Doctor Who: The Lost Stories (R-Z)

The Red Fort Writer: Terry Nation Notes: The scripts were commissioned on September 24th, 1963. It appears that Nation, who had not particularly enjoyed writing The Daleks, did little work on “The Red Fort”, and may have even forgotten about it entirely. “The Red Fort” was intended to be the eighth story of Season One (then pushed back to ninth when Inside The Spaceship was added to the schedule in November), but was dropped altogether on January 21st, 1964. At this time, Nation was asked to write The Keys Of Marinus instead. Characters: The First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara Episodes: 7 Planned For: Season One Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: The time travellers become embroiled in the Indian Mutiny of 1857, when Indian troops rose up against the colonial officers of the British East India Company. Presumably, the assault on the Red Fort -- a Moghul palace in Delhi -- on May 11th, 1857, would have featured prominently. References: Doctor Who Magazine #310, Doctor Who: The Handbook: The First Doctor The Return Of The Neanderthal Writer: Roger Dixon Notes: Dixon submitted this storyline on January 16th, 1967; the use of Polly without Ben was reflective of the fact that the pair would shortly be replaced by a single, as-yet-unknown female companion. Characters: The Second Doctor, Jamie, Polly Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Five Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: The TARDIS lands on the planet Terunda, where the Doctor learns that the highly-advanced Terundans have nurtured a Neanderthal culture. Some of the Neanderthals now wish to return to Earth, and the Terundans ask for the Doctor's help to facilitate this. The Doctor is reluctant because the Neanderthals are telepathic and he is suspicious of their motives, but the Terundans assure him that the Neanderthals are conditioned such that they will all die should any one of them commit an act of violence. However, once arriving on an island on 2016 Earth, the Neanderthals reveal that they intend to use their telepathy to force the humans to do their dirty work for them. They take over the island, and only the Doctor and his companions -- shielded from the Neanderthal telepathy thanks to Terundan technology -- are safe. They are cornered on a cliff edge by the Neanderthals, but one of the Neanderthals has been befriended by Jamie. She is injured trying to save them and, in a fit of rage, shoots her leader. This triggers the Terundan conditioning, and all the Neanderthals die. References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #4, The Doctor Who Chronicles: Season Five Return To Sukannan Writer: Terry Nation Notes: Nation was contracted to provide the storyline for “Return To Sukannan” on February 13th, 1975. It was not taken further, and was presumably dropped when it was decided that Nation should expand The Android Invasion into full scripts. Characters: The Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Thirteen Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #8 The Revolutionaries see The Prison In Space The Robots see The Masters Of Luxor The Rosemariners aka The Rosicrutians Writer: Donald Tosh Notes: Tosh, Doctor Who's former story editor, submitted the storyline for “The Rosicrutians” around March 1968. The idea came from research he was doing while planning his own rose garden, while the title was a variant of Rosicrucian, a secret religious society which flourished in the seventeenth century. Many of Tosh's character names were derived from rose-related terminology, such as Rugosa (from rosa rugosa, an oriental type of rose). After turning in his storyline, Tosh continued to work on a draft script of episode one -- with the title changing slightly to “The Rosemariners” -- but became busy on other work and did not maintain contact with the Doctor Who production team. By the time he was able to make significant progress on the story, it was already known that Patrick Troughton would be leaving Doctor Who and that the programme would be overhauled for Season Seven. Since it would not fit the new format, “The Rosemariners” was abandoned without ever being formally commissioned. A significantly rewritten version of Tosh's outline later appeared in Doctor Who Magazine. Characters: The Second Doctor, Jamie, Victoria (would have been replaced with Zoe) Episodes: 4 Planned For: Season Six Stage Reached: Draft script for episode one Synopsis: The TARDIS materialises on an Earth space station, which has been virtually abandoned as a result of subterfuge by Rugosa, leader of the Rosemariners whose spaceship, the Rosemarinus, is nearby. The Rosemariners are using a venom secreted by their special roses to brainwash people. It transpires that the Rosemarinus is actually a prison ship; Rugosa was an inmate who managed to overthrow the wardens. He now plans an invasion of Earth, but the Doctor manages to inject Rugosa with the venom, thereby incapacitating him and returning control of the Rosemarinus to the wardens. References: Doctor Who Magazine #211, DWM #212, The Doctor Who Chronicles: Season Six The Rosicrutians see The Rosemariners The Shadow People Writers: Charlotte and Dennis Plimmer Notes: The Plimmers submitted