The Ribos Operation (TV story)

The Doctor is recruited by the White Guardian to seek the six segments of the Key to Time, and given a new assistant, the Time Lady Romana. The quest for the first segment takes them to Ribos, a medieval planet that galactic confidence trickster Garron is trying to sell to the Graff Vynda-K.

Cast & Characters

 * The Doctor - Tom Baker
 * Romana - Mary Tamm
 * Voice of K9 - John Leeson
 * The Guardian - Cyril Luckham
 * Garron - Iain Cuthberson
 * Unstoffe - Nigel Plaskitt
 * Graff Vynda-K - Paul Seed
 * Sholakh - Robert Keegan
 * Shrieve Captain - Prentis Hancock
 * Shrieves - Oliver Maguire, John Harmill
 * Binro - Timothy Bateson
 * The Seeker - Anne Tirard

Crew

 * Producer -	Graham Williams
 * Script Editor - Anthony Read
 * Writer - Robert Holmes
 * Director - George Spenton-Foster
 * Designer - Ken Ledsham
 * Costume -	June Hudson
 * Incidental Music -	Dudley Simpson

Story Notes

 * This story marks the beginning of the quest for the Key to Time, with all stories in Season 16 being linked around this theme. This was the first time a story arc encompassed an entire season.


 * The original credits list the White Guardian as simply "The Guardian." This may be a hint at a suspicion the Doctor voices at the climax of "The Armageddon Factor," that he and Romana have along been working for the Black Guardian disguised as his more benevolent counterpart.


 * The Key to Time prop was created by visual effects designer Dave Havard.


 * New companion Mary Tamm had attended RADA with her predecessor, Louise Jameson.


 * Originally, the shortened form of Romanadvoratrelundar's name was to be "Romy."


 * On the night before the last day of recording The Ribos Operation, Tom Baker was bitten on the left side of his upper lip by a dog belonging to Paul Seed (who played the Graff Vynda-K). Publicity photographs from late April show Baker with a plaster cast on that lip, and the wound had to be concealed with makeup, much to the actor's discomfort. The scar was quite noticeable on screen, and also throughout most of this season and the next.

Myths
To be added.

Ratings

 * Episode 1 - 8.3m viewers
 * Episode 2 - 8.1m viewers
 * Episode 3 - 7.9m viewers
 * Episode 4 - 8.2m viewers

Continuity

 * This story marks the first appearance of the White Guardian, played by Cyril Luckham. His counterpart, the Black Guardian, appears in "The Armageddon Factor", the last story of this season. Both Guardians would return to the series in Season 20, with the Black Guardian reappearing in "Mawdryn Undead" and the White Guardian appearing in "Enlightenment."


 * The Doctor refers to the recent Sontaran invasion of Gallifrey, seen in the previous television story, "The Invasion of Time." Chancellor Borusa has been promoted to President, and it was in this form that the Guardian appeared to and recruited Romana.

Influences
Various questing sagas, including the Golden Fleece and the Holy Grail, are suggested.

Location Filming

 * All scenes filmed on sound stages, with no outdoor filming.

Quotes

 * Romana: "I am Romanadvoratrelundar."
 * The Doctor: "Really? Is there anything we can do about that?"


 * The Doctor: "I'll have this open faster than you can say 'Rassilon's Rod.'"

Story Arcs
The Key to Time

Discontinuity

 * Romana states that she achieved "a triple first" at the Time Lord Academy, while the Doctor only got "fifty-one percent on the second attempt." This would seem to contradict "The Deadly Assassin," in which Borusa bids farewell to the Doctor with the parting words, "nine out of ten," - assuming this was, as many theorize, the Doctor's passing out score at the Academy, and not Borusa's assessment of how his former student handled the crisis with Chancellor Goth and the Master.

More Info

 * Story Synopsis


 * Story Novelization


 * DVD Release - Released on DVD in episodic format in October 2002. Extras include commentary by Tom Baker and Mary Tamm, a photo gallery and production information subtitles.


 * Video Release - Released on VHS in April 1995 in PAL and NTSC formats, with the UK version featuring cover art by Colin Howard and spine art by Andrew Skilleter.