Doctor Who - The Sontaran Experiment (1975)

Part 1

Audio Description Script

By Brett Coulstock. .

Audio Description Script
Serial TimecodeIn TimecodeOut Duration Translation
1 00:00:04,530 00:00:09,810 00:05.28 The blue police-box shape of the TARDIS rushes forward through the space-time vortex.
2 00:00:09,880 00:00:20,470 00:10.59 The Doctor's face, wide eyed and curly haired, forms in the tunnel of onrushing light; then is replaced by the words DOCTOR WHO in a diamond-shape logo.
3 00:00:24,240 00:00:26,240 00:02 The Sontaran Experiment.
4 00:00:26,480 00:00:28,480 00:02 By Bob Baker and Dave Martin.
5 00:00:28,680 00:00:30,680 00:02 Part 1.
6 00:00:32,480 00:00:36,830 00:04.35 Earth in the far future is recovering from devastating solar flares.
7 00:00:37,440 00:00:45,860 00:08.42 Horizon to horizon, there are no trees, no animals, just low, dense scrub under a flat, grey sky.
8 00:00:46,000 00:00:50,560 00:04.56 Nestled in the scrub, 12 tarnished metal balls, arranged in a circle
9 00:00:50,640 00:00:58,000 00:07.36 The Doctor, a tall man wearing an over-coat, floppy hat and long scarf materialises in the circle.
10 00:00:58,690 00:01:02,690 00:04 He takes in the rolling hills and the craggy granite outcrops.
11 00:01:03,520 00:01:12,380 00:08.86 Royal Navy Surgeon Harry Sullivan, dark hair, square jawed, in a fawn coat, materialises nearby, then disappears again with a look of surprise.
12 00:01:15,010 00:01:17,710 00:02.70 He reappears ... and disappears.
13 00:01:21,320 00:01:24,320 00:03 He finally stabilises.
14 00:01:34,200 00:01:37,200 00:03 The Doctor crouches in front of one of the globes.
15 00:01:44,960 00:01:47,150 00:02.19 Sarah is stuck in a bush.
16 00:01:51,680 00:01:54,680 00:03 As Harry walks away, the Doctor polishes the transmat globe with his hanky.
17 00:02:00,850 00:02:06,020 00:05.17 Sarah, brightly dressed in yellow rain-gear is stuck awkwardly in a bush. Harry takes her hands and helps her up.
18 00:02:18,000 00:02:34,370 00:16.37 Sarah and Harry make their way through the green and russet and mustard coloured bushes. They jog back up to the circle, but the Doctor is scrutinising the refractor and does not notice them. Sarah playfully pulls her beanie down over her eyes and makes a funny face.
19 00:02:38,440 00:02:44,890 00:06.45 He removes the maintenance port cover of the transmat refractor and peers doubtfully inside.
20 00:03:14,600 00:03:18,540 00:03.94 The Doctor is repairing the refractor with his sonic-screwdriver.
21 00:03:29,480 00:03:35,370 00:05.89 Leaving the Doctor to his repairs, Sarah and Harry stride off.
22 00:03:35,440 00:03:38,440 00:03 Later, they explore a gully with steeply sloping sides.
23 00:04:13,680 00:04:16,990 00:03.31 Moving swiftly, some *thing* disappears behind the hilltop.
24 00:04:38,770 00:04:42,820 00:04.05 He puts his arm companionably around her shoulders and they continue walking.
25 00:04:42,920 00:04:48,110 00:05.19 The transmat circle. The Doctor works on the globe, polishing components on his scarf.
26 00:04:48,280 00:04:57,210 00:08.93 He is being watched. Crouching in the scrub two dishevelled men wearing partial space suits have the Doctor in the sights of a futuristic side arm.
27 00:05:04,840 00:05:10,170 00:05.33 Sarah and Harry explore a rocky path through a valley.
28 00:05:13,840 00:05:18,240 00:04.40 (FAST) Losing his footing, Harry tumbles down a steep slope. He lays there, unmoving.
29 00:05:20,070 00:05:21,460 00:01.39 A camp.
30 00:05:24,840 00:05:31,320 00:06.48 Erak runs towards a basic camp in the shelter of a granite outcrop. Krans, a bearded man, tends a small fire.
