 This story is the third and final of three loosely connected stories known as the "E-Space trilogy". This trilogy began in "Full Circle" and continued in "State of Decay".
This story also marked two significant changes to the show: the departure of Romana (as played by Lalla Ward) and the final regular appearance of K9 (voiced by John Leeson).
Romana’s reason for remaining in E-Space was due to her not wishing to return to the Time Lords or Gallifrey. She takes K9 with her, whose memory wafers have been replaced and recovered to function past the mirrors.
Romana was seen again in the Twentieth Anniversary Special, "The Five Doctors", in 1983 (via footage of her and the Fourth Doctor from the unaired 1980 story "Shada"). Lalla Ward also returned briefly for the Thirtieth-Anniversary Children In Need special "Dimensions in Time", in 1993. She also reprised the part of Romana in several instalments of Big Finish Productions Doctor Who audio series: The Main Range stories "The Apocalypse Element", "Neverland", "Zagreus" and "The Chaos Pool" (Simultaneously assuming her original role as Astra from "The Armageddon Factor"); the Companion Chronicles series and the Gallifrey stories. The latter of which has Romana as the newest President of Gallifrey and working with Leela and the Mk 1 version of K9. Lalla Ward also reprises her role as Romana in Big Finish Production’s audio remake of the unfinished story "Shada". She also played a thinly-disguised version of Romana for two audio plays from BBV in 1999. Lalla Ward continued performing in programmes such as Schoolgirl Chums and Riviera, as well as various stage plays, but Lalla Ward’s career as an actress was gradually eclipsed by her work as an illustrator.
Lalla Ward’s incarnation of Romana has also appeared in the Virgin Books’ The New Adventures novels "Blood Harvest" (where Romana is retrieved from E-Space by The Doctor), "Goth Opera", and "Lungbarrow", before regenerating into a new body for the BBC Books’ The Eighth Doctor Stories novel "The Shadows of Avalon". Most of these stories depict her post-E-Space life, back on Gallifrey and serving as the President of the Time Lords.
Lalla Ward married Tom Baker after leaving the show. The two however, were married for only 18 months. Lalla Ward is one of two former companions to ever be married to an actor who played The Doctor. The other was Jean Marsh, who played the First Doctor’s companion, Sara Kingdom, and was married to Jon Pertwee, although this marriage occurred prior to Jon Pertwee landing the role of the Third Doctor.
John Leeson, who had previously left the show at the end of Season Sixteen, returned for Season Eighteen on the understanding that K9 would be written out towards the end of this season. John Leeson went on to appear in programmes such as Sorry!, Bugs and Doctors, while remaining in frequent demand for voice work. He returned, voicing K9 (Mk III and Mk IV), for the 1981 spin off-story "K9 and Company: A Girl's Best Friend" as well as for the Twentieth Anniversary Special, "The Five Doctors", in 1983 and the Thirtieth-Anniversary Children In Need special "Dimensions in Time", in 1993. John Leeson also had a minor role in the 1988 Seventh Doctor story "Remembrance of the Daleks". He also was involved in various audios for Big Finish Productions and BBV. John Leeson finally returned to the televised show when he voiced K9 in 2006 Tenth Doctor story "School Reunion" - a story which also included Elizabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith. John Leeson again provided the voice of K9 in the spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures, again starring Elizabeth Sladen, and in the 2008 Tenth Doctor story and Season Thirty (New Series 4) finale "The Stolen Earth/Journey's End".
This story replaced a draft story called "Sealed Orders" by Christopher Priest, which also focused on the Time Lords wanting Romana to return to Gallifrey.
In Christopher Priest’s version of the final chapter of the E-Space trilogy, The Doctor and Romana would have exited E-Space via a political thriller involving Gallifrey and would have dealt more directly with Romana’s failure to return to her home planet following her temporary assignment to find The Key to Time.
The story that eventually became "Warriors' Gate" was written by Stephen Gallagher, a long time Doctor Who fan who had written science-fiction radio plays such as "The Last Rose of Summer" (which he had also novelised). Stephen Gallagher had come to Script Editor Christopher H. Bidmead’s attention when his radio script "An Alternative to Suicide" was forwarded to the Doctor Who production office. Stephen Gallagher had prepared a Doctor Who storyline called "The Dream Time" (or simply "Dream Time"), which was based on unused concepts for a sequel to "The Last Rose of Summer".
The director assigned to this story was Paul Joyce, whose previous credits included a Play For Today (which he had also written). Paul Joyce envisaged making this story in the style of a feature film, and was enthusiastic about pushing the boundaries of what could be accomplished on a Doctor Who production.
