The Reign of Terror (TV story)

Summary
The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan arrive in what they believe to be England. However, it is soon clear that they have traveled back into Earth history yet again, this time to France, and soon become prisoners of Robespierre's government. With Ian, Barbara, and Susan sentenced to death as traitors, the Doctor must adopt the guise of a government official and secure their release before they are guillotined

Cast & Characters

 * Dr. Who - William Hartnell
 * Ian Chesterton - William Russell
 * Barbara Wright - Jacqueline Hill
 * Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford
 * Jean Pierre - Peter Walker credited as Small Boy
 * Rouvray - Laidlaw Dalling
 * D'Argenson - Neville Smith
 * Sergeant - Robert Hunter
 * Lieutenant - Ken Lawrence
 * Soldier - James Hall
 * Judge - Howard Charlton
 * Jailer - Jack Cunningham
 * Webster - Jeffry Wickham
 * Road Works Overseer - Dallas Cavell credited as Overseer
 * Peasant - Denis Cleary
 * Lemaitre / James Stirling - James Cairncoss
 * Jean - Roy Herrick
 * Jules Renan - Donald Morley
 * Shopkeeper - John Barrard
 * Danielle - Caroline Hunt
 * Leon Colbert - Edward Brayshaw
 * Maximillian Robespierre - Keith Anderson
 * Physician - Ronald Pickup
 * Soldier - Terry Bale
 * Paul Barrass - John Law
 * Napoleon Bonparte - Tony Wall
 * Soldier - Patrick Marley

Uncredited Cast

Crew

 * Writer - Dennis Spooner
 * Director - Henric Hirsch (episodes 1,2,4-6)
 * Director - John Gorrie  (episode 3) (uncredited)
 * Producer - Verity Lambert
 * Script Editor - David Whitaker
 * Designer - Roderick Laing
 * Assistant Floor Manager - Michael Cager
 * Associate Producer - Mervyn Pinfield
 * Costumes - Daphne Dare
 * Film Cameraman - Peter Hamilton
 * Film Editor - Caroline Shields
 * Incidental Music - Stanley Myers
 * Make-Up - Jill Summers
 * Make-Up - Sonia Markham
 * Production Assistant - Timothy Combe
 * Special Sound - Brian Hodgson
 * Studio Lighting - Howard King
 * Studio Sound - Chick Anthony
 * Studio Sound - Ray Angel
 * Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire
 * Title Music - Ron Grainer

Influences

 * A Tale of Two Cities
 * The Scarlet Pimpernel
 * The French Revolution
 * The Reign of Terror

Ratings

 * A Land of Fear - 6.9m viewers
 * Guests of Madame Guillotine - 6.9m viewers
 * A Change of Identity -6.9m viewers
 * The Tyrant of France - 6.4m viewers
 * A Bargain of Necessity - 6.9m viewers
 * Prisoners of Concergerie - 6.4m viewers

Myths

 * An elaborate model of Paris was made for this story but never used. This model was given to Carole Ann Ford as a present. (No such model was made, Carole Ann Ford was actually given the design model made by Roderick Laing to assist with his work)

Location Filming
This story was filmed at both Television Centre Studio TC4 and Lime Grove Studio G

Continuity

 * The French Revolution is The Doctors favourite period of history. Susan also showed an interest in this period in An Unearthly Child
 * During her incarceration Barbara is reminded of her imprisonment in An Unearthly Child.
 * Barbara claims to have learnt her lesson about meddling in history after the events of The Aztecs

Discontinuity

 * The sounds of the TARDIS control room can be heard in the forest before the TARDIS materialises
 * The TARDIS lands silently in the Forest
 * The TARDIS crew just happen to find clothes in the abandoned farm house which fit them perfectly
 * The involvement of Robespierre and Napoleonis historically inaccurate

Quotes
Barbara - "You can't influence or change history. I learned that lesson with the Aztecs."

Doctor - "The events will happen, just as they are written. I'm afraid so, and we can't stem the tide. But at least we can stop being carried away with the flood!"

Story Arcs
Historicals

Similar stories
To be added

More Info

 * Story Synopsis
 * Story Transcript
 * Story Novelization
 * Story Statistics
 * Story in the Media

Public Releases

 * DVD Release - This story has not yet been released on DVD
 * Video Release - Released as Doctor Who: The Reign of Terror


 * UK Release: November 2003 / US Release: October 2003
 * PAL - BBC Video BBCV7335 (2 tapes)
 * NTSC - Warner Video E1853 (2 tapes)


 * This release contains narration by Carole Ann Ford. It contains clips and stills from episodes 4 and 5.
 * The second tape contains episodes 1 and 3 of The Faceless Ones and episode 1 of The Web of Fear
 * The North American release was also located in The End of the Universe Collection


 * A fan produced photo video reconstruction has been made of this story by Loose Cannon Productions


 * The reconstruction of this story by Loose Cannon Production includes the following features


 * A Celebrity Introduction by Carole Ann Ford


 * Further information about this project can be found at Story Reconstruction