Theory:Timeline - Fourth Doctor

This page lists appearances of the Fourth Doctor in the order in which he experienced them. This timeline is based on observations of the Doctor Who universe and the events in each of these stories. From these observations we have attempted to build a concise timeline. It is assumed, much like their TV story counterparts, that each novel or audio series their published/numbered order is the order they occur in. There are also many gaps between stories.

The layout of this timeline is based in part on the observations on Doctor Who Reference Guide and Doctor Who - The Complete Adventures, Lance Parkin's AHistory and other sources that allow us to make observations. None of these sources should be used solely as a source or considered a "true" timeline for stories.

Companions
Due to the nature of travel throughout season 12, any story featuring TARDIS travel with Harry Sullivan (other than TV: The Ark in Space) must take place after TV: Revenge of the Cybermen and before TV: Terror of the Zygons. Any story with Sarah Jane Smith must take place before TV: The Hand of Fear. Any story with Leela must take place after TV: The Face of Evil and before TV: The Invasion of Time. Any story with K9 Mark I must take place after TV: The Invisible Enemy and before TV: The Invasion of Time. Any story with K9 Mark II must take place after TV: The Invasion of Time and before TV: Warriors' Gate. Any story with Romana I must take place after TV: The Ribos Operation and before TV: Destiny of the Daleks. Any story with Romana II must take place after TV: Destiny of the Daleks and before TV: Warriors' Gate. Any story with Adric must be set after TV: Full Circle.

Costume
The Fourth Doctor has an advantage when dating his stories due to his costume. The Doctor started out with a small red coat, a rainbow scarf, and blue geans. His coat soon grew to a larger deep brown coat. Eventually, his costume turned into the "red" version. This makes dating very simple when looking at how the Doctor is dressed.

Series basics
The Fourth Doctor's stories can be sorted roughly by which companions he travels with and also the medium in which the companions first appeared together.

TV created

 * Sarah Jane Smith, Harry Sullivan
 * Sarah Jane Smith
 * Leela
 * Leela, K9 Mark I
 * K9 Mark II
 * K9, Romana I
 * K9, Romana II
 * K9, Romana II, Adric
 * Adric
 * Adric, Nyssa, Tegan Jovanka

Short story created

 * Oliver Day

Comic created

 * Andric
 * Sharon Davies

Audio created

 * Fenella Wibbsey

Timeline

 * TV: Planet of the Spiders
 * TV: Robot
 * COMIC: Death Flower


 * TV: The Ark in Space
 * TV: The Sontaran Experiment
 * TV: Genesis of the Daleks
 * PROSE: A Device of Death
 * A Device of Death occurs just after Genesis of the Daleks


 * TV: Revenge of the Cybermen
 * PROSE: The Hospitality on Hankus
 * COMIC: The Psychic Jungle
 * PROSE: The Sinister Sponge
 * COMIC: Neuronic Nightmare
 * PROSE: Avast There!
 * PROSE: The Mission
 * PROSE: War on Aquatica
 * PROSE: Cyclone Terror
 * PROSE: The Time Snatch
 * COMIC: The Body Snatcher
 * PROSE: The Eye-Spiders of Pergross
 * PROSE: Detour to Diamedes
 * PROSE: Double Trouble
 * COMIC: Menace on Metalupiter
 * PROSE: Secret of the Bald Planet
 * TV: Terror of the Zygons
 * TV: Planet of Evil
 * TV: Pyramids of Mars
 * PROSE: Scarab of Death
 * TV: The Android Invasion
 * TV: The Brain of Morbius
 * PROSE: UNIT Christmas Parties: Ships That Pass
 * COMIC: Woden's Warriors
 * COMIC: The Hoaxers
 * COMIC: The Tansbury Experiment
 * PROSE: Only Connect
 * TV: The Seeds of Doom
 * PROSE: System Shock
 * PROSE: Autaia Pipipi Pia
 * TV: The Masque of Mandragora
 * TV: The Hand of Fear
 * TV: The Deadly Assassin
 * PROSE: Ghost Ship
 * PROSE: Farewells
 * COMIC: Assimilation²
 * The Doctor is alone.


