The Horror of Fang Rock
| 092 – Horror of Fang Rock | |||||
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| Doctor Who serial | |||||
The Rutan undergoing a chameleonic metamorphosis.
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Others
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| Production | |||||
| Directed by | Paddy Russell | ||||
| Written by | Terrance Dicks | ||||
| Script editor | Robert Holmes | ||||
| Produced by | Graham Williams | ||||
| Executive producer(s) | None | ||||
| Incidental music composer | Dudley Simpson | ||||
| Production code | 4V | ||||
| Series | Season 15 | ||||
| Length | 4 episodes, 25 minutes each | ||||
| Originally broadcast | 3–24 September 1977 | ||||
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| Author | Terrance Dicks |
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| Cover artist | Jeff Cummins |
| Series |
Doctor Who book: Target novelisations |
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Release number
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32 |
| Publisher | Target Books |
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Publication date
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30 March 1978 |
| ISBN | |
Horror of Fang Rock is the first serial of the 15th season in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 3 September to 24 September 1977.
On the way to show Brighton to Leela, the TARDIS lands on the island of Fang Rock off the south coast of England in the early years of the 20th century. Noticing that the lighthouse isn't functioning properly, the Fourth Doctor decides to investigate, as well as to ask for directions, as the TARDIS seems to have got 'lost in the fog'. Upon arrival at the lighthouse, and after introducing themselves, the Doctor discovers the dead body of one of the keepers, Ben. The other two keepers, old superstitious Reuben and the keen young Vince Hawkins, report that a light fell from the sky near the island. They also explain the electricity flow to the lamp on the lighthouse has become erratic and the Doctor deduces something is feeding on the flow. Reuben does not help matters with his constant references to the mythical Beast of Fang Rock, which reputedly once terrorised the lighthouse. As the Doctor and Leela explore, something moves Ben’s body out of the lighthouse and onto the island, and they witness a curious electric crackling which seems to have killed fish nearby.
The loss of the electric light due to the unexplained draining of power from the generators causes a luxury yacht to crash on to Fang Rock. The four survivors are brought to the lighthouse: the bosun Harker; Colonel James Skinsale MP; the owner, Lord Palmerdale; and his highly strung secretary Adelaide Lessage. Over time it emerges Palmerdale has bought government secrets from Skinsale and was desperate to reach the to make a killing – hence the reason the ship was travelling at such a pace.
Harker and the Doctor retrieve Ben’s body and the Time Lord deduces it has been used as an anatomy lesson for an alien life form. He determines that their best protection is to secure the lighthouse to keep the creature out. Reuben then disappears for a time and then reappears a changed man, which the others put down to shock. But the pattern of death now speeds up. Palmerdale is killed in the lamp room by a glowing alien presence on the outside of the lighthouse, and then Harker is killed when Reuben corners him in the boiler room. From the alien light emanating from Reuben it is clear he has become possessed or transformed by the alien creature. The Doctor finds Harker’s body and then Reuben’s own – the latter cold for some time – which means the creature in Reuben’s form has chameleonic properties.
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