Doctor Who | |
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Season 8 | |
Starring | |
No. of stories | 5 |
No. of episodes | 25 |
Release | |
Original network | BBC1 |
Original release | 2 January – 19 June 1971 |
Season chronology | |
The eighth season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 2 January 1971 with Terror of the Autons and ended with The Dæmons featuring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor. This is the second of five series which Barry Letts produced consecutively and Terrance Dicks was the script editor.
Jon Pertwee continues his role as the Third Doctor. Katy Manning makes her first appearance as companion Jo Grant in Terror of the Autons .
Nicholas Courtney and John Levene continue their roles of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and Sergeant Benton, while Richard Franklin makes his first appearance as Captain Mike Yates.
Roger Delgado makes his first appearance as The Master in Terror of the Autons and continues to make appearances in each of the five serials.
Michael Wisher returns as a guest playing Rex Farrell in Terror of the Autons . Fernanda Marlowe makes appearances in The Mind of Evil and The Claws of Axos as Corporal Bell. Bernard Kay makes his fourth and final appearance in the show as Caldwell in Colony in Space .
The season marks the first appearance of the Master who goes on to make further appearances through the season in every serial as the main antagonist who is finally captured at the end of the season. Colony in Space was the first serial set away from Earth since The War Games at the end of Season 6, and came about as a result of producer Barry Letts' feeling that the Earthbound stories of the Doctor's exile were too limiting in terms of potential plotting.
No. story | No. in season | Serial title | Episode titles | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | UK viewers (millions) [1] | AI [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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55 | 1 | Terror of the Autons | "Episode One" | Barry Letts | Robert Holmes | 2 January 1971 | EEE | 7.3 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Two" | 9 January 1971 | 8.0 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Three" | 16 January 1971 | 8.1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Four" | 23 January 1971 | 8.4 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Master arrives on Earth and makes an alliance with the Autons to conquer the planet. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
56 | 2 | The Mind of Evil | "Episode One" | Timothy Combe | Don Houghton | 30 January 1971 | FFF | 6.1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Two" | 6 February 1971 | 8.8 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Three" | 13 February 1971 | 7.5 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Four" | 20 February 1971 | 7.4 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Five" | 27 February 1971 | 7.6 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Six" | 6 March 1971 | 7.3 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Master creates the Keller Machine, a device that appears to rehabilitate prisoners, but instead kills them. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
57 | 3 | The Claws of Axos | "Episode One" | Michael Ferguson | Bob Baker and Dave Martin | 13 March 1971 | GGG | 7.3 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Two" | 20 March 1971 | 8.0 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Three" | 27 March 1971 | 6.4 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Four" | 3 April 1971 | 7.8 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Axons land on Earth supposedly peacefully, even offering a new energy source. However, that is not their real purpose. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
58 | 4 | Colony in Space | "Episode One" | Michael E. Briant | Malcolm Hulke | 10 April 1971 | HHH | 7.6 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Two" | 17 April 1971 | 8.5 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Three" | 24 April 1971 | 9.5 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Four" | 1 May 1971 | 8.1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Five" | 8 May 1971 | 8.8 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Six" | 15 May 1971 | 8.7 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
On the human colony Uxarieus, the colonists' crops are failing and a giant reptile appears to be killing them. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
59 | 5 | The Dæmons | "Episode One" | Christopher Barry | Guy Leopold (Robert Sloman and Barry Letts) | 22 May 1971 | JJJ | 9.2 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Two" | 29 May 1971 | 8.0 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Three" | 5 June 1971 | 8.1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Four" | 12 June 1971 | 8.1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Episode Five" | 19 June 1971 | 8.3 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Master awakens the demonic Azal from his spaceship under a Bronze Age burial mound. |
The entire season was broadcast from 2 January to 19 June 1971.
