The Sensorites

Strangers in Space

By Peter R. Newman

Original Air Date: 20th June, 1964
5:15pm - 5:40pm

1. TARDIS CONSOLE ROOM

(The crew are gathered around the console. The Doctor is staring at the controls, baffled.)

IAN: Perhaps we've landed on top of something?

DOCTOR: Yes...

BARBARA: Or inside something.

(They look at her.)

DOCTOR: Mmm?

(The Doctor points to an instrument.)

DOCTOR: This says everything has stopped, but the ship...

SUSAN: What did you mean, Barbara, inside something?

IAN: Perhaps that's why we still appear to be moving.

BARBARA: How's the scanner, Doctor?

DOCTOR: Covered with static. Let's try it again, Susan.

(Susan presses the control but the scanner still shows only static.)

IAN: That could be caused by an unsurpressed motor.

DOCTOR: Yes, or a magnetic field.

SUSAN: Shall we go outside, grandfather?

DOCTOR: No, I shalln't be happy until I've solved this little mystery.

BARBARA: I don't know why we ever bother to leave the ship.

DOCTOR: Well you're just thinking about the experiences you had with the Aztecs.

BARBARA: No. I've got over that now.

IAN: That's one thing about it, Doctor. We're certainly different from when we started out with you.

SUSAN: That's funny. Grandfather and I were just talking about it before you came in, how you'd both changed.

BARBARA: Oh, we've all changed.

SUSAN: Have I?

BARBARA: Yes!

DOCTOR: Yes, it all started as a mild curiosity in a junkyard and now its turned out to be quite a, quite a great spirit of adventure, don't you think?

IAN: Yes, but we've had some pretty rough times and even that doesn't stop us. It's a wonderful thing, this ship of yours, Doctor. It's taken us back to prehistoric times, the Daleks...

SUSAN: ...Marco Polo, Marinus...

BARBARA: ...and the Aztecs!

DOCTOR: Yes, and that extraordinary quarrel I had with that English king, Henry VIII. (chuckles) Do you know, he threw a parson's nose at me!

BARBARA: Well what did you do?

DOCTOR: Threw it back, of course! 'Take them to the tower!' he said. That's why I did it.

BARBARA: Why?

SUSAN: The TARDIS was inside the tower!

DOCTOR: Of course, that was long before you appeared on the scene. However, now, let's get back to this little problem. Open the door, Susan.

(Susan operates the doors which begin to open.)

IAN: Have you checked everything, Doctor? Yes, yes, plenty of fresh air, temperature normal.

BARBARA: Oh, just the unknown, then.

(They turn to the doors. A futuristic control room can be seen beyond. They walk towards the door.)

IAN: You were right, Barbara. We have landed inside something.

DOCTOR: It's a spaceship!

2. CONTROL ROOM, HUMAN SHIP

(They are now fully out. The control room is quite large. At one end lies the TARDIS, still in its Police Box form. At the other is a giant control bank with a screen in it. Seated here are two humans, a man and a woman, who do not move. They are dressed in pullovers with a logo of two rockets on. Two circular shaped sliding doors are set into the back wall some distance apart.)

DOCTOR: Close the door, Susan.

(Susan locks the TARDIS.)

DOCTOR: Let us be careful. There's been some kind of catastrophe here.

(They cautiously advance forward to the man. Ian lifts up his head then feels his pulse.)

IAN: d*ad.

(Susan turns to the other body.)

SUSAN: This one's a girl.

(Barbara examines it.)

BARBARA: I'm afraid she's d*ad too. What can have happened? I can't see a wound or anything.

IAN: Suffocation, Doctor?

DOCTOR: I never make uninformed guesses, but, er, certainly that's one answer. Oh dear, dear, dear. What a tragedy, you know. She's only a few years older than Susan.

SUSAN: Grandfather, let's go back to the TARDIS.

DOCTOR: I don't know. I've got a feeling about this.

BARBARA: Yes. I think I can sense something too.

IAN: You mean that whatever it was k*lled them, could k*ll us?

(The Doctor has noticed something on the body's wrist.)

DOCTOR: Chesterton, have you noticed anything about this watch?

(They go over and find a similar one on the man's body.)

