Synopsis
The Doctor joins the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce (Unit's) investigation into the mystery surrounding Mars Probe
7. Space Control, headed by Professor Ralph Cornish (Ronald Allen), has had no contact with the astronauts on board
since it started back from Mars seven months ago, and now the Recovery 7 rescue mission has run into similar difficulties.
This second ship does get back to Earth, but the astronauts are kidnapped after landing and Liz Shaw notices that the
Geiger counter is at maximum. It transpires that the ship's occupants were not human astronauts but a trio of radiation-dependent
alien ambassadors.
The Doctor makes a solo flight in Recovery 7 and docks with Mars Probe 7, still orbiting in space. He is intercepted
by an alien spaceship and taken on baord, where he finds the real astronauts unharmed. The aliens' Captain threatens
to destroy the Earth unless their three ambassadors are released.
The Doctor is allowed to return to Space Control, and discovers that the kidnapping of the ambassadors is part of a scheme
devised by ex-astronaut General Carrington to discredit the aliens and convince the world's authorities to wage war against
them. The Doctor and UNIT are able to thwart his plans and arrange the safe exchange of ambassadors for astronauts.
Cast
Jon Pertwee (Doctor Who), Caroline John (Liz Shaw), Nicholas Courtney
(Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart), John Levene (Sergeant Benton), Ronald Allen (Ralph
Cornish), Robert Cawdron (Taltalian), John Abineri (General Carrington).
Production Details
Writer: David Whitaker, Trevor Ray and Malcolm Hulke.
Director: Michael Ferguson
Producer: Barry Letts
Script Editor: Terrance Dicks
Designer: David Myerscough-Jones
Transmission Notes
Season 7, Episode 12
First transmitted Episodes 1 - 7 in March-May 1970
Story Notes
The Ambassadors of Death is the earliest story originally made in colour for which much of the colour footage is lost;
only episode 1 was retained in its original colour format, with the remaining six currently existing only in poor quality
colour. Colour PAL copies of episodes 2-7 were wiped prior to 1977, however syndicated NTSC versions were sent abroad prior
to the wiping of the colour videotapes. An early domestic video recording was later found to exist and made available
to the BBC in hopes of a recolorisation.
