Season 13, Episode 3 | 4 parts | First broadcast: 25 October – 15 November 1975 | Writer: “Stephen Harris” (Lewis Greifer and Robert Holmes) | Director: Paddy Russell
Cast
- Tom Baker as the Doctor
- Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith
- Michael Sheard as Laurence Scarman
- Bernard Archard as Marcus Scarman / Sutekh
- Gabriel Woolf as the voice of Sutekh
Summary
Diverted from Earth’s present to 1911, the Doctor and Sarah Jane arrive at Priory House, where archaeologist Marcus Scarman has become the unwitting servant of Sutekh, an imprisoned Osiran god of destruction posing as the Egyptian deity Set. With Sutekh’s mummy-like Service Robots enforcing his will and a pyramid on Mars secretly serving as the mechanism of his ancient imprisonment, the Doctor must stop Scarman’s brother from unknowingly freeing Sutekh, whose escape would mean the annihilation of all life in the universe. Racing between Egypt-inspired Edwardian England and the red sands of Mars, the Doctor faces one of the most powerful and implacable villains he has ever encountered.
Interesting Facts
- Gabriel Woolf’s sonorous, disembodied voice performance as Sutekh is frequently cited by fans and cast members alike as one of the most chilling villain portrayals in the show’s history.
- The story was credited to the pseudonym “Stephen Harris” after significant rewrites by script editor Robert Holmes left the balance of authorship unclear.
- It is consistently ranked among the greatest Doctor Who stories of all time in fan polls and critical retrospectives.
- The Doctor’s stark warning about Earth’s future being erased from history if Sutekh escapes gives the story an unusually high-stakes, apocalyptic tone even for the series.
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