Stories Television Doctor Who Season 18 Serial: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 State of Decay 1 image Overview Episodes Characters How to Watch Reviews 8 Statistics Related Stories Quotes 4 Transcript Overview First aired Saturday, November 22, 1980 Production Code 5P Written by Terrance Dicks Directed by Peter Moffatt Runtime 100 minutes Time Travel Future Tropes (Potential Spoilers!) First TARDIS trip, Spaceship, Vampires Story Arc (Potential Spoilers!) E-Space Location (Potential Spoilers!) E-Space, Vampire planet Synopsis Still trapped in E-Space, 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 and Adric are 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. Watch Watched Favourite Favourited Add Review Edit Review Log a repeat Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Owned Save to my list Saved Edit date completed Custom Date Release Date Archive (no date) Save 4 Episodes Part One First aired Saturday, November 22, 1980 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Terrance Dicks Directed by Peter Moffatt UK Viewers 5.8 million Synopsis Still trapped in negative E-Space, the TARDIS lands on an unnamed world to find a society sliding back into feudalism. What is the secret of the Three Who Rule? And what ancient enemy of the Time Lords is stirring again on this world...? Part Two First aired Saturday, November 29, 1980 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Terrance Dicks Directed by Peter Moffatt UK Viewers 5.3 million Synopsis The Doctor and Romana are escorted to the tower to meet the royal leaders, hoping they can find answers to why this society evolves backwards. The Doctor recognizes the tower as an old Earth spaceship, and further finds that the old fuel tanks, far from empty, are full - but with blood. Meanwhile, Councilor Aukon senses intelligence in Adric and selects him to be the their first "Chosen One." Part Three First aired Saturday, December 6, 1980 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Terrance Dicks Directed by Peter Moffatt UK Viewers 4.4 million Synopsis The Doctor finds archive material in the TARDIS that tells him he's dealing with an ancient enemy of the Time Lords, a nearly indestructible king vampire who's ready to revive and reenter normal space, spreading death, once again, across the universe. Part Four First aired Saturday, December 13, 1980 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Terrance Dicks Directed by Peter Moffatt UK Viewers 5.4 million Appreciation Index 69 Synopsis The Doctor joins the villagers' revolt against their vampire rulers, unsure how to kill the king vampire. Meanwhile Adric is first in line to join the new vampire order while Romana is laid out as a sacrificial Time Lord for the awakening king vampire and his swarm of bats. Show All Episodes Characters Fourth Doctor Tom Baker Romana II Lalla Ward Adric Matthew Waterhouse K9 Mark II John Leeson King Vampire The Great Vampires First Appearance Three Who Rule First Appearance Show All Characters (7) How to watch State of Decay: Watch on iPlayer Blu-Ray Time Lord Victorious: Road to the Dark Times Blu-Ray The Collection – Season 18 DVD The E-Space Trilogy VHS The E-Space Trilogy (VHS) Reviews Add Review Edit Review Sort: Default Date (Newest First) Date (Oldest First) Likes (High-Low) Likes (Low-High) Rating (High-Low) Rating (Low-High) Word count (High-Low) Word count (Low-High) Username (A-Z) Username (Z-A) Spoilers First Spoilers Last 8 reviews 8 May 2024 · 434 words Review by 15thDoctor Spoilers 4 This review contains spoilers! The first we've had from Terrance Dicks in since the excellent Horror of Fang Rock. It is rare to have a writer who is established on the show these days, so great to know it’s not the end of our time with Dicks. Mathew Waterhouse is a little stiffer in this story. It feels like he should be getting notes from the director (direction seems all over the place). I love how he is introduced as a stowaway, without The Doctor or the audience realising he is there until well after the story had gotten started. It’s another futuristic medieval setting, similar in some ways to Meglos, which I always find a little boring and lends itself to pompous, archaic verbiage. I had to watch the cliffhanger for part 1 twice to really get what was going on. It was so low energy and poorly realised that it was not very obvious at all that The Doctor and Romana were supposed to be being attacked by birds. Considering that the last story had one of the best cliffhangers ever (watermelon spider) it’s a bit of a shame to see a shoddy production impact the overall quality here. I’m surprised this sits side by side with Full Circle in this season given that they both feature a disused spaceship that has sat there for generations and a population who is having their behaviour and access to the truth limited. Bidmead and JNT should have been looking at these similarities from a higher level view and weeding them out. The use of vampires however is something that has until now not been fully explored in Doctor Who (and no, I’m not counting The Chase). The best parts of this story are when The Doctor and Romana or K-9 are chatting to each other and have interesting character moments that the show often doesn’t have time for. When it gets stuck into the plot there are generic baddies and predictable perils. Dicks makes Adric appear ungrateful and foolish before revealing his apparent attitude to be all part of his plan. This is a good beat for him but in general he doesn’t shine quite as well here as the story before. The way the story ties up, with the very large monster being pierced with a spaceship that had *just* enough fuel left to blast off before hurtling back down to earth, was very clever. It doesn’t quite make up for the rather unremarkable villains though. There is something about Middle Ages inspired characters who speak in overly formal, arch and hyperbolic ways that bores me to death. 