On the planet Gokroth, a village shelters from a prowling menagerie of nightly beasts. As curfew nears, Wilrick, son of village organiser Trella, pleads with new arrival Mags to take shelter, but aim to aid her involuntary bestial tendencies drives her to visit the castle of off-world scientist Dr Maleva.
Wilrick then runs into a mysterious traveller, an apparent acquaintance of the girl with the mysterious determination to visit a suspected Mad Scientist. Trella’s distress call is then answered by travelling showman Varon, who offers, for no small fee, to sort out Gokroth’s monster problem. The Doctor makes a counter-offer to do it for free. But not all is as it seems….
Tropes
- Actually, That's My Assistant: Fierce-looking yet gentle Gorr, to Dr Maleva.
- Cutlery Escape Aid: Used in a unique fashion by the Doctor while locked in the village jail. He is delighted when he and Maleva are brought metal spoons with their meal, much to Maleva's confusion. However he uses the spoon and junk from his pockets (wire, a battery, etc) to create an electromagnet that he uses to slide open the metal bolt on the door.
- Dogged Nice Guy:
- Wilrick, to Mags.
- Gorr, suggests the Doctor, to Dr Maleva.
- Don't Go in the Woods
- Everybody Lives: Alas, not quite, but resolution is found in revelation rather than conflict.
- Frankenstein's Monster: Inverted with Dr Maleva’s augmentation of mutated colonists back to human form.
- Fisher Kingdom: “Morphic Fields” innate to Gokroth mutated the colonists.
- Freakshow: Varon’s travelling exhibition of augmented interstellar beings.
- Friend to All Living Things: The Doctor, on fine form.
- Glory Seeker: Varon’s pride in his mastery of bestial exotica spurs his offer to solve Gokroth’s monster problem.
- Gone Horribly Wrong: Human attempt to colonise Gokroth fell foul of mutation induced naturally by the planet.
- Subverted, the mutations are naturally induced, rather than by Mavina’s experiments.
- Heal the Cutie: Mags, having gained increased resistance to her condition, seeks further help.
- "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: This time with the aid of a pocket watch.
- Mutants:
- Induced by “Morphic Fields” innate to Gokroth’s atmosphere, which caused intended human colonists to mutate.
- Subverted with Gorr, whose exotic aspect is due to being used to greater gravity.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Gorr, on knocking out Trella.
- Oop North: Most local accents recall North West England.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Trella, earnestly concerned for the safety of the villagers.
- Recurring Character: Mags.
- Science Is Bad: Subverted, Mavina’s dangerous experiments are to amend a naturally induced mutation.
- Seeking Sanctuary: The village offers shelter.
- Torches and Pitchforks: Downplayed, a mob forms only when Gorr succumbs to minor violence. The mob eventually pursues not the mutants, but Mavina.
- Town with a Dark Secret: As it eventually learns...
