Written by Andrew Smith, a scene breakdown had been commissioned on 10 January 1984. Initially conceived as a four 25-minute episodes story, the two 45-minute episodes story would have been set in 1872, involve the "Mary Celeste" in some way, and would elaborate on the origins of the Sontaran-Rutan war. "The First Sontarans" was turned down due to the fact that the Sontarans were to appear in the Season 22 serial "The Two Doctors". It was later adapted by Smith for Big Finish as part of their "The Lost Stories" series in July 2012.