DOCTOR: Neither of them are working. These are the non-winding time. The movement of of the wrist recharges the spring inside for 24 hours.

IAN: Yes, and they've both stopped at about three o'clock.

DOCTOR: Yes, now suppose we say they've only just stopped. That would mean that the last movement of their wrists would have been at least 24 hours ago.

SUSAN: Grandfather, he's still warm!

BARBARA: Then they've only just died.

DOCTOR: It doesn't make sense, does it? But the facts are all here. I think it would be wise if we returned to the ship and left these people. There's noothing we can do for them.

BARBARA: We can't even bury them.

(They advance towards the TARDIS.)

DOCTOR: Come along, open the door, Susan.

(Susan begins to unlock it. Suddenly the figure of the man leans forwards and collapses onto the controls.)

IAN: His heart had stopped beating, Doctor. He was d*ad!

(They all rush around the man, Captain Maitland. He mumbles something illegible.)

IAN: What do you want?

MAITLAND: ...Over there...

(Ian goes to some shelves between the two doors.)

IAN: Here?

MAITLAND: No... to the left...

(Ian goes to the left and picks up a small transparent cylinder.)

IAN: This?

MAITLAND: Yes...

(Ian rushes back and gives it to Maitland who holds it against his chest. Soon he appears to have completely recovered and be back to normal.)

MAITLAND: Carol.

(He hands Barbara the object.)

MAITLAND: Place this against Carol's chest.)

BARBARA: I'm sorry. Carol's d*ad.

MAITLAND: Please do as I ask.

(Barbara does the same to Carol who sits up, groaning.)

IAN: (To the Doctor.) They were both d*ad.

SUSAN: Grandfather, what was in that box?

MAITLAND: It's a heart resuscitator. When you found us we were in a very long sleep but we weren't d*ad. My name is Maitland. This is Carol Richmond, my fellow astronaut.

(Barbara and Carol have by now rejoined the main group.)

DOCTOR: Tell me, are you from the Earth?

MAITLAND: Yes, we are.

BARBARA: So are we! How's it looking?

CAROL: The Earth, you mean?

BARBARA: Yes.

CAROL: There's still to much air traffic.

IAN: They got it off the roads, did they?

MAITLAND: You might say that, yes.

IAN: Barbara and I, we come from London.

(Maitland looks baffled.)

IAN: Tell me, is er, Big Ben still on time?

MAITLAND: What century do you come from? The 21st, perhaps?

BARBARA: No, the 20th.

MAITLAND: I see.

CAROL: What's Big Ben?

BARBARA: It's a clock. Near Westminster.

MAITLAND: Yes. You see the whole lower part of England is called central city now. There hasn't been a London now for 400 years. We come from the 28th century.

CAROL: Captain Maitland, these people must leave us immediately.

MAITLAND: Yes, you will have to.

IAN: But there are so many things we want to know!

MAITLAND: There is only danger for you here, you must go.

BARBARA: Danger? What sort of danger?

MAITLAND: It's better that you don't know what happened to us.

BARBARA: But we might be able to help you!

DOCTOR: No, no, Barbara. I learnt not to meddle in the affairs of other people long ago.

(Ian laughs.)

DOCTOR: Now, now, now, don't be absurd. There's not an ounce of curiosity in me, my dear boy. (to Maitland) Now, why are you in trouble?

(Now Barbara laughs.)

MAITLAND: Very well, I'll try to explain. Out there is a planet we call the Sense Sphere. Its inhabitants, the Sensorites, have always prevented us from leaving this area of space.

DOCTOR: You mean they have some kind of power over your craft.

MAITLAND: Exactly. But its, its not that simple. They not only control our craft; they have some influence over us as well.

DOCTOR: Hypnosis, you mean?

MAITLAND: No, I do not mean hypnosis.

DOCTOR: Well what then?

MAITLAND: Somehow they have control over our brains. They are hostile, these Sensorites, but in the strangest possible ways. They don't let us leave these area of space and yet they don't attempt to k*ll us.

SUSAN: What had happened when we found you?

CAROL: Well the same thing that's happened many times before. They put us into a deep sleep that gives the appearance of death, and yet they've never made any actual effort to destroy us.

MAITLAND: Far from it. We both have healthy recollections of them returning from time to time to our ship to actually feed us.

