The Time Warrior was the first story in the eleventh season of Doctor Who. It marked the first appearance of the Sontarans, along with Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith, the Third Doctor's new companion. The story also finally revealed the name of the Doctor's home planet as Gallifrey.

It was script editor Terrance Dicks' choice for the setting of a medieval castle. This was deemed a difficult setting to write for. Robert Holmes reversed the roles in giving Dicks the setting of a lighthouse for DW: Horror of Fang Rock in 1977. (DOC: Beginning the End)

Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Plot 2.1 Episode one 2.2 Episode two 2.3 Episode three 2.4 Episode four 3 Cast 4 Production Crew 5 References 5.1 Businesses 5.2 The Doctor 5.3 Foods and beverages 5.4 Individuals 5.5 Planets 5.6 Species 5.7 Sontarans 5.8 Science 5.9 Technology 5.10 Weapons 6 Story notes 6.1 Ratings 6.2 Myths 6.3 Filming locations 6.4 Production errors 7 Continuity 8 Timeline 8.1 For the the Third Doctor 8.2 For Sarah Jane 9 Home video and audio releases 9.1 DVD releases 9.2 VHS releases 10 External links

Synopsis Edit

The Doctor is called in by UNIT to investigate when scientists go missing from a top security institute. He follows the kidnappings back in time to the Middle Ages, unaware investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith has stowed away on the TARDIS. As events unfold, the Doctor discovers a sinister alien intent on altering the future of mankind.

Plot Edit

Episode one Edit

In the Middle Ages, the bandit Irongron and his aide Bloodaxe together with their rabble of criminals find the crashed spaceship of a Sontaran warrior named Linx. The alien claims Earth for his Empire then sets about repairing his ship, offering Irongron "magic weapons" that will make him a king in return for shelter. They strike a bargain, though Irongron remains suspicious.

The Third Doctor and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart are investigating the disappearance of several scientists from a top secret scientific research complex. They do not know Linx has used an osmic projector to send himself forward seven hundred years and has kidnapped the scientists then hypnotised them into making repairs on his ship. The projector only lets him appear in another time for a brief period. While the Doctor investigates he meets an eccentric scientist called Rubeish and a young journalist called Sarah Jane Smith, who has infiltrated the complex by masquerading as her aunt. Later that evening Rubeish disappears and the Doctor uses the data he has gathered to pilot the TARDIS back to the Middle Ages, not realising new companion Sarah has stowed away on board.

Irongron is a robber baron who has stolen his castle from an absent nobleman, and relations with his neighbours are appalling. Indeed, the mild Lord Edward of Wessex has been provoked into building an alliance against him and, when this is slow in developing, sends his archer Hal on an unsuccessful mission to kill Irongron. When Sarah follows the Doctor to Irongron's castle, she is seized by one of his guards, while the Doctor witnesses Linx removing his helmet.

Episode two Edit

Irongron is in a foul mood when a captured Sarah is brought before him. His mood improves when Linx presents him with a robot knight which is then put to the test on a captured Hal. The archer is only saved when the Doctor intervenes from afar, shooting the robot control box from Irongron's hands. The ensuing confusion lets both Hal and Sarah flee, and they head for Wessex Castle. There, Sarah concocts a plan to kidnap the Doctor, who she thinks is working for Irongron rather than against him.

Meanwhile the Doctor has realised that Sarah is in the time period and has been captured. He finds Linx's lab, where the kidnapped scientists have been hypnotised except for Rubeish. He is caught by Linx, who restrains him using a head device, but Rubeish frees him when Linx leaves. The Doctor then leaves to search for Sarah, but is chased by Irongron and his men. When the Doctor stumbles, Irongron raises his axe...

Episode three Edit

Hal shoots the axe out of Irongron's hand, allowing the Doctor to escape. The Doctor is able to convince Sarah and Edward that he was trying to stop Linx, and agrees to help construct a defence against an attack on Wessex Castle by Irongron's men.

The next morning, the robber baron and his troops assault the castle using rifles supplied by Linx, scarcely fooled by dummies the Doctor has made to make it appear as though the castle has more soldiers than they do. As they march forward, the Doctor unleashes smoke bombs, which scare them away. The failure further sours the relationship between Linx and Irongron, which has deteriorated since the robot knight fiasco and the point at which the robber saw the Sontaran's true visage beneath his helmet.

The Doctor now decides to lead an attack on Irongron's castle, and he and Sarah enter dressed as friars. He offers to help Linx if he sends the scientists back home, but Linx refuses and zaps the Doctor.

