<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

Doctor Who, Season Nineteen saw the introduction of a new actor in the title role for the first time in seven years. The enormously popular Tom Baker had moved on to be replaced by the far younger Peter Davison. Davison and producer John Nathan-Turner had decided that this new incarnation should be less omniscient, more vulnerable.

For this season, the Doctor had inherited a full TARDIS. No less than three new companion characters (Adric, Nyssa, and Tegan) had been added at the end of the previous season. It quickly became clear that this was simply too many as the writers had difficulty juggling four principal characters. Ultimately, it was decided that Adric was becoming annoying and that his character should be written out at the end of the season's penultimate story "Earthshock."

Season 18 script editor Christopher Bidmead had also moved on. Anthony Root stepped into the role temporarily until a replacement could be found. Eric Saward took over permanently later in the season based on the strength of his script for "The Visitation."

In terms of stories, the season is notable for wrapping up the trilogy of stories recounting the return of arch enemy the Master and for the return of long time baddies the Cybermen, who had not appeared since season 12. Furthermore, "Black Orchid" was the first purely historical adventure to be offered since season 4.

For this season, the program was moved from its traditional Saturday night slot. It would now air Monday and Tuesday nights starting on January 4, 1982. Although originally 28 episodes were comissioned for this season, the resources for two episodes were re-allocated to the production of the pilot for the K-9 and Company spinoff, leaving the final episode count at 26.

• Castrovalva (4 episodes)
• Four to Doomsday (4 episodes)
• Kinda (4 episodes)
• The Visitation (4 episodes)
• Black Orchid (2 episodes)
• Earthshock (4 episodes)
• Time Flight (4 episodes)