15thDoctor View profile Like Liked 4 6 July 2024 · 195 words Review by WhoPotterVian Spoilers 3 This review contains spoilers! This is a really unusual story, in that it feels like a reject from the Philip Hinchcliffe era, even though it was originally commissioned for Season 15. It has all the hallmarks of the Hinchliffe era, with its hammer horror vibe, and yet it suits Season 18's more sombre vibes quite well. State Of Decay is an excellent Doctor Who take on the classic vampire story. It adapts vampires into the Doctor Who universe arguably better than the new series' attempt with Vampires of Venice, with The Three Who Rule adding some great malice to the story. I liked the medieval vibes this serial was going for too, which gels nicely with the story that Terence Dicks is trying to tell. My only gripe is that Adric is weirdly underused for a 'new' (at the time) companion. This is only his second story, and yet he's absent for a large chunk of it. He gets hardly any screentime with the Fourth Doctor and Romana, and in the little appearances he does make he comes across somewhat unlikeable. He may save Romana in the end from the vampires, but he still wanted to join them. WhoPotterVian View profile Like Liked 3 11 February 2025 · 699 words Review by MrColdStream Spoilers This review contains spoilers! Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time! “STATE OF DECAY: GOTHIC HORROR MEETS SCI-FI IN A VAMPIRE EPIC” Following the stark sci-fi approach of Full Circle, State of Decay takes a completely different turn, embracing medieval fantasy and Gothic horror. Originally written by Terrance Dicks for the Graham Williams era, the script was later reworked for Season 18, creating a tonal clash between Dicks and director Peter Moffatt—who wanted to retain its Gothic horror roots—and script editor Christopher H. Bidmead, who was steering the show toward a hard sci-fi approach. The result is a fascinating blend of classic Doctor Who horror elements with the more serious and cerebral tone of the season. A TIME LORD LEGEND REVEALED One of the story’s standout aspects is its expansion of Time Lord mythology with the introduction of the Great Vampires—ancient enemies of the Time Lords from the Dark Times. Their history adds weight to the narrative, making the Doctor’s struggle against the Three Who Rule feel like part of a much larger conflict. The slow-burn horror of discovering the castle’s secret and the chilling reveal of the Great King Vampire buried beneath it are effectively eerie, particularly the tomb exploration sequence and the Part 2 cliffhanger. The structure of the story also shares some DNA with The Time Warrior and The Time Meddler, as the Doctor and Romana uncover traces of future human technology in what initially appears to be a purely medieval society. STRONG CHARACTER DYNAMICS, WEAK PLOT MOVEMENT Tom Baker feels far more engaged here than in some earlier stories this season, delivering a performance that balances wit and gravitas. His chemistry with Lalla Ward’s Romana remains delightful, with the pair bouncing off each other brilliantly as they piece together the mystery. Unfortunately, the plot stagnates in the middle, with much of Parts 2 and 3 consisting of the Doctor and Romana working things out while the supporting cast meanders. Adric, in his debut-filmed story, is sidelined for most of the runtime, used mainly to provide some worldbuilding before being captured. The Doctor even forgets about him at one point, with Romana having to remind him that Adric needs rescuing. His role in Part 4 feels especially underwhelming. One of the more engaging supporting characters is Kalmar, played by Arthur Hewlett. As the leader of the rebels, Kalmar provides a grounded and sympathetic counterpoint to the aristocratic villains, though the rebellion itself lacks momentum for much of the story. MEMORABLE VILLAINS AND ATMOSPHERE The Three Who Rule—Zargo, Camilla, and Aukon—are a highlight. Their eerie, aristocratic presence is wonderfully theatrical, with Emrys James stealing scenes as Aukon, even as his performance veers into pantomime. Their descent into desperation as they attempt to turn the Doctor into one of them adds to their menace. The climactic sequence, in which their bodies wither away after the Great King Vampire’s destruction, is particularly effective. Visually, the story makes the most of its gloomy sets and muted colour palette, successfully evoking a foreboding, decayed kingdom. The model work for the castle is impressive, though the electronic score—while well-composed—feels at odds with the setting. VERDICT: A RETURN TO GOTHIC DOCTOR WHO Despite some pacing issues and underutilised supporting characters, State of Decay is a strong entry in the E-Space trilogy. The mix of Gothic horror, medieval aesthetics, and Time Lord mythology creates a compelling adventure, with a fantastic villain trio and a suitably eerie atmosphere. The story’s DNA can be traced back to classic Doctor Who adventures, and while the tension between Dicks’ original vision and Bidmead’s sci-fi focus is evident, the end result is an enjoyable throwback to an earlier era of the show. 