Season 8, Episode 5 | 5 parts | First broadcast: 22 May – 19 June 1971 | Writer: Guy Leopold (Robert Sloman and Barry Letts) | Director: Christopher Barry
Cast
- Jon Pertwee as the Doctor
- Katy Manning as Jo Grant
- Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
- Roger Delgado as the Master
Summary
An archaeological dig at the village of Devil’s End, secretly overseen by the Master posing as the new vicar, unearths an ancient alien Dæmon named Azal whose immense power has fuelled centuries of Earth mythology about magic and the supernatural. As folklore, Morris dancing, and white and black magic collide with UNIT’s military response, the Doctor must stop the Master from harnessing Azal’s power before it destroys the village, and possibly the world.
Interesting Facts
- This serial closes out Season 8 and delivers the season-long Master arc’s biggest confrontation yet between the Doctor and his rival.
- Its blend of folk horror, village fete comedy, and science fiction has made it one of the most fondly remembered stories of the entire Pertwee era.
- Extensive location filming took place in the real village of Aldbourne, Wiltshire, which stood in for the fictional Devil’s End.
- The Doctor’s motorcycle-riding, cape-wearing action-hero persona, one of the defining images of his era, is showcased prominently throughout this story.
No Responses