* [[14 February|14]] - Dr. [[Owen Harper]], [[Torchwood Three]] operative, was born. ([[TW]]: ''[[Exit Wounds]]'', [[WEB]]: ''[[Torchwood website|torchwood.co.uk]]'')
On [[3 February]], [[Isley]] was sent by the [[United States of America]] to [[Assassination|assassinate]] a target in [[Cuba]]. When her [[android]] nature was discovered, she "eliminated" fifty witnesses, causing a major diplomatic incident and the suspension of the US' robot-making programs. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Nuclear Time (novel)}})
=== [[April]] ===
On [[8 June]], [[UNIT]] began observing the [[Time Fracture]] at [[coordinate]]s 51°30'47.7"N 0°08'51.9"W. ([[WC]]: {{cs|14682 UNIT Field Log (webcast)}})
* [[15 April|15]] - [[Samantha Jones]], future [[companion]] of the [[Eighth Doctor]], was born. ([[EDA]]: ''[[Unnatural History]]'')
=== [[December]] ===
The [[science fiction]] film ''[[Prey for a Miracle]]'', which was inspired by a [[UFO]] / [[god]]s scare caused by the [[Latter-Day Pantheon]] in [[New York City]] in [[March]] and [[April]] [[1965]], was released. It was directed by a newcomer named [[Anthony Jones]]. The film's screenplay was based on the book ''[[How I Saved the World]]'' by [[Alexander Lullington-Smythe]], which was published by [[Aphrodite Press]] in [[1976]] and was "very publicly discredited" in [[1978]]. The veteran science fiction and horror star [[Peter Cushing (in-universe)|Peter Cushing]] played the lead role of "the mysterious government adviser, [[Doctor Who (Salvation)|Doctor Who]]", a character loosely based on the [[First Doctor]]. However, a film critic for the magazine ''[[Film in Focus]]'' noted that Cushing's "endearingly eccentric professor [was] as fictional as the rest of ''Prey for a Miracle''" as what little was known about the real life "Doctor" suggested that he was "a shadowy, manipulative figure". ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Salvation (novel)}})
* [[8 December|8]] - Knowing of the impending [[assassination]] of former [[The Beatles|Beatle]] [[John Lennon]], the [[Seventh Doctor]], [[Ace]] and [[Bernice Summerfield]] travelled to [[New York City]]. [[Mark David Chapman]], influenced by [[the Blue]], shot and killed him anyway. ([[NA]]: ''[[The Left-Handed Hummingbird]]'')
In [[December]], the [[Fourth Doctor]] and [[Sarah Jane Smith]] visited [[New Zealand]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Autaia Pipipi Pia (short story)}})
* [[Victoria Waterfield]] visited [[Det-Sen Monastery]] in [[Tibet]], believing she was obeying a summons from her father. ([[MA]]: ''[[Downtime]]'')
* [[Sarah Jane Smith]] claimed to [[Laurence Scarman]] that she had come from the year 1980. ([[DW]]: ''[[Pyramids of Mars]]''; see [[UNIT dating controversy]]).
=== Negated timeline ===
On [[8 December]], knowing of the impending [[assassination]] of former [[The Beatles|Beatle]] [[John Lennon]], the [[Seventh Doctor]], [[Ace]] and [[Bernice Summerfield]] travelled to [[New York City]]. [[Mark David Chapman]], influenced by [[Huitzilin|the Blue]], shot and killed him anyway. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Left-Handed Hummingbird (novel)}})
* The [[Fourth Doctor]] took [[Sarah Jane Smith]] and [[Laurence Scarman]] from [[1911]] and showed them what 1980 would look like if [[Sutekh]] freed himself: a lifeless [[Earth]] orbiting a dead [[sun]]. This example of [[Alternate timeline|alternate time]] convinced Sarah that they had to return to 1911 and stop Sutekh. ([[DW]]: ''[[Pyramids of Mars]]'')
== Behind the scenes ==
=== Undated ===
=== [[January]] ===
[[Victoria Waterfield]] visited [[Det-Sen Monastery]] in Tibet, believing that she was obeying a summons from her father [[Edward Waterfield]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Downtime (novelisation)}})
* [[5 January|5]] - [[DW]]: ''[[The Horns of Nimon]]'' Part 3 was first broadcast.
