Season 16 (Doctor Who 1963)

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The sixteenth season of Doctor Who ran between 2nd September 1978 and 24th February 1979. It consisted of 6 serials and 26 epsiodes. This season saw the introduction of the Black and White Guardians as well as the companion Romana. This season is sometimes colloquially known as The Key to Time season after the story arc involving the Key to Time. Although not the first season to consist of linked stories (Season 8 in 1971 was the first, as all the stories that year featured The Master), it was the first to be recognized as having a series-long arc. Although multi-serial arcs would occur again, such a full-season experiment wouldn't be attempted again until Season 23.

Season 16 marked a triple milestone for Doctor Who: the 100th story (The Stones of Blood), the 500th episode (episode 1 of The Armageddon Factor) and the 15th anniversary of the first broadcast, on November 23, 1978.

In 2002 (Region 1) it became the first Doctor Who season to be released to DVD in its entirety in a single box set; it remained the only "classic series" season to be available as a single set until the release of Season 23, The Trial of a Time Lord to DVD in 2008.

Stories

• The Ribos Operation (4 episodes) - First appearance of Romana
• The Pirate Planet (4 episodes)
• The Stones of Blood (4 episodes)
• The Androids of Tara (4 episodes)
• The Power of Kroll (4 episodes)
• The Armageddon Factor (6 episodes)

Main Cast

• The Doctor - Tom Baker
• Romana - Mary Tamm (introduced The Ribos Operation)
• K-9 - John Leeson (voice) (absent during The Power of Kroll)

Notes

• John Leeson, more well known as the voice of K-9 appeared as the human Dugeen during The Power of Kroll.
• Lalla Ward guest stars as Princess Astra in The Armageddon Factor before taking over the role of Romana from Mary Tamm in Destiny of the Daleks.

Adaptations and merchandising

Video

VHS

• The Ribos Operation
• The Pirate Planet
• The Stones of Blood
• The Androids of Tara
• The Power of Kroll
• The Armageddon Factor
• The Tom Baker Years (excerpts from all stories)

DVD

• The Key to Time (box set containing all stories)

• Region 1 1st October 2002

NTSC -

Bare-bones version consisting of the six stories in individual clam-shell boxes, with extras limited to commentaries, photo galleries, and productin factoid subtitles.

• Region 2 24th September 2007

PAL -

Expanded edition featuring copious extras for each serial.

• Region 4 7th November 2007

PAL -

The Key to Time: Special Edition

• Region 1 3rd March 2009

NTSC - Same as 2007 Region 2 version, only published in a single book-like DVD case (similar to that used for the release of Torchwood Series 2 in Region 1) rather than each serial packaged individually (although separate releases of the serials are planned).

• Region 2 16th November 2009. Titled The Key to Time: The Complete Adventure, this is a reissue of the 2007 version in a new edition.

Novelisations

• Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation
• Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood
• Doctor Who and the Androids of Tara
• Doctor Who and the Power of Kroll
• Doctor Who and the Armageddon Factor

Target Books was unable to come to an agreement with Douglas Adams to novelise his script, The Pirate Planet, leaving it one of only a half-dozen classic-series episodes never adapted as a book.

External Links

• BBC website guide to Season 16