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Tardis
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The following is a non-exhaustive list of recurring characters, species and concepts which have appeared in Doctor Who, or any of its licensed spin-offs, where the owner of the element is not the BBC.

When a freelance writer writes new Doctor Who stories, they have the option of retaining control of any new characters. Thus, the writer, not the BBC, holds legal rights to the character or concept.

This can result in officially licensed, non-BBC-affiliated stories, like the Dalek comic stories in TV Century 21, the television series K9, or the Faction Paradox series.

Alternatively, licensed publishers sometimes retained the rights to characters and concepts introduced in their Doctor Who stories, as opposed to either the BBC or the individual writers. According to John Dorney, for as long as Virgin Books were in business publishing Doctor Who books, they retained the rights to characters and monsters introduced in Virgin New Adventures and Virgin Missing Adventures novels, although those rights appeared to have reverted to the original writers after the company's demise.[1]

This rule is, however, not absolute. For example, Neil Gaiman claimed that he did not independently control the rights to the Corsair and would need the BBC's permition to write further stories with the character.[2]

Debuting in Doctor Who television stories[]

Name First seen in Creator Rights held by by Some notable licensed appearances
The Daleks[n 1], the Thals The Daleks Terry Nation, Raymond Cusick Terry Nation Estate The Daleks, Dalek annuals
The Mechonoids The Chase Terry Nation The Daleks
Astra The Rescue David Whitaker David Whitaker Estate Space Border Battle, etc.
The Cybermen[n 1][3] The Tenth Planet Kit Pedler & Gerry Davis Kit Pedler & Gerry Davis Estates Iceberg, Killing Ground
The Great Intelligence & Yeti, Edward Travers[4] The Abominable Snowmen Mervyn Haisman & Henry Lincoln Haisman Estate/Hannah Hatt Downtime, Lethbridge-Stewart
Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart[5][6] The Web of Fear
Anne Travers[7] Lethbridge-Stewart, The Lucy Wilson Mysteries
Fiona Lethbridge-Stewart[6] The Dæmons Lethbridge-Stewart, My Daddy Fights Monsters
Dominators, Quarks[8] The Dominators Lethbridge-Stewart
Doris Lethbridge-Stewart[9] Battlefield Ben Aaronovitch
Archibald Hamish Lethbridge-Stewart[10] Twice Upon a Time Steven Moffat
Ice Warriors [11] The Ice Warriors Brian Hayles Brian Hayles Estate Bernice Summerfield
John Benton The Invasion Derrick Sherwin Wartime, Lethbridge-Stewart
UNIT[12] Downtime, Old Soldiers, Lethbridge-Stewart
The War Chief The War Games Terrance Dicks Terrance Dicks Estate Timewyrm: Exodus, The Legions of Death
The Rutans Horror of Fang Rock In 2 Minds, Beast of Fang Rock
The Death Zone The Five Doctors Elsa Dicks[6] Tempered
Autons/Nestenes [13] Spearhead from Space Robert Holmes Robert Holmes Estate Auton Trilogy, Do You Have a Licence to Save this Planet?
The Sontarans[n 2][14] The Time Warrior Shakedown: Return of the Sontarans, Old Soldiers, Do You Have a Licence to Save this Planet?
Sutekh & Osirans Pyramids of Mars The True History of Faction Paradox
Rassilon The Deadly Assassin Do You Have a Licence to Save this Planet?
Pelagos Meglos John Flanagan, Andrew McCulloch[15] Andrew McCulloch[15] The Bloodletters
Olive Hawthorne The Daemons Barry Letts & Robert Sloman Barry Letts & Robert Sloman Estates Scorpio's Sting, White Witch of Devil's End
The Dæmons Dæmos Rising, Child of Time
The Zygons Terror of the Zygons Robert Banks Stewart Robert Banks Stewart Estate Zygon, When Being You Just Isn't Enough
Krynoid The Seeds of Doom Krynoid
Voc robots The Robots of Death Chris Boucher Kaldor City
 The Fendahl Image of the Fendahl Kaldor City, Deus Le Volt
K9[n 1] The Invisible Enemy Bob Baker & Dave Martin Bob Baker K9, Adventures in a Pocket Universe
Minyos Underworld Omega
Omega The Three Doctors Bob Baker[16]
Gell guard The Three Doctors N/A
Axos The Claws of Axos
Drax The Armageddon Factor
Mandrel Nightmare of Eden
Eldrad, Kastrian, Owen Watson The Hand of Fear
Gustave Lytton Resurrection of the Daleks Eric Saward Lytton
The Rani The Mark of the Rani Pip & Jane Baker The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind
Paradise Towers, Kangs, Kroagnon, etc. Paradise Towers Stephen Wyatt[17] Paradise Towers
Captain Cook The Greatest Show in the Galaxy Reclaiming Kroagnon
Mags
Ian Gilmore Remembrance of the Daleks Ben Aaronovitch Who Killed Kennedy, Counter-Measures, Lethbridge-Stewart
Intrusion Counter-Measures Group Counter-Measures
Ancelyn Battlefield One Fateful Knight, Excalibur of Mars
Winifred Bambera The Dying Days, Animal, Excalibur of Mars