📝7/10 RANDOM OBSERVATIONS: Following the 2020 multimedia event Time Lord Victorious, the story became a part of the event, used as an origin story to explain the Great Vampires, who pop up in The Monstrous Beauty DWM comic strip. Kalmar shares his name with a town in Sweden. Baker and Ward weren't on speaking terms during production, due to Baker dismissing Ward's attempt at rekindling their relationship. They both found Waterhouse disrespectful towards cast and crew members and shared a dislike of him, so they buried the hatchet to announce their engagement shortly after production. MrColdStream View profile Like Liked 0 8 August 2024 · 96 words Review by uss-genderprise Spoilers 2 This review contains spoilers! I love vampires. The story may have been a little slow and simple, but the vibes were immaculate, and that's all I really care about. The costuming is gorgeous, the sets are interesting, and most of the men have fantastic beards. Adric was definitely under-utilised, especially for his first story as a companion, and spending most of his on-screen time pretending makes it very difficult to figure out what he's like. Not a great start. Overall, it's a nice serial to have on in the background, but probably not gripping enough to properly watch very often. uss-genderprise View profile Like Liked 2 15 June 2024 · 185 words Review by thedefinitearticle63 Spoilers 1 This review contains spoilers! This is part of a series of reviews of Doctor Who in chronological timeline order. Previous Story: Full Circle This story is very dull, it has some interesting ideas in it that amount to very little. The villains are annoying and nothing about the story stands out. I don't understand what the fascination is with sci-fi technology in a medieval setting. It was good once and ever since it's been really annoying to sit through. Adric is much more interesting in this story, I like that we get to see a bit more of his worldview. I also like the extra lore we get on the Time Lords. The Type 40 being the only model with manuals on how to defeat vampires comes off as deus ex machina and doesn't make much sense even for Doctor Who. The soundtrack is alright but, in my opinion, not nearly as good as it has been for the past few stories. Overall this is just a boring story with very little redeeming qualities. I'll take a bad story over an ok-but-boring one anyday Next Story: The Invasion of E-Space thedefinitearticle63 View profile Like Liked 1 Show All Reviews (8) Open in new window Statistics AVG. Rating443 members 3.70 / 5 Member Statistics Watched 818 Favourited 83 Reviewed 8 Saved 3 Skipped 1 Related Stories BBC Books The Eight Doctors Rating: 2.52 Story Skipped Book Reviews(12) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: The Eighth Doctor Adventures (Books) Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Virgin New Adventures Blood Harvest Rating: 3.77 Story Skipped Book Reviews(2) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: Virgin Books Set of Stories: Virgin New Adventures Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved The Companion Chronicles S5 • Episode 4 The Invasion of E-Space Rating: 2.96 Story Skipped Audio Book Reviews(2) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: The Companion Chronicles Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Other adaptations of this story: We define an adaptation as a recreation of a similar story but on a different medium or with different characters. Target Collection Doctor Who and the State of Decay Rating: 3.65 Story Skipped Book Reviews(1) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: Target Collection Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Audio Adaptations State of Decay (Audio Adaptation) Rating: 3.65 Story Skipped Audio Book Reviews(1) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: Audio Adaptations Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Quotes Add Quote Link to Quote Favourite ROMANA: How did you know? DOCTOR: Oh, knowing's easy. Everyone does that ad nauseam. I just sort of hope. — State of Decay Show All Quotes (4) Open in new window Transcript Needs checking Part One [State room] (In a pastoral setting, a single castle tower rises from the only rocky outcrop in sight, looking like a fossilised Thunderbird 3 to me. The two rulers of the region sit on thrones in their dark, gothic room. A third man stands to the side. A guard approaches and bows.) HABRIS: It is the time of selection, my lord. (A man with deeply shadowed eyes, an artificially curled beard and wearing a golden crown replies.) Show Full Transcript Open in new window