IAN: It doesn't add up at all.

CAROL: This is why you must leave us at once!

MAITLAND: Yes. The Sensorites may try to prevent you from leaving.

(Meanwhile at the other end of the room, unnoticed by the others, a small wrinkled hand reaches out and feels the TARDIS lock. It returns with a device that looks like a small tennis racket with a glass centre. Two lines form a cross and these are focused on the lock. The device begins to hum.)

BARBARA: I can smell something burning.

SUSAN: Mmm, so can I.

MAITLAND: You mustn't stay any longer.

IAN: I'm inclined to agree with him, Doctor. (To Maitland.) But surely there's something we can do for you.

MAITLAND: No. Nobody can help us.

SUSAN: Grandfather, couldn't we take them back with us?

MAITLAND: We cannot leave this ship.

CAROL: You see there's John to think of too.

DOCTOR: John?

BARBARA: Ian, there is something burning.

IAN: Yes, I think you're right. Maitland, you wouldn't have anything shorting, would you?

MAITLAND: Why no, that's not possible.

(Still unseen by the others, the device is still working on the now smoking TARDIS lock. The device stops humming and the hand grasps the lock and the entire mechanism. It then tests the door but it refuses to open. After a while, Barbara points towards the TARDIS.)

BARBARA: It seems to be coming from over here.

(Barbara and Ian go off to investigate.)

DOCTOR: (To Carol.) You have additional crew, I take it.

CAROL: Yes.

DOCTOR: Mmm...

MAITLAND: Doctor, you must go. Leave us.

DOCTOR: Well it seems to me that there's nothing else I can do. (to Maitland) Goodbye my friend. (to Carol) Goodbye my child. Come along, Susan.

(He leads Susan plus Ian and Barbara who are standing in the middle of the room over to the TARDIS.)

BARBARA: It's stronger over here, Doctor.

DOCTOR: Perhaps it's coming from inside the TARDIS.

(Susan spots the hole where the lock should be.)

SUSAN: Grandfather!

DOCTOR: Good gracious, they've taken the lock!

SUSAN: It's not so much the lock, it's the opening mechanism. The door's permanently locked!

IAN: Permanently? Well there must be some way of getting in. What can we do, Doctor, break down the door?

DOCTOR: Adn disturb the field of dimensions inside the TARDIS? We dare not! No, we've been most effectively shut out.

BARBARA: The Sensorites?

DOCTOR: Who else?

SUSAN: What do they want with us?

DOCTOR: I don't know. And why have they kept those other two in captivity, mm?

(The ship begins to rumble and shake. Carol shouts over from her seat.)

CAROL: The Sensorites! They're back! Get away!

IAN: We must get to the other end!

(With difficulty they struggle back to the side of the room with Maitland and Carol.)

DOCTOR: (To Maitland.) What's happening, my friend? Can't you control the ship?

MAITLAND: I'm powerless. The Sensorites are stronger than I am!

DOCTOR: Which is your parallel thrust?

MAITLAND: There!

(The Doctor operates a control.)

DOCTOR: Right, velocity check. Chesterton, check velocity.

(Carol points to a display.)

CAROL: Here.

IAN: It's not even on the unit marker, Doctor!

(Maitland struggles against the Doctor's operation of the controls.)

MAITLAND: Trying to control this spacecraft is su1c1de..!

DOCTOR: Please go away!

IAN: Velocity needle's hitting the red, Doctor.

DOCTOR: Right, s*ab us, Maitland.

(Maitland pushes a lever forward and the juddering stops.)

DOCTOR: At last. At last. The ship was rolling about on its axis.

SUSAN: Grandfather, look!

(The white planet on the screen is growing larger.)

BARBARA: We're heading straight for it!

CAROL: It's the Sense Sphere.

DOCTOR: (To Maitland.) Where's your deflection rays?

(Maitland does not react.)

DOCTOR: Maitland, deflection rays!

MAITLAND: There, the white panel, but its useless.

DOCTOR: We'll see about that.

(He begins to move some controls on the white panel.)

DOCTOR: Reading, please?

CAROL: Max three, braking one.

IAN: 19 miles to the nearest point of impact.

CAROL: Closing fast!