Debuting in other BBC-licensed media[]

Name First seen in Creator Rights held by by Some notable licensed appearances
Bernice Summerfield PROSE: Prelude Love and War Paul Cornell Paul Cornell, Big Finish Productions[18] Bernice Summerfield
The Yssgaroth[19][20][n 3] PROSE: The Pit Neil Penswick Faction Paradox, P.R.O.B.E.
The Forge AUDIO: Project: Twilight Cavan Scott[19] COMIC: The Forge, PROSE: Preternatural Nights
P.R.O.B.E. HOMEVID: The Zero Imperative Bill Baggs BBV Productions Post-2015 P.R.O.B.E.
Giles HOMEVID: When to Die
Venusians PROSE: Venusian Lullaby Paul Leonard The Rise & Fall of Señor 105
Ed Hill PROSE: Revolution Man Lethbridge-Stewart
Minister of Chance WC: Death Comes to Time [+]Colin Meek, BBCi animations (BBCi, 2001-2002). Dan Freeman The Minister of Chance
Great Houses PROSE: Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible Marc Platt Obverse Books[n 4][21][22] Faction Paradox
Faction Paradox, Grandfather Paradox, the War in Heaven, 103-forms PROSE: Alien Bodies Lawrence Miles Lawrence Miles[23]
Compassion, The Remote PROSE: Interference
The I PROSE: Seeing I Jonathan Blum & Kate Orman I Scream
Control PROSE: The Devil Goblins from Neptune Martin Day & Keith Topping Keith Topping[19][24] Varunastra, Goo!
Iris Wildthyme PROSE: Old Flames Paul Magrs[6] Iris Wildthyme, The New Adventures of Iris Wildthyme
Jeremy The Scarlet Empress Iris Wildthyme, The Story of Fester Cat
Beatrice Mapp The Boy That Time Forgot Iris Wildthyme
Mida Slike PROSE: Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Reginald Tyler, Cleavis, the Smudgelings Fellowship of Ink
Barbra Sick Building Iris Wildthyme
Toaster The Mars Trilogy
Coloth PROSE: War Crimes Simon Bucher-Jones Cobweb and Ivory, A Farewell to Arms
The Needle The Infinity Doctors Lance Parkin Miranda
Miranda Dawkins PROSE: Father Time Miranda, White Canvas
Honoré Lechasseur, Emily Blandish, Mestizer The Cabinet of Light Daniel O'Mahony Telos Publishing Time Hunter
Erimem AUDIO: The Eye of the Scorpion Iain McLaughlin Erimem, Return of the Queen
Guy de Carnac PROSE: Sanctuary David A. McIntee The Quality of Mercy
Koschei[n 5][25] PROSE: The Dark Path Rebel Rebel
The Veltrochni[25] The V Cwejes
Grigoriy Bugayev PROSE: Emotional Chemistry Simon A. Forward Lethbridge-Stewart
Chris Cwej PROSE: Original Sin Andy Lane[18] Decalog 4: Re:Generations, The Book of the War, Cwej: The Series
Roz Forrester Decalog 4: Re:Generations
The Sleeze Brothers COMIC: Follow That TARDIS! John Carnell Marvel Comics The Sleeze Brothers
King Charles XIV's timeline PROSE: The Roundheads Mark Gatiss Republica
Dorian Gray AUDIO: Shades of Gray Scott Handcock Big Finish Productions The Confessions of Dorian Gray
Vienna Salvatori AUDIO: The Shadow Heart Jonathan Morris Vienna
Vorshagg PROSE: The Tomorrow Windows Jonathan Morris[19] What Lurks in the Shadows
The Vault PROSE: The Scales of Injustice Gary Russell AUDIO: Tales from the Vault, Lethbridge-Stewart, P.R.O.B.E.
Bev Tarrant AUDIO: The Genocide Machine Mike Tucker Bernice Summerfield
Kamreth FASA's The Doctor Who Role Playing Game John Andrew Keith and William H. Keith, Jr.[15] William H. Keith, Jr.[15] The Bloodletters
Ydar
Trellwand
The Colonel
Thenibar
Ek Wan
Isari
Steggosians PROSE: The Eyeless Lance Parkin
Arcopolis
Miss Garglespike Welcome, traveller, to Sardicktown flyer in PROSE: Honeymoon Horrors David Llewellyn
Zadok the Gory
Caxtarids PROSE: Infinite Requiem (mentioned), Return of the Living Dead (seen) Daniel Blythe, Kate Orman[26][15] Wringing Off, The Bloodletters
Calcula AUDIO: Innocence Gary Hopkins[6] Gary Hopkins & Big Finish Productions[6] The Last of the Dals
Nasgard

