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The Fourth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC
science fiction television Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...
series ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the ...
''. He is portrayed by
Tom Baker Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934) is an English actor and writer. He is well known for his portrayal of the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' from 1974 to 1981.Scott, Danny. (1 ...
. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old
alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
Time Lord The Time Lords are a fictional ancient race of extraterrestrial people in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', of which the series' main protagonist, the Doctor, is a member. Time Lords are so named for their command ...
from the planet
Gallifrey Gallifrey () is a fictional planet in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It is the original home world of the Time Lords, the civilisation to which the protagonist, the Doctor belongs. It is located in a ...
who travels in time and space in the
TARDIS The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space") is a fictional hybrid of the time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. Its exterior a ...
, frequently with companions. At the end of life, the Doctor regenerates; as a result, the physical appearance and personality of the Doctor changes. Baker portrays the Fourth Doctor as a whimsical and sometimes brooding individual whose enormous personal warmth is at times tempered by his capacity for righteous anger. His initial companions were intrepid journalist
Sarah Jane Smith Sarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running BBC Television science fiction on television, science fiction series ''Doctor Who'' and two of Doctor Who spin-offs, its spin-offs. Sarah Jane is a dogged in ...
(
Elisabeth Sladen Elisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen (1 February 1946 – 19 April 2011) was an English actress. She became best known as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series ''Doctor Who'', appearing as a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside ...
), who had travelled alongside his previous incarnation, and Surgeon-Lieutenant Harry Sullivan (
Ian Marter Ian Don Marter (28 October 194428 October 1986) was an English actor and writer, known for his role as Harry Sullivan in the BBC science-fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' from December 1974 to September 1975, with a non-regular, one-se ...
) of
UNIT Unit may refer to: Arts and entertainment * UNIT, a fictional military organization in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' * Unit of action, a discrete piece of action (or beat) in a theatrical presentation Music * ''Unit'' (a ...
. His later companions were savage warrior Leela ( Louise Jameson), robotic dog K9 ( John Leeson and
David Brierly David Brierly (January 1935 – 10 June 2008), also known as David Brierley, was an English actor. Born in Yorkshire, he appeared in various television programmes but is most notable for being the voice of the robot dog K-9 during the 1979 ...
), Time Lady Romana (
Mary Tamm Mary Tamm (22 March 1950 – 26 July 2012) was a British actress, who appeared in many British TV drama series and serials, and is best known for her role as Romana I in the BBC's science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', starrin ...
and
Lalla Ward Sarah Jill "Lalla" Ward (born 28 June 1951) is an English actress, voice artist and author. She is best known for playing the role of Romana II in the BBC television series ''Doctor Who'' from 1979 to 1981. Career Early career Ward's stage na ...
), teen genius Adric (
Matthew Waterhouse Matthew Waterhouse (born 19 December 1961) is an English actor and writer. From 1980 to 1982 he played the role of Adric in the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Early life Waterhouse was born in Hertford, but brought up ...
), alien teenage aristocrat Nyssa (
Sarah Sutton Sarah Sutton (born 12 December 1961) is a British actress. She played the role of Nyssa in the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Early life Sutton was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England. Sutton studied ballet a ...
), and Australian flight attendant
Tegan Jovanka Tegan Jovanka is a fictional character played by Janet Fielding in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. An Australian airline stewardess and a native of Brisbane who was a companion of the Fourth and Fifth ...
( Janet Fielding). Baker portrayed the character for seven consecutive seasons, which remains the longest tenure of any actor to portray the lead, counting both the classic and modern series. He is considered to be one of the most recognisable and iconic incarnations of the Doctor both in the United Kingdom and internationally.


Overview

The Fourth Doctor appeared in 172 episodes (179, counting the regeneration at the end of '' Planet of the Spiders'' and the aborted '' Shada'') over a seven-year period, from 1974 to 1981. This makes him the longest-running on-screen Doctor of the series. He also appeared in the specials ''
The Five Doctors ''The Five Doctors'' is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', produced in celebration of the programme's 20th anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago ...
'' (via footage from the incomplete ''Shada'') and made his final appearance as the Doctor in the charity special ''
Dimensions in Time ''Dimensions in Time'' is a charity special crossover between the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and the soap opera '' EastEnders'' that ran in two parts on 26 and 27 November 1993. It was filmed on location at Greenwi ...
'' (aside from a series of television advertisements in New Zealand in 1997). Tom Baker reappeared in the 50th anniversary special as a mysterious curator. This incarnation is generally regarded as one of the most recognisable of the Doctors and one of the most popular, especially in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
. In polls conducted by ''
Doctor Who Magazine ''Doctor Who Magazine'' (abbreviated as ''DWM'') is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. Launched in 1979 as ''Doctor Who Weekly'', the magazine became a monthly publication the follo ...
'', Tom Baker has lost the "Best Doctor" category only three times: once to
Sylvester McCoy Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith (born 20 August 1943), known professionally as Sylvester McCoy, is a Scottish actor. Gaining prominence as a physical comedian, he became best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the lon ...
(the
Seventh Doctor The Seventh Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', and the final incarnation of the original Doctor Who series. He is portrayed by Scottish actor Sylvester McCoy. W ...
) in 1990, and twice to
David Tennant David John Tennant (''né'' McDonald; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He rose to fame for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor (2005–2010 and 2013) in the BBC science-fiction TV show ''Doctor Who'', reprising the rol ...
(the
Tenth Doctor The Tenth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the main protagonist of the BBC science fiction television franchise ''Doctor Who''. He is played by David Tennant in three series as well as nine specials. As with previous incarnations of ...
) in 2006 and 2009. The Fourth Doctor's eccentric style of dress and speech – particularly his
trademark look Trademark look or signature look is the characteristic clothes or other distinguishing signs used by a certain character or performer, making the person more recognizable by the audience. Politicians may also have trademark signs, such as the suit ...
of wearing a long scarf and having a fondness for Jelly Babies – made him an immediately recognisable figure and he quickly captivated the viewing public's imagination. The producer of Baker's early seasons, Philip Hinchcliffe, stated that the Fourth Doctor's
bohemian Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Beer * National Bohemian, a brand brewed by Pabst * Bohemian, a brand of beer brewed by Molson Coors Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, origin ...
appearance and
anti-establishment An anti-establishment view or belief is one which stands in opposition to the conventional social, political, and economic principles of a society. The term was first used in the modern sense in 1958, by the British magazine ''New Statesman'' ...
style appealed to older, college-age students. The Fourth Doctor's time enjoyed a significant boost in viewing figures, averaging between 8 and 10 million viewers in just his first year (20–25 percent of the entire viewing audience of Britain). By 1979, the figures averaged between 9 and 11 million, going as high as 16.1 million for the final episode of ''
City of Death ''City of Death'' is the second serial of the seventeenth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor. It was produced by the BBC ...
'' (though this was during the ITV technicians strike of 1979 which meant the BBC was the sole broadcaster on the air for several weeks). There are also novels and audio plays featuring the Fourth Doctor. Two early audio plays featuring Tom Baker voicing the Fourth Doctor date from Baker's television tenure as he had mainly declined to appear in any further audio plays since leaving the series. In 2009, however, it was announced that a new five-part series would be produced by BBC Audio (see below).


