Newbies Guide to Doctor Who

Doctor:

The Fifth The fifth Doctor is much younger-looking than his other incarnations. He wears old-style cricketing clothes and a sprig of celery. He is much more vulnerable and innocent than his other incarnations and more like an older brother to his companions.

Companions:

Tegan Jovanka Tegan is an Australian air stewardess from the 1980s. She first met the Doctor in Logopolis (Classic Series Season 18). In Time Flight (Classic Series Season 19), the Doctor left her behind in her native time at Heathrow. However, she rejoined the TARDIS crew during Arc of Infinity (Classic Series Season 20). Tegan is quite irritable and has a strong sense of national pride.

Nyssa: Nyssa is a native of the planet Traken, a world where there wasn't even a concept of evil. In The Keeper of Traken (Classic Series Season 18), her father, Tremas, had his body taken over by the Master. In Logopolis (Classic Series Season 18), the Watcher then took her to Logopolis to help the Doctor, shortly before he regenerated. During this story, the Master's plans destroyed Traken along with a great many other planets. Nyssa then joined the TARDIS crew.

Recurring Characters:

Lord and Lady Cranleigh Aristocrats who met the Doctor in Black Orchid (Classic Series Season 19), when they were still engaged. Lady Cranleigh (Ann) was physically identical to Nyssa. One of their friends is called Smutty Thomas.

Osirian Service Robots The now-extinct Osirians visted both Egypt and Mars and left some of their technology behind them. One such piece of technology were the service robots, which look very similar to mummies. The Doctor encountered such robots in Pyramids of Mars (Classic Series Season 13).

Recommended Viewing:

In Pyramids of Mars (Classic Series Season 13) the fourth Doctor defeated an Osiran called Sutekh.

In Black Orchid (Classic Series Season 19) we meet Lord Cranleigh and his fiancée Ann - who is the spitting image of Nyssa.

In Earthshock (Classic Series Season 19), the Doctor's companion Adric sacrificed himself. He took control of a Cyberman spaceship to ensure that it crashed 65 million years ago and wiped out the Dinosaurs rather than the humans. The Doctor, Nyssa, and Tegan were unable to save Adric.

Recommended Reading:

The Author's Notes, available with the BBC's e-book version of the story provide lots of background information. They also come with a flowchart detailing the story, and an alternative ending.

Recommended Listening:

None.