Mawdryn Undead
Encyclopedia
Mawdryn Undead is a serial in the British
science fiction television series Doctor Who
, which was originally broadcast in four twice weekly parts from 1 February to 9 February 1983. The serial was the first of three loosely connected serials known as the Black Guardian Trilogy, and introduced Mark Strickson
as a new companion, Vislor Turlough
, as well as reintroducing Nicholas Courtney
as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
. The character had not been seen on the series since the Fourth Doctor
serial Terror of the Zygons
almost eight years earlier.
has retired from UNIT, and teaches mathematics at Brendon Public School
. One of his students, Turlough
, a stranded alien Trion posing as a human, takes the Brigadier's classic car
for a joyride
but ends up in a crash. While unconscious, Turlough is contacted by the Black Guardian
, who seeks to kill the Doctor for his interference in acquiring The Key to Time. The Black Guardian offers Turlough passage off Earth if he kills the Doctor, to which Turlough agrees, and is given a communication device through which the Black Guardian gives him orders.
The Doctor
, Tegan
and Nyssa, aboard the TARDIS
, find themselves caught in the warp ellipse of a starliner that is trapped in time. Materialising aboard the ship, they find a transmat capsule as the source of interferrence that is trapping the TARDIS, and are soon joined by Turlough, following the Black Guardian's orders. The Doctor takes Turlough with him to Earth to locate the other end of the transmat, leaving Tegan and Nyssa aboard the TARDIS on the ship. After the Doctor corrects the transmat device on Earth, the TARDIS attempts to materialise but soon vanishes. Without any idea where to look, the Doctor talks to the Brigadier at the school, surprised that the Brigadier has forgotten their past histories due to some type of trauma. However, on mention of finding Tegan and the TARDIS, the Brigadier recalls seeing the TARDIS in 1977. The Doctor attempts to coax the details of these events from the Brigadier.
Meanwhile, in 1977, Nyssa and Tegan leave the TARDIS, and discover the other end of the transmat capsule near the school. Inside is a horribly disfigured alien humanoid, which they believe may be the Doctor. They find local help nearby from the Brigadier, still on active duty with UNIT. The alien, still pretending to be the Doctor, convinces the three to return with him to the TARDIS and return to the spaceliner where a remedy for his situation may be found. In 1983, the Doctor tracks the TARDIS' movements and realises it returned to the liner. He, Turlough, and the older Brigadier return to the liner via the transmat capsule. Due to the nature of the warp ellipse, the Doctor rejoins his allies, but on discovery that two versions of the Brigadier are aboard, cautions his companions to keep them apart, lest the resulting energy discharge prove catastrophic.
Ultimately, the Doctor learns the truth of the liner's crew, that they are several scientists that attempted to discover the Time Lord
secret of regeneration, but ended up as disfigured creatures, unable to die. The alien that Tegan and Nyssa met reveals himself as Mawdryn, and tries to convince the Doctor to give up his remaining regenerations to kill Mawdryn and his fellow sufferers. The Doctor tries to leave with his companions in the TARDIS, but finds that Tegan and Nyssa are now suffering the same condition as Mawdryn, and de-age rapidly while the TARDIS is in the Time Vortex. The Doctor realises he has no choice, and prepares to give up his remaining regenerations to not only kill the scientists but to also restore Tegan and Nyssa to normal.
During this time, the two Brigadiers have been purposely kept apart by Turlough and Mawdryn and his crew. Mawdryn even attempts to send the younger Brigadier back to Earth to avoid him touching his other self, but the transmat capsule fails and returns to the ship. As the Doctor is about to engage the device to take his regenerations, the two Brigadiers finally meet and reach out to touch the other. The resulting temporal energy release occurs at exactly the right time to perform the same actions that the Doctor's sacrifice would have done: Mawdryn and the other scientists are freed of their undead existence, and Tegan and Nyssa return to their proper age. The younger Brigadier suffers a trauma that causes him to forget the Doctor and these events, until later reminded of them in 1983. The Doctor evacuates everyone to the TARDIS before the liner self-destructs, and then returns both Brigadiers to their respective time streams on Earth. The Doctor accepts Turlough's request to join his crew, unaware of his influence by the Black Guardian.