Biography

After contracting radiation poisoning from the crystals of the planet Metebelis 3, the
Third Doctor The Third Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time Lord fr ...
makes his way back to
UNIT Unit may refer to: Arts and entertainment * UNIT, a fictional military organization in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' * Unit of action, a discrete piece of action (or beat) in a theatrical presentation Music * ''Unit'' (a ...
headquarters in the
TARDIS The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space") is a fictional hybrid of the time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. Its exterior a ...
, where the
Time Lord The Time Lords are a fictional ancient race of extraterrestrial people in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', of which the series' main protagonist, the Doctor, is a member. Time Lords are so named for their command ...
K'Anpo Rimpoche aids him in regenerating ('' Planet of the Spiders''). In his new incarnation, the Doctor is eager to leave Earth in favour of exploration, thus drawing back from continuous involvement with UNIT (with which he had worked closely as the Third Doctor). He has also grown tired of working for the Time Lords. Despite attempts to avoid them altogether, the Time Lords continue to send him on occasional missions, including an attempt to prevent the creation of the
Daleks The Daleks ( ) are a fictional extraterrestrials in fiction, extraterrestrial race of mutants principally portrayed in the British science fiction on television, science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. They were conceived by write ...
(''
Genesis of the Daleks ''Genesis of the Daleks'' is the fourth serial of the twelfth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was written by Terry Nation and directed by David Maloney, and originally broadcast in six weekly parts fr ...
''), during which he also meets Davros. The Doctor travels with journalist
Sarah Jane Smith Sarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running BBC Television science fiction on television, science fiction series ''Doctor Who'' and two of Doctor Who spin-offs, its spin-offs. Sarah Jane is a dogged in ...
, whom he had befriended prior to his regeneration, and, for a time, with UNIT Surgeon-Lieutenant Harry Sullivan. After a battle with Zygons in Scotland, Harry (having just spent an entire season with the Doctor as they tried to get back to the TARDIS) decided that taking the train was safer than the TARDIS, which the Doctor and Sarah Jane chose to try to make an appointment in London. Instead they ended up on the planet Zeta Minor ('' Planet of Evil''), located at the far edge of the known universe. From this point on, the Doctor and Sarah Jane travelled alone. The Doctor's companionship with Sarah Jane came to an end when he received a telepathic summons to Gallifrey, as humans were not then allowed on the planet. The summons turns out to be part of a trap set by his enemy the Master. The renegade Time Lord has used up all his regenerations and has degenerated into little more than a withered skeletal husk. The Doctor is framed for the assassination of the President of the High Council of Time Lords and put on trial. To avoid execution, the Doctor invokes an obscure law and declares himself a candidate for the office, giving himself the time he needs to prove his innocence and expose the real culprit. This ultimately results in a climactic battle with the Master ('' The Deadly Assassin''). The Doctor is seen to travel alone for the first time, returning to a planet he had visited centuries before. During his previous visit, he had accidentally imprinted his own mind on a human colony ship's powerful computer, Xoanon, leaving it with multiple personalities. On his second visit the Doctor is now remembered as an evil god by the descendants of the colonists, some of whom had become a warrior tribe called the Sevateem. After the Doctor cures the computer, one of the Sevateem, Leela, joins him on his travels ('' The Face of Evil''). The Doctor brings the intelligent but uneducated Leela to many locales in human history, teaching her about science and her own species' past. In Victorian London, the pair encounters the magician Li Hsien Chang and his master, the self-styled Weng-Chiang ('' The Talons of Weng-Chiang''). Weng-Chiang is revealed to be a time-jumping criminal from the Earth's distant future. Later, the Doctor and Leela visit the Bi-Al Foundation medical centre, where they acquire the robot dog K-9 ('' The Invisible Enemy''). While K-9 is malfunctioning, a time distortion leads the TARDIS back to contemporary rural England. While investigating the distortion, he and Leela are confronted by an ancient being that feeds on death from Time Lord history, called the Fendahl ('' Image of the Fendahl''). Eventually, the Doctor returns to Gallifrey and declares himself Lord President, based on the election held during his previous visit. This is in fact a ploy to reveal and defeat a Vardan invasion plan, which led to the unexpected consequence of leaving Gallifrey open to attack by the Sontarans (''
The Invasion of Time ''The Invasion of Time'' is the sixth and final serial of the 15th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in six weekly parts on BBC1 from 4 February to 11 March 1978. It features the fin ...
''). In the aftermath Leela and K9 decide to remain on Gallifrey. The Doctor comforts himself by producing K9 Mark II. Shortly afterward, the powerful
White Guardian The White Guardian is a character in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was played by Cyril Luckham, with the exception of a vocal message in '' The Stones of Blood'' which was performed by Gerald Cro ...
assigns the Doctor the task of finding the six segments of
the Key to Time The sixteenth season of British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', known collectively as ''The Key to Time'', began on 2 September 1978 with ''The Ribos Operation'', and ended with ''The Armageddon Factor''. The arc was originally ...
, sending a young Time Lady named Romana (as portrayed by
Mary Tamm Mary Tamm (22 March 1950 – 26 July 2012) was a British actress, who appeared in many British TV drama series and serials, and is best known for her role as Romana I in the BBC's science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', starrin ...
) to assist him. The two Gallifreyans travel to a variety of planets, encountering strange and unusual allies and enemies, gathering the six segments and defeat the equally powerful
Black Guardian This is a list of villains from the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. For other, related lists, see below. See also * List of ''Doctor Who'' supporting characters * List of ''Doctor Who'' henchmen * Lis ...
, who sought the Key for himself. After the conclusion of the quest, Romana regenerates into a new form (portrayed then by
Lalla Ward Sarah Jill "Lalla" Ward (born 28 June 1951) is an English actress, voice artist and author. She is best known for playing the role of Romana II in the BBC television series ''Doctor Who'' from 1979 to 1981. Career Early career Ward's stage na ...
) ('' Destiny of the Daleks''). In an effort to evade the Black Guardian, the Doctor installs a "Randomiser" in the TARDIS so that not even the Black Guardian can anticipate where they go. Ironically, the first place the Randomiser sends them is the home planet of the Daleks, Skaro ('' Destiny of the Daleks''). Perhaps because of this, the Doctor begins frequently over-riding the machine, first travelling to Paris for a holiday, only to get caught up in an alien scheme to steal the
Mona Lisa The ''Mona Lisa'' ( ; it, Gioconda or ; french: Joconde ) is a half-length portrait painting by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. Considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, it has been described as "the best kno ...
(''
City of Death ''City of Death'' is the second serial of the seventeenth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor. It was produced by the BBC ...
''). He eventually discards the device altogether, remarking that he's fed up with not knowing where he's going. Shortly after this, the Fourth Doctor and Romana are projected outside the known universe and into a universe of negative coordinates, known as Exo-Space. The TARDIS lands on a planet called Alzerius ('' Full Circle''), where they are joined by a young prodigy named Adric. It's in E-Space that the Doctor destroys the last of a race of giant Vampires who had once threatened all life in his universe. Eventually, the Doctor and his two companions find themselves in a white void with no coordinates, a sort of membrane between the two universes. A way out soon forms, but Romana and K-9 choose to remain behind to help free a race of enslaved creatures in E-Space (''
Warriors' Gate ''Warriors' Gate'' is the fifth serial of the 18th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was written by Stephen Gallagher and was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 3 to 24 January 1981. The ...
''). The Doctor and Adric have only just made it back when they're asked to help the people of Traken from a creature known as "Melkur." On Traken, Adric and the Doctor are introduced to the aristocratic Nyssa of Traken. Both Nyssa and her father, Tremas, assist the Doctor in stopping Melkur, who is in fact revealed to be another TARDIS that is controlled by the Master. The Master is narrowly defeated, but manages to take over Tremas' body, thus giving himself a new incarnation. The Doctor decides to travel to Earth to scan a real Police Box as part of a plan to repair the "Chameleon Circuit", the shape-changing mechanism in the TARDIS. However, the Doctor soon spots a mysterious ghostly figure looking at him in the distance. He eventually confronts the figure, who warns him of future dangers. As the Doctor prepares to travel to the planet Logopolis to get the Chameleon Circuit fixed,
Tegan Jovanka Tegan Jovanka is a fictional character played by Janet Fielding in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. An Australian airline stewardess and a native of Brisbane who was a companion of the Fourth and Fifth ...
appears in the console room (having previously gotten lost in the corridors of the TARDIS). The conduit between E-Space and our own universe is revealed to be a Charged Vacuum Emboitment (CVE) created by the mathematicians of Logopolis as part of a system to allow the Universe to continue on past its point of
heat death Heat death may refer to: *Heat death of the universe, a proposed cosmological event ** Heat death paradox, a philosophical examination of the cosmological event *Hyperthermia, injury up to and including death, from excessive heat *Thermal shock, ...
. Nyssa shows up, explaining that she was brought to Logopolis by the same figure that the Doctor encountered. Logopolis soon falls under the Master's control, but the stasis field he is generating ends up releasing
Entropy Entropy is a scientific concept, as well as a measurable physical property, that is most commonly associated with a state of disorder, randomness, or uncertainty. The term and the concept are used in diverse fields, from classical thermodyna ...
and eroding matter throughout the universe, threatening to destroy the entire universe. The Master agrees to help the Doctor stop the spread of Entropy by adapting the Pharos Project
radio telescope A radio telescope is a specialized antenna and radio receiver used to detect radio waves from astronomical radio sources in the sky. Radio telescopes are the main observing instrument used in radio astronomy, which studies the radio frequency ...
on Earth so that they are able to reopen the CVEs. However, when the Master tries to take control of it, the Doctor runs out under the upturned radio dish to sever the cable linking the Master to the CVEs. The Master makes the dish start rotating so that the Doctor will fall to his death. Before he falls, he manages to tear out the cable, only to leave his companions watching as he clings to the cable. As his grip begins to slip, he sees visions of all the enemies he's faced over the years, then falls. Adric, Nyssa, and Tegan gather around the mortally wounded Doctor and call out his name. The Doctor begins seeing visions of all his companions and even the Brigadier calling his name. He then looks up at the three of them and utters his last words: "It's the end-- but the moment has been prepared for..." He then motions to the white-clad figure of the Watcher, who begins approaching the Doctor. The Watcher, a manifestation of the Doctor's future incarnation, merges with the Doctor and triggers his regeneration. "He was the Doctor all the time," remarks Nyssa, as the three watch him transform into the
Fifth Doctor The Fifth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Peter Davison. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time Lord from ...
. The Fourth Doctor appears again in the 20th anniversary special ''
The Five Doctors ''The Five Doctors'' is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', produced in celebration of the programme's 20th anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago ...
'' (1983). A renegade Time Lord attempts to pull the first five incarnations of the Doctor out of time, inadvertently trapping the Fourth Doctor (and Romana) in a "time eddy" from which they are later freed. The Fourth Doctor also had a small cameo at the beginning of
Dimensions in Time ''Dimensions in Time'' is a charity special crossover between the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and the soap opera '' EastEnders'' that ran in two parts on 26 and 27 November 1993. It was filmed on location at Greenwi ...
, warning his Third, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh incarnation to watch out for the Rani. Brief holographic clips of the Fourth Doctor appear in "
The Next Doctor "The Next Doctor" is the first of the 2008–2010 specials of the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who'' that was broadcast on 25 December 2008, as the fourth ''Doctor Who'' Christmas special of the revived series. During ...
" (2008) and " The Eleventh Hour" (2010). In the fiftieth anniversary special, "
The Day of the Doctor ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
" (2013), the Fourth Doctor appears again in clips as past and future incarnations come together to assist in the saving of Gallifrey. Tom Baker also appears in the final scene of the episode, as a mysterious elderly museum curator who appears right after the Eleventh Doctor remarks he would like to hold this job some day. He alludes to his resemblance to the Fourth Doctor by talking about revisiting "old favourite" faces and hints that he too might be or have been the Doctor.


