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The eighth season of Doctor Who ran between 2 January 1971 and 19 June 1971. It starred Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor.
- You may be looking for series 8.
Overview
As of November 2012[update], season 8 remains notable for being the season with the most number of regular characters. Not only did it see a new companion in the form of Jo Grant, but it featured a regular enemy — the Master — and an expanded regular UNIT cast that now included Sergeant Benton and Mike Yates in most episodes. Adding in returning regulars Jon Pertwee and Nicholas Courtney, the regular cast swelled to six.
Television stories
| # | Title | Writer | Episodes | Notes |
| 1 | Terror of the Autons | Robert Holmes | 4 | First appearances of Jo Grant, Mike Yates and the Master; featuring the return of the Nestene Consciousness and the Autons; beginning of the season-long Master arc. |
| 2 | The Mind of Evil | Don Houghton | 6 | First appearance of the second TARDIS interior. |
| 3 | The Claws of Axos | Bob Baker Dave Martin |
4 | First appearance of Axos. |
| 4 | Colony in Space | Malcolm Hulke | 6 | First time the Third Doctor is able to visit an alien planet following exile. First appearance of the "emitter head" sonic screwdriver model. |
| 5 | The Dæmons | Guy Leopold, aka Robert Sloman Barry Letts |
5 | Conclusion of the season-long Master arc. Second explanation for the destruction of Atlantis. The Master is captured and imprisoned. |
Cast
Recurring
Stories set during this season
- PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy (all serials of season 8)
- AUDIO: The Sentinels of the New Dawn (between Terror of the Autons and The Mind of Evil)
- PROSE: Deadly Reunion (between The Mind of Evil and The Claws of Axos)
- AUDIO: The Doll of Death (between The Claws of Axos and Colony in Space)
- AUDIO: The Mists of Time (between The Claws of Axos and Colony in Space)
- COMIC: Change of Mind (between The Claws of Axos and Colony in Space)
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 episode 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. | 3 June 2013 | 5 June 2014 | 11 June 2013 |
| 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 | 19 April 2012 | 10 April 2012 |
Download/streaming availability
| Serial name | Amazon Video | BBC Store | iTunes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terror of the Autons (4 episodes) | UK | ✓ | ✓ |
| The Mind of Evil (6 episodes) | ✓ | ||
| The Claws of Axos (4 episodes) | UK | ✓ | Except France, Germany |
| Colony in Space (6 episodes) | ✓ | ||
| The Dæmons (5 episodes) | ✓ |