The Leisure Hive (TV story)

The Leisure Hive was the first story of the longer-than-usual Season 18. The story marked the introduction of a new theme arrangement, as well as a modified costume for the Fourth Doctor.

Synopsis
The Doctor and Romana arrive on Argolis in search of a peaceful holiday at the famed Leisure Hive, but instead become embroiled in both a takeover scheme by the Argolins' historic enemy the Foamasi and the machinations of Pangol, the child of the Generator.

Plot
The TARDIS has arrived on Brighton Beach. The Doctor has taken to sunbathing on a cold windy day. K9 is damaged when he rides into the sea. Bored of sunbathing, Romana convinces the Doctor to go to Argolis, the first of the leisure planets, where is a recreation building called the Leisure Hive. The Argolins have been conducting experiments with a science called Tachyonics. With the help of Hardin, an Earth scientist, they plan to use their Tachyon Recreation Generator to rejuvenate themselves, as they are sterile because of a war with a neighbouring species called the Foamasi.

A group of Foamasi from the criminal association called the West Lodge murder two people and commit acts of sabotage. They masquerade as humans and try to get the Argolins to sell the hive to the West Lodge.

Foamasi officials arrive and arrest the two criminals. The Foamasi, like the Argolins, want to live in peace and so do not harm each other. Pangol, a clone made in the Tachyon Recreation Generator, wants to create an army of Argolins with the generator and conquer the planet for himself. The Doctor trips the machine to clone him instead and gradually the clones fade away.

The two West Lodge criminals are killed; when they try to escape in the Foamasi ship, the Argolins blow them up. Pangol enters the generator and it rejuvenates him into a baby.

The Doctor and Romana remove the randomiser from the TARDIS before setting off again.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Tom Baker
 * Romana - Lalla Ward
 * Mena - Adrienne Corri
 * Morix - Laurence Payne
 * Brock - John Collin
 * Pangol - David Haig
 * Hardin - Nigel Lambert
 * Vargos - Martin Fisk
 * Guide - Roy Montague
 * Klout - Ian Talbot
 * Tannoy Voice - Harriet Reynolds
 * Stimson - David Allister
 * Generator Voice - Clifford Norgate
 * Foamasi - Andrew Lane

Crew

 * Assistant Floor Manager - Val McCrimmon
 * Costumes - June Hudson
 * Designer - Tom Yardley-Jones
 * Executive Producer - Barry Letts
 * Film Cameraman - Keith Barton
 * Film Editor - Chris Wimble
 * Incidental Music - Peter Howell
 * Make-Up - Dorka Nieradzik
 * Producer - John Nathan-Turner
 * Production Assistant - Romey Allison
 * Production Unit Manager - Angela Smith
 * Script Editor - Christopher H. Bidmead
 * Special Sounds - Dick Mills
 * Studio Lighting - Duncan Brown
 * Studio Sound - John Howell
 * Theme Arrangement - Peter Howell
 * Title Music - Ron Grainer
 * Visual Effects - Andrew Lazell

Story Notes

 * This story is the debut of the new opening and closing title sequences, complete with 'neon tube' logo, designed by the BBC's Sid Sutton, accompanied by a new Peter Howell-arranged version of Ron Grainer's theme music.
 * This is John Nathan-Turner's first story as producer.
 * The story had a working title of The Argolins.
 * A new TARDIS exterior prop makes its debut, this time made of fibreglass rather than of wood and, with its stacked roof arrangement, somewhat truer to the design of a genuine police box than the previous version (first seen in The Masque of Mandragora).
 * The Doctor's new outfit (the burgundy colour) also debuts in this story.
 * Beginning with this story and continuing for the next several seasons, until The Five Doctors, each serial will be linked in some way, either through some reference, or directly linked.
 * John Leeson returns portraying the voice of K9 having been persuaded by John Nathan-Turner to reprise the role for this season.
 * This story features the first use in Doctor Who of the digital Quantel image processing system. Amongst the effects created by the use of this system was a moving shot of the TARDIS materialising on Argolis (whereas the 'roll back and mix' technique by which the materialisation was achieved normally necessitated a completely static shot).

Ratings

 * Part One - 5.9 million viewers
 * Part Two - 5.0 million viewers
 * Part Three - 5.0 million viewers
 * Part Four - 4.5 million viewers

Myths
to be added

Filming Locations

 * Brighton Beach, Brighton, East Sussex
 * BBC Television Centre (TC1 & TC3), Shepherd's Bush, London

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

 * The wires pulling K9 along the beach are particularly visible in part one.
 * In episode two the top of the sonic screwdriver is nearly bent off.

Continuity

 * The Fomasi reappear in EDA: Placebo Effect.
 * This is not the only time a story is resolved by de-aging the Doctor's antagonist, as happens to Pangolin DW: Boom Town, the Slitheen Margaret Blaine is regressed back into an egg by the Doctor's TARDIS.
 * The Doctor is also rapidly aged in DW: The Sound of Drums.

DVD and Video Releases
DVD Releases

Released as Doctor Who: The Leisure Hive.

Released:
 * Region 2 5th July 2004
 * PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1351


 * Region 4 7th October 2004
 * Region 1 7th June 2005
 * NTSC - Warner Video E2217

Contents:
 * A New Beginning Documentary - A look at the radical changes made to Doctor Who by incoming Producer John Nathan-Turner.
 * From Avalon to Argolis - David Fisher and Christopher H. Bidmead recall the writing of the story.
 * Leisure Wear - June Hudson talks about the costumes for the story.
 * Synthesizing Starfields - Peter Howell and Sid Sutton recall the creation of the new titles sequence and theme arrangement.
 * Blue Peter - A look at the exhibition at Longleat.
 * 5.1 Mix
 * Music-only Option
 * Photo Gallery
 * Production Subtitles
 * Easter Egg
 * Commentary: Lalla Ward, Lovett Bickford, and Christopher H. Bidmead

Notes:
 * Editing for DVD release completed by Doctor Who Restoration Team.

Video Releases

Released as Doctor Who: The Leisure Hive.

Released:
 * UK January 1997
 * PAL - BBC Video BBCV5821


 * US September 1997
 * NTSC - Warner Video E1135

Novelisation

 * Main article: Doctor Who and the Leisure Hive


 * Novelised as Doctor Who and the Leisure Hive by David Fisher.