Appearance

Imposingly tall, with eyes that seem to constantly boggle, a mass of curls for hair and prominently displayed teeth, the Doctor favours an outfit that usually consists of a shirt,
waistcoat A waistcoat ( UK and Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a weskit), or vest ( US and Canada), is a sleeveless upper-body garment. It is usually worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear. ...
, cravat,
trousers Trousers (British English), slacks, or pants are an item of clothing worn from the waist to anywhere between the knees and the ankles, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth extending across both legs as in robes, skirts, and ...
, a
frock coat A frock coat is a formal men's coat characterised by a knee-length skirt cut all around the base just above the knee, popular during the Victorian and Edwardian periods (1830s–1910s). It is a fitted, long-sleeved coat with a centre vent at th ...
(with
pocket A pocket is a bag- or envelope-like receptacle either fastened to or inserted in an article of clothing to hold small items. Pockets are also attached to luggage, backpacks, and similar items. In older usage, a pocket was a separate small bag ...
s containing a seemingly endless array of apparently useless items that would nevertheless suit the Doctor's purposes when used), a wide-brimmed hat and, most famously, his impractically long, multi-coloured scarf, which was apparently knitted for him by Madame
Nostradamus Michel de Nostredame (December 1503 – July 1566), usually Latinised as Nostradamus, was a French astrologer, apothecary, physician, and reputed seer, who is best known for his book '' Les Prophéties'' (published in 1555), a collection ...
(whom he refers to as a "witty little knitter"). When it is damaged in '' The Ark in Space'' (1975), the Doctor declares with regret that it is "irreplaceable." According to Baker, the Doctor's scarf was the idea of costume designer James Acheson. Acheson, knowing little about knitting, procured large quantities of various colours of wool, and commissioned Begonia Pope, a friend of his, to create a colourful design. She proceeded to use all of the wool provided, resulting in the absurdly long, but iconic, accessory. Producer Philip Hinchcliffe had wardrobe create three distinct coats for Baker to wear depending on the type of story, the first being the reddish-brown blazer that he wore throughout all of his first season; the other two (full-length) coats were dark brown (for the darker horror stories) and light grey (for more action-packed stories). The Wardrobe Department also provided a brown wide-brimmed felt fedora. The rest was often picked from his own clothes (like neckties, trousers and a
waistcoat A waistcoat ( UK and Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a weskit), or vest ( US and Canada), is a sleeveless upper-body garment. It is usually worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear. ...
). A wider, brighter-coloured scarf debuted with Baker's fourth season and a light brown coat was introduced late in his fifth season. Baker also appeared in a one-off
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
-inspired costume in ''The Talons of Weng-Chiang''. According to both the creators of the show and Baker, the character's look was originally based on paintings and posters by
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec Comte Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901) was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist and illustrator whose immersion in the colourful and theatrical life of Paris in th ...
of his friend,
Aristide Bruant Aristide Bruant (; 6 May 1851 – 11 February 1925) was a French cabaret singer, comedian, and nightclub owner. He is best known as the man in the red scarf and black cape featured on certain famous posters by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. He ...
, a singer and nightclub owner whose trademark was a black cloak and long red scarf. When John Nathan-Turner became the show's producer in Baker's last year, the Fourth Doctor was the first to sport an item of clothing adorned with question marks as a motif, in this case, above the points on his shirt collars. His overall costume was redesigned, changing the colour focus from brown to red. Designer June Hudson later revealed in an interview that Nathan-Turner had even given her permission to remove the scarf altogether if she wanted to. Hudson opted to keep the scarf, as it was such an iconic part of the character.


