Doctor Who (TV Series) The Trial of a Time Lord: Part One (1986) User Reviews

An epic start.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 26 December 2019]

The Doctor is put on trial, charged with conduct unbecoming a Timelord, and transgressing the first law.

This first episode is a cracker, it's true that the whole series varies in quality overall, but this first part is fantastic, it has an epic feel to it. Competing with many other franchises at the time, it opens up with an incredible scene, which looks as amazing now as it did back in 1986.

After a hiatus, The Doctor and Peri headed to Ravalox, instead of Blackpool, where they should have gone for The Nightmare Fair. Viewing figures had plummeted, which was a real shame, as The Mysterious Planet begins rather well. 8/10

Just a note, the Blu-ray has made a noticable difference, it looks very sharp.

"Even I would find it hard to lose myself in a corridor." Something different?

[poolandrews · 6/10 · 15 December 2007]

Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord: Part One starts as the TARDIS arrives on huge space station, mentally drawn there by the Time Lords. The Doctor (Colin Baker) is confronted by a Time Lord in a court room called the Valeyard (Michael Jayston) who is the prosecutor in an inquiry into the Doctor's behaviour & hopes to prove that he is unfit to be a Time Lord. More Time Lords enter the court room including the Inquisitor (Lynda Bellingham) & the inquiry begins, past events are shown on a computer screen fed from the Matrix to be presented as evidence by the Valeyard. To begin with events on the planet Ravolox in the Stellan galaxy are shown, after the Doctor & Peri (Nicola Bryant) are seen on the planet the Valeyard calls for a full blown trial & if found guilty the Doctor's life should be terminated...

Episode 1 from season 23 this Doctor Who adventure originally aired here in the UK during September 1986 & was the second time an entire season of Doctor Who was based around one central theme after The Key to Time from season sixteen with Tom Baker, after Revelation of the Daleks (1985) then BBC controller Michael Grade told producer John Nathan-Turner that there would be an extended break before season twenty-three started, that the 45 minute episode length was a failure so the show would revert back to 25 minute episodes & that the number of episodes would be reduced to just fourteen. Script editor Eric Saward & Nathan-Turner decided to make a season revolving the Doctor being put on trial almost mirroring the show's then real life situation, the structure of the season would be the same as that of the Charles Dicken's novel A Christmas Carol in that vignettes from the Doctor's past, present & future would be seen with the four parts of The Mysterious Planet making up the events from the past. The scripts for the whole season were by Robert Holmes & were divided up into four separate stories, although not seen on screen this opening four part segment was called The Mysterious Planet & it's started off well enough without being overly spectacular. The trial element is interesting & it's been ages since I last saw this so I'm looking forward to see how this part of the plot develops, otherwise this has started out rather routinely with the Doctor & his companion arriving on a planet & finding themselves in trouble which is a pretty familiar sounding scenario.

The Trial of a Time Lord had a rearranged theme music by Dominic Glynn, to be honest I'm not sure if I like it or not & the longer closing theme has a section which sounds like it was composed on a child's toy trumpet! It's alright I suppose but nowhere near as good as the previous opening theme music in my opinion, the opening & closing sequences are the same as the previous season's though. Along with the new remixed theme music this episode opens to a fantastic 45 second long model shot of the space station & the TARDIS entering it through a beam of light, apparently it cost £8,000 & was the single most expensive special effects shot in the entire history of classic Doctor Who & it show's because it's a great effect & probably the single best special effects shot featured in the entire series.

The Trial of a Time Lord: Part One of The Mysterious Planet is an OK opener to a not very well liked season, the opening model shot is superb but from there on in the rest of the episode is merely slightly above average.

