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{{Infobox TV|
{{title dab away}}
story name= The Time Monster|
{{real world}}
image= [[Image:Timemonster_title.jpg|250px]]|
{{ImageLinkTV}}
series=[[Doctor Who]] -<br/>[[TV stories|TV Stories]], [[Season 9]] |
{{Infobox Story SMW
number= 64 |
|image                  = Time Monster.jpg
doctor=[[Third Doctor]] |
|series                 = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
companions= [[Jo Grant]] <br/>[[Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]]<br/>[[Mike Yates|Captain Mike Yates]] <br/>[[Sergeant Benton]]||
|season number          = Season 9 (Doctor Who 1963)|
enemy= [[Master|The Master]]|
|season serial number  = 5
year= <ul><li>[[Earth]]; circa [[1970s]]</li><li>[[Atlantis]]</li></ul> |
|story number           = 64
writer= [[Robert Sloman]]|
|doctor                 = Third Doctor
director= [[Paul Bernard]]|
|companions             = [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|The Brigadier]], [[John Benton|Benton]], [[Jo Grant|Jo]]
producer= [[Barry Letts]]|
|featuring              = Mike Yates
broadcast date= [[20th May]] - [[24th June]] [[1972]]|
|featuring2            = Kronos
format= 6 25-minute episodes|
|featuring3            = Minotaur{{!}}the Minotaur
production code= [[List of production codes|OOO]] |
|enemy                 = {{Delgado|c}}
previous story= [[The Mutants]]|
|setting                = [[Wootton]], circa [[1970s]]; [[Atlantis]], circa 1500 [[BC]]
next story= [[The Three Doctors]] }}
|writer                 = Robert Sloman
|director               = [[Paul Bernard]]
|producer               = [[Barry Letts]]
|music                  = [[Dudley Simpson]]
|novelisation          = The Time Monster (novelisation)
|epcount                = 6
|broadcast date         = 20 May - 24 June 1972
|network                = BBC1
|format                 = 6x25-minute episodes
|serial production code = [[List of production codes|OOO]]
|prev                  = The Mutants (TV story)
|next                  = The Three Doctors (TV story)
|made prev              = The Mutants (TV story)
|made next             = Carnival of Monsters (TV story)
|clip                  = Memories of Gallifrey - The Time Monster - Doctor Who - BBC
}}
'''''The Time Monster''''' was the fifth and final serial of [[Season 9 (Doctor Who 1963)|season 9]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''. It featured another explanation of the destruction of [[Atlantis]] (1967's ''[[The Underwater Menace (TV story)|The Underwater Menace]]'' and 1971's ''[[The Dæmons (TV story)|The Dæmons]]'' also offered explanations). This was also the penultimate serial to feature [[Roger Delgado]] as {{Delgado}} and was the last story to feature the Master on "present day" Earth against the Doctor and [[UNIT]]. In addition to his use of [[hypnosis]], the Master also demonstrated a newly seen ability to perfectly imitate another person's voice.


This story marked the debut of the first redesign for the [[TARDIS console room]], which was shared for both the [[Third Doctor]]'s and the Master's respective TARDIS interiors. It featured heavy alterations to the original [[roundel]] design of the TARDIS interior set that had remained in use since 1963, and a new [[time rotor]] prop. However, the exaggerated roundel design was subjected to criticism and suffered heavy damage during the filming break between season 9 and [[season 10 (Doctor Who 1963)|season 10]], necessitating the disposal of the new set and the construction of a second redesign that would appear in the upcoming season.


==Synopsis==
== Synopsis ==
The Master, in the guise of Professor Thascales, has constructed at the Newton Institute in Wootton a device known as TOMTIT - Transmission Of Matter Through Interstitial Time - with which to gain control over Kronos, a creature from outside time. The creature is summoned but the effect proves uncontrollable, so the Master flees.
{{Delgado|c}}, in the guise of Professor Thascalos, has constructed at the [[Newton Institute]] in [[Wootton]] a device known as [[TOMTIT]] — Transmission Of Matter Through [[Interstitial time|Interstitial Time]] — to gain control over [[Kronos]], a [[Transcendental being|creature from outside time]]. The creature is summoned but proves to be uncontrollable.


The Doctor shuts TOMTIT down but the Master later reactivates it, using it first to ensnare Krasis, High Priest of the lost city of Atlantis, and then to attack UNIT forces by way of a series of timeslips. The Master takes Krasis back to Atlantis in his TARDIS in the hope of stealing the sacred Crystal of Kronos, with which he aims finally to dominate the creature. The Doctor follows with Jo but is unable to prevent his enemy from seducing Queen Galleia and staging a coup. Galleia turns against the Master when she learns that he has caused the death of her husband, King Dalios.
== Plot ==
=== Episode 1 ===
The Doctor sits before the Master, who stands next to a [[crystal]], laughing. Explosions resound.


The Master then unleashes Kronos, destroying Atlantis. The two Time Lords escape in their respective TARDISes and confront each other in the time vortex. The Doctor threatens to trigger a 'time ram' - a devastating collision - but cannot bring himself to do it.
In [[UNIT HQ]], Jo wakes the Doctor. He enquires if there have been any reports of [[Volcano|volcanic]] eruptions or [[earthquake]]s lately.


Jo, held hostage by the Master, has no such qualms, and operates the controls herself. The two TARDISes reappear in a strange void presided over by Kronos - who now appears as a beautiful female face.
Elsewhere, the Master — or [[The Master's aliases|Professor Thascalos]], as he calls himself — holds the crystal the Doctor saw in his dream. He's in a laboratory at the [[Newton Institute]], working with Dr [[Ruth Ingram]]. The crystal, the Master claims, is no different than any other piece of [[quartz]], yet it is. [[Stuart Hyde]], a co-worker, enters. The Master leaves them to conduct further experiments. After he has left, Ruth says she doesn't know which is more annoying, "his dictatorial manner or that infernal courtesy of his."


The time ram has released Kronos, who agrees to return the Doctor and Jo to Earth. The creature plans to subject the Master to eternal torment, but the Doctor pleads on his behalf and he too goes free.
At UNIT HQ, Mike Yates points out the [[Thera]] islands, where the quakes have struck. Jo mentions [[Atlantis]], telling the Doctor that Thera is reputedly its location. The Doctor talks to [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|the Brigadier]] on the phone and tells him to put out a warning to every [[UNIT]] section and HQ, because of a dream he had about a half hour ago. He says he is too busy to see the [[TOMTIT]] demonstration at the Newton Institute, so [[John Benton|Benton]], who was meant to be going off duty is asked to go instead.


==Plot==
At the institute, the Master [[Hypnosis|hypnotises]] the Director, Dr [[Charles Percival]], into believing him about his TOMTIT experiments and his credentials. In the lab, Ruth and Stu decided to run the test without "the Professor". Outside, [[Window cleaner (The Time Monster)|a window cleaner]] observes their efforts, having been distracted from his work.
''to be added''


==Cast==
[[File:Scientists.jpg|left|thumb|{{Delgado|c}} apologises to [[Ruth Ingram]] and [[Stuart Hyde]] for his outburst.]]
*[[Third Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Jon Pertwee]]
At UNIT HQ, the Doctor uses a [[time sensor]] to detect the Master. It shows a TARDIS in use. The experiment at the institute shows the jar at one end disappearing and reappearing at the other. Looking at the clock outside his window, the Master notices it has slowed down. The experiment is causing an overload, but Ruth and Stu contain it. Outside, the window cleaner falls from his ladder.
*[[Jo Grant]] - [[Katy Manning]]
*[[Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]] - [[Nicholas Courtney]]
*[[Sergeant Benton]] - [[John Levene]]
*Captain [[Mike Yates]] - [[Richard Franklin]]
*[[The Master]] - [[Roger Delgado]]
*[[Galleia]] - [[Ingrid Pitt]]
*Dr. [[Ruth Ingram]] - [[Wanda Moore]]
*[[Stuart Hyde]] - [[Ian Collier]]
*Dr. [[Percival]] - [[John Wyse]]
*[[Cook (The Time Monster)|Dr. Cook]] - [[Neville Barber]]
*[[Minotaur]] - [[Dave Prowse]]
*Proctor - [[Barry Ashton]]
*[[Krasis]] - [[Donald Eccles]]
*[[Hippias]] - [[Aidan Murphy]]
*Neophite - [[Keith Dalton]]
*Unit Sergeant - [[Simon Legree]]
*[[Kronos]] - [[Marc Boyle]]
*[[Dalios]] - [[George Cormack]]
*Knight - [[Greg Powell]]
*Roundhead Officer - [[Dave Carter]]
*Farmworker - [[George Lee]]
*[[Crito]] - [[Derek Murcott]]
*[[Lakis]] - [[Susan Penhaligon]]
*[[Miseus]] - [[Michael Walker]]
*Guard - [[Melville Jones]]
*Window Cleaner - [[Terry Walsh]]
*Face of [[Kronos]] - [[Ingrid Bower]]