Story style

The early stories of the Fourth Doctor were characterised by a strong "Gothic Horror" theme. The duo of writer/script editor Robert Holmes and producer Philip Hinchcliffe consciously tapped into horror icons like
mummies A mummy is a dead human or an animal whose soft tissues and organs have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or lack of air, so that the recovered body does not decay furt ...
('' Pyramids of Mars'') and
Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ...
('' The Brain of Morbius'', ''
Robot A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be ...
''),
vampires A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or dea ...
(''
State of Decay ''State of Decay'' is a series of third-person survival horror video games. The series was created by Undead Labs and published by Xbox Game Studios. To date, there are two installments in the franchise, and an upcoming third game. Common game ...
'') and Jekyll and Hyde ('' Planet of Evil''), and even transformation ('' The Ark in Space,
The Seeds of Doom ''The Seeds of Doom'' is the sixth and final serial of the 13th season of the British science fiction television Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fic ...
'') and various themes like alien abduction. In these stories, they were given a science fiction explanation, rather than the typical magic. The Hinchcliffe Era (1974–1977) is one of the most controversial in the classic series run, the increasing horror elements and depictions of violence attracted much criticism from
Mary Whitehouse Constance Mary Whitehouse (; 13 June 1910 – 23 November 2001) was a British teacher and conservative activist. She campaigned against social liberalism and the mainstream British media, both of which she accused of encouraging a more permi ...
, who had previously attacked the Barry Letts era for serials like '' Terror of the Autons'' (1971). The controversy led BBC Director General to apologise to Whitehouse for the ending of one episode of ''
The Seeds of Doom ''The Seeds of Doom'' is the sixth and final serial of the 13th season of the British science fiction television Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fic ...
'' (1976). Hinchcliffe was moved on to police drama ''Target'' in 1977 at the conclusion of his third year. Graham Williams – who had been developing ''Target'' – was brought on to take over as producer for Baker's fourth season. Williams was given specific instructions to lighten the tone of the stories, thus playing to Baker's strengths. However, the first three stories (which were geared towards the previous style) had already been commissioned. Robert Holmes had agreed to stay on to edit them, but he ended up leaving after only doing the first two, '' Horror of Fang Rock'' (1977) and '' The Invisible Enemy'' (1977). The task of editing '' Image of the Fendahl'' (1977) fell to his successor Anthony Read. The season was only narrowly finished. With the cast and crew suffering from burnout and lack of resources, the season finale ''
The Invasion of Time ''The Invasion of Time'' is the sixth and final serial of the 15th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in six weekly parts on BBC1 from 4 February to 11 March 1978. It features the fin ...
'' (1978) was completed largely by virtue of it having been written to make use of preexisting sets, props, and costumes. For their second season, Williams and Read had planned out an overarching storyline that would run through the whole of the season. With more editorial control, it was also decided that the writers would put more emphasis on elements of fantasy and humour. Holmes wrote the first story, ''
The Ribos Operation ''The Ribos Operation'' is the first serial of the 16th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 2 to 23 September 1978. This serial introduces Mary Tamm ...
'' (1978), and the writing team of Bob Baker and Dave Martin handled what would be the final story of the season, ''
The Armageddon Factor ''The Armageddon Factor'' is the sixth and final serial of the 16th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in six weekly parts on BBC1 from 20 January to 24 February 1979. It was the las ...
'' (1979).
Douglas Adams Douglas Noel Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author and screenwriter, best known for ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Originally a 1978 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series), BBC radio comedy, ''The H ...
wrote the second story, ''
The Pirate Planet ''The Pirate Planet'' is the second serial of the 16th season in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 30 September to 21 October 1978. It forms the second serial ...
'' (1978), while another newcomer, David Fisher, wrote the third and fourth stories. Again, difficulties began to arise when the fifth story fell through. Robert Holmes consented to writing what would become ''
The Power of Kroll ''The Power of Kroll'' is the fifth serial of the 16th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 23 December 1978 to 13 January 1979. The serial is set o ...
'' (1978–79). Williams' third and final year on the show is considered a high point in terms of ratings and stories for the entire series. However it proved even more difficult for Williams behind the scenes, as he found Tom Baker increasingly hard to cope with. The most watched episode ever of ''Doctor Who'' was "Part 4" of ''
City of Death ''City of Death'' is the second serial of the seventeenth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor. It was produced by the BBC ...
'' (by Fisher, Adams, and Williams) which drew 16.1 million viewers.
Douglas Adams Douglas Noel Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author and screenwriter, best known for ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Originally a 1978 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series), BBC radio comedy, ''The H ...
became script editor and his style can be seen in the dialogue and stories. For example, in '' Destiny of the Daleks'' (1979), Adams included a scene of the Doctor trapped under a boulder that resembles a similar scene in the second series of ''
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (sometimes referred to as ''HG2G'', ''HHGTTG'', ''H2G2'', or ''tHGttG'') is a comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally a 1978 radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, it ...
''. His time as script editor was beset by problems; Adams often ended up having to greatly edit and even rewrite stories. Once again, facing burnout and lack of funds, Adams eventually agreed to write the final story '' Shada''. Production proved difficult and ended up being unfinished due to a strike at the BBC. Williams left the show, dissatisfied with having left on what he considered to be a low note. In Season 18,
John Nathan-Turner John Nathan-Turner (''né'' Turner; 12 August 1947 – 1 May 2002) was an English television producer. He was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series ''Doctor Who''. He was also the final producer of the series' firs ...
became the series' producer. He instituted a number of changes to the show, including toning down the humour and introducing more science fiction concepts. During this season the Fourth Doctor became very much subdued and, on occasion, melancholy. Baker began the season in poor health, though he eventually recovered. Both the actor and the character seemed noticeably older and tired, due to Baker's gaunt appearance and greying hair. Baker had been finding the role harder and harder to maintain and the previous season had been particularly draining on him. Many of this season's stories also had an elegiac tone, with
entropy Entropy is a scientific concept, as well as a measurable physical property, that is most commonly associated with a state of disorder, randomness, or uncertainty. The term and the concept are used in diverse fields, from classical thermodyna ...
and decay being a recurring theme. New script editor Christopher Bidmead found himself faced with a serious problem from the outset of his time on the show. He ultimately deemed many of the stories left to him by Adams to be unusable, being too close to the humour-driven stories of the previous season. The only one he ended up using was '' The Leisure Hive'' (1980), though only after heavily editing it. Bidmead asked a pair of writing friends to come up with what would be the second story of the season, '' Meglos'' (1980), which ended up being regarded as one of the weakest shows in the series' history up to that point. Bidmead only began to gain some momentum by the fifth story, ''
Warriors' Gate ''Warriors' Gate'' is the fifth serial of the 18th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was written by Stephen Gallagher and was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 3 to 24 January 1981. The ...
''. The story is notable for the Doctor's sombre mood and seeming death wish, as well as the surprisingly adult nature of the story. The surreal, even dream-like elements, such as time shifts and walking through mirrors, also earned the story some distinction. At John Nathan-Turner's insistence the Master was brought back. This was accomplished by Bidmead changing the villain in ''
The Keeper of Traken ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' (1981) into the Master. The overarching theme of decay reaches its conclusion in Baker's final story '' Logopolis'' (1981), which Bidmead personally wrote. The story is particularly sombre, even grim at times. Themes of decay and death are constant in the story, personified in the ghostly Watcher, effectively a harbinger of the Fourth Doctor's 'death'. The Fourth Doctor's stories saw fewer recurring (or returning) enemies than in previous eras. The Daleks only appeared twice and the Cybermen only had one story, '' Revenge of the Cybermen'' (1975).
UNIT Unit may refer to: Arts and entertainment * UNIT, a fictional military organization in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' * Unit of action, a discrete piece of action (or beat) in a theatrical presentation Music * ''Unit'' (a ...
, which had featured in most of the Third Doctor's adventures, only appeared in four early Fourth Doctor stories, playing a minor role in its last appearance, season 13's ''
The Seeds of Doom ''The Seeds of Doom'' is the sixth and final serial of the 13th season of the British science fiction television Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fic ...
'' (1976) in which none of the regular UNIT staff appeared. At the same time, stories such as '' The Deadly Assassin'' (1976) established most of the mythology surrounding the
Time Lords The Time Lords are a fictional ancient race of extraterrestrial people in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', of which the series' main protagonist, the Doctor, is a member. Time Lords are so named for their command ...
and the Doctor's home planet Gallifrey and that would remain a key feature for the rest of the classic series and still be felt in the revived series. For example, it is established that Time Lords only have a limited number of regenerations, which is a driving plot point in the stories ''
Mawdryn Undead ''Mawdryn Undead'' is the third serial of the 20th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was originally broadcast in four twice weekly parts on BBC1 from 1 to 9 February 1983. The serial is set in an Engl ...
'', ''
The Five Doctors ''The Five Doctors'' is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', produced in celebration of the programme's 20th anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago ...
'', ''
The Trial of a Time Lord The twenty-third season of British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', known collectively as ''The Trial of a Time Lord'', aired in weekly episodes from 6 September to 6 December 1986. It contained four adventures: ''The Mysterious ...
'', the 1996 television movie and the 2013 Christmas special "
The Time of the Doctor "The Time of the Doctor" is an episode of the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who'', written by Steven Moffat and directed by Jamie Payne, and was broadcast as the ninth ''Doctor Who'' Christmas special on 25 December 2013 ...
".


