2009

Doctor Who Universe

January

• 16 - Captain Jack is reunited with the Torchwood Three team and re-unites with John Hart. (TW: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang; date: WEB: torchwood.co.uk)
• 23 - The Torchwood Three team discovers Cell 114 sleeper agents in Cardiff. (TW: Sleeper; date: WEB: torchwood.co.uk)

February

• - Annual de-frosting of Tommy Brockless, a young soldier first cryogenically frozen in 1918. Ultimately, this turns out to be the final defrosting. (TW: To the Last Man; date: WEB: torchwood.co.uk)
• 20 - Dr. Martha Jones arrives in Cardiff on the trail of the Pharm and is temporarily assigned to Torchwood 3. (TW: Reset)
• 27 - Dr. Owen Harper is shot and killed during the resolution of the Pharm incident. (TW: Reset; date: WEB: torchwood.co.uk)
• 28 - Before Martha Jones can conduct an autopsy on Owen Harper, Harper is revived by Jack Harkness using the second resurrection gauntlet. As a direct consequence, and for reasons known, Harper continues to live past the standard 2.5 minute revival time, but is briefly possessed by Durac, the embodiment of Death. A number of deaths also occur at a Cardiff hospital as a result of Durac's manifestation. (TW: Dead Man Walking)

March

• 02 - Dr. Owen Harper, who continues to have difficulty accepting his new undead existence, is relieved of his duties with Torchwood Three (though he continues to help out as their new tea boy) as Martha Jones agrees to stay on as medical officer. After a fruitless suicide attempt, Harper begins to come to terms with his death and returns to active duty for a mission to retrieve an alien artifact from a dying millionaire, Henry Parker, who reveals intimate knowledge about Torchwood and its personnel before his passes away. With Harper reinstated, Jones departs Torchwood to return to her duties at UNIT. Soon after, Harper successfully talks a young woman out of committing suicide. (TW: A Day in the Death)
• 19 - The Torchwood Three team investigates the Night Travellers. Events of TW: From Out of the Rain; date: WEB: torchwood.co.uk)
• By this time conspiracy theorists have begun noting the disappearance of bees from the planet Earth, which is also noted by Donna Noble. (DW: Partners in Crime, et al) It is later learned that they have left Earth in anticipation of its imminent relocation to the Medusa Cascade. (DW: The Stolen Earth)

April

• The Sontarans invade Earth. During this event, Martha Jones is temporarily reunited with the Doctor and meets Donna Noble for the first time. Donna also narrowly misses witnessing a brief transmission from Rose Tyler in the TARDIS. As part of the Sontaran invasion plan, all ATMOS-equipped vehicles begin emitting a toxic gas intended to transform the world's atmosphere into a more hospitable one for Sontaran offspring; numerous fatalities are reported worldwide before the Doctor disables the devices. Afterwards, the ATMOS devices are removed from the planet's vehicles. (DW: The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky; date: NSA: Beautiful Chaos)
• The Earth is relocated to the Medusa Cascade by the Daleks under the control of the Supreme Dalek and Davros. Despite the relocation, the planet retains a full communications network. An invasion of Earth by the Daleks commences and a number of humans are taken to "the Crucible", the Dalek mothership, where they are killed in tests of the reality bomb. As part of a counter-insurgency against the Dalek invasion, former Prime Minister Harriet Jones brings together a number of the Doctor's former companions, including Captain Jack Harkness, Sarah Jane Smith, and Martha Jones in order to contact the Doctor, and before she herself is killed by the Daleks. Rose Tyler, meanwhile, contacts Donna Noble's family and is ultimately reunited with the Doctor. During this incident, The Doctor undergoes a partial regeneration in order to repair damage from a Dalek blast; as a result of this, the Doctor's severed hand later forms a mental link with Donna and grows into a second version of the Doctor, but one that's half-human without Time Lord biological abilities such as regeneration. During this incident, Martha Jones, under orders from UNIT, reveals the existence of the Osterhagen Key, a weapon capable of destroying Earth. Due to her interaction with the second Doctor, Donna briefly gains the knowledge of a Time Lord, and with her help the two Doctors are able to defeat the Daleks. Afterwards, the Doctor and his companions are successful in restoring Earth to its original location using the TARDIS; this sparks worldwide celebrations around the planet. Afterwards, Mickey Smith chooses to remain on his original Earth instead of returning to Pete's World, Harkness offers Martha Jones a job with Torchwood Three, and the Doctor returns Rose and Jackie Tyler to Pete's World, along with his clone. Donna Noble is returned to her family, but with all memories of the Doctor wiped from her mind due to the danger to her survival posed by her transformation. (DW: The Stolen Earth/Journey's End) (Takes place within 6 weeks of NSA: Beautiful Chaos)
  • At some point during these events, a young girl named Adelaide Brooke loses her family and encounters a Dalek that, for reasons unknown to her, chooses not to exterminate her. This event inspires her to become an astronaut, becoming a trailblazer for human exploration of space - in her case, establishing the first human base on Mars in 2058 and, in turn, inspiring generations of Brookes who further expand human reach into the stars. (DW: The Waters of Mars)

• Easter: The 200 goes through a wormhole to San Helios. (DW: Planet of the Dead)

May

• 12 - Adelaide Brooke's 10th birthday. (birthdate seen in DW: The Waters of Mars)
• 15 - 18 - the Mandragora Helix attempts a takeover of Earth through the MorganTech computer systems. (NSA: Beautiful Chaos)
• In the aftermath of the Medusa Cascade incident, the human race on Earth begins coming to terms with the fact it is not alone in the universe. While many accept it, others experience crises of faith and a large number of people commit suicide. (TW: Children of Earth: Day One)

June

• Brian Green becomes British Prime Minister.

September

Newspaper Ianto Jones picks up. Date reads: Wednesday September 2009 (TW: Children of Earth: Day Two)

• Over the course of five days, every child on Earth periodically stops in their tracks and begin reciting the same message (permutations of "We are coming"). Officially, Earth's governments claim it to be caused by a form of virus. Behind the scenes, the truth is this is a message from the 456, a race that had visited Earth in 1965 and negotiated the payment of 12 orphan children in exchange for the cure for a pandemic-level influenza virus. The 456 return to Earth and demand the payment of a significant percentage of Earth's children (for use in creating a narcotic). As part of a cover-up to divert blame away from the UK government, which brokered the original deal, the Torchwood 3 hub in Cardiff is destroyed and attempts are made to assassinate Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones. During the course of events, Thames House becomes the centre of 456-related negotiations, and at one point all occupants of the building are exposed to a deadly gas, killing all except for Mr. Dekker and Jack Harkness. Among those killed is Ianto Jones. Ultimately, through the efforts of Harkness - who was involved in the original 1965 deal - and the sacrifice of Harkness' grandson, the 456 are driven from Earth. (TW: Children of Earth Date based upon on-screen evidence, specifically a newspaper headline.)
• During the course of these events, Gwen Cooper and husband Rhys Williams learn that she is pregnant.
• The government of Prime Minister Brian Green is toppled soon afterwards (assumption).
• Stricken with guilt over the death of his grandson, Jack Harkness leaves Cardiff and spends the next few months wandering the Earth.