==Crew==
The Doctor and Jo decide to follow the signal. They set off in [[Bessie]]. Back at the institute, the Master confronts Ruth and Stu, berating them for their foolishness. They tell him about the overload, and he tells them they were drawing power from outside time itself. Stu looks out the window; a convoy is approaching with a UNIT [[Jeep]] in it. The Master tells Ruth and Stu to leave him to his work.
*[[Assistant Floor Manager]] - [[Rosemary Hester]]
*[[Costumes]] - [[Barbara Lane]]
*[[Designer]] - [[Tim Gleeson]]
*[[Film Cameraman]] - [[Peter Hamilton]]
*[[Film Editor]] - [[Martyn Day]]
*[[Incidental Music]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[Make-Up]] - [[Joan Barrett]]
*[[Producer]] - [[Barry Letts]]
*[[Production Assistant]] - [[Marion McDougall]]
*[[Script Editor]] - [[Terrance Dicks]]
*[[Special Sounds]] - [[Dick Mills]]
*[[Studio Lighting]] - [[Derek Hobday]]
*[[Studio Sound]] - [[Tony Millier]]
*[[Theme Arrangement]] - [[Delia Derbyshire]]
*[[Title Music]] - [[Ron Grainer]]
*[[Visual Effects]] - [[Michealjohn Harris]], [[Peter Pegrum]]


==References==
The Doctor and Jo realise that the signal must be coming from [[Wootton]], where the institute is. Using Bessie's [[super drive]] function, they speed along. UNIT arrive at the institute and find the window cleaner, alive but injured.
*The [[TOMTIT]] machine works with assistance from the Master.
*The Doctor has built a [[time sensor]] which detects disturbances in the [[time field]].  
* The Master uses his [[The Master's TARDIS | TARDIS]] to [[Time Ram]] the Doctor's.
* A [[Chronovore]] spares the Master.
* The Doctor gets ejected into the [[time vortex]] and speaks to Jo through the [[the Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] [[telepathic circuits]].
* This is show (another) exploration of the destruction of [[Atlantis]].
*The [[Seventh Enabling Act]] allows the Brigadier to take over from government forces.
*The Doctor makes a [[Time flow analogue]] from a [[Alcohol|Moroccan burgundy bottle]], spoons, forks, corks, keyrings, [[Tea|tea leaves]] and a mug.


==Story Notes==
The Brigadier, Benton, Dr Cook, his aide Proctor and Percival enter the control room with Ruth at the research station. Cook complains about his [[pheasant]] lunch and expenditures. The Master enters in a [[radiation suit]], his features hidden.
* This is the only appearance of the "washing up bowl" interior for the TARDIS (designed by [[Tim Gleeson]]).


===Ratings===
The test begins, and Ruth warns the Master that the power is overloading. Stu is in the crystal room. He gets too much power and can't control it. He calls to them to switch off. Ruth shouts the warning at the Master. The Master only yells out, "Come, Kronos, come!"
*Episode 1 - 7.6 million viewers
*Episode 2 - 7.4 million viewers
*Episode 3 - 8.1 million viewers
*Episode 4 - 7.6 million viewers
*Episode 5 - 6.0 million viewers
*Episode 6 - 7.6 million viewers


===Myths===
=== Episode 2 ===
''to be added''
[[File:Stu_aged.jpg|thumb|Stu aged into an old man.]]
The Doctor and Jo arrive in Bessie. Jo seems to freeze. The Doctor runs to the laboratory, where he orders Ruth to reverse the polarity and cut the power. They go to help Stu, only to find he has been aged to an eighty year old man.


===Location Filming===
Different theories are suggested — radiation and a change in metabolism, both of which the Doctor denies. The Brigadier points out that the only thing that makes people age naturally is the passing of time; the Doctor realises this is the explanation — Stu's personal time has been vastly accelerated. They learn that Professor Thascalos is the Master — Thascalos is [[Greek language|Greek]] for Master.
''to be added''


===Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors===
Stu wakes up and starts rambling. The Doctor demands he tell what he saw. With difficulty, Stu replies "Kronos!" The Doctor and Ruth go back to the [[laboratory]] whilst the Brigadier summons troops from UNIT, as well as the Doctor's TARDIS. He tells Percival to order an evacuation of the building of all but essential personnel by three o'clock.
''to be added''


==Continuity==
Meanwhile, Ruth shows the Doctor the crystal. He explains that outside space-time live creatures called [[Chronovore]]s, time eaters. [[Kronos]] is the most fearsome of the lot. The crystal is the original from [[Atlantis]], which summoned Kronos. Long ago, in Ancient Atlantis, Kronos begins to stir.
*''[[PDA]]:'' [[The Quantum Archangel]] is a sequel to this story.
* Another Chronovore appears in ''[[NA]]:'' [[No Future]].
*This features (another) explanation of how Atlantis was destroyed; [[The Underwater Menace]] and [[The Dæmons]] also featured explanations of this.
*The Doctor goes for another 'dip' in the time vortex in [[Shada]] and ''[[BFA]]:'' [[Seasons of Fear]].
*The Doctor builds a similar device to his time sensor in [[Blink]].


==DVD, Video and Other Releases==
Percival finds the Master in his study and panics. The Master [[hypnosis|hypnotises]] him into not worrying and continues with his sums. Both the Doctor and the Master are confused about the earlier power build up, which logically shouldn't have happened. The Doctor discovers that the crystal has been moved through interstitial time. This means it really is the original crystal used to summon Kronos in Atlantis.
''to be added''


==Target Novelisations==
The Master tricks Benton out of the laboratory by faking instructions from the Brigadier. Benton, however, climbs back in through the window, having seen through the Master's ruse. The Master knocks him out and summons an Atlantean priest called Krasis.
*Novelised as [[The Time Monster (novelisation)]] in [[1976]] by [[Terrance Dicks]].


==External Links==
=== Episode 3 ===
* [http://www.gallifreyone.com/episode.php?id=3o Outpost Gallifrey '''The Time Monster''' page]
Whilst the Master orders Krasis to give him the secret to controlling Kronos, Benton escapes and warns the Doctor. Kronos is summoned and devours Percival. The Brigadier, Benton and Ruth run towards the lab and begin to run in slow motion. The Doctor notices what is happening and pulls them out of the time field. Stu's ageing is suddenly reversed, returning his age to twenty-five. The Doctor orders them all back inside.
* [http://www.drwhoguide.com/who_3o.htm The Doctor Who Reference Guide detailed synopsis of '''The Time Monster''']
[[File:Time_flow_analog.jpg|thumb|left|The Doctor constructs a device out of assorted items.]]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/timemonster/ BBC '''The Time Monster''' page]
* [http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/ooo.html A Brief History of Time (Travel) Guide to '''The Time Monster''']


{{TV stub}}
The Master returns Kronos to the crystal, which Krasis claims is but a portion of the original. In Atlantis, [[Hippias]] asks Lord [[Dalios]] if the time has come for Kronos to return at last. Dalios is old enough to remember the time of Kronos and fears his return. He shows Hippias the true crystal, which is guarded by a "horrible" creature.


