Theory:Timeline - Fourth Doctor

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This page lists appearances of the Fourth Doctor in the order in which he experienced them. This timeline is based on observations of the Doctor Who universe and the events in each of these stories. From these observations we have attempted to build a concise timeline. It is assumed, much like their TV story counterparts, that each novel or audio series their published/numbered order is the order they occur in[statement unclear]. There are also many gaps between stories.

The layout of this timeline is based in part on the observations on Doctor Who Reference Guide and Doctor Who - The Complete Adventures, Lance Parkin's AHistory and other sources that allow us to make observations, such as DocOhoReviews, Doc Oho's Book Reviews, The History of the Doctor, The Discontinuity Guide, Clive Banks Databank, Whopix, the Big Finish forums and The Divergent Universe forums. None of these sources should be used solely as a source or considered a "true" timeline for stories.

Limiting factors

Companions

Any story with Sarah Jane Smith must take place before TV: The Hand of Fear.

Any story with Leela must take place after TV: The Face of Evil and before TV: The Invasion of Time.

Any story with K9 Mark I must take place after TV: The Invisible Enemy and before TV: The Invasion of Time. Any story with K9 Mark II must take place after TV: The Invasion of Time and before TV: Warriors' Gate.

Any story with Romana I must take place after TV: The Ribos Operation and before TV: Destiny of the Daleks. Any story with Romana II must take place after TV: Destiny of the Daleks and before TV: Warriors' Gate.

Any story with Adric must be set after TV: Full Circle.

Further complications

Like with the First and Second Doctor's timelines, tenuis issues are caused by the how the above dynamics are contradicted in secondary media.

For instance, several stories in prose and comics feature the Doctor, Sarah Jane, and Harry Sullivan traveling together outside of their television adventures. However, excusing the many stories where the characters are trying to reach Scotland, there are no logical places in these stories where a gap could exist. One must presume, although it is speculatory, that Harry briefly rejoined the TARDIS team sometime after leaving.

Similarly, the comics featured in early issues of Doctor Who Magazine feature the Doctor traveling alone with K9, and then later with Sharon Davies. Many presume that these take place before he met Romana, which is contradicted by references made to such things as the Black Guardian. Thus one has to presume that at some point, Romana II took a brief break from the TARDIS and rejoined the team later.

Costume

The Fourth Doctor has an advantage when dating his stories due to his costume. The Doctor started out with a short red blazer, a rainbow scarf, and tweed trousers. He soon switched to longer frock coats, in colors of grey, dark red, and dark brown. Eventually, his costume turned into the "red" version. This makes dating very simple when looking at how the Doctor is dressed (with the exception of certain oddities, like PROSE: The Sinister Sponge).

Timeline

Previous page: Third Doctor

A new body

The Doctor regenerates from his previous incarnation inside his UNIT laboratory with the aid of K'anpo Rimpoche.
Set immediately after Planet of the Spiders, with the Doctor's regeneration stabilising. Though he intends a fresh start by leaving UNIT behind, the Doctor accepts Sarah's offer to let her travel with him. UNIT doctor Harry Sullivan follows them into the TARDIS.
Sneaking away from UNIT during the events of Robot, the Doctor visits the Mordee colony, and attempts to repair Xoanon.
The Doctor visits Pesca and has his first encounter with Zor.

The Nerva Beacon

Harry is taking his first trip in the TARDIS, setting this directly after Robot. The TARDIS crew arrive at the Nerva Beacon due to Harry fiddling with TARDIS, and volunteer to beam down to Earth to do repairs, leading directly into The Sontaran Experiment.
The TARDIS crew fix the faulty equipment on Earth and beam back to the Nerva Beacon.
Set immediately after The Sontaran Experiment. The Time Lords intercept to transmat beam and give the Doctor a Time Ring and a mission on Skaro, where the Doctor meets Davros for the first time and witnesses the creation of the Daleks.
The Doctor, Sarah and Harry are scattered across the Adelphine Cluster due to temporal disruption interfering with the Time Ring, setting this immediately after Genesis of the Daleks. The Doctor claims to be 748-years-old.
The Doctor, Sarah and Harry are still using the Time Ring, setting this shortly after Genesis of the Daleks.
Alternate account to Revenge of the Cybermen. In the original ending, the Doctor would have been visited by the Time Lord messenger, who would reveal that his involvement in Genesis of the Daleks has caused several time anomalies and that the Doctor would have to relieve an alternate version of the same events again when time rewinds and changes, leading directly into Revenge of the Cybermen. However, this ending was scrapped.[1]
Just as they retrieve the TARDIS from the Nerva Beacon, the TARDIS crew receive a summons from the Brigadier, leading into Terror of the Zygons.

Returning to UNIT

The TARDIS is still recovering from solar flare radiation, setting this immediately after Revenge of the Cybermen.
The Doctor is attempting to travel to Scotland, but the TARDIS is knocked off course and arrives on the Zephyr instead.
The Doctor and his companions expect to find Loch Ness on exiting the TARDIS, setting this shortly before Terror of the Zygons.
Harry is still considered a "new companion".
The Doctor, Sarah and Harry are wearing their costumes from Terror of the Zygons. The TARDIS is knocked off course after an attempt to get to Scotland. After returning Godric to the Arthurian times, the TARDIS makes its way to Scotland, leading into Terror of the Zygons.
After fending off the Carrionites, the TARDIS lands in Scotland, leading directly into Terror of the Zygons.
The TARDIS crew make it to Scotland, and Harry decides to remain on Earth with UNIT.

