Theory:Timeline - First Doctor

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This page lists appearances of the First Doctor in the order in which he experienced them. This timeline is based upon observations of the Doctor Who universe and the events that occur during each of these stories. From these observations we have attempted to build a concise timeline. It is assumed, much like its TV story counterparts that for each novel, comic story and audio series their published/numbered order is the order they occur in. This does not apply to short stories which are often ambiguous about their placement. There are also many gaps between stories.

The layout of this timeline is in part based on the observations on Doctor Who Reference Guide and Doctor Who - The Complete Adventures, as well as information in Lance Parkin's AHistory which allow us to make observations on placement of stories. None of these sources should be used solely as a source or considered a "true" timeline for stories.

Additionally there are statements on the back of Virgin Missing Adventures and BBC Past Doctor Adventures novels that state between which TV stories the novel takes place between. These can be used to narrow the field, and should be viewed as the only placing for these novels.

Limiting factors

Before An Unearthly Child

Any stories featuring only the First Doctor and Susan travelling or otherwise are generally set before An Unearthly Child where it's established that the TARDIS isn't functioning correctly and where they pick up Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright.

Story placement

Due to how the early-60s stories were told, with one story leading into another there are fewer "gaps" between which stories can be placed. It is often easier to say when television stories do not have a cliffhanger that directly continues into another than when they do.

Many novels and short stories, are therefore set between in the gap between stories at the end and start of seasons;

Season 1 and Season 2

Season 2 and Season 3

Season 3 and Season 4

Additionally some stories, in particular The Companion Chronicles and others are set during particularly long stories such as TV: The Daleks' Master Plan.

There are several other smaller gaps between stories such as between TV: The Dalek Invasion of Earth and The Rescue.

Companions

Story placement can also be narrowed down by which companions are travelling with the Doctor, see Series basics below.

Series basics

The First Doctor's stories can roughly be sorted by which companions he travels with and also the medium in which the companions first appeared together.

TV created

Comic created

Audio created

Timeline

The Doctor is studying at the Academy.
The Doctor is on Gallifrey in this story, and is shown to still have superior ranking.
The Doctor is still living on Gallifrey.
Lungbarrow, Nightshade, Time & Time Again contain flashbacks to the Doctor departing Gallifrey, while The Beginning depicts the Doctor departing Gallifrey and his initial trip with Susan in the main narrative. The events of The Name of the Doctor take place within The Beginning when the Doctor is dissuaded from entering the first TARDIS he picks in the repair shop. The Exiles depicts the Doctor and Susan having just escaped from Gallifrey.
The Doctor and Susan have recently departed Gallifrey.
The Doctor and Susan are used to travelling and have been chasing the Soul Pirates across time.
This is the trip before the Doctor and Susan come to 1963.
It is 1963 in Shoreditch and Susan is attending school.
The Doctor and Susan have been on Earth for some time, Susan is attending school and when the Doctor journeys in the TARDIS something breaks in it, forcing him to fix it using 20th century parts.
The Doctor and Susan have been on Earth for some time, as well as Susan in school.
The Eighth Doctor visits the First Doctor during An Unearthly Child
Lacks a cliffhanger ending.
The TARDIS crew have just left China.
This story places The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance before Farewell, Great Macedon, both of which take place just before this story. Susan seems to still be getting used to Ian and Barbara being in the TARDIS.
The Keys of Marinus does not end on a cliffhanger, though the beginning of The Aztecs has a reprise of the TARDIS leaving Marinus.
It is made explicit in dialogue that this story takes place immediately after The Sensorites.
The first scene in this novel follows on from the closing scenes of Planet of Giants.
The TARDIS crew have just left 22nd century Earth and the departure of Susan is weighing on the Doctor.
The Doctor is still thinking about gold for a wedding ring for Susan, as he does in Venusian Lullaby.
Ian says that they left Susan a while ago and it his first trip to Scotland, therefore set before Set in Stone.
The Book of Shadows, The Revenants, Set in Stone, The Nine-Day Queen, and The True and Indisputable Facts in the Matter of the Ram's Skull, must be set between Venusian Lullaby and The Rescue as they feature only the First Doctor, Ian and Barbara.
Romans Cutaway and Byzantium! are both set after the TARDIS materialises and falls off the cliff in episode 1 of The Romans.
Ian, Barbara, and Vicki are travelling alone. [statement unclear]
The Doctor has just been returned 'the business with Omega' with his memory wiped of the events.
The Anachronauts follows on directly from episode seven of The Daleks' Master Plan, the other stories follow on from it, all taking place before episode eight of The Daleks' Master Plan.
Roses is set immediately after The Daleks' Master Plan and leads into The Five Doctors.
Steven recalls the events of The Daleks' Master Plan.
This is Dodo's first trip in the TARDIS bridging the gap between The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve and The Ark
Due to the TARDIS team involved and references to past stories this is the only possible gap into which this story may fit.
Features only the First Doctor and Dodo, therefore takes place between The Savages and The War Machines.
This is set prior to the end of The War Machines but after the Doctor has defeated WOTAN.
According to The Rag and Bone Man's Story the Doctor goes on to travel alone, before returning to London. This is a possible location for the adventures featuring John and Gillian and other adventures when the Doctor is alone.
The Doctor is pulled back to Gallifrey and is aware that his next adventure will result in his regeneration.

Unplaced

Set somewhere between The Rescue and The chase as it's only Ian, Barbara, and Vicki

The Doctor is alone and seems to be based on Earth. The Doctor seems to know the Voords, placing it after The Keys of Marinus.
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