[[Category:Third Doctor episodes|Time Monster, The]]
The Doctor cobbles together a [[time flow analog]], which works like jamming a radio signal. It works until the Master uses the TOMTIT device to overload it. He sets about delaying the convoy from UNIT, using a medieval knight, a troop of [[Roundhead]]s, and finally, a [[Germany|German]] V1 "[[doodlebug]]" [[bomb]]. The Brigadier, Jo and the Doctor watch as the bomb explodes where the convoy is.
[[Category:UNIT episodes|Time Monster, The]]
 
[[Category:Third Doctor episodes|Time Monster, The]]
=== Episode 4 ===
[[Category:Exiled to Earth Arc|Time Monster, The]]
The Doctor, Jo and the Brigadier go to meet the convoy. Fortunately they are unharmed. Ruth, Stu and Benton go to the laboratory to stop the Master. The Doctor and Jo follow in the Doctor's TARDIS, using the time sensor as a homing device and placing the Doctor's TARDIS inside the Master's.
[[Category:The Master episodes|Time Monster, The]]
 
[[Category:1972 television stories|Time Monster, The]]
The Doctor explains that if the frequency of the two TARDISes is too high, even by a fraction, a [[time ram]] will occur, resulting in utter annihilation. This does not dissuade Jo, so they take off, in pursuit of the Master.
[[Category:Stories set in England|Time Monster, The]]
[[File:Doctors_tardis_in_Master's_tardis.jpg|thumb|right|The Doctor's TARDIS inside the Master's TARDIS.]]
They end up stuck in a [[space loop]] with the Master's TARDIS — if they enter one, they come out into the other. The UNIT convoy arrives at the institute, but the Master freezes them in space-time. Krasis and he escape into the TARDIS, leaving Benton, Ruth and Stu trapped inside the building. As this is going on, the Master taunts the Doctor, pointing out that he could easily throw his enemy into the Time Vortex and refusing to listen to the Doctor. When the Doctor forces the sound of his voice through to the Master's TARDIS, the Master feeds the words back to him and makes them come out as garbled nonsense.
 
In the lab, Ruth and Stu try to turn off the machine. It has no effect on the Brigadier and his men, who are still frozen, and Benton is regressed in age to a baby.
 
[[File:Baby Benton.jpg|thumb|left|Benton, after being regressed to a baby.]]
With no other options, the Doctor orders Jo to close the door behind him when he steps into the Master's TARDIS. Yet again the Master refuses to listen to reason and summons Kronos, who devours the Doctor. The Master sends Kronos back into the crystal and breaks the lock on the Doctor's TARDIS, sending it and Jo tumbling through the Vortex.
 
=== Episode 5 ===
Jo hears the Doctor calling to her, along with many other whispering voices. He explains they are his subconscious thoughts and tells her not to listen too closely. The TARDIS is relaying his thoughts to Jo; she follows his instructions and pulls a red handle on the third control panel, allowing the TARDIS to pull the Doctor out of the Vortex.
 
In Atlantis, [[Dalios]] holds court. [[Hippias]] speaks to the king, saying the people wish for the blessings their ancestors enjoyed under Kronos. Dalios tries to convince his people that Kronos was a curse. The Master arrives in his TARDIS, bringing Krasis with him. Krasis says he has seen Kronos. Dalios takes the Master and Krasis with him to discuss the matter.
[[File:Doctor Gloating.jpg|thumb|right|"Good afternoon. Now where have I seen that face before?"]]
 
Later in the courtyard, the TARDIS materialises. The Doctor and Jo are confronted by Hippias and Krasis, who calls the guards. The Doctor and Jo are taken to the king.
 
The Master tries to hypnotise Dalios but fails. He is sent away, and to his surprise sees the Doctor and Jo being brought to the king. The Doctor and Jo meet the king, and Jo is brought to [[Galleia]]. The king asks for the Doctor's help to save Atlantis. Galleia and the Master meet to discuss the crystal, with Jo eavesdropping on their conversation. The crystal is in a [[maze]] guarded by the [[Minotaur]]. Galleia sends Hippias to retrieve the crystal. Jo follows them while [[Lakis]] goes to tell the king and the Doctor. Krasis catches Jo and puts her in the maze. She hears a loud roaring...
 
=== Episode 6 ===
Hippias saves Jo from the Minotaur but is killed in the process. The Doctor arrives and bull fights the Minotaur. It falls in a pit, breaking open a wall to a hidden chamber.
 
[[File:Doctor Jo Crystal of Kronos.jpg|thumb|left|The Doctor and Jo discover the Crystal of Kronos.]]
The Doctor and Jo find the Crystal of Kronos waiting inside the secret room but are caught by Krasis, who takes the crystal. The Doctor demands to be taken to the king but is taken to the Master, who has taken over with Galleia's help. The Doctor and Jo are imprisoned. The Doctor tells Jo about [[the Hermit|his hermit friend]]. Dalios is put in the cell with them and dies there.
 
Galleia presents the Master to the council. The Doctor and Jo are in attendance. The Master announces he will bring Kronos. Jo tells Galleia that the king is dead. Galleia orders the Master seized, but Krasis summons Kronos, whom the Master orders to destroy Atlantis. Jo tries to stop the Master but is taken to his TARDIS, which dematerialises. The Doctor escapes into his TARDIS. The Doctor contacts the Master and threatens him with a time ram. The Master calls his bluff, but the Doctor gives him one last chance. Jo pleads with the Doctor to do it, but when he says there's another way, Jo pushes the button, causing the time ram.
 
Both TARDISes are in a featureless place. Jo thinks they're dead, but the Doctor isn't sure. Suddenly a large female face appears. She is Kronos, and she was freed when the two TARDISes collided. She is grateful for the Doctor's help and plans to keep the Master to torment him. The Doctor asks to take the Master with them, and Kronos agrees. However, the Master makes a run for his TARDIS and escapes.
 
[[File:This is the only cliffhanger in the whole of The Time Monster that is any good.jpg|thumb|right|Benton is restored to his correct age.]]
Back in the lab, Stu takes care of baby Benton while Ruth works on the machine. The TARDIS lands back in Cambridge. The machine finally releases the Brigadier and his men, then it overloads. The soldiers enter the room, believing the Master is still there, only to find him long gone. The Brigadier questions Jo's strange Atlantean getup, a spontaneous change from his point of view. However, Stu goes to check on the baby Benton, finding nothing but the clothes he shrank out of. Then, a familiar figure rises up from the floor. To everyone's surprise, Benton has returned to his original age... only he's no longer sporting his uniform, but his [[Naked|birthday suit]]!
 