Season | Story no. | Serial name | Number and duration of episodes | UK release date | Australia release date | USA/Canada release date |
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8 | 55 | Terror of the Autons | 4 × 25 min. | April 1993 [2] [3] | June 1993 [3] | June 1995 [3] |
56 | The Mind of Evil | 6 × 25 min. | May 1998 [4] [5] (B+W Re-mastered) (2 x VHS) | March 1999 [5] | January 1999 [5] (2 x VHS) | |
57 | The Claws of Axos | 4 × 25 min. | May 1992 [6] [7] | October 1992 [7] | June 1996 [7] | |
58 | Colony in Space | 6 × 25 min. | November 2001 [8] [9] (released only in UK as part of a boxset "Colony in Space / The Time Monster") (2 x VHS) | December 2001 [9] (released only in AU as part of a boxset "Colony in Space / The Time Monster") (2 x VHS) | January 2003 [10] | |
59 | The Dæmons | 5 × 25 min. | March 1993 [11] [12] | July 1993 [12] | October 1993 [12] |
All releases are for DVD unless otherwise indicated:
Season | Story no. | Serial name | Number and duration of episodes | R2 release date | R4 release date | R1 release date |
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8 | 55 | Terror of the Autons [lower-alpha 1] | 4 × 25 min. | 9 May 2011 [13] [14] [15] | 2 June 2011 [16] [17] [18] | 10 May 2011 [19] |
56 | The Mind of Evil | 6 × 25 min. | 3 June 2013 [20] [21] [22] | 5 June 2013 [23] | 11 June 2013 [24] | |
57 | The Claws of Axos | 4 × 25 min. | 25 April 2005 [25] [26] [27] | 7 July 2005 [28] | 8 November 2005 [29] | |
The Claws of Axos (Special Edition) | 4 × 25 min. | 22 October 2012 [26] [30] [31] | 7 November 2012 [32] [33] [34] | 13 November 2012 [35] | ||
58 | Colony in Space | 6 × 25 min. | 3 October 2011 [36] [37] | 1 December 2011 [38] [39] [40] | 8 November 2011 [41] | |
59 | The Dæmons | 5 × 25 min. | 19 March 2012 [42] [43] [44] | 19 April 2012 [45] [46] | 10 April 2012 [47] | |
55–59 | Complete Season 8 [lower-alpha 2] | 25 × 25 min. 1 × 30 min. 1 × 90 min. | 8 March 2021 (B) [48] | 26 May 2021 (B) [49] | 1 June 2021 (B) [50] |
Season | Story no. | Library no. [lower-alpha 1] | Novelisation title | Author | Hardcover release date [lower-alpha 2] | Paperback release date [lower-alpha 3] | Audiobook release date [lower-alpha 4] |
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8 | 055 | 63 | Doctor Who and the Terror of the Autons | Terrance Dicks | 19 February 1981 | 15 May 1975 | 5 August 2010 |
056 | 96 | The Mind of Evil | 21 March 1985 | 11 July 1985 | 6 April 2017 | ||
057 | 10 | Doctor Who and the Claws of Axos | 21 April 1977 | 4 June 2016 | |||
058 | 23 | Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon | Malcolm Hulke | 18 March 1982 | 18 March 1974 | 3 September 2007 | |
059 | 15 | Doctor Who and the Dæmons | Barry Letts | 14 January 1982 | 17 October 1974 | 14 August 2008 |
During the release of the season, several comics were published to tie in to the events of the season. The Kingdom Builders (Set before the events of the season) was published in TV Comic magazine. Gemini Plan, Timebenders (Set after the events of the season) & The Vogan Slaves (Set years into The Doctor's future) were published in Countdown magazine.
Roger Caesar Marius Bernard de Delgado Torres Castillo Roberto was a British actor. He played many roles on television, radio and in films, and had "a long history of playing minor villains" before becoming best known as the first actor to play the Master in Doctor Who (1971–73).
The Autons are an artificial life form from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and adversaries of the Doctor. They were originally created by scriptwriter Robert Holmes for Jon Pertwee's first serial as the Doctor, Spearhead from Space (1970), and were the first monsters to be presented in colour on the series.
Spearhead from Space is the first serial of the seventh season in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 3 to 24 January 1970. It was the first Doctor Who serial to be produced in colour and the only one to be made entirely on 16 mm film.
Terror of the Autons is the first serial of the eighth season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 2 to 23 January 1971.
