One of our friends out on social media land was kind enough to send this email to give a little more insight into the role that Gallifrey has played in Doctor Who. I thought it was structured so well with the information it contained, that it was worth sharing with all of you. Thanks for rocking it out Tim!
On the Blue Journal Entry from Yesterday Wes talked about Gallifrey and its role in the future of the show along with the Time Lords. He admittedly has very little knowledge of their role in the pat so I wanted to get together some info for you about the role they played in the Old Who. I will structure it by Doctor to help.
William Hartnell – Mentions of his home planet but no name is given. We meet a fellow renegade Time Lord simply called the Meddling Monk, but no name is ever given to the race The Doctor basically just says he is another of my kind.
Patrick Troughton – A name is given to The Doctor’s race, planet and at the end of his run we meet one named the War Chief and others who are never identified beyond thier race, but we can assume they were members of the High Council, dressed in plain black slim fitting clothes, who basically punish him for breaking the rules of the Time Lord’s and stealing a TARDIS. They force him to rejuvenate, as it was called, lock The Tardis to earth, wipe his companions memories, placing them back where The Doctor found them, and send him to Earth.
Jon Pertwee – I have only seen a few of the episodes from his era. We meet the Master for the first time and find out that he is from Gallifriey. They are mentioned some, but they are not seen in any episodes until The Three Doctor’s, although they do send him on some missions. In The Three Doctor’s they send the first three incarnations to another Universe, where they face off against Omega, the creator along with Rassilion of the Time Lord time travel technology.
Tom Baker – It is in this Doctor’s era that we get most of the TV appearances of Time Lord’s and Gallifrey. They send Romana, another Time Lord to be his companion in the search for the Key to Time. He visits Gallifrey several times, leaving Sarah Jane as she is not allowed to come, bringing Leela when called back to face a tribunal. It is also in this era that he momentarily becomes President of the High Council due to a technicality, the previous President named him as successor. There are also several serials involving The Master.
Peter Davison – In his era we again see little of the Time Lords. Omega returns as well as The Master, but no visits to Gallifrey itself.
Colin Baker – In this era we meet the Rani, another renegade Time Lord. A bulk of this era is consumed by The Trial of a Time Lord. We meet the High Council again and see the Valyard for the first and only time so far.
Sylvester McCoy – During this era we see The Rani again and the Doctor uses some relic Time Lord Weapons. At the end of his era, though we do not see them, he is tasked with taking the Master’s remains from Skaro to Gallifrey.
Paul McGann – They are only mentioned after his regeneration when he confronts the Master in the Tardis.
Most of this is from memory, and as such may not be entirely accurate, but it gives you a good rounding of how and when Gallifrey and the Time Lords fit into the Old series.
Tim
