 This is the first of six linked stories that comprise the whole of Season Sixteen, known collectively as The Key to Time. This was the first time a story arc encompassed an entire season.
The entire season entailed one long quest for The Key to Time. The quest for The Key to Time was originally an aborted plot concept for Season Fifteen. After finishing his first year as producer of Doctor Who, Producer Graham Williams was determined to try something different.
The Key to Time prop was created by Visual Effects Designer Dave Havard, comprising of six clear resin segments which fitted together to form a cube. The prop was based on a puzzle given to Dave Havard by Producer Graham Williams. To ensure that the segments were not confused with one another, Graham Williams kept the different parts of the prop locked in his office, divulging only the appropriate segment on recording days.
Although this is the first time that Doctor Who attempted a season-long theme as such, Season Twelve (the Fourth Doctor’s first season) is in a sense all linked together - as are much of the first six seasons of the show. The next time the show would have a whole season where all the stories are interlinked is Season Twenty Three, also known as The Trial of a Time Lord season. Loose season-long story arcs have also been used when the show was revived in 2005.
This story sees the debut of the Mark II version of K9 and new assistant Romanadvoratrelundar, shortened to Romana (or, as she preferred, ‘Fred’), played by Mary Tamm. Romana was a Gallifreyan student ostensibly assigned by the High Council (something she’d discover later to be a ruse). Originally, the shortened form of Romanadvoratrelundar's name was to be "Romy".
The previous story, "The Invasion of Time", introduced a female Time Lord named Rodan, played by Hilary Ryan. A rumour/myth related to this story is that Romana was originally to have been Rodan, but Hilary Ryan was unavailable so a new character was created instead.
Conversely, there is a related misconception that this story marks the first appearance of a named female Time Lord (Susan notwithstanding), and that female Time Lords have long, complex names. The appearance of Rodan in the previous story contradicts both myths (although it is possible Rodan is a shortened form of that name, just like Romana).
Elisabeth Sladen, who as Sarah Jane Smith was last seen in "The Hand of Fear", was approached to return to the show as a replacement for Leela (who had left in "The Invasion of Time"). When Elisabeth Sladen declined the offer, the character of Romana was created instead.
This story marks the first appearance of The White Guardian, played by Cyril Luckham. His counterpart, The Black Guardian who it is revealed is also seeking The Key to Time, would not appear until "The Armageddon Factor", the last story of this season. Both Guardians would return to the show in Season Twenty, with The Black Guardian reappearing in "Mawdryn Undead" and "Terminus", and both appearing in "Enlightenment".
Prentis Hancock, who played the part of the Captain, had previously appeared in the Third Doctor stories "Spearhead From Space", in 1970, and "Planet of the Daleks", in 1973, as well as the 1975 Fourth Doctor story "Planet of Evil".
Iain Cuthbertson, who played as Garron, is particularly well known for his role as Charlie Endell in LWT's Budgie and its follow up series Charles Endell Esquire.
Nigel Plaskitt, who played Unstoffe, was better known for playing a young man named Malcolm in a series of television commercials for Vic’s Sinex nasal spray.
The opening scene, with The White Guardian persuading The Doctor to take on the quest to reassemble The Key to Time, was actually written by Anthony Read and Graham Williams, and not Robert Holmes.
The White Guardian says he has chosen The Doctor to reassemble The Key to Time, a perfect cube which maintains the equilibrium of time itself, from the six segments which have been scattered and hidden. When assembled they will create a power ‘which is too dangerous for any one being to possess’. The White Guardian also warns The Doctor about The Black Guardian.
The original credits list The White Guardian as simply ‘The Guardian’. This may be a hint at a suspicion The Doctor voices to Romana at the climax of "The Armageddon Factor", that they have been working for The Black Guardian, disguised as his more benevolent counterpart, all along.
The Doctor and Romana both reference events of the previous story "The Invasion of Time" namely Lord President Borusa and the invasion of Gallifrey by the Sontarans. The Doctor is heard to say of Chancellor Borusa who has been promoted to Lord President, ‘I should have thrown him to the Sontarans when I had the chance’. However, at the conclusion of "The Invasion of Time", when The Doctor uses the D-Mat gun, his memories of recent events were wiped, but this story and others latter suggest that his memories returned at some point.
It is revealed that Romana had recently graduated from the Academy with a ‘Triple First’. Romana also states that The Doctor only scraped through with 51 per cent at the second attempt. It is implied she has not finished her education, threatening to use The Doctor as a case study in her thesis.
Romana is heard stating her age as 140 and catches The Doctor lying about his own age when she states The Doctor’s age is 759 and he replies stating he is only 756 prompting Romana to claim he has lost count. Ironically, she would later lie about her age in the 1979 story "City of Death", giving it as only 125.
The Doctor is heard claiming to have been trained in sleight of hand by John Nevil Maskelyne, a well-known stage magician from the late 19th century.
From this story until "The Horns of Nimon" The Doctor is seen wearing an extra long scarf, which is his original scarf and a stunt scarf sewn together.
At one point The Doctor is seen using a dog whistle to summon K9.
This story includes a rare instance of The Doctor acting directly to kill a human(oid) enemy, when The Doctor does a switch and leaves the murderous Graff holding his own explosive. See also the 1976 story "The Brain of Morbius" and the 1985 Sixth Doctor story "The Two Doctors".
On the night before the last day of recording, Tom Baker was bitten on the left side of his upper lip by a dog belonging to Paul Seed (who played the Graff Vynda-K). As a result of this accident the wound had to be concealed with makeup, much to the Tom Baker’s discomfort. The scar was quite noticeable on screen prompting several of his scenes to be filmed from his right profile or with his face partly hidden so as to disguise the injury. This continued throughout most of this season and the next. It was partially explained on screen by having The Doctor bump his mouth directly onto the TARDIS console at the beginning of the next story.
It is revealed that Jethryk is a valuable rare element without which space warp ‘would be impossible’.
In retrospect, the frequent references to characters claiming to be from ‘the north’ - particularly the heavily-accented Garron - echoes the discussion over the Ninth Doctor’s accent in the 2005 story "Rose" to which he replied to Rose Tyler 'lots of planets have a north!’.
The Fifth Doctor is also sent to search for The Key to Time in the 2009 Big Finish Productions trilogy of audio dramas "The Judgement of Isskar", "The Destroyer of Delights" and "The Chaos Pool" starring Peter Davison.
| |
|
The Firsts:
The first story of Season Sixteen.
The first of six linked stories covering the quest of The Key to Time.
The introduction of new companion Romana played by Mary Tamm.
The first story for K9 Mark II.
The first appearance of the White Guardian.
June Hudson's first involvement in the show as Costume Designer.
|
|
(Position = 90 out of 159)
(Position = 105 out of 200)
