Timelash


Starring Colin Baker
2 Episodes (45 minutes each)
1985
90 minutes (color)
Single Disc


 

 

Production Notes
Doctor Who
Colin Baker

Peri Brown
Nicola Bryant

Written by
Glen McCoy

Directed by
Pennant Roberts
Produced by
John Nathan-Turner

Original Airdate
Mar 9, 1985 - Mar 16, 1985

Region 1 DVD Release Date
April 2008

Warner Home Video
#3000014520

U.K. Cover




 

 

 
Cover Blurb
The TARDIS gets caught in the Timelash, a powerful time corridor that brings the Doctor and Peri to the troubled planet of Karfel.  The planet is on the brink of war and ruled by an insane and much feared dictator, who punishes Karfelons by throwing them into the Timelash.  But why is their leader never seen in person?  And what links Karfel with 19th-century Scotland and a young writer named Herbert?  The Doctor arrives just in time to find out...

 

 


 


DVD Features 

  • The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly:

 A twenty five minute featurette highlighting the making of Timelash.  Contributors include Colin Baker (The Sixth Doctor), Nicola Bryant (Peri), Paul Darrow (Tekker), David Chandler (H.G. Wells), and Robert Ashby (the Borad).  Also included are interviews with Eric Saward (script editor), Glen McCoy (writer), and Paul Lang (fan/journalist).
 

 
  • Photo Gallery:
 Lots of rare and never before seen photos taken during the production of this story.  Very nice.
 

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

 
  • Information Text:
 An incredible amount 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.
 

 
  • Audio Options:
 Commentary is provided by  Colin Baker (The Sixth Doctor), Nicola Bryant (Peri), and Paul Darrow (Tekker).
 

 
  • Easter Eggs:
 There is 1 Easter Egg for 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. CONTINUITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
(Original Broadcast)

 

From the main menu screen, press the left arrow button
to highlight the Doctor Who logo in the top left corner.  Now click on it.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Notes

  • "Timelash" was the fifth story in Colin Baker's first season.
  • Season 22 had a slightly different episodic format than the rest of the series.   Episodes were 45 minutes long (effectively making two shorter episodes into one longer episode).  It was felt that longer episodes could foster better story writing.   However, the format was abandoned after this season and the series went back to the traditional 23 minutes/episode format.
  • Blake's 7 fans can take note that Paul Darrow (Avon) guest stars in this story.   Darrow appeared in a small role in the Pertwee classic "Doctor Who and the Silurians" some 15 years earlier.
  • This story is not considered very highly by mainstream fandom, and with good reason.   However, the addition of Herbert (a.k.a. H.G. Wells) was a nice addition.
  • Interestingly, when the story was first submitted to the Doctor Who production office, it featured the Daleks in it.  The Daleks were later removed from the story.
  • Although almost universally panned by Who fans, this is still a light weight romp.  The hammy acting and bad costumes just make it all the more fun to watch.  :)
     
  • More detailed information on this release is available at the Doctor Who Restoration Team's website.  You can find the article HERE.