The nineteenth season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 4 January 1982 with Castrovalva, and ended with Time-Flight. John Nathan-Turner produced the series, with two script editors: Anthony Root and Eric Saward.
| Doctor Who | |
|---|---|
| Season 19 | |
 Cover art of the Blu-ray release for the complete season | |
| Starring | |
| No. of stories | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC1 |
| Original release | 4 January – 30 March 1982 |
| Season chronology | |
Casting
Main cast
- Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor
- Matthew Waterhouse as Adric
- Sarah Sutton as Nyssa
- Janet Fielding as Tegan Jovanka
Season 19 saw the introduction of Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor. Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding), Nyssa (Sarah Sutton) and Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) were his companions. Adric is killed off in the climax of Earthshock; a rare instance in the series of a companion dying.
Recurring stars
Anthony Ainley returns in Castrovalva and Time-Flight as the Master.
Guest stars
David Banks makes the first of four appearances in the show as a Cyber-leader beginning in Earthshock.
Serials
Antony Root served as script editor for Four to Doomsday and The Visitation, after which he was replaced by Eric Saward. Saward's work as script editor included the opening serial, Castrovalva, which was filmed later in the production run, and Earthshock, for which Root is credited due to Saward being the scriptwriter. The show moved from its traditional once-weekly Saturday broadcast to twice-weekly, primarily on Monday and Tuesday,[1] although there were regional variations to the schedule.
Black Orchid was the first purely historical story, with no science-fiction elements save for the TARDIS and its crew, since The Highlanders from Season 4; it was also the first two-part serial since The Sontaran Experiment in Season 12, and the first of a regular run of a two-parter every season until the change of format to 45 minute episodes in Season 22.
| No. story | No. in season | Serial title | Episode titles | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | UK viewers (millions) [2] | AI [2] | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 116 | 1 | Castrovalva | "Part One" | Fiona Cumming | Christopher H. Bidmead | 4 January 1982 | 5Z | 9.1 | – | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Two" | 5 January 1982 | 8.6 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Three" | 11 January 1982 | 10.2 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Four" | 12 January 1982 | 10.4 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
While the Doctor retreats to the TARDIS Zero Room to recover from his regeneration, the Master kidnaps Adric and sends the TARDIS hurtling back in time to the Big Bang, where it will be torn apart. Tegan and Nyssa manage to save the time machine, and soon find themselves arriving in the town of Castrovalva, a place legendary for its serene atmosphere. There they hope that the Doctor will be able to recuperate from his recent trauma. But the Master is lurking in Castrovalva, and it soon becomes clear that he has drawn the time travellers into a trap from which there may be no escape. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 117 | 2 | Four to Doomsday | "Part One" | John Black | Terence Dudley | 18 January 1982 | 5W | 8.4 | – | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Two" | 19 January 1982 | 8.8 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Three" | 25 January 1982 | 8.9 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Four" | 26 January 1982 | 9.4 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Trying to get Tegan home, the Doctor instead lands the TARDIS on a spaceship heading towards Earth. Its owner, the frog-like Monarch, has visited Earth four times in the past, kidnapping specimens of human culture on each occasion. His true goal, however, is to find a way to travel faster than light, thereby going back to the beginning of time where he hopes to meet God, whom he believes is actually himself. In pursuit of this aim, he has exhausted the resources of his home planet, Urbanka. Now he intends to transplant the Urbankans to Earth – and eradicate humanity to make room for his people. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 118 | 3 | Kinda | "Part One" | Peter Grimwade | Christopher Bailey | 1 February 1982 | 5Y | 8.4 | – | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Two" | 2 February 1982 | 9.4 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Three" | 8 February 1982 | 8.5 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Four" | 9 February 1982 | 8.9 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
The TARDIS brings the Doctor, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan to the idyllic jungle world of Deva Loka, which is being surveyed for possible Earth colonisation. Deva Loka is already home to a race of apparent savages, however: a mysterious people with strange powers which have mentally unbalanced the members of the expedition. To make matters worse, an ancient enemy of the natives – a serpentine being called the Mara – still lurks on Deva Loka. The Mara is intent upon revenge, and latches onto Tegan's mind as its bridgehead to victory. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 119 | 4 | The Visitation | "Part One" | Peter Moffatt | Eric Saward | 15 February 1982 | 5X | 9.1 | – | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Two" | 16 February 1982 | 9.3 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Three" | 22 February 1982 | 9.9 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Four" | 23 February 1982 | 10.1 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the 17th century, the Great Plague is rampant throughout England. The Doctor, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan discover that aliens – the Terileptils – are operating in a small village. They have taken control of much of the local population and are driving away the rest using an android disguised as the Grim Reaper. With the help of unemployed thespian Richard Mace, the Doctor learns that the Terileptils intend to rid the Earth of humanity, and have amassed an army of plague-carrying rats to help them finish the deed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 120 | 5 | Black Orchid | "Part One" | Ron Jones | Terence Dudley | 1 March 1982 | 6A | 9.9 | – | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Two" | 2 March 1982 | 10.1 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Doctor, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan find themselves in 1925 England, where through a case of mistaken identity they become involved in a charity cricket match at Cranleigh Halt. There, Nyssa discovers that Charles Cranleigh's fiancee, Ann Talbot, is her exact double. The Cranleighs harbour a dark family secret, however: a hideous monster hidden in a secret wing of their house. Fixated on Ann, it breaks out during a costume ball and attempts to kidnap her... but takes Nyssa by mistake. