The Trial[1] was a promotional mini-episode for the release of Doctor Who: The Collection — Season 23 Blu-ray boxset and released as part of The Sixth Doctor is on trial AGAIN!.
It had comedic parallels with the trial scenes which formed the framing narrative of the season 23, in which the Sixth Doctor is put on trial by the Time Lords.
Synopsis[]
Colin Baker is back on trial! Can he walk free before the release of Doctor Who: The Collection Season 23??
Plot[]
Colin Baker is on trial in court, where he proclaims how ridiculous the trial is, pinpointing their points of law, evidence and reasonings are utter rubbish.
The magistrate reminds Baker that they are in a court of law and asks him to show respect.
Colin retaliates with outbursts of ridicule and asks them if they would like to know what happened during his last trial.
The magistrate refuses, asking him why he is disputing an unpaid parking fine.
Colin explains that he was busy filming vital new content for the Doctor Who Season 23 Blu-ray Collection, while holding up an iPad. Baker proceeds to claim his evidence is beamed directly from the Matrix. As the others look confused, he explains that it is the repository of all Time Lord knowledge.
As they continue to look confused, he instead activates the iPad, which begins to play bits from Season 23, after which he rests his case.
The magistrate tells Baker that it looks entertaining, but is not why they're in court.
Colin continues to complain about their intent on incriminating him and haven't paid attention at all. He explains about updated special effects, new documentaries and extended edits of every episode. He tells that there are over 10 hours of bonus material and without his contribution, the entire thing could have been wiped out.
As a final statements Colin demands that the trial cease to be and that he should be put back to his proper place and time.
The magistrate puts on her glasses and as the screen fades to black, we hear a gavel banging.
Next thing we see is Colin sitting down in a cell, where he finds Nicola Bryant. When he asks, she says she's in there for marrying Brian Blessed.
The door slams shut and gets locked.
Cast[]
- Colin Baker - Colin Baker
- Nicola Bryant - Nicola Bryant
- Magistrate - Lisa Hollander
- Prosecutor - Chris Allen
- Bonnie Langford - Bonnie Langford
- Frazer Hines - Frazer Hines
- Matthew Waterhouse - Matthew Waterhouse
Crew[]
- Make-up - Sarah Burrows
- Production Manager - Jo Larmer
- Colourist - Rich Alderson
- Dubbing Mixer - Mark Ayres
- Sound Recordist - David Calvert
- Director of Photography - Jeremy Bishop
- Director - Paul Vanezis
- Producers - Chris Allen and Russell Minton
Thanks to Michael Dean, Lee Binding and County Hall Kingston
Worldbuilding[]
- The Matrix is mentioned.
- The Time Lords are mentioned.
- An iPad appears.
- Proper place and time is mentioned.
- The entire setting is a court.
- Nicola Bryant once was married to Brian Blessed.
The Doctor Who series[]
- In the evidence that Colin Baker acquired from the Matrix, footage fictional versions of Space Station Zenobia, the Sixth Doctor, the Valeyard, Melanie Bush, Yrcanos, Peri Brown, Sil, Darkel, and the Tremas Master plays.
- Whilst reiterating his point, Baker shows footage of: "updated special effects"; The Writers' Room: The Missing Season 23; A Man and an actress, The Doctor Who Cookbook Revisited with Nicola Bryant; two actors, one who screams "Peri!"; the female actress, Colin Baker, and Nicola Bryant; The Doctor's Table: Season 23 with Bryant, the actress, Baker, and another Man; and extended edits of every episode.
Notes[]
- Despite the YouTube title being "The Sixth Doctor is on trial AGAIN!", Colin Baker portrays himself, not the Sixth Doctor.
- The trial may possibly be a reference to Colin Baker's experience receiving a parking ticket in 2016. He believed he had been ticketed unjustly and vowed to fight the fine.[2]
- Unusually for The Collection, the "trailer" for the boxset, that typically was presented as a sort of "ad break", was instead directly incorporated into the narrative of The Trial, with the justification that the footage was both in-universe and stored within the Matrix.
Continuity[]
to be added
Footnotes[]
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