 * COMIC: Under Pressure
 * PROSE: Down to Earth
 * PROSE: UNITed We Fall
 * PROSE: The Doctor's Cross Word
 * TV: The Face of Evil
 * TV: The Robots of Death
 * AUDIO : The Foe from the Future
 * TV: The Talons of Weng-Chiang
 * COMIC: The Time Machination
 * The Time Machination occurs during The Talons of Weng-Chiang


 * AUDIO: Destination: Nerva
 * Set directly after The Talons of Weng-Chiang


 * AUDIO: The Renaissance Man
 * AUDIO: The Wrath of the Iceni
 * AUDIO: Energy of the Daleks
 * AUDIO: Trail of the White Worm
 * AUDIO: The Oseidon Adventure
 * AUDIO: The Catalyst
 * AUDIO: Empathy Games
 * AUDIO: The Time Vampire
 * Takes place at various points between The Face of Evil and The Invasion of Time


 * TV: Horror of Fang Rock
 * AUDIO: ''The Valley of Death
 * TV: The Invisible Enemy
 * TV: Image of the Fendahl
 * TV: The Sun Makers
 * TV: Underworld
 * TV: The Invasion of Time
 * PROSE: Timevault
 * AUDIO: The Stuff of Nightmares
 * AUDIO: The Dead Shoes
 * AUDIO: The Circus of Doom
 * AUDIO: A Sting in the Tale
 * AUDIO: Hive of Horror
 * AUDIO: The Relics of Time
 * AUDIO: The Demon of Paris
 * AUDIO: A Shard of Ice
 * AUDIO: Starfall
 * AUDIO: Sepulchre
 * AUDIO: Tsar Wars
 * AUDIO: The Broken Crown
 * AUDIO: Aladdin Time
 * AUDIO: The Hexford Invasion
 * AUDIO: Survivors in Space
 * TV: The Ribos Operation
 * PROSE: Tomb of Valdemar
 * PROSE: The Shadow of Weng-Chiang
 * COMIC: Death to the Doctor! (flashback)
 * PROSE: ''Heart of TARDIS'
 * TV: The Pirate Planet
 * TV: The Stones of Blood
 * AUDIO: Ferril's Folly 
 * TV: The Androids of Tara
 * TV: The Power of Kroll
 * TV: The Armageddon Factor
 * AUDIO: The Auntie Matter
 * AUDIO: The Sands of Life
 * AUDIO: War Against the Laan
 * AUDIO: The Justice of Jalxar
 * AUDIO: The Stealers from Saiph
 * TV: Destiny of the Daleks
 * PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe
 * The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe occurs during Destiny of the Daleks


 * TV: City of Death
 * COMIC: The Forgotten (flashback)
 * AUDIO: Seven to One
 * TV: The Creature from the Pit
 * TV: Nightmare of Eden
 * COMIC: Time & Time Again
 * Time & Time Again occurs during Nightmare of Eden


 * AUDIO: The Beautiful People
 * TV: The Horns of Nimon
 * PROSE: The Dying Days
 * PROSE: Beige Planet Mars
 * AUDIO: The Pyralis Effect
 * HOMEVID: Shada
 * PROSE: Glass
 * Glass takes place directly after Shada


 * COMIC: Doctor Who and the Iron Legion
 * COMIC: City of the Damned
 * COMIC: Timeslip
 * COMIC: The Star Beast
 * COMIC: Doctor Who and the Dogs of Doom
 * COMIC: Doctor Who and the Time Witch
 * COMIC: Dragon's Claw
 * COMIC: The Collector
 * COMIC: Dreamers of Death
 * COMIC: The Life Bringer
 * COMIC: War of the Words
 * COMIC: Spider-God
 * COMIC: The Deal
 * COMIC: End of the Line
 * COMIC: The Free-Fall Warriors
 * COMIC: Junkyard Demon
 * COMIC: The Neutron Knights
 * TV: The Leisure Hive
 * TV: Meglos
 * TV: Full Circle
 * TV: State of Decay
 * PROSE: The Eight Doctors
 * The Eight Doctors occurs just after State of Decay