Journey to London

Set immediately after Terror of the Zygons, with the TARDIS having just left Loch Ness for London, but arriving on Zeta Minor in 37166 instead.
The Doctor and Sarah are trying to get back to London, and the Doctor claims to have travelled over thirty-thousand years to get to the 17th century, implying that this takes place immediately after Planet of Evil. The Doctor is blamed for the Great Fire of London, setting this before Pyramids of Mars.
Sarah and the Doctor are still wearing the clothes they wore in Planet of Evil. Sarah Jane asks the Doctor to take her home, suggesting that they are still trying to get back to London.
The Doctor and Sarah are still trying to get back to London.
The Doctor and Sarah visit Beta Osiris. Sarah recalls their encounter with Sutekh, setting this after Pyramids of Mars.
The Doctor is wearing a burgundy coat, and Sarah observes that he has been moody as of late, setting this shortly after Pyramids of Mars.
The Doctor and Sarah make it to London after leaving for it in Terror of the Zygons, and enduring side-tracks during Planet of Evil and Pyramids of Mars.

Association with UNIT

The Doctor and Sarah Jane return to UNIT HQ, and base themselves on Earth, with the Doctor staying at a cottage and resuming use of Bessie, (COMIC: Death Flower, Return of the Daleks) while Sarah Jane continues working as an investigative reporter. (COMIC: The Hoaxers) However, they frequently take side trips, and are often accompanied by Harry. (PROSE: A New Life, The Hospitality on Hankus)
The Doctor and Sarah Jane both comment on getting used to the Doctor's new face.
The Doctor's TARDIS is stolen by a Renegade Time Lord called Shazar. However, with the Time Lords' help, the Doctor is able to retrieve his ship.
While working with UNIT, the Doctor does research into Richard III for his book, Doctor Who Discovers Historical Mysteries. (AUDIO: The Kingmaker)
The Doctor and Sarah leave UNIT HQ to take a trip in the TARDIS. The Brigadier is not happy, and questions Harry on their whereabouts.
Though the book's blurb places this between Planet of Evil and Pyramids of Mars, the Doctor and Sarah aren't trying to get to London.
The Doctor and Sarah have faced Sutekh, and the TARDIS has its primary interior, setting this between Pyramids of Mars and The Masque of Mandragora. The Doctor claims the Brigadier will be angry if he returns without Sarah, and Sarah is excited to see the look on Harry's face when they tell him they met his great-grandparents.
Sarah recalls the events of The Android Invasion.
The Doctor is depicted wearing his clothes from Season 12.
The Doctor alludes to the recent events of Terror of the Zygons and The Android Invasion. The TARDIS console room is white, setting this before The Masque of Mandragora.
The Doctor is currently travelling with Sarah Jane, (DWM 475) and using the main console control room. He helps in the saving of Gallifrey on the last day of the Last Great Time War, and, in the novelisation, has a tea party with his other incarnations in the Under Gallery as a celebration.
The Doctor and Harry's cameo takes place immediately after The Last Broadcast.
The Time Lords take control of Bessie, and send the Doctor on a mission to defeat the Daleks on the planet Ercos.
The Time Lords direct the TARDIS to a synthetic jungle inside a space station.
The Time Lords direct the TARDIS to a vineyard in Italy so that the Doctor can save some art treasures.
The Doctor complains about the Time Lords "messing about with the TARDIS", setting this after the comic stories set between The Dalek Revenge and Treasure Trail, where the Time Lord had been doing so.
Sarah refers to the recent events of The Brain of Morbius.
Sarah Jane was temporarily blinded on a recent adventure, setting this shortly after The Brain of Morbius.
Set a few days after Treasure Trail.
Sarah understands that it takes time for radio waves to travel between Mars and Earth, setting this after Pyramids of Mars.
Sarah claims it is Christmas in her time period.
According to the novelisation, Sarah Jane has been the Doctor's assistant for two years, though it is unclear if the statement includes her time with his third incarnation.
Set between The Seeds of Doom and The Masque of Mandragora.[source needed]
Sarah's absence is left unexplained.
Sarah's absence is left unexplained.
Sarah's absence is left unexplained.
The Doctor and Sarah visit Professor Chronotis at St Cedd's College in 1955. (PROSE: Cambridge Previsited)
Set between The Seeds of Doom and The Masque of Mandragora, according to the book's back cover. It has been one month, from her perspective, since Sarah Jane last saw Harry.

Final adventures with Sarah

The Doctor begins using the secondary control room in the TARDIS.
Sarah is depicted with her clothes from The Masque of Mandragora.
Sarah recalls the events of The Masque of Mandragora.
The Doctor is using the secondary control room, setting this after The Masque of Mandragora.
The Doctor and Sarah go back in time to save the Eighth Doctor after he fails to kill a dictator as a baby.
The Doctor is on holiday, and stops in London to watch a series of Disney films. After watching Lady and the Tramp, he recieves a message from the Brigadier and rushes off to see him.
The Brigadier has summoned the Doctor using the Space-time telegraph. The Doctor is using the secondary control room, setting this after The Masque of Mandragora. According to this account, Harry hasn't travelled in the TARDIS since Terror of the Zygons. Although two months have passed since Harry and the Brigadier last saw the Doctor and Sarah, Sarah implies that years may have passed for them.
The Doctor and Sarah attend the coronation of Elizabeth II.
The Doctor is using the secondary control room, setting this after The Masque of Mandragora.
Sarah is wearing her Andy Pandy clothes, setting this shortly before The Hand of Fear.
Sarah decides she has had enough of life in the TARDIS, and the Doctor receives a summons from Gallifrey, forcing him to leave Sarah behind. Ending leads directly into The Deadly Assassin.

