The Ribos Operation

098 – The Ribos Operation
Doctor Who serial
Cast
Others
Production
Directed byGeorge Spenton-Foster
Written byRobert Holmes
Script editorAnthony Read
Produced byGraham Williams
Executive producer(s)None
Music byDudley Simpson
Production code5A
SeriesSeason 16
Running time4 episodes, 25 minutes each
First broadcast2 – 23 September 1978
Chronology
← Preceded by
The Invasion of Time
Followed by →
The Pirate Planet
List of episodes (1963–1989)

The Ribos Operation is the first serial of the 16th season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 2 to 23 September 1978. This serial introduces Mary Tamm as the companion Romana.

The serial is set on the primitive and superstitious planet Ribos. In the serial, the exiled Emperor of Levithia, Graff Vynda-K (Paul Seed), seeks a piece of the rare element jethrik on the planet. At the same time, the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) and his travelling companion Romana (Mary Tamm) look for the first segment of the powerful Key to Time, disguised as the same jethrik piece.