Paradise Towers

145 – Paradise Towers
Doctor Who serial
The Chief Caretaker, alongside one of his robotic cleaners.
Cast
Doctor Sylvester McCoy (Seventh Doctor)
Companion Bonnie Langford (Mel Bush)
Others Richard Briers — Chief Caretaker / The Great Architect Clive Merrison — Deputy Chief Caretaker Elizabeth Spriggs — Tabby Brenda Bruce — Tilda Judy Cornwell — Maddy Howard Cooke — Pex Julie Brennon — Fire Escape Annabel Yuresha — Bin Liner Catherine Cusack — Blue Kang Leader Astra Sheridan — Yellow Kang Joseph Young — Young Caretaker Simon Coady — Video Commentary
Production
Directed by	Nicholas Mallett
Written by	Stephen Wyatt
Script editor	Andrew Cartmel
Produced by	John Nathan-Turner
Executive producer(s)	None
Incidental music composer	Keff McCulloch
Production code	7E
Series	Season 24
Length	4 episodes, 25 minutes each
Originally broadcast	5 October–26 October 1987
Chronology
← Preceded by Followed by → Time and the Rani Delta and the Bannermen

Paradise Towers

Author	Stephen Wyatt
Cover artist	Alister Pearson
Series	Doctor Who book: Target novelisations
Release number	134
Publisher	Target Books
Publication date	1 December 1988
ISBN

Paradise Towers is the second serial of the 24th season in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 5 October to 26 October 1987.

The Doctor and Mel Bush, looking for a swimming pool, land in Paradise Towers, a luxurious 22nd century high rise apartment building now fallen into disrepair and chaos. The building is divided between roaming gangs of young girls called Kangs, grouped in colour theme, and the Doctor and Mel encounter the Red Kangs. They have just discovered the death of the last Yellow Kang and are plotting how to attack the Blue Kangs. Elsewhere in the Towers, one of the Caretakers - who act as 'Judge Dredd' style policemen – is hunted down and killed by a robotic cleaner, which appeals to the sadistic Chief Caretaker when he overhears the death.

The Chief sends a squad of Caretakers to arrest the Red Kangs and in the ensuing confusion the Doctor is split from Mel and captured by the Caretakers. Mel meanwhile heads off to one of the still occupied apartments in which two elderly residents ('rezzies') live. Tilda and Tabby explain that all the able bodied men left the Towers to fight a war, leaving behind only the children and the elderly. The only other man still loose in the Towers is Pex, a would-be hero, who appoints himself Mel's guardian.

At the Caretaker control centre, the Doctor meets the Chief Caretaker, who greets him as the Great Architect, designer of Paradise Towers, and then promptly calls for him to be killed. The Doctor cites an imaginary rule from the Caretakers manual, confusing them enough to make his escape. Mel and Pex meanwhile have headed to the top of the building, and are captured by a party of Blue Kangs. Before the pair are freed the Kangs reveal to Mel that Pex survived by fleeing from the war.

The Doctor finds the Great Architect is named Kroagnon, and is reunited with the Red Kangs. They explain that Kangs and Caretakers have been disappearing in ever greater numbers. While the Doctor is being interrogated, the Caretakers track him down to the Red Kang headquarters and attempt to break down the door to their headquarters. Elsewhere Mel has visited Tilda and Tabby again and soon finds herself under threat when it emerges they are cannibals and plan to eat her.