SUSAN: Barbara, we're going to h*t! We're going to h*t!

CAROL: Lifting flight.

MAITLAND: We're on collision course!

DOCTOR: Jet course port... now!

(He moves a switch and there is a roaring noise.)

IAN: Velocity's still rising!

DOCTOR: Jet reverse starboard... now!

(He moves another switch and their is a similar noise.)

CAROL: Increasing to max 4. Heading straight for point of impact!

IAN: The altitude is still falling!

CAROL: Max 4.

DOCTOR: Barbara, see that panel? Check system, green light normal.

(Barbara looks at it.)

BARBARA: Yes, green light's on.

DOCTOR: (To Maitland.) Now boost engines... forward... thrust... now!

(Maitland becomes paralysed. The Doctor pulls the lever for him. Maitland leans back exhausted. The roaring noises are now almost deafening. The Sense Sphere almost fills the screen then falls to the side. They have passed it. It becomes quiet again.)

MAITLAND: Why couldn't I do it?

3. CONTROL ROOM (LATER)

(The Doctor and Maitland are seated by a console with Ian and Carol standing behind them. Susan and Barbara are preparing a meal.)

DOCTOR: Well, my friend, are you feeling better?

MAITLAND: Yes, my head's much clearer.

DOCTOR: Yes well I rather fancy that's settled that little bit of solution. You know, I think these Sensorites have found a way to take control of your minds.

IAN: Do you think they were deliberately trying to k*ll us, Doctor?

DOCTOR: No, no I don't. I think it was an exercise in fear and power.

CAROL: Yes, but for some reason or other, you minds aren't open to them.

DOCTOR: Yes and you've found a way to resist them, whereas Maitland here; his power to resist was taken from him.

MAITLAND: I was afraid.

DOCTOR: Mmm.

IAN: You weren't afraid. They just made you hopeless.

DOCTOR: Yes, they're dangerously cunning, these people, but that's not all. Things are very strange here. You know, they can control, they can frighten and yet they don't attempt to k*ll you. Furthermore they even feed you and keep you alive. All this is quite extraordinary.

IAN: Yes. And talking about food, I shall be glad when we eat. (to Barbara) How's it coming along?

BARBARA: All right. It'll be ready in a minute.

CAROL: Well from the sight of our stocks, they've obviously been giving us their own food.

BARBARA: Whart about water, Carol?

CAROL: Oh, down there on the right.

BARBARA: Right, we'll find it.

DOCTOR: Tell me, have either of you ever met any of these creatures or seen them?

(There is a tense silence.)

CAROL: John has.

IAN: Ah, he's the other member of your crew, isn't he?

MAITLAND: Yes, our mineralogist.

DOCTOR: I'd like to have a talk with him.

MAITLAND: I'm afraid that's out of the question.

DOCTOR: Oh? Why not?

(Maitland and Carol glance at each other.)

MAITLAND: I'd rather not talk about it.

(Susan and Barbara walk straight past a hatch labelled 'water' without noticing and up to one of the closed circular doors.)

BARBARA: I suppose she meant through that door. Let's try it.

SUSAN: I can't see any handle on the door. Try this.

(She pulls a lever next to the door.)

SUSAN: That doesn't work.

(She sees a sensor embedded in the wall and waves her hand over it. The door slides up.)

SUSAN: That's funny! Oh I see, it's the ray, I must have broken the connection.

BARBARA: Let's get that water, I'm dying of thirst.

SUSAN: Yes, so am I.

(They step through.)

4. STARBOARD CORRIDOR

(The corridor is built in the same dull grey style as the rest of the ship and completely featureless. Barbara stares doubtfully down it.)

BARBARA: Well down here on the right, she said.

(Susan shrugs and they continue. For a while nothing happens then a hand - human this time - waves over a sensor on this side of the door. The owner of it comes into view. He is a man dressed in the same uniform as Maitland and Carol. He is John, the third member of the crew. Zombie-like, he stumbles down the corridor after Susan and Barbara.)

5. ROOM

(They enter a small room with some controls in it and look around.)

BARBARA: I don't think we should stay in here long.

(Susan picks up a book and begins leafing through it.)

SUSAN: Hey, this is bliss!

BARBARA: I wonder where that water is?

