Brief Summary
This video summarizes Season 16 of Doctor Who, which aired from September 1978 to February 1979. The season is unique as it presents one long story arc where the Doctor, K9, and Time Lord Romana search for the six segments of the Key to Time. The video reviews each of the six stories that make up the season, highlighting their plots, strengths, and weaknesses.
- Season 16 of Doctor Who features a continuous story arc focused on finding the Key to Time.
- Each story within the season has unique elements, ranging from medieval sci-fi farces to over-the-top adventures.
- The season includes contributions from notable writers like Douglas Adams.
Introduction to Season 16
Season 16 of Doctor Who, broadcasted from September 2, 1978, to February 24, 1979, stands out for its serialized format. The Doctor, accompanied by K9 and the Time Lord Romana, embarks on a quest to locate the scattered pieces of the Key to Time, a powerful artifact essential for maintaining temporal equilibrium. Their mission is assigned by the White Guardian, a transcendental being far surpassing the Time Lords in power. The season consists of six interconnected stories, each dedicated to finding a fragment of the Key, culminating in its reconstruction in the final episode.
The Ribos Operation
"The Ribos Operation" marks the beginning of the Key to Time quest, where the first fragment is concealed as a piece of Jethrik on the planet Ribos. Ribos is characterized by a medieval level of technology. The narrative unfolds as a blend of medieval and sci-fi elements, featuring a character from Earth attempting to sell the planet to an alien tyrant for its valuable Jethrik mineral. The story involves deceit and betrayal among various characters.
The Pirate Planet
"The Pirate Planet," penned by Douglas Adams, is a standout story known for its over-the-top nature. The TARDIS arrives on the planet Zanak, a planet that has been hollowed out and converted into a spaceship. Zanak materializes around other planets, extracts their resources, and leaves behind compressed husks in a trophy room. The inhabitants of Zanak are searching for immortality.
The Stones of Blood
"The Stones of Blood" is a four-part story featuring evil alien rocks that feed on blood, a cult of Druids who worship these rocks, a 4,000-year-old alien criminal hiding on Earth, and robots. The story begins as a horror story but evolves into something different. It also features one of the earliest intergalactic gateways.
The Androids of Tara
"The Androids of Tara" is based on "The Prisoner of Zenda" in space. The TARDIS lands on a planet where Romana is mistaken for Princess Strella, an android double. The Doctor repairs a robot double to attend a coronation.
The Power of Kroll
"The Power of Kroll" is set on the third moon of Delta Magna, where the indigenous people worship a god called Kroll, who is actually a giant octopus. A mining company has awakened Kroll. The fifth piece of the Key to Time is located inside Kroll. The story is noted for its budget limitations, which affected the special effects and creature design.
The Armageddon Factor
In "The Armageddon Factor," the final piece of the Key to Time is found amidst a war between the planets Zaius and Atreus. Princess Astra of Atreus is trying to arrange peace, but Zaius is controlled by a computer called Mentalis, working for a shadowy figure called the Shadow, who is working for the Black Guardian. The Doctor meets Drax, a renegade Time Lord, and discovers that Princess Astra is the final piece of the Key to Time. The White Guardian arrives to claim the completed Key, but the Doctor realizes something important, leading to a twist ending.