* [[12 January|12]] - [[DW]]: ''[[The Horns of Nimon]]'' Part 4 was first broadcast, bringing the season to an end six weeks earlier than planned due to the cancellation of [[DW]]: ''[[Shada (TV story)|Shada]]''. This was the final story to feature the original 1960s arrangement by [[Delia Derbyshire]] of the ''Doctor Who'' theme music, specifically the arrangement introduced in the [[1967]] serial [[DW]]: ''[[The Macra Terror]]''; the final use of the diamond-shaped series logo and [[Bernard Lodge]] "tunnel" opening sequence; and the end of [[Graham Williams]]' term as producer and of [[Douglas Adams]] as a member of the writing team. It was [[David Brierley]]'s last televised performance as the voice of [[K9]] (although he voiced the character for the incomplete ''Shada'').
* [[24 January|24]] - [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Underworld]]'' was first published.
* 24 - The American edition of [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Android Invasion]]'' was published by [[Pinnacle Books]].
=== [[February]] ===
An earthquake damaged [[Pompeii]] and uncovered the buried [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]]. Captain [[Muriel Frost]] called in the [[Fifth Doctor]] to inform him of the discovery. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Fires of Vulcan (audio story)}})
* [[4 February|4]] - Former [[Script Editor|script editor]] and writer [[David Whitaker]] died in [[Australia]].
* [[9 February|9]] - [[Heron Carvic]], who voiced [[Morpho]] in [[DW]]: ''[[The Keys of Marinus (TV story)|The Keys of Marinus]]'', died.
* [[21 February|21]] - [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time]]'' was first published.
=== [[March]] ===
''[[Jodie's Law]]'' was released. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Book of the War (novel)}})
* [[18 March|18]] - [[Sophia Myles]] ([[Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson]] in [[DW]]: ''[[The Girl in the Fireplace]]'') was born.
* [[20 March|20]] - [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood]]'' was first published.
* 20 - Target Books reissued the [[1976]] non-fiction book [[REF]]: ''[[The Making of Doctor Who]]''.
* The American edition of [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Seeds of Doom]]'' was published by [[Pinnacle Books]]. This was the last re-print of a ''Doctor Who'' novelisation by Pinnacle. As of [[2009]] it stood as the last American edition of a ''Doctor Who'' novel.
=== [[April]] ===
A cult, which believed that [[God]] was an impossibly long number, took up residence on [[Fleming's Island]] off the coast of [[Ireland]]. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Iterations of I (audio story)}})
* [[19 April|19]] - [[Tony Beckley]] died.
* [[24 April|24]] - [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Androids of Tara]]'' was first published.
* [[25 April|25]] - [[Samuel Barnett]], who voiced [[Hans Tod]] in [[BFA]]: ''[[The Beast of Orlok]]'', was born.
=== [[May]] ===
[[Iris Wildthyme]] acquired a [[ficus]] while starring in a [[Pornography|porn]] [[film]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Parsley Sage, Rosemary and Wildthyme (short story)}})
* [[26 May|26]] - [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Power of Kroll]]'' was first published.
=== [[June]] ===
[[File:Fisher King flood.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Fisher King]] caught in the [[flood]] of [[Краснодар]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Before the Flood (TV story)}})]]
* The BBC announced that [[K9 Mark II|K9]] would be leaving ''Doctor Who'' during the next season. According to ''The Television Companion'' by David J. Howe and Stephen James Walker, the response to this announcement by fans inspired [[John Nathan-Turner]] to pitch the idea of a spin-off series featuring the character, which later became ''[[K9 and Company]]''.
