The Sensorites is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from June 20 to August 1, 1964. The third episode was postponed by one week following the overrun of sports programme Grandstand.

Synopsis

The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan arrive in the TARDIS on board a spaceship. Their initial concern is for the ship's human crew who are suffering from telepathic interference from the Sensorites, but Susan communicates with the Sensorites and finds that the aliens are fearful of an attack from the humans and are just defending themselves. Travelling to the Sense Sphere (the Sensorites' planet) the Doctor then seeks to cure an illness the Sensorites and Ian have succumbed to, but finds that this has been caused by deliberate poisoning. The political manouveuring of the Sensorite City Administrator adds an additional threat to the TARDIS crew as he seeks to discredit and implicate them.

Notes

1. The six episodes of the serial had individual titles. They were, respectively, "Strangers In Space", "The Unwilling Warriors", "Hidden Danger", "A Race Against Death", "Kidnap", and "A Desparate Venture".
2. Susan displayed telepathic abilities during this story, in keeping with her character's alien background. This was not, however, used previously or subsequently.
3. The story is the first to make use of humans in contemporary looking space suits, notwithstanding apparently being set in the far future. This contrasts with previous serials which had either been set in the present or past, or had featured no humans except Ian and Barbara. It thus provides the series' first glimpse into mankind's future.
4. Actor and variety performer Peter Glaze appeared as the Third Sensorite, however his face is obscured by the Sensorite mask.
5. Arthur Newall also appeared as a Sensorite in this story, not a Dalek as is commonly believed.
6. John Bailey, later to feature as Edward Waterfield in 1967's Evil Of The Daleks has a role here as the Commander.
7. The serial was novelised for Target Books by Nigel Robinson in 1987 as Doctor Who: The Sensorites.
8. Designer Raymond Cusick used almost all curves in his sets for the Sense Sphere, feeling that this would give a more alien look.
9. The name Sensorites is pronounced 'Sens-or-ites' and not 'sen-sor-ee-tes'.

External links

• Cast and Crew list, on the BBC website