4P. The Deadly Assassin

TRANSMISSION DETAILS:

436. Part One                      30.10.76   6.05pm - 6.30pm  11.8M/15th/---
437. Part Two                      06.11.76   6.05pm - 6.30pm  12.1M/11th/59%
438. Part Three                    13.11.76   6.05pm - 6.30pm  13.0M/12th/---
439. Part Four                     20.11.76   6.05pm - 6.30pm  11.8M/12th/61%

     Part One                Thu   04.08.77   6.20pm - 6.45pm   4.4M/ 72nd
     Part Two                      11.08.77   6.20pm - 6.45pm   2.6M/139th
     Part Three                    18.08.77   6.20pm - 6.45pm   3.8M/ 99th
     Part Four                     25.08.77   6.20pm - 6.45pm   3.5M/104th

CHANCELLOR GOTH: Bernard Horsfall; THE MASTER: Peter Pratt; CASTELLAN SPANDRELL: George Pravda; CO-ORDINATOR ENGIN: Erik Chitty; CARDINAL BORUSA: Angus McKay (1,2,4); COMMANDER HILRED: Derek Seaton (1,2,4); COMMENTATOR RUNCIBLE: Hugh Walters (1-2); THE PRESIDENT: Llewellyn Rees (1+reprise 2); TIME LORDS: John Dawson (1-2), Michael Bilton (1); GOLD USHER: Maurice Quick (1); SOLIS: Peter Mayock (3); NARRATION VOICE: Helen Blatch (4). UNCREDITED: GUARDS: Harry Fielder (1,2,4), Pat Gorman (1-2), Steve Ismay (1,2,4), Michael Lomax (1-2); TANNOY VOICE: Derek Seaton (1); TECHNICIAN: Brian Nolan (1); TRAIN DRIVER: David Smith (2+reprise 3); SAMURAI: Bernard Horsfall (2); GAS MASKED SOLDIER: Dave Goody (2); BIPLANE PILOT: Chris Jessons (3); DOUBLES FOR THE DOCTOR: Eddie Powell (3), Terry Walsh (4); DOUBLE FOR GOTH: Terry Walsh (3); POIND: Pat Gorman (4); TIME LORD WALK-ONS AND EXTRAS: (all 1-2) Leslie Bates, Willie Bowman, Alf Coster, Reg Cranfield, Jim Delaney, Michael Earl, Walter Henry, James Linten, Steve Kelly, Richard King, Ronald Mayer, George Romanov, Terry Sartaine, Garth Watkins, Sonnie Wills, Geoff Witherick, Christopher Woods

STORY:

After receiving a summons from the Time Lords the Doctor returns to Gallifrey. During the journey he experiences a premonition of the President's death. The TARDIS materialises and immediatelty attracts the attention of the Chacellery Guards, who use a key to enter the TARDIS and arrest the Doctor.

The Doctor manages to create a diversion, and sneaks out of the TARDIS, unseen until he enters a 53 storey lift. Pursued by the Guards he manages to disguise himself and attend the abdication of the Lord President. From a vantage point the Doctor sees the killer, and tries to shoot him.

The Doctor is caught and accused of the murder or the President. There is a law on Gallifrey that states that when a new President is sworn in political prisoners are set free. In order for this not to happen Chancellor Goth attempts to try, and execute, the Doctor first.

The Doctor manages to buy himself some time and discovers that the villain who tried to frame him is none other than the Master, who has reached the end of his natural life. He plans to obtain the Sash, and the Rod, of Rassilon, in order to release the power of the black hole located beneath the Panopitcan.

The Doctor thwarts the Master's plan, and finds that Chancellor Goth has been helping. Goth dies as the Master escapes, and Borusa, one of the Doctors old teachers, becomes President.

STUDIOS: Television Centre Studio 3, Television Centre Studio 8, Ealing Film Studios

LOCATIONS: Gardens of Royal Alexandra and Albert School, Reigate, Surrey; Betchworth Quarry, Dorking, Surrey

WORKING TITLE: The Dangerous Assassin

NOTES: The organ music heard in the story was played by Leslie Pearson
The 1977 repeat cut the cliff-hanger to Part Three

NOVELISATION: The Deadly Assassin Terrance Dicks

VIDEO: The Deadly Assassin