Doctor Who (1963) 15.06.X

Out of Time (2008)

17 minutes

This feature takes a look back at the making of The Invasion of Time.

People interviewed for this feature include

• Anthony Read, script editor
• Louise Jameson, Leela
• John Leeson, voice of K9
• Colin Mapson, visual effects designer
• Chris Tranchell, Andred
• Milton Johns, Kelner

Doctor Who (1963) 15.06.06

The Invasion of Time - Part Six

The Doctor and the others retreat deep into the TARDIS. The Sontarans break into the TARDIS with Kelner and go after the Doctor, Leela, K-9, Rodan, Andred, and Borusa but the Doctor is the one they really want. He has the Great Key.

The groups cover a lot of ground and walk through many sections of the TARDIS. Many of them look identical to one another.

The Doctor hypnotizes Rodan. He orders her to build something for him and to keep an eye on K-9. He returns later and retrieves the thing she built, a D-Mat gun. It is powered by the Great Key. He uses it to kill both of the Sontarans that are chasing him.

The Doctor finds his friends. He doesn't remember anything about the Sontarans, the Vardans, or becoming president of the High Council of Gallifrey.

Doctor Who (1963) 15.06.05

The Invasion of Time - Part Five

The Sontarans, led by Commander Stor, take over. Cardinal Borusa creates a distraction which allows that Doctor and the others to escape. They head to the President's office where they find Borusa. Stor sends his troops after them. Leela kills one of them after the Doctor tells her how it can be done.

Kelner stays behind and does his best to assist the Sontarans. He leads them straight to the President's office. The Doctor and his friends are already in there by that point and have locked the door. They eventually leave by a secret back door and head for the TARDIS. Leela takes most of the others with her.

The Doctor and Bousa stay behind, in Borusa's office. The Doctor needs the Great Key and insists that Borusa hand it over. Once the Doctor has thte key they head for the TARDIS.

Doctor Who (1963) 15.06.04

The Invasion of Time - Part Four

Andred attempts to shoot the Doctor with his blaster but it doesn't work inside the TARDIS. The doctor has K-9 poke around in the Matrix. K-9 finds a way to create a hole in the force field protecting Gallifrey. He hopes that this will convince the Vardans to reveal themselves.

Kelner send some of his guards to deal with Andred's compatriots. The guards, sent by Kelner, kill Andred's allies who are standing outside the TARDIS. The Doctor exits the TARDIS and sends the guards that Kelner sent off on a wild goose chase.

The Doctor then goes to see the Vardans. He explains to them that he has found a way to create a hole in the force field surrounding Gallifrey. The Vardans are pleased. One of them goes with the Doctor as he deals with the force field. The Vardans materialize once the force field has dropped. 

Doctor Who (1963) 15.06.03

The Invasion of Time - Part Three

The Doctor explains to the Time Lords that the Vardans, the creatures who just materialized, are in charge now. The Doctor and Borusa meet in the Doctor's newly redecorated office. It is lined in lead which provides the barrier he needs to finally tell Borusa what's going on.

Leela and Rodan make their way out of the Citadel and into the wilderness that surrounds the city. They run into Andred as they are leaving the Citadel. They meet other people, savages, in the wilderness led by a man named Nesbin.

The Doctor speaks to Castellan Kelner and has him make a list of any Time Lords who might cause trouble. The Doctor then asks Kelner to have them rounded up and expelled from the Citadel. The Vardans express some doubt when it comes to the Doctor's plans but he explains that the expelled Time Lords won't stand a chance in the wilderness.

Doctor Who (1963) 15.06.02

The Invasion of Time - Part Two

Leela tries to interfere with whatever is harming the Doctor. Chancellor Borusa tries to claim that the Matrix has rejected the Doctor but his argument is rejected. The Doctor is taken to one of Borusa's offices. He wakes up and orders the guards to expel Leela from the Citadel.

Leela runs off. The guards run after her but are unable to catch her. The Doctor is left alone in the office but Andred leaves a couple guards outside the door. The Doctor finds a secret door that leads out in another direction and returns to the TARDIS. Leela sees him and follows him, from a distance.

Castellan Kellner, watching on CCTV, sees the Doctor and Leela in the corridors of the Citadel and orders Andred to capture Leela and bring the Doctor back. Leela continues to evade capture and meets Rodan, a woman who is in charge of an outer space traffic control system. Rodan tells Leela that they have nothing to fear as long as the transduction barrier remains intact.

Doctor Who (1963) 15.06.01

The Invasion of Time - Part One

The Doctor lands the TARDIS on a Vardan spaceship. He leaves Leela and K-9 in the TARDIS and meets with the Vardans. He makes a deal with them and then returns to the TARDIS. Leela tries to figure out what the Doctor is up to while he is gone but he locked the controls to the TARDIS.

The Doctor takes the TARDIS and his companions to Gallifrey. A troop of guards are waiting for him when he arrives. The Doctor insists on talking to Chancellor Borusa. The Doctor insists that he is the rightful leader of the High Council of Gallifrey. He asks that he be formally recognized as such.

Chancellor Borusa objects but the Doctor points out that while he may only be the President-elect, Borusa is similarly only the Chancellor-elect. Castellan Kelner is considerably more amenable to the Doctor's requests. The ceremony is arranged. The Doctor is invested as President of the High Council. The episode ends with the Doctor falling down in pain at the end of the ceremony as the crown is placed on his head.