The Caves of Androzani (TV story)

"Feels different this time..."

- The Doctor before he regenerates

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.

Part One
The dangerous, desert planet Androzani Minor is the only source for a powerful drug called spectrox created by bats that inhabits the planet's caves. Spectrox is highly-valued by the population of nearby Androzani Major due to its capacity to extend one's life. The spectrox mining interests are controlled by Trau Morgus, a business conglomerate leader on Androzani Major, but the operation has been threatened by the masked Sharaz Jek and his army of androids, causing public tension on Androzani Major due to limited supplies. Morgus has publicly funded a military operation by the Androzani Major's government against Jek's androids, but at the same time has secretly backed a gunrunning group to deliver weapons to Jek to profit from the war.

The TARDIS lands on Androzani Minor, and the Doctor and Peri decide to explore a set of tracks that lead into a nearby cave. As they explore, they are briefly caught in a ball of an unknown sticky substance, but they easily break free. Further into the caves, they discover a hoard of weapons, but are then captured by General Chellak's forces, believing the two to be working for gunrunners Stotz and Krepler. Morgus orders their assassination after seeing that Chellak's "gunrunners" are not his own men over holographic communication. When the two are brought to the execution squad, General Chellak gives the order to fire, and the soldiers pump bullets into them...

Part Two
Morgus switches off as the bodies are cut free of the execution posts, dismissing the Doctor and Peri as criminal riff-raff, and suggesting to the President that all people in the cities without valid work permits be sent to the Eastern labour camps to cut down on crime. It occurs to the President as he leaves that Morgus has been closing plants in the West and building them in the East -- which means that if he were to accept Morgus' suggestion, the exact same people would be working for him again, only this time without pay...

Chellak and Salateen discover that they've just solemnly executed two androids. Humiliated, and realizing that his career will be finished if word of this gets out, Chellak decides to cover up the incident and send the only other soldier who knows on a suicide mission. He assumes that the Doctor and Peri were androids all along, but in fact the real Doctor and Peri have been rescued and taken to Sharaz Jek's base to become his companions in exile. The real Major Salateen is also a prisoner in Jek's base; Jek kidnapped him months ago and replaced him with an android double who informs him of every move the army makes. Jek will not be seriously threatened for years, and long before them the people of Major will rise up. And Jek will give them all the spectrox they want -- when he has Morgus' head on a plate.

Back on Major, Morgus is satisfied to hear that the Northcawl copper mine has just exploded, solving the problem of overproduction and causing the market price of copper to increase. Meanwhile, Stotz has to put down a minor rebellion among his fellow gun-runners, some of whom want to cut their losses and go. Stotz nearly kills the mutinous ringleader, Krelper, but lets him live... for the moment. Back at the army camp, the Salateen android reports to Chellak that a mud burst may be imminent.

The real Salateen believes that Jek will kill him now that he has more interesting companions, and thus bursts out laughing when he realizes that the Doctor's and Peri's rash and cramps were caused by exposure to a spectrox nest. The puffball they encountered earlier was a raw deposit left by the bat colonies, and although it's an elixir of life once it's refined, it's a deadly poison in its raw state. The Doctor and Peri are already in the second stage of spectrox toxaemia, and unless they can get the milk of a queen bat, they'll soon be dead. Most of the queens have retreated from the android harvesters into the lower levels of the caves, where there is little oxygen, and some sort of creature lives in the mud of the planet's core and feeds on anything that moves...

Stotz contacts Jek and demands payment, as the shipment was made in good faith and it isn't his fault that the androids never showed up. Before Jek goes Peri makes the mistake of asking why he hates Morgus so much, and Jek flies into a rage. He built the androids to harvest spectrox on the understanding that he and Morgus would share the profits equally, but Morgus supplied Jek with faulty equipment and left him to die in a mud burst. Jek survived but was scalded for life, and blames Morgus for his disfigurement. He departs, leaving androids to guard his prisoners; all of his androids are programmed to shoot on sight any human who isn't wearing one of Jek's protective belt-buckle signallers.

The Doctor decides to risk approaching an android, which is confused by his inhuman double pulmonary system and allows him to get close enough to disable it. Peri takes the one remaining belt-buckle, and Salateen accompanies her and the Doctor as they return to the TARDIS, intending to fetch oxygen masks in order to get to the queen bats and their milk. But in the caves outside they are shot at by a patrolling android and the Doctor is knocked unconscious by a ricochet. Salateen uses Peri as a shield, and the android lowers its weapon upon receiving the recognition signal from her belt-buckle. Salateen then blows the android to bits and drags Peri back to the army base, ignoring the Doctor's calls as he recovers and tries to find Peri again.

