Season 18, Episode 5 | 4 parts | First broadcast: 3–24 January 1981 | Writer: Stephen Gallagher | Director: Paul Joyce
Cast
- Tom Baker as the Doctor
- Lalla Ward as Romana
- Matthew Waterhouse as Adric
- Clifford Rose as Rorvik
- David Weston as Biroc
Summary
Seeking a way out of E-Space, the TARDIS drifts into a strange void connecting universes, a threshold guarded by the Tharils, a once-mighty race of time-sensitive lions now enslaved by a ruthless human trading crew desperate to escape the same void. As the crew grows increasingly unstable and violent in their attempts to force a way home, the Doctor must help broker the Tharils’ freedom while deciding the fate of his own companions at the boundary between two universes.
Interesting Facts
- The story is noted for its unusually experimental, surreal visual style, including extensive use of black-and-white and stark, theatrical void sets.
- It marks Lalla Ward’s final regular serial as Romana, who chooses to remain in E-Space alongside K9 rather than return to N-Space with the Doctor.
- Director Paul Joyce’s unconventional approach caused significant friction during production, reportedly leading to producer John Nathan-Turner briefly taking over some directorial duties.
- The Tharils’ slavery at the hands of the trading crew gives the story a pointed thematic undercurrent about power, captivity and exploitation.
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