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Classic Who S18 • Serial 4 · (4 episodes)

State of Decay

3.69/ 5 254 votes

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!) Spaceship Vampires
Story Arc: (Potential Spoilers!) E-Space
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.

4 Episodes:

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...?

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."

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.

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.

Ratings are from TARDIS Guide members only.

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