The Keys of Marinus

005 – The Keys of Marinus
Doctor Who serial
The Doctor (William Hartnell) speaks to the judge in the serial's penultimate episode. While Hartnell's performance received praise, critics noted that the introduction of the trial represented a rushed script.[1][2]
Cast
Doctor William Hartnell – First Doctor
Companions William Russell – Ian Chesterton Jacqueline Hill – Barbara Wright Carole Ann Ford – Susan Foreman
Others George Coulouris – Arbitan Martin Cort – Voord / Warrior / Ice Soldier / Aydan Peter Stenson – Voord / Ice Soldier / Second Judge Gordon Wales – Voord Robin Phillips – Altos Katharine Schofield – Sabetha Heron Carvic – Voice of Morpho Edmund Warwick – Darrius Francis de Wolff – Vasor Michael Allaby – Ice Soldier / Larn Alan James – Ice Soldier / First Judge / Guard Anthony Verner – Ice Soldier Henley Thomas – Tarron Raf De La Torre – Senior Judge Fiona Walker – Kala Donald Pickering – Eyesen Stephen Dartnell – Yartek Dougie Dean – Eprin (uncredited)[3]
Production
Directed by	John Gorrie
Written by	Terry Nation
Script editor	David Whitaker
Produced by	Verity Lambert
Music by	Norman Kay
Production code	E
Series	Season 1
Running time	6 episodes, 25 minutes each
First broadcast	11 April 1964 (1964-04-11)
Last broadcast	16 May 1964 (1964-05-16)
Chronology
← Preceded by Marco Polo Followed by → The Aztecs
List of episodes (1963–1989)

The Keys of Marinus is the fifth serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast on BBC TV/BBC1 in six weekly parts from 11 April to 16 May 1964. Written by Terry Nation and directed by John Gorrie, the serial takes on a "mini-adventures" format, in which the First Doctor (William Hartnell), his granddaughter Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford), and her teachers Ian Chesterton (William Russell), and Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) search for four keys to restore the Conscience of Marinus, a computer which maintains law and order. The group travel to two cities, a jungle, and an icy wasteland in search of the keys.

The Keys of Marinus was written to replace a different script which was deemed problematic. When commissioned to write the script, Nation was intrigued by the idea of the TARDIS crew searching for pieces of a puzzle; he and script editor David Whitaker decided to construct the serial around a series of "mini-adventures", each with a different setting and cast. Incidental music was composed by Norman Kay, while Raymond Cusick, Daphne Dare, and Jill Summers worked as designers. The serial premiered with nine million viewers, maintaining audience figures for several weeks before seeing a significant drop from the fifth episode. Response for the serial was mixed, and it received several print adaptations and home media releases.