TEXT: First Broadcast: 15.02.64 Running Time: 25 minutes 04 seconds [SCENE_BREAK] 1: INT. TARDIS. CONSOLE ROOM (The DOCTOR enters from the living quarters and crosses over to the control panel. He looks at a set of controls and his hands falter in mid air. Suddenly, he turns around and a pair of hands grips his neck. It is IAN who looks as if he is in a trance. The DOCTOR thrusts him off and IAN falls to the floor with a wide-eyed cry. BARBARA enters, wearing a long black dressing gown and rushes over to IAN who is lying unconscious on the floor.) DOCTOR: So it was you? BARBARA: Ian! DOCTOR: It's no use pretending. BARBARA: Well help him. DOCTOR: Help him? You saw him. You saw trie... what he tried to do. BARBARA: But now he's fainted just like Susan did. DOCTOR: She didn't faint. It was you that told me she fainted, and I very nearly believed you. BARBARA: Oh, what does it matter? DOCTOR: Matter? Matter? Young lady, he very nearly tried to strangle me! BARBARA: But he has fainted, look at him. DOCTOR: (Dismissive.) Oh, he's play-acting. (The DOCTOR walks away. BARBARA stands up and trails him.) BARBARA: No he isn't! (Quieter.) Oh Doctor, don't you see? Something terrible's happening to all of us. DOCTOR: Not to me, nothing's happened to me. This is a plot between the two of you to get control of my ship. BARBARA: Oh, that isn't true! DOCTOR: Can't you see I've found you out? Why won't you admit it? Hmm? (While they are arguing, SUSAN has come in unnoticed.) SUSAN: (To BARBARA, coldly.) Yes,
SUMMARY:
As they slowly recover from the shock of being thrown to the TARDIS floor,the Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara all seem to be acting strangely. Unexplained events occur and suspicions are raised that an alien force may have entered the ship. The Doctor even accuses Ian and Barbara of sabotage. It gradually dawns on the travellers that what they have been experiencing is an attempt by the TARDIS itself to warn them of something. The Doctor finally realises the fast return switch he used when leaving Skaro has stuck, and the ship has been plunging back to the beginning of time and its own destruction. Once the problem - a faulty spring - is corrected, the TARDIS returns to normal and the Doctor has to make some apologies for his behaviour.