Mindwarp

The Trial of a Time-Lord Parts 5 to 8

Season 23, Story 2/4, Serial 7B: 4 x 25 min episodes, 4th to 25th October 1986, Writer: Phillip Martin, Director: Ron Jones, Script Editor: Eric Saward, Producer: John Nathan-Turner.

Previously on Doctor Who...

Re-use of that model shot, get your money's worth, lads! 

Mark Walker @Mark_Walker · they did blow half the budget of the series for it! It is good though, still stands up today. 

Absolutely! Love it.

Doctor Who Comics @doctorwhocomics · Still probably never been bettered today even with CGI! 

We open with the Valeyard sniping at the Doctor only to face a barrage of insults... 

...and the Inquisitor asserting authority. 

The secrets of Ravalox are given a quick "I'll explain later." 

How come the Valeyard gets another go? 

Shouldn't it be the Doctor's turn now? 

So far, so recap... 

The trial has now gone on longer than any story since The Armageddon Factor in 1979. I know the Two Doctors is equivalent to a 6-parter, but it only lasted 3 weeks. 

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin · Pink sea, blue rocks and a green sky. Awesome realisation of Thoros Beta. 

Mark Walker @Mark_Walker ·  the use of filters etc to make worlds seem more alien was underused - works well here. 

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin · It doesn't look like your stereotypical beach in Brighton or wherever it was filmed. 

GET ON WITH IT! 

Not sure it really helps the under-fire show to be flagging up the padding. 

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin ·  Why does the Valeyard call the Inquisitor "Sagacity?"

He's just being obsequious and unctuous!

So after a mere 5 minutes, the story finally begins: the Doctor and Peri have arrived on Thoros Beta to investigate technologically advanced weapons being traded supplied to the warlords of Thordon. 

"Beams that kill wasn't all he had on his mind; Dirty old war-lord!" 

The Valeyard criticizes the Doctor's justification to Peri as to why he has to get stuck in: "Who else is there?" 

At least Peri likes the view. Look at the rings on that. Phwoar! 

The Doctor spots a cave, and, having learned absolutely naff all on Androzani minor, decides to investigate. 

Something fierce and growly is on guard duty, and the Doctor only manages to beat it off with a blast from the liquefier. 

You never really get a proper look at the Raak. Probably for the best. 

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin ·  Because for once this story is dimly lit! HALLELUJAH!!!!

The Doctor interferes with a tidal control machine, and sets off an alarm... 

...Martha's dad isn't happy about it and accuses the Doctor of murder! 

Has to be said, Trevor Laird's terrible in this. 

In a futuristic lab, a brain surgeon is trying to turn down BRIAN BLESSED's volume.  

Good luck with that. 

"I think he just winked at Peri. No accounting for alien taste." Lovely little asides from Colin in this. 

The Doctor tries to blag Martha's dad that he's a friend of young Crozier's and applies the skidaddle test... 

Lee Mahon @Lee_JM75 ·  As much as I enjoy this story Brian Blessed's performance is awful. This is partly why 80's Who was on a downer.

The Doctor and Pei encounter a chained mutation; a man who's become half-wolf. He asks for help but they're forced to flee. 

The Valeyard's boring everyone with stats now. Typical fan. 

It's not long till the Doctor and Peri discover who's responsible for the Wolfman's plight. Peri's protests fall on deaf ears...

 ...which doesn't go unnoticed by the Valeyard. 

Sil's had quite the makeover. 

I do prefer this 2nd version of his costume. Head section flaps about too much in Varos. Loose collar, like the Sontarans in the 2 Doctors. 

Chris Ryan is so good as Kiv. Obviously Nabil set the standard with Sil, but he totally nails the part. 

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin ·  We had Alexi Sayle in Revelation Of The Daleks, Chris Ryan in this and The Poison Sky. It's a shame we didn't get Rik Mayall

Lee Mahon @Lee_JM75 · Sil is up there with Sharaz Jek as my favourite 80's villain. Really think he'd work well against Capaldi.

Kiv's got a massive hangover, and is relying on Crozier to sort it out. 