Debuting in non-BBC-licensed media[]

Name First seen in Creator Rights held by by Some notable licensed appearances
Dalek Emperor COMIC: Invasion of the Daleks Terry Nation & David Whitaker Nation & Whitaker Estates The Dalek Chronicles, Dalek annuals, The Evil of the Daleks, Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways
Nikita Bandranaik COMIC: Ceasefire — But War Tension Mounts... Century 21 Productions[source needed] See list
Unity City See list
Asteroid PROSE: Stingray Attacked! The Batmen
Dunwell Atomic Research Station PROSE: Fireball Surrenders! Mr. Steelman
Invisible ray torch COMIC: The Menace of the Monstrons The Vanishing Ray
Doomed Fireflash Airliner PROSE: Superjet Shot Down Curse of the Crustavons
Christine Summerfield PROSE: Dead Romance Lawrence Miles Lawrence Miles[18] Faction Paradox, The Five Christina
Lolita PROSE: Toy Story Faction Paradox'
The Dominie & Alice AUDIO: Republica Mark Gatiss BBV Productions The Time Travellers, The Choice
Kate Stewart HOMEVID: Downtime Marc Platt Haisman Estate[27] Dæmos Rising, The Power of Three, The Day of the Doctor, Death in Heaven, UNIT: The New Series
The Chiropodist NOTCOVERED: Do You Have a Licence to Save this Planet? Paul Ebbs and Gareth Preston[15] Bill Baggs[15] The Bloodletters
Gideon Beech PROSE: Peculiar Lives Philip Purser-Hallard[28] The Vanishing Man
Adrienne Kramer[n 6] NOTCOVERED: Time Rift Jonathan Blum Kate Orman and Jonathan Blum Vampire Science, Lethbridge-Stewart
Panda PROSE: Wildthyme at Large Paul Magrs See list
The Novelisors AUDIO: Ringpullworld Imaginary Boys
Vince Cosmos PROSE: Enter Wildthyme Vince Cosmos: Glam Rock Detective
Dodie Golightly PROSE: The Ninnies on Putney Common Hunky Dory
The Emperor COMIC: Miranda Lance Parkin The Gallifrey Chronicles, The Story so Far...
Ganda Mnemma PROSE: Against Nature Lawrence Burton[29] Golden Age
Original Mammoths PROSE: Cobwebs and Ivory Nate Bumber[19] White Canvas
Amazolian system A Farewell to Arms, The Blue Scream of Death
Auteur PROSE: A Bloody (And Public) Domaine Jayce Black[19] Going Once, Going Twice, White Canvas, Auteur's Abecedarium
Lucy Wilson, Hobo Kostinen PROSE: Lucy Wilson Shaun Collins Candy Jar Books The Lucy Wilson Mysteries
Aurichall The Blue Scream of Death Tyche McPhee Letts Cyber-Hunt, Cybergeddon
Greater Key A Farewell to Arms Nate Bumber[19] PROSE: Out of the Box
Señor 105, Rodrigo Iris Wildthyme y Señor Cientocinco contra Los Monstruos del Fiesta Cody Schell The Periodic Adventures of Señor 105
Sheila Elementary, My Dear Sheila
Theo Possible Party Kill Accelerator! Blair Bidmead[26] The Periodic Adventures of Señor 105, The Train in Vain and the Junkmail Messiah, Wringing Off
Litany Chromehurst Happily Ever After Is a High-Risk Strategy The Periodic Adventures of Señor 105
Adrian Wall Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Doomsday Manuscript Justin Richards Bernice Summerfield
Joseph Oh No It Isn't! Paul Cornell
Joseph Steal from the World Kate Orman
Hass ...Be Forgot Cavan Scott and Mark Wright
Doggles Inappropriate Laughter Simon Guerrier

Footnotes[]

Notes[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ownership split with the BBC; i.e. basic concept is creator-owned, but iconic design is not.
  2. At one time creator-owned, but rights have since been bought back by the BBC in full.
  3. Penswick owns the name of "the Yssgaroth" and the conception of them as an impersonal force of evil, but the rights to the original Great Vampires as seen in State of Decay continue to lie with the BBC.
  4. Conflicting statements exist as to whether ownership currently resides with Obverse Books or the original rights holders
  5. McIntee owns the specific reimagining of the character as a morally-ambiguous time-traveller. However, the sorcerer Koschei the Deathless is a public-domain folkloric figure, including such trappings as having oncebeen chained at the bottom of a tower. The Iris Wildthyme short story PROSE: The Scarlet Shadow name-drops "Koschei" with no stated license from McIntee, presumably merely making use of the public-domain figure.
  6. Originally appeared in the unlicensed production Time Rift before being introduced into the official DWU by Vampire Science; logically remains creator-owned.

Sources[]

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