Top 20 Episodes of Doctor Who #17: Trial of a Timelord

The next Doctor we'll be covering is the Sixth Doctor, played by the always awesome Colin Baker. Sporting a coat so garish that even Elton John wouldn't go near it as well as an ego so large it has it's own orbit, the Sixth Doctor was the type of guy who could always take command of any situation simply by being the biggest personality in the room. Interestingly enough, the role of the Doctor was not Colin's first foray into Doctor Who. He had played a Time Lord named Maxil in a previous episode and was so over the top that he needed to be reminded that the show was called Doctor Who and not The Maxil Show. However, he must have impressed someone because he was asked to return to the show playing the main character, and though his era is often considered a low point in the shows era, the Sixth Doctor is still regarded by many fans as one of the best.

This is a weird entry on the list in that it’s technically four episodes. However, since they’re all part of the same over arcing story, many fans often consider it to be one long episode. I personally don’t subscribe to this theory, but for the purposes of this list, I’ll make an exception. Because of this, depending on your point of view, this either A. is the longest episode on this list, or B. makes Colin Baker the classic Doctor with the most episodes on this list. Either way, this is a great story.

The Doctor is summoned back to his home planet of Gallifrey to stand trial for conduct unbecoming of a Timelord. With the mysterious Valeyard as the prosecutor, the Doctor and the court of Gallifrey view evidence of the Doctor’s crimes by looking into the time matrix. However, the trial is all part of a plot by the Valeyard, who is revealed to be an a manifestation of the darker emotions of the Doctor’s future incarnations. The Doctor must prove his innocence and defeat this ultimate foe, or die trying.

The four episodes that comprise this story are all classics in their own right. The Mysterious Planet introduces the character of Sabalom Glitz, a sleazy mercenary who befriends The Doctor. Terror of the Vervoids is a fun little murder mystery that features, hands down, the silliest looking aliens in the history of the series. The Ultimate Foe features the Doctor’s ultimate showdown with the Valeyard, though my favorite by far is Mindwarp, which features a guest appearance by the legendary Brian Blessed who lends uses his boisterous talents to turn an already enjoyable episode into a classic. Overall, this mini-series is most excellent and introduces a great foe in the Valeyard. He’s every bit as cunning and clever as the Doctor, but with none of the morality or ethics to hold him back. Even The Master sides with the Doctor against him, as he feels the Valeyard would be a far more dangerous threat. I truly hope this enemy makes a return in the new series, especially considering his ultimate fate is never revealed and the end of this episode clearly shows that he’s still alive. I personally was hoping that when John Hurt was revealed at the end of series seven, that he would turn out to be the Valeyard, but alas, that did not come to pass. Around the time of the 50th anniversary however, Big Finish released an audio drama called Trial of the Valeyard which serves as a sequel to this story. I highly recommend checking it out.

Next time, we cover one of the most noteworthy doctors of all time.