"The Keeper of Traken"

The Keeper of Traken
Disc 1 of the "New Beginnings" Box Set
(Special Edition DVD)

 

Starring Tom Baker
4 Episodes
1981
98 minutes (color)
Single Disc


"New Beginnings" Box Set




 

 

Production Notes
Doctor Who
Tom Baker

Adric
Matthew Waterhouse

Nyssa
Sarah Sutton

The Master
Anthony Ainley

Written by
Johnny Byrne
Directed by
John Black

Produced by
John Nathan-Turner

Original Airdate
Jan 31, 1981 - Feb 21, 1981

R1 DVD Release Date
June 2007

Warner Home Video
#E4010

U.K. Box Set Cover


U.K. Individual Cover


 



Cover Blurb

Traken is a planet ruled by the all-powerful Keeper, who reigns for a thousand years and ensures that his subjects live a life of tranquility and harmony, free from the forces of evil and corruption.  Now the Keeper is dying.  Summoned by the ailing Keeper, the Doctor and Adric discover that all is not well on Traken.  An evil presence threatens the future of the planet - an evil that knows all about the Doctor.

 

 



 

 

 

DVD Features
  • Swap Shop:
 An appearance by actress Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) on the U.K. show "Swap Shop."  In this 11 minute clip Sarah Sutton is interviewed by host Noel Edmonds and takes calls from viewers.
 

 
  • The Return of the Master:
 An 8 minute featurette that sheds light on how the production team resurrected the Doctor's arch nemesis, the Master.  Includes interviews with Geoffrey Beevers (Melkur/The Master), Christopher H. Bidmead (script editor), and John Black (director).
 

 

  • Being Nice To Each Other:

 This 30 minute featurette highlights the efforts to create this story from both behind the scenes as well as on camera.  Highlighted in this featurette are interviews with Sarah Sutton (Nyssa), Geoffrey Beevers (Melkur/The Master), Sheila Ruskin (Kassia), as well as Christopher H. Bidmead (script editor), Johnny Byrne (writer), and John Black (director).
 

 
  • Trailers and Continuity Announcements:
 Nearly 6 minutes worth of trailers as well as continuity announcements from the original broadcast.
 

 
  • Photo Gallery:
 Once again we are treated to many rare production stills and quite a few behind the scenes ones as well.
 

 
  • Information Text:
 Lots of trivia and tidbits of Whovian detail are provided.  The text appears intermittently along the bottom of the screen and is written by members of the Doctor Who Restoration Team.
 

 
  • 1982 Doctor Who Annual:
 Accessible from any computer with a DVD drive, a PDF of  the 1982 Doctor Who Annual (a mixture of Doctor Who fiction as well as science based reading for young Doctor Who fans).
 

 
  • Radio Times Listings:
 Accessible from any computer with a DVD drive, a PDF of some of the original Radio Times press clippings.
 

 
  • Season 18 Sales Guide:
 Accessible from any computer with a DVD drive, a PDF of the Season 18 sales literature.
 

 
  • Audio Options:
 The first option is to listen to an audio commentary.  The participants on this commentary are Anthony Ainley (Tremas/The Master), Mathhew Waterhouse (Adric), Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) and writer Johnny Byrne.  Sadly, this is the only commentary recorded by the late Anthony Ainley.

The second audio option is the isolated soundtrack.  With this feature you will hear the excellent score composed by Roger Limb composed sequentially as it appears in the episode (rather than edited together as in the case of "The Five Doctors Special Edition" DVD).  This does mean that there are long gaps of silence in between music cues.
 

 
  • Easter Eggs:
 There is 1egg included in this release.  Scroll further down to find more details.    For a full list of known Easter Eggs and screen grabs of them click HERE.
 
   



 

 

 

Easter Egg

#1. AINLEY'S FAREWELL


 

Let the credits play to the end during episode 4 and the egg will play automatically.

   

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Notes
  • The Master returns again, after another long absence (4 years this time).   "The Keeper of Traken" begins another trilogy of sorts, the Master Trilogy.  His character will be featured in the next two stories "Logopolis" and "Castrovalva."
     
  • This story is being released along with the next two as part of the "New Beginnings" trilogy boxset. 
  • Another companion is added to the TARDIS crew, Nyssa of Traken (played by Sarah Sutton).  Although her character does not depart with the Doctor and Adric at the conclusion of this story, she does reappear in the next one - "Logopolis."
  • Watch for a particularly good cliffhanger at the end of episode 1.  The Keeper is attacked by the Melkur creature and the Trakens close in on the Doctor, thinking he is the culprit.
  • Also keep your eyes open during episode 3.  There is something dangling off of Tom Baker's nose while he's in jail.  :)
  • If the character of Seron looks at all familiar, that is because he is being played by none other than John Woodnutt.  Woodnutt has appeared frequently in Doctor Who.  Woodnutt's first role in Doctor Who was that of Hibbert in Pertwee's introductory story "Spearhead from Space."  His next appearance on the show would be that of the Draconian Emperor in "Frontier in Space."  He would later go on to play the double role of the Zygon commander Broton/the Duke of Forgil in the classic Tom Baker story "Terror of the Zygons" before his final appearance in this story.
  • As with all of the DVD releases to date, the Doctor Who Restoration Team did extensive work on this story.  More information on the restoration of this story can be read at their website HERE.