Horror of Fang Rock

Directed by

Base Under Siege, Shape Shifting, Spaceship

Runtime

100 minutes

Time Travel

Past

Tropes (Potential Spoilers!)

Location (Potential Spoilers!)

Earth, England, Fang Rock

Synopsis

The Doctor and Leela arrive at a lighthouse on the island of Fang Rock off the south coast of England, a place of rumour and tales of beasts from the sea. In the minutes before their arrival, a strange light fell from the sky which was followed by an unnatural glow in the ocean, a thick fog has appeared out of nowhere, the lighthouse power flow has become strangely erratic and one of the keepers is dead. Has the fabled Beast of Fang Rock returned?

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4 Episodes

Part One

First aired

Saturday, September 3, 1977

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

6.8 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

The English channel, the 1900s AD. The TARDIS lands on barren Fang Rock, inhabited until now only by three lighthouse keepers. But what is the strange fog covering the island, and can it be connected to the falling star sighted earlier that night?

Part Two

First aired

Saturday, September 10, 1977

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

7.1 million

Synopsis

The survivors of a wrecked ship are stranded with the lighhouse crew on Fang Rock as a deadly menace slithers through the fog. Has the Beast of Fang Rock returned?

Part Three

First aired

Saturday, September 17, 1977

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

9.8 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

The Doctor barricades everyone in the lighthouse to protect them from the mysterious deadly creature in the fog. But it may already be inside, biding its time…

Part Four

First aired

Saturday, September 24, 1977

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

9.9 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

The Rutan starts picking off the surviving humans one by one as the Doctor and Leela struggle to defeat not only the alien but an entire fleet waiting to occupy Earth.

Characters

Fourth Doctor

Tom Baker

Leela

Louise Jameson

How to watch Horror of Fang Rock:

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The Collection – Season 15

DVD

Horror of Fang Rock

VHS

Horror of Fang Rock (VHS)

Reviews
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11 reviews

This review contains spoilers!

(Second viewing)

This is still one of (if not the) greatest Base under Siege stories in Doctor Who. The slow build up of tension, the introduction of the characters and their predicament and the amazing atomsphere of the lighthouse make for a great four-part horror story. Plus, this is the first (and only, at least in TV) appearance of the Rutans. The design is really cool, although obviously outdated, and the final confrontation is gripping and ingenious.

Leela and the Doctor are such a charismatic pair, she is quite possibly my favourite companion for Tom Baker's incarnation.

MarkOfGilead19

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Review last edited on 11-06-25

I thought on this rewatch I'll have no distractions and just concentrate on this. But, once again, I didn't find it exciting. It's one of those that fandom loves and I just don't get it.

Scottybguud

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Review last edited on 9-06-25

This review contains spoilers!

I love how Graham Williams was brought in to make Doctor Who more kid-friendly and the first story he does is a scary base-under-siege which kills basically everyone.

It’s a shame that Tom Baker was apparently very stubborn behind the scenes, yet his more stilted performance gives off an uneasy style in this creepy setting, and I think that, while he isn’t the director, he has been there a long enough time to know what works and what doesn’t, and I wish that their relationship improves in the future. It’s hilarious how well Leela deals with the side characters, even going to slap people in the background and taking pride in destroying the Rutan. Her eyes changing colour was very strange to watch, but I think it made sense in the context.

Speaking of the Rutan, man is it creepy. When Reuben the Rutan smiles, it's both hilarious and uneasy at the same time. It definitely works that it doesn’t really show up until Part 4. Something I really dislike, however, is how it moves. I wish they could’ve had it float in the air like it usually does. I also don’t get why there was a Rutan on Earth 80 years before. If it was another scout, how come the Empire hadn’t invaded already? It was also defeated extremely poorly. Despite all that, it's an intimidating villain and I'm surprised it hasn't returned on TV.

The setting for Fang Rock is very effective, being misty in the open and cramped on the inside, creating a claustrophobic feel for both - especially when the Doctor says "I've locked it in... with us!" because you realise that that small lighthouse got even smaller. I think it might be one of the best locations we've had in a while, and the director was very skilful in utilising the settings, especially showing off the change in tone.

Every character had their own story, which meant that the Doctor was putting out a lot of fires and built up the tension - I think that's one of the best things about this story, and I hope that every character gets something to do within this era. There's the posh people who are arguing amongst themselves about that fortune; the keepers discussing the Beast of Fang Rock - and none of them survive!

Overall, the Williams Era starts on an absolute high, and I can't wait for what's next!

Ryebean

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Review last edited on 3-06-25

I think this might be hands down one of the best 4 n Leela stories it’s definitely the strongest opener for Tom so far and it’s such a hammer horror vibe the hinchcliff era tried and failed to do so many times for my liking

Rock_Angel

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Review last edited on 16-04-25

Right up my alley, this story is, spooky, by the sea, and gloomy as hell
Leela and the Doctor as a Tardis team works so well here it's great
This story is a little grim, considering everyone dies
The Rutan makes for a great foe
Honestly would 4 stars but I found the random introduction of the new character midway just a bit unnecessary, either have them all there already or not at all, felt a bit like they were starting to stretch the story

KieranCooper

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Review last edited on 19-03-25