The Twin Dilemma

From TARDIS Index File, the free Doctor Who reference.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Synopsis 3 Cast 4 Crew 5 References 6 Story Notes 6.1 Ratings 6.2 Myths 6.3 Filming Locations 6.4 Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors 7 Continuity 8 DVD and Video Releases 9 Novelisation 10 External Links

[edit] Plot

The Doctor - a Time Lord- has regenerated. Can he recover in time to solve a crime?

The Doctor behaves very strangely after his traumatic regeneration. He tries to strangle Peri, and wants to live like a hermit, but The Doctor inadvertently becomes involved in solving a crime, and must prevent destruction to the planet Titan 3.

[edit] Synopsis

A race of giant gastropods has taken over the planet Jaconda. Their leader, Mestor, now intends to cause an enormous explosion in order to spread his people's eggs throughout the galaxy, and he kidnaps juvenile twin geniuses from Earth to work out the necessary mathematical equations. Space fighters led by Lieutenant Hugo Lang are dispatched to get the twins back, but they come under attack and Lang is the sole survivor when his ship crashes on the asteroid Titan 3.

A newly regenerated Doctor and Peri become involved and help Jaconda's elderly former ruler Professor Edgeworth, who is really a Time Lord named Azmael, to defeat Mestor and free the planet's bird-like indigenous people from the gastropods' reign of terror. Azmael, however, sacrifices his life in the process.

The danger over, The Doctor tells Peri, "I'm the Doctor - whether you like it or not!"

[edit] Cast

• The Doctor - Colin Baker
• Peri - Nicola Bryant
• Edgworth / Azmael - Maurice Denham
• Hugo Lang - Kevin McNally
• Mestor - Edwin Richfield
• Romulus - Gavin Conrad
• Remus - Andrew Conrad
• Sylvest - Dennis Chinnery
• Noma - Barry Stanton
• Drak - Oliver Smith
• Fabian - Helen Blatch
• Elena - Dione Inman
• Chamberlain - Seymour Green
• Prisoner - Roger Nott
• Jocondan Guard - John Wilson

[edit] Crew

• Assistant Floor Manager - Stephen Jeffery-Poulter, Beth Millward
• Costumes - Pat Godfrey
• Designer - Valerie Warrender
• Film Cameraman - John Baker, John Walker
• Film Editor - Ian McKendrick
• Incidental Music - Malcolm Clarke
• Make-Up - Denise Baron
• Producer - John Nathan-Turner
• Production Assistant - Christine Fawcett
• Production Associate - June Collins
• Script Editor - Eric Saward
• Special Sounds - Dick Mills
• Studio Lighting - Don Babbage
• Studio Sound - Scott Talbott
• Theme Arrangement - Peter Howell
• Title Music - Ron Grainer
• Visual Effects - Stuart Brisdon

[edit] References

• Fiesta 95 is a holiday planet.
• Azmael last met the Doctor in the Doctor's fourth incarnation, and was the best teacher the Doctor ever had. On that occasion, Azmael got drunk.

[edit] Story Notes

• This story had working titles of; A Stitch In Time, A Switch In Time.
• New opening and closing title sequences make their debut a more colourful version than the previous one, incorporating Colin Baker's face rather than Peter Davison's designed by Sid Sutton and Terry Handley.
• The cat badge worn by the Doctor in his lapel for this story was hand-made and painted by Suzie Trevor, and purchased for the programme from a specialist badge shop in central London.
• Fabian was originally envisaged as a male character, and the Jocondan Chamberlain as a female one.
• The Doctor attempting to strangle Peri marks the first time on television that the Doctor has intentionally attacked a companion (discounting the accidental death of Sara Kingdom).

[edit] Ratings

• Part 1 - 7.6 million viewers
• Part 2 - 7.4 million viewers
• Part 3 - 7.0 million viewers
• Part 4 - 6.3 million viewers

[edit] Myths

• The Edgeworth character was originally intended to be the first Doctor. (He wasn't.)

[edit] Filming Locations

• Springwell Quarry, Springwell Lane, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
• Gerrards Cross Sand and Gravel Quarry, Gerrards Cross
• BBC Television Centre (TC3 & TC8), Shepherd's Bush, London

[edit] Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

• The altered revitaliser machine sends Peri 10 seconds back in time, and thus... back to the TARDIS?

[edit] Continuity

to be added

[edit] DVD and Video Releases

• Released on video in episodic format. Not yet released on DVD
• As of April 2008, Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, and Kevin McNalley, have recorded a commentary for this story, however a release date has not been set.
• The coming soon trailer for DVD release has been confirmed by the BBFC.

The Twin Dilemma will be released on DVD in 2009.

[edit] Novelisation

Main article: The Twin Dilemma (novelisation)

• Novelised as The Twin Dilemma in 1985 by Eric Saward.

[edit] External Links

• BBC Episode Guide for The Twin Dilemma
• Outpost Gallifrey Episode Guide: The Twin Dilemma
• Doctor Who Reference Guide: Detailed Synopsis - The Twin Dilemma
• A Brief History of Time (Travel): The Twin Dilemma
• The Locations Guide to Doctor Who - The Twin Dilemma

Season 21
Warriors of the Deep  • The Awakening  • Frontios  • Resurrection of the Daleks  • Planet of Fire  • The Caves of Androzani  • The Twin Dilemma