October

• The Doctor and Martha Jones visit Blackwood Falls. (NSA: Forever Autumn)
• 17 - The alien Androvax crash-lands in Ealing, followed by the Judoon Tybo, which arrests him. (SJA: Prisoner of the Judoon)
• 24 - The alien Eve is living in a funfair in Ealing and, along with her adoptive father and boyfriend, take of in her Ship. (SJA: The Mad Woman in the Attic)
• 29 - Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith and Peter Dalton; eventually revealed as a plan of the Trickster and averted with help from the the Doctor. (SJA: The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith)

November

• 7 - Sarah Jane Smith defeats Erasmus Darkening. (SJA: The Eternity Trap)
• 12 - The Mona Lisa gets out of her painting in the National Gallery in London. (SJA: Mona Lisa's Revenge)
• 19 - The Slitheen and Slitheen-Blathereen family arrive on Earth, along with the Rakweed, which infects parts of Ealing (SJA: The Gift)
• 20 - The Rakweed infects parts of London including Ealing,Perivale and Chiswick. (SJA: The Gift)

December

• 24 - "Harold Saxon" is resurrected by Miss Trefusis and the new governer of Broadfell Prison on Christmas Eve, Lucy Saxon interferes with the resurrection, causing an explosion at the prison and killing everyone inside, except for The Master. (DW: The End of Time)
  • The White House announces that President Barack Obama will make a Christmas Day speech announcing new economic initiatives aimed at resolving the current worldwide economic crisis. (DW: The End of Time)
• 25 - The Master is captured by soldiers working for Joshua Naismith so that the Master can help him use the Immortality Gate. However, the Master betrays him and as Barack Obama gives a speech on the Recession, uses the Gate's abilities, intended to heal planets, to turn every single Human on Earth except for Wilfred Mott and Donna Noble into copies of the Master. During this time a diamond harvested on Gallifrey is sent through time and space and crashes to Earth where it is retrieved by the Master, who uses it to open a portal that briefly allows Rassilon and other Time Lords to escape the Last Great Time War before the Doctor and, ultimately, the Master, foil their plans. Before this occurs, however, Rassilon undoes the "cloning" of the Master, returning the human race to normal, though they are soon faced with the spectacle of a giant planet appearing in the sky on a collision course; but this, too, is soon undone. (DW: The End of Time)
  • A malfunction with the world's wi-fi systems is later blamed for causing mass hallucinations (a cover story concocted by Mr. Smith (DW: The End of Time, Part Two).
  • Shortly after, Luke Smith is nearly run over by a car on Bannerman Road, but is rescued by the Doctor. (DW: The End of Time, Part Two)

Unknown

• Gareth, head the seismology unit of the UCMA taskforce, develops a system for accurately predicting earthquakes. Gareth's system would be credited for saving the human race several times. (DW: Doctor Who)
• Shreela Govindia dies of an autoimmune disease. (NA: Cat's Cradle: Warhead)
• ATMOS, a combination GPS/emission control system for automobiles, becomes widespread in vehicles around the world.
• Rose Tyler temporarily returns from her parallel Earth, initially arriving in the normal universe (DW: Partners in Crime) but later ending up in an alternate timeline where she attains a position of authority with UNIT and works with them and Donna Noble to restore the timeline. (DW: Turn Left)
• Captain John Hart places bombs in an abandoned building where the Torchwood team are investigating. While they are unconscious, all except for Gwen experience flashbacks. (TW: Fragments)
• After regaining consciousness the Torchwood team try to stop John Hart. Later that night a series of alien attacks occur in Cardiff, including Weevils killing four senior Cardiff police officers, a Hoix let lose in a hospital where it is captured by Owen Harper, a group of men in cloaks haunt a building only to be shot dead by Toshiko Sato and Ianto Jones, and John Hart captures Jack Harkness and sets off several bombs in buildings across Cardiff. It is then revealed Jack's brother Gray is forcing John Hart to do his bidding. Gray unleashes all of the Weevils in the sewers on Cardiff, shoots Toshiko, who later dies of her wounds, and Owen is disintegrated by nuclear radiation following the actions of Gray and John Hart, who helps Captain Jack stop Gray. (TW: Exit Wounds)

The last two events took place between March 19th and the 2009 Dalek invasion of Earth, which took place in May. It's possible that these took place around roughly the same date Exit Wounds was originally broadcast.

• The exact dates that the events The Sarah Jane Adventures series 2 happens is unknown; however, it is known that they span June, July and August. Post-DW: The Stolen Earth/Journey's End and pre-TW: Children of Earth.

Alternate timelines

• The Year That Never Was: The Master rules Earth with an iron fist. During this time, the Doctor, physically aged, is kept captive aboard the UNIT airship the Valiant, along with Jack Harkness and most of Martha Jones' family. Meanwhile, Martha, following instruction given to her by the Doctor, spends the year travelling the world spreading stories and faith about the Doctor. Ultimately, the collected faith of the people of the world restores the Doctor, leading to the Master's defeat. Captain Jack destroys the Paradox machine, reversing time back to 2008. Afterwards, the Master is shot by his wife, Lucy Saxon, and, refusing to regenerate, apparently dies. (DW: Last of the Time Lords)
• Donna's World - After the Titanic fell to Earth on 25th December 2008, annihilating London and rendering most of southern England unlivable with nuclear radiation, Great Britain has become a police state. Londoners lucky enough to have survived are subject to forced relocations; Donna Noble's family is moved to Leeds. Rose Tyler works with the UNIT of this timeline to help Donna Noble restore the proper chain of events which, at one point, involves sending Donna back to 2007. (DW: Turn Left)

Real World

January

• CC: The Transit of Venus and CC: The Prisoner's Dilemma are both first released.
• 01 - BBC TV broadcasts an edited version of the July 2008 Doctor Who at the Proms concert, previously released on radio and the Internet. The broadcast includes the television debut of the audience-interactive mini-episode DW: Music of the Spheres. An extended version of the broadcast, including the performance of "Song for Ten", is later made available for UK Digital viewers.
• 02 - Who fandom is caught by surprise when the BBC announces that the actor to play the Eleventh Doctor is to be announced in a special edition of Doctor Who Confidential the next day. (According to REF: Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter, however, this has been scheduled for several weeks.)
• 03 - During a special edition of Doctor Who Confidential, the BBC announces that Matt Smith has been cast as the Eleventh Doctor.
• 04 - The announcement of Matt Smith as the new Doctor is front page news in many UK newspapers. Since these are Sunday publications, many receive international distribution.
• 05 - DW: The Trial of a Time Lord is released to DVD in Region 4.
• 06 - John Scott Martin dies.
  • DW: The War Machines and Four to Doomsday are released to DVD in Region 1.
• 08 - Audio adaptation of DWN: Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen is first released.
  • Word reaches the Doctor Who production team that a transportation mishap has resulted in the London double-decker bus being shipped to Dubai for use in location filming for DW: Planet of the Dead being heavily damaged. Russell T Davies convenes an emergency meeting do discuss how to proceed (ultimately the damage is written into the script). (REF: Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter)
• 14 - Production begins on DW: Planet of the Dead with the first cast read-through of the script. David Tennant, as he did regularly during Series 2 and 3 and less regularly during Series 4, records the event for posterity for a series of video diaries (dubbed "The Tennant Tapes") later posted to the BBC's website. Tennant jokingly introduces himself as Matt Smith at the read-through.
  • First issue of Doctor Who DVD Files, a fortnightly UK/Ireland-only magazine, is published, incorporating a DVD of the episodes DW: Rose and DW: The End of the World.
• 16 - The website of the UK newspaper The Guardian publishes a column condemning then-rumored plans to film one of the 2009 specials in Dubai, citing the United Arab Emirates' human rights record.[1]
• 19 - Filming begins on DW: Planet of the Dead, the first of four one-hour Doctor Who specials to air during 2009 and early 2010 in lieu of a full season. These specials will mark the end of David Tennant's era as the Tenth Doctor, and also conclude Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner's tenures as producers. Planet of the Dead is the first Doctor Who episode to be produced in high-definition. The first scenes shot are of Michelle Ryan's character robbing a museum. (REF: Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter)
  • Concurrent with the start of production are rumours that Michelle Ryan and Lee Evans had been cast in the special. The rumours are later confirmed by the BBC, which releases publicity photographs of Ryan with David Tennant.
  • DW: The Next Doctor is released on DVD in the UK. The DVD also includes the 2008 Doctor Who at the Proms concert and the mini-episode DW: Music of the Spheres.
  • Catherine Tate guest stars on The Sunday Night Project and take part in a skit in which she impersonates David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor.
• 22 - David Tennant's first day of shooting on DW: Planet of the Dead ("The Tennant Tapes 2"), which consists of scenes aboard a bus and around a tunnel in Cardiff.
• 26 - The DVD box set The E-Space Trilogy is released in the UK, including the episodes DW: Full Circle, State of Decay and Warriors' Gate.
  • Doctor Who Adventures publishes its 100th issue.
• 28 - Media in the UK and United Arab Emirates report on the damage to the double-decker bus earlier in the month prior to filming the Easter special DW: Planet of the Dead. The resulting BBC News report serves as confirmation to earlier rumours that Doctor Who is in fact filming at least part of Planet of the Dead in the Middle Eastern country. This marks the first full-scale production of a Doctor Who installment outside Europe since the 1996 telefilm was shot in Canada and only the second regular TV episode to film major scenes outside Europe since DW: Planet of Fire was partially filmed in the Canary Islands in 1984.
• 29 - BBC Books launches the first in a planned series of 10 novellas forming a single story arc, The Darksmith Legacy, with the publication of TDL: The Dust of Ages and TDL: The Graves of Mordane.
  • John Barrowman's autobiography, Anything Goes, is published in paperback.
• 31 - BFA: The Key 2 Time - The Judgement of Isskar is first released, launching a story arc that is as sequel to the original Key to Time arc of Season 16.

