The Doctor's Timeline
The First Doctor - William Hartnell
Pre-Season One
Full Biography: pre-season one
| Story | Type | Placement | Companions | See also |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lungbarrow | Virgin Novel (flashbacks: modern Gallifrey) | Some of these feature the Doctor's earliest years. | none | Discontinuity Guide |
| Timewyrm: Revelation | Virgin Novel (flashback: pages 1-2) | Features a young Gallifreyan and a hermit - implied to be the first Doctor and K'Anpo. | none | Discontinuity Guide |
| Divided Loyalties | BBC Novel (flashback chapters) | Features the Doctor at the Academy. | Rallon Millennia |
|
| Lungbarrow | Virgin Novel (flashbacks: modern Gallifrey) | Features the first Doctor shortly before leaving Gallifrey | none | Discontinuity Guide |
| Nightshade | Virgin Novel: Prologue | Features the Doctor in the act of leaving Gallifrey | none | Discontinuity Guide |
| Lungbarrow | Virgin Novel (flashbacks: ancient Gallifrey) | This is the Doctor's first trip in the TARDIS | Susan Foreman | Discontinuity Guide |
| Frayed | Telos Novella | This is the Doctor and Susan's first experience of humanity. | Susan Foreman | Discontinuity Guide Newbies Guide |
| All Consuming Fire | Virgin Novel (prologue & epilogue) | Features the first Doctor and Susan | Susan Foreman | Discontinuity Guide |
Season One
| Story | Type | Placement | Companions | See also |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time and Relative | Telos Novella | It's March 1963, and sets up 100,000 BC | Susan Foreman | Discontinuity Guide Newbies Guide |
| 100,000 BC | TV Story | Placed in broadcast order. Ian and Barbara join. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Newbies Guide |
| The Eight Doctors | BBC Novel (Chapter 3) | Between the scenes of 100,000 BC episode 3 (The Forest of Fear). | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Discontinuity Guide Newbies Guide |
| The Daleks | TV Story | Follows on from 100.000 BC. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Newbies Guide |
| Inside the Spaceship | TV Story | Follows on from The Daleks. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Newbies Guide |
| Marco Polo | TV Story | Follows on immediately from Inside the Spaceship. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
|
| The Sorcerer's Apprentice | Virgin Novel | Two minutes after Marco Polo - Ian is still wearing his costume. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Keys of Marinus | TV Story | Ian is still wearing his Marco Polo costume. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
|
| Tragedy Day | Virgin Novel (Flashback) | This scene features Susan and Barbara, so it must take place between 100,000 BC and The Dalek Invasion of Earth. They seem like they are still getting to know each other, and this is the earliest possible gap. | Susan Foreman Barbara Wright |
|
| The Masters of Luxor | Unused script (published) | Features the first Doctor, Susan, Ian, and Barbara. This was originally intended to follow 100,000 BC. Placement is arbitrary. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Aztecs | TV Story | Placed in broadcast order. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Newbies Guide |
| The Sensorites | TV Story | Follows on from The Aztecs. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
|
| The Reign of Terror | TV Story | Follows on from The Sensorites. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
|
| The Last Days | Short Story (Short Trips) | Features Susan, Ian and Barbara. There's a reference to The Aztecs. It's probably before The Witch Hunters, as Ian is still inclined to interfere with history. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Discontinuity Guide |
| City at World's End | BBC Novel | Between The Reign of Terror and Planet of Giants. Sets up the TARDIS shrinking in Planet of Giants. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Witch Hunters | BBC Novel | Leads into Planet of Giants. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Discontinuity Guide |
Season Two
| Story | Type | Placement | Companions | See also |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planet of Giants | TV Story | Follows on from The Witch Hunters. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
|
| A Long Night | Short Story (Short Trips: Companions) | A year after 100,000 BC. | Barbara Wright | Discontinuity Guide |
| The Time Travellers | BBC Novel | Sets up events for The Dalek Invasion of Earth. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Dalek Invasion of Earth | TV Story | Directly follows Planet of Giants. Susan leaves. | Susan Foreman Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Newbies Guide |
| Venusian Lullaby | Virgin Novel | Follows on from The Dalek Invasion of Earth. | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Book of Shadows | Short Story (Decalog) | Follows on from Venusian Lullaby. | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Nine Day Queen | Short Story (Decalog 2: Consequences) | Features the First Doctor, Ian and Barbara. | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Rescue | TV Story | Placed in broadcast order. Vicki joins. | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright Vicki Pallister |
|
| Romans Cutaway | Short Story (More Short Trips) | Follows directly from the final scene of The Rescue. | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright Vicki Pallister |
Discontinuity Guide |
| Byzantium! | BBC Novel | Follows directly from final scene of The Rescue. | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright Vicki Pallister |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Romans | TV Story | Follows on from either Romans Cutaway or Byzantium! | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright Vicki Pallister |
|
| The Eleventh Tiger | BBC Novel | Features the first Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Vicki. It seems likely that it goes straight after The Romans | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright Vicki Pallister |
Discontinuity Guide Newbies Guide |
| The Web Planet | TV Story | Soon after The Romans. | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright Vicki Pallister |
|
| The Crusade | TV Story | Placed in broadcast order | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright Vicki Pallister |
|
| The Space Museum | TV Story | Follows on directly from The Crusade. | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright Vicki Pallister |
