Season 26, Episode 1 | 4 parts | First broadcast: 6–27 September 1989 | Writer: Ben Aaronovitch | Director: Michael Kerrigan
Cast
- Sylvester McCoy as the Doctor
- Sophie Aldred as Ace
- Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
- Jean Marsh as Morgaine
- Angela Bruce as Brigadier Winifred Bambera
Summary
Called in when a UNIT platoon comes under sudden, inexplicable attack near an English lake, the Doctor and Ace discover that Arthurian legend and interdimensional sorcery have collided with the present day, as the ancient sorceress Morgaine and her knights arrive seeking a fallen king believed to be sleeping beneath the earth. As old soldier the Brigadier is drawn out of retirement to assist new UNIT commander Brigadier Bambera, the Doctor finds himself mistaken for the legendary Merlin, entangled in a mythic battle whose true stakes threaten the entire world.
Interesting Facts
- This story marks the return of Nicholas Courtney as the Brigadier, a character with roots stretching back to the Second Doctor era, now sharing UNIT command with a new officer.
- Jean Marsh, previously seen in two First Doctor-era serials decades earlier, returns to the series in a dramatically different villainous role as Morgaine.
- The story blends Arthurian mythology with science fiction, suggesting that magic in the Doctor Who universe may be explainable through advanced alien science.
- Its UNIT-family reunion tone was intended to honor the series’ history as the show entered its final classic-era season.
No Responses