The eighth season of Doctor Who ran between 2 January 1971 and 19 June 1971. It starred Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor.
Overview
It marked the appearance of the first on-screen version of the Master and the season was the show's first attempt at a season-long story arc as each serial featured him. It consisted of five serials and twenty-five episodes. Jo Grant joined as companion.
Television stories
| # | Title | Writer | Episodes | Notes |
| 1 | Terror of the Autons | Robert Holmes | 4 | First appearances of Jo Grant, Mike Yates and The Master; beginning of the season-long Master arc |
| 2 | The Mind of Evil | Don Houghton | 6 | |
| 3 | The Claws of Axos | Bob Baker Dave Martin |
4 | |
| 4 | Colony in Space | Malcolm Hulke | 6 | |
| 5 | The Dæmons | Guy Leopold, aka Robert Sloman Barry Letts |
5 | Conclusion of the Master arc |
Main cast
Regular
- The Third Doctor - Jon Pertwee
- Jo Grant - Katy Manning
- Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - Nicholas Courtney
- The Master - Roger Delgado
Semi-regular
Stories set during this season
- Who Killed Kennedy (all serials of season 8)
- Deadly Reunion (between The Mind of Evil and The Claws of Axos)
- The Doll of Death (after The Claws of Axos)
Adaptations and merchandising
Home Media
VHS
- Terror of the Autons (1993) (Colour Restoration)
- The Mind of Evil (1998) (in B+W)
- The Claws of Axos (1992)
- Colony in Space (2001)
- The Dæmons (1993) (Colour Restoration)
- The Pertwee Years (1992) (The Dæmons 5 - in B+W)
DVD
| Serial name | Number and duration of episodes |
R2 release date | R4 release date | R1 release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terror of the Autons 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 | 10 May 2011 |
| The Mind of Evil | 6 × 25 min. | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| The Claws of Axos | 4 × 25 min. | 25 April 2005 | 2 June 2005 | 8 November 2005 |
| Colony in Space | 6 × 25 min. | 3 October 2011 | 1 December 2011 | 8 November 2011 |
| The Dæmons | 5 × 25 min. | 19 March 2012 | TBA | 10 April 2012 |