Doctor Who - The Trial of a Time Lord

This season had a unique format, never again repeated in the show. Doctor Who had returned to production after a near-cancellation and an eighteen-month production hiatus. For the first time, a season consisted of a single story, The Trial of a Time Lord, although this was made up of four serials from a production perspective: each serial was written by a different person (save for The Mysterious Planet and the first part of The Ultimate Foe, both of which were written by Robert Holmes) and featured a different story presented as evidence, excluding the final two episodes which concluded the ongoing story of the trial; the trial storyline itself acted as a framing device to bracket the first three serials. As a result, whether The Trial of a Time Lord should be considered one story or four has been intensely debated. This single-story format, sometimes referred to as a "miniseries", would later be utilised for the third and fourth series of Torchwood.

14 Episodes

The Mysterious Planet (1)

Season 23 - Episode 1

The Doctor is taken "out of time" by the Time Lords and made to face an inquiry into his meddling in the affairs of others, overseen by the ...

The Mysterious Planet (2)

Season 23 - Episode 2

The Doctor has an appointment with the Immortal, while Peri finds herself caught up with Glitz and the Tribe of the Free. Meanwhile, Merdeen...

The Mysterious Planet (3)

Season 23 - Episode 3

The Doctor escapes to rejoin Peri on the surface but shortly becomes the prisoner of a surface-dwelling tribe called The Free. Ravalox isn't...

The Mysterious Planet (4)

Season 23 - Episode 4

All those on Ravolox are in exponentially greater peril than anyone can comprehend. If anything in the entire universe is to survive, it may...

Mindwarp (1)

Season 23 - Episode 5

The Doctor's trial continues. The Valeyard's next piece of evidence for the prosecution concerns the Doctor's recent trip to Thoros Beta. Th...

Mindwarp (2)

Season 23 - Episode 6

The scientist Crozier keeps making empty promises and Yrcanos and Peri are seemingly betrayed by the addled Doctor who is sure the Matrix is...

Mindwarp (3)

Season 23 - Episode 7

While the Doctor helps Dr. Crozier transfer Lord Kiv's brain into a new host skull, Peri accompanies King Yrcanos as he searches for the Alp...

Mindwarp (4)

Season 23 - Episode 8

As the Possidor Ambassador visits, Sil is appalled to realise Crozier has selected Peri to be the Kiv's new host body - a move Yrcanos takes...

Terror of the Vervoids (1)

Season 23 - Episode 9

With the prosecution case concluded, at last the Doctor is able to present his evidence. It takes place in the future with a new companion a...

Terror of the Vervoids (2)

Season 23 - Episode 10

As the Hyperion III continues its journey, more mysterious deaths occur.

Terror of the Vervoids (3)

Season 23 - Episode 11

A course change that takes the Hyperion III closer to a black hole could prove unwise when there are so many aboard ship with hidden agendas...

Terror of the Vervoids (4)

Season 23 - Episode 12

With factions vying for control of the ship, the Vervoids are found to be responsible for the many disappearances. Only the Doctor sees the ...

The Ultimate Foe (1)

Season 23 - Episode 13

The Valeyard's true identity is revealed and the trial aborted, but the Doctor and Mel must pursue his new enemy into the Matrix itself, whe...

The Ultimate Foe (2)

Season 23 - Episode 14

The final part of this epic adventure. The Doctor and the Valeyard have entered the world of the Matrix. Can the Doctor defeat the evil inca...