|
| The Plotters | Virgin Novel | Placed by the back cover blurb. | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright Vicki Pallister |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Chase | TV Story | Placed in broadcast order. Ian and Barbara leave. Steven joins. | Ian Chesterton Barbara Wright Vicki Pallister Steven Taylor |
|
| The Time Meddler | TV Story | Follows on directly from The Chase. | Vicki Pallister Steven Taylor |
|
| The Three Doctors | TV Story (guest appearance) | This happens immediately before The Empire of Glass, with the Doctor being returned to his own timeline at the start of that story. | None | |
| The Empire of Glass | Virgin Novel | Placed by back cover blurb | Vicki Pallister Steven Taylor |
Discontinuity Guide Newbies Guide |
Season Three
| Story | Type | Placement | Companions | See also |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Four | TV Story | Placed in broadcast order | Vicki Pallister Steven Taylor |
|
| Planet of the Bunnoids | Short Story (Short Trips & Side Steps) | Features the first Doctor, Steven and Vicki. There is a reference to Galaxy Four. | Vicki Pallister Steven Taylor |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Myth Makers | TV Story | Placed in broadcast order. Vicki leaves, Katarina joins. | Vicki Pallister Steven Taylor Katarina |
|
| The Daleks' Master Plan | TV Story | Follows on directly from The Myth Makers. Katarina dies. | Steven Taylor Katarina Sara Kingdom |
|
| The Little Drummer Boy | Short Story (Short Trips: Companions) | Follows on directly from episode seven of The Daleks' Master Plan (The Feast of Steven). | Steven Taylor Sara Kingdom |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Massacre | TV Story | Steven and the Doctor are still affected by events in The Daleks' Masterplan. Dodo joins. | Steven Taylor Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet |
|
| Salvation | BBC Novel | Incorporates the final scenes of The Massacre, specifically Dodo's arrival onboard the TARDIS. | Steven Taylor Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Ark | TV Story | Dodo is still unfamiliar with the TARDIS. | Steven Taylor Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet |
|
| The Celestial Toymaker | TV Story | Follows on from The Ark. | Steven Taylor Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet |
|
| The Gunfighters | TV Story | Follows on from The Celestial Toymaker. | Steven Taylor Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet |
|
| The Golden Door | Short Story (Decalog) | Features the first Doctor, Steven and Dodo, who seems to be a seasoned traveller. May immediately follow The Gunfighters. | Steven Taylor Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet |
Discontinuity Guide |
| 64 Carlyse Street | Short Story (More Short Trips) | Features the first Doctor, Steven and Dodo, who seem to be a good team. There is a reference to The Gunfighters. | Steven Taylor Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet |
Discontinuity Guide |
| Bunker Soldiers | BBC Novel | Features the first Doctor, Steven and Dodo. It appears to be some time after The Massacre. | Steven Taylor Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Savages | TV Story | Follows on from the final scene of The Gunfighters. Events set between these two stories happen between the final two scenes of The Gunfighters. Steven leaves. | Steven Taylor Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet |
|
| The Man in the Velvet Mask | Virgin Novel | Features the first Doctor and Dodo. | Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet | Discontinuity Guide |
| Tarnished Image | Short Story (Decalog 3: Consequences) | Features the first Doctor and Dodo. | Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet | Discontinuity Guide |
| There Are Fairies at the Bottom of the Garden | Short Story (Short Trips) | Features the first Doctor and Dodo. | Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet | Discontinuity Guide |
| The War Machines | TV Story | Dodo leaves. Ben and Polly join. | Dorothea (Dodo) Chaplet Ben Jackson Polly Wright |
|
| The Five Doctors | TV Story (Guest Appearance) | An unknown time after The Dalek Invasion of Earth. Slightly before The Witch Hunters. | None | |
| The Witch Hunters | BBC Novel (Guest Appearance) | This happens after The Five Doctors, and before the Doctor has returned to his own timeline. The Doctor seems to think that his first life is almost over. He uses the alias Ben Jackson, but also muses that all of his various travelling companions have left him. Thus placing the two stories between scenes of The War Machines seems the best choice. | None | |
| The Nine-Day Queen | Short Story (Decalog 2: Lost Property - Cameo) | The final scene depicts Jane Grey's execution a year after her imprisonment. During this, an elderly onlooker comforts her. It is possible that this is the first Doctor. If so, then it is quite likely that it happens in this period immediately after The Five Doctors. | None |
Season Four - part one
Full Biography: Season Four (part one)
| Story | Type | Placement | Companions | See also |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Smugglers | TV Story | Follows on directly from The War Machines. | Ben Jackson Polly Wright |
|
| Ten Little Aliens | BBC Novel | Features the first Doctor, Ben, and Polly. Presumably this is before the final scene of The Smugglers. | Ben Jackson Polly Wright |
Discontinuity Guide |
| The Tenth Planet | TV Story | Appears to follow on directly from The Smugglers. The Doctor regenerates. | Ben Jackson Polly Wright |
Copyright
Doctor Who is both copyrighted and trademarked by the BBC. The rights to various characters and alien races from the series are owned by the writers who created them. In particular, the Daleks are owned by the estate of Terry Nation. No infringement of any copyright is intended by any part of this site. All credited material on this site is copyright © the named author. All other material is copyright © Stephen Gray The Whoniverse site logo was created by Tom Hey. The drop-down menus were created from templates on CSS Play. The site search function uses Sphider. All posts on the forum are the sole legal responsibility (and copyright) of the individual posters. You may not reproduce any material from this site without permission from the relevant author(s).
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