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{{Infobox Series
{{Infobox Series
|image            = Doctor Who logo Pertwee logo.jpg
|image            = Doctor Who logo Pertwee logo.jpg
|image2          =
|broadcast year  = 1970
|broadcast year  = 1970
|broadcast year2  =
|nth season      =
|ep count        = 25
|ep count        = 25
|story count      = 4
|story count      = 4
|first ep        = Spearhead from Space (TV story)
|first ep        = Spearhead from Space (TV story)
|doctor          = Third Doctor
|doctor          = Third Doctor
|doctor2          =
|companion        = Liz Shaw
|companion        = Liz Shaw
|companion2      = Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart
|companion2      = Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart{{!}}the Brigadier
|companion3      = Sergeant Benton
|companion4      =
|companion5      =
|producer        = Barry Letts
|producer        = Barry Letts
|producer2        = Derrick Sherwin
|producer2        = Derrick Sherwin
|producer3        =
|producer4        =
|exec prod        =
|exec prod2      =
|exec prod3      =
|exec prod4      =
|exec prod5      =
|script ed        = Terrance Dicks
|script ed        = Terrance Dicks
|script ed2      =
|script ed3      =
|start date      = [[3 January (releases)|3 January]] [[1970 (releases)|1970]]
|start date      = [[3 January (releases)|3 January]] [[1970 (releases)|1970]]
|end date        = [[20 June (releases)|20 June]] 1970
|end date        = [[20 June (releases)|20 June]] 1970
|network          = BBC1
|network          = BBC1
|runtime          = 25'
|runtime          = 25'
|DWM              =
|DWM2            =
|DWM3            =
|DWM4            =
|DWM5            =
|DWM6            =
|DWM7            =
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|DWM10            =
|DWM11            =
|DWM12            =
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|DWM14            =
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|DWM24            =
|DWM25            =
|DWMSE            = DWMSE 2
|DWMSE            = DWMSE 2
|DWMSE2          = DWMSE 15
|DWMSE2          = DWMSE 15
|DWMSE3          =
|DWMSE4          =
|DWMSE5          =
|ref book        = The Discontinuity Guide
|ref book        = The Discontinuity Guide
|ref book2        = The Third Doctor Handbook
|ref book2        = The Third Doctor Handbook
|ref book3        = The Seventies
|ref book3        = The Seventies
|ref book4        = About Time 3
|ref book4        = About Time 3
|ref book5        =  
|ref book5        = TCH 15{{!}}The Complete History 15
|doc              =
|ref book6        = TCH 16
|doc2            =
|doc3            =
|doc4            =
|doc5            =
|mythmakers      = MM VHS 3
|mythmakers      = MM VHS 3
|mythmakers2      = MM VHS 15
|mythmakers2      = MM VHS 15
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|mythmakers6      = MM VHS 40
|mythmakers6      = MM VHS 40
|mythmakers7      = MM VHS 13
|mythmakers7      = MM VHS 13
|mythmakers8      =
|prev            = season 6 (Doctor Who 1963)|
|mythmakers9      =
|next            = season 8 (Doctor Who 1963)|
|mythmakers10    =
|clip            = The Autons Activate - Doctor Who - Spearhead from Space - BBC
|prev            = season 6
|clip2            = Falling into a parallel universe - Doctor Who - BBC classic sci-fi
|next            = season 8
|clip3            = Lava eruption - Doctor Who - BBC classic sci-fi
|trailer          =
}}{{dab page|Series 7}}{{big toc}}
|trailer2        =
'''Season 7''' of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' ran from [[3 January (releases)|3 January]] [[1970 (releases)|1970]] to [[20 June (releases)|20 June]] 1970. It starred [[Jon Pertwee]] as the [[Third Doctor]], [[Caroline John]] as [[Liz Shaw]] and [[Nicholas Courtney]] as [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]]. The season opened with ''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]'' and concluded with ''[[Inferno (TV story)|Inferno]]''.
|clip            =
|clip2            =
|clip3            =
|bts              =
|bts2            =
|bts3            =
}}{{you may|Series 7 (Doctor Who)|n1=series 7}}{{big toc}}
The '''seventh season''' of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' ran between [[3 January (releases)|3 January]] [[1970 (releases)|1970]] and [[20 June (releases)|20 June]] 1970. The debut series of [[Jon Pertwee]] as the [[Third Doctor]], it was the first series produced and broadcast in colour and the first set entirely in one time period and almost entirely on [[Earth]]. Although the series did not have an overall story arc, it did feature a recurring subplot of the Doctor trying to adjust to life as an exile while trying to circumvent the restrictions placed upon him by the [[Time Lord]]s. Beginning with this series and continuing for the next few years, most storylines involve the Doctor working with [[UNIT]].