In [[Scotland]], the town of [[Краснодар]] in [[Caithness]] was flooded. The [[Twelfth Doctor]] visited the town before the flood, and encountered [[Albar Prentis]], who was killed by the alien warlord known as the [[Fisher King]]. The Doctor succeeded in stopping the Fisher King and advancing the flood so the underwater [[mining]] base [[the Drum]] could be built in the future. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Before the Flood (TV story)}})
* [[4 June|4]] - [[Philip Olivier]] was born.
* [[26 June|26]] - [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Armageddon Factor]]'' was first published. Due to the inability of [[Target Books]] to come to an agreement with [[Douglas Adams]], this would ultimately be the last of the ''[[Key to Time]]''- arc serials to be novelised. The remaining serial, [[DW]]: ''[[The Pirate Planet]]'', would not be officially novelised.
** [[DWN]]: ''[[Junior Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius]]'' was first published. This was a short version of [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius]]'' and was the second of two such books released (a paperback edition of [[DWN]]: ''[[Junior Doctor Who and the Giant Robot]]'' was also released in 1980). Reportedly the book was originally to have been released in [[1978]].
* ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' began publishing ''Doctor Who''-universe comics written by future comics superstar writer [[Alan Moore]].
=== [[August]] ===
The Fourth Doctor and [[Romana II]] encountered the [[vampire]] [[Zoltán Frid]] in [[Budapest]]. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Labyrinth of Buda Castle (audio story)}})
* [[Doctor Who Annual 1981]] was published. Beginning this year the annual, previously published each September, moved to August.
* [[5 August|5]] - [[Sophie Winkleman]], [[Kelly Westwood]] in [[BFA]]: ''[[The Eight Truths]]'' and ''[[Worldwide Web]]'', was born.
* [[6 August|6]] - [[Barry Justice]] (King [[Charles IX]] in [[DW]]: ''[[The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve]]'') died in [[London]].
* [[7 August|7]] - The final issue of ''[[Doctor Who Magazine|Doctor Who Weekly]]'' was published; it changed to a monthly magazine in September.
** [[Norman Atkyns]], who played a Guardian in [[DW]]: ''[[Colony in Space (TV story)|Colony in Space]]'' and a Rear Admiral in [[DW]]: ''[[The Sea Devils (TV story)|The Sea Devils]]'', died.
* [[8 August|8]] - [[Simon Lack]] ([[Kettering]] in [[DW]]: ''[[The Mind of Evil]]'' and [[Zadek]] in [[DW]]: ''[[The Androids of Tara]]'') died.
* [[21 August|21]] - [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Keys of Marinus]]'' and [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Nightmare of Eden]]'' were first published. For the first time in several years, [[Target Books]] released more than one book on the same day.
* [[30 August|30]] - [[DW]]: ''[[The Leisure Hive]]'' Episode 1 was first broadcast, launching a longer-than-usual [[Season 18]]. It was [[Tom Baker]]'s final season and the first series produced by [[John Nathan-Turner]]. Among the many changes evident with this episode was the introduction of a radically different arrangement of the [[Doctor Who theme|''Doctor Who'' theme]] by [[Peter Howell]] and a new neon-tubing style [[Doctor Who logo|series logo]]. A modified costume was also introduced for the Doctor. Season 18 would be the last truly "season-long" series, as during the Davison era the show would air from January to March only (two episodes per week) and be subject to an ever-decreasing number of episodes thereafter.
=== [[September]] ===
[[Umpty-nine]] was rediscovered in a [[black market]] [[auction]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Painting on the Stair (short story)}})
* ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' began publishing as a monthly publication, initially changing its title from ''Doctor Who Weekly'' to ''Doctor Who: A Marvel Monthly''.
* [[John Nathan-Turner]] approached [[Peter Davison]] about taking over from [[Tom Baker]] as the star of ''Doctor Who''.
* [[6 September|6]] - [[DW]]: ''[[The Leisure Hive]]'' Part 2 was first broadcast.
* [[13 September|13]] - [[DW]]: ''[[The Leisure Hive]]'' Part 3 was first broadcast.
