107) NIGHTMARE OF EDEN
24 November - 15 December 1979
Average Viewing Figure: 9.3M
Plot
Two ships collider in hyperspace and, The Doctor and Romana discover a drug smuggling operation involving, The Mandrels
Cast
Tom Baker (The Doctor), Lalla Ward (Romana), Lewis Fiander (Tryst), David Daker (Rigg), Geoffrey Bateman (Dymond)
Jennifer Lonsdale (Della), Stephen Jenn (Secker), Barry Andrews (Stott), Geoffrey Hinsliff (Fisk), Peter Craze (Costa), Richard Barnes
Sebastian Stride, Eden Phillips (Crewmen), Annette Peters, Lionel Sansby, Peter Roberts, Maggie Petersen (Passengers)
David Brierley (Voice of K-9)
Uncredited Cast
Billy Gray (Wounded Passenger), Ann Garry Lee, Pat Judge, Judy Roger, Jean Channon, Jenny Roberts, Madelaine Simpson, Audrey Searle
Derek Hunt, Jay Roberts, Greg Marlowe (Passengers), Sally Sinclair (Stewardess), Pamela Ruddock (Computer Voice), David Cole
Simon Sutton, Terence Creasy, Mark Kirby (Crewmen), Reg Turner, Gary Dean (Medics), James Muir, Derek Suthern, David Korff
Jan Murzynowski, Robert Goodman (Mandrels)
Crew
Bob Baker (Writer), Dudley Simpson (Incidental Music), Dick Mills (Special Sound), Carolyn Montagu (Production Assistant)
John Nathan-Turner (Production Unit Manager), Monica Rodger (Director's Assistant), Val McCrimmon (Assistant Floor Manager)
Warwick Fielding (Studio Lighting), Anthony Philpot (Studio Sound), Terry Brett (Technical Manager), Peter Hider (Senior Cameraman)
Colin Mapson (Visual Effects Designer), AJ Mitchell (Video Effects), Nigel Finnis (Vision Mixer), Rod Waldron (Videotape Editor)
Rupert Jarvis (Costume Designer), Joan Stribling (Make-Up Artist), Douglas Adams (Script Editor), Roger Cann (Designer)
Graham Williams (Producer), Alan Bromly (Director)
Uncredited Crew
Elizabeth Hardiman, Sinikka Ikacheimo (Make-Up Assistants), Carol Smith (Design Assistant), Chris Lawson (Visual Effects Assistant)
Robert Fleming (Props Buyer), Alison Barnett (Floor Assistant), Andy Hunter (Grams Operator), Chick Hetherington (Show Working Supervisor)
76) THE ARK IN SPACE
Broadcast
Filming Locations
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Television Centre: Studio 6
Deaths
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Rigg [shot and killed by Fisk]
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Secker [attacked by a Mandrel]
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Crewman [attacked and killed by a Mandrel]
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Passengers [possibly killed by a Mandrel]
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deaths unconfirmed
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Crewman [attacked and killed by Mandrel]
Production Days
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6 Days between Sunday 12 - Tuesday 28 August 1979
Production Errors
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During part two, K9 seals up a wall panel, a hand emerges appears to hold the panel in place
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During part two, The Doctor slips on one step whilst running downstairs
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When Delia is shot in the face, she clutches her stomach
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In the very first model shot of the Empress, you can see the stick holding it in place
Number of Production Days: 5
Working Titles
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[no known working titles]
Verdict
Nightmare from Eden incorporates some serious subject matters – drug smuggling and substance abuse to create four episodes of non-stop compelling drama. Poor design work cannot distract from the clever scripts by Bob Baker, ironically this is his best and last contribution to the show. The scripts do have some obvious clichés; the trigger-happy cops, the squeaky voice Scientist, a race of savage monsters patrolling the corridors and an undercover operation which needs to be busted wide open. The Mandrels are well design and acted monsters, and the CNT machine makes for good science-fiction and one of the more cleverer resolution in the show’s history. The cast are top notch, but Lewis Fiander preferred voice of Tryst is edging on a dorky version of Kerensky from City of Death. It is admirable that Baker’s imagination, often his downfall when writing for the show, is not evident in David Daker drugged-up acting. It’s subtle and not over the top which is good considering young children would probably mime such actions. There a few loose plot threads but they do not stop this one reaching its full potential. ****