The Horns of Nimon: Part Four 

While the Doctor endeavors to amend putting Romana in great peril, she experiences a foretaste of Skonnos's fate on the ravaged planet Crinoth, and a shocked but undeterred Soldeed gets a glimmer of how he's been used by the Nimon.

Director:

Kenny McBain

Writer:

Anthony Read (by)

Stars:

Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, Graham Crowden

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Tom Baker	...	Doctor Who
Lalla Ward	...	Romana
Graham Crowden	...	Soldeed
Michael Osborne	...	Sorak
John Bailey	...	Sezom
Janet Ellis	...	Teka
Simon Gipps-Kent	...	Seth
Robin Sherringham	...	Nimon
Bob Appleby	...	Nimon
Trevor St. John Hacker	...	Nimon
David Brierly	...	K9 (voice) (as David Brierley)
Clifford Norgate	...	Voice of the Nimons (voice)

Storyline

While the Doctor endeavors to amend putting Romana in great peril, she experiences a foretaste of Skonnos's fate on the ravaged planet Crinoth, and a shocked but undeterred Soldeed gets a glimmer of how he's been used by the Nimon.

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Plot Keywords:

doctor who | season finale | fourth doctor | robot dog | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Family | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 January 1980 (UK)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

27 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This serial was supposed to have been followed by one more, Shada, but due to a strike, production of Shada was abandoned, making this a premature season finale. As such it marked the end of several eras:

• It was producer Graham Williams' last Doctor Who (1963) story, as well as the final script to be edited by Douglas Adams.

-This is the final story in which David Brierley voices K9. -It featured the final use of the original 1963 arrangement of the "Doctor Who Theme", from the 1967 remix by Delia Derbyshire, as well as the last use of the diamond-shaped series logo and "tunnel" opening sequence by Bernard Lodge, which had been in place (with some modifications) since Doctor Who: The Time Warrior: Part One (1973). The opening credits image of Tom Baker, now close to six years old, is also retired. -This is also the last story to be scored by composer Dudley Simpson. -Further, this story marked the final appearance of the Fourth Doctor wearing his "original" trademark scarf and coat before they were replaced in the next story by their burgundy counterparts.

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Quotes

Doctor Who: Well, come on, old girl. There's quite a few millennia left in you yet.
Romana: Thank you, Doctor.
Doctor Who: Not you. The TARDIS.

User Reviews

S17: Horns of Nimon: Memorable for its silly elements, but unmemorable otherwise

A mixed season comes to a close, and it is a shame that it does so in some a clunky manner. The plot is based around the story of the minotaur and labyrinth, except put into space, and the minotaur are wearing costume castoffs from the film Slade in Flame. I mention this because the sight of these weird bull creatures, with their massive heads, and odd flare/platform shoe outfits, is one of the few things that really sticks in the mind – a reflection on the rest of the serial.

Outside of the absurd bull characters, the drama is surprisingly dull, and feels dragged out for the sake of filling time. It is hard to describe but even as I was watching it I was struggling to keep track of what was going on – not so much because I am dumb, but rather because I didn't engage at all with what was going on. The elements of the plot that are dropped in are clear, but there is little done with them apart from some place holding, and the search for the usual cliffhangers. It isn't that the serial is awful though, it is just continually silly and uninteresting – with the daft elements actually doing the weaker elements a favor by at least drawing a reaction. The cast are a mix of hammy and disinterested, although at least Baker and Ward seem like they care a bit.

A disappointing end to the season; with it being so mixed I would have liked something stronger to go out on, but it was weak on the page, and not helped by some laughable production design.