View source for Timelash

{{about|the ''Doctor Who'' story|the ''UFO'' episode|Timelash (UFO)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox Doctor Who episode
| number             = 141<ref>From the ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' series overview, in issue 407 (pp26-29). ''[[The Discontinuity Guide]]'', which counts the unbroadcast serial ''[[Shada (Doctor Who)|Shada]]'', lists this as story number 142. [[DVD region code#1|Region 1]] DVD [[Doctor Who DVD releases|releases]] follow ''The Discontinuity Guide'' numbering system.</ref>
| serial_name        = Timelash
| show               = DW
| type               = serial
| image              = 
| caption            = 
| doctor             = [[Colin Baker]] – [[Sixth Doctor]]
| companion          = [[Nicola Bryant]] – [[Peri Brown]]
| guests             = 
*[[Robert Ashby]] – The Borad
*[[Denis Carey (actor)|Denis Carey]] – Old Man
*[[Paul Darrow]] – Tekker
*[[Eric Deacon]] – Mykros
*[[Neil Hallett]] – Maylin Renis
*[[Jeananne Crowley]] – Vena
*[[David Ashton (actor)|David Ashton]] – Kendron
*[[David Chandler (actor)|David Chandler]] – [[H. G. Wells|Herbert]]
*[[Tracy Louise Ward]] – Katz
*[[Peter Robert Scott]] – Brunner
*[[Dicken Ashworth]] – Sezon
*[[Steven Mackintosh]] – Gazak
*[[Christine Kavanagh]] – Aram
*[[Martin Gower]] – Tyheer/Bandril Ambassador
*[[Dean Hollingsworth]] – Android
*[[James Richardson (actor)|James Richardson]] – Guardolier
| director           = [[Pennant Roberts]]
| writer             = [[Glen McCoy]]
| script_editor      = [[Eric Saward]]
| producer           = [[John Nathan-Turner]]
| composer           = [[Elizabeth Parker (composer)|Elizabeth Parker]]
| production_code    = 6Y
| series             = [[Doctor Who (season 22)|Season 22]]
| length             = 2 episodes, 45 minutes each
| started            = {{Start date|1985|3|9|df=y}}
| ended              = {{End date|1985|3|16|df=y}}
| preceding          = ''[[The Two Doctors]]''
| following          = ''[[Revelation of the Daleks]]''
}}
'''''Timelash''''' is the fifth serial of the [[Doctor Who (season 22)|22nd season]] in the British [[science fiction television]] series ''[[Doctor Who]]'', which was first broadcast in two weekly parts on [[BBC One|BBC1]] on 9 and 16 March 1985.

In the serial, the Borad ([[Robert Ashby]]), the mutated leader of the planet Karfel, plots to start a war with the Bandril race which would wipe out both the Bandrils and Karfel's population so that the Borad could repopulate it with his own kind to rule the planet.

==Plot==
The [[TARDIS]] is ensnared by a Kontron tunnel (similar to a [[Resurrection of the Daleks|time corridor]]) and is drawn to its source on the planet Karfel, which the Doctor has previously visited.

Its population is now ruled by the Borad, a sadistic ruler never seen in person, only via security monitors which reveal him to be an old man. His law is enforced by blue [[Android (robot)|androids]]; and all rebels are dealt with either by [[summary execution]] or dispatch via the Timelash - exiled down a corridor of [[Time]] and [[Space]]. At the time of the Doctor's return, the neighbouring planet of Bandrils are posed to invade after the Borad rescinds the grain supply treaty which underpinned the relationship between the two civilisations.

Acting as a proxy for the Borad, the Maylin is the most senior of the five councillors of Karfel. When one of these fellow councillors, Mykros, actively plots with Maylin Renis to overthrow the Borad's rule,  the Maylin is executed and Mykros sentenced to exile via the Timelash. Before he can be dispatched however, Vena - Renis' daughter and Mykros' lover - intervenes to plead for his life. When this fails, she steals an amulet conferring the power to the new Maylin - a sycophant named Tekker - and accidentally falls into the Timelash herself.

The arrival of the TARDIS presents Maylin Tekker with an opportunity to retrieve the amulet. When the Doctor refuses to help, Tekker explains that Peri has been taken hostage to ensure his co-operation. She has been taken to a cave of Morlox, large lizards indigenous to Karfel, but is rescued by some Karfelon rebels. However, they are soon captured by guards.