Coping without Sarah

The Doctor crosses wits with the Decayed Master on Gallifrey.
Set immediately after The Deadly Assassin, with the Doctor travelling to the Cathedral of Contemplation directly from the Capitol, still upset by his farewell to Sarah Jane.
The Doctor broods over the lives lost on Gallifrey during The Deadly Assassin.
The Doctor visits Sarah Jane to give her a proper farewell.
The Doctor mentions that his previous companion has just departed for "pastures new". Since authorial intent places this during the Philip Hinchcliffe era[2], he is most likely referring to Sarah Jane, setting this shortly after The Deadly Assassin, and possibly immediately after their farewell in Farewells.
The Doctor is travelling alone, and still feels melancholy because "she" is no longer with him.
In the extended adaptation called The Drosten's Curse, the Doctor mentions recently traveling through a virtual jungle, as he did in The Deadly Assassin, and the TARDIS's secondary control room is being used.
Set in an alternate timeline where the Fourth Doctor is already married to River Song. The Doctor claims to have been on Gallifrey a week ago. After the timeline is negated, the Doctor briefly encounters River, but fails to recognise her.

Temporary companions

The Doctor is assisted in finding Diloona by Andric.
The Doctor is traveling with Joan Brown.
The Doctor is being assisted by Miss Young while he takes Bessie to investigate a meteorite crash in Scotland.
As a favour to the ruler of Xenon, the Doctor takes Milena for a trip in the TARDIS.

Companionless travels

The Doctor is using the secondary console room.
The Doctor is traveling alone in his bohemian attire. Images of Davros, Morbius, and the Decayed Master are in his mind, setting this at least after The Deadly Assassin.
Set between The Deadly Assassin and The Face of Evil, according to the book's back.
The Doctor meets Nyssa for the first time, but she is already well acquainted with him due to a future encounter.

Travels with Oliver

The Doctor has been traveling with Oliver Day for several months. When Oliver gets amnesia, the Doctor takes him back to the site of their first meeting. After his memory begins returning, Oliver decides to continue his travels in the TARDIS.
After being possessed by the Puppeteer, Oliver decides to stay on Gondovan with Annajin Valentin.

Travelling alone

The Doctor salutes the Brigadier with his other incarnations.
The Doctor has helped Shakespeare write Hamlet, setting this after The Stranger, The Writer, His Wife and the Mixed Metaphor.
The Doctor meets Albert Einstein for the first time, setting this before The Stones of Blood.
The Doctor is imprisoned at the Maximum security facility with his other incarnations.
The Doctor is travelling alone and believes he has been sent on a mission by the Time Lords.
The Doctor has Christmas dinner with his other incarnations.
The Fourth Doctor unites with his other incarnations to help a group of people seal the Time Fracture.

First adventures with Leela

Following her banishment from the Sevateem tribe, Leela forces her way into the TARDIS, joining the Doctor in his travels.
Leela visits Earth for the first time, although her experience there is erased from the timeline.
The Doctor explains transdimensional engineering to Leela, and she appears to take her first trip in the TARDIS. He claims to be 750-years-old.
Leela claims that she has been travelling "between boxes" for "what seem[s] like days" since leaving her tribe in the TARDIS, which was the last time she had been outside in the open air. On her previous trip in the TARDIS, the Doctor refused to allow Leela to bring the Tesh laser, setting this immediatly after The Robots of Death. Leela sees a city for the first time, and meets the Brigadier, though she already knows of him from the Doctor having talked about him in the past.
The secondary console room is still in use, setting this before The Invisible Enemy. Leela has only recently joined the Doctor, and fears she will be abandoned after angering him.
Set between The Robots of Death and The Talons of Weng-Chiang, according to the book's back cover. The Doctor and Leela's relationship is on a strain due to both Leela's stubborn nature [quote 1] and the Doctor's patronising attitude, [quote 2] though they both soon come to an understanding. Leela is still grappling with the idea that magic isn't real.
Leela is still adjusting to life in the TARDIS, and is unfamaliar with stun rods as weapons, setting this before Corpse Marker. She and the Doctor have not yet visited any planets similar to her home planet.
Though Leela is depicted dressed in her second attire, the book's cover places this between Last Man Running and The Talons of Weng-Chiang.
Leela makes several comparisons to her experience on Storm Mine 4, suggesting that the events of The Robots of Death are still fresh in her mind.
The Doctor recalls the events of The Robots of Death.
Leela has never seen a horse before, setting this before The Talons of Weng-Chiang. Her eyes are still brown.
Leela still shows particularly violent tendencies, setting this early in her travels.
Leela has only been traveling with the Doctor for a few weeks, but has seen spaceships.
Leela is still new to traveling in the TARDIS, but has come to see the Doctor as part of her "tribe".
The Doctor uses a Time Ring to send Leela back into his second incarnation's TARDIS. Leela's eyes are brown and she describes the Doctor as bearing "the face of the Evil One", setting this early in her travels.
Leela is still learning from the Doctor, setting this early in her adventures with him.