== Cast ==
* [[Third Doctor|Dr. Who]] - [[Jon Pertwee]]
* [[Jo Grant]] - [[Katy Manning]]
* [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]] - [[Nicholas Courtney]]
* [[John Benton|Sergeant Benton]] - [[John Levene]]
* [[Mike Yates|Captain Mike Yates]] - [[Richard Franklin]]
* {{Delgado|c}} - [[Roger Delgado]]
* [[Ruth Ingram|Dr. Ruth Ingram]] - [[Wanda Moore]]
* [[Stuart Hyde]] - [[Ian Collier]]
* [[Charles Percival|Dr. Percival]] - [[John Wyse]]
* [[Humphrey Cook|Dr. Cook]] - [[Neville Barber]]
* [[Proctor (The Time Monster)|Proctor]] - [[Barry Ashton]]
* [[Window cleaner (The Time Monster)|Window cleaner]] - [[Terry Walsh]]
* [[Krasis]] - [[Donald Eccles]]
* [[Hippias]] - [[Aidan Murphy]]
* [[Neophite]] - [[Keith Dalton]]
* [[UNIT sergeant (The Time Monster)|UNIT Sergeant]] - [[Simon Legree]]
* [[Kronos]] - [[Marc Boyle]]
* [[Dalios]] - [[George Cormack]]
* [[Knight (The Time Monster)|Knight]] - [[Greg Powell]]
* [[Roundhead officer (The Time Monster)|Roundhead officer]] - [[Dave Carter]]
* [[Farmworker (The Time Monster)|Farmworker]] - [[George Lee]]
* [[Galleia]] - [[Ingrid Pitt]]
* [[Crito]] - [[Derek Murcott]]
* [[Lakis]] - [[Susan Penhaligon]]
* [[Miseus]] - [[Michael Walker]]
* [[Guard (The Time Monster)|Guard]] - [[Melville Jones]]
* [[Minotaur]] - [[Dave Prowse]]
* Face of [[Kronos]] - [[Ingrid Bower]]
=== Uncredited cast ===
* Cook's Driver - Constance Williams ([[DWM 268]])
* [[UNIT]] Soldiers - [[Bernard Barnsley]], [[Stewart Barry|Stuart Barry]], [[Bob Blaine]], [[Les Conrad]], [[Jim Dowdall]], [[Ian Elliott]], [[Brian Gilmar]], [[Nick Hobbs]], [[Kevin Moran]], [[James Muir]], [[Mike Stevens]], [[Reg Turner]], Derek Allen, ([[DWM 268]])
* Roundheads - [[Richard Kirk]], [[Eric Kent]], Anthony Hennessey, [[Paul Barton]], [[Geoffrey Brighty]], [[Nigel Winder]] ([[DWM 268]])
* Infant Benton - [[Darren Plant]] ([[DWM 268]])
 
== Crew ==
* [[Costumes]] - [[Barbara Lane]]
* [[Designer (crew)|Designer]] - [[Tim Gleeson]]
* [[Film Cameraman]] - [[Peter Hamilton (cameraman)|Peter Hamilton]]
* [[Film Editor]] - [[Martyn Day]]
* [[Film sound|Film Sound]] - [[Derek Medus]]
* [[Incidental Music]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
* [[Make-Up]] - [[Joan Barrett]]
* [[Producer]] - [[Barry Letts]]
* [[Script Editor]] - [[Terrance Dicks]]
* [[Special Sounds]] - [[Dick Mills]]
* [[Studio Lighting]] - [[Derek Hobday]]
* [[Studio Sound]] - [[Tony Millier]]
* [[Theme Arrangement]] - [[Delia Derbyshire]]
* [[Doctor Who theme|Title Music]] - [[Ron Grainer]]
* [[Visual Effects Designer]] - [[Michealjohn Harris]]
 
=== Uncredited crew ===
* [[Costume assistant|Costume Assistants]] - [[Denis Adoo]], [[Jean Cook]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* [[Director's assistant|Director's Assistant]] - [[Sue Upton]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* [[Props Buyer]] - [[Betty Hodgson]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* [[Grip]]s - [[Bill Paget]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* [[Film operative|Film Operatives]] - [[Ray Davies]], [[John Phillips (film operative)|John Phillips]], [[John Rice]], [[Lee Turner]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* [[Film sound assistant|Film Sound Assistant]] - [[Alec Christison]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* [[Film camera assistant|Film Camera Assistant]] - [[Colin Munn]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* [[Visual effects assistant|Effects Assistant]] - [[Peter Pegrum]], [[Charlie Lumm]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* [[Technical manager|Technical Manager]] - [[Derek Hobday]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* [[Design assistant|Design Assistant]] - [[Ken Ledsham]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* [[Production assistant|Production Assistant]] - [[Marion McDougall]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* Music [[Sound supervisor|Sound Supervisors]] - [[Ray Angel]], [[Adrian Stocks]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* [[Make-up assistant|Make-Up Assistants]] - [[Jacki Block]], [[Jean Steward]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
* [[Assistant Floor Manager]] - [[Rosemary Hester]] ([[INFO]]: ''The Time Monster'')
 
== Worldbuilding ==
=== Governments ===
* The [[Enabling Act|Seventh Enabling Act]] allows the Brigadier to take over from government forces.
 
=== Temporal theory ===
* The Doctor makes a [[time flow analog]] from a [[wine|Moroccan burgundy bottle]], [[spoon]]s, [[fork]]s, [[cork]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[Tea|tea leaves]] and a [[mug]].
* The Doctor gets ejected into the [[time vortex]] and speaks to Jo through [[the Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] [[telepathic circuits]].
* The Doctor has built a [[time sensor]] which detects disturbances in the [[time field]].
 
=== Culture ===
* [[Stuart Hyde]] has a poster of [[Elton John]] in his room.
* Hyde compliments Dr. Ingram on her quick wits, commenting "Good thinking, [[Batman]]."
 
=== Earth history ===
* Stuart Hyde says that he has always fancied himself a [[Cavalier]].
 
== Story notes ==
* During the Doctor's vision, the volcano stock footage used in ''[[The Enemy of the World (TV story)|The Enemy of the World]]'' and the title sequence of the parallel Earth story ''[[Inferno (TV story)|Inferno]]'' is re-used.
* This is the only appearance of the "washing up bowl" interior for the TARDIS (designed by [[Tim Gleeson]]). It only appeared in this story because [[Barry Letts]] hated it.
* One of the voices representing the Doctor's subconscious thoughts is female. This is the first reference to the Doctor being able to change genders after regenerating.
* A notable scene dropped before the recording of Episode Five depicted the Doctor activating a device in the TARDIS which permitted Jo to speak the language of the ancient Atlanteans; the series had never before attempted to explain how the Doctor's companions could speak foreign and alien tongues.
* It was [[Paul Bernard]]'s idea to have Kronos' final form be that of a young woman.
* The historical setting was suggested by the Official ''Doctor Who'' Fan Club, an organisation which had recently been reinvigorated when it was put in the hands of a teenage fan named [[Keith Miller]].
* This was the first time the series had visited Earth's past since ''[[The Abominable Snowmen (TV story)|The Abominable Snowmen]]''.
* Inspiration came to [[Robert Sloman]] during a walk outdoors, when he heard an aeroplane flying overhead and was reminded of the sound of [[Germany|German]] bombers during the [[World War II|Second World War]]. From this experience came the idea of “time slippages”, and Sloman envisaged a fleet of [[World War I]] biplanes descending on a modern-day aircraft. As Sloman developed his narrative, it was realised that budgetary considerations would prevent the First World War element from featuring prominently. Instead, it was decided to emphasise the Atlantis strand of the plot.
* Influenced by [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] philosophies, [[Barry Letts]] wanted to portray the Doctor as being merely “semi-enlightened”: able to see the universe more clearly than most, but still possessing personal flaws. Letts' ideas were most prominently reflected in the Doctor's Episode Six tale about [[the Hermit]] on his home planet.
* At Stratfield Saye, stuntman [[Greg Powell]], playing the knight who attacked the convoy in Episode Three, was thrown from his horse when his mount did not follow the planned route and collided with one of the UNIT vehicles. Accounts vary as to the extent of the injuries to both Powell and the horse. [[Equity]], the actors' union, condemned the incident because budgetary limitations had prevented [[Paul Bernard]] from hiring more than a single stunt driver.
* While filming scenes in [[Bessie]] using a side-mounted camera, [[Jon Pertwee]] and [[Katy Manning]] realised that they had gotten lost. By the time the two actors were finally able to find their way back to [[Paul Bernard]], the director was already in the process of assembling search parties to track them down.
* According to [[John Levene]] on the [[DVD]] commentary, the baby who portrayed the infant Benton, Darren Plant, sadly didn't live to see his first birthday. This gives him the unfortunate distinction of being the shortest-lived individual ever to appear in ''Doctor Who''.
* The Doctor and Jo's "Permission to come on board?" scene as they set off for Atlantis in the TARDIS was not in the script. [[Dudley Simpson]] also added an unscripted small bit from "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sailor%27s_Hornpipe The Sailor's Hornpipe]" melody in order to complete it.
* [[Robert Sloman]] was unimpressed with the realisation of Kronos. He envisaged it as a shimmer and a vibration, but it was realised by an actor flapping away on pulleys.
* While filming the ending scene, [[John Levene]] was terrified that his nappy would fall off.
* This story has the dubious distinction of being ranked as ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' readers' least favourite [[Third Doctor]] story in all four of their major polls, in [[1998]], [[2009]], [[2014]], and [[2023]]. ([[DWM 590]])
* The name Kronos was a variant of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cronus Cronus], chief of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titans Titans] in [[Greek mythology|Greek Mythology]].
* This was the last time that [[Roger Delgado]] worked with the UNIT regulars before his tragic death a year later.
* Episode four was found to be underlength, while episode five was expected to be too long. As such, episode four was extended beyond the original cliffhanger of Kronos devouring the Doctor, to the Master jettisoning the Doctor's TARDIS in the time vortex.
* Originally, it was thought that the Kronos costume could be made from reflective white material which would flare against the camera by using peaking light levels. [[Barry Letts]] suggested using [[CSO]], with a flame forming the body.
* A test session was held before production where [[Ian Collier]] donned layers of make-up made out of latex for Stuart Hyde's aging scene. The results were unsatisfactory, as freelance make-up artist Alan Boyle was called in to devise an alternative. He did so by using tissue and honey.
* To create the effect of Kronos flapping its wings, the production team shot various close-ups of birds' wings which would be inserted as a [[CSO]] shot. The production team had access to a dove, a cockatoo, a [[chicken]] and an [[owl]], but only the shots of the dove's wings made the final edit.
* [[Dave Prowse]] was expected to perform all of the minotaur's scenes. Since he wasn't trained as a stuntman, he refused to complete certain scenes, so [[Terry Walsh]] doubled for him for the scene where the Minotaur crashes through a stone wall.
*
 
