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48) THE SEEDS OF DEATH

25 January - 1 March 1969

Average Viewing Figure: 7.2M

Plot

The Ice Warriors plan to send a deadly fungus to Earth via T-MAT which is controlled on the Moon

Cast

Patrick Troughton (The Doctor), Frazer Hines (Jamie McCrimmon), Wendy Padbury (Zoe), Ronald Leigh-Hunt (Radnor)

Louise Pajo (Gia Kelly), Philip Ray (Eldred), Terry Scully (Fewsham), Harry Towb (Osgood), John Witty (Computer Voice)

Ric Felgate (Brent), Christopher Coll (Phipps), Martin Cort (Locke), Alan Bennion (Slaar)

Steve Peters, Tony Harwood, Sonny Caldinez (Ice Warriors), Derrick Slater (Security Guards), Hugh Morton (Sir James Gregson)

Graham Leaman (Grand Marshall)

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Uncredited Crew

Monique Briant, Pat Gorman, Edward Cogdell, Royston Farrell, Eric Kent, Ron Conrad, James Haswell, Derek Chafer, Alan Chuntz

Crawford Lyle (Technicians), Alan Chuntz (Harvey), Peter Blair Stewart, Douglas Roe (Guards), Peter Whitaker (Weather Station Operator)

Douglas Roe, Keith Goodman, Tony Hutchins, Bill Richards, John Crease, Peter Roy, Phil Lumgren, Fred Clemson

Alan Chuntz (Security Guards), Michael Wisher (Voice), Tommy Laird (Double for Dr Who)

Crew

Brian Hyles (Writer), Ron Grainer (Title Music), Brian Hodgson (Special Sound), Dudley Simpson (Incidental Music)

Bill King, Trading Post (Visual Effects Designers), Bobi Bartlett (Costumes), Sylvia James (Make-Up), Fred Wright (Lighting)

Bryan Forgham (Sound), Peter Hall (Film Cameraman), Martyn Day (Film Editor), Terrance Dicks (Script Editor), Paul Allen (Designer)

Peter Bryant (Producer), Michael Ferguson (Director)

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Uncredited Crew

Trina Cronwell (Assistant Floor Manager), Fiona Cumming (Production Assistant), Raquel E. Ebbutt, Pat Harrington (Director's Assistants)

John Norton (Floor Assistant), Peter Blacken (Design Assistant), Hugh Wilson (Film Operations Manager), Chris Griffin (Vision Mixer)

John Lloyd (Grams Operator), Ron Blight (Film Sound)​

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Ealing Film Studios: Stage 2

  • Hampstead Heath, Hampstead, London

  • Lime Grove: Studio D

Deaths

  • Slaar [killed by one of his warrior's sonic blasts]

  • Brent [killed when he touches one of the Ice Warrior's deadly seed pods]

  • Harry Osgood [killed after sabotaging the T-Mat System]

  • Fewsham [killed by Slaar]

  • Phipps [killed by an Ice Warrior]

  • Locke [killed by an Ice Warrior]

  • Ice Warrior [vaporised by The Doctor]

  • Ice Warriors [dies when his spacecraft heads for the sun]

  • ​Security Guard [shot and killed by an Ice Warrior]

  • Grand Marshall [dies when his spacecraft heads for the sun]

  • Harvey [killed by an Ice Warrior]

  • Security Guards [killed by Ice Warriors]

  • Technicians [killed by Ice Warriors] 

Production Days

  • 13 Days between Friday 13 December 1968 - Friday 7 February 1969

Production Errors

  1. During episode four when an Ice Warrior dies in front of Zoe, the front and rear sections of the shell fall apart 

  2. During episode four, Phipps lifts Zoe to far causing Wendy Padbury to hit her head against the air duct

  3. When Eldred points to the Weather Control Bureau on a map, the Bureau is clearly in the opposite corner

  4. The shadows of boom microphones can be seen during museum scenes in episode one and two

  5. The Doctor's sideburns continually appear and disappear throughout the serial

  6. When the Tardis dematerialises at the end of episode six, small changes happen on the set

  7. The Doctor's braces are unclipped when he leaves the Tardis in episode one

  8. When Brent's dead body is taken away for an autopsy, his arm moves up on its own free will 

  9. During episode six, Zoe refers to Slaar by his name, but this is the first time Slaar is mentioned on screen

  10. Ice Warriors are seen to collapse at temperatures between 40-50 centigrade, this should kill humans present

Working Titles

  • The Lords of the Red Planet

Verdict

A remarkable improvement from The Ice Warriors but still lacks in energy in certain place. There are some remarkable sets designs and model shots and good direction from Michael Ferguson who will continue to be an impressive director for the show. The Doctor seems to be a little bit more bloodthirsty where he prepares weapons to kill the Ice Warriors instead of trying to bargain with them to save the day. It's nice to see The Doctor as a complex character but blood-thirstiness is perhaps a step to far, then again it is never taken out of hand. The large cast all bring something new to the story and the high body count is a very risky move. The serial had the misfortune of being expanded to six parts from four parts, and there is some obvious padding at the helm and a terribly executed chase sequence. There are some obvious plot holes and the main threat to the story takes a while to arrive. The whole production is impressive and Hayles is a much better writer with this one. . ****​

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