The Leisure Hive (TV story)

Synopsis
The Doctor and Romana visit the Leisure Hive on the planet Argolis, the surface of which is uninhabitable following a twenty minute nuclear war between the Argolins and their enemies the Foamasi. The Argolins themselves are now sterile. Pangol, the youngest, was created by the Tachyon Recreation Generator, a machine that runs games in the Hive.

He now secretly plans to use the Generator, modified by an Earth scientist named Hardin, to recreate himself many times over, forming an army of duplicates to destroy the Foamasi. Pangol's mother Mena, the controller of the Hive, is meanwhile coming under pressure from a supposedly human financier, Brock, to sell it to the Foamasi.

Foamasi agents from their planet's government arrive and expose Brock and his assistant Klout as members of a renegade Foamasi group called the West Lodge. The Doctor then reconfigures the Generator equipment using components from the randomiser device previously linked to the TARDIS's navigation circuits, and Pangol's plan is foiled as he rejuvenates into a babe in arms.

Plot
to be added

Cast

 * The Doctor - Tom Baker
 * Romana - Lalla Ward
 * Foamasi - Andrew Lane
 * Generator Voice - Clifford Norgate
 * Guide - Roy Montague
 * Hardin - Nigel Lambert
 * Klout - Ian Talbot
 * Mena - Adrienne Corri
 * Morix - Laurence Payne
 * Brock - John Collin
 * Pangol - David Haig
 * Stimson - David Allister
 * Tannoy Voice - Harriet Reynolds
 * Vargos - Martin Fisk

Crew

 * Assistant Floor Manager - Val McCrimmon
 * Costumes - June Hudson
 * Designer - Tom Yardley-Jones
 * Executive Producer - Barry Letts
 * Film Cameraman - Keith Barton
 * Film Editor - Chris Wimble
 * Incidental Music - Peter Howell
 * Make-Up - Dorka Nieradzik
 * Producer - John Nathan-Turner
 * Production Assistant - Romey Allison
 * Production Unit Manager - Angela Smith
 * Script Editor - Christopher H. Bidmead
 * Special Sounds - Dick Mills
 * Studio Lighting - Duncan Brown
 * Studio Sound - John Howell
 * Theme Arrangement - Peter Howell
 * Title Music - Ron Grainer
 * Visual Effects - Andrew Lazell

Story Notes

 * This is not the only time a story is resolved by de-aging the Doctor's antagonist, as happens to Pangol of the Argolin when the Doctor sabotages the Tachyon Recreation Generator. In Boom Town, the Slitheen Margaret Blaine is regressed back into an egg by the Doctor's TARDIS.
 * This is John Nathan-Turner's first story as producer.
 * The story had a working title of The Argolins.
 * The new TARDIS police box prop debuted in this story, being made of fibreglass rather than wood.
 * The Doctor's new outfit (the burgundy colour) also debuts in this story.

Ratings

 * Part One - 5.9 Million
 * Part Two - 5 Million
 * Part Three - 5 Million
 * Part Four - 4.5 Million

Myths
to be added

Location Filming
to be added

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

 * The wires pulling K9 along the beach are particularly visible in part one.

Continuity

 * The Fomasi reappear in Placebo Effect.

DVD, Video, and Other Releases
DVD Releases

Released as Doctor Who: The Leisure Hive.

Released:
 * Region 2 5th July 2004
 * PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1351


 * Region 4 7th October 2004
 * Region 1 7th June 2005
 * NTSC - Warner Video E2217

Contents:
 * A New Beginning Documentary - A look at the radical changes made to Doctor Who by incoming Producer John Nathan-Turner.
 * From Avalon to Argolis - David Fisher and Christopher H. Bidmead recall the writing of the story.
 * Leisure Wear - June Hudson talks about the costumes for the story.
 * Synthesizing Starfields - Peter Howell and Sid Sutton recall the creation of the new titles sequence and theme arrangement.
 * Blue Peter - A look at the exhibition at Longleat.
 * 5.1 Mix
 * Music-only Option
 * Photo Gallery
 * Production Subtitles
 * Easter Egg
 * Commentary: Lalla Ward, Lovett Bickford, and Christopher H. Bidmead

Video Releases

Released as Doctor Who: The Leisure Hive.

Released:
 * UK January 1997
 * PAL - BBC Video BBCV5821


 * US September 1997
 * NTSC - Warner Video E1135

Target Novelisations
to be added