February

• To tie in with its broadcasts of Torchwood Series 2, the digital channel Watch publishes an exclusive comic strip, WC: The Return of the Vostok, on its website.
• BFIW: Iris Wildthyme and the Sound of Fear is first released, relaunching Big Finish's Iris Wildthyme audio drama series (last heard in 2005) starring Katy Manning.
• 05 - The official trailer for Torchwood: Children of Earth is unveiled at the New York Comic Con and online. At this point a broadcast date had not yet been announced.
  • DW: Battlefield is released to DVD in Region 4.
• 10 - Cast and crew arrive in Dubai for filming scenes for DW: Planet of the Dead.
• 12 - BBCR: The Nemonite Invasion, an original made-for-BBC Audio story read by Catherine Tate, is first released.
• 13 - The BBC reports filming is now officially under way in Dubai for DW: Planet of the Dead.
• 13 - 15 - The American "Gallifrey" Doctor Who and SF convention marks its 20th anniversary.
• 18 - Cast readthrough for the as yet untitled second 2009 special.
• 19 - The BBC announces that Lindsay Duncan has been cast as Adelaide, a character described as the companion of the Doctor's in the as-yet untitled second 2009 special.
• 23 - DW: The Rescue and The Romans are released in a 2-DVD set in the UK.
  • Shooting begins for DW: The Waters of Mars (date per Russell T Davies' script).
• 25 - IDW: The Whispering Gallery, a one-shot comic book by IDW Publishing, is first published. This is the first of a series of single-issue standalones that IDW would publish during the year.
• 26 - NSA: The Sontaran Games, the fourth Quick Reads novella, is first published. Beginning with this book, the BBC New Series Adventures line begins a series of novels featuring returning monsters and races from both the classic and revival series; this is slated to continue throughout 2009.
• 28 - BFA: The Key 2 Time - The Destroyer of Delights is first released.
• An online version of Doctor Who DVD Files is launched, allowing those who already own the DVDs, or who are unable to buy the magazine internationally due to licensing restrictions, access to the printed content of the magazine. The subscription-based site also makes the contents of the Doctor Who: Battles in Time series available to international fans.

March

• CC: Resistance is first released.
• ST: Short Trips: Indefinable Magic is first published, which ultimately becomes the final collection of new material in this long-running short story series as the BBC does not renew Big Finish's licence. As a result, following this publication there are no new officially licensed original literary stories being published featuring the first eight Doctors, for the time being.
• BFIW: Iris Wildthyme and the Land of Wonder is first released.
• The BBC series Tonight's the Night (hosted by John Barrowman) launches a contest for viewers to create their own Doctor Who monster. Following the 28 March deadline finalists will be chosen to take part in further competition on the series. The winner gets to appear in a specially written Doctor Who scene (which is similar to A Fix with Sontarans, as David Tennant appears as himself, and it also breaks the fourth wall).
• A trailer for the upcoming K9TV: K-9 spinoff series is unveiled at the MIPTV show in Cannes and is later posted online.
• 3 - The BBC announces that outgoing Doctor Who executive producer Julie Gardner will be joining the Los Angeles branch of BBC Worldwide in June 2009, serving as executive producer of American-market projects.
  • North American release of The Key to Time: Special Edition, a DVD collection of all stories from Season 16. This is the expanded set that was released in the UK in 2007 and replaces an earlier version of the box set that had been issued in 2002. Unlike the previous release, however, individual release of th six stories does not occur in Region 1.
• 5 - DW: The Next Doctor (including Music of the Spheres) is released to DVD in Region 4. Also released is The E-Space Trilogy box set featuring DW: Full Circle, State of Decay and Warriors' Gate.
• 12 - Audio adaptation of DWN: Doctor Who and the Cybermen is first released.
• 13 - SJA: From Raxacoricofallapatorius With Love, a special mini-episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures, airs in the UK as part of Comic Relief's Red Nose Day. This is the first mini-episode to be based upon a spinoff of Doctor Who. David Tennant co-hosts the main BBC broadcast of of Red Nose Day with Davina McCall, introducing the SJA mini-episode and also taking part in a Doctor Who-themed round of the quiz show Mastermind. The SJA mini-adventure is originally given the title Funny for Money in pre-broadcast publicity, but so-writer Clayton Hickman later confirmed the official title on the Doctor Who Forum.[2]
• 14 - Canadian premiere of DW: The Next Doctor. The cable network Space is airing the special rather than the CBC, marking a possible major shift in how future episodes of the revived series will be broadcast in that country.
• 16 - A quarter-century after their use was phased out across the UK, Edinburgh's police department announces plans to reintroduce "TARDIS-style" police boxes.[3]
  • DW: Attack of the Cybermen is released to DVD in the UK.
• Mid-March - For the fourth consecutive year, episodes of Doctor Who written by Steven Moffat are nominated for the annual Hugo Award: DW: Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. Also nominated: Russell T Davies' episode DW: Turn Left (resulting in some controversy among fans who expected his DW: Midnight to be nominated. Competition for the award includes episodes of Battlestar Galactica and Lost; this year Doctor Who does not win, however, and the award goes to the made-for-Internet short film Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.
• 18 - In a speech to members of BAFTA, Russell T Davies reveals that production of Series 3 of The Sarah Jane Adventures had been impacted by BBC budget cuts and had nearly been cancelled on three occasions.[4]
• 21 - A scene for DW: The End of Time Part Two is shot early in order to accommodate Jessica Hynes' schedule and allow her to appear in a cameo. (REF: Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter)
• 25 - The final cast readthrough of the David Tennant era (for both parts of DW: The End of Time) takes place.
• 26 - TDL: The Colour of Darkness and TDL: The Depths of Despair are first published.
• 30 - BFA: The Key 2 Time - The Chaos Pool is first released.
  • Filming begins on David Tennant's final two episodes, DW: The End of Time (date per Russell T Davies' script).