It consisted of four serials and twenty-five episodes. It was the shortest series of ''Doctor Who'' to date (and had the fewest number of serials until [[Season 23]]). It has the distinction of being the earliest ''Doctor Who'' series to exist in its entirety (though not completely in colour, with the monochromatic copies of episodes later subjected to various recolourisation techniques) in the BBC archives. This is also the first series (other than [[Season 1|the first one]]) to not feature any returning monsters from earlier stories.
== Overview ==
It consisted of four serials comprised of twenty-five episodes. It was the shortest series of ''Doctor Who'' to date (and had the fewest number of serials until [[Season 23 (Doctor Who 1963)|Season 23]]). It has the distinction of being the earliest ''Doctor Who'' series to exist in its entirety (though not completely in colour, with the monochromatic copies of episodes later subjected to various recolourisation techniques) in the BBC archives. This is also the first series (other than [[Season 1 (Doctor Who 1963)|the first one]]) to not feature any returning monsters from earlier stories.
 
It was the first series produced and broadcast in colour and the first set entirely in one time period and almost entirely on [[Earth]] (the latter of these factors would later be repeated for [[Season 26 (Doctor Who 1963)|Season 26]] and [[Series 1 (Doctor Who 2005)|Series 1]], although in those two cases there was no attempt at an in-universe explanation for confining the Doctor to the planet). Although the series did not have an overall story arc, it did feature a recurring subplot of the Doctor trying to adjust to life as an exile while trying to circumvent the restrictions placed upon him by the [[Time Lord]]s, and began the process where the Doctor would try to gain more control over [[The Doctor's TARDIS|his TARDIS]]. Beginning with this series and continuing for the next few years, most storylines involve the Doctor working with [[UNIT]].


Beginning with this series and continuing through the Pertwee era, the BBC changed the show's scheduling with new, shorter series from this point beginning in either January or very late December, rather than [[Autumn]] as had been the previous format; the series would return to an Autumn series start in the [[Tom Baker]] era. The new scheduling reflected the change from around forty to forty-five episodes a series to more or less twenty-six per series, though the length of the episodes remained the same.
Beginning with this series and continuing through the Pertwee era, the BBC changed the show's scheduling with new, shorter series from this point beginning in either January or very late December, rather than [[Autumn]] as had been the previous format; the series would return to an Autumn series start in the [[Tom Baker]] era. The new scheduling reflected the change from around forty to forty-five episodes a series to more or less twenty-six per series, though the length of the episodes remained the same.