Presumably the Lukoser was his attempt at hair of the dog...

The Doctor and Peri find their way to Crozier's lab, so he starts sabotaging the Mindwarping machine... 

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin ·  I love the theme used for Sil and the Mentors it sounds so creepy and grand at the same time. 

Love the way most aliens of the era lust after Peri but Sil finds her "repulsive". 

Lee Mahon @Lee_JM75 ·  Which just proves how unhinged Sil really is.

Sil persuades the Doctor to donate his brain to science... 

Well, I make that 25 minutes. Time for your close-up, Mr. Baker... 

Good start to Mindwarp, fresh legs for the trial, but the incidental music in this one's very repetitive.

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin · There's little point showing the doctor in danger for a cliffhanger we know he survives cos he gets to the trial room later.

Someone's woken BRIAN BLESSED up! BRIAN SMASH! 

Mark Walker @Mark_Walker ·  had to happen at some point! 

In the melee, Peri unstraps the Doctor, and they make their getaway... 

...with BRIAN BLESSED bringing up the rear. So to speak. 

The Doctor's gone a bit squiffy since his brain-scraping. Almost like his Mind has been... *puts shades on* ...Warped? 

BRIAN BLESSED has heaped melons on the brain for some reason. 

Mark Walker @Mark_Walker · that would explain a lot! 

Presumably "Actors playing over the top in politics" is a Reagan reference. 

Back in the Trial room, things have gone south for ol' Sixie - it seems he's suffering from amnesia. The Valeyard tells him that if that's the case he's in for a nasty surprise... 

Can't decide whether Sil's pronunciation of "Crozey-ay" is funny or annoying. Bit of both. 

Mark Walker @Mark_Walker ·  bit like Sil in general really. 

Crozier needs to make sure the Raak's brain surgery didn't go awry before he attempts the same to cure Kiv's hangover. 

Sil is twisting Kiv's melon, man. 

I like that computerised voice in the slave-sorting depot. A bit (old-school) Cylon, but not quite.  

BRIAN BLESSED tries to sneak up on Sil & his guards, but is betrayed... by the Doctor! Peri tries to blast Sil but misses and legs it after BRIAN BLESSED. 

What the-? The Doctor's gone nasty, like wot Superman did in Superman III. Is he going to get pissed, flick peanuts & imply that he shags Pamela Stephenson off screen? 

The Doctor takes issue with the evidence but decides he must have been putting on an act. He hopes. 

This is the point where the whole thing's going off the rails, all this amnesia/matrix lying stuff.  

Mark Walker @Mark_Walker ·  it's a good idea, just not realised very well.

I lay most of these problems at Saward's door, I'm afraid. He should have had the clear vision of what was real and not to then instruct the directors to instruct the actors.

On the Matrix screen, it seems that the Doctor's "clever ploy" involves assisting Crozier with his examination of the ex-Raak. 

BRIAN BLESSED is reunited with the Wolfman; he swears by the great dual sword of Krontep he'll be revenged. Smashing. 

Peri evades the guards by ducking into the staff quarters and is quickly recruited as a waitress. 

This from the supposedly "lefty" BBC, showing her just walking into a job like that... 

BRIAN BLESSED swears to kill the Doctor. He's heard if you shoot the current Doctor you get his job. Worked for Col. 

The "Turncoat Doctor" clocks her straight away, though, and squeals. 

The beach looks like a massive sunbed - ultraviolet light everywhere. Can't be healthy. 

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin ·  Reminds me of the visual style of Joel Schumacher's Batman movies.

Yes, the neon/dayglo colourschemes... 

BRIAN BLESSED ambushes the Doctor! 

"Now, Doctor, it is your turn to die!" 

Despite his turn to the selfish side, Peri still can't bear for harm to come to the Doctor so she intervenes, allowing him to scarper. 

Despite some initial protests, the Doctor wants the Trial to continue; yeah, best crack on or it'll never end. 

Funny how Kiv's 2nd (orange) body has his face and voice, isn't it? 

