Episode #100 : The Stones of Blood

"If they should break through, run as if something very nasty were after you,

because something very nasty will be after you."

Episode 100:  The Stones of Blood.
Companions:  4th Doctor, K9 and Romana.
Air Date:         Four episodes. 28th October to the 18th November 1978.

The Doctor, Romana and K9 are led by the tracer to the Nine Travellers, a circle of standing stones on Boscombe Moor in present-day England, but the third segment is nowhere to be found. They meet elderly archaeologist Professor Emilia Rumford and her assistant Vivien Fay, who are surveying the site, and learn that the circle appears to have had a variable number of stones over the years.

With this adventure we have a rather unusual story. The first half of the story has a strong 70's Hammer Horror feel to it with a dark druidic cult, blood-drinking stone creatures and some good atmospheric set pieces. The second half however goes full science fiction with a prison ship stuck in hyperspace, alien justice machines and a one sided court of law. It doesn't spoil the story but does give it an unusual twist half way through.

There are some obvious influences to this story most notably being Celtic mythology. Unlike The Daemons though, where someone did their research to give the Old Ways a sense of realism, The Stones of Blood goes very 70's horror and just uses it to have an "evil" druidic circle worshipping a dark and evil goddess. It works for well for what it is in the context though.

It is the second half of the story which I feel lets it down slightly. The shift to hyperspace and then the kangaroo court with bobbing motes of light while the Doctor tries to save his own live but also implicate the villain doesn't work as well as the first half.

The Stones of Blood is still a well written and made story. It is quite possibly the highlight of the Key to Time story arc.