Production-wise, this season was a rather prominent transitionary period for the show, accentuated by a year-long hiatus following the conclusion of ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]''. With the 1960's coming to a close, this season saw the last two stories to be filmed during the decade: ''Spearhead from Space'' and ''Doctor Who and the Silurians'', both of which were filmed in late 1969. Additionally, as mentioned before, the series made the leap from monochrome to full-colour, crossing paths with the arrival of Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor. Having done away with the entire main cast at the end of the previous season, Season 7 also built up a new team for the Doctor, consisting of [[Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]] & [[Sergeant Benton]] (both of whom had already been introduced in ''[[The Web of Fear (TV story)|The Web of Fear]]'' and ''[[The Invasion (TV story)|The Invasion]]'' respectively) and [[Liz Shaw|Dr. Elizabeth Shaw]]. This also saw the only time in the classic series where there was no defined producer for a time, with Barry Letts only taking up the role midway through production of ''Doctor Who and the Silurians''. With the show amassing a considerably larger budget this season, Letts gave the show many technological achievements that came with its new colour presentation, most notably [[CSO|Colour-Separation Overlay]], and stories began to feature a greater amount of on-location filming and action sequences than before. Overall, the seventh season marked the departure of several staples of the 1960s seasons, while introducing many more elements that would become prevalent for the rest of ''Doctor Who''<nowiki/>'s run.
Production-wise, this season was a rather prominent transitionary period for the show, accentuated by a six month-long hiatus following the conclusion of ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]''. With the 1960s coming to a close, this season saw the last two stories to be filmed during the decade: ''Spearhead from Space'' and ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]]'', both of which were filmed in late 1969. Additionally, as mentioned before, the series made the leap from monochrome to full-colour, crossing paths with the arrival of Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor. Having done away with the entire main cast at the end of the previous season, Season 7 also built up a new team for the Doctor, consisting of [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]] & [[John Benton|Sergeant Benton]] (both of whom had already been introduced in ''[[The Web of Fear (TV story)|The Web of Fear]]'' and ''[[The Invasion (TV story)|The Invasion]]'' respectively) and [[Liz Shaw|Dr. Elizabeth Shaw]]. This also saw the only time in the classic series where there was no defined producer for a time, with Barry Letts only taking up the role midway through production of ''Doctor Who and the Silurians''. With the show amassing a considerably larger budget this season, Letts gave the show many technological achievements that came with its new colour presentation, most notably [[CSO|Colour-Separation Overlay]], and stories began to feature a greater amount of on-location filming and action sequences than before. Overall, the seventh season marked the departure of several staples of the 1960s seasons, while introducing many more elements that would become prevalent for the rest of ''Doctor Who''<nowiki/>'s run.


This was also the first season of ''Doctor Who'' to have no scenes inside the TARDIS, although [[TARDIS console (An Unearthly Child)|the console]] was removed from it in ''[[The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)|The Ambassadors of Death]]'' and ''[[Inferno (TV story)|Inferno]]'' in order for the Doctor to run repairs on it in an attempt to escape his exile.
== Television stories ==
== Television stories ==
{| {{prettytable}}
{| {{prettytable}}
|'''#''' || '''Title''' || '''Writer''' || '''Episodes''' || '''Notes'''
! # || Title || Writer || Episodes || Notes
|-
|-
|1 ||''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]''||[[Robert Holmes]]||4||First appearances of the Third Doctor, Liz Shaw, the Nestene Consciousness and the Autons; first colour episode; and only one of the 1963-89 serial episode completely produced on 16mm colour film.
|1 ||''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]''||[[Robert Holmes]]||4||First episode broadcasted in colour. First appearances of the [[Third Doctor]], [[Liz Shaw]], the [[Nestene Consciousness]] and the [[Auton]]s.
|-
|-
|2 ||''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]]''||[[Malcolm Hulke]]||7|| First appearance of the [[Silurian]]s; final episode to be shot during the 1960's.
|2 ||''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]]''||[[Malcolm Hulke]]||7||First appearance of the [[Silurian]]s. First story to use [[CSO|Colour Separation Overlay]].
|-
|-
|3 ||''[[The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)|The Ambassadors of Death]]''||[[David Whitaker]]<br />[[Trevor Ray]] (uncredited)<br />Malcolm Hulke (uncredited)||7||Debut of the ''Doctor Who'' cliffhanger "sting"; also features UNIT in futuristic uniforms unique to this story.
|3 ||''[[The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)|The Ambassadors of Death]]''||[[David Whitaker]]<br />[[Trevor Ray]] (uncredited)<br />Malcolm Hulke (uncredited)||7||Debut of the ''Doctor Who'' cliffhanger "sting". Final story to be written by former script editor [[David Whitaker]].
|-
|-
|4 ||''[[Inferno (TV story)|Inferno]]''||[[Don Houghton]]||7||Final appearance of Liz Shaw who, in a rare move, leaves without a proper departure scene; first multiverse story.
|4 ||''[[Inferno (TV story)|Inferno]]''||[[Don Houghton]]||7||Final regular appearance of [[Liz Shaw]]. Final story to be scored entirely with stock music. First story to explore alternative universes.
|}
|}


