Doctor Who

The Key to Time

TV-PG

This season saw the introduction of the Black and White Guardians as well as the companion Romana, who became only the second female Time Lord companion since Susan. This season is sometimes colloquially known as The Key to Time season after the story arc involving the Key to Time. Although not the first season to consist of linked stories (Season 8 in 1971 was the first, as all the stories that year featured the Master), it was the first to be recognised as having a series long arc. Although multi serial arcs would occur again, such a full- season experiment wouldn't be attempted again until Season 23. The arc has a number of similarities to the Season 1 story The Keys of Marinus. The storyline was originally proposed for Season 15, but it required more planning.

Where to Watch The Key to Time

26 Episodes

The Ribos Operation (1)
E1
The Ribos Operation (1)The Magellanic Clouds, the planet Ribos, an unknown time. Ordered by the White Guardian to collect the pieces of the omnipotent Key to Time, The Doctor, K-9 and his new assistant Romana arrive. Collecting the first segment is not going to be easy…
The Ribos Operation (2)
E2
The Ribos Operation (2)Trying to obtain the first segment of the Key to Time, the Doctor and Romana are swept up in an elaborate con. The target – the homicidal Graff Vynda K.
The Ribos Operation (3)
E3
The Ribos Operation (3)Prisoners of the maniacal Graff Vynda K, the Doctor and Romana must break out and pursue the first segment – even as Unstoff takes it into the most dangerous place on Ribos.
The Ribos Operation (4)
E4
The Ribos Operation (4)Trapped in the catacombs between a mad warlord and ravenous monsters, the Doctor and Romana work desperately to obtain the segment of the Key to Time - and escape alive.
The Pirate Planet (1)
E5
The Pirate Planet (1)Planet Zanak, unknown time. The Doctor and Romana are seeking the planet Calufrax where the second segment waits. They are in the right place and the right time… but on the wrong planet.
The Pirate Planet (2)
E6
The Pirate Planet (2)The Doctor begins to investigate the mysteriously wealthy planet Zanak. Mentiads, a deranged Captain, strange omens, miraculous mines – what does it all mean? And what does it have to do with the Key to Time?
The Pirate Planet (3)
E7
The Pirate Planet (3)The Mentiads take the Doctor, Romana and Kimus to a reunion with K9 and Mula, where they set about trying to defeat the Captain.
The Pirate Planet (4)
E8
The Pirate Planet (4)Romana leads the Mentiad assault of the Bridge just as Mr. Fibuli broadcasts his psychic interference transmitter, nullifying their telepathic powers. Queen Xanxia targets Earth for the next jump in order to gather rare minerals and reach full corporeal status, but the Doctor jumps the TARDIS in her way, initiating a battle to see who's power gives out first.
The Stones of Blood (1)
E9
The Stones of Blood (1)The Doctor and Romana's search for the third piece of the Key to Time leads them to a stone circle in Cornwall where they find signs of strange activity and meet the inquisitive Professor Rumford who tells them of a nearby sect of druids.
The Stones of Blood (2)
E10
The Stones of Blood (2)The quest for the Third Segment has landed the Doctor and Romana in the midst of a druidic cult centred on a stone circle. But the stones are not what they seem, and somewhere out there is a blood-thirsty Celtic goddess.
The Stones of Blood (3)
E11
The Stones of Blood (3)Assisted by Prof. Rumford and K-9, the Doctor builds a projector by which to enter hyperspace and rescue the kidnapped Romana, all of them all the while trying to avoid the bloodsucking Ogri stalking them.
The Stones of Blood (4)
E12
The Stones of Blood (4)Aboard a hyperspace prison ship, two justice machines called the Megara, known for swift verdicts and harsh punishments, arrest the Doctor for breaking an infraction, with trial and execution to be carried out immediately.
The Androids of Tara (1)
E13
The Androids of Tara (1)Arriving on Tara, Romana locates the fourth segment of the Key to Time with ease. But getting it away proves more difficult, as she is captured by the scheming Count Grendel who wants the throne of Tara for himself.
The Androids of Tara (2)
E14
The Androids of Tara (2)After Count Grendel kidnaps the real Prince Reynart, the Doctor suggests his android lookalike be crowned king in his absence. Back at the Count's castle, Romana is introduced to Princess Strella who looks exactly like her.
The Androids of Tara (3)
E15
The Androids of Tara (3)The battle for control of Tara turns into a duel of wits between the Doctor and Grendel. But the Count shows he has more treacherous tricks up his sleeve.
The Androids of Tara (4)
E16
The Androids of Tara (4)In a last attempt to take the throne, Count Grendel plans to have Romana wed to Reynart with the intent to kill him afterwards and take his place as her husband. When the Doctor arrives to foil his plan, the Count challenges him to a duel.
The Power of Kroll (1)
E17
The Power of Kroll (1)The Third Moon of Delta Magna, The Future. The Doctor and Romana arrive in search of the fifth segment and are immediately swept up in a conflict between the crew of a new refinery and the embittered natives…
The Power of Kroll (2)
E18
The Power of Kroll (2)The Doctor and Romana try to avoid being sacrificed to Kroll – just in time for the real monster to appear.
The Power of Kroll (3)
E19
The Power of Kroll (3)The massive Kroll is awake and killing anyone in its path. And the swampies are determined to appease it – by sacrificing the Doctor and Romana.
The Power of Kroll (4)
E20
The Power of Kroll (4)The Doctor and Romana are trapped between the monstrous Kroll and the insane refinery commander. And there is no sign of the fifth segment of the Key to Time.
The Armageddon Factor (1)
E21
The Armageddon Factor (1)The Doctor and company drop in on the planet Atrios, whose inhabitants are in an interplanetary war with their twin planet Zeos. Although Astra, Princess of Atrios, wishes for peace, the Marshal, her commander of the military, does not share her views. So, while the TARDIS is in orbit around the planet, the Marshal targets the Doctor for destruction.
The Armageddon Factor (2)
E22
The Armageddon Factor (2)Unable to escape with the Tardis missing, the Doctor, Romana and Merak return to the Marshal who has an unusual change of heart and asks the Doctor for help but it soon becomes clear that someone or something else is controlling him.
The Armageddon Factor (3)
E23
The Armageddon Factor (3)The Doctor meets a new enemy – the Shadow – who wants the Key to Time. And the Atrian-Zeon war is approaching an awful climax.
The Armageddon Factor (4)
E24
The Armageddon Factor (4)The Shadow, with time on his side, waits for circumstances to force the Doctor into opening his TARDIS, helped along by fitting a mind control device on Princess Astra to turn her against her allies. Meanwhile, Mentalis, the war computer, means to have its final say in dealing with Atrios.
The Armageddon Factor (5)
E25
The Armageddon Factor (5)The Shadow, now with control of K-9, awaits the arrival of the Doctor and company in the cave where he took control of the princess. Meanwhile, Princess Astra joins Romana and the Doctor in the TARDIS, where he had locked the Marshal in a continual time loop just before attacking Astrios. Returning to the cave where Princess Astra was held captive, K-9 pursues the Doctor, while Astra captures Romana.
The Armageddon Factor (6)
E26
The Armageddon Factor (6)The Doctor and the Shadow have their final confrontation to take control of the Key to Time. Completing it may entail an awful sacrifice. And the Black Guardian will do anything to obtain it and plunge the Universe into chaos.