, was published by Target Books
in August 1983.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, which was originally broadcast in four twice weekly parts from 1 February to 9 February 1983. The serial was the first of three loosely connected serials known as the Black Guardian Trilogy, and introduced Mark Strickson
Mark Strickson
Mark Strickson is a British TV producer and actor best known for his acting role as the character of Vislor Turlough on the television series Doctor Who.Strickson was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England...
as a new companion, Vislor Turlough
Vislor Turlough
Vislor Turlough is a fictional character played by Mark Strickson in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was a companion of the Fifth Doctor, being a regular in the programme from 1983 to 1984.-Character history:...
, as well as reintroducing Nicholas Courtney
Nicholas Courtney
William Nicholas Stone Courtney was an English television actor, most famous for playing Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Early life:...
as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, generally referred to simply as the Brigadier, is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, played by Nicholas Courtney...
. The character had not been seen on the series since the Fourth Doctor
Fourth Doctor
The Fourth Doctor is the fourth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC British television science-fiction series Doctor Who....
serial Terror of the Zygons
Terror of the Zygons
Terror of the Zygons is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 30 August to 20 September 1975...
almost eight years earlier.
Plot
In 1983, Brigadier Lethbridge-StewartBrigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, generally referred to simply as the Brigadier, is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, played by Nicholas Courtney...
has retired from UNIT, and teaches mathematics at Brendon Public School
Public School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
. One of his students, Turlough
Vislor Turlough
Vislor Turlough is a fictional character played by Mark Strickson in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was a companion of the Fifth Doctor, being a regular in the programme from 1983 to 1984.-Character history:...
, a stranded alien Trion posing as a human, takes the Brigadier's classic car
Classic car
A classic car is an older car; the exact meaning is variable. The Classic Car Club of America maintains that a car must be between 20 and 40 years old to be a classic, while cars over 45 years fall into the Antique Class.- Classic Car Club of America :...
for a joyride
Joyride
Joy Ride may refer to:* Joyride , a crime involving stealing vehicles- Music :* Joyride , 1965* Joyride , 1986* Joyride , 1991...
but ends up in a crash. While unconscious, Turlough is contacted by the Black Guardian
Black Guardian
The Black Guardian is a character in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was played by Valentine Dyall....
, who seeks to kill the Doctor for his interference in acquiring The Key to Time. The Black Guardian offers Turlough passage off Earth if he kills the Doctor, to which Turlough agrees, and is given a communication device through which the Black Guardian gives him orders.
The Doctor
Fifth Doctor
The Fifth Doctor is the fifth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Peter Davison....
, Tegan
Tegan Jovanka
Tegan Jovanka is a fictional character played by Janet Fielding in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. An Australian airline stewardess and a native of Brisbane who was a companion of the Fourth and Fifth Doctors, she was a regular in the programme from 1981 to...
and Nyssa, aboard the TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
, find themselves caught in the warp ellipse of a starliner that is trapped in time. Materialising aboard the ship, they find a transmat capsule as the source of interferrence that is trapping the TARDIS, and are soon joined by Turlough, following the Black Guardian's orders. The Doctor takes Turlough with him to Earth to locate the other end of the transmat, leaving Tegan and Nyssa aboard the TARDIS on the ship. After the Doctor corrects the transmat device on Earth, the TARDIS attempts to materialise but soon vanishes. Without any idea where to look, the Doctor talks to the Brigadier at the school, surprised that the Brigadier has forgotten their past histories due to some type of trauma. However, on mention of finding Tegan and the TARDIS, the Brigadier recalls seeing the TARDIS in 1977. The Doctor attempts to coax the details of these events from the Brigadier.
