The Invasion of Time (TV story): Difference between revisions
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*The Sontarans return in this story making it their third appearance on TV. | *The Sontarans return in this story making it their third appearance on TV. | ||
*This story had a working title of '''The Invaders of Time'''. | *This story had a working title of '''The Invaders of Time'''. | ||
*[[Rodan]] is the first female Gallifreyan to appear on screen since [[Susan Foreman]] more than a decade earlier. | |||
===Ratings=== | ===Ratings=== | ||
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*Part 6 - 9.8 million viewers | *Part 6 - 9.8 million viewers | ||
===Myths=== | ===Myths and rumours=== | ||
*[[Rodan]] was the prototype for [[Romana]]. Related rumours include actress [[Hilary Ryan]] being unavailable for the following season, which resulted in Romana being created as a replacement for Rodan. | |||
===Filming Locations=== | ===Filming Locations=== |
Revision as of 20:20, 24 July 2008
Synopsis
The Doctor returns to Gallifrey but is arrested after bringing the Vardans to the planet, this breaks out into a bit of a battle until the Sontarans invasion force arrives and attempts to take over Gallifrey.
Plot
After a meeting in space with a group of unseen aliens the Doctor returns to Gallifrey and claims the presidency of the Time Lords. Leela meanwhile tries to work out why he is behaving out of character. At his induction, the Doctor is 'crowned' with a device giving him access to the Matrix. He then arranges for the transduction barriers around Gallifrey to be put out of action by K9. When this is done, his alien 'friends' materialise. They are telepathic invaders called Vardans.
The Doctor links K9 to the Matrix in order to determine their point of origin. His plan is to place a time loop around their home planet, but he must avoid arousing their suspicions - hence his erratic behaviour. He banishes Leela to the wastelands of outer Gallifrey for fear that she might unintentionally jeopardise his plans. There she meets a group of Gallifreyan outsiders, and together they organise an attack on the Capitol to fight off the invaders.
The Doctor finally springs his trap and the Vardans are banished. Then, however, Gallifrey is invaded by Sontarans who, unknown to the Doctor, were using the Vardans to enable them to conquer the Time Lords. The Doctor uses knowledge extracted from the Matrix by K9 to construct a forbidden de-mat gun, activated by the Great Key of Rassilon. He then uses this to kill the Sontarans, although his memory of recent events is wiped in the process.
Leela announces that she wishes to stay behind with Andred, one of the Chancellery guards, with whom she has fallen in love. K9 elects to remain with her.
Cast
- The Doctor - Tom Baker
- Leela - Louise Jameson
- Voice of K9 - John Leeson
- Andred - Christopher Tranchell
- Borusa - John Arnatt
- Ablif - Ray Callaghan
- Rodan - Hilary Ryan
- Stor - Derek Deadman
- Sontaran - Stuart Fell
- Vardan - Stan McGowan
- Vardan - Tom Kelly
- Bodyguard - Michael Harley
- Castellan Guard - Eric Danot
- Gold Usher - Charles Morgan
- Guard - Christopher Christou
- Jasko - Michael Mundell
- Kelner - Milton Johns
- Lord Gomer - Dennis Edwards
- Lord Savar - Reginald Jessup
- Nesbin - Max Faulkner
- Presta - Gay Smith
Crew
- Assistant Floor Manager - Terry Winders, Romey Allison
- Costumes - Dee Kelly
- Designer - Barbara Gosnold
- Film Cameraman - Ken Westbury
- Film Editor - Chris Wimble
- Incidental Music - Dudley Simpson
- Make-Up - Maureen Winslade
- OB Cameraman - David Goutier, Alan Hayward
- Producer - Graham Williams
- Production Assistant - Colin Dudley
- Production Unit Manager - John Nathan-Turner
- Script Editor - Anthony Read
- Special Sounds - Dick Mills
- Studio Lighting - Mike Jefferies
- Studio Sound - Anthony Philpott
- Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire
- Title Music - Ron Grainer
- Visual Effects - Colin Mapson, Richard Conway
References
- While in the Matrix the Doctor learns of the Timewyrm but erases his memory to protect himself from it and leaves a message for his future self.
- The Sash of Rassilon, The Rod of Rassilon, The Great Key, The Coronet of Rassilon are all Artefacts of Rassilon given to a Gallifreyan President when they're elected.
- The Doctor has Rodan and K9 build the De-mat Gun, powered by The Great Key, Iridium alloy is used in the construction of the de-mat gun..
- The Capitol is a part of the Citadel.
- Those who live outside the Citadel are The Outsiders.
- Borusa taught the Doctor telepathy.
- When a Time Lord becomes Lord President they gain access to the Matrix.