Episode four Edit

The Doctor isn't harmed, and Linx is rendered immobile when a lucky strike from Rubeish hits his probic vent – a Sontaran refuelling point on the back of their necks which is also their main weakness. Rubeish and the Doctor use the osmic projector to send the scientists back to the twentieth century. Sarah now inveigles herself into Irongron's kitchen, using the opportunity to drug the food, thereby knocking out Irongron's men.

A recovered Linx now determines his ship is repaired enough to effect a departure. Once more he encounters the Doctor, and they wrestle in combat. A crazed and half drugged Irongron arrives and accuses Linx of betraying him; the Sontaran responds by killing him. As Linx enters his spherical vessel Hal arrives and shoots him in the probic vent, and the Sontaran warrior falls dead over his controls, triggering the launch mechanism. Knowing the place is about to explode when the shuttle takes off, the Doctor hurries the last of his allies out of the castle. It explodes moments before the Doctor and Sarah depart in the TARDIS.

Cast Edit

• The Doctor - Jon Pertwee
• Sarah Jane Smith - Elisabeth Sladen
• Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - Nicholas Courtney
• Linx - Kevin Lindsay
• Irongron - David Daker^[1]
• Bloodaxe - John J. Carney^[1]
• Lord Edward of Wessex - Alan Rowe
• Hal - Jeremy Bulloch
• Professor Rubeish - Donald Pelmear
• Eleanor - June Brown
• Eric - Gordon Pitt
• Meg - Sheila Fay
• Sentry - Steve Brunswick

Production Crew Edit

• Writer - Robert Holmes
• Assistant Floor Manager - Rosemary Webb
• Costumes - James Acheson
• Designer - Keith Cheetham
• Fight Arranger - Marc Boyle, Terry Walsh
• Film Cameraman - Max Samett
• Film Editor - William Symon
• Incidental Music - Dudley Simpson
• Make-Up - Sandra Exelby
• Production Assistant - Marcia Wheeler
• Script Editor - Terrance Dicks
• Special Sounds - Dick Mills
• Studio Lighting - Mike Jefferies
• Studio Sound - Tony Millier
• Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire
• Title Music - Ron Grainer
• Visual Effects Designer - Jim Ward
• Producer - Barry Letts
• Director - Alan Bromly

References Edit

Businesses Edit

• The Brigadier mentions the Ritz.

The Doctor Edit

• The Doctor uses his Venusian aikido on Irongron and Bloodaxe when he escapes Linx's lab.

Foods and beverages Edit

• Irongron has only sour wine in his castle.

Individuals Edit

• Lavinia Smith is in America at the moment.

Planets Edit

• The Doctor (for the first time) mentions his home planet by name: Gallifrey.

Species Edit

• The Doctor refers to the Time Lords as "galactic ticket inspectors".

Sontarans Edit

• The Sontarans feed on raw energy via an energy exchanger.

• The Sontarans obtain this energy through their probic vent, which is also their weak spot.

• Linx is a Commander of the Fifth Army Space Fleet of the Sontaran Army Space Corps.

Science Edit

• Rubeish writes in chalk on the Doctor's TARDIS.

Technology Edit

• The Doctor uses his newly-constructed rhondium sensor as both practical scientific apparatus and a kind of alarm clock. Actually, the Doctor's comment on it being an "alarm clock" seems to be his way of sidestepping questions from Sarah Jane; it appears its real purpose is to scan for possible causes of the scientists' disappearances.
• Linx builds a robot knight for Irongron.

Weapons Edit

• Linx builds firearms for Irongron.
• Irongron and his men use swords, spears, axes and crossbows.

Story notes Edit

• Working titles for this story included The Fugitive, The Time Fugitive and The Time Survivor.
• This story features the debut of a new opening and closing title sequence designed by Bernard Lodge and realised using a process known as 'slit scan'. The opening title sequence features for the first time the distinctive diamond-shaped logo for the series.
• Beginning with this story, individual episodes are listed as Part One, Two, etc. This replaced the previous system of calling them Episode One, Two and so forth, established in 1966 with DW: The Savages. The naming structure introduced in this serial would be used through DW: Survival in 1989, with the exception of Destiny of the Daleks.
• Elisabeth Sladen is credited as 'Sarah Jane' in Radio Times for parts one to three.
• Bob Hoskins was offered the role of Irongron but did not accept. However, he recommended David Daker for the role.
• Gallifrey was originally scripted as Galfrey.