April

• BFA: The Magic Mousetrap is first released. Beginning with this release, and continuing over 12 months, a serialized second feature, CC: The Three Companions is included.
• CC: The Magician's Oath is first released.
• IDW: Doctor Who: The Forgotten, a graphic novel-style release reprinting the IDW: The Forgotten story arc from IDW Publishing's Doctor Who comic book series, is first published.
• BFIW: The Two Irises is first released.
• In the weeks following its broadcast of DW: The Next Doctor, the Canadian television network Space confirms that it has obtained the Canadian broadcast rights to the 2009 specials and Series 5, and announces it will air DW: Planet of the Dead in June. This ends speculation over the future of Doctor Who on the CBC, although it's not yet known whether the CBC or related networks will retain broadcast rights to the first four seasons. Up to at least the end of Series 4, the CBC had been a (sometimes-credited) co-producer of the series; presumably this announcement means that arrangement has ended.
• 01 - As an April Fool's joke, word circulates around the Doctor Who set that Michael Jackson is paying a visit. (REF: Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter)
• 02 - DW: The Rescue and The Romans are released to DVD in Region 4 in a single set.
• 09 - Audio adaptation of DWN: Doctor Who and the Masque of Mandragora is first released.
• 10 - After a hiatus of 10 years, Red Dwarf, the BBC's other major science fiction series, returns to TV for a three-part miniseries, Back to Earth, with part 1 aired this date on the non-BBC cable network, Dave.
• 11 - DW: Planet of the Dead is first broadcast, the first of four one-hour special episodes of Doctor Who scheduled for broadcast during 2009 and early 2010 in lieu of a regular season in 2009. Co-written by Russell T Davies and Gareth Roberts, it is the first episode on which Davies shares writing credit, is the first episode of the revived series to credit two writers, and is the first story to credit two writers since 1993's DW: Dimensions in Time. It is also the first episode (as opposed to telemovie) of the series to be filmed in part outside Europe since 1984. The BBC did not officially announce the broadcast date until 1 April, leading to some erroneous reports that it would air on Easter Sunday itself, 12 April. The special, the first to be filmed in high-definition, was simulcast on BBC HD.
  • An installment of Doctor Who Confidential follows on BBC Three.
• 13 - BBC Video releases the DVD box set The Cybermen Collection in the UK. The set includes the previously released Tenth Doctor episodes DW: The Age of Steel, Rise of the Cybermen, Army of Ghosts, and Doomsday and is the first themed reissue collection involving the revived series.
• 16 - NSA: Judgement of the Judoon, NSA: Prisoner of the Daleks and NSA: The Slitheen Excursion are first published. All three novels feature the Tenth Doctor without a companion, continuing the format established by NSA: The Eyeless. Notably, all three releases in this cycle (as well as the preceding Quick Reads release) feature returning monsters.
• 17 - Big Finish Productions announces that it is ending its long-running Short Trips series of short story anthologies, due to the BBC not renewing its licence in this area.[5]
  • Russell T Davies completes the script for the Tonight's the Night Doctor Who skit, which Davies describes as his last-ever Doctor Who script. (REF: Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter)
• 20 - A mini-episode/skit featuring John Barrowman as Jack Harkness and a cameo by David Tennant, is filmed for Tonight's the Night. (REF: Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter)
  • DW: Image of the Fendahl is released to DVD in the UK.
• 30 - TDL: The Vampire of Paris is first published.

May

• BFA: Enemy of the Daleks is first released.
• TWN: Bay of the Dead, TWN: The House That Jack Built, and TWN: Into the Silence are first published.
• CC: The Mahogany Murderers is first released. This is the first entry in The Companion Chronicles to not feature a Doctor; instead, it features the characters of Henry Gordon Jago and George Litefoot from DW: The Talons of Weng-Chiang.
• ST: Short Trips: Re:Collections, an anthology of previously published stories, is first published, bringing to a close Big Finish's Short Trips line.
• BFIW: Iris Wildthyme and the Panda Invasion is first released.
• 05 - DW: Battlefield and The E-Space Trilogy box set (DW: Full Circle, State of Decay, Warriors' Gate) are released to DVD in North America/Region 1.
• 07 - Production of the first season of the spinoff series K9TV: K-9 is completed.[6]
  • TWA: In the Shadows is first released.
  • DW: Attack of the Cybermen is released to DVD in Region 4.
• 08 - Official release of the film Star Trek, a new take on the classic series. Simon Pegg, who guest starred in DW: The Long Game and narrated Doctor Who Confidential, appears as Scotty in the highest-profile example to date of a Doctor Who actor crossing over into the Star Trek franchise. Deep Roy, an alumni of DW: The Talons of Weng-Chiang, shares several scenes with Pegg in a small role as Scotty's alien sidekick.
• 11 - DW: The Deadly Assassin is released to DVD in the UK.
• 12 - David Tennant and Matt Smith film the regeneration sequence for DW: The End of Time, Part Two; among those in attendance is Timothy Dalton. This is Smith's first performance on camera as the Eleventh Doctor. Russell T Davies meets Smith for the first time just prior to shooting. Steven Moffat oversees the filming of Smith's portion of the regeneration. According to Tennant, he leaves the studio before Smith films his segment, although a photograph of the two together is taken and REF: Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter suggests he wasn't quite that rushed. (Doctor Who Confidential: Allon-sy!)
  • Proving some things just never change, a survey of parents of young children published in The Telegraph cites Doctor Who is a series blamed for giving children nightmares, with parents surveyed indicating they'd rather see it aired in post-watershed hours.[7]
• 16 - David Tennant and Billie Piper film their reunion scene for DW: The End of Time. According to Doctor Who Magazine #417, Tennant begs onlookers not to reveal the dialogue spoken during the scene, but it shows up online within hours anyway.
• 20 - David Tennant films his final regular-series scenes as the Tenth Doctor for DW: The End of Time, Part Two. Tennant's final scene is a green-screen action shot of him falling through a glass ceiling (the regeneration having been shot earlier). Afterwards, he is called back on set for an emotional celebration (REF: Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter, and Doctor Who Confidential: Allon-sy!).
  • IDW: The Time Machination, a one-shot comic book by IDW Publishing, is first published. This is the first comic in IDW's Doctor Who line to make reference to Torchwood.
  • Iris Wildthyme and the Celestial Omnibus published by Obverse Books and edited by Paul Magrs and Stuart Douglas, is first published. This is the first of a planned series of short story anthologies featuring the character of Iris Wildthyme.
• 21 - David Tennant films the 2009 BBC Christmas idents in London. These short promotional pieces will air during the 2009 Christmas season on BBC One and BBC America. Although Tennant identifies this as his final performance as the Doctor in his video diary, in fact he later films one last appearance for an episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures (see below).
• After 21st May - David Tennant films his final true performance as the Tenth Doctor for SJA: The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith. According to an interview with Tennant published in Doctor Who Magazine #417, production occurs the week after he films his final scenes for Doctor Who proper.
• 23 - The John Barrowman-hosted talent series Tonight's the Night airs a specially written and filmed Doctor Who scene in which Barrowman, as Jack Harkness, encounters an alien (played by a contest winner) in the TARDIS. The scene is written by Russell T Davies and includes a cameo by David Tennant, out of character as himself. The scene breaks the fourth wall, showing the studio surrounding the TARDIS set, and the special also included a Doctor Who Confidential-style look behind the scenes of the filming.
• 26 - The BBC and Russell T Davies announce that David Tennant will appear as the Tenth Doctor in an upcoming two-part episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures.
• 28 - BBC America announces that it has obtained the US broadcast rights to the 2009 specials of Doctor Who. The series had previously aired on the Sci Fi Channel.
  • TDL: The Game of Death is first published.
• 29 - The BBC announces that Karen Gillan, who previously appeared in DW: The Fires of Pompeii, will co-star with Matt Smith as the new Doctor Who companion for Series 5.[8]
  • Publication of IDW: Doctor Who Classics Vol. 3, a graphic novel-style release reprinting issues of IDW: Doctor Who Classics by IDW Publishing.