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 121 | 6 | Earthshock | "Part One" | Peter Grimwade | Eric Saward | 8 March 1982 | 6B | 9.1 | – | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Two" | 9 March 1982 | 8.8 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Three" | 15 March 1982 | 9.8 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Four" | 16 March 1982 | 9.6 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the 26th century, the Doctor, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan come to the aid of a platoon of soldiers investigating the murder of a scientific team in a cave complex on Earth. The Doctor discovers that the killers are actually androids serving the Cybermen, and are guarding a bomb intended to destroy the planet. The Doctor disarms the explosive but by tracing the detonation signal, he learns that the greatest danger is yet to come. The Cybermen have secreted themselves on board a freighter heading for Earth, which will unknowingly serve as the bridgehead for a massive invasion. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 122 | 7 | Time-Flight | "Part One" | Ron Jones | Peter Grimwade | 22 March 1982 | 6C | 10.0 | – | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Two" | 23 March 1982 | 8.5 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Three" | 29 March 1982 | 8.9 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Part Four" | 30 March 1982 | 8.1 | – | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
When a Concorde disappears, the Doctor discovers that it has been hijacked back through time to the Pleistocene Era. Arriving there, he, Nyssa and Tegan find that the Concorde's crew and passengers have been enslaved by the sinister Kalid, who is forcing them to excavate a sanctum within a mysterious citadel. Entombed within is the consciousness of a gestalt race called the Xeraphin, who possess devastating mental powers. The Doctor learns that Kalid is really the Master, who plans to harness the evil side of the Xeraphin in order to wreak havoc throughout the cosmos. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Broadcast
The entire season was broadcast from 4 January to 30 March 1982. For the first time in the series' history, episodes were not broadcast on Saturdays, but in a twice weekly format on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Home media
VHS releases
| Season | Story no. | Serial name | Number and duration of episodes | UK release date | Australia release date | USA/Canada release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 116 | Castrovalva | 4 x 25 mins | March 1992 | September 1992 | October 1993 |
| 117 | Four to Doomsday | 4 x 25 mins | September 2001 | November 2001 | June 2002 | |
| 118 | Kinda | 4 x 24 mins | October 1994 | February 1995 | June 1996 | |
| 119 120 | The Visitation Black Orchid | 6 x 25 mins | July 1994 2 x VHS | August 1994 | June 1996 2 x VHS | |
| 121 | Earthshock | 4 x 25 mins | September 1992 | March 1993 | March 1993 | |
| 122 | Time-Flight | 4 x 25 mins | July 2000 | July 2000 | March 2001 |
DVD and Blu-ray releases
All releases are for DVD unless otherwise indicated:
- (B) indicates a Blu-ray release
| Season | Story no. | Serial name | Number and duration of episodes | R2 release date | R4 release date | R1 release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 116 | Castrovalva[a] | 4 × 25 min. | 29 January 2007[3] | 7 March 2007[4] | 5 June 2007[5] |
| 117 | Four to Doomsday | 4 × 25 min. | 15 September 2008[6] | 4 December 2008[7] | 6 January 2009[8] | |
| 118 | Kinda[b] | 4 × 25 min. | 7 March 2011[9] | 7 April 2011[10] | 12 April 2011[11] | |
| 119 | The Visitation | 4 × 25 min. | 19 January 2004[12] | 8 April 2004[13] | 1 March 2005[14] | |
| The Visitation (Special Edition) | 4 × 25 min. | 6 May 2013[15] | 15 May 2013[16] | 14 May 2013[17] | ||
| 120 | Black Orchid | 2 × 25 min. | 14 April 2008[18] | 5 June 2008[19] | 5 August 2008[20] | |
| 121 | Earthshock | 4 × 25 min. | 18 August 2003[21] | 1 October 2003[22] | 7 September 2004[23] | |
| 122 | Time-Flight[c] | 4 × 25 min. | 6 August 2007[24] | 5 September 2007[25] | 6 November 2007[26] | |
| 116–122 | Complete Season 19[d] | 26 × 25 min. 1 × 30 min. 1 × 8 min. | 10 December 2018 (B) [27] | 23 January 2019 (B) [28] | 4 December 2018 (B) [29] |
In print
| Season | Story no. | Library no.[a] | Novelisation title | Author | Hardcover release date[b] | Paperback release date[c] | Audiobook release date[d] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 116 | 76 | Castrovalva | Christopher H. Bidmead | 17 March 1983 | 16 June 1983 | 4 March 2010 |
| 117 | 77 | Four to Doomsday | Terrance Dicks | 14 April 1983 | 21 July 1983 | 2 March 2017 | |
| 118 | 84 | Kinda | 8 December 1983 | 15 March 1984 | 4 August 1997 (abridged) 6 June 2024[30] (unabridged) | ||
| 119 | 69 | Doctor Who and the Visitation | Eric Saward | 19 August 1982 | 19 August 1982 | 4 October 2012 | |
| 120 | 113 | Black Orchid | Terence Dudley | 18 September 1986 | 19 February 1987 | 12 June 2008 | |
| 121 | 78 | Earthshock | Ian Marter | 19 May 1983 | 18 August 1983 | 2 February 2012 | |
| 122 | 74 | Time-Flight | Peter Grimwade | 20 January 1983 | 14 April 1983 | 1 April 2021 |
References
Bibliography
- Smith, Paul (2014). The Classic Doctor Who DVD Compendium. United Kingdom: Wonderful Books. ISBN 978-0-9576062-2-7.
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