* [[20 September|20]] - [[DW]]: ''[[The Leisure Hive]]'' Part 4 was first broadcast.
* [[27 September|27]] - [[DW]]: ''[[Meglos (TV story)|Meglos]]'' Part 1 was first broadcast, featuring the return of [[Jacqueline Hill]] to ''Doctor Who'', albeit as another character. [[John Leeson]] returned as the voice of [[K9]].
=== [[October]] ===
Tensions between [[Iran]] and the western world were ratcheting up, with the menace of [[atomic bomb|atomic warfare]] looming large. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|Dr. Who's Time Tales (DWM 32 comic story)}})
* [[4 October|4]] - [[DW]]: ''[[Meglos (TV story)|Meglos]]'' Part 2 was first broadcast.
* [[11 October|11]] - [[DW]]: ''[[Meglos (TV story)|Meglos]]'' Part 3 was first broadcast.
* [[16 October|16]] - [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Horns of Nimon]]'' was first published. (Although the series branding changed to [[Doctor Who logo#Logo Five|a new logo]], the [[Doctor Who logo#Logo Four|the previous logo]] was still used by [[Target Books]] for several more volumes.
* [[18 October|18]] - [[DW]]: ''[[Meglos (TV story)|Meglos]]'' Part 4 was first broadcast.
* [[24 October|24]] - At a press conference, the BBC announced that [[Tom Baker]] would be leaving ''Doctor Who'' at the end of the current season.
* [[25 October|25]] - [[DW]]: ''[[Full Circle]]'' Episode 1 was first broadcast, launching what would become known as the [[E-Space]] Trilogy. [[Matthew Waterhouse]] debuted as new companion [[Adric]].
=== [[November]] ===
=== Alternate timelines ===
* The BBC announced that [[Peter Davison]] had been cast as the [[Fifth Doctor]].
The Fourth Doctor took Sarah Jane and [[Laurence Scarman]] from [[1911]] and showed them what 1980 (which Sarah Jane told Scarman was the time she came from) would look like if [[Sutekh]] freed himself when Sarah told him they knew the evil Osirian hadn't managed to escape, though the Doctor was dubious: a lifeless [[Earth]] orbiting a dead [[sun]]. This [[alternate timeline]] convinced Sarah that they had to return to 1911 and stop Sutekh and prevented the timeline they'd seen coming to pass. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Pyramids of Mars (TV story)}})
* [[REF]]: ''[[A Day with a TV Producer]]'', a non-fiction work profiling [[John Nathan-Turner]] and the production of [[DW]]: ''[[The Leisure Hive]]'', was published.
* [[1 November|1]] - [[DW]]: ''[[Full Circle]]'' Part 2 was first broadcast.
* [[8 November|8]] - [[DW]]: ''[[Full Circle]]'' Part 3 was first broadcast.
* [[13 November|13]] - [[DWN]]: ''[[Junior Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius]]'' was published in paperback.
* [[15 November|15]] - [[DW]]: ''[[Full Circle]]'' Part 4 was first broadcast.
* [[16 November|16]] - [[Alexa Havins]] was born.
* [[19 November|19]] - [[Adele Silva]] was born.
* [[22 November|22]] - [[DW]]: ''[[State of Decay]]'' Part 1 was first broadcast.
* [[29 November|29]] - [[DW]]: ''[[State of Decay]]'' Part 2 was first broadcast.
=== [[December]] ===
== Births and deaths ==
* [[4 December|4]] - [[DWN]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Monster of Peladon]]'' was first published.
=== Dated ===
* [[6 December|6]] - [[DW]]: ''[[State of Decay]]'' Part 3 was first broadcast.
On [[14 February]], [[Doctor|Dr]] [[Owen Harper]], [[Torchwood Three]] operative, was born. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Exit Wounds (TV story)}})
* [[8 December|8]] - Ex-[[The Beatles|Beatle]] [[John Lennon]], who appeared as himself in [[DW]]: ''[[The Chase]]'', was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman outside his home in [[New York City]].