Ratings Edit

• Part 1 - 8.7 million viewers
• Part 2 - 7.0 million viewers
• Part 3 - 6.6 million viewers
• Part 4 - 10.6 million viewers

Myths Edit

• There was another actress cast before Elisabeth Sladen. (There was another companion, played by a different actress, originally intended to appear in this story. Sarah was a completely fresh character, and Sladen the first choice to play her, after the production team had second thoughts. This myth was believed by Sladen herself, according to an interview in DWMS Holiday 1992.)
• Potatoes were unknown in England until Sir Francis Drake brought them back from the Americas in the 16th century, but they are referred to in this story. (This is a common misconception - no potatoes featured in this story, but they are referenced in the novelisation of this story).

Filming locations Edit

• Location shooting of Wessex castle and Irongron's castle was done at Peckforton Castle.
• BBC Television Centre (TC1 and TC6), Shepherd's Bush, London

Production errors Edit

• Irongron's gun goes off before he fires it.
• Wessex after the Norman conquest is an anachronism.

Continuity Edit

to be added

Timeline Edit

For the the Third Doctor Edit

• This story takes place after ST: The Juror's Story
• This story takes place before ST: Interesting Times

For Sarah Jane Edit

• This story takes place after SJA: Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? (1964 scenes)
• This story takes place before ST: Interesting Times

Home video and audio releases Edit

DVD releases Edit

This story was released as Doctor Who: The Time Warrior.

Released: Region 2 3 September 2007, Region 4 3 October 2007 and Region 1 April 2008.

Contents:

• Commentary by Elisabeth Sladen, Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks
• Beginning the End - The cast and crew of The Time Warrior look back on the making of this story, in this newly produced documentary. Featuring Elisabeth Sladen, Donald Pelmear, Jeremy Bulloch, Barry Letts, Terrance Dicks and Keith Cheatham.
• CGI effects - Choose to watch the story with some of the original effects replaced by 16 new CGI sequences.
• Continuity compilation - A selection of off-air continuity announcements for the original BBC transmissions of The Time Warrior.
• Doctor Who annual 1974 (DVD-ROM PC/Mac)
• Radio Times billings - Original listings from Radio Times (DVD-ROM PC/Mac)
• Photo gallery
• Production subtitles
• Easter Eggs - Short featurette detailing various "firsts" introduced by this serial, including the first appearance of Sarah Jane, first appearance of a Sontaran, first use of the slit-scan title sequence, and others. To access this hidden feature, select the Doctor Who logo in the upper left corner of the main menu.

Notes:

• Editing for DVD release was completed by the Doctor Who Restoration Team. Unfortunately, during re-mastering, credits for David Daker (Irongron) and John J. Carney (Bloodaxe) were omitted from the closing titles of Part One by mistake.
• The DVD Release was also the first time the serial was available complete and uncut.

Box set release: This story was released in the Bred for War DVD box set on 5 May 2008 along with the other classic series Sontaran stories. The DVD is the same as the one sold separately. It was later released in Australia on 8 July.

VHS releases Edit

This story was released as The Time Warrior in 1989 in the PAL format.

External links Edit

• The Time Warrior at the BBC's official site
• Detailed synopsis of The Time Warrior at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
• The Time Warrior at Shannon Sullivan's A Brief History of Time (Travel)
• The Time Warrior at The Locations Guide

