Production Code: 4Y
First Transmitted
1 - 07/01/1978 18:25
2 - 14/01/1978 18:25
3 - 21/01/1978 18:25
4 - 28/01/1978 18:25
Plot
The TARDIS arrives on a Minyan space craft, the R1C, commanded by a man named Jackson. Jackson and his crew are on a long quest to recover the Minyan race banks from a ship called the P7E which left their planet centuries ago. The Doctor helps to free the R1C after it becomes buried in a meteorite storm, but it then crashes into another newly-formed planet.
Inside the planet is a system of caves at the heart of which is the P7E. The P7E's computer, the Oracle, was programmed to protect the race banks but subsequently went insane and - with the aid of its robotic servants, the Seers - imposed its rule upon the Minyan survivors and their descendants. It allows Jackson to take what appear to be the race banks, but they are actually imitations containing fission grenades.
The Doctor realises the deception and obtains the genuine race banks. He then tricks the Oracle's guards into taking the grenades back to their leader. The resulting explosion destroys the planet and the P7E and boosts the R1C off on a voyage to Minyos II, carrying with it the Minyan survivors.
Episode Endings
Meteorites build up around the hull of the R1C, threatening to bury it at the heart of a new planet.
Fumigating gas floods into the caves around the Doctor as he struggles to gain access to the pumping controls and reverse the flow. The gas billows around him and he is on the point of being overcome.
The Doctor and Leela are attempting to gain access to the P7E by hiding in a dump truck used for transporting rocks to a crusher. The Minyan pushing the truck stumbles and loses his grip on it. The truck tips up, despositing the Doctor and Leela in the mouth of the crusher.
In the TARDIS control room, the Doctor tells Leela of Jason and the Argonauts and ponders that such myths might be not just stories of the past but also prophesies of the future. He asks K9 what he thinks and, to his annoyance, the robot dog disagrees. The Doctor storms out and Leela kisses K9 on the end of his nose.
Roots
The Flying Dutchman.
Orpheus.
Persephone.
The Odyssey.
Jason and the Argonauts.
the Sword of Damocles.
Planet of the Apes.
Star Trek's For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky, Return of the Archons, The Cloud Minders.
Dialogue Triumphs
Jackson/Herrick/Orfe/Tala : "The quest is the quest!"
The Doctor : "Have you ever heard of the Flying Dutchman?"
Leela : "No."
The Doctor : "Pity. I've often wondered who he was."
Voice of the Oracle : "There are no gods but me! Have I not created myself?"
The Doctor : "Don't ever play with strange weapons, Leela."
Leela : [On the Doctor] "Do not worry, he has saved many fathers."
Double Entendre
The Doctor : "Whatever blows can be sucked."
Continuity
The TARDIS landing sound is actually that of its relative dimensional stabiliser. The TARDIS, at least sometimes, flies through real space [to observe the spiral nebula, perhaps: see also The Tomb of the Cybermen]. Leela can operate certain TARDIS controls (see The Invisible Enemy). The Doctor is attempting to paint. K9 can interface with other computers through bulldog clips on his 'ears'.
The Minyans, when living on Minyos, accepted Time Lord technology, kicked them out by force, went to war and destroyed their world, 100,000 years previously. Minyans can regenerate thousands of times, with mechanical help, but retain the same persona each time [the technology is more like what Time Lords use to prolong the life of each incarnation, rather than true regeneration].
QV
Location
The edge of the universe [actually the edge of a galaxy - the Doctor is simplifying things for Leela], where planets are [incidentally] being formed in a spiral nebula. [Minyos 2 is only 211 light years away - the Minyans will get there in 370 years at 4/7 light speed, so this isn't that much of a backwater.]
Untelevised
The Doctor has been to Aberdeen and Blackpool.
Trivia
The Minyans own ingeniously designed shield guns - which, strangely, Leela knows how to operate apparently without having to be shown.
Technobabble
There are bizarre ideas about gravity and planetary formation. Charmingly, there's zero gravity at the planet's centre.
Goofs
The artefacts have 'Made in Minyos' stamped on them.
At the end, the Doctor leaves the Minyans with dozens of people to take care of over a four year journey in a tiny ship, ignoring the possibility of taking them home in the TARDIS.
Fashion Victim
The Minyans' space helmets and the silly robot heads.
Cast & Crew
Cast
The Doctor - Tom Baker
Leela - Louise Jameson
Voice of K9 - John Leeson
Ankh - Frank Jarvis
Guard Klimt - Jay Neil
Herrick - Alan Lake
Idas - Norman Tipton
Idmon - Jimmy Gardner
Jackson - James Maxwell
Lakh - Richard Shaw
Naia - Stacey Tendeter
Orfe - Jonathan Newth
Rask - James Marcus
Tala - Imogen Bickford-Smith
Tarn - Godfrey James
Voice of the Oracle - Christine Pollon
Crew
Director - Norman Stewart
Underworld