Educating Leela

Battling Magnus Greel in 1889 London, the Doctor and Leela are aided by Henry Gordon Jago and Professor George Litefoot.
The Doctor and Leela have just parted ways with Jago and Litefoot, setting this immediately after The Talons of Weng-Chiang. Leela asks the Doctor to begin educating her, as he suggested he would do in The Talons of Weng-Chiang.
Leela refers to the events of The Talons of Weng-Chiang.
The Doctor and Leela have just visited the Morovanian Museum, setting this immediately after The Renaissance Man. Leela is aware of the concept of money. The Doctor decides to take Leela to visit the 21st century, leading directly into Energy of the Daleks.
The Doctor attempts to bring Leela to the year 2015, but they arrive in London 2025 instead and encounter the Daleks. Leela recalls her previous visit to London in The Talons of Weng-Chiang.
Ending leads directly into The Oseidon Adventure.
The Doctor and the Master meet for the first time since The Deadly Assassin.
The Doctor is currently using the secondary console room, setting this before it was disused in The Invisible Enemy. He indicates that he has had a recent encounter with the Master. Leela does not know about regeneration.
The secondary console room is still in use, setting this before The Invisible Enemy.
Set between The Talons of Weng-Chiang and Horror of Fang Rock, according to the book's back cover. The Doctor and Leela visit London, setting this after Energy of the Daleks.
Leela mentions battling Weng-Chiang and the TARDIS has it's wooden panelled console room, setting this between The Talons of Weng-Chiang and The Invisible Enemy.
Leela has brown eyes, setting this before Horror of Fang Rock.
Leela still has brown eyes, setting this before Horror of Fang Rock.
Authorial intent sets Series 3 of the Fourth Doctor Adventures between Season 14 and 15.[3]
Set a few days after The King of Sontar. Leela is able to read a book of fairy tales on her own, though she is not a completely fluent reader.
Leela recalls her previous encounter with the Master in The Oseidon Adventure.
The Doctor and Leela discuss their visit to Victorian London from The Talons of Weng-Chiang. Leela has a limited ability to read English.
Leela is still wearing Victorian clothing from The Ghosts of Gralstead.
(FLASHBACK)
In 18th century Japan, the Doctor and Leela fight Inek of the Orimsei as he tries to use a dimensional gateway to escape, at the risk of the Japanese population. (AUDIO: Time in Office)
Leela changes into a pullover and coat upon arriving in Shetland, and learns the Brigadier's full name for the first time.
Leela has advanced to reading the works of Jane Austen, implying a setting before The Foe from the Future. The Doctor mentions that Leela is still wearing her "Shetland gear", suggesting a setting immediately after The Helm of Awe.
In her travels with the Doctor, Leela has seen "false gods", metropolitan cities, and "Old Earth", but does not know about Christmas, setting this before Christmas Every Day. Leela still believes in magic, suggesting a setting before Horror of Fang Rock, though she does not react when the Rutans are mentioned in her presence.
The Doctor is using the secondary control room. He hears the Sixth Doctor's voice through the temporal distortion and decides to make an emergency landing after spilling his ginger beer on the TARDIS console.
The Doctor arrives on Henlan with Leela after making an emergency landing, setting this directly after Prequel - The Legacy of Time.
Authorial intent sets Series 10 of the Fourth Doctor Adventures between Seasons 14 and 15.[4]
Leela is still somewhat early on in her reading education, as the Doctor reads The Time Machine to her and she bemoans the fact that he is supposed to be teaching her to read that particular book.

Continued adventures with Leela

Due to pigment dispersal from witnessing an explosion, Leela's eye colour changes from brown to blue.
Leela has blue eyes and is wearing her costume from Horror of Fang Rock, suggesting a setting immediately afterwards.[quote 3]
Leela wears jeans and a jacket to blend in with 21st century Earth, though she still views jeans as ridiculous. Her eyes are blue, setting this after Horror of Fang Rock.
Leela is wearing clothing similar to her clothes from Horror of Fang Rock.
Leela is wearing trousers, setting this after Horror of Fang Rock.
Leela's reading level has advanced to the point where the Doctor is having her read him the works of Shakespeare, setting this after Series 3 of The Fourth Doctor Adventures.
Leela refers to the events of Horror of Fang Rock.
Leela has seen little more than her home planet, suggesting a setting early in her travels. However, she is depicted with blue eyes on the cover.
Leela does not know about regeneration. The Doctor starts a fire to destroy all trace of the Z'nai virus.
The TARDIS' secondary console room is damaged by the fire started in The Catalyst. The Time Vampire later confirms that this was the reason they moved console rooms, setting this immediately before The Invisible Enemy. Leela is unfamiliar with the concept of money.

Adopting K9

The Doctor closes the secondary console room for redecoration, and takes Leela to the main console room for the first time as he moves back in to it. Leela is still learning to write her name. K9 is adopted by the Doctor on Professor Marius's insistence.
K9 has only just joined the TARDIS crew, with the Doctor initially referring to him as an "it" and being unconcerned with him, but grows to accept K9 as his "dog" after a battle with the Fendahl.
The Doctor attempts to destroy the Fendahl skull by firing it into the Canthares supernova. (AUDIO: The Dalek Trap)
The Doctor is hunting a second Fendahl skull, setting this shortly after Image of the Fendahl.

Adventures with Leela and K9

Leela recalls being temporarily blinded during Horror of Fang Rock.
Leela mentions the Fendahl, setting this after Image of the Fendahl.
The Doctor teaches Leela about money for the first time, setting this after Empathy Games.
Leela decides to leave the TARDIS to remain with Marshall, but she is kidnapped by the Decayed Master after the Doctor leaves.
According to K9, it has been roughly five days since the events of Requiem for the Rocket Men, but the Doctor hasn't "heard the voice of another living being" in the interim. Leela returns to the TARDIS.
Leela recalls the recent death of Marshall in Death Match.
Ending leads directly into Return to Telos.
The Doctor is teaching Leela about chess, setting this shortly before The Sun Makers.
Leela remembers seeing the steel hives of the Sun Makers during The Sun Makers.
Leela and K9 are kidnapped by Adam Mitchell, leading directly into Endgame.
The Doctor joins with his other incarnations to rescue Leela and K9 from Adam and the Tremas Master, and assists the other Doctors in saving their companions as well.

