'Doctor Who and the Silurians' (7 Parts) Story Code 'BBB' by Malcolm Hulke

The Brigadier summons the Doctor to an underground research centre, located at Wenley Moor in Derbyshire. Here the Doctor and Liz learn from the centre's director, Dr Lawrence, that work on a new type of nuclear reactor is being hampered by inexplicable power losses, and by unusually high incidents of stress-related illness amongst the staff. The Doctor investigates a nearby cave system, and discovers a base populated by a group of intelligent reptiles termed Silurians. These man-like reptiles once ruled the Earth, but went into hibernation millions of years ago when they feared that an approaching meteor would destroy the planet. The meteor actually entered orbit and became the moon, and the Silurian's equipment never awoke them. They have now been revived by accidental power discharges from the centre, and plan to claim back their planet. The Doctor strives for peaces between the Earth Reptiles and the humans, and manages to gain the trust of the Old Silurian leader. But the rebellious Young Silurian kills his leader and seizes power, and releases a deadly virus that threatens to wipe out humanity. The Doctor finds the antidote, but the Silurians retaliate, kidnapping him and taking over the research centre. They prepare use the centre to destroy the Van Allen Belt, the natural barrier that shields the Earth, and which protects it from solar radiation, which is harmful to humans but beneficial to reptiles. The Silurians are tricked into returning to their caves when the Doctor overloads the reactor, threatening to cause a nuclear explosion. The Brigadier, much to the Doctor's disgust, blows the Silurian base up.

Jon Pertwee (Doctor Who), Caroline John (Liz Shaw), Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart), Fulton Mackay (Dr. Quinn), Norman Jones (Major Baker), Peter Miles (Dr. Lawrence), Thomasine Heiner (Miss Dawson), Ian Cunningham (Dr. Meredith), Roy Branigan (Roberts), John Newman (Spencer), Bill Mathews (Davis), Paul Darrow (Captain Hawkins), Nancie Jackson (Doris Squire), Gordon Richardson (Squire); Pat Gorman, Paul Barton, Simon Cain, John Churchill, Dave Carter (Silurians); Peter Halliday (Silurian Voices), Geoffrey Palmer (Masters), Richard Steele (Sergeant Hart), Ian Talbot (Travis), Dave Carter (Old Silurian), Nigel Johns (Young Silurian), Harry Swift (Private Robins), Pat Gorman (Silurian Scientist), Alan Mason (Corporal Nutting), Derek Politt (Private Wright), Brendan Barry (Hospital Doctor)

Produced by Barry Letts

Directed by Timothy Combe

TX:
Part 1 - 31st January, 1970 @ 5.15pm - 5.40pm
Part 2 -7th February, 1970 @ 5.15pm - 5.40pm
Part 3 -14th February, 1970 @ 5.15pm - 5.40pm
Part 4 -21st February, 1970 @ 5.15pm - 5.40pm
Part 5 -28th February, 1970 @ 5.15pm - 5.40pm
Part 6 -7th March, 1970 @ 5.15pm - 5.40pm
Part 7 -14th March, 1970 @ 5.15pm - 5.40pm

Notes:
*Featuring the Third Doctor, Liz, the Brigadier and UNIT

*First appearance the Earth Reptiles, colloquially known as Silurians (although technically they should be called Eocenes!)

*First appearance of Bessie, the Doctor's Edwardian roadster

*Whilst the original 625-line PAL videotapes of this story were wiped by the BBC for reuse, 16mm black and white film recordings were retained. For the VHS release in July 1993, the colour signal from a 525-line NTSC version of the episodes was combined with colourisation techniques to fully colourise the film recordings

*Working title: 'The Monsters'