The Romans (Doctor Who)

012 – The Romans
Doctor Who serial
Nero (Derek Francis) reprimands the Doctor (William Hartnell) for setting fire to his plans. The performances of Francis and Hartnell in the serial received praise.[1][2][3]
Cast
Others
  • Derek FrancisNero
  • Michael Peake – Tavius
  • Brian Proudfoot – Tigellinus
  • Kay Patrick – Poppaea Sabina
  • Peter Diamond – Delos
  • Derek Sydney – Sevcheria
  • Nicholas Evans – Didius
  • Barry Jackson – Ascaris
  • Ann Tirard – Locusta
  • Dennis Edwards – Centurion
  • Margot Thomas – Stall Holder
  • Edward Kelsey – Slave Buyer
  • Bart Allison – Maximus Pettulian
  • Dorothy-Rose Gribble – Woman Slave
  • Gertan Klauber – Galley Master
  • Ernest Jennings, John Caesar – Men in Market
  • Tony Lambden – Court Messenger
Production
Directed byChristopher Barry
Written byDennis Spooner[a]
Produced byVerity Lambert
Music byRaymond Jones
Production codeM
SeriesSeason 2
Running time4 episodes, 25 minutes each
First broadcast16 January 1965 (1965-01-16)
Last broadcast6 February 1965 (1965-02-06)
Chronology
← Preceded by
The Rescue
Followed by →
The Web Planet
List of episodes (1963–1989)

The Romans is the fourth serial of the second season in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Written by Dennis Spooner and directed by Christopher Barry, the serial was broadcast on BBC1 in four weekly parts from 16 January to 6 February 1965. In the serial, the First Doctor (William Hartnell) and his new companion Vicki (Maureen O'Brien) investigate intrigue surrounding the death of a lyre player en route to perform at the palace of Nero (Derek Francis) in Rome, while companions Ian Chesterton (William Russell) and Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) are captured by slave traders and sold respectively as a galley slave (later a gladiator) and as a body slave to Nero's wife Poppaea (Kay Patrick).

The Romans was envisioned as the first Doctor Who serial with a humorous tone, originally intended to parody the 1951 film Quo Vadis. The story presents real historical characters in a fictitious manner. The serial was produced in a six-episode block with the preceding story, The Rescue, to introduce new companion Vicki. It features the design work of Raymond Cusick, and the incidental music was composed by Raymond Jones in his first work for the series. The Romans premiered with 13 million viewers, continuing the high viewership of the previous serial, which it maintained across the four weeks. Reviews were generally positive, with praise for the performances and characterisation, though its comedic tone received mixed responses. The serial was later novelised and released on VHS and DVD.

  1. ^ Wright 2017, p. 103.
  2. ^ Howe & Walker 1998, p. 74.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference IGN Review was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Wright 2017, p. 96.


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