Doctor Who (1963–1989): Season 1, Episode 31 - Strangers in Space - full transcript

Perhaps we've landed on top of something?

Yes...

Or inside something.

This says everything has stopped, but the ship...

What did you mean, Barbara, inside something?

Perhaps that's why we still appear to be moving.

How's the scanner, Doctor?

Covered with static.

Let's try it again, Susan.

That could be caused by an unsurpressed motor.

Yes, or a magnetic field.



Shall we go outside, grandfather?

No, I shalln't be happy until I've solved this little mystery.

I don't know why we ever bother to leave the ship.

Well you're just thinking about the experiences you had with the Aztecs.

No. I've got over that now.

That's one thing about it, Doctor.

We're certainly different from when we started out with you.

That's funny.

Grandfather and I were just talking about it before you came in,

how you'd both changed.

Oh, we've all changed.

- Have I?
- Yes!

Yes, it all started as a mild curiosity in a junkyard

and now its turned out to be quite a, quite a great spirit of adventure, don't you think?



Yes, but we've had some pretty rough times and even that doesn't stop us.

It's a wonderful thing, this ship of yours, Doctor.

It's taken us back to prehistoric times, the Daleks...

...Marco Polo, Marinus...

...and the Aztecs!

Yes, and that extraordinary quarrel I had with that English king, Henry VIII.

Do you know, he threw a parson's nose at me!

Well what did you do?

Threw it back, of course!

'Take them to the tower!' he said.

That's why I did it.

- Why?
- The TARDIS was inside the tower!

Of course, that was long before you appeared on the scene.

However, now, let's get back to this little problem.

Open the door, Susan.

Have you checked everything, Doctor?

Yes, yes, plenty of fresh air, temperature normal.

- Oh, just the unknown, then.
- Precisely.

You were right, Barbara.

We have landed inside something.

It's a spaceship!

Close the door, Susan.

Let us be careful.

There's been some kind of catastrophe here.

Dead.

This one's a girl.

I'm afraid she's dead too.

What can have happened?

I can't see a wound or anything.

Suffocation, Doctor?

I never make uninformed guesses, but, er, certainly that's one answer.

Oh dear, dear, dear. What a tragedy, you know.

She's only a few years older than Susan.

- Grandfather, let's go back to the TARDIS.
- Why?

I don't know. I've got a feeling about this.

Yes. I think I can sense something too.

You mean that whatever it was killed them, could kill us?

Chesterton, have you noticed anything about this watch?

Neither of them are working.

These are the non-winding time.

The movement of of the wrist recharges the spring inside for 24 hours.

Yes, and they've both stopped at about three o'clock.

Yes, now suppose we say they've only just stopped.

That would mean that the last movement of their wrists would have been

at least 24 hours ago.

Grandfather, he's still warm!

Then they've only just died.

It doesn't make sense, does it?

But the facts are all here.

I think it would be wise if we returned to the ship and left these people.

There's noothing we can do for them.

We can't even bury them.

Come along, open the door, Susan.

His heart had stopped beating, Doctor.

He was dead!

What do you want?

- Yes?
- ...Over there...

Over there?

- Behind You...
- Here?

No... to the left...

- This?
- Yes...

Carol.

Place this against Carol's chest.

I'm sorry. Carol's dead.

Please do as I ask.

They were both dead.

Grandfather, what was in that box?

It's a heart resuscitator.

When you found us we were in a very long sleep but we weren't dead.

My name is Maitland.

This is Carol Richmond, my fellow astronaut.

- Tell me, are you from the Earth?
- Yes, we are.

So are we! How's it looking?

- The Earth, you mean?
- Yes.

There's still to much air traffic.

They got it off the roads, did they?

You might say that, yes.

Barbara and I, we come from London.

Tell me, is er, Big Ben still on time?

What century do you come from?

- The 21st, perhaps?
- No, the 20th.

I see.

What's Big Ben?

It's a clock. Near Westminster.

Yes. You see the whole lower part of England is called central city now.

There hasn't been a London now for 400 years.

We come from the 28th century.

Captain Maitland, these people must leave us immediately.

Yes, you will have to.

But there are so many things we want to know!

There is only danger for you here,...

- ...you must go.
- Danger? What sort of danger?

It's better that you don't know what happened to us.

But we might be able to help you!

No, no, Barbara.

I learnt not to meddle in the affairs of other people long ago.

Now, now, now, don't be absurd.

There's not an ounce of curiosity in me, my dear boy.

