Doctor Who/The Power of Kroll

The Power of Kroll
Season 16, Serial 5
Airdate	December 23, 1978
Production Number	5E
by	Robert Holmes
Directed by	Norman Stewart
← 16x04 The Androids of Tara	16x06 → The Armageddon Factor
Doctor Who — Season Sixteen

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The Power of Kroll is the fifth serial of the sixteenth season of Doctor Who, and the one-hundred and second serial overall.

Part One: Tom Baker (Doctor Who), Mary Tamm (Romana), Neil McCarthy (Thawn), John Abineri (Ranquin), Philip Madoc (Fenner), Glyn Owen (Rohm-Dutt), Carl Rigg (Varlik), Frank Jarvis (Skart), John Leeson (Dugeen), Grahame Mallard (Harg), Terry Walsh (Mensch)

Part Two: Tom Baker (Doctor Who), Mary Tamm (Romana), Neil McCarthy (Thawn), John Abineri (Ranquin), Philip Madoc (Fenner), Glyn Owen (Rohm-Dutt), Carl Rigg (Varlik), Frank Jarvis (Skart), John Leeson (Dugeen), Grahame Mallard (Harg), Terry Walsh (Mensch)

Part Three: Tom Baker (Doctor Who), Mary Tamm (Romana), Neil McCarthy (Thawn), John Abineri (Ranquin), Philip Madoc (Fenner), Glyn Owen (Rohm-Dutt), Carl Rigg (Varlik), Frank Jarvis (Skart), John Leeson (Dugeen)

Part Four: Tom Baker (Doctor Who), Mary Tamm (Romana), Neil McCarthy (Thawn), John Abineri (Ranquin), Philip Madoc (Fenner), Carl Rigg (Varlik), Frank Jarvis (Skart), John Leeson (Dugeen)

Trivia

The Show

• This is the fifth part of the season's "Key to Time" arc.

• The sacrificial stone is referred to as the "Stone of Blood". An earlier story in this very same season was called The Stones of Blood.

• The Doctor, talking to himself before his final encounter with Kroll, says he is 760 years old.

• Earlier in the "Key to Time" arc serial The Ribos Operation, the Doctor is said to be 759. However, here he says he is 760, suggesting a birthday (which was planned for The Stones of Blood, but dropped).

Behind the Scenes

• This was the Holmes's least favourite script of his due to the restrictions placed upon him by producer Graham Williams: in addition to toning down his trademark humour, it also had to be part of a story arc as well feature the biggest monster in the show.

• This serial marks the only on-screen appearance of John Leeson in the series. This was due in part because of how unfeasible the location of the story made for K9, whom he voiced. His casting was last minute when original choice, Martin Jarvis, dropped out.

• The plight of the Swampies was intended as an allegory for the plight of Native American people.