The Invasion of Time (TV story)

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 Sontaran 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

Crew

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. (NA: Timewyrm: Genesys)
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 final ongoing onscreen appearance; she reprised the role in Dimensions in Time and later in the Big Finish productions Gallifrey series of audio dramas.
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

If the transduction barrier prevents the Vardans invading Gallifrey, why does the Doctor destroy it? The story's premise, that the Doctor makes a deal with the Vardans in order to save Gallifrey, makes no sense. Even as a ruse, it was unecessary to use the Vardans to gain power over the Timelords; as the only candidate for the presidency, he already had it. When the Vardans invade, he tells Borusa they have more power and knowledge than he 'could possibly imagine'. If they do, why do they want the Matrix and the Great Key? Borusa had previously told the Doctor that the Matrix would give the Doctor access to great power. Why then give that power to the Vardans?
It is painfully obvious that the Vardans in their dematerialised form are sheets of cellophane. Even in their materialised form they are unimpressive and almost comical.
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 releases

Region 2 5th May 2008

PAL -

Region 4 3rd July 2008

PAL -

Region 1 2nd September 2008

NTSC -

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. Released 8th July in Australia.

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)

Novelisation

Main article: Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time

Novelised as Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time by Terrance Dicks in 1980.

External Links

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