Story #12 "The Romans"

Season

2

Writer

Dennis Spooner

Book/CD

 X

Episodes

4

Director

Christopher Barry

Vid

 X

Story code

M

Producer

Verity Lambert

DVD

X

Episode Details

Episode

DR MM:SS

TX dd/mm/yy

RPT TX dd/mm/yy

In BBC Archive

1

24:14

16/01/1965

Y

2

23:14

23/01/1965

Y

Cast Details

Regular Cast

William Hartnell (First Doctor) , Vicki (Maureen O Brien) , Jacqueline Hill (Barbara Wright) , William Russell (Ian Chesterton)

Guest Cast

Derek Sydney (Sevcheria) / Nicholas Evans (Didius) / Dennis Edwards (Centurian) / Margot Thomas (Stall holder) / Edward Kelsey (Slave buyer) / Bart Allison (Maximus Pettulian) / Barry Jackson (Ascaris) / Peter Diamond (Delos) / Michael Peake (Tavius) / Dorothy-Rose Gribble (Woman Slave) / Gertan Klauber (Galley Master) / Ernest Jennings (1st Man in Market) / John Caesar (2nd Man in Market) / Tony Lambden (Court Messenger) / Derek Francis (Nero) / Brian Proudfoot (Tigilinus) / Kay Patrick (Poppaea) / Ann Tirard (Locusta)

Synopsis

The Doctor and his companions take a holiday at a villa just outside Rome in 64 AD. While he and Vicki visit Rome, Ian and Barbara are captured and taken as slaves; Ian is sold as a galley slave, and Barbara to Nero's court. The Doctor is mistaken as an enemy of Nero's and is taken to the Emperors palace.

Notes

• This was the first story played for comedy as well as drama.
• All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
• Negative film prints of all episodes exist and were recovered by the BBC in 1978.
• Telesnaps of this story are held by private collectors.
• The characters of Tigellinus and Sevcheria were both expanded during re-writes of the script.
• The Web Planet  leads directly into this story.
• This is the second story in a row in which the Doctor is given a surprisingly physical fight sequence. In fact, his brawl with Ascaris recalls similar fights involving the Third Doctor, including the Doctor judo-flipping his opponent.