The Invasion of Time (TV story)

Synopsis
After a meeting in space with a group of unseen aliens the Doctor returns to Gallifrey and claims the presidency of the Time Lords. Leela meanwhile tries to work out why he is behaving out of character. At his induction, the Doctor is 'crowned' with a device giving him access to the Matrix. He then arranges for the transduction barriers around Gallifrey to be put out of action by K9. When this is done, his alien 'friends' materialise. They are telepathic invaders called Vardans.

The Doctor links K9 to the Matrix in order to determine their point of origin. His plan is to place a time loop around their home planet, but he must avoid arousing their suspicions - hence his erratic behaviour. He banishes Leela to the wastelands of outer Gallifrey for fear that she might unintentionally jeopardise his plans. There she meets a group of Gallifreyan outsiders, and together they organise an attack on the Capitol to fight off the invaders.

The Doctor finally springs his trap and the Vardans are banished. Then, however, Gallifrey is invaded by Sontarans who, unknown to the Doctor, were using the Vardans to enable them to conquer the Time Lords. The Doctor uses knowledge extracted from the Matrix by K9 to construct a forbidden de-mat gun, activated by the Great Key of Rassilon. He then uses this to kill the Sontarans, although his memory of recent events is wiped in the process.

Leela announces that she wishes to stay behind with Andred, one of the Chancellery guards, with whom she has fallen in love. K9 elects to remain with her.

Plot
to be added

Cast

 * The Doctor - Tom Baker
 * Leela - Louise Jameson
 * Voice of K9 - John Leeson
 * Ablif - Ray Callaghan
 * Andred - Christopher Tranchell
 * Bodyguard - Michael Harley
 * Borusa - John Arnatt
 * Castellan Guard - Eric Danot
 * Gold Usher - Charles Morgan
 * Guard - Christopher Christou
 * Jasko - Michael Mundell
 * Kelner - Milton Johns
 * Lord Gomer - Dennis Edwards
 * Lord Savar - Reginald Jessup
 * Nesbin - Max Faulkner
 * Presta - Gay Smith
 * Rodan - Hilary Ryan
 * Sontaran - Stuart Fell
 * Stor - Derek Deadman
 * Vardan - Stan McGowan
 * Vardan - Tom Kelly

Crew
to be added

Story Notes
to be added

Ratings

 * Part 1 - 11.2 million
 * Part 2 - 11.4 million
 * Part 3 - 9.5 million
 * Part 4 - 10.9 million
 * Part 5 - 10.3 million
 * Part 6 - 9.8 million

Myths
to be added

Location Filming
to be added

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
to be added

Continuity

 * The Vardans reappear in No Future.
 * The Doctor receives his past self's message of the Timewyrm in Timewyrm: Genesys.
 * Leela and K9 re-meet the Doctor in Lungbarrow and Zagreus.
 * Lord Savar is mentioned in Seeing I and The Infinity Doctors.
 * The Doctor is again offered the Presidancy in The Five Doctors.
 * Gallifrey is invaded again in The Apocalypse Element.

DVD, Video and Other Releases
to be added

Target Novelisations
to be added