Colin Baker Movies

Based on a novel by Gerald Seymour, the two-part British miniseries starred John Thaw as Joshua Mantle, a solicitor's clerk pressed into duty by British intelligence. It is Joshua's job to find out why otherwise level-headed Intelligence officer Tracy Barnes (Zara Turner) suddenly, and without warning, attacked East German politician Dieter Krause (Hartmut Becker). Unfortunately, Joshua's superior officer Giles Fleming (Colin Baker) ambivalently balks at providing information vital to the investigation. Ultimately, Joshua teams up with Tracy herself to solve a mystery involving the dreaded East German secret police organization Stasi, a ten-year-old murder, and a far-reaching diplomatic coverup. The Waiting Time was originally telecast on October 28 and November 4, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Four years after its "official" demise as a weekly series, Doctor Who briefly resurfaced in the form of a two-part, 14-minute special. Created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the series' birth, Part One of "Dimensions in Time" was shown as a segment of the BBC's Children in Need Telethon. The plot proper pitted five of the Doctor's seven incarnations -- played by surviving series stars Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, and Sylvester McCoy -- against renegade Time Lady Rani (Kate O'Mara), who hoped to determine the outcome of the universe's evolution. This cliffhanger was resolved on November 27, 1993 with Part Two of "Dimensions in Time," shown as a six-minute component of the series' Noel's House Party. It was truly an "interactive" effort, with the home viewers calling in their suggestions for the outcome. Also appearing were several cast members of the popular British soap opera Eastenders (one of whom was selected by popular vote to "save" the Doctor). Written by John Nathan-Turner and David Roden, "Dimensions in Time" represented the Doctor's last TV appearance until the 1996 two-hour "revival" film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The decades-lasting British science fiction series Doctor Who originally aired on PBS in America during the 1970s and was noted for both its cleverness and its low production values. Cybermen -- The Early Years covers the beginnings of the Cybermen who would evolve from their cold-hearted roots -- after their discovery in the arctic by the series-leading doctor -- into definitive recurring enemies on the program. Commentary by Colin Baker (the sixth actor to play the doctor on the show) incorporates footage from several episodes, as well as four episodes in their entireties: episodes two and four of The Moonbase and episodes three and six of The Wheel in Space. ~ Sarah Sloboda, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the season-long continuity "The Trial of the Time Lord," the Doctor (Colin Baker), on trial for his life, is confronted with videotaped evidence of his "disobedient" behavior on the planet Ravolox. It is up to the Doctor and his companion, Peri (Nicola Bryant), that their mission to Ravolox was intended to rescue the inhabitants from malevolent con artist Glitz (Tony Selby). Written by Robert Holmes and originally telecast on September 20, 1986, Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord, Episode 3 was technically the third chapter of a story arc subtitled "The Mysterious Planet." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of the 14-episode continuity "The Trial of a Time Lord," the Doctor (Colin Baker) discovers the real reason that he has been put on trial for violating the Laws of Time. But his troubles are far from over, as he and his chief accuser, the Valeyard (Michael Jayston) embark upon a harrowing virtual-reality tour of the Matrix. The climax finds the Doctor locked in mortal combat with an evil incarnation of himself. Written by Pip and Jane Baker and originally telecast on December 6, 1986, this episode, officially known as Doctor Who: The Ultimate Foe, Episode 2, represented not only the final chapter of Doctor Who's 23rd season, but also Colin Baker's farewell appearance as the Doctor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the 12th episode of the season-long continuity "The Trial of a Time Lord," the Valeyard (Michael Jayston), bent upon condemning the Doctor (Colin Baker) for violating the Laws of Time, argues that the Doctor's videotaped evidence does not correspond with the facts. But the Doctor argues that, contrary to those "facts," he and his companion, Mel (Bonnie Langford), were indeed responsible for rescuing the passengers of the spaceliner Hyperion III from being devoured by a series of ravenous plants -- and that the Hyperion III did not meet its doom in the Black Hole of Tartarus. Written by Pip and Jane Baker and first broadcast on November 22, 1986, Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord, Episode 12 was actually the concluding installment of the four-part story arc "Terror of the Vervoids." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the tenth episode of the season-long continuity "The Trial of a Time Lord," the Doctor (Colin Baker) presents videotaped evidence which he hopes will clear him of charges that he has violated the Laws of Time. The tape shows the Doctor and his companion, Mel (Bonnie Langford), on board the spaceliner Hyperion III, attempting to solve a series of mysterious deaths. But the Valeyard (Michael Jayston), who is conducting the trial against the Doctor, is skeptical, since the images on the tape do not correspond with the facts -- or at least, with the facts as they currently exist. Written by Pip and Jane Baker and first broadcast on November 8, 1986, this episode is officially known as Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord, Episode 10. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the eighth episode of the season-long continuity "The Trial of the Time Lord," the Doctor (Colin Baker) refutes videotaped evidence of his "treachery" on the planet Thoros Beta. It doesn't look good for the Doctor, however, since the tapes suggest that he willingly served up a reluctant Peri (Nicola Bryant) as a body donor in a brain-transplant experiment performed by scientist Crozier (Patrick Ryecart) on the planet's leader Kiv (Christopher Ryan). The outraged Time Lords, ignoring the Doctor's insistence that the evidence is entirely misleading, are forced to take drastic measures. This episode served as the series swan song for co-star Nicola Bryant. Written by Philip Martin and originally telecast on October 24, 1986, Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord, Episode 8 is actually the concluding chapter of the four-part story arc "Mindwarp." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the sixth episode of the season-long continuity "The Trial of a Time Lord," the Valeyard (Michael Jayston) continues to prosecute the Doctor (Colin Baker) for violating the Laws of Time. Videotaped evidence shows the Doctor and Peri (Nicola Bryant) travelling to the planet Thoros Beta, apparently to commisserate with intergalactic outlaw Sil (Nabil Shaban). But the Doctor contends that his mission to Thoros Beta was meant to be beneficial, citing the fact that scientist Crozier (Patrick Ryecart) intended to alleviate the suffering of the planet's leader, Kiv (Christopher Ryan), by using the Doctor's body as the temporary home for Kiv's brain. Will the Doctor be able to prove his point -- or will his erratic behavior, caught on video, condemn him to death? Written by Philip Martin and originally telecast on October 11, 1986, "Mindwarp, Episode 2" is listed in most sources as Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord, Episode 6. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fourth episode of the season-long continuity "The Trial of the Time Lord," the Valeyard (Michael Jayston) uses videotaped evidence in hopes of proving that the Doctor (Colin Baker) was guilty of breaking the Laws of Time on the planet Ravolox. But the Doctor contends that he and his companion, Peri (Nicola Bryant), were actually responsible for saving Ravolox from the villainous machinations of intergalactic con artist Glitz (Tony Selby). Written by Robert Holmes and originally telecast on September 27, 1986, Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord, Episode 4 was technically the concluding chapter of a four-part story arc subtitled "The Mysterious Planet." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of the two-part story "Vengeance on Varos," the Doctor (Colin Baker) and Peri (Nicola Bryant) are trapped on the former prison planet Varos, where the population is held in mental slavery by a network of video screens, which offer a 24-hour diet of televised tortures (shades of the "video nasties" which were briefly popular in England during this period). The instigator of this outrage is a slug-like monstrosity called Sil (Nabil Shaban), the greedy representative of a despotic mining company. Written by Philip Martin, the "Vengeance on Varos" was originally telecast on January 19 and January 26, 1985; the two 45-minute episodes have since been recut into a four-part cliffhanger for American television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of "Timelash," the Borad Robert Ashby, mutant dictator of the planet Karfel, declares war on the Bandrils, the better to wipe out his own followers so that he can create a new, "superior" race. Meanwhile, the Doctor (Colin Baker) attempts to rescue Vera Rennis (Jeanane Crowley), an old friend of Peri (Nicola Bryant), whom the Borad has exiled to the Timelash, a spectral time corridor. Yet another dilemma arises when Peri is chosen to replace the Borad in the long-ago accident which so horribly disfigured him. This episode was initially titled "Conquest of the Daleks," but the Daleks were ultimately written out of the story. Scripted by Glen McCoy, the two-part "Timelash" originally aired March 9 and March 16, 1985; it has since been edited into a four-part serial for American television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide