Doctor Who: Inferno

The Doctor attends a top secret drilling project, the purpose of which is to penetrate the earth's crust to release the new energy source of Stahlman's gas which Professor Stahlman, instigator of the project, believes to lie below. The scientist, a ruthless egomaniac, is at odds with Sir Keith Gold, executive director of the project, who urges a more cautious approach. Beneath his pose of interested observer, the Doctor is anxious to tap the nuclear power of the project as part of his plan to make the nuclear power of the project as part of his plan to make the grounded Tardis operational once more. His attempt to do this propels him into a parallel world, a Britain that is a republican dictatorship where he meets a very different Liz and Brigadier. in this world, too, Project Inferno is near completion as the penetration of the earth's crust unleashes primitive forces that will eventually destroy what the Doctor describes as a space-time continuum. First come the terrifying Primords - men who under the influence of the released Stahlman's gas have degenerated into a kind of primeval ape; then an immense volcanic eruption that destroys this planet. Before the final catastrophe, the Doctor manages to propel himself back into "our" world, where to his horror he finds that Project Inferno is nearing the final stage under the ruthless driving of Professor Stahlman. Desperately, the Doctor struggles to prevent a re-enactment of the catastrophe that destroyed the other earth. *Broken down by episode: Episode 1 - Using nuclear power, scientist drill through the earth's crust to release a new energy source. But a substance escaping from the drill head crazes one of the technicians, who menaces the Doctor. Episode 2 - The infectious liquid continues to rise from the drill head turning men into monstrous Primords. But Professor Stahlman, in charge of the project, refuses to shut its down. He does shut down the nuclear power supply to Doctor Who's Tardis, causing it - and the Doctor - to dematerialize. Episode 3 - Power irregularity causes Doctor Who to span the space-time continuum and rematerialize in a parallel world. In it, England is a dictatorship and Brigadier Lethbride-Stewart is a fascist security officer who orders the Doctor shot by a firing squad. Episode 4 - Doctor Who is jailed, but escapes with only eight minutes left in a countdown which can destroy the parallel world - and him along with it. Episode 5 - The drill site blows up, releasing primordal forces which will dissolve the entire world. Doctor Who races against time to repair his time machine and return to the first world before the same thing happens there. Episode 6 - The doomed world explodes and the Brigadier and Liz try to force Doctor Who to take them to the first world. Even if that were possible, the Doctor cannot activate the Tardis - as a wall of Molten lava rushes them. Episode 7 - Doctor Who returns to the first world, and finds the same emergency situation that destroyed the parallel earth. Stahlman, now a full Primord, attempts to complete the drillings, but Doctor Who leads an attack that destroys him. The project is abandoned and the shaft is sealed.

A top secret drilling project headed by Professor Stahlman is attempting to penetrate the earth's crust, and the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Liz Shaw are on hand to observe. Tensions and professional jealousies plague the project, but things really heat up when a mysterious green substance is found leaking from the drill head. Just when UNIT needs the Doctor most, a time experiment throws him into a parallel universe where everyone he knows has changed for the worse.

Originally transmitted May 9 - June 20, 1970.

Cast
The Doctor - Jon Pertwee
Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - Nicholas Courtney
Liz Shaw - Caroline John
Bromley - Ian Fairbairn
Greg Sutton - Derek Newark
Harry Slocum - Walter Randall
Patterson - Keith James
Petra Williams/Dr. Petra Williams - Sheila Dunn
Primord - Dave Carter
Primord - Pat Gorman
Primord - Philip Ryan
Primord - Peter Thompson
Primord - Walter Henry
Private Latimer - David Simeon
Private Wyatt - Derek Ware
Professor Stahlman/Director Stahlman - Olaf Pooley
RSF Sentry - Roy Scammell
Sergeant Benton/Platoon Under Leader Benton - John Levene
Sir Keith Gold - Christopher Benjamin
Production Credits
Director - Douglas Camfield
Director - Barry Letts
Action/Stunts - HAVOC stunt group
Assistant Floor Manager - Sue Hedden
Costumes - Christine Rawlins
Designer - Jeremy Davies
Film Cameraman - Fred Hamilton
Film Editor - Martyn Day
Make-Up - Marion Richards
Producer - Barry Letts