The Ultimate Foe

General Information

Also Known As: Trial of a Time Lord, episodes 13-14; Time Incorporated
Story code: 7C Episodes: 2 ISBN: 0-426-20329-1	Writers: Robert Holmes/Pip and Jane Baker Director: Chris Clough First screened: 29/11/1986 to 06/12/1986

Scream tally: 1

Comments

Episode one was written by Bob Holmes and was presumably rewritten by Pip and Jane. Mel chastises the Time Lords for their apathy while the Doctor and Glitz battle the Valeyard in the Matrix. She tries to take direct action but is tripped by the Keeper of the Matrix and presumably restrained from leaving the courtroom.

When she finally does enter the Matrix, it's to rescue the Doctor from the fake trial. Unfortunately the Doctor is already aware that the trial was fake. Mel also doesn't seem to notice the incongruity of the Doctor being lead to his execution through the Matrix, though this may simply be that the Matrix appears differently to different people. (Either she knows this, or perhaps the Valeyard has altered her perceptions to make it look like parts of the trial ship)

Once there, she serves as a sounding board for the Doctor, though she does get to restrain Popplewick while the Doctor ties him up and unmasks him. She also discovers the Megabyte Modem... erm... the particle disseminator. The Doctor sends her to warn the courtroom of the impending disaster. Well, at least everyone got to take cover...

Pictures

These are images taken from the BBC video release, all roughly 390x300. Unfortunately the video seems slightly blurry, and there aren't that many really good shots of Mel anyway.

Bonus picture: factmel.jpg (70k) - Publicity shot outside the fantasy factory (scanned from DWM)

Sounds

Some great lines in this one... Well, I think so anyway.

• voice.wav (66k) - "What's more, there's nothing wrong with my voice."
• boring.wav (99k) - "I'm as truthful, honest, and about as boring as they come."
• modem.wav (54k) - "A megabyte modem!"
• broad.wav (86k) - "I wouldn't broadcast that if I were you."
• carrot.wav (149k) - Guest starring Colin Baker.

  "Right, a bracing glass of carrot juice"
  "Carrot Juice?!"
  "And then we'll get you back on the exerciser."

Sources

Doctor Who Programme Guide, ©1994 Jean-Marc Lofficier; Doctor Who: Time and the Rani ©1987 Pip and Jane Baker; The BBC video