Doctor Who

The Key to Time

1978 26 Episodes

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.

Episode 1
E1

The Ribos Operation (1)

25 min Sep 02, 1978 6.6

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…

Episode 2
E2

The Ribos Operation (2)

25 min Sep 09, 1978 6.7

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.

Episode 3
E3

The Ribos Operation (3)

25 min Sep 16, 1978 6.7

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.

Episode 4
E4

The Ribos Operation (4)

25 min Sep 23, 1978 6.7

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.

Episode 5
E5

The Pirate Planet (1)

25 min Sep 30, 1978 7.4

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.

Episode 6
E6

The Pirate Planet (2)

25 min Oct 07, 1978 7.7

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?

Episode 7
E7

The Pirate Planet (3)

25 min Oct 14, 1978 7.7

The Mentiads take the Doctor, Romana and Kimus to a reunion with K9 and Mula, where they set about trying to defeat the Captain.

Episode 8
E8

The Pirate Planet (4)

25 min Oct 21, 1978 7.6

The Captain and Xanxia work toward their secret goals. Both depends on the pirate planet consuming one more victim - Earth.

Episode 9
E9

The Stones of Blood (1)

25 min Oct 28, 1978 7.8

England, the late 1970s. The Doctor and Romana arrive in search of the third segment. But the Tracer readings are erratic and something ominous is happening with an ancient stone circle...

Episode 10
E10

The Stones of Blood (2)

25 min Nov 04, 1978 7.6

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.

Episode 11
E11

The Stones of Blood (3)

25 min Nov 11, 1978 7.6

Chased by blood-thirsty stones, the Doctor must find a way to rescue Romana. What awaits him in the theoretical absurdity of hyperspace?

Episode 12
E12

The Stones of Blood (4)

25 min Nov 18, 1978 7.6

Facing a sentence of death from merciless justice machines, the Doctor must play for time while Romana tries to discover just who Vivian Fey really is.

Episode 13
E13

The Androids of Tara (1)

25 min Nov 25, 1978 7.0

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.

Episode 14
E14

The Androids of Tara (2)

25 min Dec 02, 1978 6.7

The Doctor must employ a desperate gambit to keep the evil Grendel off the throne. And the Count has a new pawn to play - Romana.

Episode 15
E15

The Androids of Tara (3)

25 min Dec 09, 1978 6.8

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.

Episode 16
E16

The Androids of Tara (4)

25 min Dec 16, 1978 6.8

Grendel plans two weddings and a funeral to cement his hold over Tara. The Doctor and K-9 race to foil him and save the Time Lady's life.

Episode 17
E17

The Power of Kroll (1)

25 min Dec 23, 1978 6.0

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…

Episode 18
E18

The Power of Kroll (2)

25 min Dec 30, 1978 5.6

The Doctor and Romana try to avoid being sacrificed to Kroll – just in time for the real monster to appear.

Episode 19
E19

The Power of Kroll (3)

25 min Jan 06, 1979 5.6

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.

Episode 20
E20

The Power of Kroll (4)

25 min Jan 13, 1979 5.6

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.

Episode 21
E21

The Armageddon Factor (1)

25 min Jan 20, 1979 6.8

Searching for the sixth segment, the Doctor and Romana land in the midst of a brutal nuclear war between the planets Atrios and Zeos.

Episode 22
E22

The Armageddon Factor (2)

25 min Jan 27, 1979 6.7

Swept up in an apocalyptic war, the Doctor must help the Marshal defend his planet. But who or what controls the Marshal?

Episode 23
E23

The Armageddon Factor (3)

25 min Feb 03, 1979 6.9

The Doctor meets a new enemy – the Shadow – who wants the Key to Time. And the Atrian-Zeon war is approaching an awful climax.

Episode 24
E24

The Armageddon Factor (4)

25 min Feb 10, 1979 6.6

The Doctor is forced into a desperate gambit to prevent a massacre. But it is getting harder to tell friend from foe.

Episode 25
E25

The Armageddon Factor (5)

25 min Feb 17, 1979 6.4

The Doctor and Romana finally venture into the Shadow's lair. The Shadow appears to hold all the cards but the Doctor has found an old friend.

Episode 26
E26

The Armageddon Factor (6)

25 min Feb 24, 1979 6.7

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.