UK, 6 September 1986-6 December 1986
14 episodes, average 25m
videotape, colour, 4:3
mono, English
Previous serial: Revelation of the Daleks (1985)
Next serial: Time and the Rani (1987)
Series: Doctor Who (1963-1989) – series 23, episodes 1-14
A British television science fiction serial directed by Nicholas Mallett, Ron Jones and Chris Clough from scripts by Robert Holmes, Philip Martin and Pip and Jane Baker. Though billed on screen as The Trial of a Timelord parts 1-14, when released on video and DVD the series was divided up into four separate stories, each bearing the title that section was commissioned under. Thus the first four episodes are known as The Mysterious Planet, the next four Mindwarp, the next four Terror of the Vervoids and the last two The Ultimate Foe. Though not obvious at the time it would mark the last set of stories to feature Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor. It also saw the departure of Nicola Bryant as Peri and the arrival of new companion Melanie Bush.
Premise
The Doctor is put on trial by the Time Lords because of his interference in the affairs of alien worlds. Prosecutor The Valeyard plays a recording of an adventure of The Doctor’s where he is caught between two tribes at war on a future Earth barren and light years distant in space. He then shows another adventure where the Doctor encounters Sil, who he had met on Varos, and others of his race who are engaged in brain transplant science. Peri is seen to be killed at the end of the recording. Allowed to present his own defence, The Doctor shows a recording from his future where he and his new companion Mel battle killer plant aliens on a space liner. Finally The Master accesses The Matrix and The Valeyard is revealed to be a future dark self of The Doctor. The Doctor must defeat them in the unreality of The Matrix.
Credits
* = uncredited
Crew
Director: Nicholas Mallett [parts 1-4], Ron Jones [parts 5-8], Chris Clough [parts 9-14]
© BBC MCMLXXXVI [1986] [parts 1-14]
Producer: John Nathan-Turner [parts 1-14]
Production Managers: Clare Graham [parts 1-4], Kevan Van Thompson [parts 5-8], Ian Fraser [parts 9-14]
[Written] By: Robert Holmes [parts 1-4, 13-14], Philip Martin [parts 5-8], Pip and Jane Baker [parts 9-12]
Script Editor: Eric Saward [parts 1-14]
Studio Lighting: Mike Jefferies [parts 1-4], Don Babbage [parts 5-8, 13-14]
Lighting Director: Don Babbage [parts 9-12]
Studio Camera Supervisor: Alec Wheal [parts 1-8, 13-14]
Camera Supervisor: Alec Wheal [parts 9-12]
O.B. Lighting: John Wiggins [parts 1-4], Colin Widgery [parts 5-8], John Mason [parts 13-14]
Technical Co-Ordinator: Alan Arbuthnott [parts 1-14]
Vision Mixers: Jim Stephens [parts 1-8, 13-14], Shirley Coward [parts 9-14]
Videotape Editors: Stephen Newnham [parts 1-4], Hugh Parson [parts 5-14]
Title Music Composed by: Ron Grainer [parts 1-4, 13-14]
Title Music Arranger: Dominic Glynn *
Incidental Music: Dominic Glynn [parts 1-4, 13-14], Richard Hartley [parts 5-8], Malcolm Clarke [parts 9-12]
Studio Sound: Brian Clark [parts 1-8, 13-14]
Sound: Brian Clarke [parts 9-12]
O.B. Sound: Bill Whiston [parts 1-4], Mike Johnstone [parts 5-8], Vic Godrich [parts 13-14]
Special Sounds: Dick Mills [parts 1-14], BBC Radiophonic Workshops [parts 9-12]
Costume Designers: Ken Trew [parts 1-4], John Hearne [parts 5-8], Andrew Rose [parts 9-14]
Make-up Designers: Denise Baron [parts 1-4], Dorka Nieradzik [parts 5-8], Shaunna Harrison [parts 9-14]
Visual Effects Designer: Mike Kelt [parts 1-4], Peter Wragg [parts 5-8], Kevin Molloy [parts 9-14]
Video Effects: Danny Popkin [parts 1-14], Dave Chapman [parts 13-14]
Title Sequence: Sid Sutton [parts 1-4]
Designers: John Anderson [parts 1-4], Andrew Howe-Davies [parts 5-8], Dinah Walker [parts 9-12], Michael Trevor [parts 13-14]
Production Associates: Angela Smith [parts 1-8], June Collins [parts 9-12], Jenny Doe [parts 9-12], Anji Smith [real name: Angela Smith] [parts 13-14]
Production Assistants: Joy Sinclair [parts 1-4], Karen Jones [parts 5-8], Jane Wellesley [parts 9-14]
Assistant Floor Managers: Stephen Jefferey-Poulter [parts 1-4], Anna Price [parts 5-8], Karen Little [parts 9-14]
Cast
Part One
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Nicola Bryant (Peri)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Joan Sims (Katryca)
Tony Selby ([Sabalom] Glitz)
Glen Murphy (Dibber)
Tom Chadbon (Merdeen)
Roger Brierley (Drathro)