Other mentions

Visions of the Fourth Doctor appear in the
Fifth Doctor The Fifth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Peter Davison. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time Lord from ...
serials ''
Earthshock ''Earthshock'' is the sixth serial of the 19th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts on BBC1 from 8 to 16 March 1982. This serial marks the final regular appe ...
'' (1982), ''
Mawdryn Undead ''Mawdryn Undead'' is the third serial of the 20th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was originally broadcast in four twice weekly parts on BBC1 from 1 to 9 February 1983. The serial is set in an Engl ...
'' (1983) and '' Resurrection of the Daleks'' (1984), and in the 21st century series in the episodes "
The Next Doctor "The Next Doctor" is the first of the 2008–2010 specials of the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who'' that was broadcast on 25 December 2008, as the fourth ''Doctor Who'' Christmas special of the revived series. During ...
", " The Eleventh Hour", " The Lodger" and " Nightmare in Silver". His voice is also used in " The Almost People". The Fourth Doctor also appears in Sarah Jane's flashback in ''
The Mad Woman in the Attic ''The Mad Woman in the Attic'' is the second serial of the third series of the British science fiction television series ''The Sarah Jane Adventures''. The two-part story was first broadcast on BBC One on 22 and 23 October 2009, and marks the r ...
'', via footage taken from ''
The Hand of Fear ''The Hand of Fear'' is the second serial of the 14th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 2 to 23 October 1976. The serial was the last regular appe ...
''. Similar flashbacks appear in '' The Sarah Jane Adventures'' story '' Death of the Doctor''. In "
The Name of the Doctor "The Name of the Doctor" is the thirteenth and final episode of the seventh series of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 18 May 2013. It was written by Steven Moffat and directe ...
," he is seen briefly by Clara Oswald wandering around the TARDIS (clip taken from ''
The Invasion of Time ''The Invasion of Time'' is the sixth and final serial of the 15th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in six weekly parts on BBC1 from 4 February to 11 March 1978. It features the fin ...
''). He was also seen as an echo running past Clara inside the Eleventh Doctor's time stream in the end of "The Name of the Doctor." Archival images were used for his appearance in "
The Day of the Doctor ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
". During the special, Tom Baker portrays a mysterious museum curator who speaks with the
Eleventh Doctor The Eleventh Doctor is an incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC Science fiction on television, science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. He is played by Matt Smith in three series as well as fi ...
and hints to him that he may be a future version of the Doctor "revisiting" a favourite past incarnation. The Fourth Doctor is also seen briefly during
Missy Missy or Missie is a feminine first name, often a short form of Melissa. People * Mathilde de Morny (1863-1944), French aristocrat and artist * Michele "Missy" Avila (1968-1985), American murder victim * Missie Berteotti (born 1963), American L ...
's exposition of the Twelfth Doctor's fighting android assassins ("
The Witch's Familiar "The Witch's Familiar" is the second episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 26 September 2015. It was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Hettie Mac ...
").


International reception

For audiences in the United States, who saw the show only in syndication (mostly on PBS), Tom Baker was the incarnation of the Doctor who is the best known, since his episodes were the ones most frequently broadcast stateside. The first four seasons of these Time Life distributed stories added narration by
Howard da Silva Howard Da Silva (born Howard Silverblatt, May 4, 1909 – February 16, 1986) was an American actor, director and musical performer on stage, film, television and radio. He was cast in dozens of productions on the New York stage, appeared in mo ...
at the beginning and end of each episode. Also in Italy, where most of the classic series of ''Doctor Who'' were never broadcast on television, the only episodes to be broadcast were those of the Fourth Doctor.


