The Savages

Starring William Hartnell
Episodes 1-4
1966
100 minutes
2 CD's

 





 

Production Notes
Doctor Who
William Hartnell

Steven Taylor
Peter Purves

Dodo
Jackie Lane
Written by
Ian Stuart Black

Directed by
Christopher Barry

Produced by
Innes Lloyd
Original Airdate
May 28 - Jun 18, 1966

UK Release Date
November 2002

BBC Radio Collection
ISBN 0563535024



 


Cover Blurb

William Hartnell stars as the First Doctor in this exclusive recording of a "lost" television adventure, with linking narration by Peter Purves.

"We have reached the distant horizon of an age of peace and prosperity!"

When the TARDIS materializes on an alien planet, the Doctor insists that he and his companions have arrived in the far future. Steven and Dodo think otherwise, however, after they encounter a band of cave-dwelling primitives who are terrified of strangers. The travelers soon discover that the planet’s population is divided into two castes, and that the professed idyll of the Elders - who inhabit a technologically advanced city - seems oddly dependent upon the unsophisticated Savages.

Whilst the Elders’ leader, Jano, welcomes the Doctor into their society, Dodo stumbles upon a dark secret at the heart of the community. The truth behind the Elders’ great knowledge is eventually revealed, and the Doctor sees it as his duty to end a terrible case of exploitation. Yet Jano has plans of his own for the Doctor…

With the Doctor’s faithful companion Steven discovering that events on this planet will irrevocably shape his destiny, The Savages marks the final appearance in the program of Peter Purves, who also provides the linking narration for this release.

 

 

 

 

Additional Notes
  • Only a handful of short clips exist from this story.  They were created by a fan pointing his 16mm camera at the TV screen as the story was airing and recording small segments only a few seconds in length.  They contain no sound.
  • A forgotten classic (IMHO), The Savages is a very moralistic tale that pits the Doctor against a seemingly peaceful, advanced race.
  • Listen for Frederick Jaeger's performance as he begins to act like the Doctor after tapping his life energy earlier in the story.
  • If Jaeger (playing Jano) sounds familiar that's because he also guest starred in the Tom Baker story "Planet of Evil" as Dr. Sorenson.  He also played Professor Marius 2 years later in "The Invisible Enemy" (and incidentally, the professor constructed K-9).
  • Steven (played by Peter Purves) leaves at the end of this story.  Ironically, this is also Peter Purves' last time narrating a missing audio CD (for the simple reason that all the stories from his time on the show have now been released).
     
  • The audio recording of this story was done separately by Graham Strong and David Holman using their own home audio equipment.