In his defence the Doctor tells of an adventure set on board the Hyperion III space liner in his future. Answering a distress call, the Doctor and Mel arrive on the liner just as a series of grisly murders begins.

Who is behind the murders? Do the enigmatic Mogarians have anything to do with them? Who sent the distress call to the TARDIS? And what hideous menace lies waiting in the Hydroponic centre?
 

"Gentlemen, may I remind you that this is a court of law and not a debating society for maladjusted psychotic sociopaths."

Thus speaks The Inquisitor in an attempt to establish some order at the high council of the Time Lords' trial of the Doctor. Carged with having engaged in conduct unbecoming to a Time Lord, the Doctor must defend his honour, reputation and indeed his life in the face of damning accusations from the Valeyard.

Supported by irrefutable evidence from the Matrix - the High Council's record of activitied of all the Time Lords - the case against the Doctor seems watertight. From the mysterious planet of Ravelox, to an encounter with Lord Kiv on the Planet Thoros-Beta and on to an inter-galactic space liner in the year 2986, the Doctor's activities seem to at best to have been unnecessary and at worst to have recklessly endangered the lives of others - including his two assistants, Prei and Mel!

But who exactly is this prosecutor known as the Valeyard? Can the Council believe the evidence provided by the Matrix? And indeed, should the Doctor trust the High Council of the Time Lords to provide a fair trial?

Originally transmitted 6 September - 6 December 1986, this 14 part epic adventure is a welcome addition to the Doctor Who collection on BBC Video. It is available exculsively in this special limited edition tin to commemerate the programme's 30th Anniversary.

Running time: 349 mins approx.

Produced by John Nathan-Turner
Directed by Nicholas Mallett, Ron Jones and Chris Clough
Cover Illustration by Alistair Pearson