The Reign of Terror (Doctor Who)

008 – The Reign of Terror
Doctor Who serial
Susan Foreman and Barbara Wright are en route to execution by the guillotine. Susan's role as a damsel in distress was criticised.[1][2]
Cast
Doctor William Hartnell – First Doctor
Companions William Russell – Ian Chesterton Jacqueline Hill – Barbara Wright Carole Ann Ford – Susan Foreman
Others Keith Anderson – Robespierre Jack Cunningham – Jailer Jeffry Wickham – Webster Neville Smith – D'Argenson Laidlaw Dalling – Rouvray Peter Walker – Small Boy James Cairncross – Lemaitre Roy Herrick – Jean Donald Morley – Jules Renan Tony Wall – Napoléon Bonaparte Caroline Hunt – Danielle Edward Brayshaw – Léon Colbert John Law – Paul Barras Dallas Cavell – Road Works Overseer Dennis Cleary – Peasant John Barrard – Shopkeeper Ronald Pickup – Physician Howard Charlton – Judge Robert Hunter – Sergeant Ken Lawrence – Lieutenant James Hall, Patrick Marley, Terry Bale – Soldiers
Production
Directed by	Henric Hirsch[a]
Written by	Dennis Spooner
Script editor	David Whitaker
Produced by	Verity Lambert
Music by	Stanley Myers
Production code	H
Series	Season 1
Running time	6 episodes, 25 minutes each
Episode(s) missing	2 episodes (4 and 5)
First broadcast	8 August 1964 (1964-08-08)
Last broadcast	12 September 1964 (1964-09-12)
Chronology
← Preceded by The Sensorites Followed by → Planet of Giants
List of episodes (1963–1989)

The Reign of Terror is the eighth serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast on BBC1 in six weekly parts from 8 August to 12 September 1964. It was written by Dennis Spooner and directed by Henric Hirsch. In the serial, the First Doctor (William Hartnell), his granddaughter Susan (Carole Ann Ford), and teachers Ian Chesterton (William Russell) and Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) arrive in France during the period of the French Revolution known as the Reign of Terror, where they become involved with prisoners and English spies.

Initially interested in writing a science fiction story, Spooner was asked to write a historical serial by script editor David Whitaker. He eventually decided to focus on the French Revolution, a setting first suggested by Russell. Hirsch underwent great stress during the serial's production; he collapsed during filming of the third episode, and was replaced until the following week. The serial premiered with 6.9 million viewers, maintaining audience figures throughout the six weeks. Response for the serial was mixed, with criticism aimed at the story and historical inaccuracies. Two of the six episodes remain missing after the BBC wiped them from archives. It later received several print adaptations and home media releases, with animated versions of the missing episodes constructed using off-air recordings.

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