Castellan (Doctor Who): Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Role in the British science fiction series' Time Lord hierarchy}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Castellan (''Doctor Who'')}}

'''Castellan''', in the context of the [[BBC]] [[television series]] ''[[Doctor Who]]'', is a [[title]] adopted by one or more high-ranking [[Time Lords]], such as [[The Deadly Assassin|Castellan Spandrell]],<ref name="The Deadly Assassin">{{cite serial | title = [[The Deadly Assassin]] | series = [[Doctor Who]] | credits = Writer [[Robert Holmes (scriptwriter)|Robert Holmes]], Director [[David Maloney]], Producer [[Philip Hinchcliffe]] | network = [[BBC]] | station = [[BBC One|BBC1]] |location= London | date =30 October – 20 November 1976}}</ref> [[The Invasion of Time|Castellan Kelner]]<ref name="The Invasion of Time">{{cite serial | title = [[The Invasion of Time]] | series = [[Doctor Who]] | credits = Writers "[[David Agnew]]" ([[Graham Williams (television producer)|Graham Williams]] and [[Anthony Read]]), Director [[Gerald Blake (director)|Gerald Blake]], Producer Graham Williams | network = [[BBC]] | station = [[BBC One|BBC1]] |location= London | date =4 February – 11 March 1978}}</ref> and the [[#Unnamed Castellan|unnamed Castellan]],<ref name="Arc">{{cite serial | title = [[Arc of Infinity]] | series = [[Doctor Who]] | credits = Writer [[Johnny Byrne (writer)|Johnny Byrne]], Director [[Ron Jones (television director)|Ron Jones]], Producer [[John Nathan-Turner]] | network = [[BBC]] | station = [[BBC One|BBC1]] |location= London | date = 3–12 January 1983}}</ref><ref name="Five">{{cite serial | title = [[The Five Doctors]] | series = [[Doctor Who]] | credits = Writer [[Terrance Dicks]], Directors [[Peter Moffatt]], [[John Nathan-Turner]] (uncredited), Producer John Nathan-Turner | network = [[BBC]] | station = [[BBC One|BBC1]] |location= London | airdate = 1983-11-23}}</ref> who is/are member/s of the [[Time Lord#Culture and society|High Council of Gallifrey]] and is/are in charge of the security of the [[Gallifrey#Geography|Citadel]]. The Chancellory Guard reports to a/the Castellan. It is unclear whether the times in office of the Castellans depicted in the series overlap or not.

==Unnamed Castellan==

{{Infobox character

| name = The Castellan

| series = [[Doctor Who]]

| first = ''[[Arc of Infinity]]'' (1983)

| last = ''[[The Five Doctors]]'' (1983)

| portrayer = [[Paul Jerricho]]

| species = [[Time Lord]]

| affiliation = [[Time Lord#Culture and society|High Council of Gallifrey]]

| home = [[Gallifrey]]

The '''Castellan''', played by [[Paul Jerricho]], is a fictional character from ''Doctor Who''. He is a member of the High Council of Gallifrey and is a Time Lord. He appears in two ''Doctor Who'' stories, ''[[Arc of Infinity]]'' and ''[[The Five Doctors]]''.<ref name="Arc"/><ref name="Five"/>

===Character history===

In ''Arc of Infinity'', the Castellan investigates a serious security breach on [[Gallifrey]]. He suspects the [[Fifth Doctor|Doctor]], who is sentenced to death. After the Doctor's termination fails, the Castellan is led to think that the Doctor is in league with [[Borusa|President Borusa]]. Locating Borusa, the Castellan finds the Doctor with him. The Castellan pulls a gun on the Doctor intending finally to execute him. However, the real traitor [[List of Doctor Who henchmen#Councillor Hedin|Councillor Hedin]] jumps in front of the Doctor taking the Castellan's shot and dying. Confused, the Castellan looks on as [[Omega (Doctor Who)|Omega]] seizes control of the [[Matrix (Doctor Who)|Matrix]]. As the Doctor attempts to thwart Omega, the Castellan develops a new respect for his former suspect.<ref name="Arc"/>

In ''The Five Doctors'', the Castellan is seen to have voted with the rest of the inner council to overrule Borusa and summon the [[Master (Doctor Who)|Master]] to rescue the Doctor from the Death Zone. The Castellan supplies the Master with a recall device that will emit a signal so that he can be [[Teleportation#Doctor Who|transmatted]] back to the Capitol when he has something to report. Having refused to believe the Master is trying to help him, the Doctor takes the Master's recall device, dropped during a [[Cyberman]] ambush, and is transported by the Castellan, (who thinks he is retrieving the Master), to the Capitol where he learns that the Master was telling the truth. The Castellan had hoped the Doctor would know who was controlling the Death Zone but the Doctor does not although he suspects a high-ranking Time Lord of being responsible.