Kiv's made up his temporary body will have a sting in the tail to keep Sil in line. 

Love Crozier's "concentrating on brain surgery" face. 

BRIAN BLESSED speaks softly and quietly. Won't last. 

"I DOOOOOOoooooooooooo!!!" Ah, that's better. 

BRIAN BLESSED feeds his dog some war fish, then he acts surprised when the two have a row. 

"Why is this taking so long!" Sil speaks for a nation. 

BRIAN BLESSED, Peri & the Wolfman are captured by the dullest, most useless, poorly acted rebels in anything ever. 

Crozier's sip of tea mid-sentence when Kiv's going into cardiac arrest is ultra-cool, best bit of the story. 

The whole of The Trial Of A Time Lord was just 1 giant pesky interruption to Crozier's tea-drinking, really. 

James Cooray Smith @thejimsmith · That tea thing is one of the greatest moments in all Doctor Who. 

BRIAN BLESSED is cock-a-hoop to learn the rebels have a weapons stash in easy walking distance. 

The Doctor helps Sil make a killing on the stock exchange with some knowledge of future political events. 

When the Doctor pulls that face after eating the Marsh Minnow and there's a pointed musical sting, I used to think that's when his brain resets to "good" mode! 

I guess by the end of the Trial we're supposed to think some of the Doctor's scenes in this story were faked by the Valeyard - some of it did happen, but with him actually saying and doing different things, and some of it maybe didn't even happen at all. Confused yet? 

IIRC, "Marsh Minnows" are sections of peach in green food colouring.

Lee Mahon @Lee_JM75 · Reminds me of 80's school dinners.

Mark Walker @Mark_Walker · I dunno, marsh minnows look more appetising!

Arriving at the rebel weapons stash, BRIAN BLESSED & co. find the rebel lookout aged to death & the weapons gone... 

Kiv weeps when the first thing his new eyes see is Sil bearing down on him. He's still got a hangover, too. 

Ambush! 

"All that has taken place, you are indirectly responsible for." I'm still blaming Saward, personally. 

They wouldn't do a crazy fakeout cliffhanger making you think Peri was really dead, surely...? 

It's another Colin Close-Up!  

They can't have really killed Peri, can they? And BRIAN BLESSED? 

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin · The cliffhanger to part 7 is one of the best. Because we as the audience don't know Peri's fate yet.

Oh, it was another fakeout. They're just having a lie down. 

Peri's channelling Tom Baker: "My legs, my arms..." 

Kiv has residual memories from the host body's experiences. That can't be right... 

Tuza is taken away for pacification while BRIAN BLESSED is left in a cell. Come again? 

BRIAN BLESSED pulls his best reverse-Kirk: "What is that? Love?" 

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin · The scene where Peri talks about being homesick is brilliant and performed fantastically by the actors. 

Gareth Kavanagh @Garethothevworp ·  Lovely scene that, extra point for the lovely Richard Hartley score. 

The Doctor is gutted to learn he's not a suitable host for Kiv. GUTTED. 

James Cooray Smith @thejimsmith ·  "Unlike Sil I would have willingly given up my body!" One of Colin's best ever line readings in the part. 

Crozier says if he can find an alternative host in time, Peri's off the hook. 

As some or all of this is a Matrix lie, maybe the Doctor *did* find a different host...

Peri and BRIAN BLESSED do seem to be getting on quite well, now, don't they... 

The old Mentor that just wants peace & quiet is a lovely little part.  

Colin's expression at Frax being stupid enough to hand the gun over is priceless. 

The Doctor frees BRIAN BLESSED, only to be called a Screeterder and a Gronwitcher. Manners! 

The Posikar delegate's like a tiny raspberry Terileptil, with its' recycled costume and all.

 

James Cooray Smith @thejimsmith ·And it's Deep Roy inside it, apparently! #ItsASin 

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin ·  A "raspberry Terileptil" Sounds tasty!

BRIAN BLESSED has come to free the Alphan slaves. 

Don't fancy the old Mentor's chances of any peace and quiet now Bri's on the scene. 

