The Argolin survivors, made sterile by the radiation, invented the science of tachyonics (this happened '40 years ago') and built the Leisure Hive with its Experiential Grid offering 'variable environments'.
  • Argolis is the first of the leisure planets.
  • There are 'lodges' of Formasi, the West Lodge is one such group.
  • According to EDA: Placebo Effect, Foamasi had hollow bones with double joints every few centimetres, a high liquid content, small organs and a retractable tail. This traits allowed the Foamasi to compress themselves into very small spaces, such as humanoid skin suits.

Story Notes

  • This story is the debut of the new opening and closing title sequences, complete with 'neon tube' logo, designed by the BBC's Sid Sutton, accompanied by a new Peter Howell-arranged version of Ron Grainer's theme music.
  • This is John Nathan-Turner's first story as producer.
  • The story had a working title of The Argolins.
  • A new TARDIS exterior prop makes its debut, this time made of fibreglass rather than of wood and, with its stacked roof arrangement, somewhat truer to the design of a genuine police box than the previous version (first seen in The Masque of Mandragora).
  • The Doctor's new outfit (the burgundy colour) also debuts in this story.
  • Beginning with this story and continuing for the next several seasons, until The Five Doctors, each serial will be linked in some way, either through some reference, or directly linked.
  • John Leeson returns portraying the voice of K9 having been persuaded by John Nathan-Turner to reprise the role for this season.
  • This story features the first use in Doctor Who of the digital Quantel image processing system. Amongst the effects created by the use of this system was a moving shot of the TARDIS materialising on Argolis (whereas the 'roll back and mix' technique by which the materialisation was achieved normally necessitated a completely static shot).

Ratings

  • Part One - 5.9 million viewers
  • Part Two - 5.0 million viewers
  • Part Three - 5.0 million viewers
  • Part Four - 4.5 million viewers

Myths

to be added

Filming Locations

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

  • The wires pulling K9 along the beach are particularly visible in part one.
  • The Doctor and Romana are able to comment on Hardin's experiment, despite having missed the hologram of it.
  • In episode two the top of the sonic screwdriver is nearly bent off.

Continuity

DVD and Video Releases

DVD, Video, and Other Releases

DVD Releases

File:Leisurehivedvd.jpg
File:Leisurehivena.jpg

Released as Doctor Who: The Leisure Hive.

Released:

PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1351
NTSC - Warner Video E2217

Contents:

Video Releases

5n-video.jpg

Released as Doctor Who: The Leisure Hive.

Released:

PAL - BBC Video BBCV5821
NTSC - Warner Video E1135

Novelisation

Leisure Hive novel.jpg
Main article: Doctor Who and the Leisure Hive

See also

to be added

External Links

Template:Season 18

TVStub.png
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