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Doctor Who: The Deadly Assassin

Doctor Who (1963)

Doctor Who: The Deadly Assassin

BBC Home Video (Oct 30, 1976)
TV Series | Action | Adventure | Science Fiction
UK | English | Color | 01:35
Digital
1 disc
Region 1

The Doctor arrives on Gallifrey, where he is accused of the assassination of the Time Lord President. Investigating with the aid of Co-ordinator Engin and Castellan Spandrell, he discovers that this is part of a plot hatched by his old adversary the Master.

Having used up all twelve of his regenerations, the Master is now a wizened husk. He is seeking to control the presidency in order to obtain the official regalia, the Sash and Rod of Rassilon, which are really keys to the Eye of Harmony, the source of all the Time Lords' power.

The Doctor links his mind to the Amplified Panatropic Computer Net, containing the accumulated wisdom of the Time Lords, in the hope of tracking the Master down. In the virtual reality of the Matrix, he finds himself in a life-or-death struggle with a hooded opponent. The Doctor proves the stronger and his opponent is revealed as Chancellor Goth, the leading presidential candidate, whom the Master has been using as a puppet. Following his defeat, Goth dies.

The Master meanwhile seizes the Sash and Rod of Rassilon and starts to access the Eye of Harmony, located beneath the floor of the Panopticon meeting hall, in the hope of drawing off enough energy to enable himself to regenerate. The Doctor manages to stop him before Gallifrey is destroyed, and the Master falls down one of the fissures that have opened up in the floor.

The Doctor then departs in the TARDIS, unaware that the Master has survived his fall and escaped to fight another day.


Cast View all

Tom Baker Doctor Who
Llewellyn Rees The President
Bernard Horsfall Chancellor Goth
George Pravda Castellan Spandrell
Angus MacKay Cardinal Borusa
Peter Pratt The Master
Hugh Walters Commentator Runcible
Erik Chitty Co-Ordinator Engin
Derek Seaton Commander Hilred
Maurice Quick Gold Usher
John Dawson Time Lord
Michael Bilton Time Lord
Helen Blatch Matrix
Harry Fielder Guard
Pat Gorman Chancellory Guard
Steve Ismay Guard
Brian Nolan TV Cameraman

Episodes View details

9 The Deadly Assassin (1) 25 min | Oct 30, 1976

Gallifrey, planet of the Time Lords. Summoned home by a premonition of murder, the Doctor discovers a dark conspiracy at the highest levels of Time Lord society... and his oldest enemy, who poses a threat to the existence of Gallifrey itself...

Director: David Maloney
Writer: Robert Holmes
Guest stars: Llewellyn Rees, Peter Pratt, Derek Seaton, Maurice Quick, John Dawson, Michael Bilton
10 The Deadly Assassin (2) 25 min | Nov 06, 1976

The President of the High Council has been killed and the Doctor is the prime suspect. The Time Lords are eager to dispense quick justice and the Doctor must race agains the clock to discover the truth... and an old enemy.

Director: David Maloney
Writer: Robert Holmes
Guest stars: Llewellyn Rees, Peter Pratt, Derek Seaton, John Dawson
11 The Deadly Assassin (3) 25 min | Nov 13, 1976

The Doctor has entered the computation Matrix to prove his innocence. But his opponent is prepared for him and the two engage in a mental duel to the death.

Director: David Maloney
Writer: Robert Holmes
Guest stars: Peter Pratt, Peter Mayock
12 The Deadly Assassin (4) 25 min | Nov 20, 1976

The Doctor has won his fight in the Matrix and revealed the assassin. But the Master is not defeated and sets a plan in motion that could destroy the Time Lords.

Director: David Maloney
Writer: Robert Holmes
Guest stars: Peter Pratt, Derek Seaton, Helen Blatch