"Come now wizened one... BE SILENT!"

"Just go!"  

Dorf is shot down like a dog. 

Actual nice little bit of acting from BRIAN BLESSED. "No, he died fighting..." 

Now BRIAN BLESSED claims to be the even greater Liberator. Jury's out on that one. 

Hilarious "spinning around confused" acting from the rebel extras there. 

Really creepy when the Doctor's taken out of time. 

Almost like the bit near the end of the War Games actually. 

Helped enormously by the incidental music there, I feel. 

Deep-voiced baldy Peri-Kiv is really quite disturbing. 

Great performance from Nicola Bryant here, but Kiv seems a hell of a lot more "evil" all of a sudden. 

Shades of Star Trek the Motion Picture in the appearance, obviously, but the voice makes it.

James Cooray Smith @thejimsmith ·  I was eight. I thought it was disturbing & cool.

John Mark Frankland @JMFrankland · WHY WAS THE DOCTOR NOT SAVING HER? WHERE'S HE GOING? WHY DID HE SIDE WITH BADDIES?? If you're 6, you're going to be traumatised and in tears. LOTS OF TEARS. It wasn't until I was 8 that I was able to watch it without being scared.

BRIAN BLESSED does not want!  

Yrcanos doesn't like what he hears, and - timed to perfection by the Time-Lords - is an unwitting assassin. 

Lee Mahon @Lee_JM75 · Nice to see the TimeLords power on display. Most of the time they're just windbags in silly costumes.

Wow. Peri's really dead? After a good few episodes of pointless faffing about in tunnels to pad out Trial scenes, that is a real shock ending. 

Mark Walker @Mark_Walker ·  I have mixed feelings on that. This is obviously more dramatic and disturbing, but didn't like the idea of lovely Peri ending up that way, lol!

Lee Mahon @Lee_JM75 ·  I get what you're saying but I cared about Peri which made that ending so shocking. Unlike Adrics death...

John Mark Frankland @JMFrankland · Though I've got over it now I still think it's a silly end for Peri. Nearly as silly as her MARRYING Yrcanos.

I think it adds to that feeling of injustice - because the Time-Lords chose for her to die (although according to Crozier she no longer exists at this point anyway).

Mark Walker @Mark_Walker ·  Crozier killed her then the Timelords disposed of the body? I just don't know. Bit of a mess!

Lee Mahon @Lee_JM75 · Bit of a mess? Sums up Trial of a TimeLord rather well!

Mark Walker @Mark_Walker · which is a shame as it had great potential.

Lee Mahon @Lee_JM75 · You're not wrong there. 

The Doctor is momentarily rocked to the core by the news of Peri's death, but quickly full of righteous fury... 

Lee Mahon @Lee_JM75 · Its an entertaining story, sometimes for the wrong reasons, but not the best example of old Sixie.

Jason McLaughlin @jangomac72 · A brilliant ending gives Nicola Bryant a wonderful acting opportunity, such a shame they retconned it at end of series.

Best In Show?

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin · Didn't you once say how you didn't like 'Mindwarp?'

I don't dislike it but at least half of it is very tedious padding in tunnels that doesn't even serve to add any worldbuilding, so it's my least favourite section of the trial. I know a lot of people say it's the best story in the season, so I personally feel it to be terribly overrated. 

Isaac Dakin @IWhittakerDakin · I think this is the best of the trial season what's your favorite then?

The Ultimate Foe, by default probably in that it has all the big blockbuster reveals; Episodes 1 & 13 (the first half of 13 at least) are the most intriguing and exciting of the season.  

I think the Mysterious Planet plays out as reasonable average Doctor Who, Mindwarp is a confused dog's dinner, Terror of the Vervoids at least has an Agatha Christie vibe with a little bit of base under siege and decent monsters, then the Ultimate Foe has to tie up the whole Trial and deal with the villain, which it does about as well as it can considering the production circumstances, and at least Baker, Jayston and (for once) Ainley are all top drawer in it. 

TTFN! K.

Coming Soon... The Girl in the Fireplace