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the stones of blood

story 100 : season 16 : serial 5C : 4 episodes

Producer: Graham Williams
Director: Darrol Blake
Writer: David Fisher
Script Editor: Anthony Read
Designer: John Stout

cast information

Tom Baker (Doctor Who); Mary Tamm (Romana); John Leeson (voice of K-9); Beatrix Lehmann (Professor Amelia Rumford); Susan Engel (Vivien Fay/Cessair of Diplos); Nicholas McArdle (De Vries); Elaine Ives-Cameron (Martha); Gerald Cross (Megara Voice); David McAlister (Megara Voice); James Murray (Camper); Shirin Taylor (Camper);

crew information

Carol Scott (Assistant Floor Manager); Nigel Taylor (Assistant Floor Manager); Rupert Jarvis (Costumes); Dudley Simpson (Incidental Music); Ann Briggs (Make-Up); Trevor Wimlett (OB Cameraman); Mike Windsor (OB Cameraman); Carolyn Montagu (Production Assistant); John Nathan-Turner (Production Unit Manager); Liz Parker (Special Sounds); Warwick Fielding (Studio Lighting); Richard Chubb (Studio Sound); Delia Derbyshire (Theme Arrangement); Ron Grainer (Title Music); Mat Irvine (Visual Effects);

episode information

  Title First UK Transmission Duration Ratings Archive Status
1 Part One 28 October 1978 at 18:25 24'20" 8.6mil PAL 2 inch colour videotape
2 Part Two 4 November 1978 at 18:20 23'53" 6.6mil PAL 2 inch colour videotape
3 Part Three 11 November 1978 at 18:20 24'27" 9.3mil PAL 2 inch colour videotape
4 Part Four 18 November 1978 at 18:20 23'07" 7.6mil PAL 2 inch colour videotape
  1. Part One
    » Always held by the FVTL
  2. Part Two
    » Always held by the FVTL
    » A 71-edit exists also (released on video)
  3. Part Three
    » Always held by the FVTL
  4. Part Four
    » Always held by the FVTL

release information

In Print:
Novelised as: Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood
Written by: Terrance Dicks
Number 059 in the Target Doctor Who Library

Versions
1980 Published by W. H. Allen, UK in hardback
With cover artwork by: Andrew Skilleter
ISBN: 0 491 02680 3
20 March 1980 Published by W. H. Allen, UK in paperback
With cover artwork by: Andrew Skilleter
ISBN: 0 426 20099 3

plot synopsis

Professor Amelia Rumford is working around the stone circle, known as the Nine Travellers, with her assistant Vivien Fay, when the Doctor and Romana arrive on the scene. Local devil worship has activated some of the stones with blood sacrifices, as they are in reality the Ogri, who need to absorb nutrients from haemoglobin to live. The Doctor discovers that there is a spaceship hovering over the circle in hyperspace, thus making it invisible to people in this dimension. On board, the fact becomes clear that one of the prisoners, Cessair of Diplos has escaped, and the Megara, shapeless justice machines, accuse the Doctor of aiding her and sentence him to death. Cessair is really Vivien Fay, and the Doctor has to convince the Megara that this is her true identity to save his life...

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