Stories Television Doctor Who Season 1 Serial: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The Reign of Terror Original Story TV Soundtrack Animation Original Story TV Soundtrack Animation 1 image Overview Episodes Characters How to Watch Reviews 16 Statistics Related Stories Quotes 3 Transcript Overview First aired Saturday, August 8, 1964 Production Code H Written by Dennis Spooner Directed by Henric Hirsch Runtime 150 minutes Story Type Series Finale Time Travel Past Tropes (Potential Spoilers!) Authority Figure, Celebrity Historical, Pure Historical Inventory (Potential Spoilers!) Signet ring Location (Potential Spoilers!) Earth, France, Paris Synopsis The TARDIS materialises not far from Paris in 1794 — one of the bloodiest years following the French Revolution of 1789. The travellers become involved with an escape chain rescuing prisoners from the guillotine and get caught up in the machinations of an English undercover spy, James Stirling — alias Lemaitre, governor of the Conciergerie prison. Watch Watched Favourite Favourited Add Review Edit Review Log a repeat Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Owned Save to my list Saved Edit date completed Custom Date Release Date Archive (no date) Save 6 Episodes A Land of Fear First aired Saturday, August 8, 1964 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Dennis Spooner Directed by Henric Hirsch UK Viewers 6.9 million Appreciation Index 58 Synopsis The TARDIS lands during the French Revolution, where Ian, Barbara, and Susan become caught up in the politics of the day. When they are arrested and set to be executed, the Doctor must take on the disguise of a public official to try and save their lives. Guests of Madame Guillotine First aired Saturday, August 15, 1964 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Dennis Spooner Directed by Henric Hirsch UK Viewers 6.9 million Appreciation Index 54 Synopsis Susan, Ian and Barbara are sentenced to be guillotined but an encounter with a dying English prisoner may offer Ian a chance of survival. A Change of Identity First aired Saturday, August 22, 1964 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Dennis Spooner Directed by Henric Hirsch UK Viewers 6.9 million Appreciation Index 55 Synopsis Susan and Barbara are rescued by Jules and Jean, two members of the escape chain, while the Doctor gains access to the prison by posing as a revolution official. The Tyrant of France Missing First aired Saturday, August 29, 1964 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Dennis Spooner Directed by Henric Hirsch UK Viewers 6.4 million Appreciation Index 53 Synopsis The Doctor is forced into a meeting with Robespierre while Barbara's attempts to find a physician for Susan result in them being betrayed. A Bargain of Necessity Missing First aired Saturday, September 5, 1964 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Dennis Spooner Directed by Henric Hirsch UK Viewers 6.9 million Appreciation Index 53 Synopsis Ian finds himself held prisoner by the treacherous Leon while the Doctor attempts to engineer Susan and Barbara's escape. Prisoners of Conciergerie First aired Saturday, September 12, 1964 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Dennis Spooner Directed by Henric Hirsch UK Viewers 6.4 million Appreciation Index 55 Synopsis Ian finally delivers his message to James Stirling but in order to secure Susan's release he and Barbara are forced into a dangerous spying mission. Show All Episodes Characters First Doctor William Hartnell Susan Carole Ann Ford Barbara Wright Jacqueline Hill Ian Chesterton William Russell Maximilien Robespierre Keith Anderson Léon Colbert Edward Brayshaw Lemaitre James Cairncross Paul Barras John Law Napoléon Bonaparte Tony Wall First Appearance Show All Characters (9) How to watch The Reign of Terror: Watch on iPlayer DVD The Reign of Terror VHS The Reign of Terror (VHS) Reviews Add Review Edit Review Sort: Date (Newest First) Date (Oldest First) Likes (High-Low) Likes (Low-High) Rating (High-Low) Rating (Low-High) Word count (High-Low) Word count (Low-High) Username (A-Z) Username (Z-A) Spoilers First Spoilers Last 16 reviews 6 May 2025 · 17 words Review by kawaii2234 good pure historical. whilst the storyline was good it felt a little underwhelming for a season finale kawaii2234 View profile Like Liked 0 24 April 2025 · 87 words Review by rainbownixie Spoilers This review contains spoilers! I expected a tiny bit more action in this historical but other than that I think it's alright! I like the pacing to be slow but sometimes it was... Too much. Even so, I do adore the concept of them landing in the French Revolution. Both