4F. Terror Of The Zygons

  • Script Editor: Robert Holmes;
  • Writer: Robert Banks Stewart;
  • Produced by: Philip Hinchcliffe;
  • Director: Douglas Camfield;
  • Designer: Nigel Curzon;
  • Incidental Music: Geoffrey Burgon;
  • Munro: Hugh Martin (1);

Programme Description

The Doctor is summoned to Earth by the Brigadier. U.N.I.T. has been called to Scotland, near Loch Ness, to investigate the strange attacks on oil rigs in the surrounding area.

The Doctor finds a spacecraft is hidden in Loch Ness, and that a creature referred to as a Skarasen was responsible for the damage to the oil rigs. The controllers, the Zygons, are still present in the craft, and have been using the body prints of the locals to disguise themselves and take on their identities.

The Zygons plan to take on the identity of the Duke of Forgill, and destroy the World Energy Conference. The Doctor destroys the leader whilst the Brigadier destroys the space craft, and all remaining Zygons.

Whilst the Doctor and Sarah travel onwards together, Harry elects to stay behind.

Regular Cast

  • Sarah Jane Smith: Elisabeth Sladen;
  • Harry Sullivan: Ian Marter;
  • Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart: Nicholas Courtney;
  • RSM Benton: John Levene;

Guest Cast

  • Duke of Forgill/Broton: John Woodnutt;
  • Sister Lamont: Lillias Walker;
  • The Caber: Robert Russell;
  • Zygons: Keith Ashley, Ronald Gough (1-2);
  • Angus Ferguson McRannald: Angus Leanie (1-2);
  • Huckle: Tony Sibbald (1-2);
  • Radio Operator: Bruce Wightman (1);
  • Corporal: Bernard G. High (2);
  • Soldier: Peter Symmonds (2);

  • UNCREDITED CAST:
  • Soldiers: Alan Clements (4), Roland Geall, Patrick Ginter, James Muir (1-3), David Selby, Barry Summerford (2-4);
  • Additional Zygon voices: Robert Russell, Lillias Walker;

Transmissions

ChannelEpisodeTitleDateViewersPosition
BBC 1 402 Part One Sat 30 Aug 1975 3017:45 - 18:10 8.4M 29th
BBC 1 403 Part Two Sat 6 Sep 1975 617:45 - 18:10 6.1M 61st
BBC 1 404 Part Three Sat 13 Sep 1975 1317:45 - 18:10 8.2M 32nd
BBC 1 405 Part Four Sat 20 Sep 1975 2017:20 - 17:45 7.2M 48th

Repeat Transmissions

This programme has not been repeated.

Locations

  • Charlton, Sussex;
  • The Mill, Climping, nr. Littlehampton, Sussex;
  • Ambersham Common, nr. Midhurst;
  • Furnace Pond, Crabtree, nr. Lower Beeding;

Studios

  • Television Centre Studio 3;
  • Television Centre Studio 4;

Bloopers and Mistakes

When the Doctor and the Brigadier are examining the soldier who was crushed by the Skarasen, you can see one of the soldier's fingers move very slightly.

When Sarah is wandering around the Zygon spaceship you can clearly see the outline of her undergarments through her clothes.

n the scene where the duplicate Harry steals the transmitter from Sarah, the wound on his forehead is very light in colour (as if it had almost healed). When he runs out the door it is suddenly very dark red.

Notes and Trivia

The bagpipes heard in the story were played by Angus Lennie, who played McRannald.

Ian Marter leaves at the end of the story, but returns for a guest appearance in The Android Invasion.

Working Titles

The Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness Terror
The Zygons
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