5A. The Ribos Operation
Season Sixteen - 1978/1979 (The Key To Time)
Synopsis
The Doctor is chosen for a very special mission - to retrieve and assemble the Key to Time - by none other than the White Guardian. The Doctor is also provided with a new companion, the Time Lady Romana, and warned that there is also a Black Guardian who will do all in his power to obtain the Key to Time.
The Doctor is also provided with a Tracer which will locate each of the segments, and it leads the TARDIS to the planet of Ribos, where two con-men are attempting to sell the planet to the Graff Vynda-K. To make the planet look more valuable the leader, Garron, plants a lump of Jethryk as bait, whilst Unstoffe pretends to be a local talking of a Jethryk mine.
The Graff Vynda-K discovers that Garron and Unstoffe are con-men, and pursue them into the catacombs, where the natives fear to tread. Several fights break out, and the Graff Vynda-K's men are all destroyed. The Doctor disguises himself as one, and the Vynda-K tries to use him to deliver a bomb, but the Doctor switches it back, and the Vynda-K is destroyed.
Romana uses the tracer and the Jethryk transforms into the first segment of the Key to Time.
Regular Cast
- Voice of K-9: John Leeson
- Romana: Mary Tamm
Guest Cast
- Garron: Iain Cuthbertson
- Unstoffe: Nigel Plaskitt
- Graff Vynda-K: Paul Seed
- Sholakh: Robert Keegan
- Captain: Prentis Hancock
- Shrieves: Oliver Maguire, John Hamill (1-2)
- The White Guardian: Cyril Luckham (1)
- Binro the Heretic: Timothy Bateson (3-4)
- The Seeker: Ann Tirard (3-4)
- Walk-On Shrieves: Roy Brent, Yuri Gridneff, Barry Summerford, David Young
- Shrivenzale: Stuart Fell (1-2), Nick Wilkinson (1-2)
- Krole: Pat Gorman
- Leviathans: ony Bell, Derek Chafer, Harry Fielder, Steven Ismay
Original broadcast on the BBC
| Channel | Title | Date | Viewers | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC 1 | 480. Part One |
|
8.3M | 59% |
| BBC 1 | 481. Part Two |
|
8.1M | |
| BBC 1 | 482. Part Three |
|
7.9M | |
| BBC 1 | 483. Part Four |
|
8.2M | 61% |
Studios
- Television Centre Studio 4
Working Titles
The Galactic Con Man
The Ribos File
Operation
Notes
This story introduces the Key to Time quest that is continued through the season.
John Leeson's K-9 voice is not heard in Part Two.
The organ music heard in the story was played by Leslie Pearson.