Final adventures with Leela

The Doctor is traveling with Leela, and depicted wearing his attire from Underworld. Leela is in her first outfit.
The Doctor and Leela are searching for a part needed to help repair K9, who is currently out of action.
Colin Marshall is created from Leela's memories of Marshall, setting this after Death Match.
Ending leads directly into The Demon Rises.
K9 has broken down and requires a reboot. According to Leela, this has been happening often.
Ending leads directly into The Age of Sutekh.
Originally meant to take place during Series 13 of the Fourth Doctor Adventures. (BFX: Shadow of the Sun)
The Doctor recalls the events of The Exxilons.
Months have passed since the secondary control room was destroyed by the fire in Empathy Games. K9 Mark I has been behaving oddly, prompting the Doctor to begin gathering the parts needed to build K9 Mark II.

Brief tenure as Lord President

After the Doctor uses his position as Lord President to propel an invasion of Gallifrey, Leela decides to stay on Gallifrey to marry Andred, and K9 elects to stay with her. Alone in the TARDIS, the Doctor decides to begin work on K9 Mark II.
Set during The Invasion of Time, when the Doctor is moving around the Capitol.
The Doctor makes a message about the Timewyrm as a warning for himself using information he learnt from the Matrix during The Invasion of Time.

After the Presidency

The Doctor is still building K9 Mark II, and stores him in a box on the TARDIS console room floor.

Revisiting old adventures

Exploits with "Ann"

The Doctor begins putting together K9 Mark II, but is distracted by a distress signal. He meets WPC Ann Kelso and she joins him as his companion.
Set immediately after The Sinestran Kill. The Doctor fully assembles and activates K9 MK II, and Ann takes her first trip to an alien planet.
K9 is still recharging after the recent events of Planet of the Drashigs.
Follows on directly from The False Guardian.
The Doctor and Ann have just ejected the Chronon Wave Front from the TARDIS and are pushed back in time, setting this immediately after Time's Assassin.
Following the revelation that Ann is in fact a Time Agent called Anya Kingdom, the Doctor and K9 part ways with her. The Doctor resolves to fix K9's dog whistle, which he does in The Ribos Operation.

New adventures with K9

(PHOTOGRAPH)
A photograph depicts the Doctor in his "post-Underworld" appearance. No mention is made by Tiger of him travelling with another companion. (COMIC: The Swords of Kali)
In an alternate timeline created by Rassilon and the Cybermen, K9 is cyber-converted during a Cyberman attack.
The Doctor is illustrated as traveling with K9 in the TARDIS.

Quest for the Key to Time

The Doctor is given a quest by the White Guardian to assemble the Key to Time before the Black Guardian can, and is assigned a Time Lady named Romana as an assistant. The Doctor claims to be 756-years-old, but Romana tells him he is really 759-years-old.
Romana is wearing her outfit from The Ribos Operation.
Set between The Ribos Operation and The Pirate Planet, according to the back cover. The Doctor has only collected the First Segment so far. It is misplaced after Romana decides to study it and the Doctor sets about looking for it.
Set the morning after The Ribos Operation, with the Doctor sealing away the First Segment.
The Doctor and Romana have just recovered the Second Segment, setting this immediately after The Pirate Planet. The Doctor takes Romana to Earth for the first time.
The Doctor and Romana have just left Earth after recovering the Third segment of the Key to Time, setting this immediately after The Stones of Blood.
Throughout the Doctor Who Annual 1980, the Doctor is travelling with Romana I and K9, but is not trying to assemble the Key to Time, nor is the randomiser in use, setting these stories during the break from the quest that ended in Heart of TARDIS.
The Doctor is forced to resume his quest for the Key to Time.
The Doctor and Romana are searching for a segment to the Key to Time.
The Doctor and Romana are searching for the Fourth Segment, setting this shortly before The Androids of Tara.
The Doctor and Romana are looking for the Fifth Segment, setting this shortly before The Power of Kroll.
The Doctor and Romana are looking for the Sixth Segment, setting this shortly before The Armageddon Factor.
The Doctor and Romana complete their quest to assemble the Key to Time, but the Doctor orders it to disperse itself to stop the Back Guardian claiming it. The Doctor installs a randomiser into the TARDIS to elude the vengeful Black Guardian.

Hiding from the Black Guardian

The Doctor and Romana are hiding from the Black Guardian in 1929 Hampshire, while K9 pilots the TARDIS around the universe to throw the Black Guardian off the Doctor's trail.
The Doctor and Romana are taking a holiday in 1929 Antibes without K9, setting this during The Auntie Matter.
The Doctor has only recently installed the randomizer.
Ending leads directly into War Against the Laan.
K9 is damaged after being affected by the time slippage.
The Doctor gives his age as 760-years-old.
Set one month after War Against the Laan, with K9 fully repaired from the damage caused by the time spillage.
Romana encounters the Daleks for the first time. Ending leads directly into The Final Phase.
Romana elects to continue travelling in the TARDIS instead of returning to Gallifrey.
The Doctor and Romana investigated a mysterious painting. (AUDIO: Tales from the Vault)
The Doctor is travelling with K9 and a female companion, who speaks to him in the sames tones of the first incarnation of Romana.
The Doctor's companion is wearing "a neat designer dress straight from the pages of a magazine", a description matching the first incarnation of Romana.
The Doctor arrived in Prague due to the randomiser, setting this after The Armageddon Factor.
While having a rest, the Doctor is warned he will soon be facing the Daleks, setting this shortly before Destiny of the Daleks.