Other appearances


Spoofs

The Fourth Doctor's distinctive appearance and manner have made him a target for affectionate parody. The character has appeared several times on ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...
'' and twice on ''
Robot Chicken ''Robot Chicken'' is an American adult animated stop motion sketch comedy television series, created and executive produced for Adult Swim by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. The write ...
''. He also had a cameo on ''
Futurama ''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of the professional slacker Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1000 years ...
'' emerging from the stomach of a space whale, and another episode, where he is briefly seen running into the
TARDIS The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space") is a fictional hybrid of the time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. Its exterior a ...
. On ''The'' ''Big Bang Theory'', Stuart dresses as The Fourth Doctor at a party in the episode “The Justice League Recombination”. In the computer game '' Hugo II, Whodunit?'', the player can save the Fourth Doctor from a Dalek in return for his
sonic screwdriver The sonic screwdriver is a fictional multifunctional tool in the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-offs, used by the Doctor. Like the TARDIS, it has become one of the icons of the programme, and spin-o ...
. He is frequently impersonated by impressionist
Jon Culshaw Jonathan Peter Culshaw (born 2 June 1968) is an English actor, comedian and impressionist. He is best known for his work on the radio comedy '' Dead Ringers'' since 2000. Culshaw has voiced a number of characters for ITV shows including ''2D ...
on the radio and television series '' Dead Ringers'', who also voiced the Doctor for the Big Finish audio '' The Kingmaker''. Archival footage of the Fourth Doctor's first title sequence was used in the ''
Family Guy ''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom originally conceived and created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show centers around the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their ch ...
'' episode "
Blue Harvest "Blue Harvest" is the hour-long premiere of the sixth season of the American animated television series ''Family Guy'' and the first part of the series' '' Laugh It Up, Fuzzball'' trilogy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on Sept ...
" to parody hyperspace from ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has been expanded into various film ...
''. In ''
American Dad! ''American Dad!'' is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman for the Fox Broadcasting Company. Since 2014, the series has been airing new episodes on TBS. ''American Dad!'' is the first television ...
'' some Whovians were shown, with several of them dressed as the Fourth Doctor. As the narrator of ''
Little Britain Little Britain may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Little Britain'' (sketch show), a British radio and then TV show ** ''Little Britain USA'', an American spin-off * "Little Britain", a song by Dreadzone from the 1995 album ''Second Light'' * ...
'', Tom Baker has himself alluded to ''Doctor Who''. In the 24th episode of the series '' Epic Rap Battles of History'' the
Tenth Doctor The Tenth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the main protagonist of the BBC science fiction television franchise ''Doctor Who''. He is played by David Tennant in three series as well as nine specials. As with previous incarnations of ...
is in a rap battle with Doc Brown from ''
Back to the Future ''Back to the Future'' is a 1985 American science fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis, and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. It stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson. Set in 1985, ...
'' when he is shot by a Dalek and regenerates into the Fourth Doctor (played by
George Watsky George Virden Watsky (born September 15, 1986), better known mononymously as Watsky, is an American rapper, singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, poet, author, and illustrator. Watsky broke out as a rapper with his viral video "Pale ...
). A background character appearing in one episode of
Toast of London ''Toast of…'' is a British television sitcom, known either as ''Toast of London'' (when it was set in London) or ''Toast of Tinseltown'' (with episodes set in America). It was created by Arthur Mathews and Matt Berry and stars Berry as Steven ...
resembles the fourth incarnation of the Doctor.
Peter Davison Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor with many credits in television dramas and sitcoms. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan ...
, who played the fifth incarnation, also appears in the series as himself.


Advertising

In 1979 and 1980, Tom Baker played the Fourth Doctor (alongside
Lalla Ward Sarah Jill "Lalla" Ward (born 28 June 1951) is an English actress, voice artist and author. She is best known for playing the role of Romana II in the BBC television series ''Doctor Who'' from 1979 to 1981. Career Early career Ward's stage na ...
's Romana) in a series of four television commercials for Prime Computers. Disliking the scripts he was given, Baker agreed to film the advertisements only if he could rewrite them himself, and added a scene where the Doctor follows the computer's instruction to marry Romana. In 1997, Baker reprised the role once again in a spot for New Zealand's National Superannuation insurance company.


Argo Records audio drama

*''
Doctor Who and the Pescatons ''Doctor Who and the Pescatons'' (commonly shortened to ''The Pescatons'') is an audio play in two episodes based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It is written by Victor Pemberton, and stars Tom Bak ...
''


BBC audio dramas

* ''Exploration Earth'': "The Time Machine" *'' Hornets' Nest'' *''
Demon Quest ''Demon Quest'' is an audio play in five episodes based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It is written by Paul Magrs, and stars Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor and Richard Franklin as Captain Mike Ya ...
'' *''
Serpent Crest ''Serpent Crest'' is an radio drama, audio play in five episodes based on the long-running British science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It is written by Paul Magrs, and stars Tom Baker as the Fourth Do ...
'' Tom Baker also recorded narration, in character as the Fourth Doctor, for a 1976 audio release of ''Genesis of the Daleks'', which was subsequently re-issued by the BBC on cassette and CD as a radio drama. Baker returned again to ''Doctor Who'' for the 1990s audio cassette releases of "lost" Doctor Who stories. For some of these stories, he is in character as the Doctor. For others, he merely provides descriptive narration.


