'SEED'ING DESTRUCTION! CELEBRATING FIFTY YEARS OF 'THE SEEDS OF DOOM'

Saturday, August 15, 2026

'SEED'ING DESTRUCTION! CELEBRATING FIFTY YEARS OF 'THE SEEDS OF DOOM'

The Krynoid menace awakens to threaten extinction. Artist by Sean Longmore.

"... the size of St. Paul's Cathedral. After that it will multiply itself a thousand fold until it takes over your entire planet."

20th Century Earth. A research team based in the Antarctic unwittingly digs up two mysterious pods which have laid buried in the snow for twenty thousand years.

Yet the identity of the pods is no mystery to the Doctor. That they are Krynoid - a hostile, alien species of plant life, there can be no doubt. And his fears are confirmed when one of the pods opens and attacks a scientist.

Unfortunately, the Doctor is not the only one interested in the seeds - an insane millionaire, Harrison Chase, is desperate to get his hands on a pod at any costs- even murder. But why?

Events spiral out of control as the remaining pod reaches England, splitting open to reveal a ferocious Krynoid carnivore. Can the Doctor arrest its development? For, as its strength grows every moment, it threatens to turn Earth's vegetation hostile too. It's germination could jeopardise the security of mankind itself..."

Official BBC VHS synopsis - 1994

It's the end of an era in many ways for Classic Who as its finest director Douglas Camfield and writer Robert Banks Stewart bow out with this All-Time Classic adventure, which featured heavy contributions for the story's opening episodes by Robert Holmes, We even might have lost Elisabeth Sladen with this story too, what with the end of her contract. Thankfully the production team, who didn't really want to lose her, would persuade Miss Sladen to stay on for a few more classic tales in Season Fourteen.

I enjoyed The Seeds of Doom greatly as a six year old, what with its air of monster mayhem (I always thought the large Krynoid was nasty, if a bit wobbly, though!) amidst a story that wouldn't have been out of place in The Avengers. Our exuberant, action-packed Doctor was almost like John Steed, and Sarah almost like Emma Peel (if not in combat mode) as they took on the looney planet aficionado Harrison Chase (the superb Tony Beckley, who died far too young) and later Boycie icon John Challis as the mercenary Scorby. All of the story remains vivid from the time and its always fun to revisit it, especially with last year's Season Thirteen Collection release.

Great Frank Bellamy listings promo in the Radio Times.

The Seeds of Doom ★★★★★ | Radio Times

The Krynoid pod soon takes control and absorbs its first human victim in the Antarctic.

The Doctor and Sarah travel to the Antarctica base to confront and help destroy the first Krynoid pod discovery.

"A pity. I could have had two pods!" The insane Harrison Chase (Tony Beckley, in a superb performance) is determined to lead a plant revolution against the Human vermin!