June

• CC: The Stealers from Saiph is first released.
• Former Doctor Who executive producer Julie Gardner is takes her post at BBC Worldwide's Los Angeles branch.
• The Canadian cable network Space officially confirms that it has obtained the broadcasting rights to Doctor Who from the CBC, and will air the remaining 2009 specials along with Series 5 in 2010; in addition, it will obtain Canadian broadcast rights to the first four seasons and the never-aired-in-Canada DW: Voyage of the Damned in the spring of 2010.
• David Tennant, fresh from concluding his final episodes as the Doctor, begins filming a motion picture version of Hamlet, which is scheduled for broadcast on BBC Two in late 2009, on PBS in the US in 2010, and also is planned for limited theatrical release in the US in the fall of 2009.
• 02 - Shaun Lyon announces that the Outpost Gallifrey website, the Doctor Who News website, and the Doctor Who Forum will all close as of 31st July. A detailed reason for closing the sites is not provided.[9]
• 04 - The complete Series 1 of The Sarah Jane Adventures is released to DVD in Region 4.
  • DW: Image of the Fendahl is released to DVD in Region 4.
• 07 - The Sunday Mirror includes a poster of the Doctor and a Dalek maze reprinted from Doctor Who Adventures.
• 09 - TWM: Torchwood: Rift War, an omnibus of the multi-part Rift War! comic strip from Torchwood Magazine, is first published by Titan Books. It is the first Torchwood graphic novel.
  • TWA: The Sin Eaters is first released.
• 10 - IDW: Autopia, a one-shot comic story, is first published.
• 12 - Preview showing of episode one of Torchwood: Children of Earth at the British Film Institute (BFI) in London.
• 13 - Beginning today and continuing for the next six Saturdays, special mini-editions of Doctor Who Adventures are included as giveaways in the Daily Mirror. These specials feature reprints from DWA.
• 16 - Michael Summerton dies. He appeared in DW: The Daleks as one of the first Daleks to appear in Doctor Who.
• 17 - The UK tabloid The Sun publishes a leaked photograph of David Tennant and Timothy Dalton with Dalton in his Time Lord costume, spoiling what was intended to be a surprise reveal of the return of Gallifrey in DW: The End of Time. This provokes an angered response from Russell T Davies in his correspondence with Benjamin Cook. (REF: Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter)
• 22 - DW: Delta and the Bannermen is released to DVD in the UK.
• 23 - BBC Radio 4 broadcasts On the Outside it Looked Like an Old Fashioned Police Box, a documentary on the history of the Target Books novelisations hosted by Mark Gatiss. The documentary is posted online for the following week.
• 25 - TDL: The Planet of Oblivion is first published.
• 27 - US broadcast debut of DW: The Next Doctor on the show's new US broadcaster, BBC America.[10]
• 29 - DW: Planet of the Dead is released to DVD and Blu-Ray in the UK, becoming the first Doctor Who episode to be released in Blu-Ray.
• 30 - BFA: The Angel of Scutari is first released.
  • BFBS: Glory Days is first released, launching the 10th season of the Big Finish Bernice Summerfield Series.

July

• Big Finish marks the 10th anniversary of its line of Doctor Who audio productions.
• IDW Publishing launches IDW: Doctor Who Ongoing, a new comic series featuring the adventures of the Tenth Doctor, beginning with a three-issue storyline entitled IDW: Silver Scream.
• Doctor Who Magazine #411 reports that John Leeson will reprise the role of K-9 for the upcoming K9TV: K-9 spin-off series.
• BFA: The Company of Friends is first released. This audio is notable for introducing the Doctor Who Magazine comic character Izzy Sinclair to the audio range, as well as revealing that Mary Shelley had once been a companion.
• BFA: Mission of the Viyrans, a single-episode story from 2007 that had previously been packaged with another story, BFA: The Mind's Eye, is made available for individual download.
• CC: The Drowned World is first released.
• 01 - TWA: Asylum is first broadcast on BBC Radio 4, the first of a trilogy of Torchwood dramas featuring the TV cast aired in the days prior to TW: Children of Earth. The three plays are also made available for streaming listening worldwide (and for MP3 download within the UK) for one week after broadcast and are released on CD later in the year.
• 02 - TWA: Golden Age is first broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
  • BBCR: The Rising Night is first released, read by Michelle Ryan.
  • Audio adaptation of DWN: Doctor Who - The Happiness Patrol is first released.
  • DW: The Deadly Assassin and Planet of the Dead are released to DVD in Region 4.
• 03 - TWA: The Dead Line is first broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
• 06 - Torchwood: Children of Earth: Day One is first broadcast, launching Series 3 of Torchwood, which this year consists of a single five-episode arc airing over five consecutive nights. The show moves to BBC One.
  • UK DVD release of DW: The War Games. This release also includes the first BBC-sanctioned release of Devious, a fan-made Doctor Who story featuring the final performance of Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor. Although BBC Video has included the occasional fan-made production on DVDs previously (most notably in the The Beginning box set), this is the first time a major fan production has been included on an official BBC release. The DVD, however, includes only a 12-minute excerpt as the film has yet to be completed.[11]
• 07 - Torchwood: Children of Earth: Day Two is first broadcast.
  • Release of the soundtrack album for Torchwood: Children of Earth.
  • DW: The Rescue and The Romans are issued as a two-DVD set in Region 1, along with DW: Attack of the Cybermen.
• 08 - Torchwood: Children of Earth: Day Three is first broadcast.
• 09 - Torchwood: Children of Earth: Day Four is first broadcast.
• 10 - Torchwood: Children of Earth: Day Five is first broadcast, concluding Series 3 and the Children of Earth arc.
• 11 - John Breslin (Capt. Jimmy Munro, DW: Spearhead from Space) dies.
• 13 - Only three days after it was broadcast, BBC Video releases the Torchwood mini-series Children of Earth to DVD and Blu-Ray in the UK. This is the quickest Who franchise home video release to date.
• mid July - To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first Apollo moon landing, the BBC's official website, over the course of four days, uploads the exclusive Tenth Doctor short story WC: Blue Moon.
• 18 - The sixth and final special mini-edition of Doctor Who Adventures appears in the Daily Mirror.
• 20 - Production begins on Series 5 of Doctor Who, with the BBC formally announcing the Doctor's new companion as Amy Pond and unveiling the first photographs of the Eleventh Doctor's costume and revised TARDIS exterior. Media coverage of the first day's filming also reveals that a major guest star from Series 4 will be returning. The episode filmed is later identified as DW: The Time of Angels.
  • DW: The new DVD edition of DW: Remembrance of the Daleks is released on its own in the UK, some 18 months after its original release as part of The Complete Davros Collection.
• 20-24 - Broadcasts of Torchwood: Children of Earth on both BBC America in the US and Space in Canada. As in the UK, the miniseries runs for five consecutive nights.
  • The broadcasts in Canada and the US are ratings successes. This, combined with the show's success in the UK, is the subject of media coverage and speculation that a fourth season of Torchwood is likely to be commissioned.
• 22 - IDW: Room with a Deja View, a standalone comic story, first published.
• 23 - According to media reports, John Barrowman is involved in an 80 mph race car crash while filming a segment of the series Top Gear. He escapes with minor injuries.[12] The exact date of the accident is unclear, as only a couple of days after this date Barrowman attends the San Diego ComicCon.
• 24 - Harry Towb dies. He appeared in DW: The Seeds of Death and DW: Terror of the Autons; in the latter, he experienced one of the most iconic of all Doctor Who deaths by being "eaten" by a living plastic chair.
• 25 - Broadcast of DW: Planet of the Dead on the Canadian network Space (originally announced for 20 June).
• 26 - Broadcast of DW: Planet of the Dead on BBC America.
  • Doctor Who is officially named the single most successful science fiction TV series by Guinness World Records. The honour is announced at the 2009 San Diego ComicCon.[13] The same event also unveiled the first trailer for the David Tennant finale specials, confirming the return appearance of a longtime villain and indicating the title DW: The End of Time for the finale. The ComicCon marks Tennant's first appearance at such an event; he is accompanied by John Barrowman and Russell T Davies.
  • Prior to arriving at ComicCon, Tennant and Davies are interviewed on San Diego's CW affiliate. Many of the station's crewmembers are revealed to be fans.
• 28 - North American DVD and Blu-Ray releases of Torchwood: Children of Earth and DW: Planet of the Dead. Planet of the Dead is the first Doctor Who story to be released in the high-def Blu-Ray format.
• 30 - TDL: The Pictures of Emptiness is first published.
• 31 - BFBS: Absence is first released.
  • The Internet's largest Doctor Who discussion board, the Doctor Who Forum, along with the original Doctor Who News Page (formerly known as Outpost Gallifrey), closes. A replacement discussion board, Gallifrey Base, is established some weeks earlier (although the archives of the 13-year-old forum are deleted), while other parties have taken over the Doctor Who News Page.