Meanwhile, in 1977, Nyssa and Tegan leave the TARDIS, and discover the other end of the transmat capsule near the school. Inside is a horribly disfigured alien humanoid, which they believe may be the Doctor. They find local help nearby from the Brigadier, still on active duty with UNIT. The alien, still pretending to be the Doctor, convinces the three to return with him to the TARDIS and return to the spaceliner where a remedy for his situation may be found. In 1983, the Doctor tracks the TARDIS' movements and realises it returned to the liner. He, Turlough, and the older Brigadier return to the liner via the transmat capsule. Due to the nature of the warp ellipse, the Doctor rejoins his allies, but on discovery that two versions of the Brigadier are aboard, cautions his companions to keep them apart, lest the resulting energy discharge prove catastrophic.
Ultimately, the Doctor learns the truth of the liner's crew, that they are several scientists that attempted to discover the Time Lord
Time Lord
The Time Lords are an ancient extraterrestrial race and civilization of humanoids in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, of which the series' eponymous protagonist, the Doctor, is a member...
secret of regeneration, but ended up as disfigured creatures, unable to die. The alien that Tegan and Nyssa met reveals himself as Mawdryn, and tries to convince the Doctor to give up his remaining regenerations to kill Mawdryn and his fellow sufferers. The Doctor tries to leave with his companions in the TARDIS, but finds that Tegan and Nyssa are now suffering the same condition as Mawdryn, and de-age rapidly while the TARDIS is in the Time Vortex. The Doctor realises he has no choice, and prepares to give up his remaining regenerations to not only kill the scientists but to also restore Tegan and Nyssa to normal.
During this time, the two Brigadiers have been purposely kept apart by Turlough and Mawdryn and his crew. Mawdryn even attempts to send the younger Brigadier back to Earth to avoid him touching his other self, but the transmat capsule fails and returns to the ship. As the Doctor is about to engage the device to take his regenerations, the two Brigadiers finally meet and reach out to touch the other. The resulting temporal energy release occurs at exactly the right time to perform the same actions that the Doctor's sacrifice would have done: Mawdryn and the other scientists are freed of their undead existence, and Tegan and Nyssa return to their proper age. The younger Brigadier suffers a trauma that causes him to forget the Doctor and these events, until later reminded of them in 1983. The Doctor evacuates everyone to the TARDIS before the liner self-destructs, and then returns both Brigadiers to their respective time streams on Earth. The Doctor accepts Turlough's request to join his crew, unaware of his influence by the Black Guardian.
Continuity
- All of the stories during Season 20 featured enemies from the Doctor's past. The past enemy for this and the next two serials was the Black GuardianBlack GuardianThe Black Guardian is a character in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was played by Valentine Dyall....
, who last faced the fourth incarnation of the Doctor at the conclusion of the The Key to Time saga in The Armageddon FactorThe Armageddon FactorThe Armageddon Factor is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from 20 January to 24 February 1979...
(1979). The Black Guardian Trilogy continues in the following serial, TerminusTerminus (Doctor Who)Terminus is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was originally broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 15 to 23 February 1983...
. It was also the first Fifth Doctor episode to star Nicholas Courtney as The Brigadier. - During the Brigadier’s flashback he sees YetiYeti (Doctor Who)The Yeti of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, although resembling the cryptozoological creatures also called the Yeti, are in actuality alien robots. Their external appearance, that of a huge hairy biped, disguises a small spherical mechanism that provides its motive power...
(The Web of FearThe Web of FearThe Web of Fear is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from 3 February to 9 March 1968. This serial — which marks the return of the Yeti, the Great Intelligence, and Professor Travers — is the sequel to The Abominable...
), CybermenCybermanThe Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs who are amongst the most persistent enemies of the Doctor in the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. Cybermen were originally a wholly organic species of humanoids originating on Earth's twin planet Mondas that began to implant more...
(The InvasionThe Invasion (Doctor Who)The Invasion is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in eight weekly parts from 2 November to 21 December 1968...
), the Second DoctorSecond DoctorThe Second Doctor is the second incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by character actor Patrick Troughton....
