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Classic Who S14 • Serial 5 · (4 episodes)

The Robots of Death

4.02/ 5 289 votes

First aired Saturday, January 29, 1977
Production Code 4R
Written by Chris Boucher
Directed by Michael E. Briant
Runtime 100 minutes
Time Travel Future
Tropes: (Potential Spoilers!) AI gone wrong Mining Murder Mystery Robots
Inventory: (Potential Spoilers!) Sonic Screwdriver
Synopsis

The Fourth Doctor and Leela land aboard a sandminer, whose crew believe them to be responsible for a murder. As the crew continue to be picked off, the Doctor begins to suspect that the sandminer's robots may be responsible for the murders...

4 Episodes:

First aired Saturday, January 29, 1977
Runtime 25 minutes
Written by Chris Boucher
Directed by Michael E. Briant
UK Viewers 12.8 million
Appreciation Index 62

Synopsis

An unnamed world, an unknown time. A vast mining vessel trawls a sea of mineral sand for valuable ores, the tiny human crew served by an army of humanoid robots. But as the Doctor and Leela arrive, one of the crew is found murdered... and if they didn't do it, who did?

First aired Saturday, February 5, 1977
Runtime 25 minutes
Written by Chris Boucher
Directed by Michael E. Briant
UK Viewers 12.4 million

Synopsis

The Doctor and Leela are suspected of murder. But the real foe is using robots to cut down the crew – and even sabotage the sand miner itself!

First aired Saturday, February 12, 1977
Runtime 25 minutes
Written by Chris Boucher
Directed by Michael E. Briant
UK Viewers 13.1 million

Synopsis

One of the crew is the insane Taren Capel, who is using robots to carry out the murders. The Doctor discovers that there are also others who aren't what they appear to be either.

First aired Saturday, February 19, 1977
Runtime 25 minutes
Written by Chris Boucher
Directed by Michael E. Briant
UK Viewers 12.6 million
Appreciation Index 57

Synopsis

The Doctor and the surviving humans fight for their lives against Taren Capel and his growing army of deadly robots.

Ratings are from TARDIS Guide members only.

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