The Mysterious Planet - Part 1

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 8/10 · 18 September 2019]

Review of Trial of a Timelord Parts 1 to 4:

This is the beginning of The Trial of a Timelord, an epic 14 part full season story arc. These first 4 episodes are known as the story The Mysterious Planet and are mainly written by the great Robert Holmes. His quality writing, whilst not at all at its peak as he neared the end of his life with very ill health, shines through and lifts this story with a good level of storyline and some very good dialogue and character interactions. The trial element is written by Eric saward, script editor, and it is inserted in linking all segments of the 14 part arc. It involves the Doctor being summoned by the Timelords and put on trial for his interference in other worlds during his travels. This idea sprang from the fact the show itself seemed under trial as BBC bosses were on the brink of cancelling it and had forced a hiatus with a long gap between the previous season and this one. The wish to make the season an overarching story was an effort to bring a positive change but is not entirely a positive thing overall. The story is shown as 'evidence' with us watching it unfold in pieces, interrupted as the 'video is stopped' for debate in the courtroom. The trial scenes disrupt the flow of the story and can at times be irritating. They are far from all bad though as well known actors Lynda Bellingham and Michael Jayston are high quality as The Inquisitor and The Valyard and provide some amusing and interesting exchanges with The Doctor.

The Mysterious Planet story written by Holmes is interesting and thoughtful. The Doctor and Peri arrive on Ravolox but see indications that it is, in fact, a future post apocalyptic Earth. They encounter different groups of humans and a robot that is in charge of the main society. The classic Holmes story feature of a duo of guest characters engaging in banter is here in the form of Glitz and Dibber. They are engaging and enjoyable characters with some smart banter. Veteran comedy actress Joan Sims guest stars as Katryca, the ruler of a group of humans, and she is very good in the role. The dialogue throughout has a level of quality and intelligence above many of the stories of this era.

The most striking and positive aspect of this for me is that Colin Baker's characterisation of the 6th Doctor is VERY changed from the previous season. In Season 22 the 6th Doctor was portrayed as a narcissistic, arrogant egotist who bullied Peri and was happy to engage in casual violence. Totally out of keeping with previous Doctors. Here he thankfully is redeemed as someone worthy of the Doctor as he is shown at last to be caring, likable, warm and funny. Even his pomposity is played for laughs now instead of being an unpleasant irritant. Baker finally makes the Doctor endearing, kind and heroic. I am hugely pleased as a result. Baker acts beautifully and even Peri improves to a decent standard.

Another highlight is the fantastic opening sequence with a superb model shot that is hugely impressive. It really sets the first episode off in a high quality feel. Sadly the sets thereafter are not so great and costumes etc are not brilliant. The robot is good though and there is a nice bit of outdoor filming on occasion providing some atmosphere.

There are some cheesy aspects thanks to the style of the time and this is no classic but this is a decent start to season 23 overall.

My ratings: Episode 1 - 8/10, Episode 2 - 6.5/10, Episodes 3 & 4 - 7/10, Overall - 7.13/10.

Far from what it could have been, but enjoyable

[heins-52472 · 7/10 · 12 April 2015]

I am only reviewing the first serial- the Mysterious planet- which consists of parts 1 to 4.

We're off to a good start, with darker title music and a CGI effect of the TARDIS being pulled into a court (unfortunately it seems to have absorbed most the programme's budget). Colin and Peri are no longer bickering all the time and the war on what was once planet Earth is intriguing.

Unfortunately the court scenes end up becoming far too intrusive, yanking you by the hair out of a story just as you start to get into it. Colin's outbursts of anger are a little too theatrical for my tastes and some of the characters- such as the blonde servants of "the immortal"- are utterly dull, with the exception of the merchant Sabalom Glitz.

However, there is some humour; Colin was given a chance to shine and the story was interesting enough to be enjoyable. After watching the four episodes that make up "the Mysterious planet" my first thought was "yeah that was pretty good". That's more that can be said for most of mid-late 80's Doctor Who. A well deserved 6 or 7 out of 10.

It's enjoyable

[hazzadhgw · 6/10 · 13 April 2018]

This episode is about Peri and the Doctor landing on a planet that looks like Earth and the Doctor is determined to find out what the planet. It has a good element of mystery which made me want to find out what the planet was.

The reason it's called A Trial of a Time Lord is because the Doctor is put on Trial for breaking the first Gallifreyan law.

The shot of the model of the court is brilliant so I'd recommend you watching it.

An very long story..

[wetmars · 7/10 · 14 April 2020]

The Doctor is put on trial by the Time Lords again. The first of two events from his resent past is presented as evidence of his interference in the affairs of other worlds. In particular, his actions on planet Ravalox.