- The Vardans can travel along any broadcast wavelength and are telepathic. Their planet has the co-ordinates 3052 alpha 7, 14th span.
- The Doctor discusses Quasar Five, Riga, Sinian Empire second dynasty and Earth 073 period architecture with Kelner.
Story Notes
- Leela remains on Gallifrey in the conclusion of this story. This was Louise Jameson's ongoing onscreen appearance, she reprised the role in Dimensions in Time.
- The Sontarans return in this story making it their third appearance on TV.
- This story had a working title of The Invaders of Time.
- Rodan is the first female Gallifreyan to appear on screen since Susan Foreman more than a decade earlier.
Ratings
- Part 1 - 11.2 million viewers
- Part 2 - 11.4 million viewers
- Part 3 - 9.5 million viewers
- Part 4 - 10.9 million viewers
- Part 5 - 10.3 million viewers
- Part 6 - 9.8 million viewers
Myths and rumours
- Rodan was the prototype for Romana. Related rumours include actress Hilary Ryan being unavailable for the following season, which resulted in Romana being created as a replacement for Rodan.
Filming Locations
- Beachfields Quarry, Cormongers Lane, Redhill, Surrey
- St Anne's Hospital, Redstone Hill, Redhill, Surrey
- British Oxygen, Blacks Road, Hammersmith
- Bray Studios, Slough
- BBC Television Centre (TC8), Shepherd's Bush, London
Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
- There are gaps around the collar of Stor's armour.
- Stor also has a cockney accent.
- The Doctor forgets his induction, though in later Gallifrey stories such as Arc of Infinity and The Five Doctors, he seems to remember the events very well. (he was faking forgetfullness to get out of it)
- What happens to the Sontarans waiting to invade Gallifrey?
- Why don't the Sontaran ships just come in one at a time? The first one got through alright.
- And why are there only 4 Sontarans in a single ship? (Perhaps the rest of the ship's crew were off capturing other parts of the Citadel.)
- After taking ages wandering round the TARDIS, they find their way out rather quickly.
- This serial features one of the more frequently-replayed on-air bloopers when an actor playing a Sontaran stumbles and trips over a chair while running through the swimming pool area. (This was apparently deliberate.)
Continuity
- The Vardans reappear in NA: No Future.
- In NA: Timewyrm: Genesys the Doctor receives a message from his past self, sent during this story.
- Leela and K9 re-meet the Doctor in NA: Lungbarrow and BFA: Zagreus.
- Lord Savar is mentioned in EDA: Seeing I and seen in PDA: The Infinity Doctors.
- The Doctor is again offered the Presidency in DW: The Five Doctors after putting himself up for presidency in DW: The Deadly Assassin.
- Gallifrey is invaded again in BFA: The Apocalypse Element.
DVD, Video and Other Releases
DVD release This story was released on the 5th May. Bonus features:
- Commentary:Louise Jameson, John Leeson, Anthony Read and Mat Irvine
- Out of Time: the making of this story.
- CGI effects: new CGI effects to accompany this story.
- The elusive David Agnew: a feature on the writer (who is, in fact, a house pseudonym used by several Doctor Who writers)
- The Rise and fall of Gallifrey: a feature on the planet of the Time Lords.
- Deleted Scenes: scenes removed from this story.
- Continuity Compilation: continuity announcements from the BBC.
- Radio Times billings: artwork and articles for this story from the Radio Times.
- Photo Gallery: a selection of rare production photos from this story.
- Coming Soon: a preview of the K-9 Tales Box set.
- Boxset release
This story was released in the Bred for War DVD boxset on the 5th May alongside all the classic series Sontaran stories. The DVD is the same as the one sold seperately.
Video Releases
Released as Doctor Who: The Invasion of Time
Released:
- UK March 2000 (Double tape set)
- Australia August 2000 (Single tape set)
- US August 2000 (Same as UK edition)
Target Novelisations
Novelised as Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time by Terrance Dicks in 1980.
See also
Concerning Gallifrey being invaded or destroyed
- BNA: Dead Romance
- BFA: The Sirens of Time
- BFA: The Apocalypse Element
- EDA: The Ancestor Cell
- Last Great Time War
External Links
- BBC Episode Guide for The Invasion of Time, with video clips
- Outpost Gallifrey Episode Guide: The Invasion of Time
- Doctor Who Reference Guide: Detailed Synopsis - The Invasion of Time
- A Brief History of Time (Travel): The Invasion of Time
- The Locations Guide to Doctor Who - The Invasion of Time
- The Tardis Library: Video release information for The Invasion of Time
- The Tardis Library: Target book release information for The Invasion of Time