The Sensorites

Information

Writer: Peter R. Newman
Director: Mervyn Pinfield (episodes 1-4), Frank Cox (episode 5-6)
Script Editor: David Whitaker
Producer: Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (associate producer)
Executive Producer(s): None

Originally Broadcast: 20th June - 1st August 1964

Episodes: 6
Duration: 25 mins each episode
Production Code: G
Series: 1
Story Number: 7
Enemy: Second Elder, Un-named Humans
Setting: Spacecraft in orbit around Sense Sphere; 28th century, Sense Sphere; 28th century


Synopsis

The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan arrive in the TARDIS on board a spaceship. Their initial concern is for the ship's human crew who are suffering from telepathic interference from the Sensorites, but Susan communicates with the Sensorites and finds that the aliens are fearful of an attack from the humans and are just defending themselves. Travelling to the Sense Sphere (the Sensorites' planet) the Doctor then seeks to cure an illness the Sensorites and Ian have succumbed to, but finds that this has been caused by deliberate poisoning. The political maneuvering of the Sensorite City Administrator adds an additional threat to the TARDIS crew as he seeks to discredit and implicate them.

Cast

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton - William Russell

Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill

Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford

John - Stephen Dartnell

Carol Richmond - Ilona Rodgers

Captain Maitland - Lorne Cossette

First Sensorite - Ken Tyllsen

Second Sensorite - Joe Greig

Third Sensorite - Peter Glaze

Fourth Sensorite - Arthur Newall

First Elder - Eric Francis

Second Elder - Bartlett Mullins

First Scientist - Ken Tyllsen

Second Scientist - Joe Greig

Warrior - Joe Greig

Commander - John Bailey

First Human - Martyn Huntley

Second Human - Giles Phibbs

Sensorite - Anthony Rogers (uncredited)

Sensorite - Gerry Martin (uncredited)

Story Notes

• All episodes exist in 16mm telerecordings.
  
• Negative film prints of all episodes where recovered from BBC Enterprises in 1978.
  
• Jacqueline Hill does not appear in episodes 5 and 6 as she was on holiday while they were filmed.
  
• This story was nearly cancelled as a result of a studio dispute.
  
• Hidden Danger was postponed for one week due to a sporting event.
  
• Stephen Dartnell appears as John. He had previously appeared as Yartek in The Keys of Marinus.
  
• John Bailey, later to feature as Edward Waterfield in 1967's The Evil of the Daleks has a role here as the Commander.
  
• Designer Raymond Cusick used almost all curves in his sets for the Sense Sphere, feeling that this would give a more alien look.
  
• Russell T. Davies has acknowledged the Sensorites as an influence on the basic concept of the Ood in The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit.
  

Preceded by: The Aztecs - Followed by: The Reign of Terror