Doctor Who: The Hand of Fear main backdrop
Doctor Who: The Hand of Fear main poster

Doctor Who: The Hand of Fear

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7.5/10 • 6

1976-10-231h 40m

Science FictionDramaAdventure

When the TARDIS lands in a quarry on Earth, Sarah unearths what appears to be a fossilised hand, buried in one-hundred-fifty-million-year-old strata. Analysis shows the hand to be silicon-based and inert, but when Sarah begins to act as if possessed, the Doctor suspects that it may still be alive...

Directors
Lennie Mayne
Writters
Bob Baker, Dave Martin
Editors
Bob Baker, Dave Martin, Christopher Rowlands

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Tom Baker

    Tom Baker

    The Doctor

  2. Elisabeth Sladen

    Elisabeth Sladen

    Sarah Jane Smith

  3. Stephen Thorne

    Stephen Thorne

    Kastrian Eldrad

  4. Judith Paris

    Judith Paris

    Eldrad (female form)

  5. Roy Pattison

    Roy Pattison

    Zazzka

  6. Roy Skelton

    Roy Skelton

    King Rokon

  7. Rex Robinson

    Rex Robinson

    Dr. Carter

  8. Glyn Houston

    Glyn Houston

    Professor Watson

  9. Frances Pidgeon

    Frances Pidgeon

    Miss Jackson

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Jun 29, 2024

7/10

I wonder if anyone at the BBC ever had the presence of mind to just go and buy a quarry? The "Doctor" (Tom Baker) and "Sarah Jane" (Elisabeth Sladen) duly arrive amidst the rockfalls and amongst the rubble, she discovers a disconnected hand. It appears to be made of stone, and is wearing a ring which she promptly puts on her finger. Really? She ought to have known better as soon it takes control of her mind and drives her to find a nuclear plant where the hand can be rejuvenated by the radiation. With the "Doctor" hot on her trail, they soon discover that it's not just the hand that needs regeneration - and nothing the Earthlings can do will stop it. The "Doctor", though, remembers his "Janet and John" book of psychology and decides it might be better to reason with "Eldrad" (Judith Paris) and discover what it wants; why is she angry; what went wrong in her childhood? That kind of stuff. That takes them onto her home desolate planet where she has some scores to settle... Though she doesn't really feature so much, Paris proves to be quite a good glitter-clad alien and Sladen also does well, especially when she is reduced to an almost childlike state of hypnosis. There's a little room for a small tear in the eye at the end, too, and it ought to remind us Brits to take the security of our nuclear facilities just a little more seriously!

Media

  • Doctor Who: The Hand of Fear poster
  • Doctor Who: The Hand of Fear poster
  • Doctor Who: The Hand of Fear poster
  • Doctor Who: The Hand of Fear poster
  • Doctor Who: The Hand of Fear poster
  • Doctor Who: The Hand of Fear poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
time travel