Big Finish audio dramas

*'' The Kingmaker'' (cameo voiced by Jon Culshaw—see above) *'' The Beautiful People'' (adventure related by the character
Romana II Romana may refer to: People * Romana (name), a feminine given name, including a list of people with the name * Romana (singer) (Romana Panić, born 1975), a Serbian pop singer * Romaña, a Spanish-language surname, including a list of people with ...
) (2007) *''
The Catalyst "The Catalyst" is a song by the American rock band Linkin Park. Released on August 2, 2010, it is the first single from their fourth studio album, ''A Thousand Suns'', which was released on September 8, 2010. The music video for the song, direct ...
'' (adventure related by the character Leela) (2008) *''Empathy Games'' (adventure related by the character Leela) (2008) *'' Stealers from Saiph'' (adventure related by the character
Romana I Romana, short for Romanadvoratrelundar (), is a fictional character in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. A Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, she is a companion to the Fourth Doctor. As a Time Lord, ...
) (2009) *'' The Pyralis Effect'' (adventure related by the character Romana II) (2009) *''
The Time Vampire ''The Companion Chronicles'' is a sci-fi audio series produced by Big Finish, detailing adventures usually featuring the Doctor, as told by various former companions of his, with only one further voice actor taking part in the narration. It b ...
'' (adventure related by the character Leela) (2010) *'' The Invasion of E-Space'' (adventure related by the character Romana II) (2010) *'' Ferril's Folly'' (adventure related by the character Romana I) (2011) *'' Tales from the Vault'' (short adventure related by the character Romana I) (2011) *''
The Fourth Doctor Boxset ''Doctor Who: The Lost Stories'' is a sci-fi audio series produced by Big Finish Productions of ''Doctor Who'' audio plays adapted from unused TV stories. Episodes Series 1 (2009–10) The first series is largely adapted from stories planned for ...
'' (adventures related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2011) **'' The Foe from the Future'' **'' The Valley of Death'' *''
Destination Nerva In 2012, Big Finish Productions began producing audio dramas featuring ''Doctor Who''s fourth Doctor, as portrayed by Tom Baker. Baker had previously declined to feature in any Big Finish releases, but after recording a trilogy of full cast au ...
'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2012) *'' The Renaissance Man'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2012) *''
The Wrath of the Iceni ''The Wrath of the Iceni'' is an audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. This audio drama was produced by Big Finish Productions. Plot Norfolk, c. 60 AD, The Roman Occupation of Britain. ...
'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2012) *''
Energy of the Daleks ''Energy of the Daleks'' is an audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. This audio drama was produced by Big Finish Productions. Plot The scene is set in London 2025. An energy crisis pers ...
'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2012) *''
Trail of the White Worm ''Trail of the White Worm'' is an audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. This audio drama was produced by Big Finish Productions. This is the first part of a two-part story, the second pa ...
'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2012) *''
The Oseidon Adventure ''The Oseidon Adventure'' is an audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. This audio drama was produced by Big Finish Productions. This is the second part of a two-part story, the first part ...
'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2012) *'' The Child'' (adventure related by the character Leela) (2012) *''
The Auntie Matter ''The Auntie Matter'' is an audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. This audio drama was produced by Big Finish Productions. Plot The Doctor and Romana are hiding from the Black Guardian ...
'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Romana I) (2013) *'' The Sands of Life'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana I & K9) (2013) *''War Against The Laan'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Romana I) (2013) *''The Justice of Jalxar'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana I, Jago & Litefoot) (2013) *''Phantoms of the Deep'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana I & K9) (2013) *''The Dalek Contract'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana I & K9) (2013) *'' The Final Phase'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana I & K9) (2013) *'' Destiny of the Doctor: Babblesphere'' (adventure related by the character Romana II) (2013) *''
The Light at the End ''The Light at the End'' is a 1986 vampire novel by John Skipp & Craig Spector which became a ''New York Times'' bestseller and is often credited as the book that started the splatterpunk movement. Story The book takes place in the 1980s punk s ...
'' (50th Anniversary Special; Fourth Doctor voiced by Tom Baker) (2013) *'' Night of the Stormcrow'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2013) *''Luna Romana'' (adventure related by the characters Romana II & Romana III) (2014) *''The King of Sontar'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2014) *''White Ghosts'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2014) *''The Crooked Man'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2014) *''Last of the Colophon'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2014) *''Destroy the Infinite'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2014) *''The Abandoned'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2014) *''Zygon Hunt'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2014) *'' Doctor Who: Philip Hinchcliffe Presents'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2014) **''The Ghosts of Gralstead'' **''The Devil's Armada'' *''
The Romance of Crime ''The Romance of Crime'' is an original novel written by Gareth Roberts and based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It features the Fourth Doctor, Romana II and K-9. It takes place directly before th ...
'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana II & K9) (2015) *''The English way of Death'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana II & K9) (2015) *''The Exxilons'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Leela & K9) (2015) *''The Darkness of Glass'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2015) *''Requiem for the Rocket Men'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Leela & K9) (2015) *''Death Match'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Leela & K9) (2015) *''Suburban Hell'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2015) *''The Cloisters of Terror'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2015) *''The Fate of Krelos'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Leela & K9) (2015) *''Return to Telos'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Leela & K9) (2015) *''
The Well-Mannered War ''The Well-Mannered War'' is a Virgin Missing Adventures original novel written by Gareth Roberts based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It features the Fourth Doctor, Romana and K-9. This was the ...
'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana II & K9) (2015) *''The Wave of Destruction'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana II & K9) (2016) *''The Labyrinth of Buda Castle'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Romana II) (2016) *''The Paradox Planet'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana II & K9) (2016) *''Legacy of Death'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana II & K9) (2016) *''Gallery of Ghouls'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Romana II) (2016) *''The Trouble with Draxx'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana II & K9) (2016) *''The Pursuit of History'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana II & K9) (2016) *''Casualties of Time'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana II & K9) (2016) *''The Genesis Chamber'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2016) *''The Beast of Kravenos'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana II & K9) (2017) *''The Eternal Battle'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana II & K9) (2017) *''The Silent Scream'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Romana II & K9) (2017) *''Dethras'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Romana II) (2017) *''The Helm of Awe'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2017) *''The Haunting of Malkin Place'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Romana II) (2017) *''Subterranea'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Romana II) (2017) *''The Movellan Grave'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Romana II) (2017) *''Night of the Vashta Nerada'' (adventure related by the character the Fourth Doctor) (2017) *''The Skin of the Sleek'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Romana II) (2017) *''The Thief Who Stole Time'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Romana II) (2017) *''The Sons of Kaldor'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2018) *''The Crowmarsh Experiment'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2018) *''The Mind-Runners'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Leela & K9) (2018) *''The Demon Rises'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor, Leela & K9) (2018) *''The Shadow of London'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2018) *''The Bad Penny'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2018) *''Kill the Doctor!'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2018) *''The Age of Sutekh'' (adventure related by the characters the Fourth Doctor & Leela) (2018)


Short Trips audios

*''Death-Dealer'' *''Chain Reaction'' *''Seven to One'' *''The Wondrous Box'' *''The Old Rogue''


Audio books

* ''
Glass Glass is a non- crystalline, often transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most often formed by rapid cooling (quenchin ...
'' * '' Old Flames''


Novels


Virgin New Adventures

* '' Timewyrm: Genesys'' by
John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
(appears as a holographic message for the
Seventh Doctor The Seventh Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', and the final incarnation of the original Doctor Who series. He is portrayed by Scottish actor Sylvester McCoy. W ...
, warning his future self of danger before his memory of the threat is lost) * '' Timewyrm: Revelation'' by Paul Cornell (appears as the Doctor's memory of him in the Seventh Doctor's subconscious)


Virgin Missing Adventures

* ''
Evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...
'' by
John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
* ''
The Romance of Crime ''The Romance of Crime'' is an original novel written by Gareth Roberts and based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It features the Fourth Doctor, Romana II and K-9. It takes place directly before th ...
'' by Gareth Roberts * ''
System Shock ''System Shock'' is a 1994 first-person action-adventure video game developed by LookingGlass Technologies and published by Origin Systems. It was directed by Doug Church with Warren Spector serving as producer. The game is set aboard a space ...
'' by
Justin Richards Justin Richards (born 14 September 1961) is a British writer. He has written science fiction and fantasy novels, including series set in Victorian or early-20th-century London, and also adventure stories set in the present day. He has written ...
* ''
Managra ''Managra'' is an original novel written by Stephen Marley and based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. The novel features the Fourth Doctor and Sarah. The title is an anagram An anagram is a wor ...
'' by Stephen Marley * ''The English Way of Death'' by Gareth Roberts * '' The Shadow of Weng-Chiang'' by
David A. McIntee David A. McIntee (born 31 December 1968) is a British writer. Career McIntee has written many spin-off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', as well as one each based on ''Final Destination'' and '' Space: 19 ...
* ''A Device of Death'' by
Christopher Bulis Christopher Bulis is a writer best known for his work on various Doctor Who spin-offs. He is one of the most prolific authors to write for the various ranges of spin-offs from the BBC Television series ''Doctor Who'', with twelve novels to his na ...
* ''
The Well-Mannered War ''The Well-Mannered War'' is a Virgin Missing Adventures original novel written by Gareth Roberts based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It features the Fourth Doctor, Romana and K-9. This was the ...
'' by Gareth Roberts


