4N. The Hand Of Fear

Season Fourteen - 1976/1977

Script Editor: Robert Holmes
Writers: Bob Baker and Dave Martin
Produced by: Philip Hinchcliffe
Director: Lennie Mayne
Designer: Christine Ruscoe
Incidental Music: Dudley Simpson
Fight Arranger: Max Faulkner (2)

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands on twentieth century Earth near a quarry. An accident leaves Sarah unconcious in the quarry, and clutching a stone hand. The hand belongs to an executed Kastrian criminal called Eldrad, whose essence lives on inside a blue ring.

The hand possesses Sarah, who takes it to the nearby Nunton Nuclear Research and Development centre where it soaks up the radiation from the reactor core and regenerates into a complete being - Eldrad.

Eldrad persuades the Doctor and Sarah to take him (even though he takes on the appearance of a female) back to Kastria to reclaim his heritage. But 150 million years have passed, and Kastria is now a dead planet.

Eldrad attempts to regenerate his race, but the final King of Kastria destroyed the race banks in case Eldrad should return. The Doctor and Sarah leave a furious Eldrad to his solitary fate. Inside the TARDIS the Doctor receves a summons from Gallifrey - he must return, and he is not allowed to take Sarah with him...

Regular Cast

  • Sarah Jane Smith: Elisabeth Sladen

Guest Cast

  • Doctor Carter: Rex Robinson (1-2)
  • King Rokon: Roy Skelton (1,4)
  • Intern: Renu Setna (1)
  • Tom Abbott: David Purcell (1)
  • Zazzka: Roy Pattison (1)
  • Guard: Robin Hargrave (1)
  • Professor Owen Watson: Glyn Houston (2-3)
  • Driscoll: Roy Boyd (2-3, uncredited for 3)
  • Miss Jackson: Frances Pidgeon (2-3, uncredited for 3)
  • Elgin: John Cannon (2)
  • Eldrad: Judith Paris (3-4), Stehpen Thorne (4)
Uncredited:
  • Computer Voice: Roy Skelton
  • Hospital Nurse: Libby Ritchie (1)
  • Path Lab Technicians: John Delieu (1), Derek Suthern (1)
  • Double for Doctor Carter: Max Faulkner (2)
  • Security Guards: Michael Dewlid (2), Barry Summerford (2)
  • Radiation Suit Men: David Cleeve (2), Keith Simmons (2)
  • Control Room Technicians: (all 2) Julia Burnett, Bruce Guest, Mark Holmes, Rosemary Jollisse, Kenneth Thomas
  • Nunton Complex personnel: (all 2) Douglas Auchterlonie, Margaret Pilleaud, Roger Salter, Lionel Sansby, Sonia Stratton
  • Frozen Operator (Technician Obarl): Peter Roy (4)
  • Extras: Peter Bush (1), Carl Edwards (1), Alan Evans (1), Brian Gear (1), Tim Hooper (3), Bruce Hubble (1), David Hyde (1), Colin Jaggard (1), Simon Jones (1), Robert Lee (2), Paul Nicholason (2), Bob Peters (1), Ken Taylor (1), John Telfer (1), Robert Tucker (2), Michael Wadsworth (1), Roy Wadsworth (3)

Original broadcast on the BBC

Channel Title Date Viewers Rating
BBC 1 432. Part One Thursday, 2 October 1975 18:10 - 18:35 10.5M
BBC 1 433. Part Two Thursday, 9 October 1975 17:50 - 18:15 10.2M
BBC 1 434. Part Three Thursday, 16 October 1975 18:05 - 18:30 11.1M 62%
BBC 1 435. Part Four Thursday, 23 October 1975 18:00 - 18:25 12.0M

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Studios

  • Ealing FIlm Studios
  • Television Centre Studio 8

Outside Locations

  • ARC Quarry, Crowhall, Avon
  • Oldbury Nuclear Power Station, Avon

Working Titles

The Hand Of Death

The Hand Of Time

Notes

Elisabeth Sladen leaves at the end of the story.