David Rodigan (Broken Tooth)
Adam Blackwood (Balazar)
Timothy Walker (Grell)
Part Two
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Nicola Bryant (Peri)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Joan Sims (Katryca)
Tony Selby ([Sabalom] Glitz)
Roger Brierley (Drathro)
Tom Chadbon (Merdeen)
David Rodigan (Broken Tooth)
Glen Murphy (Dibber)
Adam Blackwood (Balazar)
Billy McColl (Humker)
Sion Tudor Owen (Tandrell)
Timothy Walker (Grell)
Part Three
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Nicola Bryant (Peri)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Joan Sims (Katryca)
Tony Selby ([Sabalom] Glitz)
Roger Brierley (Drathro)
Tom Chadbon (Merdeen)
David Rodigan (Broken Tooth)
Glen Murphy (Dibber)
Adam Blackwood (Balazar)
Billy McColl (Humker)
Sion Tudor Owen (Tandrell)
Timothy Walker (Grell)
Part Four
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Nicola Bryant (Peri)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Joan Sims (Katryca)
Tony Selby ([Sabalom] Glitz)
Roger Brierley (Drathro)
Tom Chadbon (Merdeen)
David Rodigan (Broken Tooth)
Glen Murphy (Dibber)
Adam Blackwood (Balazar)
Billy McColl (Humker)
Sion Tudor Owen (Tandrell)
Timothy Walker (Grell)
Part Five
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Nicola Bryant (Peri)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Brian Blessed (King Yrcanos)
Nabil Shaban (Sil)
Christopher Ryan (Kiv)
Patrick Ryecart (Crozier)
Alibe Parsons (Matrona Kani)
Trevor Laird (Frax)
Thomas Branch (The Lukoser)
Part Six
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Nicola Bryant (Peri)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Brian Blessed (King Yrcanos)
Patrick Ryecart (Crozier)
Nabil Shaban (Sil)
Christopher Ryan (Kiv)
Thomas Branch (The Lukoser)
Trevor Laird (Frax)
Alibe Parsons (Matrona Kani)
Part Seven
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Nicola Bryant (Peri)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Brian Blessed (King Yrcanos)
Patrick Ryecart (Crozier)
Nabil Shaban (Sil)
Christopher Ryan (Kiv)
Alibe Parsons (Matrona Kani)
Trevor Laird (Frax)
Gordon Warnecke (Tuza)
Thomas Branch (The Lukoser)
Part Eight
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Nicola Bryant (Peri)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Brian Blessed (King Yrcanos)
Patrick Ryecart (Crozier)
Nabil Shaban (Sil)
Christopher Ryan (Kiv)
Alibe Parsons (Matrona Kani)
Trevor Laird (Frax)
Gordon Warnecke (Tuza)
Thomas Branch (The Lukoser)
Richard Henry (Mentor)
Part Nine
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Bonnie Langford (Melanie)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Honor Blackman (Professor Lasky)
Michael Craig (commodore)
Denys Hawthorne (Rudge)
Yolande Palfrey (Janet)
Malcolm Tierney (Doland)
David Allister (Bruchner)
Tony Scoggo (Grenville)
Arthur Hewlett (Kimber)
Simon Slater (Edwardes)
Sam Howard (Atza)
Leon Davis (Ortezo)
Hugh Beverton (guard)
Part Ten
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Bonnie Langford (Melanie)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Honor Blackman (Professor Lasky)
Michael Craig (commodore)
Denys Hawthorne (Rudge)
Malcolm Tierney (Doland)
David Allister (Bruchner)
Yolande Palfrey (Janet)
Tony Scoggo (Grenville)
Arthur Hewlett (Kimber)
Sam Howard (Atza)
Leon Davis (Ortezo)
Mike Mungarvan (duty officer)
Hugh Beverton (first guard)
Martin Weedon (second guard)
Barbara Ward (mutant)
Part Eleven
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Bonnie Langford (Melanie)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Honor Blackman (Professor Lasky)
Michael Craig (commodore)
Denys Hawthorne (Rudge)
Yolande Palfrey (Janet)
Malcolm Tierney (Doland)
David Allister (Bruchner)
Sam Howard (Atza)
Leon Davis (Ortezo)
Hugh Beverton (guard)
Peppi Borza (first Vervoid)
Bob Appleby (second Vervoid)
Barbara Ward (Ruth Baxter)
Part Twelve
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Bonnie Langford (Melanie)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Honor Blackman (Professor Lasky)
Michael Craig (commodore)
Denys Hawthorne (Rudge)
Yolande Palfrey (Janet)
Malcolm Tierney (Doland)
David Allister (Bruchner)
Sam Howard (Atza)
Leon Davis (Ortezo)
Peppi Borza (first Vervoid)
Bob Appleby (second Vervoid)
Barbara Ward (Ruth Baxter)
Part Thirteen
