THE STORY
On Androzani Minor, the Doctor and Peri become involved in a conflict between Sharez Jek, a disfigured scientist, hiding in a network of caves and served by a force of androids, and General Chellak, leader of military forces from Androzani Major. Jek wants revenge against Morgus, the Chairman of the Sirius Conglomerate, a powerful company, who betryed him. Androzani Minor is the source of spectrox, a life-extending drug. Jek controls the supply and the army have been sent in to remove him. A group of gun runners, led by Stotz, are supplying Jek with weapons. However, they are in the employ of Morgus and receive their payment in spectrox, which is then passed to Morgus to sell for a huge profit.The Doctor and Peri become infected with spectrox toxaemia, a fatal condition contracted when touching raw spectrox. They are captured by the army, but escape with Jek's help when he becomes infatuated with Peri. The scientist has replaced Chellak's second-in-command Major Salateen, with an android double and is using him as a spy. Morgus becomes convinced that his secrets may be revealed, after suspecting the Doctor as a spy for the government. He travels to Minor, intent on taking the spectrox and meets Jek. After a climatic battle, all the soldiers, gun-runners and the two opponents are killed. While the planet is experiencing deadly mud bursts, the Doctor travels to the deep levels of the caves to find the milk of the queen bat, the cure for spectrox toxaemia. He succeeds and with moments to spare carries Peri back to the TARDIS. However, he spills some of the andidote and after giving the remainder to Peri, is forced to regenerate.
CAST:
The Doctor (Peter Davison), Peri (Nicola Bryant), Sharez Jek (Christopher Gable), Morgus (Jon Normington), Salateen (Robert Glenister), Stotz (Maurice Roeves), Chellak (Martin Cochrane), Krepler (Roy Holder), Timmin (Barbara Kinghorn), President (David Neal), The Doctor (Colin Baker), Soldier (Ian Staples), Magma Creature (Colin Taylor), Androids (Keith Harvey, Andrew Smith, Stephen Smith), The Master (Anthony Ainley), Adric (Matthew Waterhouse), Nyssa (Sarah Sutton), Tegan (Janet Fielding), Turlough (Mark Strickson), Voice of Kamelion (Gerald Flood).
FACTS:
During the Doctor's regeneration scene, there are brief cameo appearances
by all the Fifth Doctor's companions and the Master.
The end credits to episode four showed Colin Baker's face, the incoming Doctor instead of Peter Davison's.
OTHER FORMATS:
The Fifth Doctor Novelisations
Back to the Fifth Doctor Programme Guide