August

• BFA: The Cannibalists is first released.
• CC: The Glorious Revolution is first released.
• REF: Bernice Summerfield: The Inside Story is first published; this is a Big Finish-published history of the creation of the character.
• RP: Myth Makers: Telos Publishing first released by Reeltime Pictures.
• Unknown date - Alan Chuntz (The chauffeur in DW: The Seeds of Doom and a member of the HAVOC stunt team featured on the show between the 1960s and 1980s), dies at age 81.
• 06 - Doctor Who The Official Annual 2010 is first published.
  • Audio adaptation of DWN: Doctor Who - The Mind Robber is first released.
  • The DVD box set The Cybermen Collection is released in Region 4. The set includes the previously released Tenth Doctor episodes DW: The Age of Steel, Rise of the Cybermen, Army of Ghosts, and Doomsday. Also released in region 4: DW: Delta and the Bannermen.
• 09 - Steven Moffat's winning streak at the Hugo Awards ends when DW: Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead is defeated by a Joss Whedon production, Dr. Horrible's Singalong Blog, in the Dramatic Presentation - Short Form category, which Moffat and Doctor Who has dominated since 2006. An examination of the voting results show only about 100 votes separated Moffat from first place in the final tally. DW: Turn Left by Russell T Davies had also been nominated for the award this year. As Moffat has not written any of the 2009 specials, the earliest he'll be eligible again for a Hugo is in 2011.
• 10 - UK DVD release of the Black Guardian Trilogy box set consisting of DW: Mawdryn Undead, DW: Terminus and DW: Enlightenment.
• 19 - CC: The Mists of Time, a Big Finish Productions audio drama and part of The Companion Chronicles, is made available for download exclusively through Doctor Who Magazine #411. The download offer expires in October.
• 20 - Broadcast of The Doctor, the first episode of the three-part documentary series, Doctor Who's Greatest Moments on BBC Three. It follows a rebroadcast of DW: The Runaway Bride and scores 400,000 viewers.[14]
• 25 - The Doctor is named Best Alien in online Best Television Characters of the 2000s poll conducted by Zap2It, an entertainment website affiliated with the Los Angeles Times. The Doctor also received a strong write-in presence in the Best Doctor category (but was disqualified as he isn't considered a medical doctor), while The Master received write-in votes for Best Villain.[15]
• 26 - IDW: Cold Blooded War!, a standalone comic, is first published.
  • Big Finish Productions announces that Frazer Hines will be returning to the role of Jamie McCrimmon for an upcoming series of audios in which Jamie serves as companion to the Sixth Doctor.
• 27 - TDL: The Art of War is first published.
  • Doctor Who's Greatest Moments: The Companions airs on BBC Three. Only 290,000 viewers this week, a drop from the first episode.[16]
• 30 - Farewell Great Macedon is first published by Nothing at the End of the Lane. This book collects two unproduced First Doctor scripts by Moris Farhi - Farewell Great Macedon, which had been commissioned by David Whitaker, and a single-episode story, The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance, written as a "tester" script by Farhi.
• 31 - BFA: Patient Zero is first released.
  • BFBS: Venus Mantrap is first released.

September

• BFA: Paper Cuts is first released.
• BFA: The Eight Truths is first released.
• CC: The Prisoner of Peladon is first released.
• 01 - DW: Image of the Fendahl, The Deadly Assassin and Delta and the Bannermen are released to DVD in Region 1.
• 03 - BBCR: The Stuff of Nightmares, an audio adventure from BBC Audio, and Part 1 of the BBCR: Hornets' Nest story arc, is first released. The adventure features Tom Baker providing the voice of the Fourth Doctor; his first new performance in the role since 1993. Richard Franklin reprises his 1970s role of Mike Yates. To be followed by four more chapters over the next few months.
  • NSA: The Taking of Chelsea 426, NSA: The Krillitane Storm, and NSA: Autonomy are first published. All novels feature the Tenth Doctor travelling on his own and, like previous BBC New Series Adventures releases this year, feature the return of classic monsters. These are the final full-length novels to feature the Tenth Doctor.
  • Doctor Who's Greatest Moments: The Enemies airs on BBC Three, concluding the trilogy of documentaries.
  • Audio book version of NSA: Prisoner of the Daleks is first released.
  • The Doctor Who Stories is first published by BBC Children's Books; this is an omnibus containing stories from the Doctor Who Files magazine, plus a previously unpublished story, Speech Day.
  • The War Games (including excerpts from the fan film Devious) is released to DVD in Region 4.
• 04 - Iain Cuthbertson (Garron in DW: The Ribos Operation) dies at the age of 79.
• 05 - Final e-mail exchange between Russell T Davies and Benjamin Cook to be included in Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter.
• 07 - UK DVD release of DW: The Twin Dilemma. With this release, the Sixth Doctor era becomes the first classic series era to be completely released to DVD.
• 08 - Ray Barrett (Bennett in DW: The Rescue), dies of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 82.
• 14 - Publication of First Generation, the autobiography of Mary Tamm. Colin Baker writes the foreword. The book is available in a standard paperback edition and a limited-edition hardcover (200 copies) signed by Tamm.
• 15 - North American DVD release of DW: The Next Doctor. Like the UK version of the release, the 2008 Doctor Who at the Proms concert special is included as a bonus feature, along with the mini-episode DW: Music of the Spheres which has never been broadcast in North America.
  • Timothy Bateson (Binro in DW: The Ribos Operation) dies.
• 19 - Doctor Who receives the first Television category award at the British Fantasy Awards.
• 21 - John Barrowman publishes his second autobiography, I Am What I Am. This second volume of memoirs covers his years working on Doctor Who and Torchwood.
  • DW: The Keys of Marinus is released to DVD in the UK.
• 24 - TDL: The End of Time, the final book in the BBC Books miniseries The Darksmith Legacy, is first published. The book coincidentally shares its title with the final David Tennant special.
  • REF: The Ultimate Monster Guide is first published.
  • IDW: Black Death White Life, a standalone comic, is published.
• Late September - Three Torchwood audio dramas aired on BBC Radio 4 in July: TWA: Asylum, TWA: Golden Age and TWA: The Dead Line, are released to CD in a 3-disc box set, The Radio Adventures.
  • Doctor Who Magazine announces the results of its "The Mighty 200" reader's poll in DWM Issue 413. DW: The Caves of Androzani is voted the reader's favourite story of all time (with DW: Blink at #2), while DW: The Twin Dilemma is voted least favourite.
• 30 - BFA: Blue Forgotten Planet is first released. This appears to the the final appearance (for now) of India Fisher as Charley Pollard.
  • BFBS: Secret Origins is first released.