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Bonnie Langford (Melanie)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Anthony Ainley (The Master)
Tony Selby ([Sabalom] Glitz)
Geoffrey Hughes (Popplewick)
James Bree (keeper of the Matrix)
Part Fourteen
Colin Baker (The Doctor)
Bonnie Langford (Melanie)
Michael Jayston (The Valeyard)
Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor)
Anthony Ainley (The Master)
Tony Selby ([Sabalom] Glitz)
Geoffrey Hughes (Popplewick)
James Bree (keeper of the Matrix)
Uncredited
Mike Ellis [Drathro operator]
David Backe, John Buckmaster, Rodney Cardiff, James Delaney, David Eynon, Peter Gates Fleming, Gary Forecast, Leslie Fry, Bob Hargreaves, Johnny Lee Harris, Jack Horton, Lew Hooper, Derek Hunt, Guy Matthews, Ken Pritchard, Roy Seeley, John Shereton, Kenneth Thomas, Leslie Weeks, Geoff Whitestone, David Wild, Llewellyn Williams [the jury]
John Emms, Mark Kirby [train guards]
Richard Aldridge, Robert Bicknell, Peter Dukes, Paul Ellison, John Emms, David Hampston, Christopher Holmes, Mark Kirkby, Payl Lecomber, Oscar Peck, Rhett Stevens, David Wild [warriors]
David Bache, John Buckmaster, Barry Butler, James Delaney, David Enyon, David Fieldsend, Leslie Fry, Bob Hargreaves, Jack Horton, Lew Hooper, Derek Hunt, Ken Pritchard, Roy Seeley, Kenneth Thomas, Llewellyn Williams [Time Lords]
John Capper, Peter Gates-Fleming, Gary Forecast, Paul Ellison [chancellry guards]
Russell West [Raak]
Ray Charles, Ferdinan Oraka, Lewis St Juste, Desmond Williams, Tony Amechi [bearers/guards]
Belinda Lee, Jacqueline Noble, Veroniquer Chomillo Edwards [Alphan women]
Johnny Clayton, Shara Balu Chokshi, Marisa Benlock, Tom Jennings, Ghitta Santana, Dave Cooper [guards/bearers/Alphans]
Philip Rostant [Mentor]
Jacqueline Noble, Madine Reina, Kristyna Kashvilla [servants]
Anita Edwards, Dadina Sagger, Rachel Chaney, Indira [Alphans]
Harjit Singh, Stewart Myers, Ranjiy Nakara, Save Dhalivaal, Tony Fray, Eddie Nedari [Alphan resistance fighters]
Ernest Jennings [Fern]
Shalimar Bowers, Steve Sparling, Joe Santo, David Rogue, Edward Runifitt, James Dublin [Alphan servants]
Wendy Millward, Jackie Robinson [female Alphans]
Mike Mungarven, Roy Brent, Kevin O’Brien, Dale Warren, Lorence Ferdinand, Ronnie King, Alan Warner, Eugene Paul, Gavin Roebuck [resistance fighters]
Rodney Cardiff, Johnny Lee Harris, Guy Matthews, John Shereton, Leslie Weeks, Geoff Whitestone, David Wild [the jury]
Deep Roy [Possicar delegate]
David Backe, John Buckmaster, Rodney Cardiff, James Delaney, David Eynon, Peter Gates Fleming, Gary Forecast, Leslie Fry, Bob Hargreaves, Johnny Lee Harris, Jack Horton, Lew Hooper, Derek Hunt, Guy Matthews, Ken Pritchard, Roy Seeley, John Shereton, Kenneth Thomas, Leslie Weeks, Geoff Whitestone, David Wild, Llewellyn Williams [the jury]
Paul Hillier, William Perrie, Jerry Manley, Gess Whitfield [Vervoids]
Ian Marshall Fisher [clerk of court]
John Capper, Gary Forecast, Kevin O’Brien [court guards]
Alternative Titles
The Robots of Ravalox – episodes 1-4 working title
The Robots of Revelux – episodes 1-4 working title
Time Inc – episodes 13-14 working title
The Vervoids – episodes 9-12 working title
Press
1987
Starburst no.102 (February 1987) p.32
Ignoring Dominic Glynn’s dreadful realisation of Ron Grainer’s legendary Doctor Who theme, it seemed for a brief couple of episodes that the series had learnt something from the heinous errors of the year before. Apparently suitably chastened, the first episodes replaced the base and gratuitous violence of the twenty-second season with a fine line in laconic wit, courtesy of the late Robert Holmes. – from an illustrated review by Paul Mount
References
Periodicals
- Doctor Who Magazine no.205 (27 October 1993) p.4 – illustrated note (Video news)
- Radio Times vol.250 no.3276 (6 September 1986) pp.82-83, 85 – illustrated article
- Radio Times vol.250 no.3279 (27 September 1986) p.96 – letter
- Radio Times vol.252 no.3294 (10 January 1987) p.80 – letter
- Starburst no.102 (February 1987) pp.32-35 – illustrated review (by Paul Mount)
- Television Today 18 December 1986 p.43 – review
- TV Zone no.231/232 (December 2008) pp 138-139 – DVD review (On the shelf by Anthony Brown)
Books
- Doctor Who Program Guide 25th Anniverary Edition by James C. Armstrong Jr, Michael L. Brown p.78 – credits, episode list
- Doctor Who: The Television Companion by David J. Howe and Stephen James Walker pp.488-497 – credits, synopsis, review