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=== Recurring ===
=== Recurring ===
* [[John Benton|Sergeant Benton]] - [[John Levene]]
* [[John Benton|Sergeant Benton]] - [[John Levene]]
* [[Silurian]] Voices - [[Peter Halliday]]


=== Guest ===
=== Guest ===
* [[Sam Seeley|Seeley]] - [[Neil Wilson]]
* [[Sam Seeley|Seeley]] - [[Neil Wilson]]
* Captain [[Jimmy Munro]] - [[John Breslin]]
* Captain [[James Munro|Munro]] - [[John Breslin]]
* [[Channing]] - [[Hugh Burden]]
* [[Channing]] - [[Hugh Burden]]
* [[George Hibbert|Hibbert]] - [[John Woodnutt]]
* [[George Hibbert|Hibbert]] - [[John Woodnutt]]
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* [[Morka|Young Silurian]] - [[Nigel Johns]]
* [[Morka|Young Silurian]] - [[Nigel Johns]]
* [[Bokka K'to|Scientist Silurian]] - [[Pat Gorman]]
* [[Bokka K'to|Scientist Silurian]] - [[Pat Gorman]]
* [[Silurian]] Voices - [[Peter Halliday]]
* [[Ralph Cornish]] - [[Ronald Allen]]
* [[Ralph Cornish]] - [[Ronald Allen]]
* [[Bruno Taltalian|Taltalian]] - [[Robert Cawdron]]
* [[Bruno Taltalian|Taltalian]] - [[Robert Cawdron]]
* [[John Wakefield]] - [[Michael Wisher]]
* [[John Wakefield]] - [[Michael Wisher]]
* General [[Charles Carrington|Carrington]] - [[John Abineri]]
* [[George Carrington|General Carrington]] - [[John Abineri]]
* [[James Quinlan|Quinlan]] - [[Dallas Cavell]]
* [[James Quinlan|Quinlan]] - [[Dallas Cavell]]
* [[Reegan]] - [[William Dysart]]
* [[Reegan]] - [[William Dysart]]
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* [[Greg Sutton]] - [[Derek Newark]]
* [[Greg Sutton]] - [[Derek Newark]]
* [[Petra Williams]]/ Dr. [[Petra Williams (Inferno Earth)|Petra Williams]] - [[Sheila Dunn]]
* [[Petra Williams]]/ Dr. [[Petra Williams (Inferno Earth)|Petra Williams]] - [[Sheila Dunn]]
* [[Harry Slocum]] - [[Walter Randall]]
* [[Alastair Lethbridge-Stewart|Brigade Leader]] - [[Nicholas Courtney]]
* [[Alastair Lethbridge-Stewart|Brigade Leader]] - [[Nicholas Courtney]]
* [[Elizabeth Shaw (Inferno Earth)|Section Leader Elizabeth Shaw]] - [[Caroline John]]
* [[Elizabeth Shaw (Inferno Earth)|Section Leader Elizabeth Shaw]] - [[Caroline John]]
* [[John Benton (Inferno Earth)|Platoon Under-Leader Benton]] - [[John Levene]]
* [[John Benton (Inferno Earth)|Platoon Under-Leader Benton]] - [[John Levene]]
== Stories set before this season ==
{{main|Season 6B}}