The new Romana

Romana regenerates into a new body. The Doctor encounters Davros for the first time since Genesis of the Daleks.
Set concurrently with Destiny of the Daleks.
Romana is still wearing her outfit from Destiny of the Daleks.
Romana is still wearing her outfit from Destiny of the Daleks.
Romana's recent regeneration is referenced, setting this shortly after Destiny of the Daleks.
The Doctor plans to take Romana to Paris, leading into City of Death.
The Doctor and Romana fight Scaroth in 1979 Paris with the help of Duggan. It is implied that the Doctor hasn't used his sonic screwdriver since Destiny of the Daleks.
Romana has recently been to Paris, setting this shortly after City of Death.
Set on the same day as The Not-So-Sinister Sponge, Do You Love Anyone Enough? and Better Watch Out, Better Take Care.
The Doctor, Romana and K9 attend the Queen's re-coronation, and are spotted by the Brigadier.
The Doctor, Romana and K9 attend the Mars Conference, and have a run in with Bernice Summerfield.
Romana notes that she and the Doctor have been to Paris recently, setting this shortly after City of Death.
Romana encounters Ogrons with the Doctor for the first time, although she has already heard of them, setting this before The Romance of Crime.
Though the audio's blurb places this between Shada and The Leisure Hive, Romana does not yet have a sonic screwdriver, setting this before The Romance of Crime.
Set between The Creature from the Pit and Nightmare of Eden, according to the book's back cover. Romana has her own sonic screwdriver.
Romana is still recovering from the events of The Romance of Crime, setting this immediately after. Romana also refers to the recent events of The Armageddon Factor. In the audio adaptation, the Doctor mentions recently visiting Paris, setting this shortly after City of Death.
Set during Nightmare of Eden.
The Doctor mentions recovering from the events of Nightmare of Eden.
Romana refers to the events of City of Death as being a year ago, before the Doctor spends a few weeks away from her.
Romana reveals she has her own sonic screwdriver to the Doctor.
The Doctor reveals to Romana that he has acquired a chrono-historical stress gauge. Romana uses her sonic screwdriver in the presence of the Doctor, setting this after The Horns of Nimon.
The Doctor is still using the chrono-historical stress gauge from The Little Things.
The Doctor's the chrono-historical stress gauge has been broken.
The Doctor knows about Romana's sonic screwdriver, setting this after The Horns of Nimon.
The Doctor and Romana are still worried about the Black Guardian's revenge, and Romana possess a sonic screwdriver, setting this after The Horns of Nimon.
Ending leads directly into Legacy of Death.

The Shada conundrum

After some punting, the Doctor and Romana have an adventure with Chronotis in Cambridge that leads them to Shada. According to one account, the events of Shada are overwritten by The Five Doctors, and, upon returning to the TARDIS, the Doctor decides to go to Brighton, leaving Shada to be experienced by the Eighth Doctor. In the novelisation, set without the interference of The Five Doctors, the Doctor claims to be 760-years-old.
While they're punting, Borusa attempts to Time Scoop the Doctor and Romana to the Death Zone, but they get caught in a time eddy, overwriting the events of Shada. At the end of the special edition, they are returned to the events of Shada, allowing them to play out.
Set during The Five Doctors, when the Doctor and Romana are trapped by the time scoop. As with the special edition account, they are returned to Cambridge, where they continue punting.
Set during Shada, shortly after the Doctor defeats Skagra, but before he and Romana depart in the TARDIS.
Wiping his own memory, the Doctor locks Shada away in a forgotten part of space, and does not return until his eleventh incarnation. (COMIC: The One)

Continued travels with Romana

The Doctor is trying to get to Brighton Pavillion, setting this shortly after Shada.
The Doctor and Romana make it to Brighton, setting this after Shada, but arrive at too early a time in it's history to see the opening of the Brighton Pavillion, making the journey unsuccessful. The Doctor has not seen K9 in "days".
The Doctor is beginning to think that the Black Guardian has grown bored of revenge on him and Romana.
Ending leads directly into Casualties of Time.
Set between Shada and The Leisure Hive, according to the back cover.
The Doctor recalls the events of Shada.
Romana has a sonic screwdriver, setting this after The Horns of Nimon.
The Doctor and Romana visit Henlan. (AUDIO: Collision Course)
Romana has a sonic screwdriver, setting this after The Horns of Nimon.
Set between Shada and The Leisure Hive, according to the book's back cover. The Doctor and Romana recall their previous encounter with Menlove Stokes in The Romance of Crime, which was "not so long ago". The Black Guardian tracks the Doctor and Romana down, but is defeated and entrapped in the Time Vortex by the Doctor, but the Doctor and Romana also get trapped in the vortex in the ordeal.

Separated from Romana

According to one account, the Doctor drops Romana and K9 off at the Academia Stellaris on Sirius 5, while he continues to travel alone. (AUDIO: Doctor Who and the Star Beast) In the early Doctor Who Magazine issues, however, the Doctor is traveling with K9 Mark II. In these issues, he is depicted wearing his bohemian clothing and having the randomiser activated. In Timeslip, he expresses a desire to contact Romana, confirming their separation and suggesting that it was by forces beyond their control.
The Doctor decides to go on holiday to Benidorm.
Follows on directly from Doctor Who and the Iron Legion.
K9 is kidnapped, and the Doctor goes looking for him.
The Doctor is seemingly companionless, and is wearing his beige coat from Destiny of the Daleks.
The Doctor is traveling alone, and not using the secondary control room.
The Doctor has been in contact with Sarah Jane Smith, and is currently trapped in the TARDIS with "no Romana, [and] no K9". He uses the TARDIS tuner to contact his other incarnations.
The Doctor finds K9.
The Doctor wishes to get in contact with Romana, claiming that things have been moving slowly in her absence. The Movellans appear in the Doctor's vision, setting this after Destiny of the Daleks.

