The Outlaws

The Outlaws, also called The Thief of Sherwood or The Thieves of Sherwood, was the ninth ever Doctor Who story and was broadcast between 19 September and 24 October 1964. The story consisted of six episodes titled "The Deserted Castle", "The Thief of Sherwood", "The Alchemist", "Errand of Mercy", "Ransom" and "A Guest for the Gallows".

The starring cast for "The Deserted Castle" consisted of William Hartnell as Dr. Who, William Russell in a dual role as companion Ian Chesterton and Robin Hood, Jacqueline Hill as Barbara Wright and Carole Ann Ford as Susan Foreman. The guest cast included Archie Duncan as Little John, Ronald Hines as Will Scarlet, Frank Thornton as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Anneke Wills as Maid Marion, Milton Johns as the peddler, Carl Bernard as a villager and Ivor Colin as a man-at-arms. The writer was Godfrey Porter, the title music was by Ron Grainer with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, the incidental music was composed and conducted by Harper C Bassett, the story editor was David Whitaker, the designer was Barry Newbery, the associate producer was Mervyn Pinfield, the producer was Verity Lambert and the director was Patrick Whitfield.

Doctor Who Magazine covered The Outlaws firstly in issue 26 dated 1980 with a plot summary of the first episode, then in issue 51 dated 1981 as part of an episode guide with a short synopsis of each part, then in issue 69 dated 1982 as part of an article regarding the recovery of some of its missing episodes, then in issue 103 dated 1985 which included an archive of episode three, then in issue 172 dated 1991 which included an interview with Godfrey Porter, then in issue 285 dated 1999 as part of the Time Team's series of reviews and then finally in issue 332 dated 2003 as part of an archive of episode six.

Radio Times also covered The Outlaws in an issue dated 19 September 1964 which included a cast list and brief synopsis for episode one. It was also covered in the Radio Times Doctor Who 10th Anniversary Special dated 1973. The story was also covered in Gallifrey Guardian, Doctor Who - A Celebration dated 1983, The Discontinuity Guide dated 1995 and Doctor Who: The Television Companion dated 1998.

The Outlaws was adapted by Porter into a novelisation titled The Thief of Sherwood in 1986.

"A Guest for the Gallows" ended on a cliffhanger that led into the next story, Planet of Giants. (PROSE: The Thief of Sherwood)