To protect Peri, the Doctor follows the Timelash tunnel back to Scotland in 1885. When he arrives he finds Vena with the amulet and a young man named Herbert. All return to Karfel, where the amulet is seized and the travellers rounded up with the rebels to await sentencing. They fight back and seal the chamber doors. The Doctor retrieves two kontron crystals from the Timelash, which he uses to create a time manipulator that allows him to slip out of the Chamber.

Tekker has meanwhile fled to the Borad, and blames the setback on the last remaining loyal Counsellor, Kendron, whom the Borad executes. Tekker remains with the Borad, now revealed to be a hideous amalgam of human and Morlox. They watch on a screen as Peri is brought into a cave and strapped down while Morlox gather to feed. A canister of the chemical Mustakozene-80 is placed nearby, which has the ability to fuse together the tissue of different species. The Borad has taken a liking to Peri and wishes to mutate her like himself. The Doctor arrives to confront Tekker and the Borad, recognising the latter as Megelen, a crazed scientist he encountered on his previous visit to Karfel and exposed to the Council for unethical experiments on Morloxes. Megelen wishes to replicate its effects to create a partner. His plan has been to provoke a war with the Bandrils that will result in their use of warheads which will wipe out all the Karfelons – but leave the Morlox and himself alive – allowing him to repopulate the world in his own image. This revelation prompts Tekker too to rebel, but he is aged to death. The Doctor then uses a Kontron Crystal to deflect Megelen's beam back at him, killing the mutant in his wheelchair.

Herbert helps the Doctor rescue Peri. They return to the Council Chamber where the imminent threat of a Bandril nuclear strike prompts the Doctor to take drastic action. He materialises the TARDIS in the path of the incoming warhead, risking his own life to save Karfel. He does so successfully and returns to Karfel to find Megelen returned from the dead and threatening the Council Chamber – or rather the other one was a [[Clone (genetics)|clone]] of this original. Megelen is made unbalanced by the image of himself in a boarded up mirror, revealing the reason he hid himself away, and in this state is pushed into the Timelash by the Doctor, where he may have ended up as the Loch Ness monster (The Doctor says "he may be seen from time to time").

As they depart, the Doctor shows Herbert's calling card to Peri, which gives Herbert's name as [[H. G. Wells|Herbert George Wells]].

===Continuity===
The Doctor's previous visit to Karfel is explicitly placed as an off-screen adventure during the [[Third Doctor]]'s ([[Jon Pertwee]]) travels with [[Jo Grant]] ([[Katy Manning]]). A likeness of the Third Doctor is revealed behind a section of wall panelling in the Timelash control room, while Peri recognises a photograph of Jo.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/timelash/detail.shtml |title=Timelash |work=BBC |access-date=5 May 2015}}</ref> In the 2010 ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'' story ''[[Death of the Doctor]]'', Jo describes her visit to the planet.

===Outside references===
This serial makes several references to Wells' novels: ''[[The Time Machine]]'', ''[[The War of the Worlds]]'', ''[[The Invisible Man]]'', and ''[[The Island of Doctor Moreau]]''.<ref name="BBC"/>

==Production==

The music for this story was provided by [[Elizabeth Parker (composer)|Elizabeth Parker]], who had formerly contributed special sound for ''[[Blake's 7]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hebblethwaite |first=Phil |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/e71ca197-4808-4132-b1cc-0078d8066fee |title=BBC Music - Classic photos from the golden days of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop |publisher=BBC |date=2018-07-20 |accessdate=2019-07-18}}</ref>

===Cast notes===
[[Paul Darrow]] had previously appeared in ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians]]'' as Captain Hawkins.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/paul-darrow-obituary|title = Paul Darrow, of Blake's 7 and Doctor Who fame, dies at age 78|date = 3 June 2019}}</ref> [[Denis Carey (actor)|Denis Carey]] previously played [[Professor Chronotis]] in the incomplete serial ''[[Shada (Doctor Who)|Shada]]'' and the Keeper in ''[[The Keeper of Traken]]''.<ref name="BBC"/>

