Production Code: 7F
First Transmitted
1 - 02/11/1987 19:35
2 - 09/11/1987 19:35
3 - 16/11/1987 19:35
Plot
A Chimeron queen called Delta, the last surviving member of her race, is being pursued by the evil Gavrok and his Bannermen, intent on a mission of genocide. Delta finds herself on board a space bus of tourists en route to Earth when it is knocked off course by an American satellite and ends up at a Welsh holiday camp in 1959.
The Doctor and Mel, having won a holiday with the tourists, help Delta to evade the rampaging Bannermen long enough to allow her child to hatch from its egg and grow to maturity. She, her daughter and a young man named Billy - who sacrifices his humanity to be with her - then escape to start a new life and ensure the continuation of the Chimeron race.
Episode Endings
The Doctor and a young woman named Ray are held at gun point by an alien bounty hunter, Keillor, who has given away Delta's location to the Bannermen in return for a promised reward. The Doctor tells Keillor that he should let Ray go as she is of no use to him. He replies: 'I don't just kill for money. It's also something I enjoy.'
The Doctor confronts Gavrok and warns him that he will be brought to justice for his crimes. He demands the release of Mel and the holiday camp manager Burton, who have been held prisoner by the Bannermen, and starts to leave with them. The Bannermen prime their weapons for firing, and the Doctor worriedly speculates that he may have gone a little too far.
The American secret service agents Hawk and Weismuller are astonished as the TARDIS dematerialises. The mysterious beekeeper Goronwy glances up at the sky and gives a knowing smile and wink.
Roots
Hi De Hi!
Echo and the Bunnymen.
Akira Kurosawa's films (Bannermen).
50s nostalgia films (American Graffiti, Peggy Sue Got Married, Back to the Future).
Steve Parkhouse's Doctor Who strips.
Herod Murray reads The Eagle.
Dialogue Triumphs
The Doctor : "Many a slap 'twixt a cup and a lap."
The Doctor : "Love has never been known for its rationality."
Burton : "You are not the Happy Hearts Holiday Club from Bolton, but instead are spacemen in fear of an attack from some other spacemen?"
Continuity
Goronwy is, the tone of this script suggests, just a wonderful and charming old man, open to the wonders of the universe. [However, he and the Doctor have enough instant rapport for the Doctor to hand him an alien baby without a second thought, as if the two of them are in the same business. Goronwy gives the Doctor a very secretive wink: perhaps he is a Time Lord.]
The Doctor's question mark umbrella makes its first appearance. There exists an authority who, if hearing about it, would punish the Bannermen for their genocide of the Chimerons [possibly the Time Lords].
The Navarinos are squat, wrinkly purple creatures who can shapechange and time travel. They have a high metabolic rate, and seem to have a lot in common with Time Lords. [Perhaps the Navarinos are one of the few races permitted to travel in time, since they're so peaceful. The toll money therefore goes to Gallifrey.] Chimeron males and infants are green, their females humanoid. They've been nearly wiped out by the Bannermen in some undisclosed conflict.
Location
The Shangri La holiday camp, near Llandrudnod Wells, 1959.
A toll point in the future [obviously near Navaro, and probably put on one of the Navarinos' main routes to tax their expeditions].
Untelevised
Mel's very scared of the Bannermen without being told who they are [She's met them before?].
Trivia
Don Henderson, well known for his role as George Bulman in The XYY Man and its spin offs, and latterly for his co-starring role as Frank Kane in the BBC drama The Paradise Club, appears here as Gavrok.
There are guest appearances for a number of popular actors better known for their comedy and variety work, including Ken Dodd, Hugh Lloyd, Stubby Kaye and Richard Davies.
The scenes set in the Shangri-La holiday camp were filmed at Butlins in Barry Island, South Wales.
The Doctor's distinctive question-mark handle umbrella makes its first appearance.
Sylvester McCoy can be seen wearing his glasses - normally removed before recording - in some long shots of him riding a motor bike.
Keillor, the alien bounty hunter, is never referred to by name in the story's dialogue; his name is given only in the closing credits.
Goofs
The rubber bodies on the ground during the initial battle.
The unsatisfying bus explosion.
The Doctor says the explosion of the sonic cone will destroy everyone, so why doesn't it?
Why isn't Billy poisoned by the alien food? (Why does it, instead, turn him into a Chimeron?)
Fashion Victim
Ray's bow makes her look like a Mouseketeer.
Mel's pyjamas are rather woeful.
Cast & Crew
Cast
The Doctor - Sylvester McCoy
Melanie - Bonnie Langford
Adlon - Leslie Meadows
Arrex - Richard Mitchley
Billy - David Kinder
Bollitt - Anita Graham
Burton - Richard Davies
Callon - Clive Condon
Chima - Tim Scott
Chimeron Princess - Laura Collins
Chimeron Princess - Carley Joseph
Delta - Belinda Mayne
Gavrok - Don Henderson
Goronwy - Hugh Lloyd
Hawk - Morgan Deare
Keillor - Brian Hibbard
Murray - Johnny Dennis
Ray - Sara Griffiths
The Lorells - Robin Aspland
The Lorells - Keff McCulloch
The Lorells - Justin Myers
The Lorells - Ralph Salmins
Tollmaster - Ken Dodd
Vinny - Martyn Geraint
Vocalist - Tracey Wilson The vocalists are seen on screen only in Part One; they are heard in Parts Two and Three in the story's incidental music.
Vocalist - Jodie Wilson The vocalists are seen on screen only in Part One; they are heard in Parts Two and Three in the story's incidental music.
Weismuller - Stubby Kaye
Young Chimeron - Jessica McGough
Young Chimeron - Amy Osborn
Crew
Director - Chris Clough
Delta and the Bannermen