Doctor Who/Trial of a Time Lord: Terror of the Vervoids

Trial of a Time Lord: Terror of the Vervoids
Season 23, Serial 3
Airdate	November 1, 1986
Production Number	7C-1
by	Pip and Jane Baker
Directed by	Chris Clough
← 23x02 Trial of a Time Lord: Mindwarp	23x04 → Trial of a Time Lord: The Ultimate Foe
Doctor Who — Season Twenty-Three

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Trial of a Time Lord: Terror of the Vervoids is the third serial of the twenty-third season of Doctor Who, and the one hundred forty-sixth serial overall.

Part Nine: Colin Baker (The Doctor), Bonnie Langford (Melanie), Michael Jayston (The Valeyard), Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor), Honor Blackman (Professor Lasky), Michael Craig (Commodore), Denys Hawthorne (Rudge), Yolande Palfrey (Janet), Malcolm Tierney (Doland), David Allister (Bruchner), Tony Scoggo (Grenville), Arthur Hewlett (Kimber), Simon Slater (Edwardes), Sam Howard (Atza), Leon Davis (Ortezo), Hugh Beverton (Guard)

Part Ten: Colin Baker (The Doctor), Bonnie Langford (Melanie), Michael Jayston (The Valeyard), Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor), Honor Blackman (Professor Lasky), Michael Craig (Commodore), Denys Hawthorne (Rudge), Malcolm Tierney (Doland), David Allister (Bruchner), Yolande Palfrey (Janet), Tony Scoggo (Enzu), Arthur Hewlett (Kimber), Sam Howard (Atza), Leon Davis (Ortezo), Mike Mungarvan (Duty Officer), Hugh Beverton (First Guard), Martin Weedon (Second Guard), Barbara Ward (Mutant)

Part Eleven: Colin Baker (The Doctor), Bonnie Langford (Melanie), Michael Jayston (The Valeyard), Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor), Honor Blackman (Professor Lasky), Michael Craig (Commodore), Denys Hawthorne (Rudge), Yolande Palfrey (Janet), Malcolm Tierney (Doland), David Allister (Bruchner), Sam Howard (Atza), Leon Davis (Ortezo), Hugh Beverton (Guard), Peppi Borza (First Vervoid), Bob Appleby (Second Vervoid), Barbara Ward (Ruth Baxter)

Part Twelve: Colin Baker (The Doctor), Bonnie Langford (Melanie), Michael Jayston (The Valeyard), Lynda Bellingham (The Inquisitor), Honor Blackman (Professor Lasky), Michael Craig (Commodore), Denys Hawthorne (Rudge), Yolande Palfrey (Janet), Malcolm Tierney (Doland), David Allister (Bruchner), Sam Howard (Atza), Leon Davis (Ortezo), Peppi Borza (First Vervoid), Bob Appleby (Second Vervoid), Barbara Ward (Ruth Baxter)

Plot Overview

The Doctor and Mel are taking a rest aboard the Hyperion III when a series of murders lead them to suspect there is more to Professor Laskey's party than it initially appears. The Vervoids begin to attack the crew and passengers, while someone kills a Mogarian who isn't really a Mogarian at all, but an old friend of the Doctor's. The Commadore loses command of his ship as Bruchner takes over the bridge, intending to send the Hyperion III into the black hole of Tartarus to destroy the Vervoids forever. The Doctor realises that if he can speed up the Vervoids life span with light, they will decay. Using vionesium, he does so, unwittingly causing genocide in the process.

Trivia

The Show

• First appearance of Melanie in the series.

• Like with all serials this season, the title Terror of the Vervoids is not onscreen, but instead is given as parts Nine, Ten, Eleven, and Twelve of The Trial of a Time Lord.

Allusions and References

• The game the two Mogarians are seen playing Part Ten is actually the video game Galaga.