Darrow has acknowledged that producer [[John Nathan-Turner]] was initially unhappy with his performance, which he based on ''[[Richard III (play)|Richard III]]'', and he was accused of "sending it up". However, he claims Nathan-Turner later praised him, saying: "You were absolutely right to do it that way - the script wasn't that good and you made something of it."<ref name="Darrow interview">{{cite web | url=http://www.shadowlocked.com/201107051933/interviews/interview-paul-darrow-on-blakes-7-minister-of-chance-star-wars-the-old-republic.html | title=PAUL DARROW ON BLAKE'S 7, MINISTER OF CHANCE AND THE STAR WARS MMORPG | work=Shadowlocked | first=Martin | last=Anderson | date=5 July 2011 | accessdate=5 May 2015 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505094050/http://www.shadowlocked.com/201107051933/interviews/interview-paul-darrow-on-blakes-7-minister-of-chance-star-wars-the-old-republic.html | archivedate=5 May 2015 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Broadcast and reception==
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{{Episode list/sublist|Timelash
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 |OriginalAirDate    = {{Start date|1985|3|9|df=y}}
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 |RTitle             = 
 |OriginalAirDate    = {{Start date|1985|3|16|df=y}}
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''Timelash'' was not well received by ''Doctor Who'' critics. Guest star [[Paul Darrow]] described ''Timelash'' as "the most disliked and also one of the most liked, which is fascinating".<ref name="Darrow interview"/> [[Graham Sleight]] noted that ''Timelash'' is "widely regarded as one of the worst series ever broadcast as part of ''Doctor Who''", claiming the story has "a weak script, cheap-looking design, unimaginative direction, laughable special effects and some appalling performances".<ref name="gs">{{cite book |first=Graham |last=Sleight |title=The Doctor's Monsters: Meanings of the Monstrous in Doctor Who |publisher=I.B.Tauris |year=2012 |isbn=978-1848851788 |page=[https://archive.org/details/doctorsmonstersm0000slei/page/39 39] |url=https://archive.org/details/doctorsmonstersm0000slei/page/39 }}</ref> However, Sleight also praises Robert Ashby's performance as the Borad, claiming Ashby's performance "elevates his menace to an entirely different level to the rest of the story".<ref name="gs" /> [[Tat Wood]] described it as "a grindingly dull story only memorable for being made as a school panto with belated [[New Romantic]] 80s fashion errors".<ref name="tw"/> Wood singled out the story's script, production and costumes for particular criticism.<ref name="tw" /> Wood also pointed out the H.G. Wells depicted in ''Timelash'' is different from the real-life Wells (the Wells depicted in ''Timelash'' is not blond, lacks a Cockney/Kentish accent, and is interested in [[Spiritualism (beliefs)|spiritualism]]).<ref name="tw">{{cite book |first=Tat |last=Wood |authorlink=Tat Wood |title=About Time 6: Seasons 22 to 26 and TV Movie |location=Illinois |publisher=Mad Norwegian Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0975944653 |pages=73–90 }}</ref>

In ''[[The Discontinuity Guide]]'', ''Timelash'' was criticised for "tacky sets and some dodgy acting" but was also said to be "nowhere near as bad as its reputation".<ref name="BBC"/> ''Doctor Who: The Television Companion'' noted that the serial was not popular with fans of the show, but was at least "a reassuringly traditional ''Doctor Who'' adventure" in a season which contained "derivative, incomprehensible and inappropriately violent stories".<ref name="BBC"/> In ''Doctor Who: The Complete Guide'', Mark Campbell awarded ''Timelash'' seven out of ten, describing it as "an unfairly maligned homage to HG Wells and bad [[B movie|'B' movies]], ''Timelash'' is good, old-fashioned entertainment in a season brimming with macho portentousness. It all goes pear-shaped towards the end, but on the way there's plenty of fun to be had."<ref>{{cite book |last=Campbell |first=Mark |title=Doctor Who: The Complete Guide |date=2011 |publisher=Robinson Publishing |isbn=978-1849015875 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ab2eBAAAQBAJ&q=an+unfairly+maligned+homage+to+HG+Wells+and+bad+B+movies&pg=PT112 |accessdate=24 May 2020}}</ref>

