Click on any red text to read our full retrospectives/reviews for that episode. All dates and viewing figures are for UK premier broadcasts unless otherwise stated.
January 5th
We start another week in Doctor Who history with a bumper filled day, starting with the Third Doctor adventure The Time Warrior which came to an end this day in 1974. Part Four of the story was watched by a mighty 10.6 million viewers. Six years later the scarf loving Fourth Doctor was three episodes and 9.8 million viewers into The Horns of Nimon. Then, Tuesday January 5th 1982 saw the second part of Castrovalva broadcast at 7:02pm, and watched by 8.6 million viewers.
Another Fifth Doctor adventure, which featured the Sixth Doctor Colin Baker as Security Commander Maxil, was broadcast this day in 1983. Part two of Arc of Infinity was watched by 7.3 million viewers. The following year, on Thursday January 5th, the opening episode of Warriors of the Deep drew an audience of 7.6 million.
When Peter Davison's successor began his first full season the show moved back to Saturday tea-times but in a new 45 minute format. The first episode of season 22, part one of Attack of the Cybermen was broadcast on this day in 1985 at 5:22pm and watched by 8.9 million viewers.
And of course, we have part two of Spyfall to enjoy this evening, Sunday January 5th 2020, but you already know that!
January 6th
On this day in 1968 7.1 million people were watching Patrick Troughton working overtime portraying duel roles in episode three of The Enemy of the World. 10.8 million people tuned into episode two of The Three Doctors in 1973. Five years later, part three of the Fourth Doctor adventure The Power of Kroll saw a drop of 3 and a half million viewers from the previous installment - still 8.9 million is nothing to be sniffed at! Finally for this day, on Friday January 6th 1984, 7.5 million tuned into part two of Warriors of the Deep.
January 7th
The final part of The Highlanders was broadcast in 1967 and watched by 7.30 million viewers. The whole story would be junked by the BBC several years later, all four episodes still remain missing, believed wiped. We then jump 11 years to 1978 and season 15 of Doctor Who which returned from a brief Christmas break. On this day the Fourth Doctor began a new adventure at 6.24pm, when part one of Underworld was watched by 8.9 million viewers.
Potential Trump alert...
January 8th
First up today it's episode 9 of the epic First Doctor adventure The Daleks' Master Plan (entitled Golden Death) which aired in 1966. Only the fortunate 9.2 million viewers have seen it as it is amongst the currently missing episodes.
What was it the Ninth Doctor said about the Daleks? That they, like a certain President, believe "anything different is wrong". So, as we see in the picture above, we have a youthful looking Trump aligning himself with "the ultimate in racial cleansing" to further his quest for global domination. (Twitter, presumably, wasn't working quickly enough for him). Either that or it could be the Controller as featured in the 1972 story Day of the Daleks. Episode two of which drew an audience of 10.4 million Pertwee loving viewers when broadcast that Saturday evening.
Also on this day in 1977 11.1 million people tuned in to watch part two of the Fourth Doctor adventure The Face of Evil. (which wasn't, but could've been, named after Trump).
Today in 1908 William Hartnell, the First Doctor, was born. Here he is with, er, something...
January 9th
Just what is going on there? 1960's Doctor Who is ace, isn't it? This, my friends, is the second and final part of The Rescue (entitled Desperate Measures) in which old Firstie checks out the new Winter Collection from Stella McCartney. He's not impressed! Anyhow, the episode was first broadcast on this day in 1965 and watched by 13 million viewers. 5 million less tuned in for part two of Terror of the Autons when that was shown for the first time in 1971.
January 10th
It's all second parts on this day. We have episode 2 of Spearhead From Space which was watched by 8.1 million viewers in 1970. Six years later part two of The Brain of Morbius drew an audience of 9.3 million, and finally in 1981 6.7 million tuned into Warriors' Gate part two.
January 11th
Part 4 of The Daleks (entitled The Ambush) saw the just 8 week old series add another million viewers, as 9.9 million tuned in at 5.14pm this Saturday in 1964.
Four more classic stories were also broadcast on this day, and all of them are part three of their respective adventures. In 1969 it was The Krotons, which was watched by 7.5 million viewers. 1975 saw the Fourth Doctor's debut story Robot draw an audience of 10.1 million. His successor first adventure, Castrovalva, did slightly better, with 10.2 tuning in on this Monday evening in 1982, and finally in 1983 Arc of Infinity was watched by 6.9 million viewers.
That's it for this week. Did you watch any of these adventures live? We'd love to hear your memories about any of them. Tell us in the comments below.
Until next Sunday...
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