Country of origin United Kingdom No. of episodes 28 | No. of stories 7 Original network BBC One | |
Starring Tom Baker
Lalla Ward
John Leeson
Matthew Waterhouse
Sarah Sutton
Janet Fielding Original release 30 August 1980 (1980-08-30) – 21 March 1981 (1981-03-21) | ||
The eighteenth season of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 30 August 1980 with the serial The Leisure Hive, and ended with Tom Baker's last story Logopolis.
Contents
Main cast
Season 18 sees the swan song of Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor, ending his time after seven years on the program. New companions Adric (Matthew Waterhouse), Nyssa (Sarah Sutton), and Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding) make their introductions in Full Circle, The Keeper of Traken, and Logopolis, respectively. Romana, played by Lalla Ward, departs from the series in Warriors' Gate, along with John Leeson who returns to voice the robot K9. With the arrival of Adric, this season marks the first time since 1967 that the show has given the Doctor a party of three travelling companions.
Guest stars
The Master returns to the show, this time played by Geoffrey Beevers, in The Keeper of Traken. After the events of Traken the Master is played by Anthony Ainley, who would continue to play the Master for the rest of the classic series run.
Jacqueline Hill, who plays the First Doctor's companion Barbara Wright, returns in Meglos, although this time playing the one-off character Lexa.
Serials
For Season 18 John Nathan-Turner replaces Graham Williams as producer. Barry Letts returns as executive producer, for just this season. Christopher H. Bidmead also replaces Douglas Adams as script editor. In a return to the format of early seasons, virtually all serials from Seasons 18 through 20 are linked together, often running directly into each other. Three serials – Full Circle, State of Decay, and Warriors' Gate – are part of a trilogy within the season. These three serials include the arrival of Adric and the departure of Romana and K9.
Over the period of Christmas 1980, the season took a two-week transmission break between the broadcasts of State of Decay and Warriors' Gate.
Broadcast
The entire season was broadcast from 30 August 1980 to 21 March 1981.
DVD Release
All serials of season 18 were released individually in between 2004 and 2011.