For Doctor Who's sixteenth season, the decision was taken to have a linking theme running throughout the six stories. The Key to Time season, as it became known, saw the Doctor and new companion character sent on a quest to collect and assemble the six segments of the Key to Time which would, somehow, enable the White Guardian to restore balance to the unieverse and help scupper the plans of the Black Guardian into the bargain. Of the six stories, all but the second, The Pirate Planet by Douglas Adams, would eventually be novelised.
Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation
by Ian Marter
- UK
- Paperback
- Target Books
- December 1979
- (Book Number: 52)
Other Editions
Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation
UK / Hardback / WH Allen / December 1979
Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation
UK / Hardback / WH Allen / December 1979
Back Cover Blurb — Target Books
Reluctantly cancelling his well-earned holiday, the Doctor sets off in the TARDIS to trace and re-assemble the six segments of the Key to Time on which the stability of the entire Universe depends.
Assisted by the argumentative Romanadvoratrelundar and K9, he lands on the planet Ribos in search of the first segment and finds himself entangled in the machinations of two sinister strangers, Garron and the Graff Vynda Ka.
Who are they? Is Garron simply a shady confidence-trickster dealing in interplanetary real estate? Is the Graff Vynda Ka just a power-crazed exile bent on revenge? Or are they both really agents of the Black Guardian, intent upon seizing the precious Key in order to throw the Universe into eternal chaos?
Risking his life within the monster-infested catacombs of Ribos, the Doctor has to use all his wit and ingenuity to find out...
Reluctantly cancelling his well-earned holiday, the Doctor sets off in the TARDIS to trace and re-assemble the six segments of the Key to Time on which the stability of the entire Universe depends.
Assisted by the argumentative Romanadvoratrelundar and K9, he lands on the planet Ribos in search of the first segment and finds himself entangled in the machinations of two sinister strangers, Garron and the Graff Vynda Ka.
Who are they? Is Garron simply a shady confidence-trickster dealing in interplanetary real estate? Is the Graff Vynda Ka just a power-crazed exile bent on revenge? Or are they both really agents of the Black Guardian, intent upon seizing the precious Key in order to throw the Universe into eternal chaos?
Risking his life within the monster-infested catacombs of Ribos, the Doctor has to use all his wit and ingenuity to find out...
Television Story
The Ribos Operation
Script Writer: Robert Holmes
4 × 25 Minutes / BBC1 / Colour
02/09/78 Part One
09/09/78 Part Two
16/09/78 Part Three
23/09/78 Part Four
All episodes exist and have been released on Region 2 DVD in the UK, and on Region 1 DVD in the United States.
The Ribos Operation
Script Writer: Robert Holmes
4 × 25 Minutes / BBC1 / Colour
02/09/78 Part One
09/09/78 Part Two
16/09/78 Part Three
23/09/78 Part Four
All episodes exist and have been released on Region 2 DVD in the UK, and on Region 1 DVD in the United States.
Regular Characters
Fourth Doctor / Romana / K-9 Mark II
Fourth Doctor / Romana / K-9 Mark II
Notes
- The Ribos Operation was the first story of Season Sixteen of Doctor Who, better known as the Key to Time season. The six linked stories saw the Doctor, Romana and K-9 sent on a quest by the White Guardian to collect the six segments of the Key to Time.
Unfortunately for readers of the Target books, the second story, The Pirate Planet, was written by Douglas Adams who subsequently went on to become a best-selling author and who wasn't particularly interested in novelising his three Doctor Who stories. Or in allowing anyone else to do the job, for that matter. The Target releases based on the Key to Time season therefore missed out The Pirate Planet entirely and carried on with the third story, novelised as Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood. - The Ribos Operation is the very first story to feature Romana and K-9 Mark II, as well as being the first occasion on which the White Guardian would appear. The character would re-appear in the final story of the Key to Time season, The Armageddon Factor, as well as in the Fifth Doctor story Enlightenment, which concluded the loosely-linked Black Guardian trilogy.
Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood
by Terrance Dicks
- UK
- Paperback
- Target Books
- March 1980
- (Book Number: 59)
Other Editions
Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood
UK / Hardback / WH Allen / March 1980
Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood
UK / Hardback / WH Allen / March 1980
Back Cover Blurb — Target Books
Chanting, hooded figures gather inside a ring of ancient stones, using rituals of blood sacrifice to awaken the sleeping evil of the Ogri.
