Spandrell, alternatively spelled Spandrel, was Castellan of the Chancellery Guard on Gallifrey and responsible for all security within the Capitol for many years. He was succeeded by Kelner before eventually returning to the position.
Biography
Like all Time Lords, Spandrell was taken from his family at the age of eight for the selection process in the Drylands. Staring into the Untempered Schism as part of a Time Lord initiation rite, Spandrell was inspired by what he saw in the Schism. (PROSE: A Brief History of Time Lords)
Spandrell used a Type 40 TARDIS in his "old days." He was on a remote province of Gallifrey at the time of the Omega crisis, but still felt the effects of it. (PROSE: Doctor Who and the Deadly Assassin)
As Castellan
While Spandrell was Castellan, it was rare for the office-holder to deal with criminal offences committed by Time Lords as his duties usually brought him into contact with "more plebeian classes." He mentioned that they were "always running the Shobogans in" for "hooliganism." (TV: The Deadly Assassin)
In the days leading up to Presidential Resignation Day, he was informed by Rodan when a renegade TT capsule was detected, and requested Chancellor Goth's permission to go after it and arrest the operator. Goth decided to go himself and instructed the Castellan to prepare a capsule for him. (PROSE: Legacy of the Daleks)
On Resignation Day when the 406th President was assassinated, Spandrell led the subsequent investigation and was initially skeptical of the Fourth Doctor before becoming his ally. He helped the Doctor unmask Chancellor Goth as the President's murderer and stop the Decayed Master from opening the Eye of Harmony. After saying goodbye to the Doctor, he and Engin also watched the Master's TARDIS leave, (TV: The Deadly Assassin) and learned that the Doctor had taken his Gallifreyan Army knife which was engraved with "Property of Castellan Spandrell." (PROSE: Timewyrm: Exodus, Blood Harvest)
Retirement
Spandrell retired and was succeeded by Castellan Kelner due to a combination of good birth and political intrigue. (PROSE: Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time)
Return as Castellan
Spandrell came out of retirement and served under Lady President Flavia (PROSE: Blood Harvest, Happy Endings) in her second presidency. (PROSE: The Eight Doctors) He was still Castellan at the start of Romana II's presidency (PROSE: Happy Endings) before Andred became Castellan. (AUDIO: Lies)
Personality
Spandrell preserved much the same temperament through several regenerations. (PROSE: The Eight Doctors) He was tough and sardonic, made cynical by long years in Security, with no illusions about the underside of Time Lord life. His blunt no-nonsense manner had upset many self-important Government officials, but he survived because of his integrity and efficiency, as no one else could cope with his difficult and thankless job. (PROSE: Doctor Who and the Deadly Assassin) He later learned to adopt a fixed and false smile from his time under Flavia, as well as a tone that suggested neither approval nor disagreement. He considered himself a "simple policeman" and wasn't knowledgeable of time technology. (PROSE: Happy Endings)
Spandrel had been content with shabby chambers in an old, run down quarter of the Capitol as he felt no need to keep up appearances. (PROSE: Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time)
While trying to outwit Spandrell's tactics, Ruath believed he was wasted as Castellan and considered persuading Yarven to keep him on as a vampire. (PROSE: Goth Opera)
Ryoth believed Spandrell was devoted to Flavia and woudl move at her word. He also shuddered at the thought of coming under investigation by the Castellan. (PROSE: The Eight Doctors)
Appearance
Spandrell preserved much the same appearance through several regenerations, looking exactly like the "the Gallifrey version of a tough cop." (PROSE: The Eight Doctors)
Senior in both age and rank, Spandrell was a man of medium height, unusually broad and muscular for a Time Lord, and had a heavy, impassive face that disguised his keen intelligence. (PROSE: Doctor Who and the Deadly Assassin)
Serving under Flavia, he was a burly, broad shouldered figure with a barrel-chest, big hands, and a stern, weathered face with a heavy jaw. He had big hands with blunt fingers, and could knock people off their feet with a bear-like backhanded blow. He gave a "bone-crushing" handshake. (PROSE: Blood Harvest) The Castellan was aged, (PROSE: Happy Endings) his voice was old and gravelled with a guttural accent, and Ruath considered him an "old man." He wore a staser-proof vest on his bulky torso. (PROSE: Goth Opera)
He continued to serve under her in a new body that was younger, but still burly and broad-shouldered with a stern weathered face, rock-like jaw, and massive hands. (PROSE: The Eight Doctors)
He wore plain robes and a close-fitting helmet. (PROSE: Blood Harvest, The Eight Doctors)
Behind the scenes
- "The Castellan" appears in Legacy of the Daleks but is not named, but due to how events line up he is undoubtably Spandrell.
- According to PROSE: Dalek: Spoof Scenes, in a version of events where the Last Great Time War was fought against the Drashigs rather than the Daleks, the Ninth Doctor cited Spandrell as one of the people who'd perished in the War, alongside Damon, Drax and the Meddling Monk.
The Master as seen on the cover of Solo.
- A composite of George Pravda as Spandrell and Anthony Ainley as the Tremas Master was used to provide the likeness of the Master played by James Dreyfus on the cover artwork of Solo, the anthology which contained his appearance in Blood of the Time Lords.[1]