The Doctor realises that he and his [[Companion (Doctor Who)|companions]], [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]] and [[Susan Foreman|Susan]], and the Master were found too easily by the Cybermen and opens the recall device to reveal a [[homing beacon]] contained within it. As the Castellan supplied the device, Borusa orders his office and living quarters to be searched despite the Castellan's protestations of innocence. A small casket containing the [[List of Doctor Who items#B|Black Scrolls of Rassilon]], forbidden knowledge from the Dark Times is found in the Castellan's room. He denies having ever seen the casket. Borusa orders that he be taken to Security and authorises the use of the "mind probe" to "discover the truth". Obviously taken aback at the sudden turn of events, the Castellan protests loudly as he is led away. Borusa appears to set the Black Scrolls alight in the casket, shutting the lid on them the next moment.

Out in the corridor, the Castellan screams in pain and the Doctor and Borusa exit the conference room to find the Castellan lying dead on the floor with a gun beside him. The Commander of the Chancellory Guard claims the Castellan was armed and trying to escape. Confiding in Chancellor Flavia, the Doctor states he has "known the Castellan too long... he was limited, a little narrow, always fiercely loyal to his oath of office. Any mention of the Dark Days filled him with horror." The Doctor reveals he thinks that the traitor is still at large and it later transpires that the Castellan was framed by Borusa.<ref name="Five"/>

===Behind the scenes===

[[Television director|Director]] [[Peter Moffatt]] was able to rehire Paul Jerricho to reprise his ''Arc of Infinity'' role of the Castellan in ''The Five Doctors'', but had to recast Borusa, (his new appearance explained by one of the Castellan's lines as a "new [[Regeneration (Doctor Who)|regeneration]]"), and replace the character of Chancellor Thalia with Chancellor Flavia.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}

===After ''Doctor Who''===

The Castellan's line, "No, not the mind probe!" from ''The Five Doctors'' has a place in Cult TV Awards's Hall of Shame as the Worst Line of Dialogue for 2003 / 2004.<ref name="Cult TV">{{cite web

| last =

| first =

| author-link =

| title = Worst Line of Dialogue

| work = Cult TV Awards: Hall of Shame

| publisher = [[Cult following#Television|Cult TV]]

| year = 2004

| url = http://www.cult.tv/index.php?cm_id=164&cm_type=article

| format =

| doi =

| accessdate = 2007-09-18 }}</ref> This line has also been mocked by some [[Doctor Who fandom|''Doctor Who'' fans]],<ref name="Fiver">{{cite web

| last = Mollman

| first = S. C.

| author-link =

| title = Five-Minute "The Five Doctors"

| work = Five-Minute Doctor Who

| publisher = S. C. Mollman

| date = 2003-08-23

| url = http://www.fiveminute.net/doctorwho/fiver.php?ep=thefivedoctors

| format =

| doi =

| accessdate = 2007-09-18 }}</ref> as has the character.<ref name="Tachyon">{{cite web| last =| first =| author-link =| title =THE '5 DOCTORS' 3RD TIME LUCKY?| work =Tachyon TV - Issue 5| publisher =| date =May 2002| url =http://www.tachyon-tv.co.uk/news6.htm| doi =| accessdate =2007-09-18| url-status =dead| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20070821184947/http://www.tachyon-tv.co.uk/news6.htm| archivedate =2007-08-21}}</ref>

Paul Jerricho makes appearances at ''Doctor Who'' fan events, such as signings<ref name="Signing">{{cite web

| last =

| first =

| author-link =

| title = TARDIS Calendar

| publisher =

| year = 2007

| url = http://freecal.brownbearsw.com/tardis?Op=ShowIt&Date=2007-08-01

| format =

| doi =

| accessdate = 2007-09-18 }}</ref> and [[fan conventions|conventions]].<ref name="Con">{{cite web

| last =

| first =

| author-link =

| title = LATEST GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT Paul Jerricho, The Empire Strikes Back, AT-AT Driver, DR WHO

| publisher =

| date = 2007-06-20

| url = http://showmastersonline.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=33086

| format =

| doi =

| accessdate = 2007-09-18 }}</ref>

==Appearances==

*''[[Arc of Infinity]]'' — 3–12 January 1983<ref name="Arc"/>

*''[[The Five Doctors]]'' — 23 November 1983<ref name="Five"/>

==See also==

*[[List of supporting characters in Doctor Who#Recurring Time Lords|List of supporting characters in Doctor Who]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Castellan}}

[[Category:Time Lords]]

[[Category:Recurring characters in Doctor Who]]