SUSAN: I don't know.

(Barbara hears something.)

BARBARA: Shh.

(Susan looks up.)

BARBARA: Listen.

(They hear the sounds of John shuffling towards them.)

6. CONTROL ROOM

(The others are still talking.)

IAN: But don't you see? John may be able to give us some valuable information.

CAROL: I told you, you can't see him!

DOCTOR: You're both being rather secretive.

(Neither Maitland or Carol reply.)

IAN: Where are the others?

(Maitland and Carol both jump up in alarm and run to the door. Maitland desperately attempts to open it but the sensor will not work.)

MAITLAND: We should have warned them!

IAN: What is it? What's wrong?

CAROL: The door's been locked from the outside. Quickly, they're in danger, we must get in from the other end!

(Ian, Maitland and Carol rush to the other door. Maitland succeeds in opening with the sensor this time and they go through.)

7. PORT CORRIDOR

(They rush through an identical corridor.)

MAITLAND: This way!

(He waves his hand over the sensor of another, more conventional-looking door in the wall.)

MAITLAND: This is the other way through.

(It does not move.)

CAROL: Oh, it's no use. The ray's been jammed on the other side!

MAITLAND: I'm sorry, Ian, there's nothing we can do.

IAN: But what is it? What's wrong? What's going on inside there?

MAITLAND: It's no use, no use.

(Ian pulls him out of the way and begins to hammer on the door.)

IAN: Barbara! Susan!

CAROL: No! No, please!

(They attempt to pull him away.)

IAN: Are there Sensorites in there?

8. ROOM

(Barbara and Susan back away as John stumbles towards them. He leans out towards Susan but they move away and he falls against a cupboard unit in the corner.
Barbara and Susan slip away.)

9. STARBOARD CORRIDOR

(They run back towards the door to the control room but neither the sensor nor their physical efforts will move it. Realising it is futile, Barbara steps protectively in front of Susan and leads her back up the corridor. They open another door and dart through.)

10. ROOM

(This room is much smaller and contains a single cupboard. They attempt to move it into the doorway but it will not budge. They see John coming up to the doorway and hide behind it. He enters but instead of looking for them he clutches his head in pain and whimpers. After a while he goes out again.)

11. CONTROL ROOM

CAROL: We must find out about John.

MAITLAND: We've been over this a hundred times before, Carol.

CAROL: But the other times were different! The Sensorites made our decisions for us.

MAITLAND: As far as we know, they still do!

CAROL: But the Doctor and the others showed us we can resist them. We can! It's only fear that makes us weak, that's all.

MAITLAND: That may be so, but we mustn't go in there, Carol, it's too dangerous.

CAROL: What you really mean is I mustn't go in there. You're afraid for me, aren't you?

MAITLAND: I know what John means to you.

CAROL: (Sadly.) Last time I saw him he didn't even know my name. I must see him, I must find out! Besides, there are the girls.

MAITLAND: All right.

IAN: Maitland, you must get that door open.

MAITLAND: I'll have to cut round the lock.

IAN: All right, well get on with it.

MAITLAND: I'll get the machinery out.

(He goes off.)

IAN: Carol, tell me, what is it that you're both afraid of?

CAROL: John's in there, with your friends. He and I were going to get married when we got back to the Earth. The Sensorites att*cked him far more than Captain Maitland and me. I had to sit there helplessly and watch him get worse and worse.

IAN: You mean they've taken over his mind?

CAROL: Yes.

IAN: What's it done to him?

(Carol just sobs.)

IAN: Carol, you've got to tell me.

CAROL: He'll be frightened of strangers. He, he may become violent.

12. ROOM

(Barbara motions for Susan to be quiet and she moves towards the door.)

13. STARBOARD CORRIDOR

(She peers out and sees John leaning against the wall to the right, his head lolling. She and Susan edge along the wall in the other direction but John sees them and begins to stumble after them. They hammer on one of the doors but it remains shut. John approaches but as he gets near he clutches his head again and sinks to his knees and sobs.)

SUSAN: He's crying!

(John looks imploringly up at them.)

JOHN: Why? (to Barbara) You look like my sister. Have you come to help me?

(Barbara reaches out to him but Susan holds her arms back.)

JOHN: Four years...

