Doctor Who (season 18)


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.

Casting

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, Nyssa, and Tegan Jovanka 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

returned to the show, this time played by Geoffrey Beevers, in The Keeper of Traken. After the events of Traken the Master was thereafter played by Anthony Ainley, who would continue in the part for the rest of the classic series' run.
Jacqueline Hill, who had played the First Doctor's companion Barbara Wright, returned in Meglos, although this time playing a different character, the alien priestess 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.

Home media

VHS releases

DVD and Blu-ray releases

In print

Serial nameNovelisation titleAuthorFirst published
The Leisure HiveDoctor Who and the Leisure HiveDavid Fisher22 July 1982
MeglosMeglosTerrance Dicks5 May 1983
Full CircleFull CircleAndrew Smith16 September 1982
State of DecayDoctor Who and the State of DecayTerrance Dicks17 September 1981
Warriors' GateDoctor Who and Warriors' GateJohn Lydecker15 April 1982
The Keeper of TrakenDoctor Who and the Keeper of TrakenTerrance Dicks20 May 1982
LogopolisLogopolisChristopher H. Bidmead21 October 1982