Adventures with Sharon

The Doctor fails to arrive in Benidorm again, and refers to the Black Guardian, setting this after The Armageddon Factor. After capturing war criminal Beep the Meep, the Doctor offers Sharon Davies a trip home in the TARDIS. According to the audio adaptation, in which K9 is absent, the Doctor is currently traveling with Romana.
Set immediately after Doctor Who and the Star Beast, with the Doctor failing to return Sharon home. Sharon decides to put off returning to Blackcastle for a while in favour of continuing her travels with the Doctor.
Sharon changes her hairstyle and is aged four years by a malfunctioning chrono-compensator. The Doctor claims to be losing track of his true age.
Due to her ageing in Doctor Who and the Time Witch, Sharon is now unsure as to whether she wants to return home to Blackcastle.
Sharon, feeling her aging has made it impossible to return home, leaves the TARDIS to stay with Vernon Allen on Unicepter IV.

Living in Nest Cottage

The Doctor arrives in Hexford and begins investigating the Hornets. He uses Nest Cottage as his base of operations. He recalls his encounter with the Wrarth Warriors from Doctor Who and the Star Beast.
A week has passed since The Stuff of Nightmares. The Doctor meets Fenella Wibbsey and brings her back to 21st century Hexford, where she becomes his housekeeper at Nest Cottage. He discovers that the Hornets have encountered him before in 1832, and decides to go there to continue his investigation, leading directly into The Circus of Doom.
The Doctor rescues Captain the Wolfhound from the Hornets and brings him back to Nest Cottage.
A few weeks after his arrival in Hexford, the Doctor invites Mike Yates to Nest Cottage and he is told about the events of The Robots of Death, The Talons of Weng-Chiang, and Image of the Fendahl. The Doctor begins to recount his encounters with the Hornets since his arrival at Nest Cottage to Mike, (AUDIO: The Stuff of Nightmares) such as his visit to Cromer in 1932, (AUDIO: The Dead Shoes) Blandford in 1832, (AUDIO: The Circus of Doom) and finally Northumbria in 1036. Once he has brought Mike up to speed with his encounters with the Hornets, the Doctor decides to seek out the Hornet Queen, leading into Hive of Horror. (AUDIO: A Sting in the Tale)
The Doctor departs Nest Cottage and leaves Captain under the care of Mike. He alludes to having K9 waiting in the TARDIS.

Quest for the Demon

The Doctor returns to Nest Cottage after a year of traveling alone. Despite the events of The Wrath of the Iceni, the Doctor claims not to have visited the 1st century since his last regeneration, setting this before The Doctor's Cross Word. Ending leads directly into The Demon of Paris.
The Doctor and Wibbsey follow their next clue to Paris in 1894, where they come face to face with the Demon once again. After returning to Nest Cottage, the Doctor and Wibbsey are met by Mike Yates, whom has returned to Hexford.
After recounting the events of The Relics of Time and The Demon of Paris to Mike, the Doctor takes him on the next part of his quest, to Germany in 1847. After another encounter with the Demon, they are summoned back to Nest Cottage by Mrs Wibbsey, leading directly into Starfall.
Mrs Wibbsey is kidnapped by the Demon, while the Doctor and Mike return to Nest Cottage.
Set shortly after Starfall, with the Doctor and Mike back at Nest Cottage trying to figure out a way to rescue Mrs Wibbsey. The Doctor saves Wibbsey from the Demon and releases her from the Hornet's control once and for all. Ending leads directly into Tsar Wars.

Locating the Skishtari egg

The Doctor and Wibbsey are kidnapped from Nest Cottage by the Robotovs, while Mike is left behind unconscious.
Follows on directly from Tsar Wars.
Follows on directly from The Broken Crown. The Doctor and Mrs Wibbsey use the Skishtari gene egg to return to Nest Cottage. The Doctor parts ways with Mrs Wibbsey, and leaves Nest Cottage once more.

Searching for Hexford

The Doctor returns to Hexford after spending much longer than nine months away from Nest Cottage. Hexford is sucked into a wormhole, leading the Doctor and Mrs Wibbsey to go searching for it in the TARDIS.
The Doctor and Mrs Wibbsey finally find Hexford after several months of searching due to issues with the TARDIS navigation system and some unexpected stop-offs. The Doctor departs from Nest Cottage once again.

More adventures with K9

The Doctor has changed his clothes to a burgundy design, and the randomiser is still in effect.
Set directly after Junk-Yard Demon, with the Doctor claiming to have moved four months ahead in time, but not in space.
The Doctor is wearing his burgundy coat. He sends a message to his other incarnations to warn them of the the Rani's plot. He appears to be travelling alone.
The Doctor is trying to get to Unicepter IV to attend Sharon Davies' wedding, but arrives in Blackcastle instead. He is travelling with K9 and is wearing his burgundy costume.
The Doctor is wearing "a suede burgundy coat, a wide-brimmed hat and a multi-coloured scarf". He appears to be traveling alone.
The Doctor is travelling alone and wearing his burgundy coat.
The Doctor returns to Nest Cottage in his burgundy coat, which Mrs Wibbsey sees for the first time. The Doctor claims that it has been "aeons" since he last visited. The Doctor takes Mrs Wibbsey on a trip to 18th century Italy.
The Doctor is wearing his burgundy coat.
Set after The Thing from the Sea.[5] The Doctor visits Nest Cottage and has Mrs. Fenella Wibbsey as a companion. He is wearing his brown coat.
The Doctor is recruited by Bernice Summerfield to help Romana to fly a TARDIS. He recognises both Leela and Romana II, setting this at least after Destiny of the Daleks.