(The Three Doctors), the Axons (The Claws of AxosThe Claws of Axos-Writing:In late 1969, script editor Terrance Dicks contacted new writing duo Bob Baker and Dave Martin after reading a draft script they had sent around the BBC for another production, A Man's Life. After offering the duo a seven-part story in November 1969 for Doctor Whos eighth season, Baker and...
), DalekDalekThe Daleks are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Within the series, Daleks are cyborgs from the planet Skaro, created by the scientist Davros during the final years of a thousand-year war against the Thals...
s (Day of the DaleksDay of the DaleksDay of the Daleks is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 1 January to 22 January 1972.-Synopsis:...
), the Third DoctorThird DoctorThe Third Doctor is the third incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee....
(Spearhead from SpaceSpearhead from SpaceSpearhead from Space is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 3 January to 24 January 1970. The serial opened Series 7 of the show and was the first to be produced in colour. The serial introduced Jon Pertwee as the...
), the First DoctorFirst DoctorThe First Doctor is the initial incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by the actor William Hartnell from 1963 to 1966. Hartnell reprised the role in the tenth anniversary story The Three Doctors in 1973 - albeit in a...
(The Three Doctors), the K1 Robot from (RobotRobot (Doctor Who)Robot is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 28 December 1974 to 18 January 1975...
), a ZygonZygonThe Zygons are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. They first appeared in the Fourth Doctor serial Terror of the Zygons, where it was revealed that centuries ago, the Zygon homeworld was destroyed in a stellar explosion. A...
(Terror of the ZygonsTerror of the ZygonsTerror of the Zygons is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 30 August to 20 September 1975...
), and the Fourth DoctorFourth DoctorThe Fourth Doctor is the fourth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC British television science-fiction series Doctor Who....
and, of course, the Brig himself from The Three Doctors. All of the clips were shown in sepia-tinted black & white. - Mawdryn Undead also makes the first explicit statement in the series that the current Doctor is the fifth incarnation. The Doctor clearly states that he has eight incarnations left after his present one, confirming that there were no earlier incarnations before the televised first, played by William HartnellWilliam HartnellWilliam Henry Hartnell was an English actor. During 1963-66, he was the first actor to play the Doctor in the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Early life:...
. - The Doctor cites the "Blinovitch Limitation EffectBlinovitch Limitation EffectThe Blinovitch Limitation Effect is a fictional principle of time travel physics in the universe of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
" as the reason for the temporal energy discharge resulting from the meeting of the two Brigadiers; this was first mentioned in the Third DoctorThird DoctorThe Third Doctor is the third incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee....
serial Day of the DaleksDay of the DaleksDay of the Daleks is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 1 January to 22 January 1972.-Synopsis:...
. However, the Effect must not apply to Time Lords, or at least can be mitigated, as the Doctor has met his prior incarnations on several occasions (the difference between incarnations may itself be an explanation). - In the fourth episode, the Doctor says he might try to "reverse the polarity of the neutron flow", a phrase often associated with the Third DoctorThird DoctorThe Third Doctor is the third incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee....
. - The Doctor refers to several people that he worked with in UNITUNITUNIT is a fictional military organisation from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures...
, namely Sergeant BentonSergeant BentonSergeant Benton is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, played by John Levene. He was the senior NCO of the British contingent of UNIT , an international organisation that defends the Earth...
, Harry SullivanHarry SullivanHarry Sullivan is a fictional character from the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who and is a companion of the Fourth Doctor...
, Jo GrantJo GrantJosephine "Jo" Grant is a fictional character played by Katy Manning in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
, Sarah Jane SmithSarah Jane SmithSarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running British BBC Television science-fiction series Doctor Who and its spin-offs K-9 and Company and The Sarah Jane Adventures....
and Liz Shaw. In a rare case of an explicit calendar date being applied to the UNIT timeline, the Brigadier indicates that Benton left UNIT in 1979 and became a used-car salesman, and that Sullivan had been seconded into doing secret government work at some point prior to 1983. The episode also establishes that the Brigadier left UNIT in 1976 and became a teacher, although the serials The Five DoctorsThe Five DoctorsThe Five Doctors is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced in celebration of the programme's twentieth anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago PBS station WTTW and various other PBS member stations...
and BattlefieldBattlefield (Doctor Who)Battlefield is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from September 6 to September 27, 1989. It was the last appearance of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart in Doctor Who....
establish that he later re-established his relationship with the organization. (See UNIT dating controversyUNIT dating controversyThe UNIT dating controversy is an ongoing debate in Doctor Who fandom, concerning exactly when the stories featuring the fictional military organisation known as United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, or more recently as the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, take place in the timeline of the...
