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The Key to Time
Doctor Who
26 EPISODES • 1978
This season saw the introduction of the Black and White Guardians as well as the companion Romana, who became only the second female Time Lord companion since Susan. This season is sometimes colloquially known as The Key to Time season after the story arc involving the Key to Time. Although not the first season to consist of linked stories (Season 8 in 1971 was the first, as all the stories that year featured the Master), it was the first to be recognised as having a series long arc. Although multi serial arcs would occur again, such a full- season experiment wouldn't be attempted again until Season 23. The arc has a number of similarities to the Season 1 story The Keys of Marinus. The storyline was originally proposed for Season 15, but it required more planning.
Season 15

Episodes

1: The Ribos Operation (1)
Sep 2, 1978
The Magellanic Clouds, the planet Ribos, an unknown time. Ordered by the White Guardian to collect the pieces of the omnipotent Key to Time, The Doctor, K-9 and his new assistant Romana arrive. Collecting the first segment is not going to be easy…
2: The Ribos Operation (2)
Sep 9, 1978
Trying to obtain the first segment of the Key to Time, the Doctor and Romana are swept up in an elaborate con. The target – the homicidal Graff Vynda K.
3: The Ribos Operation (3)
Sep 16, 1978
Prisoners of the maniacal Graff Vynda K, the Doctor and Romana must break out and pursue the first segment – even as Unstoff takes it into the most dangerous place on Ribos.
4: The Ribos Operation (4)
Sep 23, 1978
Trapped in the catacombs between a mad warlord and ravenous monsters, the Doctor and Romana work desperately to obtain the segment of the Key to Time - and escape alive.
5: The Pirate Planet (1)
Sep 30, 1978
Planet Zanak, unknown time. The Doctor and Romana are seeking the planet Calufrax where the second segment waits. They are in the right place and the right time… but on the wrong planet.
6: The Pirate Planet (2)
Oct 7, 1978
The Doctor begins to investigate the mysteriously wealthy planet Zanak. Mentiads, a deranged Captain, strange omens, miraculous mines – what does it all mean? And what does it have to do with the Key to Time?
7: The Pirate Planet (3)
Oct 14, 1978
The Mentiads take the Doctor, Romana and Kimus to a reunion with K9 and Mula, where they set about trying to defeat the Captain.
8: The Pirate Planet (4)
Oct 21, 1978
The Captain and Xanxia work toward their secret goals. Both depends on the pirate planet consuming one more victim - Earth.
9: The Stones of Blood (1)
Oct 28, 1978
England, the late 1970s. The Doctor and Romana arrive in search of the third segment. But the Tracer readings are erratic and something ominous is happening with an ancient stone circle...
10: The Stones of Blood (2)
Nov 4, 1978
The quest for the Third Segment has landed the Doctor and Romana in the midst of a druidic cult centred on a stone circle. But the stones are not what they seem, and somewhere out there is a blood-thirsty Celtic goddess.
11: The Stones of Blood (3)
Nov 11, 1978
Chased by blood-thirsty stones, the Doctor must find a way to rescue Romana. What awaits him in the theoretical absurdity of hyperspace?
12: The Stones of Blood (4)
Nov 18, 1978
Facing a sentence of death from merciless justice machines, the Doctor must play for time while Romana tries to discover just who Vivian Fey really is.
13: The Androids of Tara (1)
Nov 25, 1978
Arriving on Tara, Romana locates the fourth segment of the Key to Time with ease. But getting it away proves more difficult, as she is captured by the scheming Count Grendel who wants the throne of Tara for himself.
14: The Androids of Tara (2)
Dec 2, 1978
The Doctor must employ a desperate gambit to keep the evil Grendel off the throne. And the Count has a new pawn to play - Romana.
15: The Androids of Tara (3)
Dec 9, 1978
The battle for control of Tara turns into a duel of wits between the Doctor and Grendel. But the Count shows he has more treacherous tricks up his sleeve.
16: The Androids of Tara (4)
Dec 16, 1978
Grendel plans two weddings and a funeral to cement his hold over Tara. The Doctor and K-9 race to foil him and save the Time Lady's life.
17: The Power of Kroll (1)
Dec 23, 1978
The Third Moon of Delta Magna, The Future. The Doctor and Romana arrive in search of the fifth segment and are immediately swept up in a conflict between the crew of a new refinery and the embittered natives…
18: The Power of Kroll (2)
Dec 30, 1978
The Doctor and Romana try to avoid being sacrificed to Kroll – just in time for the real monster to appear.
19: The Power of Kroll (3)
Jan 6, 1979
The massive Kroll is awake and killing anyone in its path. And the swampies are determined to appease it – by sacrificing the Doctor and Romana.
20: The Power of Kroll (4)
Jan 13, 1979
The Doctor and Romana are trapped between the monstrous Kroll and the insane refinery commander. And there is no sign of the fifth segment of the Key to Time.
21: The Armageddon Factor (1)
Jan 20, 1979
Searching for the sixth segment, the Doctor and Romana land in the midst of a brutal nuclear war between the planets Atrios and Zeos.
22: The Armageddon Factor (2)
Jan 27, 1979
Swept up in an apocalyptic war, the Doctor must help the Marshal defend his planet. But who or what controls the Marshal?
23: The Armageddon Factor (3)
Feb 3, 1979
The Doctor meets a new enemy – the Shadow – who wants the Key to Time. And the Atrian-Zeon war is approaching an awful climax.
24: The Armageddon Factor (4)
Feb 10, 1979
The Doctor is forced into a desperate gambit to prevent a massacre. But it is getting harder to tell friend from foe.
25: The Armageddon Factor (5)
Feb 17, 1979
The Doctor and Romana finally venture into the Shadow's lair. The Shadow appears to hold all the cards but the Doctor has found an old friend.
26: The Armageddon Factor (6)
Feb 24, 1979
The Doctor and the Shadow have their final confrontation to take control of the Key to Time. Completing it may entail an awful sacrifice. And the Black Guardian will do anything to obtain it and plunge the Universe into chaos.
Season 17
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