Final travels with Romana

The Doctor and K9 somehow reunite with Romana, and she resumes traveling with them.
After switching his old clothes for a burgundy design, the Doctor decides to take Romana to Brighton.
Romana is surprised that the Doctor now wears a burgundy coat, feeling it reflects a more morose and sombre mood.
The Doctor is wearing his burgundy outfit.
The Doctor is wearing his burgundy outfit.
The Doctor refers to the events of Doctor Who and the Iron Legion, and is wearing his burgundy outfit.
Authorial intent places this story, and the rest of the Series 6 audios, early in Season 18[6], with the Doctor wearing his burgundy outfit, the Randomiser still effect, and the Season 18 theme tune being used.
The Doctor recalls bypassing the randomiser in his last few adventures, setting this immediately after The Beast of Kravenos, The Eternal Battle, and The Silent Scream. The Doctor decides to try to get to Brighton again, setting this before The Leisure Hive.
K9 is still working, setting this before The Leisure Hive.
The Doctor is wearing his burgundy coat.
After a holiday in Brighton, the Doctor completely removes the randomiser to give it for the Tachyon Recreation Generator on Argolis. K9 is damaged after rolling into the sea without his water defences.
K9 was recently damaged in Brighton, setting this shortly after The Leisure Hive. Ending leads directly into The Thief Who Stole Time.
K9 is still damaged.
The Doctor is wearing his burgundy coat.
Romana is still wearing her clothes from The Leisure Hive and K9 is still in a damaged state. After repairing K9, the TARDIS is contacted by the Time Lords, who order Romana back to Gallifrey, leading directly into Full Circle.

Trapped in E-Space

En route to Gallifrey, the TARDIS gets sucked into E-Space via a CVE. Adric stows away on the TARDIS.
Set during State of Decay.
Set immediately after State of Decay.
The Doctor and Romana have been in E-Space for two months. They encounter an artificially created CVE, but it closes before they are able to return to N-Space through it. Romana decides to stall returning to N-Space.
A Full Life implies that this is set after The Invasion of E-Space. Adric recalls the events of State of Decay.
Adric mentions the imprisonments he endured during The Invasion of E-Space and O, Darkness. The Doctor and Romana die, but, after some years, Adric is able to change time so that they live.
Set between State of Decay and Warrior's Gate.[7] The Doctor has noticed that Romana is stalling their return to N-Space and questions her about it, setting this after The Invasion of E-Space. Ending leads directly into Chase the Night.
Romana's sonic screwdriver is destroyed, but she resolves to create a new one.
The TARDIS crew have been searching for a CVE for months by now.
As the Doctor and Adric escape E-Space, Romana elects to remain and help the enslaved Tharils release themselves from captivity, with K9 staying with her due to damage from the time winds preventing him from crossings back into N-Space.

Return to N-Space

Set between Warriors' Gate and The Keeper of Traken, with Adric visiting his first planet in N-Space, while the Doctor cleans the TARDIS, saddened by Romana's departure.
Having recently returned to N-Space, the Doctor and Adric are summoned to Traken by the Keeper of Traken to deal with a Melkur. With the aid of Consul Tremas and his daughter, Nyssa, the Doctor and Adric foil the Decayed Master's plan to steal the Source.
During Doctor Who Annual 1982, K9 Mark III has been assembled, and the Doctor is wearing his bohemian attire while traveling with Adric, but is illustrated in his burgundy coat for Just a Small Problem.

Final adventures

Sensing his time drawing to a close, (PROSE: Still Need a Title!) the Doctor drops K9 Mark III off for Sarah Jane, (TV: A Girl's Best Friend) which saddens Adric. (PROSE: A Boy's Tale)
Accidentally picking up Tegan Jovanka as a stowaway, the Doctor and Adric learn that the Tremas Master has stolen Tremas's body. Informed of his coming regeneration by the Watcher, the Doctor is reunited with Nyssa on Logopolis, where the Master accidentally starts the collapse of the universe. Forced to join forces to broadcast a CVE signal from Pharos Project, the Doctor is critically injured after he falls from the antenna while stopping the Master's betrayal, and is forced to regenerate into his next incarnation with the assistance of the Watcher.
Next page: Fifth Doctor

Currently unplaced

These entries are placed here due to being part of ongoing storylines that have yet to offer sufficient enough evidence to be placed in a specific part of this Doctor's timeline, unless further evidence arises in the stories to come.

Awaiting placement

These entries are placed here until a suitable position in the timeline can be determined based on the available evidence.

Quotes

  1. ↑ While an intelligent young primitive was potentially a delightful companion with whom to share the wonders the TARDIS could offer, an opinionated savage who could not recognise her own shortcomings was less appealing.
  2. ↑ "I watched you," Leela said, "and I copied what I saw you do." She found a piece of rotten wood and weighed it in her hand. It was too light and she discarded it. "The TARDIS is a machine – there is nothing magic about it. And you can stop calling it the travelling hut. It is not funny to mock people's lack of knowledge, Doctor. Especially when you are stuck up a tree."
  3. ↑ The Doctor's scarf was all sorts of different colours and Leela was wearing jeans Mum said later that "she must have been greased into" and a big grey jumper that smelt funny. She was always VERY serious but not in the way like teachers are. She had very bright blue eyes and nice dark hair.


References

  1. ↑ https://twitter.com/MrJohnDorney/status/1319930958179696640
  2. ↑ https://www.bigfinish.com/vortex/pdf/101
  3. ↑ https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/the-fourth-doctor-at-big-finish-part-3
  4. ↑ https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/dame-sian-phillips-is-pure-evil
  5. ↑ https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1117638/doctor-who--the-winged-coven/9781787534445.html
  6. ↑ https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/doctor-who-the-fourth-doctor-adventures-continue
  7. ↑ https://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/the-fourth-doctor-adventures-series-09-volume-1-is-released-today
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