.) - Mawdryn Undead was a replacement for an earlier script, The Song of the Space Whale, by Pat Mills. That script fell through when Mills and script editor Eric Saward could not agree on certain elements of the story. Instead, Peter Grimwade quickly produced Mawdryn Undead to fill the gap in the production schedule and provide the first instalment of the Black Guardian Trilogy. The Song of the Space Whale was later renamed The Song of MegapteraThe Song of MegapteraThe Song of Megaptera is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
and made into an audio drama by Big Finish ProductionsBig Finish ProductionsBig Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
for their Doctor Who The Lost Stories range.
Production
Cast notes
- The original intent of the production team was for the character of Ian ChestertonIan ChestertonIan Chesterton is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and a companion of the First Doctor. He was played in the series by William Russell, and was one of the members of the programme's very first regular cast, appearing in the bulk of the first two...
, one of the original regulars from the series' first two seasons from 1963–1965, to return for a guest appearance in this story; hence the school setting, as Chesterton was a science teacher, and the Brigadier's being issued with another TARDIS homing device. However, actor William RussellWilliam Russell (actor)William Russell is an English actor, mainly known for his television work. He was born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear.-Doctor Who:...
proved to be unavailable. Some consideration was given to using instead the character of Harry SullivanHarry SullivanHarry Sullivan is a fictional character from the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who and is a companion of the Fourth Doctor...
, who was a regular in the programme for a season in the mid-1970s, before the return of Lethbridge-Stewart was eventually decided upon. - David Collings, who played Mawdryn, also appeared in the Fourth DoctorFourth DoctorThe Fourth Doctor is the fourth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC British television science-fiction series Doctor Who....
serials Revenge of the CybermenRevenge of the CybermenRevenge of the Cybermen is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 19 April to 10 May 1975.-Synopsis:...
as Vorus and The Robots of DeathThe Robots of DeathThe Robots of Death is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 29 January to 19 February 1977.-Synopsis:...
as Poul, and would himself play an alternate Doctor in Big Finish ProductionsBig Finish ProductionsBig Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
' Doctor Who Unbound audio play, Full Fathom FiveFull Fathom Five (Doctor Who audio)Full Fathom Five is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The Doctor Who Unbound dramas pose a series of "What if...?" questions.-Plot:What if.....
. - Angus MacKay previously played Borusa in The Deadly AssassinThe Deadly AssassinThe Deadly Assassin is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 30 October to 20 November 1976...
. - John Nathan-Turner felt that Mark Strickson's blond hair didn't stand out well enough from Peter Davison's blond hair. He initially asked Strickson to shave his head, but when Strickson declined, Turner decided that Strickson's hair should be dyed red.
In print
A novelisation of this serial, written by Peter GrimwadePeter Grimwade
Peter Grimwade was a British television writer and director, best known for his work on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who....
, was published by Target Books
Target Books
Target Books was a British publishing imprint, established in 1973 by Universal-Tandem Publishing Co Ltd, a paperback publishing company. The imprint was established as a children's imprint to complement the adult Tandem imprint, and became well known for their highly successful range of...
in August 1983.
VHS and DVD releases
- The story was released on VHSVHSThe Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
in November 1992. - The story was released on DVD as part of the Black Guardian Trilogy on 10 August 2009 (Region 2), with a commentary by Peter Davison, Mark Strickson, Nicholas Courtney and Eric Saward and an option to view the story with new CGI effects.