Story #7 "The Sensorites"

Season

1

Writer

Peter R Newman

Book/CD

 X

Episodes

6

Director

Mervyn Pinfield/Frank Cox

Vid

 X

Story code

G

Producer

Verty Lambert

DVD

X

Episode Details

Episode

DR MM:SS

TX dd/mm/yy

RPT TX dd/mm/yy

In BBC Archive

1

24:46

20/06/1964

Y

2

24:44

27/06/1964

Y

Cast Details

Regular Cast

William Hartnell (First Doctor) , Carole Ann Ford (Susan Foreman) , Jacqueline Hill (Barbara Wright) , William Russell (Ian Chesterton)

Guest Cast

Stephen Dartnell (John) / Ilona Rodgers (Carol) / Lorne Cossette (Maitland) / Ken Tyllsen (1st Sensorite) / Joe Greig (2nd Sensorite) / John Bailey (Commander) / Martyn Huntley (First Human) / Giles Phibbs (Second Human) / Ken Tyllsen (First Sensorite) / Joe Greig (Second Sensorite) / Peter Glaze (Third Sensorite) / Arthur Newall (Fourth Sensorite) / Eric Francis (First Elder) / Bartlett Mullins (Second Elder) / Ken Tyllsen (First Scientist) / Joe Greig (Second Scientist / Warrior) / Gerry Martin (Anthony Rogers)

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands on the deck of a gigantic spaceship from 28th century Earth. Its Captain, Maitland, explains that they are under the control of a race called the Sensorites, who live on Sense-Sphere planet. They are all physically identical, with huge, bald heads. Through telepathic communication with Susan, the Sensorites invite them down to Sense-Sphere for talks. They explain they know the spcship has discovered the mineral Molubdenum on their planet, and they are wary of being exploited. The Sensorites fear Humans because many of they have died since another spaceship left. The Doctor discovers deadly nightshade in the city's wter supply and tracks down the culprits to underground caves - three deranged spacemen left behind from a previous expedition. The Captain promises to say nothing of the Sensorites existence.

Notes

1. All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
2. Negative film prints of all episodes were recovered from BBC Enterprises in 1978.
3. Jacqueline Hill does not appear in episodes 4 and 5 as she was on holiday while they were filmed.
4. This story was nearly cancelled as a result of a studio dispute.
5. 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]
6. Stephen Dartnell, who appears as John, had previously appeared as Yartek in The Keys of Marinus.
7. John Bailey, later to feature as Edward Waterfield in 1967's The Evil of the Daleks, has a role here as the Commander.
8. Designer Raymond Cusick used almost all curves in his sets for the Sense Sphere, feeling that this would give a more alien look.
9. 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.