The Doctor and Romana go from the countryside of present day England to a deep-space cruiser trapped in hyperspace in their attempt to track down an alien criminal, and unravel the mystery of the Stones of Blood. Luckily they have the help of the faithful K9...
Chanting, hooded figures gather inside a ring of ancient stones, using rituals of blood sacrifice to awaken the sleeping evil of the Ogri.
The Doctor and Romana go from the countryside of present day England to a deep-space cruiser trapped in hyperspace in their attempt to track down an alien criminal, and unravel the mystery of the Stones of Blood. Luckily they have the help of the faithful K9...
Television Story
The Stones of Blood
Script Writer: David Fisher
4 × 25 Minutes / BBC1 / Colour
28/10/78 Part One
04/11/78 Part Two
11/11/78 Part Three
18/11/78 Part Four
All episodes exist and have been released on Region 2 DVD in the UK, and on Region 1 DVD in the United States.
The Stones of Blood
Script Writer: David Fisher
4 × 25 Minutes / BBC1 / Colour
28/10/78 Part One
04/11/78 Part Two
11/11/78 Part Three
18/11/78 Part Four
All episodes exist and have been released on Region 2 DVD in the UK, and on Region 1 DVD in the United States.
Regular Characters
Fourth Doctor / Romana / K-9 Mark II
Fourth Doctor / Romana / K-9 Mark II
Notes
- The Stones of Blood was the third story in the Key to Time season, and the only one of the six that was to be set at least partially on Earth. It was the first of four stories to be written for the series by David Fisher (see also The Androids of Tara, The Creature from the Pit and The Leisure Hive) and he also wrote the basic storyline for what eventually became City of Death.
Doctor Who and the Androids of Tara
by Terrance Dicks
- UK
- Paperback
- Target Books
- April 1980
- (Book Number: 3)
Other Editions
Doctor Who and the Androids of Tara
UK / Hardback / WH Allen / March 1980
Doctor Who and the Androids of Tara
UK / Hardback / WH Allen / March 1980
Back Cover Blurb — Target Books
On a peaceful, rural planet, where the colourful pageantry of old Ruritania mingles with ultra-modern Android technology, the Doctor becomes a kingmaker in spite of himself.
In his search for another segment of the Key To Time, the Doctor matches wits and swords with th evil Count Grendel — aided of course by Romana and the invaluable K9.
On a peaceful, rural planet, where the colourful pageantry of old Ruritania mingles with ultra-modern Android technology, the Doctor becomes a kingmaker in spite of himself.
In his search for another segment of the Key To Time, the Doctor matches wits and swords with th evil Count Grendel — aided of course by Romana and the invaluable K9.
Television Story
The Androids of Tara
Script Writer: David Fisher
4 × 25 Minutes / BBC1 / Colour
25/11/78 Part One
02/12/78 Part Two
09/12/78 Part Three
16/12/78 Part Four
All episodes exist and have been released on Region 2 DVD in the UK, and on Region 1 DVD in the United States.
The Androids of Tara
Script Writer: David Fisher
4 × 25 Minutes / BBC1 / Colour
25/11/78 Part One
02/12/78 Part Two
09/12/78 Part Three
16/12/78 Part Four
All episodes exist and have been released on Region 2 DVD in the UK, and on Region 1 DVD in the United States.
Regular Characters
Fourth Doctor / Romana / K-9 Mark II
Fourth Doctor / Romana / K-9 Mark II
Notes
- The Androids of Tara was the fourth story in the Key to Time season. It was the second of David Fisher's four complete scripts for the television series.
Doctor Who and the Power of Kroll
by Terrance Dicks
- UK
- Paperback
- Target Books
- May 1980
- (Book Number: 49)
Other Editions
Doctor Who and the Power of Kroll
UK / Hardback / WH Allen / May 1980
Doctor Who and the Power of Kroll
UK / Hardback / WH Allen / May 1980
Back Cover Blurb — Target Books
The huge, octopus-like Kroll lived deep in the swamps of the humid, steamy planet.
To the native swamp-warriors, Kroll was an angry, mythical god. To the money-grabbing alien technicians, Kroll was a threat to a profit-making scheme.
