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Classic Who S25 • Serial 4 · (4 episodes)

The Greatest Show in the Galaxy

3.91/ 5 284 votes

First aired Wednesday, December 14, 1988
Production Code 7J
Written by Stephen Wyatt
Directed by Alan Wareing
Runtime 100 minutes
Story Type Series Finale
Time Travel Present
Tropes: (Potential Spoilers!) Werewolves Robots
Inventory: (Potential Spoilers!) Spoons
Synopsis

The Seventh Doctor and Ace head for the Psychic Circus on the planet Segonax, where they meet a disparate group of performers and visitors, including a self-centred explorer named Captain Cook, his companion Mags and a biker known as Nord.

The circus itself is dominated by the sinister chief clown and his deadly troupe of robot clowns, who organise a talent contest in which all visitors take part.

4 Episodes:

First aired Wednesday, December 14, 1988
Runtime 25 minutes
Written by Stephen Wyatt
Directed by Alan Wareing
UK Viewers 5 million
Appreciation Index 68

Synopsis

The Doctor and Ace visit the Psychic Circus on the planet Segonax, where they find the standard of judging at the talent contest distressingly astringent.

First aired Wednesday, December 21, 1988
Runtime 25 minutes
Written by Stephen Wyatt
Directed by Alan Wareing
UK Viewers 5.3 million
Appreciation Index 66

Synopsis

The Doctor and Ace reach the Psychic Circus, where the Doctor is imprisoned with the other contestants while Ace draws the attention of the Chief Clown.

First aired Wednesday, December 28, 1988
Runtime 25 minutes
Written by Stephen Wyatt
Directed by Alan Wareing
UK Viewers 4.8 million
Appreciation Index 69

Synopsis

Mags helps the Doctor escape and Deadbeat leads him to Ace, where Bellboy tells them what happened to the Psychic Circus.

First aired Wednesday, January 4, 1989
Runtime 25 minutes
Written by Stephen Wyatt
Directed by Alan Wareing
UK Viewers 6.6 million
Appreciation Index 64

Synopsis

Mags goes to find Ace and Kingpin, pursued by the Chief Clown, while the Doctor confronts the power behind the Psychic Circus.

Ratings are from TARDIS Guide members only.

Other adaptations of this story: