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the keeper of traken

story 115 : season 18 : serial 5T : 4 episodes

Producer: John Nathan-Turner
Director: John Black
Writer: Johnny Byrne
Script Editor: Christopher H Bidmead
Designer: Tony Burrough

cast information

Tom Baker (Doctor Who); Matthew Waterhouse (Adric); Sarah Sutton (Nyssa); Anthony Ainley (Tremas); Geoffrey Beevers (Melkur / The Master); Sheila Ruskin (Kassia); Denis Carey (The Keeper); John Woodnutt (Seron); Margot van der Burgh (Katura); Robin Soans (Luvic); Roland Oliver (Neman); Liam Prendergast (Foster); Philip Bloomfield (Foster);

crew information

Lynn Richards (Assistant Floor Manager); Amy Roberts (Costumes); Roger Limb (Incidental Music); Norma Hill (Make-Up); Alan Wareing (Production Assistant); Angela Smith (Production Unit Manager); Dick Mills (Special Sounds); Don Babbage (Studio Lighting); John Holmes (Studio Sound); Alan Fogg (Studio Sound); Peter Howell (Theme Arrangement); Ron Grainer (Title Music); Peter Logan (Visual Effects);

episode information

  Title First UK Transmission Duration Ratings Archive Status
1 Part One 31 January 1981 at 17:10 24'05" 7.6mil PAL 2 inch colour videotape
2 Part Two 7 February 1981 at 17:10 24'50" 6.1mil PAL 2 inch colour videotape
3 Part Three 14 February 1981 at 17:10 23'49" 5.2mil PAL 2 inch colour videotape
4 Part Four 21 February 1981 at 17:10 25'11" 6.1mil PAL 2 inch colour videotape
  1. Part One
    » Always held by the FVTL
  2. Part Two
    » Always held by the FVTL
  3. Part Three
    » Always held by the FVTL
  4. Part Four
    » Always held by the FVTL

release information

In Print:
Novelised as: Doctor Who and the Keeper of Traken
Written by: Terrance Dicks
Number 037 in the Target Doctor Who Library

Versions
1982 Published by W. H. Allen, UK in hardback
With cover artwork by: Andrew Skilleter
20 May 1982 Published by W. H. Allen, UK in paperback
With cover artwork by: Andrew Skilleter
ISBN: 0 426 20148 5
17 June 1993 Published by Virgin Publishing Ltd, UK in paperback
With cover artwork by: Alister Pearson
ISBN: 0 426 20148 5

plot synopsis

The Keeper of Traken materialises inside the TARDIS, asking the Doctor for help, as he believes the harmony of his world is in danger. The threat is the Melkur, an alien who turned to stone, calcifying when he landed on the planet, as he was unable to cope with the inherent goodness of the race. On Traken, with a new Keeper soon due to take over, the Doctor uncovers a plot by Kassia to manoeuvre the Melkur to take over the Keeper's power. Melkur is actually housing the Master's TARDIS. He is still in his decaying form and, although defeated at the end, manages to escape and meld into the body of Tremas, thus taking on a new physical form....

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