Now, why are you in trouble?

Very well, I'll try to explain.

Out there is a planet we call the Sense Sphere.

Its inhabitants, the Sensorites, have always prevented us from leaving this area of space.

You mean they have some kind of power over your craft.

Exactly. But its, its not that simple.

They not only control our craft; they have some influence over us as well.

Hypnosis, you mean?

No, I do not mean hypnosis.

Well what then?

Somehow they have control over our brains.

They are hostile, these Sensorites, but in the strangest possible ways.

They don't let us leave these area of space and yet they don't attempt to kill us.

What had happened when we found you?

Well the same thing that's happened many times before.

They put us into a deep sleep that gives the appearance of death,

and yet they've never made any actual effort to destroy us.

Far from it.
We both have healthy recollections of them returning from time to time

to our ship to actually feed us.

It doesn't add up at all.

This is why you must leave us at once!

Yes. The Sensorites may try to prevent you from leaving.

I can smell something burning.

Mmm, so can I.

You mustn't stay any longer.

I'm inclined to agree with him, Doctor.

But surely there's something we can do for you.

No. Nobody can help us.

Grandfather, couldn't we take them back with us?

We cannot leave this ship.

- You see there's John to think of too.
- John?

Ian, there is something burning.

Yes, I think you're right.

Maitland, you wouldn't have anything shorting, would you?

Why no, that's not possible.

It seems to be coming from over here.

- You have additional crew, I take it.
- Yes.

Doctor, you must go. Leave us.

Well it seems to me that there's nothing else I can do.

Goodbye my friend. Goodbye my child.

Come along, Susan.

It's stronger over here, Doctor.

Perhaps it's coming from inside the TARDIS.

Grandfather!

Good gracious, they've taken the lock!

It's not so much the lock, it's the opening mechanism.

The door's permanently locked!

Permanently? Well there must be some way of getting in.

What can we do, Doctor, break down the door?

Adn disturb the field of dimensions inside the TARDIS?

We dare not!

No, we've been most effectively shut out.

- The Sensorites?
- Who else?

- What do they want with us?
- I don't know.

And why have they kept those other two in captivity, mm?

The Sensorites! They're back!

Get away!

We must get to the other end!

What's happening, my friend?

Can't you control the ship?

I'm powerless. The Sensorites are stronger than I am!

Which is your parallel thrust?

There!

Right, velocity check. Chesterton, check velocity.

Here.

It's not even on the unit marker, Doctor!

Trying to control this spacecraft is suicide..!

Please go away!

Velocity needle's hitting the red, Doctor.

Right, stabilise us, Maitland.

At last. At last.

The ship was rolling about on its axis.

Grandfather, look!

We're heading straight for it!

It's the Sense Sphere.

Where's your deflection rays?

Maitland, deflection rays!

There, the white panel, but its useless.

We'll see about that.

Reading, please?

Max three, braking one.

19 miles to the nearest point of impact.

Closing fast!

Barbara, we're going to hit! We're going to hit!

Lifting flight.

We're on collision course!

Jet course port... now!

Velocity's still rising!

Jet reverse starboard... now!

Increasing to max 4. Heading straight for point of impact!

The altitude is still falling!

Max 4.

Barbara, see that panel?

Check system, green light normal.

Yes, green light's on.

Now boost engines... forward... thrust... now!

Why couldn't I do it?

Well, my friend, are you feeling better?

Yes, my head's much clearer.

Yes well I rather fancy that's settled that little bit of solution.

You know, I think these Sensorites have found a way to take control of your minds.

Do you think they were deliberately trying to kill us, Doctor?

No, no I don't. I think it was an exercise in fear and power.

Yes, but for some reason or other, you minds aren't open to them.

Yes and you've found a way to resist them,

whereas Maitland here; his power to resist was taken from him.

I was afraid.

You weren't afraid.

They just made you hopeless.

Yes, they're dangerously cunning, these people, but that's not all.

Things are very strange here.

You know, they can control, they can frighten and yet they don't attempt to kill you.

Furthermore they even feed you and keep you alive.

All this is quite extraordinary.

Yes. And talking about food, I shall be glad when we eat.

- How's it coming along?
- All right. It'll be ready in a minute.

Well from the sight of our stocks, they've obviously been giving us their own food.

Whart about water, Carol?

- Oh, down there on the right.
- Right, we'll find it.

Tell me, have either of you ever met any of these creatures or seen them?

John has.

Ah, he's the other member of your crew, isn't he?

