State of Decay (TV Story)

State of Decay was the fourth serial in season 18 of Doctor Who. It was based on a script written by Terrance Dicks three years earlier, was directed by Peter Moffatt, and starred Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor, Lalla Ward as Romana and David Brierley as K9.

The original script for State of Decay was seen by director Peter Moffatt and he loved it. However, when he was handed the script in Bidmead's adapted form, he found it completely different. It no longer had the Gothic atmosphere that had drawn him to the original. Moffatt told Gallaccio that he no longer wanted to direct it and so, in order to have him complete the job, the original was reinstated.

Unusually, there are three versions of this story which have been made available commercially: this one, an audio adaptation and the Target print novelisation.

Synopsis
The Doctor's TARDIS materialises on a medieval-style planet. The townsfolk live in fear of the Three Who Rule, who govern from their mighty castle. Investigating, the Fourth Doctor discovers that the Three Who Rule are ancient astronauts who became vampires long ago, and their castle is actually their spaceship.

When Romana II is kidnapped, the Doctor must ally himself with a band of renegade peasants to stop the resurrection of one of Gallifrey's greatest enemies: the King Vampire itself.

Part 1
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Part 2
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Part 3
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Part 4
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Cast

 * Doctor Who - Tom Baker
 * Romana - Lalla Ward
 * K9 - David Brierley
 * Aukon - Emrys James
 * Camilla - Rachel Davies
 * Zargo - William Lindsay
 * Ivo - Clinton Greyn
 * Marta - Rhoda Lewis
 * Tarak - Thane Bettany
 * Habris - Iain Rattray
 * Kalmar - Arthur Hewlett
 * Veros - Stacy Davies
 * Karl - Dean Allen
 * Roga - Stuart Fell
 * Zoldaz - Stuart Blake

Crew
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Story Notes
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Continuity
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Home Video/Audio Releases

 * State of Decay was released by BBC Worldwide on video as part of a boxed set featuring State of Decay, The Doomsday Contract and Sealed Orders
 * State of Decay was released on its own in 2008 on DVD.