Doctor Who: Season 4

1966 · 43 episodes · ★ 6.7

What Season 4 of Doctor Who

This season was a season of major changes for Doctor Who, including some that have influenced the series and franchise ever since. Most notably, season 4 saw William Hartnell's First Doctor hand off the baton to Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor in the very first regeneration. When Hartnell announced his plans to leave the series, the show's writers came up with the idea of having the Doctor change his appearance and personality. In 1966, while it was not uncommon for actors to change in ongoing TV and film roles, this was possibly the first time a change in appearance was written into the very nature of the character.

43episodes

Sep 10, 1966premiered

Jul 1, 1967latest episode

17.8 hrtotal runtime

Season 4 Episodes

4x01 The Smugglers (1)
Sep 10, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 6.9
The Doctor discovers Polly and Ben aboard the TARDIS shortly before the ship arrives in 17th century Cornwall, where the local churchwarden gives the Doctor a cryptic message shortly before being murdered.
Directed by: Julia Smith · Written by: Brian Hayles · Starring: William Hartnell, Terence de Marney, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x02 The Smugglers (2)
Sep 17, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 6.0
Pike is convinced that the Doctor knows the location of Avery's treasure while Polly and Ben try to convince the locals they were not responsible for Longfoot's murder.
Directed by: Julia Smith · Written by: Brian Hayles · Starring: William Hartnell, John Ringham, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x03 The Smugglers (3)
Sep 24, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 6.2
Polly and Ben are placed in the custody of Blake, who reveals he also has his suspicions about the Squire, while the Doctor and Kewper are forced to team up to escape from Pike's ship.
Directed by: Julia Smith · Written by: Brian Hayles · Starring: William Hartnell, John Ringham, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x04 The Smugglers (4)
Oct 1, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 6.3
The Doctor and his friends are at the mercy of Cherub, who is now seeking Avery's treasure for himself, while Pike prepares to attack the village.
Directing: Julia Smith · Writing: Brian Hayles · Starring: William Hartnell, Terry Walsh, John Ringham, Anneke Wills
4x05 The Tenth Planet (1)
Oct 8, 1966 · 23 min · ★ 8.0
In 1986 a new planet appears in the Solar System which turns out to be a long-lost twin of Earth's named Mondas. Its inhabitants are the Cybermen.
Directed by: Derek Martinus · Written by: Kit Pedler · Starring: William Hartnell, Earl Cameron, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x06 The Tenth Planet (2)
Oct 15, 1966 · 23 min · ★ 8.1
The Doctor's warnings are ignored and the Cybermen take over the base, hampering the crew's efforts to help Zeus IV.
Directed by: Derek Martinus · Written by: Kit Pedler · Starring: William Hartnell, Earl Cameron, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x07 The Tenth Planet (3)
Oct 22, 1966 · 24 min · ★ 7.4
With the Doctor out of action, it is up to Polly, Ben and Barclay to stop Cutler using the Z-Bomb and devastating half the world.
Directing: Derek Martinus · Writing: Gerry Davis, Kit Pedler · Starring: William Hartnell, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze, Robert Beatty
4x08 The Tenth Planet (4)
Oct 29, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 8.2
The Cybermen take over the base again, apparently to stop the humans using the Z-Bomb, but then the Doctor realises they intend to use it themselves to destroy Earth.
Directing: Derek Martinus · Writing: Gerry Davis, Kit Pedler · Starring: William Hartnell, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze, Robert Beatty
4x09 The Power of the Daleks (1)
Nov 5, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 7.9
The TARDIS arrives on the Earth colony of Vulcan where the newly-regenerated Doctor assumes the identity of an Earth Examiner.
Directed by: Charles Norton · Written by: David Whitaker · Starring: Robert James, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze, Bernard Archard
4x10 The Power of the Daleks (2)
Nov 12, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 7.6
While the Doctor worries about the inert Daleks in the capsules, Lesterson makes plan to reactivate one of them.
Directed by: Charles Norton · Written by: David Whitaker · Starring: Robert James, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze, Bernard Archard
4x11 The Power of the Daleks (3)
Nov 19, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 7.5
The Doctor fails to convince the colonists of the danger posed by the Daleks and soon the other two are also reactivated.
Directing: Charles Norton · Writing: David Whitaker · Starring: John Scott Martin, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze, Bernard Archard
4x12 The Power of the Daleks (4)
Nov 26, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 7.5
With Polly being held prisoner by the rebels, the Doctor and Ben decide to investigate them, while Lesterson discovers the Daleks are reproducing.
Directed by: Charles Norton · Written by: David Whitaker · Starring: Robert James, John Scott Martin, Michael Craze, Bernard Archard
4x13 The Power of the Daleks (5)
