The Face of Evil

089 – The Face of Evil
Doctor Who serial
Cast
Others
Production
Directed byPennant Roberts
Written byChris Boucher
Script editorRobert Holmes
Produced byPhilip Hinchcliffe
Executive producer(s)None
Music byDudley Simpson
Production code4Q
SeriesSeason 14
Running time4 episodes, 25 minutes each
First broadcast1 January 1977 (1977-01-01)
Last broadcast22 January 1977 (1977-01-22)
Chronology
← Preceded by
The Deadly Assassin
Followed by →
The Robots of Death
List of episodes (1963–1989)

The Face of Evil is the fourth serial of the 14th season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 1 to 22 January 1977. This serial marked the debut of Louise Jameson as companion Leela. It was also the first of three stories written for the series by Chris Boucher and the first of five directed by Pennant Roberts.

In the serial, the powerful split-personality computer Xoanon (played by Tom Baker, Rob Edwards, Pamela Salem, Anthony Frieze, and Roy Herrick) attempts to create two super races from the descendants of a human expedition with eugenics—the savage Sevateem, and the psychic Tesh. The Fourth Doctor (Baker) seeks to repair this personality fault.

The serial is generally well-received by reviewers, although Doctor Who fans consider it to be overshadowed by other stories in Season 14.[1] It did, however, gain high ratings, with three episodes achieving over 11 million viewers on first screening.

  1. ^ Doctor Who Magazine Readers Poll, May 2014 (The Face of Evil placed 130, the lowest of Season 14)