Jek meets with the gun-runners, and eventually agrees to pay half price for the shipment. He returns to his base, where he flies into a rage upon discovering that the beautiful Peri has gone. Stotz, meanwhile, realizes from a remark of Jek's that the entire spectrox supply must be within ten minutes' walk of their meeting place -- and since the gun-runners have protective belt-buckles they can walk right past Jek's androids, kill him and take the lot. The Doctor, searching for Peri, is forced to hide when the gun-runners head past, but they're not watching their backs, and a magma beast emerges from the shadows and attacks one of them. As the others open fire on the creature, it senses the Doctor nearby and approaches his hiding place...

Mason Hemphill 15:27, April 7, 2010 (UTC) Mason Hemphill

Part Three
Before leaving to meet with the gunrunners while leaving the two under his androids' guard, Jek explains that he is seeking revenge against Morgus as it was his actions that left his face disfigured. After Jek leaves, the Doctor is able to reprogram the androids and allow him and Peri to escape, but they quickly encounter Chellak's forces; Peri is recaptured while the Doctor is caught by Stotz. Stotz decides to take the Doctor back to Androzani Major to see Morgus directly.

As Stotz discusses the situation with Morgus via holographic communication en route, Morgus sees the Doctor still alive, and fearing deception, kills the President of Androzani Major and makes his own plans to travel to Androzani Minor to put the situation right himself. The Doctor is able to gain control of the ship from Stotz. Stotz and his men try to regain access to the bridge by cutting through the door. The planet looms large on the ship's view screen and the Doctor tells Stotz: 'I'm not going to let you stop me now!'

Part Four
The Doctor crashes the ship back on the surface of Androzani Minor. Weary from the spectrox poisoning, he makes his way into the caves to try to save Peri. Meanwhile, Chellak plans an assault on Jek's base, luring him to believe an attack lies elsewhere. The battle kills nearly all of the military forces including Chellak, the gunrunners, and Jek's androids; Jek is able to rescue the unconscious Peri from the military base and return her to his base amid the chaos. The Doctor arrives, struggling to hold off his body's attempt to regenerate to rid itself of the spectrox. Jek provides him with a limited air supply and equipment and directions to find and milk the queen bat. As the Doctor departs to get the milk, Morgus arrives on the planet, finding that his shrewd secretary has deposed him from power.

Morgus quickly deals with Stotz to kill all the remaining gunrunners, including Krepler, and then plot to secure Jek's private stash of spectrox so they may disappear quietly to another planet. The two make their way to Jek's base, lured by fans that Jek is using to try to keep the base temperature cool for Peri. A brief fight breaks out, and Jek, Morgus, and Stotz are killed. The Doctor arrives just after the battle, and after feeding her all of the bat's milk, takes the recovering Peri back to the surface and to the TARDIS as the planet erupts around them.

Inside the TARDIS, Peri recovers to find the Doctor lying in pain on the floor. The Doctor quickly explains he only got enough bat's milk to cure Peri, but his body will shortly regenerate, though it feels different from his previous regenerations. The Doctor begins to hallucinate images of his past companions urging him to continue to fight for his life, followed by The Master laughing at his state. The regeneration completes, with the Doctor suddenly alert and active though with a new face. When Peri asks what has happened, the Doctor replies, "Change, my dear, and it seems not a moment too soon..."

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".
 * If the pre-companion appearance of Nyssa in The Keeper of Traken is discounted, this story marks the first occasion since 1977's Horror of Fang Rock that the Doctor has spent a complete adventure with only a single companion.
 * In DWM, The Caves of Androzani was voted the readers favourite episode.
 * The only characters who do not die during the course of the are Peri and Timmin, both female. Every male character dies apart from the Sixth Doctor (the Fifth Doctor, however, does).

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

 * It is clear when seeing the Doctor through the eyes of the robot in episode two that he is wearing his hearts on the outside of his jacket. (The android is seeing through his jacket except for an outline of it.)
 * Peri bounces after slipping down the cliff-face in episode one.
 * 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 moves, likely having been scared by the lights/energy release.)
 * When Stotz is firing at Sharaz Jek at the conclusion of part Four, part of his gun splits in two and falls off.
 * Why does Stotz have to kill his crewmates in episode 4? (The practical reason is that they could be a liability or threat, as they know him and his immediate plans. He also has a long-standing feud with at least one of them, and appears to enjoy killing them.)

Continuity

 * This leads straight into DW: The Twin Dilemma.
 * The Doctors last words are Adric
 * 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.

Timeline

 * This story occurs after PDA: Warmonger
 * This story occurs before DW: The Twin Dilemma
 * BFA: Circular Time occurs during episode 4 of this story

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

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

2|entertain has announced that a new edition of the DVD, with additional special features and restoration, will be included in a box set entitled Revisitations scheduled for release in 2010. Confirmed extras include a chat show appearance from Peter Davison and Colin Baker from 1984, along with Directing Who feature on Graeme Harper.

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.