'The Mutants' (6 Parts) Story Code 'NNN' by Bob Baker and Dave Martin

The Time Lords send the Doctor and Jo on a mission to deliver a sealed message pod to an unknown recipient. They arrive on a Skybase orbiting the planet Solos, in the 30th Century. Solos is due to gain independence from the Earth's empire, but its Marshall is determined to prevent this, because it will upset his plans for power. The Marshall arranges for the murder of the Earth administrator, and together with Jaeger, his chief scientist, plans to transform the atmosphere of Solos to one more suitable for humans. Ky, a young Solonian leader, is framed for the murder, and he flees from the Skybase to the planet surface, taking Jo as his hostage. The Doctor follows, and joins him in an old Thaesium mine. Ky is actually the intended recipient of the Time Lords' message pod, which automatically opens for him, revealing ancient stone tablets carved with ancient inscriptions. The Doctor, Jo and Ky meet Sondergaard, a human scientist living in the mine, and who is attempting to find the cure to the mutating disease that is affecting all the Solonians. The Doctor and Sondergaard translate the inscriptions, and deduce that the mutations are actually part of the natural life cycle of the inhabitants, and in which the Thaesium radiation plays a natural role. The Doctor takes a crystal from the cave where the radiation is concentrated, and takes it back to the Skybase laboratory in order to analyse it. The Marshall captures him, and his friends are held hostage. The Doctor is forced to complete Jaeger's machine, in order that the transformation of Solos can begin. Sondergaard gives Ky the crystal, which turns him first into a mutant, and then into a superbeing, the final stage in the Solonians' life cycle. Jaeger is killed when the Doctor sabotages the machine, and Ky, appearing aboard the Skybase, destroys the Marshall. He then presents his case to the newly arrived Earth investigator, and helps the rest of his race to evolve into superbeings.

Jon Pertwee (Doctor Who)', Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Paul Whitsun-Jones (Marshal), James Mellor (Varan), Garrick Hagon (Ky), Geoffrey Palmer (Administrator) , Christopher Coll (Stubbs), Rick James (Cotton), Jonathan Sherwood (Varan's Son), George Pravda (Jaeger), John Hollis (Sondergaard), Sidney Johnson (Old Man), Roy Pearce (Solos Guard), David Arlen (Warrior Guard), Damon Sanders (Solos Guard), Martin Taylor (Skybase Guard), John Scott Martin (Mutt), Peter Howell (Investigator)
Note: Pertwee is credited as Dr. Who for Parts 1-4

Produced by Barry Letts
Directed by Christopher Barry

TX:
Part 1 - 8th April, 1972 @ 5.50pm - 6.15pm
Part 2 - 15th April, 1972 @ 5.50pm - 6.15pm
Part 3 - 22nd April, 1972 @ 5.50pm - 6.15pm
Part 4 - 29th April, 1972 @ 5.50pm - 6.15pm
Part 5 - 6th May, 1972 @ 5.50pm - 6.15pm
Part 6 - 13 May, 1972 @ 5.50pm - 6.15pm

Notes:
*Featuring the Third Doctor, Jo and UNIT

*Working titles: 'Independence' and 'The Emergents'