=== Ratings ===
* Episode one - 7.6 million viewers
* Episode two - 7.4 million viewers
* Episode three - 8.1 million viewers
* Episode four - 7.6 million viewers
* Episode five - 6.0 million viewers
* Episode six - 7.6 million viewers
 
=== Myths ===
* Well-known actress [[Susan Penhaligon]], making an early television appearance as Galleia's handmaiden Lakis, was originally to have been credited as Virginia Mull. ''(Virginia Mull was a different actress who had a small uncredited walk-on role as a serving girl in the Atlantis scenes of this story. Susan Penhaligon, who was a late replacement for actress Ann Michelle, was always to have been credited under her own name.)''
* The Master's alias is "Thascales". ''(The majority of printed and online episode guides say this. Unfortunately, (a) "Thascales" isn't the Greek for "Master", and (b) no-one in the story says "Thascales". They all say "Thascalos", which is the Greek for "Master". The error first appears in the ''[[Radio Times]] [[1973]] [[Doctor Who Special (1973)|Doctor Who Special]]'' and presumably has been taken from there by all subsequent episode guides without checking against the broadcast episodes. However, Terrance Dicks uses the correct spelling for the novelisation.)''
 
=== Filming locations ===
* Swallowfield Park, Swallowfield, Berkshire
* Stratfield Saye Park, Stratfield Saye, Hampshire
* Old Church Farm (road), Hartley Wintney, Hampshire
* Park Lane, Fair Cross, Berkshire
* School Lane, Heckfield Heath/Riseley, Hampshire
* [[Ealing Television Film Studios]], Ealing Green, Ealing
* [[BBC Television Centre]] (Studio 3 & 4), Shepherd's Bush, [[London]]
 
=== Production errors ===
{{discontinuity}}
* In episode one, the interior of the police box prop is visible.
* Jo is obviously operating a button with her index finger on the time sensor in episode one to make the prop spin as it "detects" the Doctor's TARDIS.
* At first, the Master speaks with an attempted Greek accent, which quickly disappears within the same scene.
* The crystal moves when Benton tries to lift it, even as he and the Doctor talk about it being impossible to move.
* The Doctor doesn't close the TARDIS door all the way before taking off with Jo, yet it is completely shut when they dematerialise.
* The V1 footage is black-and-white.
* The Doctor's supposedly backwards dialogue when played backwards is still gibberish.
* In episode three, the Doctor states that the Master is using the crystal to bring enemies "back in time". However, these characters are clearly from the past, and therefore were brought ''forward'' in time.
* When the UNIT team attempt to pull the TARDIS out of the crater the bomb has made, a castor wheel on the bottom of the prop can be seen.
* [[Dave Prowse]] (Minotaur) is credited for episode five, though he does not appear.
 
== Continuity ==
* [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Quantum Archangel (novel)|The Quantum Archangel]]'' is a sequel to this story.
* Another Chronovore appears in [[PROSE]]: ''[[No Future (novel)|No Future]]''.
* The destruction of Atlantis is further explained and shown. The [[Second Doctor]] had visited Atlantis in its future and was told an historical account of its destruction based on what those residents believed of their past. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Underwater Menace (TV story)|The Underwater Menace]]'') [[Azal]] had indicated that a failed experiment of the [[Dæmon]]s was at least in part responsible for its destruction. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Dæmons (TV story)|The Dæmons]]'')
* The Doctor goes for another "dip" in the time vortex in [[TV]]: ''[[Shada (TV story)|Shada]]'', [[WC]]: ''[[Shada (webcast)|Shada]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Shada (audio story)|Shada]]'' and [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Seasons of Fear (audio story)|Seasons of Fear]]''.
* The Doctor builds a device similar to his time sensor in [[TV]]: ''[[Blink (TV story)|Blink]]''.
* The time flow analog here is similar to the "non-technological" technology of the [[Lammasteen]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Amy's Choice (TV story)|Amy's Choice]]'', ''[[The Lodger (TV story)|The Lodger]]'')
* The Doctor mentions a [[Time Field|"crack in time"]], which appears again in [[TV]]: ''[[The Eleventh Hour (TV story)|The Eleventh Hour]]''.
* The Doctor mentions [[the Hermit]] with whom he used to talk on [[Gallifrey]]. This hermit later appeared in [[TV]]: ''[[Planet of the Spiders (TV story)|Planet of the Spiders]]'' as [[K'anpo Rimpoche]] and in [[TV]]: ''[[The Twin Dilemma (TV story)|The Twin Dilemma]]'' as [[Azmael]]. He later referenced his childhood hermit friend to Romana (also in the form of a fond musing while locked up in a dungeon). ([[TV]]: ''[[State of Decay (TV story)|State of Decay]]'')
* The Doctor's TARDIS and the Master's TARDIS again materialise inside one another in [[TV]]: ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]''.
* The Doctor's TARDIS will again be caught in a space loop in [[TV]]: ''[[Space (TV story)|Space]]'' / ''[[Time (TV story)|Time]]''.
* Ruth Ingram was a protégé of Professor [[Rachel Jensen]] at the [[University of Cambridge]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Scales of Injustice (novel)|The Scales of Injustice]]'')
* The Doctor will once again lure a Minotaur-like being towards him with a red cloth in [[TV]]: ''[[The Horns of Nimon (TV story)|The Horns of Nimon]]''.
 
== Home video and audio releases ==
=== DVD releases ===
This story was first released on DVD in the [[UK]] on [[29 March (releases)|29 March]] [[2010 (releases)|2010]] as part of the ''Myths and Legends'' Boxset. The one disc set includes a [http://www.purpleville.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/rtwebsite.htm restored version] of the story, as well as the following special features:
* Commentary by [[John Levene]] ([[John Benton|Benton]]), [[Susan Penhaligon]] ([[Lakis]]), [[Barry Letts]] (Producer), [[Marion McDougall]] (Production Assistant), and writers [[Graham Duff]], [[Phil Ford]], [[Joe Lidster]] and [[James Moran]], moderated by [[Toby Hadoke]]
* ''[[Between Now... and Now!: Science and "The Time Monster" (documentary)|Between Now... And Now!]]'' - Professor [[Jim Al Khalili]] looks at the science behind ''The Time Monster''. Featuring [[Katy Manning]] ([[Jo Grant]]) and [[Richard Franklin]] ([[Mike Yates]])
* ''[[The Time Monster: Restoration Comparison|Restoration Comparison]]'' - A brief 'before and after' comparison of the picture restoration process used for this DVD
* ''[[Radio Times]]'' Billings (DVD-ROM - PC/Mac)
* Production Information Subtitles
* Photo Gallery
* Coming Soon Trailer - ''[[The Creature from the Pit (TV story)|The Creature from the Pit]]''
 
Editing for DVD release was completed by the [[Doctor Who Restoration Team]].
 
