1986 (releases)


 * January - DWM 108 was published.
 * 9 January - Doctor Who - The Gunfighters was first published.
 * February - DWM 109 was published.
 * 13 February - Doctor Who - The Time Monster was first published.
 * March - DWM 110 was published.
 * 13 March - Doctor Who - The Twin Dilemma was first published.
 * 27 March - Search for the Doctor and Crisis in Space, books one and two of the Make Your Own Adventure with Doctor Who line were published by Severn House.
 * April - DWM 111 was published.
 * 10 April - Doctor Who - Galaxy Four was first published.
 * May - DWM 112 was published.
 * 15 May - Doctor Who - Timelash was first published.
 * 15 May - Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma was first published.
 * 15 May - REF: Doctor Who: The Early Years was first published.
 * June - DWM 113 was published.
 * 12 June - Doctor Who - The Mark of the Rani was first published.
 * Summer - Doctor Who Magazine Summer Special 1986 was published.
 * July - DWM 114 was published.
 * 10 July - Doctor Who - The King's Demons was first published.
 * 17 July - REF: Travel Without the TARDIS was first published.
 * August - DWM 115 was published.
 * August - Marvel Comics in the United States published the 23rd and final issue of Doctor Who, a monthly series of reprints of comic strips and other material from Doctor Who Magazine.
 * 21 August - Doctor Who - Slipback was first published.
 * 25 August - Wogan 1986 was first broadcast on BBC One.
 * 28 August - Garden of Evil and Race Against Time, books three and four of the Make Your Own Adventure with Doctor Who line, were first published by Severn House.
 * September - DWM 116 was published.
 * 6 September - The Mysterious Planet Part One debuted on BBC1, launching the belated Season 23.
 * 11 September - Doctor Who - The Savages was first published.
 * 11 September - Harry Sullivan's War was first published.
 * 13 September - The Mysterious Planet Part Two debuted on BBC1.
 * 18 September - REF: The Doctor Who File was first published.
 * 20 September - The Doctor Who Roland Rat: The Series special was first broadcast.
 * 20 September - The Mysterious Planet Part Three debuted on BBC1.
 * 27 September - The Mysterious Planet Part Four debuted on BBC1.
 * 29 September - Doctor Who Collected Comics, a reprinting of several Doctor Who Magazine strips, was published by Marvel Comics.
 * October - Mission to Venus and Invasion of the Ormazoids, books five and six of the Make Your Own Adventure with Doctor Who line, were first published.
 * October - DWM 117 was published.
 * 4 October - Mindwarp Part One debuted on BBC1.
 * 11 October - Mindwarp Part Two debuted on BBC1.
 * 16 October - Doctor Who - Fury from the Deep was first published. It was promoted as a "bumper volume" due to a higher word count than most Target Books released up to this time.
 * 18 October - Mindwarp Part Three debuted on BBC1.
 * 25 October - Mindwarp Part Four debuted on BBC1. Nicola Bryant left the series with this episode.
 * Winter - Doctor Who Magazine Winter Special 1986 was published.
 * November - REF: The Companions was first published.
 * November - DWM 118 was published.
 * 1 November - Terror of the Vervoids Part One debuted on BBC1.
 * 8 November - Terror of the Vervoids Part Two debuted on BBC1.
 * 11 November - REF: The Doctor Who Cookbook was published in paperback.
 * 15 November - Terror of the Vervoids Part Three debuted on BBC1.
 * 20 November - Doctor Who - The Celestial Toymaker was first published.
 * 22 November - Terror of the Vervoids Part Four debuted on BBC1.
 * 29 November - The Ultimate Foe Part One debuted on BBC1.
 * December - The US edition of REF: The Companions was first published.
 * December - DWM 119 was published.
 * 4 December - Doctor Who - The Seeds of Death was first published.
 * 6 December - The Ultimate Foe Part Two debuted on BBC1, concluding Season 23.

Unknown dates

 * Doctor Who and the Mines of Terror was first published.