October

• BFA: Castle of Fear is first released.
• CC: The Pyralis Effect is first released.
• SFX Magazine #188 comes with a Doctor Who - Tom Baker Sampler CD, including excerpts from BBCR: Hornets' Nest, Doctor Who and the Pescatons, several Target novelisations read by Baker, and archival interviews from the Doctor Who at the BBC series.
• REF: Howe's Transcendental Toybox Update No. 3 is first published.
• REF: Doctor Who - Guide to Alien Armies is first published.
• The Doctor Who Files Collector's Edition is first published.
• 01 - TWN: The Undertaker's Gift, TWN: Risk Assessment and TWN: Consequences are first published.
  • REF: Torchwood: The Encyclopedia is first published.
  • TW: Children of Earth and the new edition of DW: Remembrance of the Daleks is released to DVD in Region 4.
• 02 - The complete Series 2 of Torchwood is released to DVD in Region 4.
• 05 - With several episodes already under their belts, Matt Smith and Karen Gillan begin filming the first episode of Series 5 in Llandaff, Wales.[17] Subsequent media coverage of the filming begin to reveal details regarding the new season, ranging from Amy Pond's apparent profession to glimpses of the redesigned TARDIS interior.
  • The Dalek War DVD box set is released in the UK, comprising the connected storylines DW: Frontier in Space and Planet of the Daleks.
  • Silva Screen Records releases a CD containing soundtrack music from Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD.
  • David Tennant: A Life in Time and Space, is published in paperback.
• 06 - The BBC unveils a new Doctor Who logo for Series 5.
  • Blue Peter launches a contest calling on viewers to design a TARDIS console that apparently will be used in an upcoming episode of Doctor Who.
• 08 - BBCR: The Dead Shoes, part 2 of the BBCR: Hornets' Nest arc starring Tom Baker, is first released.
  • BBCR: Day of the Troll is first released.
  • SJAA: The Shadow People and SJAA: The White Wolf are first released.
  • NSA: The Dalek Project, the first Doctor Who graphic novel commissioned by and published by BBC Books, was scheduled for publication this date [18], but it appears to have not been released.
• 09 - Barry Letts dies.
• 14 - Expiry date for the download offer included in Doctor Who Magazine #411 that allowed readers to download an exclusive Big Finish Productions audio drama, CC: The Mists of Time. It's not known whether this recording will be made available again hereafter.
• 15 - SJA: Prisoner of the Judoon Part 1 is first broadcast, launching the third season of The Sarah Jane Adventures on CBBC. This season two episodes will air per week.
• 16 - SJA: Prisoner of the Judoon Part 2 is first broadcast.
  • Tom Baker reads Barry Letts' obituary on the BBC Radio 4 programme The Last Word.
• 17 - 30th anniversary of Doctor Who Magazine, the longest continually running publication of its type based upon an English-language TV series.
• 19 - BBC Video releases its second themed box set reissuing related episodes of the revived series: The Dalek Collection. Episodes included: DW: Dalek, Bad Wolf, The Parting of the Ways, Daleks in Manhattan, Evolution of the Daleks, The Stolen Earth, and Journey's End.
• 21 - Chris D'Oyly-John dies. John was a longtime production unit manager, production assistant, and assistant floor manager during the classic series.
• 22 - SJA: The Mad Woman in the Attic Part 1 is first broadcast.
• 23 - SJA: The Mad Woman in the Attic Part 2 is first broadcast.
• 25 - David Tennant begins his first post-Doctor Who television job, and his first American TV assignment, as host of Masterpiece Contemporary on PBS.
• 26 - The first 4 seasons of the revived Doctor Who are released in the UK in a single 23-disc DVD box set edition, as are the first 3 seasons of Torchwood in a 14-disc box set.
• 27 - The first 4 seasons of the revived Doctor Who are released in Region 1 (North America) in a single 23-disc DVD box set edition. (No such Region 1 release occurs for Torchwood, however.)
• 29 - SJA: The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith Part 1 is first broadcast, featuring a guest appearance by David Tennant as the Doctor, the first time the Doctor has appeared in one of the spin-off series. The episode scores the series' highest-ever ratings.
  • Elisabeth Sladen and Russell T Davies appear on BBC Breakfast to promote that night's episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures. The studio used for BBC Breakfast is the same one where Sladen filmed Doctor Who in the mid-1970s.
• 30 - SJA: The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith Part 2 is first broadcast, once again featuring David Tennant.
  • Press preview for DW: The Waters of Mars.
  • David Tennant appears on GMTV during which he announces the airdate for DW: The Waters of Mars.
  • 75th anniversary of Maida Vale studio, where the BBC Radiophonic Workshop recorded the Doctor Who theme among other works.
• 31 - The first episode of the spin-off series K-9, K9TV: Regeneration, debuts in the UK on the Disney XD channel. This will be a special, to be followed by the remainder of the series in 2010.

November

• BFA: The Eternal Summer is first released.
• BFIW: The Claws of Santa is first released.
• CC: Ringpullworld is first released.
• BBC America's upcoming broadcasts of the final David Tennant specials receive major promotion in full-page ads in American comic books issued this month, including those published by DC Comics.
• 02 - NBC announces that David Tennant will film a pilot for a proposed new series, Rex is Not Your Lawyer. Tennant becomes the first Doctor actor to be signed to lead an American TV series. [19]
• 03 - North American DVD release of DW: The War Games (including footage from the fan-film Devious) and the Black Guardian Trilogy box set consisting of DW: Mawdryn Undead, DW: Terminus and DW: Enlightenment.
• 05 - SJA: The Eternity Trap Part 1 is first broadcast
  • BBCR: The Circus of Doom from BBC Audio, part 2 of the BBCR: Hornets' Nest arc starring Tom Baker, is first released.
  • SJAN: The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith is first published.
  • The audio adaptation of DWN: Doctor Who and the Dalek Invasion of Earth is first released.
  • The DVD Box set The Black Guardian Trilogy featuring DW: Mawdryn Undead, Terminus and Enlightenment is released to Region 4.
• 06 - SJA: The Eternity Trap Part 2 is first broadcast.
• 08 - The Doctor Who Museum at Blackpool closes after five years of operation.
  • The death of Alan Chuntz, a frequent stuntman on Doctor Who, is announced.
• 09 - UK DVD release of The Sarah Jane Adventures season 2.
  • Barry Letts' autobiography, Who and Me is first published.
• 10 - North American DVD release of The Sarah Jane Adventures season 2.
  • The UK version of the MSN Video website begins featuring classic series episodes, which will be uploaded for viewing on Tuesdays and Fridays as of this date. The first story to be featured is DW: The Web Planet.
• 11 - Fantasy legend Michael Moorcock announces that he will be writing Doctor Who novel for publication by the end of 2010.[20]
• 12 - SJA: Mona Lisa's Revenge Part 1 is first broadcast.
• 13 - SJA: Mona Lisa's Revenge Part 2 is first broadcast.
• 15 - DW: The Waters of Mars is first broadcast, the second of the gap year specials. An edition of Doctor Who Confidential follows.
  • BBC Worldwide releases several classic series stories to YouTube, for viewing outside of the United Kingdom (as the files include advertising).
• 16 - UK release of the Key to Time: The Complete Adventure DVD box set, months after its North American release. This set had actually been previously issued in the UK in 2007, but in a limited edition; this is its first wide release in Region 2.
• 19 - SJA: The Gift Part 1 is first broadcast.
• 20 - SJA: The Gift Part 2 is first broadcast, concluding the third season of The Sarah Jane Adventures.
  • The annual Children in Need appeal on BBC One includes a preview of DW: The End of Time.
• 21 - DW: Dreamland Part 1 is released on the BBC Red Button service, as well as other UK-based satellite networks. It is also available (for UK users only) on the BBC's Doctor Who website.[21]
  • Michael Moorcock writes an article in The Guardian about Doctor Who, for which he will be writing a novel.[22]
• 22 - DW: Dreamland Part 2 is released.
• 23 - DW: Dreamland Part 3 is released.
• 24 - DW: Dreamland Part 4 is released.
• 25 - DW: Dreamland Part 5 is released.
• 26 - DW: Dreamland Part 6 is released, concluding the animated serial.
• 29 - New Zealand broadcast of DW: The Waters of Mars on Prime.
  • Bernard Cribbins receives a special BAFTA award for his six-decade career in film and TV.
• 30 - BFA: The Nightmare Fair is released, launching a new spin-off series of Big Finish Productions audio dramas entitled The Lost Stories adapting scripts planned for the TV series, but never produced, in this case DW: The Nightmare Fair. This is actually the second audio adaptation of The Nightmare Fair following an earlier, unofficial production mounted for charity.
  • The UK Royal Mint announces the release of a series of commemorative medals honouring Doctor Who. This is the first time a TV series has been featured on Mint-produced coins. The coins feature David Tennant, the the Doctor's TARDIS, Daleks and other characters.
• Late November - Filming for Series 5 of Doctor Who takes place in Croatia.
  • The December issue of the UK edition of Reader's Digest is published, featuring a cover story on Doctor Who.

