Death Comes to Time (webcast)

When a dissident Time Lord group inadvertently caused the destruction of an entire civilisation through interference, its members vowed to repent by serving the Universe not as gods of Time but as mere men. Many years later, this peaceful resolve is severely tested when two of their number are killed -- and the Doctor’s seventh incarnation becomes embroiled in the struggle against the apparently unstoppable General Tannis.

Plagued by ominous portents, the Doctor and his companion Antimony must race across the Universe, taking in the Santine Republic, the Great Orion Nebula and the frozen heart of the Canisian Empire. Meanwhile, the mysterious Minister of Chance battles his own inner demons, and former TARDIS traveller Ace finds herself in training for a destiny she never dreamed possible. Matters reach a terrible climax when Tannis’ next target for subjugation is identified. Exactly how much is the Doctor prepared to sacrifice in order to save Earth?

Plot

to be added

Cast & Characters

The Doctor — Sylvester McCoy
Ace — Sophie Aldred
Antimony — Kevin Eldon
Golcrum/Senator Hawk/President— Jon Culshaw
Admiral Mettna — Jacqueline Pearce
Casmus — Leonard Fenton
The Minister of Chance — Stephen Fry
Senator Sala — Britta Gartner
General Tannis — John Sessions
St Valentine — Anthony Stewart Head
Nessican — Dave Hill
Dr Cain — Charlotte Palmer
Speedwell — Stephen Brody
Campion — Gareth Jones
Captain Carne — Andrew McGibbon
Lieutenant Suneel — Michael Yale
The Kingmaker — Peggy Batchelor
Pilot— David Evans
Premier Bedloe — Robert Rietti
Computer — Julienne Davis
Magan — Emma Ferguson
President of Santiny — Huw Thomas
Major Bander/Prime Minister— Nick Romero
The Brigadier — Nicholas Courtney

References

Nessican is one of the Vampires and was imprisoned inside a phantom sun.

Story notes

Art by Roger Langridge from DWM 319

Following the broadcast of Survival in 1989 and the show's subsequent placement on "indefinite hiatus" by the BBC, the idea of producing an animated series based upon Doctor Who and continuing the adventures of the Seventh Doctor and Ace was reported several times in the media; reportedly the Canadian animation house Nelvana was even interested at one point. This project never materialised, but the idea of producing animated Doctor Who adventures resurfaced with the coming of the Internet and the newly emerging format known as webcasting. Death Comes to Time was the first experiment of its kind; it would be followed soon after by Real Time (featuring the Sixth Doctor), Shada (featuring the Eighth Doctor) and culminating in Scream of the Shalka, which attempted to introduce a canonical new incarnation of the Doctor.
A new Doctor Who logo was introduced for this story. Although it was never used again, the basic shape of the logo would be retained for the new logo designed for the return of the series in 2005.

Doctor Who logo used for Death Comes to Time

Voice actor Jon Culshaw is best known (in Doctor Who circles) for his uncanny impersonation of Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor in BBC's Dead Ringers radio series.
The Minister of Chance was given his own spin off series in 2011 entitled The Minister of Chance. However this is generally considered non-canonical and set outside the Doctor Who universe.
It is left ambiguous as to what the Kingmaker is. However it is implied she is a being with greater powers than even the Time Lords. This is yet to be explored on screen or in spin-off media.
The fate of the Doctor at the end of this story has been used by some factions of Doctor Who fandom as a rationale to "de-canonise" the 1996 Doctor Who TV-movie and, in turn, the later 2005 TV series. However, Death Comes to Time -- or at least its ending -- is generally considered non-canonical.^{[source needed]}

Original Website Release/Broadcast

"Pilot Episode" - 13 July 2001
"Planet of Blood" (1) - 14 February 2002
"Planet of Blood" (2) - 22 February 2002
"Planet of Blood (3) - 1 March 2002
"The Child" (1) - 8 March 2002
"The Child" (2) - 15 March 2002
"The Child" (3) - 22 March 2002
"No Child of Earth" (1) - 29 March 2002
"No Child of Earth" (2) - 5 April 2002
"No Child of Earth" (3) - 12 April 2002
"Death Comes to Time" (1) - 19 April 2002
"Death Comes to Time" (2) - 26 April 2002
"Death Comes to Time" (3) - 3 May 2002

CD and Other Releases

CD cover

Released on CD in October 2002.
Released on MP3-CD in June 2004

External links

Death Comes to Time Webcast at the Doctor Who Reference Guide

Footnotes