Colin Baker was okay at being the Doctor in this episode, I quite like the Valeyard since the Valeyard is the D A R K side of the Doctor between his thirteenth and final incarnation. Peri is also getting along with the Doctor finally! lol.

An underrated epic

[cesarinifamily · 10/10 · 24 April 2014]

(THIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS)

There is a reason that Colin Baker is my favorite actor to play the Doctor. And that is this 14 part serial. Most people think of this episode as an OK Doctor Who story that doesn't really have anything spectacular, but I disagree. The idea to put the doctor on trial is a brilliant one and I find that the trial scenes are the highlight of the serial. As the serial is still technically one story, I will review the whole thing in this review now.

The first four episodes are titled The Mysterious Planet. These first episodes start the serial well. We are introduced to some great characters such as the Valeyard and Glitz (who later returns in the last parts of the serial as well as Sylvester McCoy's Dragonfire). The world of Ravolox is really interesting and the sets are nicely made considering the budget. This episode also sets a rather dark tone which would continue for the rest of the serial. Drathro is also a really cool villain. The only downfall of this story is the character of Katryca. Her dialogue seems to be badly written which differs from most of the other characters. She soon gets what is coming to her anyway.

The next sub-story is Mindwarp. As the trial continues, the Doctor is continuously being threatened by the Valeyard.This part of the serial begins to make the trial scenes more intense as the Valeyard continues to show events from the sixth Doctor's past. The flashbacks shown by the Valeyard are extremely interesting and make for a great Doctor Who story. Colin Baker is also at his best here. Sil and Kiv are quite menacing and make for really interesting villains. The flashback story also fits in with the trial sequences really well and it does this better than The Mysterious Planet did. This episode also marks the final story that features Peri. She was a great companion and she finishes her time on the show with a brilliant send-off in this story.

After Mindwarp is Terror of the Vervoids. The next scene the Valeyard shows is one where the doctor is on a holiday spaceship of some sort with a brand new companion Mel. This is another great story and the sets really stand out in this one. Some great characters are here as well. Even the special effects seem to be handled with much more skill than previous 80s Doctor Who stories. The only let down for this story is Mel. On her first outing she already establishes herself as extremely annoying and constantly making the Doctor angry. Other than that this story is great to watch.

The final episodes of the serial are The Ultimate Foe. This is definitely the highlight of the serial. These two episodes are extremely confusing but they are handled with a lot of skill and Robert Holmes beautifully executes Part 13 with his inventive ideas. In this last story, the Valeyard becomes more of a villain than the Doctor had expected and he is soon led into the surreal world of the Matrix (not the one you are thinking of). Colin Baker portrays the Doctor brilliantly in this dark episode and Anthony Ainley also makes a great appearance as the Master. The ending to the serial is fantastic and this episode finishes it all off with brilliant writing and even better acting.

For any Doctor Who fan this serial is a must watch. It is my personal favorite serial and it is criminally underrated. It's a shame that Colin was forced to leave after this. His version of the Doctor could have done a lot more.

Entertains, but it's a mess.

[wavybracket · 5/10 · 17 July 2016]

Back in 1985 Dr who was suspended for a year and the BBC made no secrets they were less than happy with it. So it was decided the next series of the show should focus around the Doctor put on trial, a way of reflecting the trial the show itself was on. Unfortunately this 14-part adventure gives no reason as to why the Doctor should be allowed to go on with his travels.

The common gripe among fans is that the show needed more money. That is a valid argument during the later years of the 1980s when the creative head was back in place. But in the three series prior to the suspension of 1985 the production team blew half the budget taking the show abroad for no better reason than so they could have a free holiday at the expense of the licence-payer. Not only that, but it was clear that all too often the people behind the scenes thought the show should be trying to imitate big US movies. I'm sorry, but pre-CGI there was no way any BBC budget was going to make a Dr Who series of Universal proportions. The "Trial" series only seems to repeat past mistakes. A lot of money was spent on an admittedly great opening spaceship scene. But the ship is only seen for less than a minute in total. The all-important trial room looks like a half-finished set from a school play. Serious money was also spent on making one of the best-looking robots in the show's history, but it does little more than stand in a control room shouting. There's no reason to shell out more cash when nobody in the production team seems capable of using it wisely.

