The Caves of Androzani (TV story)

"I might regenerate, I don't know"

- The Doctor, Close to death, Ponders his fate

Synopsis
The Doctor and Peri are caught in the midst of a power struggle between gun runners, a fiendish masked madman, government troops and crooked politicians over the precious mineral Spectrox.

Plot
The TARDIS arrives on Androzani Minor, the source of a life-prolonging drug refined from a substance called spectrox. Production of the drug is controlled by Sharaz Jek, a facially deformed madman in self-imposed exile who blames Morgus, a powerful industrialist on Androzani Major, for all his misfortunes.

Jek is fighting government troops sent to liberate the drug. His weaponry is being supplied by gun-runners secretly employed by Morgus, who receives payment from Jek in refined spectrox. This gives Morgus a monopoly of the drug on Major.

Jek ecnountered Peri and the Doctor, and fell in love with Peri, and saves her and the Doctor from being executed on Morgus's orders by government troops led by General Chellak. The two travellers escape after learning that they have contracted spectrox toxæmia, a fatal condition to which there is only one antidote - the milk from a queen bat, which the Doctor must obtain from the deep caves on Minor. Morgus, seeing his power base slipping away, travels to Minor.

In a climactic battle, Morgus, Jek and all the soldiers are killed. With moments to spare, the Doctor carries Peri back to the TARDIS, where he gives her all the milk that he has managed to collect. She recovers, but the Doctor has to regenerate to save his own life. However, he says that his regeneration feels "different" and isn't sure if he could. During his regeneration, he had a horrifying vision of the Master, who was trying to stop him. However, the Doctor fought and eventually managed to have regenerated into the Sixth Doctor.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Peter Davison
 * Peri - Nicola Bryant
 * The Doctor - Colin Baker
 * Sharaz Jek - Christopher Gable
 * Morgus - John Normington
 * Salateen - Robert Glenister
 * Stotz - Maurice Roëves
 * Chellak - Martin Cochrane
 * Krelper - Roy Holder
 * Timmin - Barbara Kinghorn
 * President - David Neal
 * Soldier - Ian Staples
 * The Master - Anthony Ainley
 * Adric - Matthew Waterhouse
 * Nyssa - Sarah Sutton
 * Tegan Jovanka - Janet Fielding
 * Turlough - Mark Strickson
 * Voice of Kamelion - Gerald Flood

Crew

 * Assistant Floor Manager - Sue Hedden
 * Costumes - Andrew Rose
 * Designer - John Hurst
 * Film Cameraman - John Walker
 * Film Editor - Roger Guertin
 * Incidental Music - Roger Limb
 * Make-Up - John Nethercot, Shirley Stallard
 * Producer - John Nathan-Turner
 * Production Assistant - Juley Harding
 * Production Associate - June Collins
 * Script Editor - Eric Saward
 * Special Sounds - Dick Mills
 * Studio Lighting - Don Babbage
 * Studio Sound - Scott Talbott
 * Theme Arrangement - Peter Howell
 * Title Music - Ron Grainer
 * Visual Effects - Jim Francis, Stuart Brisdon

Story Notes

 * Despite the title, the Doctor notes that the caves are in fact blowholes.
 * The maps of the caves shown on screen bear an uncanny resemblance to the video game Dig Dug.
 * This story had the working title of; Chain Reaction.
 * This is Peter Davison's final TV story, however he reprised the role on screen in Dimensions in Time and Time Crash.
 * The regeneration sequence features specially recorded cameos by Matthew Waterhouse, Janet Fielding, Sarah Sutton, Mark Strickson, Gerald Flood and Anthony Ainley.
 * The closing credits to Part Four feature the face of new Doctor Colin Baker, and list him before Peter Davison.
 * Christopher Gable was not the first choice to play Sharaz Jek; among the actors offered the role were Tim Curry and David Bowie.
 * Colin Baker previously appeared (as Commander Maxil) in Arc of Infinity.
 * The Doctor has been "this way before" and says that Androzani Minor "hasn't changed".

Influences

 * Frank Herbert's Dune (people being killed over a drug that extends life; the unstable "tripod of power" between the rulers of Androzani; the "mud blows" and Androzani Minor's generally arid climate)
 * The Phantom of the Opera (mentally unbalanced but brilliant recluse wears a mask to conceal facial disfigurement; develops obsessive fascination with an attractive young woman and eventually abducts her)

Ratings

 * Part 1 - 6.9 million viewers
 * Part 2 - 6.6 million viewers
 * Part 3 - 7.8 million viewers
 * Part 4 - 7.8 million viewers

Myths
to be added

Filming Locations

 * Masters Pit, Hansons Aggregates, Stokeford Heath, Dorset
 * BBC Television Centre (TC6), Shepherd's Bush, London

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

 * The Fifth Doctor met the Tenth Doctor in Time Crash. So why was he so worried about his regeneration in this story? Generally, Doctors seem not to remember meeting their future incarnations (c.f. The Three Doctors, The Five Doctors, The Two Doctors); this is often attributed to the Blinovitch Limitation Effect or to Time Lord interference in their memories. Or, since he evidently remembered the events in Time Crash, perhaps his worry was caused by the fact that time was in flux and he didn't know whether the timeline leading to Time Crash would ever happen.
 * In one moment of the regeneration scene, the Doctor's head is on Peri's lap, in the next he is lying flat on the floor with Peri nowhere near him. (After the regeneration we see her crouched by the door). She was scared by the lights.
 * When Stotz is firing at Sharaz Jek at the conclusion of part Four, part of his gun splits in two and falls off. It could have been an old gun that was broken, although this is unlikely unless the guns of the future are made of balsa wood.

Continuity

 * This leads straight into DW: The Twin Dilemma.
 * Part of BFA: Circular Time takes place during/in the lead up to the Doctor's regeneration.
 * Following this story, the Sixth Doctor goes through a brief period where he subconsciously blames Peri for his previous self's death, and tries to distance himself from her while telling himself he's working towards a greater good, until he finally realizes this in MA: Burning Heart.
 * In NA: Timewyrm: Revelation it is revealed that after the Fifth Doctor dies he becomes the Doctor's conscience., but is buried by the Seventh Doctor following his regeneration.

DVD, Video, and Other Releases
DVD Releases

Released as Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani, this release was the third of 2001.

Released:
 * Region 2 18th June 2001
 * PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1042


 * Region 4 7th January 2002
 * Region 1 2nd April 2002
 * NTSC - Warner Video E1606

Contents:
 * Behind the Scenes: The Regeneration - Footage of final studio session, with commentary.
 * Behind the Scenes: Creating Sharaz Jek - Interview with Christopher Gable.
 * BBC News - Report of Peter Davison's departure (28th July 1983).
 * South East at Six News - Peter Davison and John Nathan-Turner talk about the future of the series.
 * Extended Scene
 * Music-only Option
 * Trailer
 * Photo Gallery
 * Production Subtitles
 * Commentary: Peter Davison, Nicola Bryant and Graeme Harper

Rear Credits:
 * Starring Peter Davison
 * By Robert Holmes
 * Produced by John Nathan-Turner
 * Directed by Graeme Harper
 * Incidental Music by Roger Limb

Video Releases

Released as Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani.

Released:
 * UK January 1992
 * PAL - BBC Video BBCV4713


 * Australia/NZ February 1992
 * US October 1992
 * NTSC - Warner Video E1183

Novelisation

 * Main article: The Caves of Androzani (novelisation)


 * Novelised as The Caves of Androzani in 1985 by Terrance Dicks.