their storyline to the Doctor Who production office on November 10th, and it was given serious consideration for the final slot of Season Seven. However, a subsequent pay dispute with the Plimmers meant that “The Shadow People” was abandoned shortly thereafter. Characters: The Third Doctor, Liz Episodes: 7 Planned For: Final story of Season Seven Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #2 The Shape Of Terror Writer: Brian Hayles Notes: This idea was submitted during the spring of 1971. It was rejected by script editor Terrance Dicks, but the idea of an Agatha Christie-style mystery was attractive and was incorporated into The Curse Of Peladon. Characters: The Third Doctor, Jo Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Nine Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: A rescue team led by Commander Hallett is summoned to research station Pi Delta 6 on the planet Medusa Centaurus. Hallett arrives to find the station deserted, and his security officer, Garford, believes it has been attacked by pirates. Indeed, when the TARDIS brings the Doctor and Jo to Pi Delta 6, Garford accuses them of being associated with the pirates. In fact, the station has fallen victim to the Energid, a shapeshifting protoplasmic entity which can absorb people's brains. The Energid wishes to merge with the Doctor, but when the Energid attempts the fusion, the Doctor manages to rally the minds of those whom the Energid had previously consumed, and the creature is destroyed. References: Doctor Who Magazine #219 The Silent Scream Writer: Chris Boucher Notes: This was an unsolicted submission made by Boucher to the production office in early 1975. It was not felt to be suitable for Doctor Who, but encouraged producer Philip Hinchcliffe and script editor Robert Holmes to work with Boucher on further ideas. Characters: Presumably the Fourth Doctor Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Thirteen Stage Reached: Story idea Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #8 The Sleepwalkers Writer: Roger Dixon Notes: Dixon submitted this storyline on January 16th, 1967; the use of Polly without Ben was reflective of the fact that the pair would shortly be replaced by a single, as-yet-unknown female companion. Characters: The Second Doctor, Jamie, Polly Episodes: 6 Planned For: Season Five Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: The TARDIS lands on far-future Earth, where a great conflict has reduced the world's populace to only a few hundred, living in isolated communities ignorant of each others' existence. One such community is made up of quarrelling Elders and young people who are dependent upon robots for their subsistence; however, these robots have recently stopped functioning. The Doctor realises that the robots are powered by hydroelectricity, and uses a fire and some silver iodine powder to bring about a rainstorm. This solves the problem, but also attracts the attention of another community, whose more warlike denizens attack. The Doctor is finally forced to modify some robots for use as weapons. Pacified, the attackers soon agree to work together with the Elders and their younger counterparts. However, before the Doctor can deactivate all the modified robots, two of them manage to construct a primitive TARDIS and escape. References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #4, The Doctor Who Chronicles: Season Five The Slide Writer: Victor Pemberton Notes: Pemberton's storyline was rejected on September 24th, 1964, by story editor David Whitaker, who felt that “The Slide” was a “stewpot” of earlier Doctor Who science-fiction ideas with a hint of Nigel Kneale's Quatermass serials. However, Pemberton had also submitted a version of “The Slide” to BBC Radio on August 17th; this audio treatment saw the Doctor replaced by Chilean seismologist Professor Joseph Gomez. This seven-part version of “The Slide” was transmitted weekly on the BBC Light Programme beginning on February 13th, 1966. The following year, Pemberton adapted “The Slide” as the Doctor Who adventure Fury From The Deep. Characters: The First Doctor, Susan, Ian Barbara Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Two Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: A sentient form of mud emerges from a fissure and begins to take over the minds of British townsfolk. References: Doctor Who Magazine #277, Doctor Who: The Handbook: The First Doctor The Son Of Doctor Who Writer: None (originated by William Hartnell) Notes: Hartnell was interested in playing characters other than the Doctor in Doctor Who. As a mechanism for achieving this, he suggested that he could also play the Doctor's son, who would be an adversary for the Doctor. This does not appear to have been seriously pursued. Characters: The First Doctor Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Presumably Seasons Two or Three Stage Reached: Verbal discussions Synopsis: The Doctor encounters his evil time-travelling son, to whom he bears an uncanny physical resemblance. References: Doctor Who Magazine #233 Space Station Writer: Christopher Langley Notes: Langley's storyline was submitted on December 30th, 1973, and he was commissioned on January 24th, 1974. Season Twelve was largely constructed around “Space Station”, with Revenge Of