Frontios (TV story)

...Frontios buries its own dead...

In the far reaches of the future, the TARDIS crash-lands on the planet Frontios in the Veruna system, where the last remnants of humanity have fled the collision of Earth with the sun. Gruesome tales of a hungry earth stalk the struggling settlement, and a bombardment of meteors from an unseen enemy hold the future of mankind in a precarious balance.

At a crucial point in history, with the future still unknown, the Doctor is unable to intervene for fear of violating the laws of Time itself.

But when the TARDIS is destroyed in an attack on the colony, he may have no choice.

Cast
The Doctor - Peter Davison

Tegan Jovanka - Janet Fielding

Vislor Turlough - Mark Strickson

Brazen - Peter Gilmore

Norna - Lesley Dunlop

Range - William Lucas

Plantagenet - Jeff Rawle

Cockerill - Maurice O'Connell

Orderly - Richard Ashley (Episode 1)

Gravis - John Gillett (Episodes 2-4)

Deputy - Alison Skilbeck (Episode 3)

Retrograde - Raymond Murtagh (Episodes 3-4)

Captain Revere - John Beardmore

Crew
Christopher H Bidmead (Writer), Ron Jones (Director), John Nathan-Turner (Producer), Eric Saward (Script Editor), David Buckingham (Designer), Joanna Guritz (Assistant Floor Manager), June Collins (Production Associate), Anushia Nieradzik (Costumes), Jill Hagger (Make Up), Joanna Guritz (Assistant Floor Manager), Dave Havard (Visual Effects), Paddy Kingsland (Incidental Music), Valerie Letley (Production Assistant), Dick Mills (Sound Effects), Martin Ridout (Studio Sound), Ed Stevenson (Assistant Floor Manager), John Summers (Studio Lighting), Ron Grainer (Title Music)

Bad Guys

 * Tractators

Story Notes

 * For the first time, we see a solid reference to Turlough's home planet, which was attacked millenia ago by the Tractators.


 * The role of Range was originally supposed to be played by Peter Arne, a character actor perhaps best known for his roles in the films Victor/Victoria and Return of the Pink Panther, as well as several guest roles on The Avengers. Following a wardrobe test for the part, Arne returned to his flat where he was bludgeoned to death by an unknown assailant. William Lucas filled in for Arne. While a student Arne was in a relationship with, and who was later found floating dead in the Thames, remains a prime suspect, the identity and motive of Arne's killer is a mystery to this day.

Myths

 * This story was originally intended to feature Richard Hurndall in a black and white flashback remembered by Peter Davison's Doctor after hitting his head on the TARDIS control console. (False)

Broadcast Dates
Part 1 - 26th January, 1984 - 6:40pm - 7:05pm

Part 2 - 27th January, 1984 - 6:40pm - 7:05pm

Part 3 - 2nd February, 1984 - 6:40pm - 7:05pm

Part 4 - 3rd February, 1984 - 6:40pm - 7:05pm

Continuity

 * Turlough makes reference to the Arar Jecks of Heiradi, who had hollowed a huge subterranean city beneath the surface of their planet during the Twenty Aeon War.


 * Turlough's home planet was attacked millenia ago by Tractators - an event that was locked into their ancestral memory. The sight of the Tractators triggers a memory resurgence which causes Turlough to go into catatonic shock.  Gradually he recalls more and more of these memories, which allow him to 'remember' who the Tractators were, what their goals were - and more importantly, how to defeat them.


 * The Gravis is aware of the capabilities of a TARDIS, presumably by reputation.

Quotes

 * Turlough: "Fleeing from the imminence of a catastrophic collision with the sun, a group of refugees from the DOOMED planet Earth..."
 * The Doctor: "Oh, marvellous. You're going to kill me. What a finely tuned response to the situation."
 * The Doctor: [Regarding the TARDIS] "As an invasion weapon, you'd have to agree that it's about as offensive as a chicken vol-au-vent."

More Info

 * Story Synopsis


 * Story Transcript


 * Story Novelization


 * DVD Release


 * Video Release