 * PROSE: O, Darkness
 * AUDIO: The Invasion of E-Space
 * TV: Warriors' Gate
 * TV: The Keeper of Traken
 * PROSE: Inter-Galactic Cat
 * PROSE: Conundrum
 * PROSE: Planet of Paradise
 * COMIC: Plague World
 * PROSE: Just a Small Problem
 * PROSE: Mauritz
 * TV: Logopolis

Unplaced

 * AUDIO: Exploration Earth
 * AUDIO: Doctor Who and the Pescatons
 * GAME: Destiny of the Doctors
 * PROSE: Evolution
 * PROSE: The Romance of Crime
 * PROSE: Managra
 * PROSE: The English Way of Death
 * PROSE: The Well-Mannered War
 * PROSE: Eye of Heaven
 * PROSE: Last Man Running
 * PROSE: Millennium Shock
 * PROSE: Corpse Marker
 * PROSE: Festival of Death
 * PROSE: Asylum
 * PROSE: Psi-ence Fiction
 * PROSE: Drift
 * PROSE: Wolfsbane
 * PROSE: Match of the Day
 * PROSE: Wonderland
 * PROSE: A New Life
 * PROSE: The Sleeping Beast
 * PROSE: The Sands of Tymus
 * COMIC: The Rival Robots
 * PROSE: A New Life
 * COMIC: The Traitor
 * PROSE: The Sea of Faces
 * PROSE: Famine on Planet X
 * PROSE: The Planet of Dust
 * PROSE: Terror on Tantalogus
 * COMIC: The Power
 * PROSE: Flashback
 * COMIC: Emsone's Castle
 * PROSE: The Crocodiles from the Mist
 * PROSE: X-Rani and the Ugly Mutants
 * PROSE: Light Fantastic
 * COMIC: Terror on Xaboi
 * PROSE: Reluctant Warriors
 * COMIC: The Weapon
 * PROSE: Return of the Electrids
 * PROSE: The Sleeping Guardians
 * PROSE: Colony of Death
 * PROSE: Alien Mind Games
 * PROSE: A Midsummer's Nightmare
 * COMIC: Every Dog Has His Day
 * PROSE: The Voton Terror
 * PROSE: Sweet Flower of Uthe
 * PROSE: The Vampires of Crellium
 * PROSE: On the Slippery Trail
 * PROSE: Doctor Who and the Hell Planet
 * PROSE: The Living Wax
 * PROSE: The Two-Timer
 * PROSE: Stowaway
 * PROSE: Evil Egg
 * PROSE: Sands of Time
 * PROSE: Mind-Jump
 * PROSE: The Hole Truth
 * PROSE: Breakdown
 * PROSE: Pathfinders
 * PROSE: The Final Analysis
 * PROSE: The Changeling Years
 * PROSE: The Beast Inside
 * PROSE: The Stranger, The Writer, His Wife and the Mixed Metaphor
 * PROSE: Under Reykjavik
 * PROSE: The Duke of Dominoes
 * PROSE: Crimson Dawn
 * PROSE: People of the Trees
 * PROSE: Old Flames
 * PROSE: Rights
 * PROSE: One Bad Apple
 * PROSE: Return of the Spiders
 * PROSE: The Not-So-Sinister Sponge
 * PROSE: The Android Maker of Calderon IV
 * PROSE: Do You Love Anyone Enough?
 * PROSE: Better Watch Out, Better Take Care
 * PROSE: Playing with Toys
 * PROSE: I Was a Monster!!!
 * PROSE: The Fear
 * PROSE: The Brain of Socrates
 * PROSE: The Glass Princess
 * PROSE: Doing Time
 * PROSE: Eternity
 * PROSE: All Done with Mirrors
 * PROSE: To Kill a Nandi Bear
 * PROSE: The Northern Heights
 * PROSE: The Destroyers
 * PROSE: The Bushranger's Story
 * PROSE: The Republican's Story
