THE TRIAL OF A TIMELORD was a season long arc born out of a time when DOCTOR WHO was put on hiatus for 18 months with the original stories tossed (many of the would-be season 23 ended up as novels and Audio CD adventures). The Doctor (Colin Baker) is pulled from time by the Timelords and put on trial for his actions by the Valeyard (Michael Jayston). The first 12 episodes would form three adventures presented as evidence in his trial while the final two episodes wrap up the over arcing story line. I first watched this season as a teenager in the late 1980s on Saturday nights on KSPS (PBS broadcast from Spokane, Washington). I really like this season and liked some of the reveals even though I do question some of the story telling decisions in the final two episodes. I do still await for the return of the Valeyard after all of these years (but I also wish Frobisher could show up on the TV show- Frobisher is a shape shifting companion from the comic strip that ends up in the form of a penguin).

THE TRIAL OF A TIMELORD was one of the few times that classic DOCTOR WHO did story arcs connected by multiple stories (Season 16, Season 18). Colin Baker is the brash Doctor in the ugly Technicolor coat. He is the Doctor that people don't give enough credit to. His tenure was cut by politics which lead to the casting of a new Doctor for season 24. Season 23 is one of the highlights of later DOCTOR WHO in the 1980s.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
DISC 1-
Existing DVD special features including the audio commentary, making-of documentary (THE MAKING OF MYSTERIOUS PLANET), model footage, music videos, deleted and extended scenes, TV interview excerpts

New special features include BEHIND THE SOFA (HD) as the main cast of Season 23 and past companions before watch and talk about the first four parts of the season
THE DOCTOR'S TABLE (HD) which has actors Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Bonnie Langford, and Michael Jayston meet for dinner and answer questions out of TARDIS tins

Studio and location footage, isolated music score, revised and updated production notes, photo gallery in HD, and optional 5.1 surround sound mix

DISC 2-
Existing DVD special features on the blu-ray disc include an audio commentary, THE MAKING OF MINDWARP documentary, NOW AND THEN- ON THE TRIAL OF THE TIME LORD on the locations, A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH?- bonus commentary for episode 14, deleted and extended scenes

New special features include BEHIND THE SOFA (HD) as the main cast of Season 23 and past companions before watch and talk about the second story of the season
BLESSED ON DOCTOR WHO- actor Brian Blessed gives his thoughts on the various Doctors of the show and the stories in general
THE SIXTH DOCTOR REVISITED- a half hour look back at the Sixth Doctor era
50 YEARS IN THE TARDIS interview with Colin Baker from 2013
TEMPS X is a French program with a segment on the making of season 23 and DOCTOR WHO

Studio and location footage, isolated music score, revised and updated production notes, photo gallery in HD, and optional 5.1 surround sound mix

DISC 3-
Existing DVD special features include an audio commentary, THE MAKING OF TERROR OF THE VERVOIDS documentary, deleted and extended scenes

New special features include BEHIND THE SOFA (HD) as the main cast of Season 23 and past companions before watch and talk about the third story of the season

TERROR OF THE VERVOIDS- a four part version of the story without the trial scenes
Studio and location footage, isolated music score, revised and updated production notes, photo gallery in HD, and optional 5.1 surround sound mix

DISC 4-
Existing DVD special features include audio commentaries, THE MAKING OF THE ULTIMATE FOE documentary, TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS documentary on the 18 month hiatus and the relaunched season 23
TOMORROW&'S TIMES: THE SIXTH DOCTOR
STRIPPED FOR ACTION: THE SIXTH DOCTOR- a look at the various Doctor Who comics to feature the Sixth Doctor
Saturday Superstore and Open Air extracts, deleted and extended scenes, coming soon trailer for TIME AND THE RANI

New special features include BEHIND THE SOFA (HD) as the main cast of Season 23 and past companions before watch and talk about the final story of the season
BONNIE LANGFORD IN CONVERSATION (HD) is an hour interview done by Matthew Sweet
THE WRITERS ROOM: THE MISSING SEASON 23- the writers of the aborted season 23 stories meet for drinks at a pub (and one by Skype) to discuss the DOCTOR WHO stories that would have been
TOMORROW'S WORLD Christmas Quiz extract, French and Saunders extract

Studio and location footage, isolated music score, revised and updated production notes, photo gallery in HD, and optional 5.1 surround sound mix

DISC 5-
Extended versions of parts 1 to 8 of THE TRIAL OF A TIME LORD with optional 5.1 surround sound mix

DISC 6-
Extended versions of parts 9 to 14 of THE TRIAL OF A TIME LORD with optional 5.1 surround sound mix

Existing DVD special feature is NOW GET OUT OF THAT! on DOCTOR WHO cliffhangers

Other new special features include THE DOCTOR WHO COOKBOOK REVISITED as the actors of DOCTOR WHO make the recipes they submitted for THE DOCTOR WHO COOKBOOK back in the 1980s and there are three bonus recipes not included in the regular feature.
THE PANOTICON ARCHIVE features an onstage convention interview with Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant from back in the 1990s
Season 23 blu-ray trailer with Colin Baker on trial for a speeding ticket
Studio clocks

There is also a wealth of PDF material on each disc accessible by computer including production paperwork, costume designs, rehearsal and editing scripts, Radio Times clippings, Robert Holmes original script for Part Thirteen- THE FANTASY FACTORY

FINAL ANALYSIS: THE TRIAL OF A TIMELORD marks another great blu-ray set from the classic DOCTOR WHO series with the wealth of extras and multiple edits of the episodes. Season 23 is another must-own for fans of the original series.

This blu-ray review is (c)12-31-2019 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com and look for additional updates and content at https://enterlinemedia.tumblr.com/