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
The Time Monster.png|Region 4 Australian cover
R1 time monster.jpg|Region 1 US cover
Bbcdvd-thetimemonster.jpg|Region 2 UK cover
</gallery>
 
==== Box sets ====
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
Myths and Legends.png|Region 4 Australian box set cover
Bbcdvd-mythsandlegends.jpg|Region 2 UK box set cover
</gallery>
 
It was released as [[DWDVDF 137|issue 137]] of ''[[Doctor Who DVD Files]]''.
 
=== Digital releases ===
This story is available:
* in non-continental [[iTunes]] stores ([[Australia]], [[Canada]], [[UK]] and [[US]]) as a stand-alone season of ''Doctor Who: The Classic Series'';
* on [[Amazon (service)|Amazon Video]] (UK) as Season 64 of ''Doctor Who (Classic)'' series;
* for streaming through [[BritBox]] (Canada and US) as part of Season 9 of ''Classic Doctor Who''.
 
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
File:iTunes_The_Time_Monster_cover.jpg|iTunes cover
</gallery>
 
=== VHS releases ===
This story was released in the [[UK]] as ''Doctor Who: The Time Monster ''in [[November (releases)|November]] [[2001 (releases)|2001]] (as part of the Master box set which also contains ''[[Colony in Space (TV story)|Colony in Space]]'').
 
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
Colony in Space & The Time Monster 2001 VHS UK.jpg|UK & AUS Box Set
Bbcvideo timemonster.jpg|UK VHS cover
Bbcvideo-895-us.jpg|US VHS cover
The Time Monster.jpg|AUS VHS cover
</gallery>
 
== External links ==
* {{bbcepguideclassic|timemonster/|The Time Monster}}
* {{radiotimes|2010-01-06/the-time-monster|The Time Monster}}
{{dwcast}}
{{dwrefguide|who_3o.htm|The Time Monster}}
* {{briefhistory|serials/ooo.html|The Time Monster}}
* {{locguide|timemonster|The Time Monster}}
{{DWTV}}
{{The Master (TotA) stories}}
{{UNIT stories}}
{{TitleSort}}
 
[[Category:Articles that were originally Wikipedia forks]]
[[Category:Doctor Who (1963) television stories]]
[[Category:UNIT television stories]]
[[Category:The Master (Terror of the Autons) television stories]]
[[Category:Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart television stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in England]]
[[Category:Season 9 stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in the distant past]]
[[Category:Six part serials]]
[[Category:Stories set in the 20th century]]
[[Category:Chronovore stories]]
[[Category:Television stories set on Earth]]
 
[[es:The Time Monster]]
[[fr:The Time Monster]]
[[ru:Временной монстр (телеистория)]]

Latest revision as of 11:38, 3 August 2024

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The Time Monster was the fifth and final serial of season 9 of Doctor Who. It featured another explanation of the destruction of Atlantis (1967's The Underwater Menace and 1971's The Dæmons also offered explanations). This was also the penultimate serial to feature Roger Delgado as the Master and was the last story to feature the Master on "present day" Earth against the Doctor and UNIT. In addition to his use of hypnosis, the Master also demonstrated a newly seen ability to perfectly imitate another person's voice.

This story marked the debut of the first redesign for the TARDIS console room, which was shared for both the Third Doctor's and the Master's respective TARDIS interiors. It featured heavy alterations to the original roundel design of the TARDIS interior set that had remained in use since 1963, and a new time rotor prop. However, the exaggerated roundel design was subjected to criticism and suffered heavy damage during the filming break between season 9 and season 10, necessitating the disposal of the new set and the construction of a second redesign that would appear in the upcoming season.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Master, in the guise of Professor Thascalos, has constructed at the Newton Institute in Wootton a device known as TOMTIT — Transmission Of Matter Through Interstitial Time — to gain control over Kronos, a creature from outside time. The creature is summoned but proves to be uncontrollable.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Episode 1[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor sits before the Master, who stands next to a crystal, laughing. Explosions resound.

In UNIT HQ, Jo wakes the Doctor. He enquires if there have been any reports of volcanic eruptions or earthquakes lately.

Elsewhere, the Master — or Professor Thascalos, as he calls himself — holds the crystal the Doctor saw in his dream. He's in a laboratory at the Newton Institute, working with Dr Ruth Ingram. The crystal, the Master claims, is no different than any other piece of quartz, yet it is. Stuart Hyde, a co-worker, enters. The Master leaves them to conduct further experiments. After he has left, Ruth says she doesn't know which is more annoying, "his dictatorial manner or that infernal courtesy of his."

At UNIT HQ, Mike Yates points out the Thera islands, where the quakes have struck. Jo mentions Atlantis, telling the Doctor that Thera is reputedly its location. The Doctor talks to the Brigadier on the phone and tells him to put out a warning to every UNIT section and HQ, because of a dream he had about a half hour ago. He says he is too busy to see the TOMTIT demonstration at the Newton Institute, so Benton, who was meant to be going off duty is asked to go instead.

At the institute, the Master hypnotises the Director, Dr Charles Percival, into believing him about his TOMTIT experiments and his credentials. In the lab, Ruth and Stu decided to run the test without "the Professor". Outside, a window cleaner observes their efforts, having been distracted from his work.

The Master apologises to Ruth Ingram and Stuart Hyde for his outburst.

At UNIT HQ, the Doctor uses a time sensor to detect the Master. It shows a TARDIS in use. The experiment at the institute shows the jar at one end disappearing and reappearing at the other. Looking at the clock outside his window, the Master notices it has slowed down. The experiment is causing an overload, but Ruth and Stu contain it. Outside, the window cleaner falls from his ladder.

The Doctor and Jo decide to follow the signal. They set off in Bessie. Back at the institute, the Master confronts Ruth and Stu, berating them for their foolishness. They tell him about the overload, and he tells them they were drawing power from outside time itself. Stu looks out the window; a convoy is approaching with a UNIT Jeep in it. The Master tells Ruth and Stu to leave him to his work.

The Doctor and Jo realise that the signal must be coming from Wootton, where the institute is. Using Bessie's super drive function, they speed along. UNIT arrive at the institute and find the window cleaner, alive but injured.

The Brigadier, Benton, Dr Cook, his aide Proctor and Percival enter the control room with Ruth at the research station. Cook complains about his pheasant lunch and expenditures. The Master enters in a radiation suit, his features hidden.

The test begins, and Ruth warns the Master that the power is overloading. Stu is in the crystal room. He gets too much power and can't control it. He calls to them to switch off. Ruth shouts the warning at the Master. The Master only yells out, "Come, Kronos, come!"

Episode 2[[edit] | [edit source]]

Stu aged into an old man.

The Doctor and Jo arrive in Bessie. Jo seems to freeze. The Doctor runs to the laboratory, where he orders Ruth to reverse the polarity and cut the power. They go to help Stu, only to find he has been aged to an eighty year old man.

Different theories are suggested — radiation and a change in metabolism, both of which the Doctor denies. The Brigadier points out that the only thing that makes people age naturally is the passing of time; the Doctor realises this is the explanation — Stu's personal time has been vastly accelerated. They learn that Professor Thascalos is the Master — Thascalos is Greek for Master.

Stu wakes up and starts rambling. The Doctor demands he tell what he saw. With difficulty, Stu replies "Kronos!" The Doctor and Ruth go back to the laboratory whilst the Brigadier summons troops from UNIT, as well as the Doctor's TARDIS. He tells Percival to order an evacuation of the building of all but essential personnel by three o'clock.

Meanwhile, Ruth shows the Doctor the crystal. He explains that outside space-time live creatures called Chronovores, time eaters. Kronos is the most fearsome of the lot. The crystal is the original from Atlantis, which summoned Kronos. Long ago, in Ancient Atlantis, Kronos begins to stir.

Percival finds the Master in his study and panics. The Master hypnotises him into not worrying and continues with his sums. Both the Doctor and the Master are confused about the earlier power build up, which logically shouldn't have happened. The Doctor discovers that the crystal has been moved through interstitial time. This means it really is the original crystal used to summon Kronos in Atlantis.

The Master tricks Benton out of the laboratory by faking instructions from the Brigadier. Benton, however, climbs back in through the window, having seen through the Master's ruse. The Master knocks him out and summons an Atlantean priest called Krasis.

Episode 3[[edit] | [edit source]]

Whilst the Master orders Krasis to give him the secret to controlling Kronos, Benton escapes and warns the Doctor. Kronos is summoned and devours Percival. The Brigadier, Benton and Ruth run towards the lab and begin to run in slow motion. The Doctor notices what is happening and pulls them out of the time field. Stu's ageing is suddenly reversed, returning his age to twenty-five. The Doctor orders them all back inside.

The Doctor constructs a device out of assorted items.

The Master returns Kronos to the crystal, which Krasis claims is but a portion of the original. In Atlantis, Hippias asks Lord Dalios if the time has come for Kronos to return at last. Dalios is old enough to remember the time of Kronos and fears his return. He shows Hippias the true crystal, which is guarded by a "horrible" creature.

The Doctor cobbles together a time flow analog, which works like jamming a radio signal. It works until the Master uses the TOMTIT device to overload it. He sets about delaying the convoy from UNIT, using a medieval knight, a troop of Roundheads, and finally, a German V1 "doodlebug" bomb. The Brigadier, Jo and the Doctor watch as the bomb explodes where the convoy is.

Episode 4[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor, Jo and the Brigadier go to meet the convoy. Fortunately they are unharmed. Ruth, Stu and Benton go to the laboratory to stop the Master. The Doctor and Jo follow in the Doctor's TARDIS, using the time sensor as a homing device and placing the Doctor's TARDIS inside the Master's.

The Doctor explains that if the frequency of the two TARDISes is too high, even by a fraction, a time ram will occur, resulting in utter annihilation. This does not dissuade Jo, so they take off, in pursuit of the Master.

The Doctor's TARDIS inside the Master's TARDIS.

They end up stuck in a space loop with the Master's TARDIS — if they enter one, they come out into the other. The UNIT convoy arrives at the institute, but the Master freezes them in space-time. Krasis and he escape into the TARDIS, leaving Benton, Ruth and Stu trapped inside the building. As this is going on, the Master taunts the Doctor, pointing out that he could easily throw his enemy into the Time Vortex and refusing to listen to the Doctor. When the Doctor forces the sound of his voice through to the Master's TARDIS, the Master feeds the words back to him and makes them come out as garbled nonsense.

In the lab, Ruth and Stu try to turn off the machine. It has no effect on the Brigadier and his men, who are still frozen, and Benton is regressed in age to a baby.

Benton, after being regressed to a baby.

With no other options, the Doctor orders Jo to close the door behind him when he steps into the Master's TARDIS. Yet again the Master refuses to listen to reason and summons Kronos, who devours the Doctor. The Master sends Kronos back into the crystal and breaks the lock on the Doctor's TARDIS, sending it and Jo tumbling through the Vortex.

Episode 5[[edit] | [edit source]]

Jo hears the Doctor calling to her, along with many other whispering voices. He explains they are his subconscious thoughts and tells her not to listen too closely. The TARDIS is relaying his thoughts to Jo; she follows his instructions and pulls a red handle on the third control panel, allowing the TARDIS to pull the Doctor out of the Vortex.

In Atlantis, Dalios holds court. Hippias speaks to the king, saying the people wish for the blessings their ancestors enjoyed under Kronos. Dalios tries to convince his people that Kronos was a curse. The Master arrives in his TARDIS, bringing Krasis with him. Krasis says he has seen Kronos. Dalios takes the Master and Krasis with him to discuss the matter.

"Good afternoon. Now where have I seen that face before?"

Later in the courtyard, the TARDIS materialises. The Doctor and Jo are confronted by Hippias and Krasis, who calls the guards. The Doctor and Jo are taken to the king.

The Master tries to hypnotise Dalios but fails. He is sent away, and to his surprise sees the Doctor and Jo being brought to the king. The Doctor and Jo meet the king, and Jo is brought to Galleia. The king asks for the Doctor's help to save Atlantis. Galleia and the Master meet to discuss the crystal, with Jo eavesdropping on their conversation. The crystal is in a maze guarded by the Minotaur. Galleia sends Hippias to retrieve the crystal. Jo follows them while Lakis goes to tell the king and the Doctor. Krasis catches Jo and puts her in the maze. She hears a loud roaring...

Episode 6[[edit] | [edit source]]

Hippias saves Jo from the Minotaur but is killed in the process. The Doctor arrives and bull fights the Minotaur. It falls in a pit, breaking open a wall to a hidden chamber.

The Doctor and Jo discover the Crystal of Kronos.

The Doctor and Jo find the Crystal of Kronos waiting inside the secret room but are caught by Krasis, who takes the crystal. The Doctor demands to be taken to the king but is taken to the Master, who has taken over with Galleia's help. The Doctor and Jo are imprisoned. The Doctor tells Jo about his hermit friend. Dalios is put in the cell with them and dies there.

Galleia presents the Master to the council. The Doctor and Jo are in attendance. The Master announces he will bring Kronos. Jo tells Galleia that the king is dead. Galleia orders the Master seized, but Krasis summons Kronos, whom the Master orders to destroy Atlantis. Jo tries to stop the Master but is taken to his TARDIS, which dematerialises. The Doctor escapes into his TARDIS. The Doctor contacts the Master and threatens him with a time ram. The Master calls his bluff, but the Doctor gives him one last chance. Jo pleads with the Doctor to do it, but when he says there's another way, Jo pushes the button, causing the time ram.

Both TARDISes are in a featureless place. Jo thinks they're dead, but the Doctor isn't sure. Suddenly a large female face appears. She is Kronos, and she was freed when the two TARDISes collided. She is grateful for the Doctor's help and plans to keep the Master to torment him. The Doctor asks to take the Master with them, and Kronos agrees. However, the Master makes a run for his TARDIS and escapes.

Benton is restored to his correct age.

Back in the lab, Stu takes care of baby Benton while Ruth works on the machine. The TARDIS lands back in Cambridge. The machine finally releases the Brigadier and his men, then it overloads. The soldiers enter the room, believing the Master is still there, only to find him long gone. The Brigadier questions Jo's strange Atlantean getup, a spontaneous change from his point of view. However, Stu goes to check on the baby Benton, finding nothing but the clothes he shrank out of. Then, a familiar figure rises up from the floor. To everyone's surprise, Benton has returned to his original age... only he's no longer sporting his uniform, but his birthday suit!

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Uncredited cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Uncredited crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Governments[[edit] | [edit source]]

Temporal theory[[edit] | [edit source]]

Culture[[edit] | [edit source]]

Earth history[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Stuart Hyde says that he has always fancied himself a Cavalier.