31 00:05:42,640 00:05:45,030 00:02.39 (FAST) He stands, picking up a rifle.
32 00:05:49,640 00:05:54,640 00:05 At the bottom of the ravine, Harry stirs and gets to his feet, clutching his arm.
33 00:06:23,120 00:06:29,320 00:06.20 The Doctor is busy working on the transmat refractors, and doesn't notice Zake watching him warily.
34 00:06:29,520 00:06:32,460 00:02.94 Behind Zake, a strange silver machine appears.
35 00:06:32,560 00:06:34,560 00:02 Alarmed, Zake jumps to his feet and sprints away.
36 00:06:35,160 00:06:40,360 00:05.20 Oblivious, the Doctor rests his sonic-screwdriver on top of a globe as he rummages inside.
37 00:06:40,440 00:06:41,990 00:01.55 Zake *runs*.
38 00:06:42,200 00:06:49,800 00:07.60 The machine is a large, shiny robot that resembles both an insect and a crab. It glides swiftly across the heath on articulated legs.
39 00:06:52,220 00:06:54,100 00:01.88 It closes in on Zake.
40 00:06:55,440 00:06:59,440 00:04 Zake stops short at the edge of a rough weathered granite cliff, he then half jumps and half falls to escape the robot.
41 00:07:03,120 00:07:05,430 00:02.31 The transmat circle.
42 00:07:05,960 00:07:08,960 00:03 The Doctor jumps up and runs towards the cry, leaving his screwdriver behind.
43 00:07:11,440 00:07:17,560 00:06.12 He locates Zakes body at the bottom the cliff and gingerly slides down to help. The robot is nowhere to be seen.
44 00:07:20,540 00:07:26,300 00:05.76 He examines Zakes awkwardly twisted body. Zake is dead.
45 00:07:26,301 00:07:29,850 00:03.54 From the cliff top, Erak and Krans point their guns at the Doctor.
46 00:07:34,620 00:07:35,910 00:01.29 Erak aims.
47 00:07:37,420 00:07:39,860 00:02.44 The Doctor falls beside Zake.
48 00:07:40,160 00:07:43,110 00:02.95 Sarah runs into the transmat circle.
49 00:07:43,950 00:07:46,950 00:03 It is deserted; the Doctor missing.
50 00:07:48,200 00:07:52,440 00:04.24 She looks around, puzzled.
51 00:07:55,860 00:08:00,950 00:05.09 She notices the slender sonic-screwdriver that the Doctor left resting on top of the transmat globe.
52 00:08:00,951 00:08:03,951 00:03 She picks it up, looking worried.
53 00:08:04,280 00:08:08,160 00:03.88 Harry is waiting for rescue in the gloom at the bottom of the ravine.
54 00:08:09,880 00:08:12,880 00:03 A scattering of pebbles fall around him.
55 00:08:14,720 00:08:17,720 00:03 Suddenly, giant rocks crash down.
56 00:08:17,560 00:08:22,600 00:05.04 Harry scrambles for cover. He finds a small cave in the rock hidden by creepers and ducks into it.
57 00:08:22,601 00:08:23,970 00:01.36 (FAST) The transmat circle.
58 00:08:28,420 00:08:33,340 00:04.92 Sarah looks around. Then she clutches the sonic-screwdriver tightly and runs off.
59 00:08:34,280 00:08:44,040 00:09.76 Erak and Krans carry the Doctor’s body between them, but they are watched from high on a nearby hill by another bearded man in a partial space suit.
60 00:08:44,240 00:08:45,970 00:01.73 Sarah returns to the ravine.
61 00:08:50,730 00:08:53,960 00:03.23 Leaning over the edge, she sees Harry is gone.
62 00:08:55,000 00:08:59,000 00:04 She contemplates the broken sticks that were covering the ravine.
63 00:08:59,890 00:09:02,920 00:03.03 She looks around, unsettled.
64 00:09:03,200 00:09:20,480 00:17.28 Erak and Krans return to camp and drop the Doctor’s body. Both men are unkempt and dirty. Erak is tall and lean with wide eyes; Krans is shorter with dark hair. The camp is little more than a hollow in the steep slope of a weathered granite outcrop, affording a little protecton.
65 00:09:21,320 00:09:23,290 00:01.97 Krans tends to the fire.