== Stories set during this season ==
== Stories set during this season ==
* [[PROSE]]: ''[[Who Killed Kennedy (novel)|Who Killed Kennedy]]'' (during all serials of season 7)
 
* [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back (short story)]]'' (between ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]]'' and  ''[[The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)|The Ambassadors of Death]]'')
=== Novels ===
* [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Old Soldiers (CC audio story)|Old Soldiers]]'' (between ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]]'' and ''[[The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)|The Ambassadors of Death]]'')
 
* [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Shadow of the Past]]'' (between ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]]'' and ''[[The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)|The Ambassadors of Death]]'')
* ''[[Who Killed Kennedy (novel)|Who Killed Kennedy]]''
* [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Last Post (audio story)|The Last Post]]'' (contemporaneously with ''Spearhead in Space'', ''Doctor Who and the Silurians'' and ''The Ambassadors of Death'')
 
=== Short stories ===
 
* ''[[The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back (short story)|The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back]]''
 
=== Audio ===
 
* ''[[Vengeance of the Stones (audio story)|Vengeance of the Stones]]''
* ''[[Old Soldiers (CC audio story)|Old Soldiers]]''
* ''[[Shadow of the Past]]''
* ''[[The Last Post (audio story)|The Last Post]]''
* [[The Unzal Incursion (audio story)|''The Unzal Incursion'']]
* ''[[The Annihilators (audio story)|The Annihilators]]''
 
=== Comics ===
''to be added''


== Adaptations and merchandising ==
== Adaptations and merchandising ==
=== Home media ===
=== Home media ===
==== VHS ====
==== VHS releases ====
* ''Spearhead from Space'' (1988) (edited movie format)
* ''Spearhead from Space'' (1988) (edited movie format)
* ''Spearhead from Space'' (1995)
* ''Spearhead from Space'' (1995)
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* ''[[The Pertwee Years]]'' (1992) (''Inferno'' episode 7)
* ''[[The Pertwee Years]]'' (1992) (''Inferno'' episode 7)


==== DVD ====
==== DVD & Blu-ray releases ====
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
|-
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|| ''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]'' || 4 × 25 min. || 29 January 2001 || 12 September 2001 || 11 September 2001
|| ''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]'' || 4 × 25 min. || 29 January 2001 || 12 September 2001 || 11 September 2001
|-
|-
|| ''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]'' – Special Edition<br /><small>Only available as part of the ''Mannequin Mania'' box set in Regions 2 and 4. <br />Not yet available in Region 1.</small> || 4 × 25 min. || 9 May 2011 ||  2 June 2011 || TBA
|| ''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]'' – Special Edition<br /><small>Only available as part of the ''[[Mannequin Mania]]'' box set in Regions 2 and 4. <br />Only available individually in Region 1.</small> || 4 × 25 min. || 9 May 2011 ||  2 June 2011 || 14 August 2012
|-
|-
|| ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]]''<br /><small>Only available as part of the ''Beneath the Surface'' box set in Regions 2 and 4. <br />Available individually or in the box set in Region 1.</small> || 7 × 25 min. || 14 January 2008 || 5 March 2008 || 3 June 2008
|''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]'' - Blu-ray Edition
|4 x 25 min.
|15 July 2013
|17 July 2013
|13 August 2013
|-
|| ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]]''<br /><small>Only available as part of the ''[[Beneath the Surface]]'' box set in Regions 2 and 4. <br />Available individually or in the box set in Region 1.</small> || 7 × 25 min. || 14 January 2008 || 5 March 2008 || 3 June 2008
|-
|-
|| ''[[The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)|The Ambassadors of Death]]'' || 7 × 25 min. || 1 October 2012 || 3 October 2012 || 9 October 2012
|| ''[[The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)|The Ambassadors of Death]]'' || 7 × 25 min. || 1 October 2012 || 3 October 2012 || 9 October 2012
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|| ''[[Inferno (TV story)|Inferno]]'' || 7 × 25 min. || 19 June 2006 || 6 July 2006 || 5 September 2006
|| ''[[Inferno (TV story)|Inferno]]'' || 7 × 25 min. || 19 June 2006 || 6 July 2006 || 5 September 2006
|-
|-
|| ''[[Inferno (TV story)|Inferno]]'' - Special Edition || 7 x 25 min. || 2013<ref>http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2012/05/dwn230512212008-dvd-update-ambassadors.html</ref> || TBA || TBA
|| ''[[Inferno (TV story)|Inferno]]'' - Special Edition || 7 x 25 min. || 27 May 2013 || 5 June 2013 || 11 June 2013
|}
|}