Yes, our mineralogist.

I'd like to have a talk with him.

I'm afraid that's out of the question.

Oh? Why not?

I'd rather not talk about it.

I suppose she meant through that door.

Let's try it.

I can't see any handle on the door. Try this.

That doesn't work.

That's funny!

Oh I see, it's the ray, I must have broken the connection.

Let's get that water, I'm dying of thirst.

Yes, so am I.

Well down here on the right, she said.

I don't think we should stay in here long.

Hey, this is bliss!

I wonder where that water is?

I don't know.

Listen.

But don't you see?
John may be able to give us some valuable information.

I told you, you can't see him!

You're both being rather secretive.

Where are the others?

We should have warned them!

What is it? What's wrong?

The door's been locked from the outside.

Quickly, they're in danger, we must get in from the other end!

This way!

This is the other way through.

Oh, it's no use. The ray's been jammed on the other side!

I'm sorry, Ian, there's nothing we can do.

But what is it? What's wrong?

What's going on inside there?

It's no use, no use.

- Barbara! Susan!
- No! No, please!

Are there Sensorites in there?

We must find out about John.

We've been over this a hundred times before, Carol.

But the other times were different!

The Sensorites made our decisions for us.

As far as we know, they still do!

But the Doctor and the others showed us we can resist them.

We can! It's only fear that makes us weak, that's all.

That may be so, but we mustn't go in there, Carol, it's too dangerous.

What you really mean is I mustn't go in there.

You're afraid for me, aren't you?

I know what John means to you.

Last time I saw him he didn't even know my name.

I must see him, I must find out!

Besides, there are the girls.

All right.

Maitland, you must get that door open.

I'll have to cut round the lock.

All right, well get on with it.

I'll get the machinery out.

Carol, tell me, what is it that you're both afraid of?

John's in there, with your friends.

He and I were going to get married when we got back to the Earth.

The Sensorites attacked him far more than Captain Maitland and me.

I had to sit there helplessly and watch him get worse and worse.

You mean they've taken over his mind?

Yes.

What's it done to him?

Carol, you've got to tell me.

He'll be frightened of strangers.

He, he may become violent.

He's crying!

Why? You look like my sister.

Have you come to help me?

Four years...

Are you one of the crew of this spaceship?

Are you trying to tell me something?

About yourself?

Is he, is he trying to say he's ill?

Yes. Yes.

Don't be afraid. We'll take care of you.

What do you think happened to him, Barbara?

Where does the power come from?

Electro-magnetics.

We should be through to the locks at any minute.

You say you haven't seen John for months?

He was dangerous once the Sensorites had got at his brain.

Can't you go faster?

Susan's in there!

It won't be long, now.

Now what is it?

Get on with the job, please!

Listen. Don't you hear it?

I thought there was something else.

You mean that high-pitched whine? Is that it?

Sensorites!

They must be near!

That noise is caused by the machines that carry them through space.

Carol, get back to your intruments.

Doctor, will you take the controller seat?

Anything but this awful waiting!

But what about Barbara and Susan?

No time now!

Look for glowing lights on the move about the ship.

- Well how will they attack us?
- They won't, not in the mormal way.

But then how can we defend ourselves?

You'll find out soon enough. Look out there.

There they are! See them moving?

Yes, but they look miles away.

It won't take them long to get here.

How long do you think it'll take them, Doctor?

I don't know.

They must have made the journey before.

They were here, remember?

They took away the lock mechanism to my ship.

Yes, and probably took it back to their own planet.

And now they're coming back, but with what orders?

To take over our minds, mm? Or to killl us?

Do you hear that?

It's as if it's coming from outside.

No. You need rest. There's nothing wrong.

I'll protect you.

Yes, all right. You protect us.

- Would it be a good idea to move?
- Where to?

We already know we can't leave this area of space.

- All the same...
- Anyway, we're not going to be destroyed.

Had the Sensorites intended that they would have done it long ago.

Well if that collision course was their idea of a joke,

I'd hate to be one of their enemies.

They wouldn't really try to crash us.

They just keep on playing this game of nerves.

What's that noise?

Yes. We always hear that.

Interference now on all our scans.

Now remember all of you; no violence unless the Sensorites start it first.

Why no violence?

Surely we've got the right to defend ourselves.

My dear Chesterton, it is the mind they take over,

so we must assume that the brain is all important.

Now let the intelligence be our only defence and attack!

I can sense them all around us now.

Doctor!