66 00:09:36,920 00:09:41,590 00:04.67 Erak draws a machete from a scabbard on his belt, and cuts the rope around the Doctors ankles.
67 00:09:43,770 00:09:48,260 00:04.49 Then he drags the Doctor roughly to his feet and holds him fast.
68 00:09:49,070 00:09:54,740 00:05.67 Krans approaches with a large stick, glowing with the heat of the fire, and waves it in the Doctor's face.
69 00:10:05,400 00:10:10,900 00:05.50 Near the top of the ravine, Sarah is resourcefully dragging a large, dead tree branch.
70 00:10:11,160 00:10:14,160 00:03 Suddenly she catches movement from the corner of her eye.
71 00:10:18,840 00:10:26,530 00:07.69 In the cave, Harry crawls through a narrow crack between two massive plates of granite rock towards light.
72 00:10:29,440 00:10:36,330 00:06.89 He emerges from between a jumble of mossy boulders, and staggers forward towards a craggy granite hill.
73 00:10:37,480 00:10:44,060 00:06.58 Sarah awkwardly uses her dead tree branch to reach down into the ravine where she last saw Harry.
74 00:10:44,240 00:10:47,240 00:03 She is unaware that someone is creeping up behind her.
75 00:10:48,040 00:10:53,180 00:05.14 The bearded man who watched the Doctor from the hill, clamps his dirt streaked hand over her mouth,
76 00:10:54,080 00:10:57,080 00:03 He drags her roughly away, pulling her behind a large boulder.
77 00:11:00,560 00:11:14,030 00:13.47 The robot appears, gliding smoothly through the rocky gully and comes to a stop close to their hiding place. It has two visual sensors like torches either side of its flat, trapezoid head; it is bristling with antennae that twitch and scan, searching out prey.
78 00:11:14,920 00:11:17,020 00:02.10 It turns its head too and fro.
79 00:11:26,170 00:11:30,200 00:04.03 Eventually, it moves away.
80 00:11:41,640 00:11:45,260 00:03.62 The man breaks cover to check the robot has really gone.
81 00:11:45,720 00:11:48,720 00:03 He returns, his posture hunched and defensive.
82 00:12:06,480 00:12:09,480 00:03 Roth jumps up and gestures towards the ravine that Harry fell into.
83 00:12:34,520 00:12:37,520 00:03 Roth rolls up a sleeve.
84 00:13:04,700 00:13:06,700 00:02 At the camp.
85 00:13:14,520 00:13:16,420 00:01.90 (FAST) A tall man with beard and sandy hair.
86 00:14:55,680 00:14:57,680 00:02 He squints at Vural’s suit.
87 00:14:59,430 00:15:01,430 00:02 He stares at a small stud below Vural's collar.
88 00:15:08,400 00:15:13,400 00:05 Elsewhere the Doctor’s enlarged face shows on a monitor screen, transmitted by the microcamera on Vurals suit.
89 00:15:13,720 00:15:18,720 00:05 A large, three fingered hand with skin the texture of a hog operates a series of controls mounted beneath.
90 00:15:20,280 00:15:25,110 00:04.83 The robot rises from a concealed position in the scrub, elevating itself on its insect-like legs.
91 00:15:28,320 00:15:32,410 00:04.09 It swiftly scans its environment and moves off, antennae twitching.
92 00:15:40,920 00:15:44,910 00:03.99 Meanwhile, Harry works his way back around a massive granite formation.
93 00:15:45,120 00:15:49,180 00:04.06 Now at the camp, the motley GalSec crew deliberate around the fire.
94 00:16:37,720 00:16:40,720 00:03 Roth leads Sarah briskly through the scrub along a slope.
95 00:16:48,560 00:16:52,220 00:03.66 Roth turns away and huddles, child-like against the slope.
96 00:17:05,480 00:17:10,740 00:05.26 He turns away, frightened. Sarah puts her hand on his arm, then leaves him.
97 00:17:11,100 00:17:12,590 00:01.49 Roth reluctantly follows.
98 00:17:12,591 00:17:13,891 00:01.30 The GalSec camp.
99 00:18:25,040 00:18:27,300 00:02.26 (FAST) Sarah is watching from behind a rock.
100 00:19:10,240 00:19:14,270 00:04.03 Roth bolts. Erak and Krans chase after him, and Vural follows.