BARBARA: Are you one of the crew of this spaceship?

(John nods.)

BARBARA: Are you trying to tell me something?

(John nods.)

BARBARA: About yourself?

(John nods.)

SUSAN: Is he, is he trying to say he's ill?

JOHN: Yes. Yes.

(They kneel down beside him.)

BARBARA: Don't be afraid. We'll take care of you.

SUSAN: What do you think happened to him, Barbara?

(Barbara shakes her head.)

14. CONTROL ROOM

(Maitland is cutting the left-hand door with a small drill, watched by the Doctor, Ian and Carol.)

IAN: Where does the power come from?

MAITLAND: Electro-magnetics. We should be through to the locks at any minute.

IAN: (To Carol.) You say you haven't seen John for months?

CAROL: He was dangerous once the Sensorites had got at his brain.

DOCTOR: (To Maitland.) Can't you go faster? Susan's in there!

MAITLAND: It won't be long, now.

(A shrill, piercing noise begins to pervade the room. Maitland pauses.)

DOCTOR: Now what is it? Get on with the job, please!

MAITLAND: Listen. Don't you hear it? I thought there was something else.

IAN: You mean that high-pitched whine? Is that it?

MAITLAND: Sensorites!

CAROL: They must be near! That noise is caused by the machines that carry them through space.

MAITLAND: Carol, get back to your intruments.

(Carol runs back to her seat.)

MAITLAND: Doctor, will you take the controller seat?

DOCTOR: Anything but this awful waiting!

(The Doctor takes Maitland's seat.)

IAN: But what about Barbara and Susan?

MAITLAND: No time now!

(Maitland and Ian go over to the control area. The screen still shows only stars.)

MAITLAND: Look for glowing lights on the move about the ship.

IAN: Well how will they att*ck us?

MAITLAND: They won't, not in the mormal way.

IAN: But then how can we defend ourselves?

MAITLAND: You'll find out soon enough. Look out there.

(They look to the screen. After a while to white dots, slightly larger than the stars edge onto the view and begin to move across the screen.)

MAITLAND: There they are! See them moving?

IAN: Yes, but they look miles away.

MAITLAND: It won't take them long to get here.

IAN: How long do you think it'll take them, Doctor?

DOCTOR: I don't know. They must have made the journey before. They were here, remember? They took away the lock mechanism to my ship.

IAN: Yes, and probably took it back to their own planet.

DOCTOR: And now they're coming back, but with what orders? To take over our minds, mm? Or to killl us?

15. STARBOARD CORRIDOR

(Susan, Barbara and John hear the noise.)

BARBARA: Do you hear that?

SUSAN: It's as if it's coming from outside.

(John stumbles to his feet and stands in front of Susan and Barbara.)

BARBARA: No. You need rest. There's nothing wrong.

JOHN: I'll protect you.

BARBARA: Yes, all right. You protect us.

16. CONTROL ROOM

IAN: Would it be a good idea to move?

MAITLAND: Where to? We already know we can't leave this area of space.

IAN: All the same...

MAITLAND: Anyway, we're not going to be destroyed. Had the Sensorites intended that they would have done it long ago.

IAN: Well if that collision course was their idea of a joke, I'd hate to be one of their enemies.

CAROL: (Bitterly.) They wouldn't really try to crash us. They just keep on playing this game of nerves.

DOCTOR: Shh. What's that noise?

MAITLAND: Yes. We always hear that.

CAROL: Interference now on all our scans.

MAITLAND: Now remember all of you; no v*olence unless the Sensorites start it first.

IAN: Why no v*olence? Surely we've got the right to defend ourselves.

DOCTOR: My dear Chesterton, it is the mind they take over, so we must assume that the brain is all important. Now let the intelligence be our only defence and att*ck!

CAROL: I can sense them all around us now.

MAITLAND: Shh.

(There is silence. Maitland and Carol appear to be frozen in position. Ian wanders back to the screen. He looks at it and his eyes widen.)

IAN: Doctor!

(A bulbous head with enormous black eyes and a hairy, cat-like face moves up into view. It appears to be looking in on them all. The Sensorites have arrived...)
{"type": "series", "show": "Doctor Who", "episode": "01x31 - Strangers in Space"}