 * PROSE: Categorical Imperative
 * PROSE: Observer Effect
 * PROSE: The Baron Wastes
 * PROSE: The Little Things
 * PROSE: The Clanging Chimes of Doom
 * PROSE: Present Tense
 * PROSE: It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow
 * PROSE: Suitors, Inc.
 * PROSE: The Sooner the Better
 * PROSE: The Last Broadcast
 * PROSE: Earth
 * PROSE: The Prodigal Sun
 * PROSE: Ode to Joy
 * PROSE: Callahuanca
 * PROSE: The Very Last Picture Show
 * PROSE: Into the Silent Land
 * PROSE: Direct Action
 * PROSE: Checkpoint
 * PROSE: Life from Lifelessness
 * PROSE: The Dogs of War
 * PROSE: Nanomorphosis
 * PROSE: The End of Now
 * PROSE: The Dragons of Prague
 * PROSE: Attachments
 * PROSE: My Hero
 * PROSE: Plight of the Monkrah
 * PROSE: In Case of Emergencies
 * PROSE: Puppeteer
 * PROSE: The Glarn Strategy
 * PROSE: The Nobility of Faith
 * PROSE: Dear Great Uncle Peter
 * PROSE: All Snug in Their Beds
 * PROSE: Machine Time
 * PROSE: Mutiny
 * PROSE: Stanley
 * PROSE: Good Queen, Bad Queen, I Queen, You Queen
 * PROSE: Breadcrumbs
 * PROSE: Child's Play
 * PROSE: The Last Thing You Ever See
 * PROSE: The Monster in the Wardrobe
 * PROSE: Those Left Behind
 * PROSE: Time Shear
 * PROSE: Insider Dealing
 * PROSE: Planet of the Elves
 * PROSE: Christmas Every Day
 * PROSE: Conscription
 * PROSE: Shamans
 * PROSE: Hello Goodbye
 * PROSE: Blessed Are the Peacemakers
 * PROSE: Dark Horizons (cameo)
 * COMIC: Return of the Daleks
 * COMIC: The Wreckers
 * PROSE: The Magic Box
 * COMIC: The Emperor's Spy
 * COMIC: The Sinister Sea
 * COMIC: The Space Ghost
 * COMIC: The Dalek Revenge
 * COMIC: Virus
 * COMIC: Treasure Trail
 * COMIC: Hubert's Folly
 * PROSE: Which Way Out?
 * COMIC: Counter-Rotation
 * COMIC: Mind Snatch
 * COMIC: The Mutant Strain
 * COMIC: Double Trouble
 * COMIC: Dredger
 * COMIC: Jackals of Space
 * COMIC: The False Planet
 * COMIC: The Fire Feeders
 * COMIC: Kling Dynasty
 * COMIC: The Sky Warrior
 * PROSE: Master of the Blackhole
 * COMIC: The Orb
 * COMIC: The Mutants
 * COMIC: The Devil's Mouth
 * COMIC: The Aqua-City
 * COMIC: The Snow Devils
 * COMIC: The Space Garden
 * COMIC: The Eerie Manor
 * COMIC: Guardian of the Tomb
 * COMIC: The Image Makers
 * COMIC: The Sea Devil
 * PROSE: Milena
 * COMIC: Party Animals
 * COMIC: Victims
 * COMIC: Black Destiny
 * COMIC: K-9's Finest Hour
 * COMIC: Touchdown on Deneb-7
 * COMIC: Rest and Re-Creation
 * COMIC: The Naked Flame
 * COMIC: Star Beast II
 * COMIC: Junkyard Demon II
 * COMIC: The Seventh Segment
 * AUDIO: The Kingmaker (cameo)
 * AUDIO: Night of the Stormcrow
 * AUDIO: Tales from the Vault
 * AUDIO: The Child
 * AUDIO: Death-Dealer
 * AUDIO: Chain Reaction
 * AUDIO: The Wondrous Box
 * AUDIO: the Old Rogue