We’ve all had that moment where we’ve stopped and asked ourselves, ‘Which classic Sontaran story is the best, based on viewing figures?’ right? Well, now it’s time to answer that question. Which is the greatest Sontaran story of Classic Who?
4) The Two Doctors – 6.5 million
For this highly scientific analysis, we’ll be averaging out the viewing figures for each story, as they were told over multiple episodes. 1985’s ‘The Two Doctors’ was a three-parter, and the average audience came in at 6.5 million.
This serial had a lot going for it; for a start, it was written by Robert Holmes, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest Doctor Who writers of all time (and he also created the Sontarans – tiny detail.)
And then there was the lush location work in Seville, Spain. And then there was Patrick Troughton, returning as the Second Doctor. And then there was Frazer Hines, returning as Jamie McCrimmon. And then there was Jacqueline Pearce, returning as Servalan (okay, she was playing Chessene, but it was basically Servalan from Blake’s 7.)
So does the relatively low ranking for this Sontaran story mean that it failed to set audiences alight? Not necessarily. This figure was about average for Doctor Who Season 22 and, love it or hate it, it was visually distinctive. Just spare a thought for the actors clad in rubber masks in 30 degree heat…
3) The Time Warrior – 8.23 million
‘The Time Warrior’ from 1973/74 is an important piece of Doctor Who history. For a start, it marked the beginning of Jon Pertwee’s last season as the eponymous Time Lord. It also introduced the character of Sarah Jane Smith, played by Elisabeth Sladen – a character who would go on to become one of the most popular Doctor Who companions of all time. Plus, it also introduced the Sontarans to the Whoniverse. ‘The Time Warrior’ was their very first story, written – again – by series stalwart Robert Holmes.
But in this adventure, there is just the one Sontaran. There are no full-scale armies swirling in the skies above Britain, but rather a single scout, whose spaceship has crashed in the Middle Ages, and needs fixing. His elaborate escape plan involves time travelling to the 20th century and kidnapping scientists who can help with his repairs, while he appeases the locals by furnishing them with advanced technology.
Overall, ‘The Time Warrior’ is a memorable Sontaran story, and a fine outing for the Third Doctor. It achieved an average audience of 8.23 million.
2) The Invasion of Time – 10.52 million
1978’s ‘The Invasion of Time’ is another important story in Doctor Who canon, as it marks the final appearance of Louise Jameson as Leela. She leaves in the last episode after something of a whirlwind romance with another Time Lord called Andred.
In the next of our Sontaran stories, the Doctor becomes Gallifrey’s president, just as an army of Sontarans invade. Throughout the adventure, he is acting quite oddly, and for a time it is implied that he may have ‘turned to the dark side’ and led the enemy to Gallifrey.
This is not the case, of course, and the Sontarans prove how angry they are by chasing the Time Lord through the labyrinthine corridors of the TARDIS, in what is perhaps one of the serial’s most memorable sequences. This was the first time viewers had seen other rooms of the TARDIS in such detail, even catching a glimpse of the famed swimming pool. Hilariously, one Sontaran gets more than be bargained for when he his attacked by one of the Doctor’s sun loungers.
This may not be the Sontarans‘ most fondly-remembered story, but there’s no denying its impact. An impressive 10.52 million people tuned in for its broadcast, making it one of of the most successful stories on the list. Tom Baker was at the peak of his powers and audiences, it seems, couldn’t get enough.
1) The Sontaran Experiment – 10.75 million
Our top Sontaran story is 1975’s ‘The Sontaran Experiment,’ written as a sequel to the previous year’s ‘Time Warrior,’ penned by Bob Baker and Dave Martin. At just two episodes, it’s the shortest adventure on the list, and the second story in a longer plot arc which begins with ‘The Ark in Space’ and ends with ‘Revenge of the Cybermen.’
Again, the Time Lord isn’t facing an alien horde, but a single Sontaran. This time, it’s the villainous Styre. He has landed on Earth in the distant future, and is carrying out torturous experiments on the locals in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of humans and their strengths and weaknesses. Interestingly, this story was shot entirely on location, and on videotape rather than film – a rarity for 70s Who. The extent to which this affects the quality is debatable, but it does at least give the serial a more ‘uniform’ look.
The production was not without its problems, though. During filming, Tom Baker broke his collarbone after getting thrown to the ground by Styre, and ended up in a sling. This meant that his stunt double Terry Walsh had to pick up a certain amount of the shots (from behind, at least) whilst Baker filmed the rest by concealing his sling and neck brace under his costume.
Despite the problems, ‘The Sontaran Experiment’ was very well-received on its original broadcast, pulling in an average of 10.75 million viewers. This was a period of immense popularity for Doctor Who under the stewardship of the producer Philip Hinchcliffe – a popularity that would continue to grow during his tenure.
So tell us, readers – which is your favourite Sontaran story from this list? And which one would you recommend to someone who’s never seen the potato-headed monsters? Let us know in the comments below.
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