FIFTH DOCTOR

PETER DAVISON —1982-1984

With a new production team in place, the show began to take on a slicker, more modern look.  New theme music arrangement, spiffy new titles both helped add to that impression.  The Davison years are generally remembered for high production values, good stories and a serious growth of Who fandom in America.   

Ratings had begun to fall off at the end of the Tom Baker era, and Peter Davison was exactly what the show needed to bring new life to the part.  Ratings for Davison's first season were extremely good, and viewers were rewarded with a number of surprises.  After a return of the Master to usher in the new Doctor's tenure, and the introduction of a cool new race called the Terileptl, the audience was treated to something that had not been seen in 16 years: a true historical story.  The 2-part "Black Orchid" is one of the rare treasures of the Davison era: no aliens, no ray guns, no explosions.  Just a good cricket match and a costume ball wrapped up in a murder mystery.  

After "Black Orchid", another surprise hit: the cliff-hanger of "Earthshock" pt. 1.  In the final 5 seconds, you get a very fast glimpse of newly redesigned Cybermen, who'd not been seen on the show in 7 years.  Their involvement in the story had been kept a pretty close secret to give the cliffhanger the best possible impact.  And that it did.  But that wasn't the only surprise in store.  The story ended with the death of a companion, something not seen since Hartnell.  Adric, trapped on a freighter ship headed on a crash course for Earth, dies violently in the explosion of the crash.  The TARDIS damaged by the Cybermen, the Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa can do nothing by stand by and watch.  The end credits roll in silence.  

The following year, the series celebrated its 20th birthday by bringing back elements from its past.  "Arc of Infinity" featured a rematch with Omega, returning from "The Three Doctors" ten years earlier.  The Mara, the Black Guardian, the Brigadier, and the Master all made appearances as well.  The season culminated with "The Five Doctors", which featured a return of 3 of the 5 Doctors (Hartnell had already passed away, and his roll was played ably by Richard Hurndall; Tom Baker declined to participate, but he was represented via previously unaired clips from "Shada"), 10 companions, a Dalek, the Cybermen, a Yeti, Raston Warrior Robots (they're new) and Rassilon himself.  

The third season was probably the best of the three.  It began rather lamely with a return of the Silurians and the Sea Devils, which could have been exciting, but failed miserably.  After that, though, the stories were all of very high calibre, with Davison's final story, "The Caves of Androzani", generally considered to the best Doctor Who story ever.  

The Doctor and Peri are poisoned with Spectrox Toxaemia.  The Doctor finds an antidote, but there's just enough for one.  He gives it to Peri, saving her life, but uncertain that he'll be able to regenerate. 

Recommended Viewing

Listed below are some of the standout stories from the Fifth Doctor era, hand selected by members of the Atlanta Gallifreyans. The titles are listed in order of most votes.

"Mawdryn Undead" (1983)
Starring Peter Davison (the Doctor), Sarah Sutton (Nyssa), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Mark Strickson (Turlough), Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart)

The TARDIS materialises on a huge spacecraft, concealed above the Earth. The Doctor and his companions are separated—the Doctor uses a transmat device to go down to Earth, while Nyssa and Tegan follow in the TARDIS. Arriving on Earth in 1977, Nyssa and Tegan meet up with the (retired) Brigadier and search for the Doctor. They are horrified when they meet a creature that claims to be the Doctor after an unsuccessful regeneration—locked into a continuous cycle of regenerations! But is it the Doctor?

****

"The Caves of Androzani" (1984)
Starring Peter Davison (the Doctor), Nicola Bryant (Peri)

The Doctor and Peri arrive on Androzani Minor in a vast underground cave system, where they are mistaken for gun-runners by General Chellak's soldiers. Sentenced to death, they are rescued by Sharaz Jek, a hideously disfigured ex-scientist who is plotting his revenge on Morgus, the corrupt industrialist who caused Jek's disfigurement. The Doctor and Peri find they are both suffering from Spectrox Toxoemia, a progressively fatal condition that can only be cured by the milk of a rare bat. As the effects of the Toxoemia become worse, can the Doctor find the antidote before they both die?

****

"Enlightenment" (1983)
Starring Peter Davison (the Doctor), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Mark Strickson (Turlough)

The White Guardian warns the Doctor of a terrible peril, and sends the TARDIS to an Edwardian racing yacht. The Doctor is amazed when he realised that the yacht is, in fact, a space yacht and that the race is around the Solar system! The Captain, Straker, and his officers are Eternals—immortal beings with little imagination, racing for the ultimate prize of Enlightenment. The Buccaneer Captain of another ship, Wrack, is a servant of the Black Guardian and must be prevented from winning the race at all costs!

****

"Resurrection of the Daleks" (1982)
Starring Peter Davison (the Doctor), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Mark Strickson (Turlough), Terry Molloy (Davros)

In a deserted area of the London Docks, a group of fugitives appear from thin air, and are gunned down by two menacing policemen with futuristic weapons. The Doctor detects and then follows a time corridor, and discovers that a group of mercenaries are trying to liberate Davros from his long cryogenic imprisonment on board a specially constructed prison satellite.

****

"Earthshock" (1982)
Starring Peter Davison (the Doctor), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Sarah Sutton (Nyssa), Matthew Waterhouse (Adric)

Time: The 25th century, Place: Earth. A party of soldiers are called to investigate the mysterious deaths of a group of scientists researching fossils in a network of caves. One by one, the soldiers are picked off by a terrifying force that reduces a human to a sticky gel! Just then the TARDIS materialises in the caves and the Doctor and his companions are immediately suspects. Can the Doctor and his companions prove their innocence and find out what is down there?

****

"Planet of Fire" (1984)
Starring Peter Davison (the Doctor), Mark Strickson (Turlough), Nicola Bryant (Peri), Anthony Ainley (the Master)

A young American girl, Peri, discovers a strange artefact while holidaying with her step-father in the Mediterranean. After an accident, Turlough brings her aboard the TARDIS to recover. The artefact leads the Doctor to the volcanic world of Sarn, where Turlough begins to find the natives strangely familiar. Peri is left behind on the TARDIS with Kamelion, who begins to act strangely, finally shapeshifting into the form of the Master!

To add your comments to the titles above, or to recommend an additional title, please email me. Thanks!