v • e Doctor Who television stories   Seasons 1-4: First Doctor Season 1 1963 1964 An Unearthly Child  • The Daleks  • The Edge of Destruction  • Marco Polo  • The Keys of Marinus  • The Aztecs  • The Sensorites  • The Reign of Terror Season 2 1964 1965 Planet of the Giants  • The Daleks Invasion of Earth  • The Rescue  • The Romans  • The Web Planet  • The Crusade  • The Space Museum  • The Chase  • The Time Meddler Season 3 1965 1966 Galaxy 4  • Mission to the Unknown  • The Myth Makers  • The Daleks' Master Plan  • The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve  • The Ark  • The Celestial Toymaker  • The Gunfighters  • The Savages  • The War Machines Season 4 1966 The Smugglers  • The Tenth Planet   Seasons 4-6: Second Doctor Season 4 1966 1967 The Power of the Daleks  • The Highlanders  • The Underwater Menace  • The Moonbase  • The Macra Terror  • The Faceless Ones  • The Evil of the Daleks Season 5 1967 1968 The Tomb of the Cybermen  • The Abominable Snowmen  • The Ice Warriors  • The Enemy of the World  • The Web of Fear  • Fury from the Deep  • The Wheel in Space Season 6 1968 1969 The Dominators  • The Mind Robbers  • The Invasion  • The Krotons  • The Seeds of Death  • The Space Pirates  • The War Games   Seasons 7-11: Third Doctor Season 7 1970 Spearhead from Space  • Doctor Who and the Silurians  • The Ambassadors of Death  • Inferno Season 8 1971 Terror of the Autons  • The Mind of Evil  • The Claws of Axos  • Colony in Space  • The Dæmons Season 9 1972 Day of the Daleks  • The Curse of Peladon  • The Sea Devils  • The Mutants  • The Time Monster Season 10 1972 1973 The Three Doctors  • Carnival of Monsters  • Frontier in Space  • Planet of the Daleks  • The Green Death Season 11 1973 1974 The Time Warrior  • Invasion of the Dinosaurs  • Death to the Daleks  • The Monster of Peladon  • Planet of the Spiders   Seasons 12-18: Fourth Doctor Season 12 1974 1975 Robot  • The Ark in Space  • The Sontaran Experiment  • Genesis of the Daleks  • Revenge of the Cybermen Season 13 1975 1976 Terror of the Zygons  • Planet of Evil  • Pyramids of Mars  • The Android Invasion  • The Brain of Morbius  • The Seeds of Doom Season 14 1976 1977 The Masque of Mandragora  • The Hand of Fear  • The Deadly Assassin  • The Face of Evil  • The Robots of Death  • The Talons of Weng-Chiang Season 15 1977 1978 Horror of Fang Rock  • The Invisible Enemy  • Image of the Fendahl  • The Sun Makers  • Underworld  • The Invasion of Time Season 16 1978 1979 The Key to Time: The Ribos Operation  • The Pirate Planet  • The Stones of Blood  • The Androids of Tara  • The Power of Kroll  • The Armageddon Factor Season 17 1979 1980 Destiny of the Daleks  • City of Death  • The Creature from the Pit  • Nightmare of Eden  • The Horns of Nimon  •Shada (unbroadcast) Season 18 1980 1981 The Leisure Hive  • Meglos  • Full Circle  • State of Decay  • Warriors' Gate  • The Keeper of Traken  • Logopolis   Seasons 19-21: Fifth Doctor Season 19 1982 Castrovalva  • Four to Doomsday  • Kinda  • The Visitation  • Black Orchid  • Earthshock  • Time-Flight Season 20 1983 Arc of Infinity  • Snakedance  • Mawdryn Undead  • Terminus  • Enlightenment  • The King's Demons Children in Need 1983 The Five Doctors Season 21 1984 Warriors of the Deep  • The Awakening  • Frontios  • Resurrection of the Daleks  • Planet of Fire  • The Caves of Androzani   Seasons 21-23: Sixth Doctor Season 21 1984 The Twin Dilemma Season 22 1985 Attack of the Cybermen  • Vengeance of Varos  • The Mark of the Rani  • The Two Doctors  • Timelash  • Revelation of the Daleks Season 23 1986 The Trial of a Time Lord: The Mysterious Planet  • Mindwarp  • Terror of the Vervoids  • The Ultimate Foe   Seasons 24-26: Seventh Doctor Season 24 1987 Time and the Rani  • Paradise Towers  • Delta and the Bannermen  • Dragonfire Season 25 1988 1989 Remembrance of the Daleks  • The Happiness Patrol  • Silver Nemesis  • The Greatest Show in the Galaxy Season 26 1989 Battlefield  • Ghost Light  • The Curse of Fenric  • Survival   1996: Eighth Doctor 1996 Doctor Who   Series 1: Ninth Doctor Series 1 2005 Rose  • The End of the World  • The Unquiet Dead  • Aliens of London / World War Three  • Dalek  • The Long Game  • Father's Day  • The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances  • Boom Town  • Bad Wolf / The Parting of the Ways   Series 2-4: Tenth Doctor Series 2 2005 2006 Mini-episode Children in Need Special Christmas special The Christmas Invasion Regular episodes New Earth  • Tooth and Claw  • School Reunion  • The Girl in the Fireplace  • Rise of the Cybermen / The Age of Steel  • The Idiot's Lantern  • The Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit  • Love & Monsters  • Fear Her  • Army of Ghosts / Doomsday Series 3 2006 2007 Christmas special The Runaway Bride Regular episodes Smith and Jones  • The Shakespeare Code  • Gridlock  • Daleks in Manhatten / Evolution of the Daleks  • The Lazarus Experiment  • 42  • Human Nature / The Family of Blood  • Blink  • Utopia / The Sound of Drums / Last of the Time Lords Animation The Infinite Quest Series 4 2007 2008 2009 2010 Mini episode Time Crash Christmas episode Voyage of the Damned Regular episodes Partners in Crime  • The Fires of Pompeii  • Planet of the Ood  • The Sontaran Stratagem / The Poison Sky  • The Doctor's Daughter  • The Unicorn and the Wasp  • Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead  • Midnight  • Turn Left  • The Stolen Earth / Journey's End Mini episode Music of the Spheres The Specials The Next Doctor  • Planet of the Dead  • The Waters of Mars  • The End of Time Animation Dreamland For the purposes of this list, "series 4" is considered to be the production series 4, which ran all the way from Time Crash to The End of Time.   Series 5-present: Eleventh Doctor Series 5 2010 Regular episodes The Eleventh Hour  • The Beast Below  • Victory of the Daleks  • The Time of Angels / Flesh and Stone  • The Vampires of Venice  • Amy's Choice  • The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood  • Vincent and the Doctor  • The Lodger  • The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang Mini episodes Meanwhile in the TARDIS Series 6 2010 2011 Christmas special A Christmas Carol Mini episodes Space / Time Regular episodes The Impossible Astronaut / Day of the Moon  • The Curse of the Black Spot  • The Doctor's Wife  • The Rebel Flesh / The Almost People  • A Good Man Goes to War  • Let's Kill Hitler  • Night Terrors  • The Girl Who Waited  • The God Complex  • Closing Time  • The Wedding of River Song Mini episodes Death Is the Only Answer  • Night and the Doctor Series 7 2011 Christmas special The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe Despite marketing language by the BBC, The Adventure Games are not televised episodes, and therefore are not included on this list. Deliberately unincluded on this list are BBC licensed episodes which this wiki considers to be non-canonical — such as the so-called "Pilot Episode", Dimensions in Time, A Fix with Sontarans, Search Out Space, The Curse of Fatal Death and the National Television Awards Sketch 2011.

