The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (TV story)

Synopsis
The Doctor and Ace head for the Psychic Circus on the planet Segonax, where they meet a disparate group of fellow visitors including a pompous explorer named Captain Cook and his companion Mags and a biker known as Nord.

The Circus itself is dominated by the sinister Chief Clown and his deadly troupe of robot clowns, who organise a talent contest in which all visitors take part. The audience consists of just a single strange family - mother, father and daughter - seated at the ringside. Although hindered by the treacherous Cook, the Doctor eventually discovers that the Circus hides a terrible secret: the family are in reality the Gods of Ragnarok, powerful creatures with an insatiable craving for entertainment who invariably destroy those who fail to please them.

With Ace's help, the Doctor ends the Gods' influence here and returns the Circus to the control of its original hippie owners.

Plot
to be added

Cast

 * The Doctor - Sylvester McCoy
 * Ace - Sophie Aldred
 * Captain Cook - T. P. McKenna
 * Mags - Jessica Martin
 * Ringmaster - Ricco Ross
 * Chief Clown - Ian Reddington
 * Stallslady - Peggy Mount
 * Whizz Kid - Gian Sammarco
 * Nord - Daniel Peacock
 * Bellboy - Christopher Guard
 * Morgana - Deborah Manship
 * Deadbeat - Chris Jury
 * Flowerchild - Dee Sadler
 * Bus Conductor - Dean Hollingsworth
 * Dad - David Ashford
 * Mum - Janet Hargreaves
 * Little Girl - Kathryn Ludlow

Crew

 * Assistant Floor Managers - David Tilley, Duncan McAlpine
 * Costumes - Rosalind Ebbutt
 * Designer - David Laskey
 * Incidental Music - Mark Ayres
 * Make-Up - Denise Baron
 * OB Cameramen - Barry Chaston, Alan Jessop
 * Producer - John Nathan-Turner
 * Production Assistant - Alexandra Todd
 * Production Associate - June Collins
 * Script Editor - Andrew Cartmel
 * Special Sounds - Dick Mills
 * Studio Lighting - Don Babbage, Henry Barber
 * Studio Sound - Scott Talbott
 * Theme Arrangement - Keff McCulloch
 * Title Music - Ron Grainer
 * Visual Effects - Steve Bowman

Story Notes

 * An asbestos scare struck the BBC's studios therefore the shots that take place in the tent are the shots that were filmed in a tent.
 * This story was originally a Three parter but was expanded (at the request of the producers) to Four parts.
 * Ben Aaronovitch suggested the character that became Captain Cook.
 * Whizz Kid, the fan character, was a deliberate parody of Doctor Who fans.

Ratings

 * Part 1 - 5.0 million viewers
 * Part 2 - 5.3 million viewers
 * Part 3 - 4.8 million viewers
 * Part 4 - 6.6 million viewers

Myths
to be added

Locations
This story was technically filmed entirely on location, although the main location was the car park of a studio.
 * Warmwell Quarry, Dorset
 * The car park of BBC Elstree, Hertfordshire

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
to be added

Continuity

 * It is revealed in NA: Conundrum and No Future that the Gods of Ragnarok created the Land of Fiction.

DVD and Video Releases
to be added

Soundtrack
A soundtrack album of Mark Ayres' score was released by Silva Screen Records on FILMCD 114.

Target Novelisations

 * Novelised as The Greatest Show in the Galaxy in 1989 by Stephen Wyatt.