For what it's worth, the first four episodes entertain. They're written by Robert Holmes, arguably the show's finest writer, and though they're not his greatest work they're filled with his usual characters and witty lines. The second 'story' sees the return of Sil, the sea-slug yuppie, and this segment of the trial has some great moments. That's despite Eric Saward removing the original humour and replacing it with repeated jokes about Brian Blessed shouting, not to mention the insert of a sub-plot involving some feeble rebels. Then, after what is possibly the greatest departure scene in the show's history, we have the greatest cop-out in the show's history. Yes, folks, it seems Peri is not dead but is instead the consort of a misogynist warrior who spent his time bellowing at her. What pours acid into the wound is that the Doctor never bothers returning for her. The third 'story' concerns killer plant-people, the introduction of Mel (who is, despite her later improvements in McCoy's time, as awful in this tale as critics feared she might be) and a storyline which seems to think it's dealing with rather slow-witted children. Although it does admittedly have some great cliff-hangers. The final 'pay-off' story is a two-parter, the first episode of which is Robert Holmes' last and what seems to be a powerful build-up to something amazing. Then in the all-important finale episode we are treated to....a mess, frankly. Sub-plots become entangled, the Valeyard (for the most part superbly played by Michael Jayston) turns into a cackling villain and the finale sees Gallifrey descending into anarchy (off-screen) whilst the Doctor toddles off with a companion he's never met twittering on about carrot juice.

Given that the production team had an extra year to prepare the series (and the trial theme was thought up very soon after the suspension was announced) it's therefore dismaying that it seems "Trial" feels as though they were making it up as they went along. A 14-part complicated thriller needs to be planned in advance. Of course the team weren't to know Robert Holmes would die before he could finish his contribution. But only he and Eric Saward (who left after a disagreement) knew how "Trial" was supposed to end. Even Colin Baker, the leading man, was unable to find out from the writers or production team important information.

The evidence for the prosecution: In the first eight episodes the Doctor saves the universe but fails to save Peri due to the Time Lords abducting him. Strangely he never points any of this out. The trial scenes (which soon become irritating) are filled with bickering and boring continuity point. The defence: The Doctor shows a story from his own (possible) future in which he commits genocide. Not only that, but the fact that the Valeyard, apparently the Doctor from the future, tries to blow the court-room up should surely convince the Time Lords the Doctor isn't going to improve. Quite the reverse. It seems the trial was reflecting the wrong-headedness of the scripts.

In short, "Trial" entertains. But it's a mess.

The Trial of a Time Lord: Part One

[Prismark10 · 3/10 · 5 February 2019]

Sometime in the mid 1990s I picked up a VHS boxset of The Trial of a Time Lord going cheap at Woolworths (for younger readers, a once popular chain store.) It has remained somewhere in its original packaging. Unopened and unloved.

I still have a television set up in one room with a video recorder just in case I fancy watching some old videos.

I watched The Trial of a Time Lord on its original broadcast and never bothered since then.

So I decided to unwrap the video and put it on. Part one starts off promisingly with a model shot of a spaceship and a CGI Tardis. That really is the best bit of the entire series.

The Time Lords have put the Doctor on trial again for interfering. The prosecution is led by the Valeyard (Michael Jayston) who wants the Doctor to be dead for good. The Inquisitor (Lynda Bellingham) in the trial tries to be fair to the Doctor.

The courtroom view events in the sixth Doctor's timestream taken from the Matrix databank and put on a video screen.

It starts off with the Doctor and Peri landing in planet Ravolox. It supposed to be very similar to Earth. In fact it is Earth. A sign for Marble Arch tube station is the giveaway. A mystery that the Doctor wants to look into.

Also in this planet are two mercenaries, Glitz and Dibber. They are later captured by a pre industrial human tribe led by Katryca (Joan Sims.)

This is feeble stuff. Before Doctor Who was put in hiatus, John Nathan Turner had grandiose plans for season 23. This included overseas filming in Malaysia.

What we get is something that looks cheap, the costumes are in part atrocious and no one told to dress the Doctor less garishly.

The constant bickering in court soon gets tiresome. The story never flows because each time you try to engage with the main story, it switches back to the courtroom scenes.

This is just the first episode. Roland Rat: The Series that preceded this, was more entertaining.