This is a DVD Extra that comes on Doctor Who: The Sontaran Experiment DVD. It is a documentary short (39 minutes) about the history of the Sontarans on Doctor Who (1963-1989). The framing device is the investigation of a Sontaran named Gron into what humanity knows about his race.
The Sontarans first appeared in The Time Warrior (1973) which was written by Robert Holmes. Linx, the Sontaran in that story, was played by Kevin Lindsay. The Sontarans returned in The Sontaran Experiment (1975), written by Bob Baker and Dave Martin, as did Kevin Lindsay although this time he played a Sontaran named Styre.
Stuart Fell, a stuntman, had to fill in for Kevin Lindsey for some of the fight scenes in the Sontaran Experiment. Lindsey was experiencing heart problems at the time and was unable to do everything that was in the script. He wasn't the only one who needed a double. Usually actors did all their own stunts but Tom Baker broke his collar bone during filming. Terry Walsh, the stunt arranger, filled in for Baker in some scenes.
The Sontarans were chosen to be the alien menace in The Invasion of Time (1978) because it was thrown together fairly quickly and they didn't have the time to create a new race of aliens. The script is credited to David Agnew which was a pseudonym for the collaboration of Anthony Read and Graham Williams (producer, 1977-1980).
Robert Holmes was brought back to write The Two Doctors (1985). Jonathan Nathan Turner, the producer, originally wanted the story to be set in New Orleans but that was ruled out for practical reasons. The story was instead set in Seville, Spain. It was very hot and unbearable for the actors playing the Sontarans.
A number of people who were part of the cast and crew contribute anecdotes about the four stories in which the Sontarans appeared.
- Terrence Dicks (script editor, 1968-74)
- Elizabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith, 1973-76)
- Bob Baker (writer)
- Stuart Fell (stuntman and actor)
- Anthony Read (script editor, 1977-79)
- Colin Baker (The Doctor, 1984-86)
- Nicola Bryant (Peri Brown, 1984-86)
- Eric Saward (script editor, 1982-86)
There are also stills and archival footage of a number of other people involved in the making of the stories mentioned above.
- Jon Pertwee
- Tom Baker
- Ian Marter
- Robert Holmes
- Kevin Lindsey
- Derek Deadman
This was a lot of fun to watch in preparation for watching the Sontaran Experiment for the first time in over a decade or more.
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