The Brain of Morbius

Directed by

UK Viewers

9.5 million

Synopsis

The storm-lashed planet Karn. Near a graveyard of crashed starships, the demented surgeon Solon hides in his castle, the last acolyte of the Time Lord despot Morbius. He only needs one final item to make his master live again... and then the Doctor and Sarah arrive...

Part Two

First aired

Saturday, January 10, 1976

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

9.3 million

Synopsis

The Doctor is captured by the Sisterhood, and Sarah Jane is blinded freeing him. The Doctor has no choice but to go back for a cure, unaware that he is leaving Sarah Jane in the hands of a treacherous Dr. Solon and the renegade Time Lord Morbius.

Part Three

First aired

Saturday, January 17, 1976

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

10.1 million

Appreciation Index

57

Synopsis

While the Doctor goes to confront the Sisterhood to seek a cure for Sarah Jane's blindness, Solon realizes that he must transfer Morbius' brain into a new body before it is too late.

Part Four

First aired

Saturday, January 24, 1976

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

10.2 million

Synopsis

Morbius lives once more, but as a rampaging beast. The Doctor is forced to ally with Dr. Solon to bring him to heel, but the two disagree about what should happen to Morbius.

Characters

Fourth Doctor

Tom Baker

Sarah Jane Smith

Elisabeth Sladen

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The Brain of Morbius

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The Brain of Morbius (VHS) (1st edition)

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The Brain of Morbius (VHS) (2nd edition)

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11 reviews

This review contains spoilers!

At points early on in the adventure the multi-faceted story comes together in a satisfying way, a lot of effort was put into world building and creating a history between the Time Lords and other protagonists.

I enjoyed The Sisterhood of Khan, the aesthetic of their lair and their rituals. The science guy was a little generic (very heavily drawing from Frankenstein) but his story beats worked well and I quite liked his villainous plot. Morbius himself however I found to be very poorly realised, both in terms of writing and execution. Once he starts to get more involved in the story it all starts to fall down.

As ever The Doctor and Sarah-Jane are a dream team and I particularly liked Tom Baker being sulky in episode one.

15thDoctor

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Review last edited on 14-11-24

This review contains spoilers!

a dark gothic sci-fi fairy tale about timeless beings of limitless power. being taped entirely in the studio on creaky-floored sets actually enhances the atmosphere (for once) as the stageniess heightens this feeling of unreality. sarah being blinded and forced to help solon's experiment is given a genuinely morbid (lol) undertone by sladen and madoc's performances; conversely, sladen and baker's playful dynamic is exemplified more than in any other story. the morbius doctors aren't a continuity niggle but just one element of the story's downplayed epicness, making the doctor as legendary as the sisterhood or morbius himself: he suddenly feels more unknowable than any other time since 1963. when people throw around phrases like "gothic" and "hammer horror" to describe the hinchcliffe era, this is really the story they have in mind. the shotgun marriage of two of the show's all-time great writers creates what is for my money the best story of the entire classic series, with dicks' tight plotting enhanced by holmes' wit, maturity and above all his midas touch for characterisation and dialogue ("you chicken-brained biological disaster" comes to mind).

spuriousmorality

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Review last edited on 24-01-25

This review contains spoilers!

Takes a bit to get going but a really good story. I think this might be the darkest one so far in classic. Solon works great as a mad scientist villain and Morbius' design is pretty scary.

Also some interesting discussion between the Doctor and the Sisterhood about Immortality vs. Regeneration.

Jonathan_

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Review last edited on 15-06-25

I think this has replaced Terror of the Zygons as my favourite of season 13. Moves along at a good pace, never slow. We get some good Time lord lore, the sisterhood of Khan and the elixir of life, which will both return in the future. Solon was a good villain and his servant, both very much dr frankenstein and his monster.

Scottybguud

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Review last edited on 26-05-25

Beautifully paced, atmospheric mood piece with everyone on top form and great effects for the era. Sarah Jane gets tonnes to do and it rules! Honestly a low key pretty much perfect story. Not my favourite of 4's era, but certainly up there.

BSCTDrayden

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Review last edited on 4-01-25