Barbara and The Doctor shine SO MUCH here, they literally own the historicals!! The beginning and the ending are probably the best parts but perhaps it's losing the other episodes what makes it a bit harder to watch in the middle. rainbownixie View profile Like Liked 0 25 March 2025 · 14 words Review by Scottybguud One of the better historicals imo. Hartnell definitely has the best scenes in this. Scottybguud View profile Like Liked 0 27 February 2025 · 82 words Review by uss-genderprise 1 This story is definitely on the lower end of the series, and my least favourite of the pure historicals so far. It just wasn't very interesting. The first Doctor is at his best here, bickering with his companions, getting into trouble, dressing up and causing mischief. But the other characters have very little to do for most of the story, especially Susan. The side cast are mostly bland and one-note, and it doesn't help that I couldn't tell most of them apart. uss-genderprise View profile Like Liked 1 25 February 2025 · 219 words Review by dema1020 1 This was a fun concept for an episode that sadly suffers a bit in the execution of its own ideas. I really liked the idea of setting this story deep into the French Revolution. The writer Dennis Spooner and director Henric Hirsch do a very good job at painting a picture of what this time period was like - the fear, paranoia, and authoritarianism are all well expressed and even explored here. Sadly, most of these episodes consist of a lot of talking in very confined sets. It really doesn't feel like the show had the budget at this time to really show off Paris in 1794. The costumes are well done, at least. It feels like the companions (especially Susan) don't have much to do here compared to the Doctor, but at least William Hartnell gets to be very present and involved in this story. I like his dilemma and debating about how much he can and should get involved in events and they do a very good job at following up on his opinions in The Aztecs. All in all, I'm glad I watched these, but definitely think it came up a little short in a few key aspects that prevent The Reign of Terror from being a classic on the level of The First Doctor's better stories. dema1020 View profile Like Liked 1 Show All Reviews (16) Open in new window Statistics AVG. Rating567 members 3.16 / 5 Member Statistics Watched 1001 Favourited 39 Reviewed 16 Saved 5 Skipped 8 Related Stories The Companion Chronicles: The First Doctor Volume 2 • Episode 1 Fields of Terror Rating: 3.20 Story Skipped Audio Book Reviews(2) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: The Companion Chronicles 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: The Reign of Terror Rating: 3.43 Story Skipped Book Reviews(1) 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 Other variations of this story We define a variation as another way of experiencing the exact same story - like an autiobook, a reconstruction or an omnibus edition. BBC Audio Soundtracks The Reign of Terror (BBC Audio Soundtrack) Rating: 3.75 Story Skipped Soundtrack Reviews(1) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: BBC Audio Soundtracks Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Animated Reconstructions The Reign of Terror (Animated Reconstruction) Rating: 2.95 Story Skipped Animated Reviews(3) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: Animated Reconstructions Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Quotes Add Quote Link to Quote Favourite DOCTOR: Well, I can assure you, my dear Barbara, Napoleon would never have believed you. IAN: Yes, Doctor, but supposing we had written Napoleon a letter, telling him, you know, some of the things that were going to happen to him. SUSAN: It wouldn't have made any difference, Ian. He'd have forgotten it, or lost it, or thought it was written by a maniac. BARBARA: I suppose if we'd tried to kill him with a gun, the bullet would have missed him. DOCTOR: Well, it's hardly fair to speculate, is it? No, I'm afraid you belittle things. Our lives are important, at least to us. But as we see, so we learn. IAN: And what are we going to see and learn next, Doctor? DOCTOR: Well, unlike the old adage, my boy, our destiny is in the stars, so let's go and search for it. — The Reign of Terror Show All Quotes (3) Open in new window Transcript Needs checking (Transcriber's note - this story only exists now as an audio recording for episodes 4 and 5) Episode One - A Land of Fear [Forest] (24 July, 1794 Two men dressed in unseasonably heavy cloaks move cautiously through the trees) (Moments later, the TARDIS materialises in a clearing by a meadow) Show Full Transcript Open in new window