However, as preproduction progressed, Paul Joyce became concerned that Stephen Gallagher’s inexperience in writing for television was resulting in scripts that would not translate well to a visual medium. As Stephen Gallagher had to move to duties on other programmes the final script was heavily re-written by Script Editor Christopher H. Bidmead and Paul Joyce. However, the writing credit still went to Stephen Gallagher.
Though the basic elements of this story would remain in "Warrior's Gate", Christopher H. Bidmead and Paul Joyce’s version of the scripts omitted elements like an opening sequence depicting an attack on the Privateer by an ‘Antonine Killer’ which led to the ship becoming trapped at the Gateway. A crewman named Nestor was excised (his lines being shared between Lane and Packard), while Waldo was rechristened Royce. The Gundans were originally Shoguns, while the Tharils had been Tharks, Thars, and Tharls. The latter was altered at a late stage on the suggestion of fan advisor Ian Levine, who pointed out that long time fans would confuse it with ‘Thals’, aliens who had appeared in the 1963 First Doctor story "The Daleks" and the 1973 Third Doctor story "Planet of the Daleks".
Paul Joyce had little experience directing for television, and had considerable disagreements with John Nathan-Turner and lighting director John Dixon. By the time the second studio session began in October 1980, the strenuous production was visibly taking its toll on Paul Joyce. Also, the production was hit by a strike of the BBC carpenters, which further delayed matters.
This resulted in only about half of the production being directed by Paul Joyce with the remainder directed (without an on-screen credit) by Production Assistant Graeme with assistance from John Nathan-Turner. Graeme Harper would go on to direct several later stories, beginning with the 1984 Fifth Doctor story "The Caves of Androzani".
Paul Joyce did not return to direct any future Doctor Who stories. His subsequent credits include Tickets For The Titanic.
Despite the chaos surrounding the making of "Warriors' Gate", it has been reported that John Nathan-Turner was delighted with the finished story.
Background photographs utilised in many sequences were taken at Powis Castle, Welshpool.
During the summer of 1980 word that both Romana and K9 would be leaving Doctor Who had been leaked to the press. The robot dog’s departure, in particular, incited an outcry from fans, with The Sun newspaper even embarking upon a ‘Save K9’ letter-writing campaign. Despite this K9 would still be written out of the show at the conclusion of this story. K9 therefore only appeared in twenty of this season’s twenty-eight episodes as was originally planned.
This story was actually promoted in Radio Times as the first in a new season of Doctor Who. This was due to the fact that, unusually, Season Eighteen had broken for two Saturdays over the Christmas holiday period.
Kenneth Cope, who plays Rorvik’s second in command Packard, had previously played the ghostly detective Marty Hopkirk in the sixties series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), amongst many other notable roles.
Lazlo, the Tharil prisoner revived towards the end of the second episode, is never referred to by name in the story’s dialogue; his name is given only in the closing credits.
This story is set at Zero coordinates - a plain surface micro-universe at the boundary of E-Space and N-Space that had been created to serve as a defensive perimeter for the Tharil Empire.
Tharils are not affected by the Time winds and can walk the timelines. It is also revealed that Humans use enslaved Tharils to navigate hyperspace, effectively travelling in time. A Tharil can walk the wind unharmed. The Tharil Empire used to exist in E-Space, raiding N-Space for human slaves, but the humans created the Gundans, who breached the Gate and then destroyed their Empire.
Rorvik’s spaceship is made of Dwarf star alloy, the only material that can hold time sensitives such as the Tharils.
Look out for the scene in the TARDIS as The Doctor’s multi-coloured scarf can be seen on the hatstand.
This story contains a number of errors: In episode two, a Gundan’s axe falls onto The Doctor’s back, apparently without harming him; Adric is seen taking one of K9’s ears, but when the dog arrives at The Doctor, he’s got both; When Packard swings K9 overhead, its hollow interior is visible, it is also visible momentarily before the time winds damage him.
A novelisation of this story was written by Stephen Gallagher under the pseudonym "John Lydecker". It was published by Target Books in April 1982. The novelisation contains many elements abandoned during the stories production, including the slaver’s opening pursuit and damage at the paws of an Antonine Killer craft. This release, along with novelisation of the 1983 Fifth Doctor story "Terminus" (also written under the pseudonym "John Lydecker") are the only novelisations without chapters.
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The Firsts:
The first Doctor Who story to be written by Steve Gallagher.
The first Doctor Who story to be directed by Paul Joyce.
The first use of feline aliens.
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(Position = 42 out of 159)
(Position = 81 out of 200)