In their search for another segment of the Key to Time, the Doctor and Romana have to face the suspicion of the Lagoon dwellers, the stupidity of the technicians and, finally, the power of Kroll...
The huge, octopus-like Kroll lived deep in the swamps of the humid, steamy planet.
To the native swamp-warriors, Kroll was an angry, mythical god. To the money-grabbing alien technicians, Kroll was a threat to a profit-making scheme.
In their search for another segment of the Key to Time, the Doctor and Romana have to face the suspicion of the Lagoon dwellers, the stupidity of the technicians and, finally, the power of Kroll...
Television Story
The Power of Kroll
Script Writer: Robert Holmes
4 × 25 Minutes / BBC1 / Colour
23/12/78 Part One
30/12/78 Part Two
06/01/79 Part Three
13/01/79 Part Four
All episodes exist and have been released on Region 2 DVD in the UK, and on Region 1 DVD in the United States.
The Power of Kroll
Script Writer: Robert Holmes
4 × 25 Minutes / BBC1 / Colour
23/12/78 Part One
30/12/78 Part Two
06/01/79 Part Three
13/01/79 Part Four
All episodes exist and have been released on Region 2 DVD in the UK, and on Region 1 DVD in the United States.
Regular Characters
Fourth Doctor / Romana / K-9 Mark II
Fourth Doctor / Romana / K-9 Mark II
Notes
- The Power of Kroll was the fifth story in the Key to Time season.
Doctor Who and the Armageddon Factor
by Terrance Dicks
- UK
- Paperback
- Target Books
- June 1980
- (Book Number: 5)
Other Editions
Doctor Who and the Armageddon factor
UK / Hardback / WH Allen / June 1980
Doctor Who and the Armageddon factor
UK / Hardback / WH Allen / June 1980
Back Cover Blurb — Target Books
Some time ago, the White Guardian, one of the most powerful beings in the Cosmos, had set the Doctor an urgent task — to find and reassemble the six segments of the Key to Time.
The Doctor and Romana had successfully retrieved five of the segments and now they have reached the planet Atrios in the middle of an atomic war, to search for the last, most vital piece.
Sinister dangers await them in this final stage of their quest...
Some time ago, the White Guardian, one of the most powerful beings in the Cosmos, had set the Doctor an urgent task — to find and reassemble the six segments of the Key to Time.
The Doctor and Romana had successfully retrieved five of the segments and now they have reached the planet Atrios in the middle of an atomic war, to search for the last, most vital piece.
Sinister dangers await them in this final stage of their quest...
Television Story
The Armageddon Factor
Script Writer: Bob Baker and Dave Martin
6 × 25 Minutes / BBC1 / Colour
20/01/79 Part One
27/01/79 Part Two
03/02/79 Part Three
10/02/78 Part Four
17/02/79 Part Five
24/02/79 Part Six
All episodes exist and have been released on Region 2 DVD in the UK, and on Region 1 DVD in the United States.
The Armageddon Factor
Script Writer: Bob Baker and Dave Martin
6 × 25 Minutes / BBC1 / Colour
20/01/79 Part One
27/01/79 Part Two
03/02/79 Part Three
10/02/78 Part Four
17/02/79 Part Five
24/02/79 Part Six
All episodes exist and have been released on Region 2 DVD in the UK, and on Region 1 DVD in the United States.
Regular Characters
Fourth Doctor / Romana / K-9 Mark II
Fourth Doctor / Romana / K-9 Mark II
Notes
- The Armageddon Factor was the sixth and final story in the Key to Time season. It was the last story to feature Mary Tamm as Romana, with the opening story of the following season, Destiny of the Daleks, seeing the character regenerate into the form of Lalla Ward, who played the part of Princess Astra in The Armageddon Factor.
- The character of Drax was from Gallifrey, like the Doctor and Romana, and was later to turn up in Search for the Doctor, a Make Your Own Adventure With Doctor Who book written by Dave Martin in 1986.
- The Black Guardian would later re-appear in the television series during the Fifth Doctor's era in the stories Mawdryn Undead, Terminus and Enlightenment. The last of that loosely-linked trilogy also saw the White Guardian re-appearing as the Black Guardian's plans were foiled once again.
Away from the television series, the Black Guardian has made one other significant appearance in Gareth Roberts' 1997 novel The Well-Mannered War, a Fourth Doctor tale which was set between Shada and The Leisure Hive.