101 00:19:14,640 00:19:17,970 00:03.33 Sarah leaves the cover of the rock to free the Doctor.
102 00:19:18,720 00:19:21,720 00:03 She takes Erak’s machete and cuts the ropes.
103 00:19:28,000 00:19:31,490 00:03.49 Sarah leads the Doctor away through the scrub and rocks.
104 00:19:42,240 00:19:44,140 00:01.90 Erak taps the side of his head.
105 00:19:44,880 00:19:47,880 00:03 The three of them jog back to the Campsite.
106 00:19:53,680 00:19:56,680 00:03 They discover the Doctor missing.
107 00:20:02,540 00:20:04,540 00:02 Erak grabs his machete.
108 00:20:04,880 00:20:11,580 00:06.70 Sarah leads the Doctor through the heather and over the crest of a steep hill. Roth joins them and runs on ahead.
109 00:20:23,200 00:20:28,540 00:05.34 The Galsec men cautiously comb the steep rocky landscape, weapons drawn, searching for the Doctor.
110 00:20:34,280 00:20:37,270 00:02.99 The doctor looks into the ravine.
111 00:20:44,480 00:20:49,860 00:05.38 The Doctor crouches and sniffs the ground, then tastes a little on the tip of his finger.
112 00:21:20,320 00:21:22,590 00:02.27 He beams.
113 00:21:36,080 00:21:37,270 00:01.19 The Doctor slips!
114 00:21:40,040 00:21:42,510 00:02.47 He tumbles awkwardly down into the ravine.
115 00:21:42,680 00:21:45,800 00:03.12 Sarah and Roth peer over the edge of the ravine.
116 00:21:46,120 00:21:50,120 00:04 Suddenly, the robot appears behind them. They’re trapped!
117 00:21:51,080 00:21:55,080 00:04 Roth recoils in fear, shaking his head and holding his arms up protectively
118 00:21:55,240 00:21:59,240 00:04 The machine scans them, antennae waving too and fro.
119 00:22:01,600 00:22:10,020 00:08.42 Meanwhile, Harry nimbly climbs up a steep jumble of huge granite boulders, to a short passage between massive slabs of grey, weathered rock.
120 00:22:15,200 00:22:20,880 00:05.68 He comes out on the other side of a hill. He creeps stealthily down, careful to keep his balance.
121 00:22:24,680 00:22:27,680 00:03 He sees something and ducks down behind a rock.
122 00:22:30,000 00:22:38,560 00:08.56 There's a spaceship nestled in the rocks, a iron-grey metal ball, the size of a small cottage, its surface scored with a regular diamond-grid pattern.
123 00:22:39,480 00:22:48,470 00:08.99 The bottom of the ravine. Rainwater dripping off the vegetation splashes the Doctor's face and he revives, blinking and clutching his head.
124 00:23:01,720 00:23:07,080 00:05.36 Elsewhere, Harry, careful to stay under cover, works his way closer to the strange ship.
125 00:23:07,320 00:23:12,520 00:05.20 He sees the robot arrive, dragging Roth and Sarah, both held fast by metal cords.
126 00:23:13,080 00:23:16,080 00:03 It stops in front of the ship and a door in the side opens.
127 00:23:16,360 00:23:21,880 00:05.52 A short, powerful figure appears, wearing soft, metallic armour and a dome shaped helmet.
128 00:23:26,080 00:23:34,370 00:08.29 The figure removes its helmet from the wide locking collar. Underneath are the lumpy, troll like features of a Sontaran!
129 00:23:38,800 00:23:50,060 00:11.26 That episode of Doctor Who featured Tom Baker, Elizabeth Sladen, Ian Marter Donald Douglas, Glynn Jones, Peter Walshe Kevin Lindsay, Peter Rutherford and Terry Walsh
130 00:23:50,240 00:23:59,160 00:08.92 Title Music by Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop Incidental Music by Dudley Simpson Special Sound by Dick Mills Sound by Vic Godrich
131 00:23:59,240 00:24:09,430 00:10.19 It was written by Bob Baker and Dave Martin The script editor was Robert Holmes It was Produced by Philip Hinchcliffe And Directed by Rodney Bennet Copyright BBC 1975
132 00:24:09,480 00:24:13,540 00:04.06 Independently described by Brett Coulstock.