v • e Sontaran stories Television Broadcast DW: The Time Warrior  • DW: The Sontaran Experiment  • DW: The Invasion of Time  • DW: The Two Doctors  • DW: The Sontaran Stratagem / The Poison Sky  • DW: The Pandorica Opens  • DW: A Good Man Goes to War  • SJA: The Last Sontaran  • SJA: Enemy of the Bane Direct-to-video RP: Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans  • RP: Mindgame  • RP: Mindgame Trilogy Video Games VG: Destiny of the Doctors  • VG: The Gunpowder Plot Prose NA: Shakedown  • MA: Lords of the Storm  • PDA: The Infinity Doctors  • QR: The Sontaran Games  • NSA: The Taking of Chelsea 426  • DWF: Blind Terror Audio BFA: Heroes of Sontar  • BFA: The Five Companions  • BFA: The First Sontarans  • BBV: Silent Warrior  • BBV: Conduct Unbecoming  • BBV: Old Soldiers  • BBV: The Eleven Day Empire/The Shadow Play Comics DWM: The Final Quest DWM: The Outsider  • DWM: Dragon's Claw  • DWM: Black Sun Rising  • DWM: The Gods Walk Among Us  • DWM: Pureblood  • DWM: Conflict of Interests  • DWM: Unnatural Born Killers  • DWM: The Betrothal of Sontar  • IDW: Fugitive Complete list of appearances

v • e UNIT television stories Doctor Who Major The Invasion  • Spearhead from Space  • Doctor Who and the Silurians  • The Ambassadors of Death  • Inferno  • Terror of the Autons  • The Mind of Evil  • The Claws of Axos  • The Dæmons  • Day of the Daleks  • The Time Monster  • The Three Doctors  • The Green Death  • Invasion of the Dinosaurs  • Planet of the Spiders  • Robot  • Terror of the Zygons  • The Android Invasion  • Battlefield  • The Christmas Invasion  • The Sontaran Stratagem / The Poison Sky  • Turn Left  • The Stolen Earth / Journey's End  • Planet of the Dead Minor Colony in Space  • The Time Warrior  • The Seeds of Doom  • Mawdryn Undead  • The Five Doctors  • Aliens of London / World War Three  • The Sound of Drums / Last of the Time Lords  • The End of Time Torchwood Fragments  • Children of Earth: Day One  • Children of Earth: Day Three  • Children of Earth: Day Five SJA Enemy of the Bane  • Death of the Doctor Complete list of appearances