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| ''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]''<br /><small>(4&nbsp;episodes)</small>
| ''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]''<br /><small>(4&nbsp;episodes)</small>
|US
|US
|<span class="">✓</span>
|✓
|
|
|<span>✓</span>
|✓
|-
|-
| ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]]''<br /><small>(7&nbsp;episodes)</small>
| ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]]''<br /><small>(7&nbsp;episodes)</small>
|UK
|UK
|<span class="">✓</span>
|✓
| <span>✓</span>
| ✓
|<span>✓</span>
|✓
|-
|-
| ''[[The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)|The Ambassadors of Death]]''<br /><small>(7&nbsp;episodes)</small>
| ''[[The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)|The Ambassadors of Death]]''<br /><small>(7&nbsp;episodes)</small>
|
|
|<span class="">✓</span>
|✓
|
|
|
|
Line 223: Line 195:
| ''[[Inferno (TV story)|Inferno]]''<br /><small>(7&nbsp;episodes)</small>
| ''[[Inferno (TV story)|Inferno]]''<br /><small>(7&nbsp;episodes)</small>
|
|
|<span class="">✓</span>
|✓
|
|
|
|
Line 234: Line 206:
* ''[[The Ambassadors of Death (novelisation)|The Ambassadors of Death]]''
* ''[[The Ambassadors of Death (novelisation)|The Ambassadors of Death]]''
* ''[[Inferno (novelisation)|Inferno]]''
* ''[[Inferno (novelisation)|Inferno]]''
== References ==
{{reflist}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
Line 243: Line 212:
{{Season 7 aliens}}
{{Season 7 aliens}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}
[[it:Settima Stagione]]
[[de:Doctor Who Staffel 7]]
[[de:Doctor Who Staffel 7]]
[[es:Temporada 7 (DW-C)]]
[[es:Temporada 7 (DW-C)]]
[[it:Settima Stagione]]
[[pt:7ª Temporada (SC)]]
[[pt:7ª Temporada (SC)]]
[[ru:7 сезон (классические серии)]]
[[ru:7 сезон (классические серии)]]
[[Category:Seasons|Season 07]]
[[Category:Seasons|Season 07]]
[[Category:Doctor Who seasons|Season 07]]
[[Category:Doctor Who seasons|Season 07]]
[[Category:Infobox double checked]]
[[Category:Infobox double checked]]

Latest revision as of 20:16, 3 November 2024

RealWorld.png

You may wish to consult Series 7 for other, similarly-named pages.

Season 7 of Doctor Who ran from 3 January 1970 to 20 June 1970. It starred Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor, Caroline John as Liz Shaw and Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. The season opened with Spearhead from Space and concluded with Inferno.

Overview[[edit] | [edit source]]

It consisted of four serials comprised of twenty-five episodes. It was the shortest series of Doctor Who to date (and had the fewest number of serials until Season 23). It has the distinction of being the earliest Doctor Who series to exist in its entirety (though not completely in colour, with the monochromatic copies of episodes later subjected to various recolourisation techniques) in the BBC archives. This is also the first series (other than the first one) to not feature any returning monsters from earlier stories.