December

• BFA: Plague of the Daleks is first released.
• BFBS: Secret Histories is first published.
• A revised and updated edition of Hines Sight, the autobiography of Frazer Hines first issued in 1996, is published.
• The BBC releases a series of short promo videos, or "idents" featuring David Tennant as the Doctor, for broadcast during the Christmas season. Four spots are created: a 30-second-long mini-story in which the Doctor turns the TARDIS into a sleigh with the help of some flying reindeer, and three five-second-long "stings", one featuring Tennant digging the TARDIS out of a snowdrift, and two featuring a reindeer wandering around the outside of the TARDIS. A modified vresion of the main 30-second ident also airs in the US on BBC America.
• 01 - The 2009 Doctor Who Adventure Calendar is launched on the BBC's Doctor Who website. As with previous advent calendars, each day through the month a different special feature is uploaded, ranging from exclusive video to fiction. This year the calendar will feature two original short stories and an original mini-episode.
• 02 - IDW: Through Time and Space is published in North America. This is a graphic novel omnibus of the one-shot comics published by IDW Publishing throughout 2009.
• 03 - The final two chapters of the BBCR: Hornets' Nest audio drama arc from BBC Audio are first released: BBCR: A Sting in the Tail and BBCR: Hive of Horror, both starring Tom Baker and Richard Franklin.
  • Richard Todd (Sanders in DW: Kinda) dies.
  • The first 4 seasons of Doctor Who are released to Region 4 in a single 23-DVD collection. DW: The Twin Dilemma is also released in Region 4.
• 05 - DW: Dreamland is broadcast in its entirety on BBC Two.
  • The Dalek Collection, a DVD compilation including DW: Dalek, Bad Wolf, The Parting of the Ways, Daleks in Manhattan, Evolution of the Daleks, The Stolen Earth, and Journey's End, is released in Region 4.
• 06 - 20th anniversary of the broadcast of DW: Survival Episode 3, the final episode of the original 1963-1989 series.
  • Part One of WC: The Advent of Fear, a two-part online short story, is published as part of the BBC's Doctor Who Adventure Calendar.
  • DW: The Waters of Mars is broadcast on ABC1 in Australia.
• 08 - The London events listings magazine Time Out publishes a special Doctor Who-themed issue with 10 variant cover photos -- one for every Doctor.
• 10 - Part Two of WC: The Advent of Fear, an exclusive-to-Internet short story, appears on the BBC's Doctor Who Adventure Calendar.
• 12 - The Panda Book of Horror, an Iris Wildthyme short story collection, is first published.
  • Broadcast of the BBC Radio 4 documentary Shelved, which looks at the cancellation of the Tom Baker story DW: Shada, among others. The special includes "a key revelation" about Doctor Who discovered in documentation from the era.
  • BBC Radio 7 rebroadcasts An Hour with Jon Pertwee, a one-man show recorded by the one-time Doctor actor.
  • Rebroadcast of DW: Dreamland on CBBC.
  • Doctor Who Magazine #416 is published, marking the publication's final use of the Doctor Who logo introduced in 2005. One regular feature reaches a milestone as the "Time Team" completes its 10-year project to watch and review every "classic series" story.
• 13 - Paul Cornell publishes an unofficial Doctor Who short story, WC: The Last Doctor, on his blog.[23]
• 14 - The Welsh government approves plans to develop a BBC Drama Village, a series of studios near Cardiff Bay which would be used for productions such as Doctor Who.[24]
• 15 - Blue Peter airs a feature on Doctor Who.
  • Steven Moffat is interviewed by Matthew Sweet on BBC Radio 3's Night Waves about his new job on Doctor Who.
• 16 - A Doctor Who-themed edition of the comedy quiz show Never Mind the Buzzcocks, guest-hosted by David Tennant with Bernard Cribbins and Catherine Tate as panelists, is first broadcast.
  • An interview with David Tennant is aired on BBC One's Six O'Clock News.
• 17 - Part 1 of WC: The Doctor on My Shoulder, an exclusive online short story, is uploaded to the 2009 BBC Doctor Who Advent Calendar.
  • Press showing for DW: The End of Time, Part One.
  • James Cairncross (Lemaitre, DW: The Reign of Terror and Beta in DW: The Krotons), dies at the age of 94.
• 18 - Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf, Part 2 is rebroadcast on BBC7 Radio.
  • InnerSPACE, an entertainment news program on the Canadian cable network Space, devotes an entire episode to Doctor Who.
  • Rebroadcast of DW: Planet of the Dead on Space in Canada.
• 19 - DW: The Waters of Mars is broadcast on BBC America in the US and Space in Canada.
  • Donald Pickering (Eyesen, DW: The Keys of Marinus; Captain Blade, DW: The Faceless Ones; Beyus, DW: Time and the Rani) dies.
  • Rebroadcast of DW: The Infinite Quest on BBC2.
  • A special Doctor Who Adventures mini-magazine appears in the Daily Mirror. Unlike past inserts which have been reprints, this publication includes all-new material and is the first DWA-related publication to be simply titled Doctor Who rather than Doctor Who Adventures.
• 20 - Space in Canada rebroadcasts DW: The Waters of Mars.
  • The Observer Magazine runs a cover feature on David Tennant and Doctor Who.
• 22 - DW: The Next Doctor is rebroadcast on BBC3.
• 23 - DW: Planet of the Dead is rebroadcast on BBC3.
  • WC: The Doctor on My Shoulder Part 2 is uploaded to the BBC Doctor Who Adventure Calendar.
• 24 - WC: A Ghost Story for Christmas is uploaded to the BBC Doctor Who Adventure Calendar. This short video story retells the origin of the Weeping Angels (DW: Blink) and shows the disappearance of a young woman. The video is not available for viewing outside the UK.
  • David Tennant is interviewed on GMTV.
  • DW: Dreamland is rebroadcast on BBC One.
  • DW: The Waters of Mars is rebroadcast on BBC3.
  • Radio Times publishes a special magazine paying tribute to the David Tennant era. The special is available via mail-order only.
• 25 - DW: The End of Time, Part One, the fifth Doctor Who Christmas special, is first broadcast. An episode of Doctor Who Confidential follows.
• 26 - US broadcast of The End of Time, Part I on BBC America.
  • Broadcast of the film version of Hamlet starring David Tennant on BBC2.
  • David Tennant and Catherine Tate guest-host the Jonathan Ross programme on BBC Radio 2. Their guests include Bernard Cribbins and Peter Davison. During the broadcast the two begin discussing how to properly pronounce the year "2010", with Tennant claiming the BBC has instituted a rule on the matter. The debate sparks additional discussion and debate in media around the world.[25]
  • The documentary Doctor Who - The Lost Episodes is broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
• 27 - DW: The End of Time, Part One is rebroadcast on BBC3.
  • David Tennant appears on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.
• 29 - Broadcast of Who on Who, a BBC Radio 2 special in which David Tennant interviews Russell T Davies about Doctor Who.[26]
• Last week of December: Radio Times lists Matt Smith as a face to watch in 2010 and includes an interview with Steven Moffat discussing Smith.
• 31 - BFA: Mission to Magnus is released, adapting the unreleased serial DW: Mission to Magnus as part of The Lost Stories line.
  • Doctor Who at the Proms is rebroadcast on BBC HD.
  • Promoting the next day's finale, David Tennant appears on BBC One's Breakfast program, and later takes part in a BBC Radio 5 phone-in programme. An appearance on MTV is also broadcast around this time.
  • David Tennant and Catherine Tate make a pre-recorded appearance on Channel 4's Alan Carr: Chatty Man.