THE STORY
The TARDIS is temporarily captured by the Mandragora Helix, a spiral of energy with a controlling intelligence, at the centre of which the ship is infiltrated by a sparkling ball of energy. The Doctor and Sarah then move on to the Dukedom of San Martino in Renaissance Italy, where the Doctor realises that the Mandragora energy is loose and could have disasterous effects on Earth. The energy enters an underground temple and reveals itself to the outlawed Brotherhood of Demnos, whose leader, the court astrologer Hieronymous, is instructed to make ready for Mandragora's full appearance.Hieronymous is a pawn in Count Federico's schemes to usurp his young nephew Giuliano, whose accession to the Dukedom is being marked with a celebratory masque. At the height of the ball, the Brotherhood attack the court and kill many guests. Hieronymous, now completely absorbed by the Mandragora, confronts the Doctor in the underground temple and attempts to destroy him. The Doctor has earthed both himself and the altar so that the energy drains away, leaving the planet safe - at least until the constellations are again in the correct positions to allow the Mandragora Helix a second chance.
CAST:
The Doctor (Tom Baker), Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), Count Federico (John Laurimore), Captain Rossini (Antony Carrick), Giuliano (Gareth Armstrong), Marco (Tim Piggott-Smith), Hieronymous (Norman Jones), High Priest (Robert James), Brother (Brian Ellis), Soldier (Pat Gorman), Guards (James Appleby, John Clamp), Pikemen (Peter Walshe, Jay Neill), Titan Voice (Peter Tuddenham), Dancers (Peggy Dixon, Jack Edwards, Alistair Fullarton, Michael Reid, Kathy Wolff), Entertainer (Stuart Fell).
FACTS:
A new, wood-panelled secondary console room is introduced in this story.
A new police box prop for the TARDIS exterior is introduced, as the old one had worn out.
The Doctor predicts that the Mandragora Helix will be in a position to attack Earth once more in about five hundred years time - at the end of the twentieth century.
OTHER FORMATS:
The Fourth Doctor Novelisations
Back to the Fourth Doctor Programme Guide
Back to 'The Seeds of Doom'.