Stories TV Doctor Who (1963-1996) Classic Who S18 Serial: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The Leisure Hive 1 image Overview Episodes Characters How to Watch Reviews 3 Statistics Related Stories Quotes 2 Transcript Overview First aired Saturday, August 30, 1980 Production Code 5N Written by David Fisher Directed by Lovett Bickford Runtime 100 minutes Time Travel Future Tropes (Potential Spoilers!) Bleak Resort Inventory (Potential Spoilers!) Sonic Screwdriver Location (Potential Spoilers!) Argolis Synopsis The Fourth Doctor and Romana II arrive on Argolis in search of a peaceful holiday at the famed Leisure Hive. Instead they become embroiled in both a takeover scheme by the Argolins' historic enemy the Foamasi and the machinations of Pangol, child of the Generator. Watch Watched Favourite Favourited Add Review Edit Review Log a repeat Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Owned Save to my list Saved 4 Episodes Part One First aired Saturday, August 30, 1980 Runtime 25 minutes Written by David Fisher Directed by Lovett Bickford UK Viewers 5.9 million Synopsis The planet Argolis, around the year 2290. The Argolins live in a huge shielded city, protected from the irradiated wasteland outside. The planet's survival depends on the tourists their Leisure Hive attracts. But a series of horrific deaths seems to jeopardise that future - can the Doctor and Romana find a solution? Part Two First aired Saturday, September 6, 1980 Runtime 25 minutes Written by David Fisher Directed by Lovett Bickford UK Viewers 5 million Synopsis Another man is found dead, strangled by the Doctor's scarf, so the Doctor is put on trial. By some of the archaic rules of law, he's made to "prove" his innocence by becoming a test subject in a new tachyon experiment with time. The result will prove his innocence or guilt, so they say. Part Three First aired Saturday, September 13, 1980 Runtime 25 minutes Written by David Fisher Directed by Lovett Bickford UK Viewers 5 million Synopsis With the Doctor suffering from the time experiment, the clandestine schemes of others start coming to light, along with the secreted purposes to which the tachyonic generator has been used. Part Four First aired Saturday, September 20, 1980 Runtime 25 minutes Written by David Fisher Directed by Lovett Bickford UK Viewers 4.5 million Appreciation Index 65 Synopsis With the saboteur and murderer revealed and arrested, peace should now be restored, but a new threat emerges - a war-monger who's both ready and eager to aggress upon other worlds with a newly manufactured warrior army. Show All Episodes Characters Fourth Doctor Tom Baker Romana II Lalla Ward K9 Mark II John Leeson Argolin First Appearance Foamasi First Appearance Show All Characters (5) How to watch The Leisure Hive: Watch on iPlayer Blu-Ray The Collection – Season 18 DVD The Leisure Hive VHS The Leisure Hive (VHS) Reviews Add Review Edit Review Sort: Newest First Oldest First Most Likes Highest Rating Lowest Rating Username (A-Z) Username (Z-A) Spoilers First Spoilers Last 3 reviews 6 July 2024 · 83 words Review by WhoPotterVian Spoilers 1 This review contains spoilers! A brilliant opener for Season 18. This one harbours so much ambition, and Argolis as a society feels like a world that's lived in, with so much depth. The special effects are among the strongest in the classic series, particularly the Fourth Doctor's old man make-up, and the Doctor and Romana's dynamic continues to be great. However, the story does spend a little too long at Brighton beach, and the Foamasi are somewhat underused. It's a shame because they are an interesting species. Like Liked 1 13 June 2024 · 198 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: The Leisure Hive This is such a drastic tonal shift from Season 17, I personally enjoyed it but it the differences are immediately visible. I'll start with the good, production wise, this story is incredible. This is the debut of Peter Howell's Doctor Who theme and I can see why it's so well regarded. Sid Sutton's new logo is also a personal favourite of mine. The soundtrack is a much-needed change and the direction of the story leaves it much more fast-paced and enjoyable. The Doctor's new costume is striking and in my opinion, Tom Baker's best one. Now, story wise, this story feels like a fever-dream. So much happens and while it all technically makes sense, it doesn't feel like it does. It had some very interesting concepts that I feel could have been explored but it just all feels like a mess. At the very least its not boring but it's no mystery why this story is not very well recieved. Next Story: The Skin of the Sleek Like Liked 1 8 May 2024 · 239 words Review by 15thDoctor Spoilers 2 This review contains spoilers! John Nathan Turner and Christopher H Bidmead’s time has begun and you can immediately feel, despite some humorous scenes on Brighton beach, the tonal shift. This is not Doctor Who aimed at kids, as in the Williams era - the show feels more dense, but not in a negative way. There are a lot of full on science fiction ideas to take in. The story and setting immediately sticks with you. And while not all of the risks that the director and editor takes work, many do and the fact that so many risks are being taken feels new and exciting. The way the spaceship tannoy talks and the aliens on the ship converse feels like it was of great influence to Russell T Davies' first series. Not to mention the human skin suits and the Doctor greatly aging - tropes we’d see later during Davies’ tenure. Rooted in science or not, there is a lot of technical gobbledygook which makes you feel like your not really "getting" what's going on. There is something to be said for drama being easy to follow. With all the excitement in the world, if you’re wading through technical chit chat it’s difficult to fully get into a story - despite all its attractive features. They are clunkily reminding us of the black guardian again... who'd I'd basically forgotten about. Hopefully he will be more interesting on his return! Like Liked 2 Open in new window Statistics AVG. Rating258 members 2.97 / 5 Trakt.tv AVG. Rating310 votes 3.46 / 5 The Time Scales AVG. Rating141 votes 3.15 / 5 Member Statistics Watched 490 Favourited 15 Reviewed 3 Saved 0 Skipped 0 Owned 7 Related Stories The Fourth Doctor Adventures S5 • Episode 5 Gallery of Ghouls Rating: 3.28 Story Skipped Audio Drama Reviews (1) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: The Fourth Doctor Adventures 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 Leisure Hive Rating: 3.45 Story Skipped Book 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 Quotes Add Quote Link to Quote Favourite DOCTOR: One must always accept the unexpected. — Fourth Doctor, The Leisure Hive Show All Quotes (2) Open in new window Transcript Needs checking Part One [Brighton beach] (The TARDIS has parked herself amongst the beach huts to the west of Brighton' Palace Pier. It is not summer, not even by English standards, and a strong offshore wind is blowing. Nearby, the Doctor is snoring in a deck chair with his hat over his face. He is wearing his new burgundy coloured ensemble. Meanwhile, K9 and Romana are strolling along the shingle beach. ) K9: Yegros Alpha, atavistic therapy on primitive asteroid. Zaakros, galaxy's largest flora collection. Zeen Four, historical re-enactments. Catalogue ends, mistress. (New starry title sequence, updated version of the theme tune, but do you hear that voice, folks? Yes, John Leeson is back!) Show Full Transcript Open in new window
