Legacy (TV Story)

***Legacy*** was the fifth serial of Season 31 of *Doctor Who*. It was written by Gary Russell, directed by Chris Clough, and starred Richard Griffiths as the Eighth Doctor, Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield and Robert Llewellyn as Norman Manning. This was the third story to feature the planet Peladon.

## Synopsis

The Doctor is pursuing a master criminal. The trail leads to Peladon: a desolate world once home to a barbaric, feudal society. Now the Galactic Federation is attempting to bring prosperity and civilisation to the planet. But not all Peladonians support the changes, and when ancient relics are stolen from their Citadel, the representatives of the Federation are blamed. The Doctor suspects the Ice Warrior delegation, but before long the Time Lord himself is arrested for the crime — and sentenced to death.

Elsewhere, interplanetary mercenaries are bringing one of the galaxy's most evil artefacts to Peladon, apparently on the Doctor's instruction. Norman is pursuing a dangerous mission on another world and Bernice is getting friendly — perhaps too friendly — with the Ice Warriors she has studied for so long.

The players are making the final moves in a devious and lethal plan — but for once it isn't the Doctor's.

## Cast

* The Doctor - Richard Griffiths
* Bernice - Lisa Bowerman
* Norman - Robert Llewellyn
* Nic Reece - Sean Chapman
* King Tarrol - Peter Capaldi
* Lianna - Joy Harrison
* Savaar - Michael Fillis
* Keri - Jane Goddard
* Kitai - Damien Thomas
* Alpha Centauri - Nick Gillard
* Voice of Alpha Centuari - Ysanne Churchman
* Atissa - Isla Blair
* Alec Roberts - Peter Jeffrey
* Damajina - Lucy Christophi Christy
* Geban - Samuel West
* Torg - Kevin Allen
* Hissel - Steven Coats
* Hyn't'n - Deepak Verma
* Damakort - Jonny Lee Miller
* Siobhan Sadler - Adie Allen
* Andrew Lambert - Ronan Vibert
* Neal Corry - Meic Povey
* Rassbur - Martin Wilkie
* Sskeet - Gary Forecast

## Worldbuilding

### Culture

* There are wind chimes from Deva Loka aboard the *Bruk*.
* The Sword of Tuburr is mentioned for the first time, a symbol of the Martian's warrior past. The Sword on display on the *Bruk* is a replica.
* Jupiter's moon Io after it was terraformed is one of the seven hundred Wonders of the Universe.

### Foods and beverages

* Bernice (and others) drink some wine during a meal on Peladon.

### Individuals

* Queen Thalira died in a shuttle crash a few years after the Third Doctor's second visit to Peladon.
* Keri is a Pakhar.
* Alpha Centauri is still alive. Reproduction comes naturally with the right mental urges.
* Nic Reece considers himself a pretty suave PR guy.

### Languages

* "Shsurr" is Martian for the equivalent of "m'lady".

### Politics

* Mavic Chen succeeded Madam Amazonia as Guardian of the Solar System.
* The Doctor convinces King Peladon to withdraw from the Galactic Federation, thereby sparing it from the Daleks.

### Species

* The Cybermen and Vogans have been declared extinct.

### Time Lords

* Goth convinced the Celestial Intervention Agency to send the Third Doctor to Peladon.

## Notes

A number of contradictory clues are given regarding the dating of this story:

* References are made to several books published in 3948, implying the story takes place in or after that year.
* On three occasions it is stated to be around the mid-39th century (probably a mistake if the story is really set in the "3900s" which is the 40th century)
* It is thirty years before a Dalek war, presumably meaning the events of TV: *The Daleks' Master Plan* (therefore 3970)
* The Doctor says it is six hundred years after *The Ice Warriors* (therefore 3600, as the year 3000 was often given for the dating of that story).
* The description of the Time Lord Space Station in a graveyard of wrecked spaceships was Robert Holmes's original idea for the opening of *The Mysterious Planet*, as it was scripted. However, it couldn't be filmed.
* Russell places Kaldor City on Saturn's moon Japetus, whereas all other stories and materials place Kaldor City on the planet Kaldor.

## Continuity

* The Doctor states that he has visited Peladon twice before. (TV: *The Curse of Peladon*, *The Monster of Peladon*)
* The Time Lords mention the recent development of time rings. (TV: *Genesis of the Daleks*)
* Queen Thalira died in a shuttle crash a few years after the events of TV: *The Monster of Peladon*.
* The Horus ruins were discovered a few years ago. (TV: *Pyramids of Mars*)
* Guardians of the Solar System were first featured in TV: *The Daleks' Master Plan*.
* Benny has never been on Mars, but has Fred's memory of being on Mars, although she doesn't know who Fred is. (TV: *Transit*)
* It is implied that the Diadem is similar to the mind parasite in TV: *The Mind of Evil*.
* Aliens in the Federation include Ogri, (TV: *The Stones of Blood*) Lurmans, (TV: *Carnival of Monsters*) and Cantryans. (TV: *Destiny of the Daleks*)
* The Cybermen are apparently extinct. They colonized another planet, which they named New Mondas as they intended do in TV: *Silver Nemesis* but both New Mondas and Telos have since been destroyed.
* There are Deva Lokan wind chimes on board the *Bruk*. (TV: *Kinda*)
* The Doctor previously met Alpha Centauri on Peladon during the reign of Peladon of Peladon, and continued to encounter it every time he visited since. (TV: *The Curse of Peladon*, *The Monster of Peladon*)
* When hearing the events of TV: *The Ice Warriors*, Bernice asks the Doctor if he told the Warriors about New Mars, implying he could've sent them there.

## Home Video & DVD Releases

### VHS

* This story was first released on VHS in 1998.

### DVD

* This story along with the other stories in Season 31 were released as *Doctor Who: The Complete Thirty-First Season* in 2007.

### Blu-ray

* This story along with the other stories in Season 31 were upscaled in 1080i50 high definition and were released as *Doctor Who: The Collection - Season 31* in the UK.