Doctor Who Logo 'The Five Doctors'
(1 Part Special)
Story Code '6K'

by Terrence Dicks
The Doctors

The Fifth Doctor and his companions relax in the tranquil Eye of Orion, while on the Time Lords' home planet, Gallifrey, an unseen Player uses a black monolith to abduct the First Doctor. The Second Doctor is visiting the Brigadier, but they too are kidnapped, as is the Third Doctor, out driving in his roadster, Bessie. However, when the Player attempts to capture the Fourth Doctor and Romana, they become trapped in a time eddy, which jeopardises the stability of the Fifth Doctor, forcing him to travel to Gallifrey to save his past selves. Here he meets his First incarnation and his granddaughter Susan, who have discovered that they have been brought to the forbidden Death Zone. Meanwhile, at the Time Lord Capitol, President Borusa, and the High Council have registered activity in the Zone, and discovered that the Doctor's past selves are being taken out of time; they reluctantly enlist the Master to help the Doctor, and equip him with a recall device. At the centre of the Zone is Rassilon's Tower, the final resting place of the ancient Time Lord President; each of the Doctors decides to make their way there, as it is the source of the power emanations. The First and Fifth Doctors encounter the Master, but are ambushed by Cybermen; the First Doctor and Tegan escape, the Master is captured, while the Fifth Doctor uses the recall device to travel to the Capitol. Here he discovers that the Player is Borusa, who seeks Rassilon's secret of immortality, which will fulfil his mad desire to be President of Gallifrey forever. Borusa has used the Time Scoop, once the plaything of the Time Lords but now outlawed, to pit the Doctors against their enemies in a deadly game that will pave the way for him past the various obstacles that guard Rassillon's tomb. Battling Cybermen, a ferocious Yeti, a killer Raston Warrior Robot, phantoms of his previous companions, and the Master, the Doctors eventually all meet at the tomb, where Borusa joins them. The spirit of Rassilon appears, and Borusa claims his prize of immortality - but the Game of Rassilon is a trap laid by the ancient Time Lord; Borusa becomes a living statue, the fate of all would-be dictators. Rassilon returns everyone to their proper places in time, while the Fifth Doctor chooses to flee in the TARDIS, rather than risk becoming the new president.

Peter Davison (The Doctor), Tom Baker (The Doctor)**, Jon Pertwee (The Doctor), Patrick Troughton (The Doctor), Richard Hurndall (The Doctor), William Hartnell (The Doctor)**, Janet Fielding (Tegan), Mark Strickson (Turlough), Elizabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith), Carole Ann Ford (Susan), Nicholas Courtney (The Brigadier), Lalla Ward (Romana), Anthony Ainley (The Master), Phillip Latham (Lord President Borusa), Dinah Sheridan (Chancellor Flavia), Paul Jerricho (The Castellan), David Banks (Cyber Leader), Mark Hardy (Cyber Lieutenant), Richard Matthews (Rassilon), Frazer Hines (Jamie), Wendy Padbury (Zoe), Caroline John (Liz Shaw), Richard Franklin (Captain Yates), David Savile (Crichton), John Leeson (Voice of K-9), Roy Skelton (Dalek Voice), John Scott Martin (Dalek Operator), Stuart Blake (Commander), Stephen Meredith (Technician), Ray Float (Sergeant), John Tallents (Guard), William Kenton (Cyber Scout), Keith Hodiak (Raston Warrior Robot)
*(Archive material only)

Produced by John Nathan-Turner
Directed by Tony Virgo


TX:
US premiere: 23rd November, 1983
(UK TX: 25th November, 1983 @ 7.20pm - 8.50pm)

Notes:
*Featuring the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Doctors, Susan, Sarah Jane Smith and K-9 Mk III, Romana II, Tegan, Turlough and the Brigadier

*This story was transmitted in the US first, on the day of 'Doctor Who's 20th Anniversary; in the UK, it was held back 2 days by the BBC so that it could be shown within 'Children in Need'

*A clip of the First Doctor taken from 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth' is used as a pre-title sequence

*Working titles: 'The Six Doctors' and 'Maladoom'