Was there ever an explanation as to how Mel knew who the Doctor was when she first met him in the courtroom?



The first he and everyone else sees of Mel is from an adventure in the future.



So if they are yet to have adventures together before this, how would she know who he was?



A time paradox surely?

Waste of mental space - why can't we just completely eradicate Mel from the matrix data bank altogether?

The writer's guide made it clear that she had been picked up by the Doctor after an adventure where she thwarted the Master's computer fraud in 1986. The Usurians have been added to this plot by other writers, notably Gary Russell's Business Unusual which begins immediatly following the adventure.

ok thanks Martin.



But the whole Trial season just didn't make sense in the long run.



I mean, why have the trial in space for a start.  Wouldn't it have been more appropriate to have it on Gallifrey?

good point.



Martin?????

They had the trial in space for no better reason than they'd just gotten a computer controlled camera rig for filming minitures; the same technology as Star Wars and Space 1999.



Same as in The Leisure Hive they had a pull back while the TARDIS materialised on Argolis to show off the slave camera system.

Maybe they wanted it on neutrel territory or maybe that is were the Valyard wanted it so he could spring his trap.

I liked "Trial of a Timelord" - C Baker had got his portrayal just righ and he had become likable.

Still, I find the plot very hard to follow, especially "Terror of the Vevoids".

Terror of the Vervoids because it introduced Mel !!!!!!



The first 2 stories were quite difficult to follow, and not very enjoyable either.



If JNT must have had him on Trial then he should have just done it in a 4 part story, and have the rest of the season as different stories.



Following a long 14 part story was just too much to ask audiences to do in 1986.  Now he could have done it, because its all the rage to follow serialised shows, but not back then.

For the first time I must disagree with you. "The Trial of a Timelord" was Colin Baker's salvation. Parts 1 - 4 and 12 - 14 were exceptionally good - I really enjoyed them.....and Baker had his portrayal perfected. He became a watchable Doctor. The show stopped being over the top sentimental, and Baker's tendency to go off the rails had ceased. I would even go so far as to say that JNT had redeemed himself to a certain extent. But then it all goes completely pear shaped with seasons 24 onwards. I don't want to watch any of those stories ever again (except for "Battlefield")



I also found the theme music to be quite 'different' aswell (in "Trial of a Timelord"). Not as good as it was before, but nowhere near as bad as McCoy's.

NOTE:



Please ignore all those in the following message I made.

This site keeps mistaking quotation marks inside brackets for so it happens inappropriately........and gets VERY annoying!!!!!

Well I do agree that the opening title music for the Trial season was pretty good, and yes, much better than the McCoy era - which made it look like a tacky childrens show.....which it did indeed become!



Yes, Baker's portrayal was much 'kinder, gentler' than before, but as I said, I felt the stories where he showed off this new side, didn't really do him justice.



The best parts of the whole season were Parts 13 & 14 - very weird, but quite gripping.

I've never heard anyone say The Mysterious Planet is difficult to follow--do you mean the trial framing sequence or something innate to the plot on Ravelox?

I meant the Ravelox business was too confusing to follow.  To mention something in Part 1 and then expect audiences to remember that again in Part 14 was a bit much.



Parts 4 - 8 were a total mess, and as for marrying Peri off - what was JNT thinking???



The rest of the chapters were better as the stories were clearer to follow, and finally seemed to be getting somewhere.

OK, I see what you mean. The scenes set on Ravelox themselves are quite self explanatory, if a trifle strange ("The *secrets*....that the *sleepers*...from *Andromeda*...stole?").

The final 2 parts of the Trial season were great however - very dark and strange.



Reminded me of The Mind Robber in some ways - you never knew what was going to happen next.

I liked the idea of the Valeyard being the dark side of the Doctor (somewhere between his 12 and 13th regenerations) - that was good!

I also liked how the Master was quick to capitalise on the Doctor's dark side - he suddenly wanted to be friends



As for C. Baker being likable in "Trial of a Timelord", I think it was done quite tactfully. He was still the self assured egoist, but he at least had some charm. He had NONE of that in his first season.

My view is they did not like Colin so why not screw him over not only did he have a year off but they gave hime a crap story arc and no regeneration. as they so in the movie do blame the player blame the game.

If that were so, they wouldn't have kept it going with all the New Adventures, etc. they wouldn't have even tried to bring the series back. AND there wouldn't be fans (on this little website) arguing that McGann and C Baker were good Doctors.

It's unanimous, even in Dr Who Magazine, that JNT WAS TO BLAME. That queen has a lot to answer for!!!!!!!

I agree JNT was to blame, but was he also the only person for the job, how would you feel if it stop instead of him coing abord.