Doctor Who Season 15 (1977-78)

***Season 15*** of Doctor Who ran between September 3, 1977 and March 11, 1978. This season introduced K9 to the series and saw the departure of Leela. It consisted of six serials and twenty-six episodes, and was originally intended to include Terrance Dicks' story The Vampire Mutations but, due to a major BBC production of Dracula, it was postponed. It later became Season 18's State of Decay. To replace it, Dicks quickly scripted the season opener, Horror of Fang Rock.

* Horror of Fang Rock saw the first appearance of the Rutans and Louise Jameson's eye colour changed from brown to blue as she stopped wearing the uncomfortable lenses.
* The Invisible Enemy introduced K9 Mark I. The main TARDIS control room returns to use after being remodelled between seasons.
* Leela began to wear her new outfit in Image of the Fendahl.
* The Invasion of Time was the final appearance of Leela and K9 Mark I, and saw the introduction of K9 Mark II.

### Recurring Cast

* The Fourth Doctor - Tom Baker
* Leela - Louise Jameson
* K9 Mark I - John Leeson

### Story 95: The Sun Makers

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The TARDIS arrives on Pluto and the Doctor is surprised to find it has a breathable atmosphere, six artificial suns and is populated by humans.

#### November 26, 1977: Part 1

The TARDIS arrives on Pluto which has been made habitable and turned into a giant factory where the ruthless Company exploits its under-paid workers.

#### December 3, 1977: Part 2

The Doctor is taken prisoner by the Gatherer and sent to the Correction Centre. Leela mounts a rescue attempt, but the Gatherer's men are waiting.

#### December 10, 1977: Part 3

The Doctor is free but Leela has been captured by the Gatherer and is sentenced to a grisly death by public steaming.

#### December 17, 1977: Part 4

The rebels launch a full-scale uprising against the Gatherer and his Inner Retinue while the Doctor confronts the real head of the Company.

#### Notable Guest Cast

* Hade - Richard Leech
* Mandrel - William Simons
* Goudry - Michael Keating
* The Collector - Henry Woolf

#### Story Notes

The story originated from recent problems writer Robert Holmes was experiencing with UK tax authorities, and contains many references to the British tax system. These include the Inner Retinue (cf. Inland Revenue) and "the P45 return route" (cf. the P45 form).

### Story 96: Underworld

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The TARDIS lands on a spacecraft piloted by the last survivors of the planet Minyos. The crew are on a 100,000 year quest to recover the Minyan race banks from another ship.

#### January 7, 1978: Part 1

The TARDIS lands on a spaceship which is crewed by the survivors of the planet Minyos who are on a quest to find the lost ship, the P7E. Their journey has taken them 100,000 years.

#### January 14, 1978: Part 2

When their ship crashes beneath the surface of a newly formed planet, the Minyan survivors discover what they have been searching for. But their arrival is not welcomed.

#### January 21, 1978: Part 3

The Doctor and Leela attempt to penetrate the Citadel of the Seers to rescue Idas's father who has been sentenced to death.

#### January 28, 1978: Part 4

The Minyans are eager to recover the race banks that they have waited so long to find, but the Doctor becomes suspicious when the Oracle simply allows Jackson to take them.

### Story 97: The Invasion of Time

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The Doctor travels to Gallifrey where he asserts his right to claim the presidency of the Time Lords. With no choice but to agree, the Time Lords inaugurate the Doctor.

#### February 4, 1978: Part 1

Leela is concerned by the Doctor's strange behaviour when, after a secret meeting with aliens, he returns to Gallifrey and abruptly stakes his claim to the Time Lord presidency.

#### February 11, 1978: Part 2

The Doctor is made president of the Time Lords. He immediately orders K-9 to lower the planet's defences and has Leela banished to the wilderness.

#### February 18, 1978: Part 3

The Doctor has betrayed his own people and enabled a Vardan invasion of Gallifrey. Leela joins forces with the Outsiders and prepares to strike back against the aliens.

#### February 25, 1978: Part 4

As the Vardans finally fully materialise on Gallifrey, the Doctor prepares to spring his trap. But does a more deadly alien force lie behind the Vardans?

#### March 4, 1978: Part 5

The Sontarans have taken control of the Capital on Gallifrey and intend to use the power of the Time Lords to rampage through all of time.

#### March 11, 1978: Part 6

Stor, the Sontaran leader, finally gains access to the TARDIS in search of the Great Key of Rassilon and a dangerous game of hide and seek begins inside the Doctor's ship.