As story one of the "Trial of a Time Lord" season arc, "The Mysterious Planet" is Doctor Who writer Robert Holmes's last complete story script. Episode one opens with a sweeping motion-controlled shot of the Time Lords' space station as seen here. The Doctor stumbles out of his TARDIS and enters a courtroom, where he is informed that an Inquiry has been set up to examine his actions. Very quickly the old "I'm the Lord President" escape clause is revoked when the Inquisitor tells The Doctor he was deposed after the events of The Five Doctors because he never showed up.