In 2013, ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'''s [[Tim Stanley]] wrote of the serial: "The sets are bad, the acting is bad, the script stinks, the effects are laughable and – most importantly – Colin's Doctor is simply unlovable."<ref>{{cite news | title= Doctor Who 50th anniversary: Colin Baker – a poetic, dark Doctor with a hideous, bright coat | work=The Daily Telegraph | first=Tim | last=Stanley | date=18 November 2013}}</ref>  [[Den of Geek]]'s Andrew Blair selected ''Timelash'' as one of the ten ''Doctor Who'' stories that would make great musicals.<ref name="Blair 2013">{{cite web|first1=Andrew|last1=Blair|url=http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who/26832/doctor-who-10-stories-that-would-make-great-musicals|title=Doctor Who: 10 stories that would make great musicals|work=Den of Geek|publisher=[[Dennis Publishing]]|date=28 August 2013|accessdate=13 April 2017}}</ref> Patrick Mulkern of ''[[Radio Times]]'' awarded the serial one star from five, describing it as "a turkey that's also a hoot". In his view, the serial was "codswallop served cold: boring Tardis scenes are intercut with stultifying political machinations on Karfel, a drab planet ruled by a lethargic lizard-man and about to be obliterated by glove-puppet Bandrils".<ref name="Mulkern 2012">{{cite web|first1=Patrick|last1=Mulkern|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/blog/2012-06-06/timelash|title=Timelash *|work=[[Radio Times]]|publisher=[[Immediate Media Company]]|date=6 June 2012|accessdate=13 April 2017}}</ref>

==Commercial releases==

===In print===
{{Infobox book
| name              = Timelash
| image             = Doctor Who Timelash.jpg
| caption           = 
| author            = [[Glen McCoy]]
| cover_artist      = David McAllister
| series            = ''[[Doctor Who]]'' book:<br />[[List of Doctor Who novelisations|Target novelisations]]
| release_number    = 105
| release_date      = December 1985 (Hardback)
15 May 1986 (Paperback)
| publisher         = [[Target Books]]
| pages             = 
| isbn              = 0-426-20229-5
| exclude_cover     = yes
}}

A novelisation of this serial, written by [[Glen McCoy]], was published by [[Target Books]] in December 1985.

A book length study of the serial, written by Phil Pascoe, was published as part of [[The Black Archive]] series from [[Obverse Books]] in 2019.<ref>Black Archive #35: Timelash https://obversebooks.co.uk/product/35-timelash/ </ref>

===Home media===
''Timelash'' was released on [[VHS]] on 5 January 1998,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Timelash-Colin-Baker/dp/B00004CVMU |title=<nowiki>Doctor Who - Timelash [1985]</nowiki> |accessdate=2007-02-28 |work=[[amazon.co.uk]] |date=5 January 1998 }}</ref> and on [[DVD]] on 9 July 2007<ref>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070908211120/http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2007/05/04/43792.shtml|archivedate=8 September 2007|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2007/05/04/43792.shtml |title=DVD update |accessdate=2007-02-28 |publisher=BBC }}</ref> with a commentary provided by actors Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Paul Darrow, and Robert Ashby along with a selection of other features.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.purpleville.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/rtwebsite/Timelash.htm |title=Doctor Who Restoration Team - Timelash DVD details |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083323/http://www.purpleville.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/rtwebsite/Timelash.htm |archivedate=24 September 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

It was released as part of the ‘Doctor Who The Collection: Season 22’ blu-ray box set on 20th June 2022.

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="AllRatings">{{cite web|title=Ratings Guide |url=http://guide.doctorwhonews.net/info.php?detail=ratings&type=date |website=Doctor Who News |accessdate=28 May 2017}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Sixth Doctor}}
*{{BBCCDW|id=timelash|title=Timelash}}
*{{TardisIndexFile|Timelash (TV story)|''Timelash''}}
*[https://obversebooks.co.uk/product/35-timelash/ Black Archive #35: Timelash ]

===Reviews===
*''[https://web.archive.org/web/20070919085302/http://www.behindthesofa.org.uk/2007/07/can-one-shot-sa.html Timelash]'' DVD release review at [http://www.behindthesofa.org.uk/ Behind the Sofa] 1

===Target novelisation===
*{{Isfdb title|id=10681|title=Timelash}}

{{Doctor Who episodes|C22}}
{{Sixth Doctor stories|selected=Television}}

[[Category:Sixth Doctor serials]]
[[Category:Doctor Who pseudohistorical serials]]
[[Category:Doctor Who serials novelised by Glen McCoy]]
[[Category:1985 British television episodes]]
[[Category:Television shows based on works by H. G. Wells]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of H. G. Wells]]
[[Category:Television episodes set in Scotland]]
[[Category:Fiction set in 1885]]
[[Category:Television episodes set in the 1880s]]