Skip to content

Classic Who S20 • Serial 4 · (4 episodes)

Terminus

64% 958 votes

First aired Tuesday, February 15, 1983
Production Code 6G
Written by Stephen Gallagher
Directed by Mary Ridge
Runtime 100 minutes
Story Type Companion Exit
Time Travel Future
Tropes: (Potential Spoilers!) Dawn of Time
Locations Terminus
Synopsis

Still under the malign influence of the Black Guardian, Turlough sabotages the TARDIS, placing the Doctor and his companions in grave danger. Nyssa disappears through an unstable interface with a nearby space liner, and the Doctor begins a desperate search for her aboard the ship.

When the liner docks at Terminus, a space station at the exact centre of the universe, the horrific truth starts to emerge. It may be already too late to save Nyssa's life, and the existence of the entire cosmos is now at peril...

4 Episodes:

First aired Tuesday, February 15, 1983
Runtime 25 minutes
Written by Stephen Gallagher
Directed by Mary Ridge
UK Viewers 6.8 million
Appreciation Index 65

Synopsis

Deep space, some time in the future. Still following the Black Guardian's orders, Turlough sabotages the TARDIS, forcing an emergency fusion with an apparently deserted starship. But the ship is headed for the notorious plague colony, Terminus. Surrounded by plague victims and space pirates, is the Doctor too preoccupied to notice the greatest threat of all - a threat connected to the position of Terminus at the exact centre of the universe?

First aired Wednesday, February 16, 1983
Runtime 25 minutes
Written by Stephen Gallagher
Directed by Mary Ridge
UK Viewers 7.5 million
Appreciation Index 67

Synopsis

The Doctor's party remains divided and scattered as the immense transport docks at the Terminus space station, which turns out to be a leper colony at the exact centre of the known universe. As they find their way around and investigate, Nyssa shows signs of contracting the disease.

First aired Tuesday, February 22, 1983
Runtime 25 minutes
Written by Stephen Gallagher
Directed by Mary Ridge
UK Viewers 6.5 million
Appreciation Index 64

Synopsis

Since the Doctor's party represents neither lazars nor handlers, they're presumed to be investigators, which is enough to spark the disgruntled Valgard into challenging Eirak over leadership of the handlers. Meanwhile, as the giant, dog-like Garm takes a terrified Nyssa off for "treatment," Bor returns from the forbidden zone with interesting news about the ship.

First aired Wednesday, February 23, 1983
Runtime 25 minutes
Written by Stephen Gallagher
Directed by Mary Ridge
UK Viewers 7.4 million
Appreciation Index 67

Synopsis

In attempting to reopen a doorway into the TARDIS, Turlough activates Terminus' automated fuel-jettisoning sequence. The first time this sequence was engaged, it flung its first of two massive loads of unstable fuel into the distant past, producing the Big Bang that created the universe. This second sequence - if the Doctor can't find a way to shut it down - will release a second massive load, the explosion of which will entirely negate the effects of the first.

Signal Strength: 50%

What's this?

Also featuring:

Vanir