Story notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • During the Doctor's vision, the volcano stock footage used in The Enemy of the World and the title sequence of the parallel Earth story Inferno is re-used.
  • This is the only appearance of the "washing up bowl" interior for the TARDIS (designed by Tim Gleeson). It only appeared in this story because Barry Letts hated it.
  • One of the voices representing the Doctor's subconscious thoughts is female. This is the first reference to the Doctor being able to change genders after regenerating.
  • A notable scene dropped before the recording of Episode Five depicted the Doctor activating a device in the TARDIS which permitted Jo to speak the language of the ancient Atlanteans; the series had never before attempted to explain how the Doctor's companions could speak foreign and alien tongues.
  • It was Paul Bernard's idea to have Kronos' final form be that of a young woman.
  • The historical setting was suggested by the Official Doctor Who Fan Club, an organisation which had recently been reinvigorated when it was put in the hands of a teenage fan named Keith Miller.
  • This was the first time the series had visited Earth's past since The Abominable Snowmen.
  • Inspiration came to Robert Sloman during a walk outdoors, when he heard an aeroplane flying overhead and was reminded of the sound of German bombers during the Second World War. From this experience came the idea of “time slippages”, and Sloman envisaged a fleet of World War I biplanes descending on a modern-day aircraft. As Sloman developed his narrative, it was realised that budgetary considerations would prevent the First World War element from featuring prominently. Instead, it was decided to emphasise the Atlantis strand of the plot.
  • Influenced by Buddhist philosophies, Barry Letts wanted to portray the Doctor as being merely “semi-enlightened”: able to see the universe more clearly than most, but still possessing personal flaws. Letts' ideas were most prominently reflected in the Doctor's Episode Six tale about the Hermit on his home planet.
  • At Stratfield Saye, stuntman Greg Powell, playing the knight who attacked the convoy in Episode Three, was thrown from his horse when his mount did not follow the planned route and collided with one of the UNIT vehicles. Accounts vary as to the extent of the injuries to both Powell and the horse. Equity, the actors' union, condemned the incident because budgetary limitations had prevented Paul Bernard from hiring more than a single stunt driver.
  • While filming scenes in Bessie using a side-mounted camera, Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning realised that they had gotten lost. By the time the two actors were finally able to find their way back to Paul Bernard, the director was already in the process of assembling search parties to track them down.
  • According to John Levene on the DVD commentary, the baby who portrayed the infant Benton, Darren Plant, sadly didn't live to see his first birthday. This gives him the unfortunate distinction of being the shortest-lived individual ever to appear in Doctor Who.
  • The Doctor and Jo's "Permission to come on board?" scene as they set off for Atlantis in the TARDIS was not in the script. Dudley Simpson also added an unscripted small bit from "The Sailor's Hornpipe" melody in order to complete it.
  • Robert Sloman was unimpressed with the realisation of Kronos. He envisaged it as a shimmer and a vibration, but it was realised by an actor flapping away on pulleys.
  • While filming the ending scene, John Levene was terrified that his nappy would fall off.
  • This story has the dubious distinction of being ranked as Doctor Who Magazine readers' least favourite Third Doctor story in all four of their major polls, in 1998, 2009, 2014, and 2023. (DWM 590)
  • The name Kronos was a variant of Cronus, chief of the Titans in Greek Mythology.
  • This was the last time that Roger Delgado worked with the UNIT regulars before his tragic death a year later.
  • Episode four was found to be underlength, while episode five was expected to be too long. As such, episode four was extended beyond the original cliffhanger of Kronos devouring the Doctor, to the Master jettisoning the Doctor's TARDIS in the time vortex.
  • Originally, it was thought that the Kronos costume could be made from reflective white material which would flare against the camera by using peaking light levels. Barry Letts suggested using CSO, with a flame forming the body.
  • A test session was held before production where Ian Collier donned layers of make-up made out of latex for Stuart Hyde's aging scene. The results were unsatisfactory, as freelance make-up artist Alan Boyle was called in to devise an alternative. He did so by using tissue and honey.
  • To create the effect of Kronos flapping its wings, the production team shot various close-ups of birds' wings which would be inserted as a CSO shot. The production team had access to a dove, a cockatoo, a chicken and an owl, but only the shots of the dove's wings made the final edit.
  • Dave Prowse was expected to perform all of the minotaur's scenes. Since he wasn't trained as a stuntman, he refused to complete certain scenes, so Terry Walsh doubled for him for the scene where the Minotaur crashes through a stone wall.

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Episode one - 7.6 million viewers
  • Episode two - 7.4 million viewers
  • Episode three - 8.1 million viewers
  • Episode four - 7.6 million viewers
  • Episode five - 6.0 million viewers
  • Episode six - 7.6 million viewers

Myths[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Well-known actress Susan Penhaligon, making an early television appearance as Galleia's handmaiden Lakis, was originally to have been credited as Virginia Mull. (Virginia Mull was a different actress who had a small uncredited walk-on role as a serving girl in the Atlantis scenes of this story. Susan Penhaligon, who was a late replacement for actress Ann Michelle, was always to have been credited under her own name.)
  • The Master's alias is "Thascales". (The majority of printed and online episode guides say this. Unfortunately, (a) "Thascales" isn't the Greek for "Master", and (b) no-one in the story says "Thascales". They all say "Thascalos", which is the Greek for "Master". The error first appears in the Radio Times 1973 Doctor Who Special and presumably has been taken from there by all subsequent episode guides without checking against the broadcast episodes. However, Terrance Dicks uses the correct spelling for the novelisation.)

Filming locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Swallowfield Park, Swallowfield, Berkshire
  • Stratfield Saye Park, Stratfield Saye, Hampshire
  • Old Church Farm (road), Hartley Wintney, Hampshire
  • Park Lane, Fair Cross, Berkshire
  • School Lane, Heckfield Heath/Riseley, Hampshire
  • Ealing Television Film Studios, Ealing Green, Ealing
  • BBC Television Centre (Studio 3 & 4), Shepherd's Bush, London

Production errors[[edit] | [edit source]]

If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.
  • In episode one, the interior of the police box prop is visible.
  • Jo is obviously operating a button with her index finger on the time sensor in episode one to make the prop spin as it "detects" the Doctor's TARDIS.
  • At first, the Master speaks with an attempted Greek accent, which quickly disappears within the same scene.
  • The crystal moves when Benton tries to lift it, even as he and the Doctor talk about it being impossible to move.
  • The Doctor doesn't close the TARDIS door all the way before taking off with Jo, yet it is completely shut when they dematerialise.
  • The V1 footage is black-and-white.
  • The Doctor's supposedly backwards dialogue when played backwards is still gibberish.
  • In episode three, the Doctor states that the Master is using the crystal to bring enemies "back in time". However, these characters are clearly from the past, and therefore were brought forward in time.
  • When the UNIT team attempt to pull the TARDIS out of the crater the bomb has made, a castor wheel on the bottom of the prop can be seen.
  • Dave Prowse (Minotaur) is credited for episode five, though he does not appear.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Home video and audio releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

DVD releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

This story was first released on DVD in the UK on 29 March 2010 as part of the Myths and Legends Boxset. The one disc set includes a restored version of the story, as well as the following special features:

Editing for DVD release was completed by the Doctor Who Restoration Team.

  • Region 4 Australian cover

    Region 4 Australian cover

  • Region 1 US cover

    Region 1 US cover

  • Region 2 UK cover

    Region 2 UK cover

Box sets[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Region 4 Australian box set cover

    Region 4 Australian box set cover

  • Region 2 UK box set cover

    Region 2 UK box set cover

It was released as issue 137 of Doctor Who DVD Files.

Digital releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

This story is available:

  • in non-continental iTunes stores (Australia, Canada, UK and US) as a stand-alone season of Doctor Who: The Classic Series;
  • on Amazon Video (UK) as Season 64 of Doctor Who (Classic) series;
  • for streaming through BritBox (Canada and US) as part of Season 9 of Classic Doctor Who.
  • iTunes cover

    iTunes cover

VHS releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

This story was released in the UK as Doctor Who: The Time Monster in November 2001 (as part of the Master box set which also contains Colony in Space).

  • UK & AUS Box Set

    UK & AUS Box Set

  • UK VHS cover

    UK VHS cover

  • US VHS cover

    US VHS cover

  • AUS VHS cover

    AUS VHS cover

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

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