It was the first series produced and broadcast in colour and the first set entirely in one time period and almost entirely on Earth (the latter of these factors would later be repeated for Season 26 and Series 1, although in those two cases there was no attempt at an in-universe explanation for confining the Doctor to the planet). Although the series did not have an overall story arc, it did feature a recurring subplot of the Doctor trying to adjust to life as an exile while trying to circumvent the restrictions placed upon him by the Time Lords, and began the process where the Doctor would try to gain more control over his TARDIS. Beginning with this series and continuing for the next few years, most storylines involve the Doctor working with UNIT.

Beginning with this series and continuing through the Pertwee era, the BBC changed the show's scheduling with new, shorter series from this point beginning in either January or very late December, rather than Autumn as had been the previous format; the series would return to an Autumn series start in the Tom Baker era. The new scheduling reflected the change from around forty to forty-five episodes a series to more or less twenty-six per series, though the length of the episodes remained the same.

Production-wise, this season was a rather prominent transitionary period for the show, accentuated by a six month-long hiatus following the conclusion of The War Games. With the 1960s coming to a close, this season saw the last two stories to be filmed during the decade: Spearhead from Space and Doctor Who and the Silurians, both of which were filmed in late 1969. Additionally, as mentioned before, the series made the leap from monochrome to full-colour, crossing paths with the arrival of Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor. Having done away with the entire main cast at the end of the previous season, Season 7 also built up a new team for the Doctor, consisting of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart & Sergeant Benton (both of whom had already been introduced in The Web of Fear and The Invasion respectively) and Dr. Elizabeth Shaw. This also saw the only time in the classic series where there was no defined producer for a time, with Barry Letts only taking up the role midway through production of Doctor Who and the Silurians. With the show amassing a considerably larger budget this season, Letts gave the show many technological achievements that came with its new colour presentation, most notably Colour-Separation Overlay, and stories began to feature a greater amount of on-location filming and action sequences than before. Overall, the seventh season marked the departure of several staples of the 1960s seasons, while introducing many more elements that would become prevalent for the rest of Doctor Who's run.

This was also the first season of Doctor Who to have no scenes inside the TARDIS, although the console was removed from it in The Ambassadors of Death and Inferno in order for the Doctor to run repairs on it in an attempt to escape his exile.

Television stories[[edit] | [edit source]]

# Title Writer Episodes Notes
1 Spearhead from Space Robert Holmes 4 First episode broadcasted in colour. First appearances of the Third Doctor, Liz Shaw, the Nestene Consciousness and the Autons.
2 Doctor Who and the Silurians Malcolm Hulke 7 First appearance of the Silurians. First story to use Colour Separation Overlay.
3 The Ambassadors of Death David Whitaker
Trevor Ray (uncredited)
Malcolm Hulke (uncredited)		 7 Debut of the Doctor Who cliffhanger "sting". Final story to be written by former script editor David Whitaker.
4 Inferno Don Houghton 7 Final regular appearance of Liz Shaw. Final story to be scored entirely with stock music. First story to explore alternative universes.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Recurring[[edit] | [edit source]]

Guest[[edit] | [edit source]]

Stories set before this season[[edit] | [edit source]]

Main article: Season 6B

Stories set during this season[[edit] | [edit source]]

Novels[[edit] | [edit source]]

Short stories[[edit] | [edit source]]

Audio[[edit] | [edit source]]

Comics[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Adaptations and merchandising[[edit] | [edit source]]

Home media[[edit] | [edit source]]

VHS releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Spearhead from Space (1988) (edited movie format)
  • Spearhead from Space (1995)
  • Doctor Who and the Silurians (1993) (colour restoration)
  • The Ambassadors of Death (2002) (partly in black and white)
  • Inferno (1994) (poor colour restoration; also including in episode 5 a scene cut from the original UK transmission but retained for overseas screening)
  • The Pertwee Years (1992) (Inferno episode 7)