* [[13 December|13]] - [[DW]]: ''[[State of Decay]]'' Part 4 was first broadcast.
* [[30 December|30]] - [[Tom Baker]] and [[Lalla Ward]] married; Baker was in the midst of filming [[DW]]: ''[[The Keeper of Traken]]'', while Ward's final episodes as [[Romana II|Romana]] had not yet been broadcast.
* [[Eliza Dushku]], who voiced [[Holly Mokri]] in [[TW]]: ''[[Web of Lies]]'', was born.
* ''[[Marvel Premiere]]'' issue 57 was published by [[Marvel Comics]] in the United States. This comic, featuring [[Fourth Doctor]] comic strip reprints from ''[[Doctor Who Weekly]]'', was the first American comic ever published based upon the ''Doctor Who'' TV series (a previous comic published in the mid-60s by another US publisher was based upon the ''[[Dr. Who and the Daleks]]'' movie, not the TV series). This comic, and three issues that followed, led to the launching of a monthly ''[[Doctor Who (1984)|Doctor Who]]'' title by Marvel in 1984.
=== Unknown dates ===
On [[15 April]], [[Sam Jones]], future [[companion]] of the [[Eighth Doctor]], was born. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Alien Bodies (novel)}}, {{cs|Unnatural History (novel)}}, {{cs|The Taint (novel)}})
* ''[[The Adventures of K9]]'', a children's book series by [[David Martin]], was published by [[Sparrow Books]].
* [[Tom Baker]] and [[Lalla Ward]] appeared as the [[Fourth Doctor]] and [[Romana II|Romana]] in a series of commercials for Australian television, advertising Prime Computers (a room-sized computer system for business). While most of the commercials featured them in their standard character roles, the final commercial in the series had Romana flirting with the Doctor and ended with the Doctor proposing marriage to her.
* [[Johnson Bayly]] died.
[[Category:Years]]
On [[25 December]], [[Professor]] [[Edward Travers]], CBE, died in [[Tibet]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Downtime (novelisation)}})
=== Undated ===
[[Alice (Swan Song)|Alice]] was born. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Swan Song (audio story)}})
[[Ted O'Brien]]'s son died of a [[drug]] overdose. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Head of State (novel)}})
== Other ==
[[New York City]]'s total population was 7,071,639, 1,670,199 of whom were foreign-born. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Gathering (TV story)}})
On 3 February, Isley was sent by the United States of America to assassinate a target in Cuba. When her android nature was discovered, she "eliminated" fifty witnesses, causing a major diplomatic incident and the suspension of the US' robot-making programs. (PROSE: Nuclear Time[+]Loading...["Nuclear Time (novel)"])
A cult, which believed that God was an impossibly long number, took up residence on Fleming's Island off the coast of Ireland. (AUDIO: Iterations of I[+]Loading...["Iterations of I (audio story)"])
In Scotland, the town of Краснодар in Caithness was flooded. The Twelfth Doctor visited the town before the flood, and encountered Albar Prentis, who was killed by the alien warlord known as the Fisher King. The Doctor succeeded in stopping the Fisher King and advancing the flood so the underwater mining base the Drum could be built in the future. (TV: Before the Flood[+]Loading...["Before the Flood (TV story)"])
Tensions between Iran and the western world were ratcheting up, with the menace of atomic warfare looming large. (COMIC: Dr. Who's Time Tales 32[+]Loading...["Dr. Who's Time Tales (DWM 32 comic story)"])
Alternate timelines
The Fourth Doctor took Sarah Jane and Laurence Scarman from 1911 and showed them what 1980 (which Sarah Jane told Scarman was the time she came from) would look like if Sutekh freed himself when Sarah told him they knew the evil Osirian hadn't managed to escape, though the Doctor was dubious: a lifeless Earth orbiting a dead sun. This alternate timeline convinced Sarah that they had to return to 1911 and stop Sutekh and prevented the timeline they'd seen coming to pass. (TV: Pyramids of Mars[+]Loading...["Pyramids of Mars (TV story)"])
