First broadcast in November and December 1986, The Ultimate Foe serves as the final segment of The Trial of a Time Lord. Originally scripted by Robert Holmes but completed by Pip and Jane Baker after Holmes' untimely death, this two-part finale seeks to bring the trial storyline to a climactic conclusion. While it offers compelling revelations and a genuinely interesting adversary in the Valeyard, behind-the-scenes difficulties and last-minute rewrites prevent it from delivering a fully satisfying resolution. It also marks the abrupt and unfair end of Colin Baker’s tenure as the Doctor—though at the time, neither he nor the audience knew it.
The story picks up immediately from the shocking revelation at the end of Terror of the Vervoids—that the Valeyard is, in fact, a future distillation of the Doctor’s darker impulses, a potential incarnation that seeks to erase his past self and claim his remaining lives. This revelation adds an intriguing, psychological dimension to the conflict, as the Doctor is now fighting a version of himself. Meanwhile, the Master makes a surprise return, manipulating events from the sidelines and playing a dangerous game of his own against the Time Lords.
Colin Baker delivers one of his strongest performances here. His Doctor, though under duress, remains steadfast and determined, refusing to be broken by the trial’s corruption. His defiance against the Time Lords and his moral outrage over their role in covering up the events on Ravalox reinforce the core principles of his character. Despite the sometimes incoherent storytelling, Baker manages to sell the Doctor’s struggle with a mixture of righteous anger and moments of vulnerability.
Michael Jayston’s Valeyard is a fascinating, if underutilized, villain. His smug superiority and philosophical musings on the Doctor’s future create an eerie sense of inevitability, as though the Sixth Doctor is doomed to become him. However, due to the truncated nature of the story, the full potential of this rivalry is never truly realized. The Valeyard simply vanishes at the end, leaving the conflict unresolved and his ultimate fate ambiguous.
Anthony Ainley’s Master, while always entertaining, feels somewhat unnecessary to the plot. His role appears to exist purely to create further chaos rather than to serve a clear purpose. However, his interactions with the Valeyard and the Time Lords add an extra layer of intrigue, reminding audiences that he remains an ever-present wildcard in the Doctor’s life.
The trial itself takes a turn from being a mere judicial proceeding to a surreal journey into the Matrix, the Time Lords’ virtual reality construct. The sequences within the Matrix allow for some creative imagery, but they also highlight the rushed nature of the conclusion. The story struggles to juggle its multiple narrative threads, leaving several questions unanswered. The Doctor’s eventual victory over the Valeyard—exposing the trial as a sham and revealing the corruption of the High Council—feels rushed, and the resolution lacks the weight it should have had given the scale of the story arc.
Rewatching The Ultimate Foe in 2025, it is clear that while it had immense potential, it ultimately suffers from its troubled production. What should have been a powerful showdown between the Doctor and the Valeyard instead feels hurried, and the season as a whole ends on an oddly anticlimactic note. The knowledge that this was Colin Baker’s final on-screen appearance as the Doctor only adds to the frustration of what could have been a truly epic send-off.
Ranking the Sixth Doctor’s Television Adventures
With Colin Baker’s time as the Doctor now concluded (at least in the television canon), here’s a ranking of all 11 of his adventures:
11. Timelash – A forgettable story with uninspired villains, weak production values, and an underwhelming plot. It fails to capitalize on its intriguing premise.
10. The Twin Dilemma – An unfortunate debut for the Sixth Doctor, plagued by tonal missteps and a weak script. Colin Baker does his best, but the character introduction is too abrasive.
9. Attack of the Cybermen – While ambitious, this story is overly reliant on continuity references and muddled storytelling, making it less engaging than it should be.
8. The Mark of the Rani – The introduction of the Rani is a highlight, but the plot meanders, and the presence of the Master feels unnecessary. Strong performances help elevate it.
7. The Mysterious Planet – A solid opening to The Trial of a Time Lord, with interesting world-building and a compelling mystery, though it is hindered by the trial framework.
6. Terror of the Vervoids – A fun murder mystery with some memorable moments, though Mel’s sudden introduction and the generic nature of the Vervoids hold it back.
5. The Ultimate Foe – While flawed, it delivers great performances and the fascinating concept of the Valeyard, even if it lacks a truly satisfying conclusion.
4. Mindwarp – A bold, psychologically complex story with shocking moments and a tragic exit for Peri, even if its ambiguity can be frustrating.
3. Vengeance on Varos – A dark and satirical take on entertainment and totalitarianism, with Sil as a fantastic villain. This is one of the Sixth Doctor’s strongest outings.
2. Revelation of the Daleks – A grotesque, atmospheric, and well-directed Dalek story, featuring Davros at his most chilling and an incredibly bleak yet compelling narrative.
1. The Two Doctors – Though divisive, this story benefits from the return of Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines, a unique setting, and a strong central mystery. The interaction between the Doctors makes it a standout adventure.
Celebrating Colin Baker’s Doctor
Colin Baker’s tenure as the Doctor was plagued by external pressures, from BBC politics to behind-the-scenes instability, yet he remained utterly committed to the role. His portrayal of the Doctor as brash, theatrical, and unapologetically himself was a bold departure from his predecessors, making his Doctor one of the most unique and layered incarnations. Though the BBC treated him unfairly—firing him without offering a proper regeneration—Baker remained an ardent ambassador for the show, appearing at conventions, embracing his legacy, and eventually returning to Doctor Who through the Big Finish audio dramas.
His work in the The Stranger series, a fan-produced sci-fi saga in the early 1990s, showcased his versatility and love for the genre, keeping the spirit of Doctor Who alive even when the show itself was off the air. Through Big Finish, Baker was finally able to give his Doctor the depth and storytelling he deserved, cementing himself as a fan-favorite in the expanded universe.
While The Ultimate Foe ended his tenure abruptly, Baker never stopped being The Doctor. And as we continue this journey, tomorrow’s retrospective will be a special one—covering the ‘Last Adventure’ that Colin Baker waited almost 30 years to record.
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