The Ultimate Foe

Template:Doctorwhobox The Ultimate Foe is the generally accepted title for a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in two weekly parts from November 29 to December 6, 1986. It is part of the larger narrative known as The Trial of a Time Lord, comprising the whole of the 23rd season. This segment is also cited in some reference works under its working title of Time Incorporated (or Time Inc.).

Contents

1 Synopsis 2 Notes 3 External links 4 References

Synopsis

With the arrival of the Master events at the Trial break down into chaos. The Master reveals the true identity of the Valeyard to the Time Lords. The Valeyard escapes into the Matrix and creates a deadly fictional world. The Doctor pursues him into this world and they battle it out for the fate of the Doctor's remaining regenerations.

Notes

1. Robert Holmes was originally commissioned to write the two episodes. Unfortunately, he died from a chronic liver ailment after completing a draft of the first and left nothing beyond a plot outline of the second. The series Script Editor Eric Saward resigned around this time due to disagreements with the producer, John Nathan-Turner but agreed to write the final episode based on Holmes' outline, and also rewrite Holmes' draft to tie the two together. The original ending to this segment (and, indeed, the whole Trial story) would have seen the Doctor and the Valeyard in an inconclusive cliffhanger, both (seemingly) falling to their deaths as an extra "hook". However, John Nathan-Turner felt this was too downbeat and believed that it was important that the season did not end on an inconclusive note since it was important after the hiatus to prove the series was back in business. Saward refused to change the ending and withdrew permission to use his script very late in the day, by which point the production team had been assembled and the segment was entering rehearsals. John Nathan-Turner commissioned Pip and Jane Baker to write a replacement final episode. For copyright reasons they could not be told anything of the content of Saward's script (and there were lawyers observing all commissioning meetings). The only similariy between the two is the announcement that the High Council of the Time Lords have resigned; however this was a very natural development of the earlier scripts. The new script ended on an optimistic point with the Doctor departing for new adventures.
2. Colin Baker was replaced in the following season, and declined the invitation to return for the traditional regeneration sequence in Time and the Rani. Although this is his last story on screen, the last story that he actually recorded was Terror of the Vervoids, and so it is actually there that he gave his last TV performances as the Doctor. Unfortunately, this means Colin Baker's last-ever lines presented on screen as the Doctor (apart from a later return in a charity special) were "Carrot Juice, Carrot Juice, Carrot Juice!"
3. During production the segment was called Time Incorporated though this title did not appear on the final scripts or screen. However, the story was later novelised as The Ultimate Foe. This generated some confusion as The Ultimate Foe was in fact a working title for the 9th to 12th parts of the season, now generally called Terror of the Vervoids. See: Doctor Who story title controversy

External links

• Cast and Crew list, on the BBC website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/episodeguide/trialtimelord4/castcrew.shtml)

References

Howe D J, Stammers M, Walker S J, Doctor Who The Handbook Sixth Doctor. (1993) Dr Who Books (Virgin Publishing Ltd)