Dec 3, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 7.2
The Doctor and Quinn attempt to escape in order to stop Bragen using the Daleks to take over the colony.
Directing: Charles Norton · Writing: David Whitaker · Starring: Robert James, John Scott Martin, Anneke Wills, Bernard Archard
4x14 The Power of the Daleks (6)
Dec 10, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 7.6
With Bragen having taken over, the Daleks trick the rebels into turning them loose and only the Doctor can stop them wiping out the entire colony.
Directing: Charles Norton · Writing: David Whitaker · Starring: Bernard Archard, Robert James, John Scott Martin, Anneke Wills
4x15 The Highlanders (1)
Dec 17, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 5.5
The Doctor, Polly and Ben arrive in 1746, in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden, and are captured by a group of Highlanders shortly before they themselves are captured by redcoats.
Directing: Hugh David · Writing: Gerry Davis, Elwyn Jones · Starring: Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x16 The Highlanders (2)
Dec 24, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 5.8
Polly and Kirsty capture Lieutenant Ffinch to try and enlist his help while the Doctor tricks Grey in order to escape.
Directed by: Hugh David · Written by: Gerry Davis, Elwyn Jones · Starring: Hannah Gordon, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x17 The Highlanders (3)
Dec 31, 1966 · 25 min · ★ 6.0
With the Highlanders imprisoned aboard Trask's ship, the Doctor attempts to expose Grey's plan.
Directing: Hugh David · Writing: Gerry Davis, Elwyn Jones · Starring: Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x18 The Highlanders (4)
Jan 7, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 5.8
Ben manages to join up with the Doctor, Polly and Kirsty and together they work to free the Highlanders from Trask's ship before Grey sells them into slavery.
Directed by: Hugh David · Written by: Gerry Davis, Elwyn Jones · Starring: Guy Middleton, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x19 The Underwater Menace (1)
Jan 14, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 4.6
The TARDIS materialises on a deserted beach where the Doctor and his friends are captured by primitive warriors and taken to the fabled city of Atlantis.
Directing: Julia Smith · Writing: Geoffrey Orme · Starring: Peter Stephens, Joseph Fürst, Tom Watson, Noel Johnson
4x20 The Underwater Menace (2)
Jan 21, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 5.1
While Ara tries to save Polly from being turned into a Fish Person and Ben and Jamie try to escape from the mines, the Doctor discovers the full extent of Zaroff's plans.
Directing: Julia Smith · Writing: Geoffrey Orme · Starring: Peter Stephens, Joseph Fürst, Tom Watson, Noel Johnson
4x21 The Underwater Menace (3)
Jan 28, 1967 · 24 min · ★ 5.3
The Doctor and Ramo are sentenced to be sacrificed to the goddess Amdo and must escape to put a stop to Zaroff's plan.
Directing: Julia Smith · Writing: Geoffrey Orme · Starring: Peter Stephens, Joseph Fürst, Tom Watson, Noel Johnson
4x22 The Underwater Menace (4)
Feb 4, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 5.0
With Zaroff's plan nearing completion, the Doctor and Ben realise the only way to save the world is to destroy Atlantis.
Directing: Julia Smith · Writing: Geoffrey Orme · Starring: Peter Stephens, Joseph Fürst, Tom Watson, Noel Johnson
4x23 The Moonbase (1)
Feb 11, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 6.4
The TARDIS arrives on the Moon in the year 2070.When Jamie is injured, the other travellers are forced to seek the help of a moonbase afflicted with a space plague.
Directing: Sean Zwan · Writing: Kit Pedler · Starring: Alan Rowe, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x24 The Moonbase (2)
Feb 18, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 6.8
The Doctor and his friends attempt to convince the Moonbase crew that the Cybermen are responsible for the disappearances and find a cure for the plague.
Directing: Morris Barry · Writing: Kit Pedler · Starring: Alan Rowe, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x25 The Moonbase (3)
Feb 25, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 6.4
The Cybermen take over the Moonbase and begin using the Gravitron to attack Earth but Polly, Ben and Jamie come up with a way to fight back.
Directing: Sean Zwan · Writing: Kit Pedler · Starring: Alan Rowe, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x26 The Moonbase (4)
Mar 4, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 6.4
With the Cybermen preparing to launch a full attack, the Doctor and his friends must keep the Moonbase and the Gravitron out of their hands until help arrives from Earth.
Directing: Morris Barry · Writing: Kit Pedler · Starring: Alan Rowe, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x27 The Macra Terror (1)
Mar 11, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 7.0
The TARDIS arrives at a holiday camp company with the crew worried by a prediction of giant crabs and the Doctor becomes interested in the apparent madman Medok's stories of creatures that roam the colony at night.
Directing: John Davies · Writing: Ian Stuart Black · Starring: Peter Jeffrey, Gertan Klauber, Frazer Hines, Anneke Wills
4x28 The Macra Terror (2)
Mar 18, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 7.5
