Season 20, Episode 6 | 2 parts | First broadcast: 15–16 March 1983 | Writer: Terence Dudley | Director: Tony Virgo
Cast
- Peter Davison as the Doctor
- Janet Fielding as Tegan Jovanka
- Mark Strickson as Vislor Turlough
- Anthony Ainley as the Master
- Gerald Flood as the voice of Kamelion
Summary
Arriving in England in the year 1215, the Doctor and his companions find King John behaving suspiciously out of character at a minor nobleman’s castle, threatening to derail the signing of the Magna Carta itself. Uncovering the Master’s latest scheme, hidden behind a shapeshifting robot impersonating the king, the Doctor gains an unexpected new companion in the shapeshifting android Kamelion, freed from the Master’s control.
Interesting Facts
- This brief two-part story introduces the shapeshifting android companion Kamelion, voiced by Gerald Flood, whose technical limitations led to him being sparingly used afterward.
- It marks another appearance from Anthony Ainley’s Master, revealed to be behind the impersonation of King John.
- The story ties its plot directly to the signing of the Magna Carta, a significant moment in real English history.
- At just two episodes, it was one of the shortest stories of the classic series, serving as a low-key season finale before the anniversary special.
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