DVD & Blu-ray releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

Serial name Number and duration
of episodes 		R2 release date R4 release date R1 release date
Spearhead from Space 4 × 25 min. 29 January 2001 12 September 2001 11 September 2001
Spearhead from Space – Special Edition
Only available as part of the Mannequin Mania box set in Regions 2 and 4.
Only available individually in Region 1.		 4 × 25 min. 9 May 2011 2 June 2011 14 August 2012
Spearhead from Space - Blu-ray Edition 4 x 25 min. 15 July 2013 17 July 2013 13 August 2013
Doctor Who and the Silurians
Only available as part of the Beneath the Surface box set in Regions 2 and 4.
Available individually or in the box set in Region 1.		 7 × 25 min. 14 January 2008 5 March 2008 3 June 2008
The Ambassadors of Death 7 × 25 min. 1 October 2012 3 October 2012 9 October 2012
Inferno 7 × 25 min. 19 June 2006 6 July 2006 5 September 2006
Inferno - Special Edition 7 x 25 min. 27 May 2013 5 June 2013 11 June 2013

Download/streaming availability[[edit] | [edit source]]

Serial name Amazon VIdeo BritBox Google Play iTunes
Spearhead from Space
(4 episodes) 		US ✓ ✓
Doctor Who and the Silurians
(7 episodes) 		UK ✓ ✓ ✓
The Ambassadors of Death
(7 episodes) 		✓
Inferno
(7 episodes) 		✓

BritBox is available only in the US. iTunes stores carry Doctor Who serials in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the UK and US.

Novels[[edit] | [edit source]]

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

BBC website guide to Series 7

v • e
Doctor Who television stories
 
Seasons 1-4: William Hartnell
Season 1: 1963-1964
Season 2: 1964-1965
Season 3: 1965-1966
Season 4: 1966
 
Seasons 4-6: Patrick Troughton
Season 4: 1966-1967
Season 5: 1967-1968
Season 6: 1968-1969
 
Seasons 7-11: Jon Pertwee
Season 7: 1970
Season 8: 1971
Season 9: 1972
Season 10: 1972-1973
Season 11: 1973-1974
 
Seasons 12-18: Tom Baker
Season 12: 1974-1975
Season 13: 1975-1976
Season 14: 1976-1977
Season 15: 1977-1978
Season 16: 1978-1979
Season 17: 1979-1980
Season 18: 1980-1981
 
Seasons 19-21: Peter Davison
Season 19: 1982
Season 20: 1983
Children in Need 1983
Season 21: 1984
 
Seasons 21-23: Colin Baker
Season 21: 1984
Season 22: 1985
Season 23: 1986
 
Seasons 24-26: Sylvester McCoy
Season 24: 1987
Season 25: 1988-1989
Season 26: 1989
 
TV Movie & 2013 specials: Paul McGann
TV Movie: 1996
Specials: 2013
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Series 1: Christopher Eccleston
Series 1: 2005
Regular episodes
 
Series 2-4: David Tennant
Series 2: 2005-2006
Minisode
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Christmas Special
Regular episodes
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Animated special
Seasonal specials
 
Series 5-2013 specials: Matt Smith
Series 5: 2010
Regular episodes
Series 6: 2010-2011
Christmas Special
Minisodes
Regular episodes
(Part 1: Apr 2011)
Regular episodes
(Part 2: Aug 2011)
Minisode
Series 7: 2011-2013
Christmas Special
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(Part 1: 2012)
Minisode
Christmas Special
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(Part 2: 2013)
Specials: 2013
 
Series 8-10: Peter Capaldi
Series 8: 2014
Regular episodes
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Christmas Special
Minisode
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Series 10: 2016-2017
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Series 11-13: Jodie Whittaker
Series 11: 2018-2019
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Series 12: 2020-2021
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60th Anniversary Specials: David Tennant
Specials: 2023
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Season 1 (2023)-present: Ncuti Gatwa
Season 1: 2023-2024
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
v • e
Aliens and Enemies of Season 7
Spearhead from Space
The Silurians
The Ambassadors of Death
Inferno
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