The Third Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels in time and space in the TARDIS, frequently with companions. At the end of life, the Doctor regenerates. Consequently, both the physical appearance and personality of the Doctor changes. Preceded in regeneration by the Second Doctor, he is followed by the Fourth Doctor.
The Claws of Axos is the third serial of the eighth season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 13 March to 3 April 1971.
Colony in Space is the fourth serial of the eighth season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts on BBC1 from 10 April to 15 May 1971.
The Paradise of Death is a 5-part BBC radio drama, based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and starring Jon Pertwee as the Doctor.
Dudley George Simpson was an Australian composer and conductor. He was the Principal Conductor of the Royal Opera House orchestra for three years and worked as a composer on British television. He worked on the BBC science-fiction series Doctor Who, for which he composed incidental music during the 1960s and 1970s. When Simpson died aged 95 in 2017, The Guardian wrote that he was "at his most prolific as the creator of incidental music for Doctor Who in the 1960s and 1970s, contributing to 62 stories over almost 300 episodes – more than any other composer."
Stuart Fell is a professional actor and stuntman. Prior to this career, Fell served in the Parachute Regiment. He has appeared on British television many times, with his earliest role being in the LWT comedy series Hark at Barker, in which he plays the driver of a car that crashes when he's distracted by Ronnie Barker carrying a mannequin. In 1971, he appeared as an uncredited extra in the Doctor Who serial Terror of the Autons, and his last role came in 1998, as a stuntman in Duck Patrol.
The thirteenth season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 30 August 1975 with the story Terror of the Zygons, and ended with The Seeds of Doom. This is the second series to feature the Fourth Doctor, played by Tom Baker, with Philip Hinchcliffe producing and Robert Holmes script editing. In September 2009, it was ranked as readers' favourite season in Doctor Who Magazine issue 413.
The twelfth season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 28 December 1974 with Tom Baker's first serial Robot, and ended with Revenge of the Cybermen on 10 May 1975.
The eleventh season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 15 December 1973 with the serial The Time Warrior, and ended with Jon Pertwee's final serial Planet of the Spiders. The season's writing was recognized by the Writer's Guild of Great Britain for Best Children's Drama Script. This is the Third Doctor's fifth and final series, and also the last consecutively to be produced by Barry Letts and script edited by Terrance Dicks. Both Letts and Dicks would work for the programme again, however - Letts in Season 18 and Dicks on future stories, e.g. Horror of Fang Rock.
The tenth season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 30 December 1972 with the tenth anniversary special The Three Doctors, and ended with Katy Manning's final serial The Green Death. This is the Third Doctor's fourth series, as well as fourth for producer Barry Letts and script editor Terrance Dicks.
The ninth season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 1 January 1972 with Day of the Daleks, and ended with The Time Monster. This is the third series of the Third Doctor, played by Jon Pertwee, as well as the third to be produced by Barry Letts and script edited by Terrance Dicks.
The seventh season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 3 January 1970 with Jon Pertwee's first story Spearhead from Space and ended with Inferno. The first season to be made in colour, it marked the beginning of Barry Letts's five seasons as series producer, but it has been described as "essentially devised" by his predecessor, Derrick Sherwin, who produced the opening story. The season sees the beginning of the Doctor's exile to Earth by the Time Lords and his attachment to UNIT as its scientific advisor.
The sixth season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 10 August 1968 with the first story of season 6 The Dominators and ended Patrick Troughton's reign as the Doctor with its final story The War Games. Only 37 out of 44 episodes are held in the BBC archives; 7 remain missing. As a result, 2 serials are incomplete: only episode 2 of the 6-part story The Space Pirates still exists, while The Invasion has had its two missing episodes reconstructed using animation.
The fifth season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 2 September 1967 with the first story of season 5 The Tomb of the Cybermen and ended on 1 June 1968 with The Wheel in Space. Only 22 out of 40 episodes are held in the BBC archives; 18 remain missing. As a result, only 2 serials exist entirely. However, The Abominable Snowmen, The Ice Warriors, The Web of Fear, and Fury from the Deep have had their missing episodes reconstructed using animation.