The Ultimate Foe is the generally accepted title for a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in two weekly parts from November 29 to December 6, 1986. It is part of the larger narrative known as The Trial of a Time Lord, comprising the whole of the 23rd season. This segment is also cited in some reference works under its working title of Time Incorporated (or Time Inc.). Colin Baker (born June 8, 1943) is a British actor who is best known for playing the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... This entry is about the television scriptwriter. ... John Nathan-Turner. ... This is a list of Doctor Who television serials. ... November 29 is the 333rd (in leap years the 334th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Trial of a Time Lord is the name used on screen for all fourteen episodes comprising the 23rd season (1986) of the original Doctor Who series. ... Terror of the Vervoids is the title commonly used for a 4 episode Doctor Who story. ... Time and the Rani is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from September 7 to September 28, 1987. ... This is a list of Doctor Who television serials. ... A broadcast of the long-running and popular British science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... Main article: History of Doctor Who Doctor Who first appeared on BBC television on November 23, 1963. ... November 29 is the 333rd (in leap years the 334th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Trial of a Time Lord is the name used on screen for all fourteen episodes comprising the 23rd season (1986) of the original Doctor Who series. ...

Synopsis

With the arrival of the Master events at the Trial break down into chaos. The Master reveals the true identity of the Valeyard to the Time Lords. The Valeyard escapes into the Matrix and creates a deadly fictional world. The Doctor pursues him into this world and they battle it out for the fate of the Doctor's remaining regenerations. The Master is a supporting fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... The Valeyard as portrayed by Michael Jayston The Valeyard is a fictional character from the long-running British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. ... Tom Baker as the Doctor, in the Time Lord ceremonial robes of the Prydonian chapter (from The Deadly Assassin). ...

Notes

1. The working title of this story was Time Incorporated. However, this title did not appear on the final scripts or screen (although the BBC has often referred to the story as Time Inc.).
2. The story was later novelised as The Ultimate Foe. This generated some confusion as The Ultimate Foe was in fact a working title for the 9th to 12th parts of the season, now generally called Terror of the Vervoids. See: Doctor Who story title controversy
3. This was the last story to feature Colin Baker as the current Doctor. Baker was fired by the BBC and John Nathan Turner was ordered to recast the lead part for the following season. Baker was offered the chance to appear as the Doctor in all four episodes of the first story of Season 24, but he declined the invitation to return for the traditional regeneration sequence in Time and the Rani.
4. Although this is his last story on screen, the last story that he actually recorded was Terror of the Vervoids, and so it is actually there that he gave his last TV performances as the Doctor.
5. As a result of Colin Baker's firing, the Sixth Doctor's last lines were "Carrot Juice, Carrot Juice, Carrot Juice!"
6. Robert Holmes was originally commissioned to write the two episodes. Unfortunately, he died from a chronic liver ailment after completing a draft of the first and left nothing beyond a plot outline of the second. The series Script Editor Eric Saward resigned around this time due to disagreements with the producer, John Nathan-Turner but agreed to write the final episode based on Holmes' outline, and also rewrite Holmes' draft to tie the two together. The original ending to this segment (and, indeed, the whole Trial story) would have seen the Doctor and the Valeyard in an inconclusive cliffhanger, both (seemingly) falling to their deaths as an extra "hook". However, John Nathan-Turner felt this was too downbeat and believed that it was important that the season did not end on an inconclusive note since it was important after the hiatus to prove the series was back in business. Saward refused to change the ending and withdrew permission to use his script very late in the day, by which point the production team had been assembled and the segment was entering rehearsals. John Nathan-Turner commissioned Pip and Jane Baker to write a replacement final episode. For copyright reasons they could not be told anything of the content of Saward's script (and there were lawyers observing all commissioning meetings). The only similariy between the two is the announcement that the High Council of the Time Lords have resigned; however this was a very natural development of the earlier scripts. The new script ended on an optimistic point with the Doctor departing for new adventures.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was formed in 1927 by means of a royal charter. ... Terror of the Vervoids is the title commonly used for a 4 episode Doctor Who story. ... The Doctor Who story title controversy is a major debate amongst fans of the BBC television series Doctor Who as to what certain stories should be called. ... Main article: History of Doctor Who Doctor Who first appeared on BBC television on November 23, 1963. ... Time and the Rani is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from September 7 to September 28, 1987. ... Terror of the Vervoids is the title commonly used for a 4 episode Doctor Who story. ... The Sixth Doctor is the name given to the Sixth incarnation of the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... Eric Saward was born in December 1944 and became a script writer and script editor for the BBC, resigning from the latter post on the TV programme Doctor Who in 1986. ... A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in which a movie or novel contains an abrupt ending, often leaving the main characters in a precarious or difficult situation (for instance, hanging from the edge of a cliff). ...

External links

• Cast and Crew list, on the BBC website

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References

Howe D J, Stammers M, Walker S J, Doctor Who The Handbook Sixth Doctor. (1993) Dr Who Books (Virgin Publishing Ltd)