The Cybermen designed to use the same sets and The Sontaran Experiment intended to continue the story thread of Earth's abandonment by humanity. “Space Station” and The Sontaran Experiment would also have been made as essentially one large recording block -- since the former was entirely confined to the studio and the latter would be made only on location -- sharing the same director and crew. Around late May, however, it was clear that Langley's scripts were unacceptable, and the decision was made to replace “Space Station” with The Ark In Space. “Space Station” was officially dropped on June 17th. Characters: The Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane, Harry Episodes: 4 Planned For: Second story of Season Twelve Stage Reached: Complete script Synopsis: Apparently set on a far-future space station during a period when mankind is no longer living on Earth. References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #8 The Space War aka The Furies Writer: Ian Stuart Black Notes: Nearly four years after The Macra Terror, his last contribution to Doctor Who, Black was commissioned to write a storyline entitled “The Space War” (later changed to “The Furies”) on November 9th. Although Black delivered this toward the end of the month, it did not proceed to script form. Characters: The Third Doctor Episodes: 6 Planned For: Season Eight Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine #308, DWM Special Edition #2 The Spare-Part People aka The Brain Drain, The Labyrinth Writer: Jon Pertwee and Reed de Rouen Notes: Submitted around the summer of 1970, it does not appear that the storyline was seriously considered by the production team. Characters: The Third Doctor Episodes: 7 Planned For: Season Eight Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: The Doctor poses as Cambridge don Dr John Madden to investigate a spate of celebrity disappearances. He is kidnapped by mummy-like beings who take him to Antarctica, where a hidden civilisation exists. There the Doctor participates in brutal games and combats a monster which dwells in a labyrinth. References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #2 The Strange Suffragettes see The Prison In Space The Trap Writer: Robert Holmes Notes: Holmes originally conceived “The Trap” as a non-Doctor Who serial but submitted it to story editor Donald Tosh after being told by Head of Drama Serials Shaun Sutton that the BBC was not otherwise interested. Holmes and Tosh met on April 23rd, 1965, and Holmes quickly composed his storyline. On May 14th, Tosh responded with concerns that the robots were too similar to the Mechonoids from the forthcoming The Chase. He also noted that Ian and Barbara would need to be replaced with new companion Michael (later Steven) Taylor. Shortly thereafter, Holmes became busy with work for the drama series Private Eye and “The Trap” was forgotten. Holmes later resubmitted the idea to the Doctor Who production office in 1968, and it ultimately evolved into The Krotons. Characters: The First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, Vicki Episodes: 4 Planned For: Presumably Season Three Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: The arrival of the TARDIS on a planet causes the reactivation of a nearby spaceship, which releases a gas which causes the time travellers to become amnesiac. They are captured by robots from the ship, who put them through tests of intelligence and agility. They then meet the reawakened masters of the vessel, who went into suspended animation after the ship crashed on the planet. Because some of the original crew were killed in the accident, they need three of the four travellers to assist them in piloting the vessel; the other will be killed. The Doctor and his companions sabotage the ship and make their escape. References: Doctor Who Magazine #318, DWM Special Edition #4 Twin World Writer: Roger Dixon Notes: This idea was submitted on January 16th, 1967. Characters: The Second Doctor Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Five Stage Reached: Story idea Synopsis: On a planet in a binary star system, every birth produces twins who are the polar opposites of one another. The power of the ruling twins is governed by the prominence in the sky of the planet's two suns. As the Doctor arrives, the sun related to the evil twin is about to enter a prolonged period of ascendancy, and the good people of the world fear that by the time this period ends, their planet may be doomed. The Doctor saves the day with the use of a simple invention. References: Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #4, The Doctor Who Chronicles: Season Five The Vampire Planet see The Harvesters The White Witch Writer: Brian Hayles Notes: Hayles was commissioned to write a storyline for “The White Witch” on November 16th, 1965. It was abandoned on January 17th, 1966 because departing story editor Donald Tosh felt that it did not fit the vision espoused by the incoming production team of Innes Lloyd and Gerry Davis. Characters: The First Doctor, Steven, Dodo Episodes: Unknown Planned For: Season Three Stage Reached: Storyline Synopsis: Unknown References: Doctor Who Magazine #196, Doctor Who: The Handbook: The First Doctor

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