The Doctor is unable to convince the colonists that the Macra exist and an attempt to brainwash his companions results in Ben betraying his friends.
Directing: John Davies · Writing: Ian Stuart Black · Starring: Peter Jeffrey, Gertan Klauber, Frazer Hines, Anneke Wills
4x29 The Macra Terror (3)
Mar 25, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 7.2
The Doctor, Polly and Jamie are sentenced to work in the pits and an escape attempt sees Ben's loyalties called into question again.
Directing: John Davies · Writing: Ian Stuart Black · Starring: Peter Jeffrey, Gertan Klauber, Frazer Hines, Anneke Wills
4x30 The Macra Terror (4)
Apr 1, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 7.3
The Doctor and Polly manage to save Jamie from the Macra and then try to show the Pilot who is really in charge of the colony.
Directing: John Davies · Writing: Ian Stuart Black · Starring: Peter Jeffrey, Gertan Klauber, Frazer Hines, Anneke Wills
4x31 The Faceless Ones (1)
Apr 8, 1967 · 25 min
The TARDIS materialises on the runway of Gatwick Airport, where Polly witnesses a murder only to be kidnapped before she can report it.
Directed by: Gerry Mill · Written by: Malcolm Hulke, David Ellis · Starring: Donald Pickering, Pauline Collins, Colin Gordon, Wanda Ventham
4x32 The Faceless Ones (2)
Apr 15, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 6.2
With Polly having apparently forgotten them, the Doctor, Ben and Jamie decide to carry out their own investigation of Chameleon Tours.
Directed by: Gerry Mill · Written by: Malcolm Hulke, David Ellis · Starring: Donald Pickering, Colin Gordon, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze
4x33 The Faceless Ones (3)
Apr 22, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 6.4
The Doctor, Jamie and Sam manage to convince Crossland to trust them and he persuades the Commandant to let them continue their investigation.
Directing: Gerry Mill · Writing: Malcolm Hulke, David Ellis · Starring: Pauline Collins, Michael Craze
4x34 The Faceless Ones (4)
Apr 29, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 6.4
When Spencer attempts to kill them, the Doctor, Jamie and Sam become convinced Chameleon Tours are hiding something and Sam decides to book a ticket on one of their flights.
Directed by: Gerry Mill · Written by: Malcolm Hulke, David Ellis · Starring: Donald Pickering, Wanda Ventham
4x35 The Faceless Ones (5)
May 6, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 6.6
Jamie finds himself aboard the Chameleons' satellite and meets their Director while the Doctor forces the Chameleon Meadows to tell him the aliens' plans.
Directed by: Gerry Mill · Written by: Malcolm Hulke, David Ellis · Starring: Bernard Kay, Pauline Collins, Colin Gordon, Wanda Ventham
4x36 The Faceless Ones (6)
May 13, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 6.6
The Doctor and Pinto are captured by the Chameleons but the Doctor manages to use their dependence on their human originals to create dissent in their ranks.
Directed by: Gerry Mill · Written by: Malcolm Hulke, David Ellis · Starring: Donald Pickering, Pauline Collins, Wanda Ventham, Anneke Wills
4x37 The Evil of the Daleks (1)
May 20, 1967 · 25 min
Trying to find the stolen TARDIS, the Second Doctor and Jamie are lured into a trap by the Doctor's old enemies the Daleks.
Directing: Derek Martinus · Writing: David Whitaker · Starring: John Bailey
4x38 The Evil of the Daleks (2)
May 27, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 7.6
The Doctor and Jamie investigate Waterfield's antiques shop, where they are knocked unconscious and transported back to the 19th century.
Directing: Derek Martinus · Writing: David Whitaker · Starring: John Bailey, Peter Hawkins, Brigit Forsyth, Marius Goring
4x39 The Evil of the Daleks (3)
Jun 3, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 6.8
As part of the Daleks' experiment, the Doctor manipulates Jamie into attempting to rescue Victoria.
Directed by: Derek Martinus · Written by: David Whitaker · Starring: John Bailey, Marius Goring, Roy Skelton, Sonny Caldinez
4x40 The Evil of the Daleks (4)
Jun 10, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 6.8
Jamie and Kemel team up to try and find Victoria, while the Doctor and the Daleks continue to monitor their progress.
Directed by: Derek Martinus · Written by: David Whitaker · Starring: John Bailey, Marius Goring, Roy Skelton, Sonny Caldinez
4x41 The Evil of the Daleks (5)
Jun 17, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 7.4
With the experiment at an end, the Doctor begins to suspect the key to rescuing Jamie, Victoria and Kemel from the Daleks lies with Terrall.
Directing: Derek Martinus · Writing: David Whitaker · Starring: John Bailey, Peter Hawkins, Brigit Forsyth, Marius Goring
4x42 The Evil of the Daleks (6)
Jun 24, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 7.4
The Doctor, Jamie and Waterfield follow the Daleks to Skaro, where they discover an unforeseen consequence to their experiment.
Directed by: Derek Martinus · Written by: David Whitaker · Starring: John Bailey, Peter Hawkins, Marius Goring, Roy Skelton
4x43 The Evil of the Daleks (7) Season Finale
Jul 1, 1967 · 25 min · ★ 8.2
The Daleks are poised to spread the Dalek Factor throughout the history of Earth and begin by implanting the Doctor.
Directed by: Derek Martinus · Written by: David Whitaker · Starring: John Bailey, Brigit Forsyth, Marius Goring, John Scott Martin