Past Doctor Adventures

* ''
Eye of Heaven The ''Past Doctor Adventures'' (sometimes known by the abbreviation ''PDA'' or ''PDAs'') were a series of spin-off novels based on the long running BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and published under the BBC Books imprint ...
'' by Jim Mortimore * '' Last Man Running'' by Chris Boucher * '' Millennium Shock'' by
Justin Richards Justin Richards (born 14 September 1961) is a British writer. He has written science fiction and fantasy novels, including series set in Victorian or early-20th-century London, and also adventure stories set in the present day. He has written ...
* ''
Corpse Marker ''Corpse Marker'' is a BBC Books original novel written by Chris Boucher and based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It features the Fourth Doctor and Leela. The concepts and characters are derived f ...
'' by Chris Boucher * '' Tomb of Valdemar'' by Simon Messingham * '' Heart of TARDIS'' by Dave Stone (Also features the
Second Doctor The Second Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He was portrayed by actor Patrick Troughton. While the Troughton era of ''Doctor Who'' is well-remembered by fans an ...
, although neither Doctor meets the other, each Doctor simply tackling a different end of the same crisis with only the Fourth aware of his other self's involvement) * '' Festival of Death'' by Jonathan Morris * ''
Asylum Asylum may refer to: Types of asylum * Asylum (antiquity), places of refuge in ancient Greece and Rome * Benevolent Asylum, a 19th-century Australian institution for housing the destitute * Cities of Refuge, places of refuge in ancient Judea ...
'' by Peter Darvill-Evans (features the Fourth Doctor early in his life interacting with Nyssa from a point after she has left the
Fifth Doctor The Fifth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Peter Davison. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time Lord from ...
) * ''
Psi-ence Fiction ''Psi-ence Fiction'' is a BBC Books original novel written by Chris Boucher and based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It features the Fourth Doctor The Fourth Doctor is an incarnation of the Do ...
'' by Chris Boucher * ''
Drift Drift or Drifts may refer to: Geography * Drift or ford (crossing) of a river * Drift, Kentucky, unincorporated community in the United States * In Cornwall, England: ** Drift, Cornwall, village ** Drift Reservoir, associated with the village ...
'' by
Simon A. Forward Simon A. Forward (born 1967 in Penzance) is an author and dramatist most famous for his work on a variety of ''Doctor Who'' spin-offs. He lives and works in Penzance (with his two cats) as a full-time writer. Work Forward specialises in sci-fi ...
* '' Wolfsbane'' by
Jacqueline Rayner Jacqueline Rayner is a British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Biography Her first professional writing credit came when she adapted Pau ...
(Also features the
Eighth Doctor The Eighth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Paul McGann. The character was introduced in the 1996 TV film '' Doctor Who'', a back-door ...
, although neither are aware of the other's actions due to the Eighth Doctor's current
amnesia Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use ...
, the Fourth simply tying up loose ends left by the Eighth) * ''
Match of the Day ''Match of the Day'' (abbreviated to ''MOTD'') is a football highlights programme, typically broadcast on BBC One on Saturday nights, during the Premier League season. The show's current presenter is former England international striker Gary ...
'' by Chris Boucher * '' Doctor Who: Shada: The Lost Adventure by Douglas Adams'' by Gareth Roberts


Eighth Doctor Adventures

*''
The Eight Doctors ''The Eight Doctors'' is a BBC Books original novel written by Terrance Dicks and based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was the first of the Eighth Doctor Adventures range and features the Eighth ...
'' by Terrance Dicks *Seen in the TARDIS mirror in ''
Camera Obscura A camera obscura (; ) is a darkened room with a small hole or lens at one side through which an image is projected onto a wall or table opposite the hole. ''Camera obscura'' can also refer to analogous constructions such as a box or tent in w ...
''


Telos Doctor Who novellas

* '' Ghost Ship'' by
Keith Topping Keith Andrew Topping (born 26 October 1963 in Walker, Tyneside) is an author, journalist and broadcaster. He is most well known for his work relating to the BBC Television series ''Doctor Who'' and for writing numerous official and unofficial g ...


Penguin Fiftieth Anniversary eBook novellas

* ''The Roots of Evil'' by Philip Reeve


Other

* ''Scratchman'' by
Tom Baker Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934) is an English actor and writer. He is well known for his portrayal of the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' from 1974 to 1981.Scott, Danny. (1 ...
and James Goss


Comics


''TV Comic''

*"Death Flower" *"Return of the Daleks" *"The Wreckers" *"The Emperor's Spy" *"The Sinister Sea" *"The Space Ghost" *"The Dalek Revenge" *"Virus" *"Treasure Trails" *"Hubert's Folly" *"Counter-Rotation" *"Mind Snatch" *"The Hoaxers" *"The Mutant Strain" *"Double Trouble" *"Dredger" *"The False Planet" *"The Fire Feeders" *"Kling Dynasty" *"The Orb" *"The Mutants" *"The Devil's Mouth" *"The Aqua-City" *"The Snow Devils" *"The Space Garden" *"The Eerie Manor" *"Guardian of the Tomb" *"The Image Makers"


''TV Comic Annual''

*"Woden's Warrior" *"The Tansbury Experiment" *"Jackels of Space"


''TV Comic Specials''

*"The Sky Warriors"


''Doctor Who Magazine''

*"Black Destiny" *"Victims" *"The Iron Legion" *"City of the Damned" *"K9's Finest Hour" *"Timeslip" *"The Star Beast" *"The Dogs of Doom" *"The Time Witch" *"Dragon's Claw" *"The Collector" *"Dreamers of Death" *"The Life Bringer" *"War of the Words" *"Spider-God" *"The Deal" *"End of the Line" *"The Freefall Warriors" *"Junkyard Demon" *"Neutron Knights"


''Doctor Who Magazine'' specials

*"The Naked Flame" *"Rest and Re-Creation" *"The Seventh Segment" *"Starbeast II" *"Junkyard Demons II"


''IDW'' series

*"The Forgotten" *"The Time Machination" *'' Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2'' (Flashback of the Fourth Doctor) *"Prisoners of Time"


Video games

*'' Dalek Attack'' *''
Destiny of the Doctors ''Doctor Who: Destiny of the Doctors'' is an action video game based on the BBC British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was released on 5 December 1997 by BBC Multimedia. Overview A collaboration between BBC Multimedia ...
'' *''
Lego Dimensions ''Lego Dimensions'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure platform crossover video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox One and Xbox 360. I ...
'' *''
Fall Guys ''Fall Guys'' (formerly known as ''Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout'') is a free-to-play platform battle royale game developed by Mediatonic. The game involves up to 60 players who control jellybean-like creatures and compete against each other ...
''


See also

*'' Doctor Who and the Daleks in the Seven Keys to Doomsday'' – a stage play that opened two weeks before Baker began his tenure as the Doctor. In the play,
Trevor Martin Trevor Gordon Martin (17 November 1929 – 5 October 2017) was a British stage and film actor known for playing popular British characters. Early life and education Martin's parents were from Dundee; he was raised in Enfield, and after ...
plays an alternate version of the Fourth Doctor.


References


External links


The Fourth Doctor on the BBC's ''Doctor Who'' website

Fourth Doctor Gallery

Fourth Doctor's theme music

Fourth Doctor title sequence
{{Subject bar , portal2=1980s , portal3=Doctor Who , commons=y Television characters introduced in 1974 04 04 Fictional presidents Male characters in television Fictional extraterrestrial characters 4 (number)