1990s (production)

The **90s** were a turmoil decade for Doctor Who, with numerous changes in producers, script editors and styles. This page aims to outline each major event in this decade.

## Pre-1990s

### December 1989

* John Nathan-Turner, Sylvester McCoy and Sophie announce their departures from the series. Andrew Cartmel reveals he considered leaving with John Nathan-Turner, but would continue to stay with the next producer as a result of his enjoyment of writing Doctor Who.

## Andrew Cartmel Years (1990 - 1991)

### 1990

* **January 1990** - The series would be greenlit for a twenty-seventh season, airing from September 1989. Cartmel would hire approach Edward Young, Marc Platt, and Robin Mukherjee to write serials, with him also writing a serial.
* **July 1990** - Filming would begin on Season 27 (Doctor Who). Alex Kingston would be announced to be starring as Katie Tolling.
* **September 1990** - Season 27 (Doctor Who) airs. Ian Fraser is announced to be taking over the production office, with a twenty-eighth season greenlit. John Nathan-Turner would leave the production office.
* **December 1990** - Nick Berry would be seen, for the first time as the Eighth Doctor.

### 1991

* **January 1991** - Several writers would be comissioned for Doctor Who, not short from Mike Tucker, Robert Perry, Ben Aaronovitch, Russell T. Davies (then known as Russell Davies), and Tony Etchells.
* **June 1991** - Filming would begin on Season 28 (Doctor Who).
* **September 1991** - Season 28 (Doctor Who) airs. Season 29 (Doctor Who) greenlit, and commissioned by the BBC, with an episode count increase. Andrew Cartmel would resign from Doctor Who's Production Office, and leave immediately, with Marc Platt taking over the office.

## Marc Platt Years (1991 - 1993)

### 1991

* **December 1991** - Alex Kingston reveals her intentions to leave Doctor Who. Ian Fraser announces the new companion - Bernice Summerfield - to be played by Julia Sawalha. Russell T. Davies, Mark Gatiss, Paul Cornell, David Roden and Rona Munro are comissioned for 20 episodes split between them.

### 1992

* **January 1992** - Doctor Who announced to be airing earlier in the year, specifically August 1992. This puts pressure on the production office.
* **March 1992** - The first batch of scripts is completed by Russell T. Davies - and just in time for the filming of his episode. Season 29 (Doctor Who) begins filming.
* **May 1992** - Doctor Who Magazine readers are invited, and attend the filming of Doctor Who.
* **July 1992** - Promotion of Season 29 begins.
* **August 1992** - Season 29 (Doctor Who) airs.
* **October 1992** - Season 30, and a 30th Anniversary Special, is commissioned by the BBC, with 18 25 minute episodes and one 50 minute episode.
* **November 1992** - Nick Berry and Julia Sawalha announce their departures. Ian Fraser also resigns from the production office, alongside Marc Platt, with effect in September 1992. Paul Cornell, Ben Aaronovitch, Gareth Roberts, Peter Darvill-Evans, David Banks and Daniel Blythe invited to write Doctor Who.

### 1993

* **March 1993** - Filming on Doctor Who Season 30 begins.
* **June 1993** - Ian Fraser and Marc Platt leave the production office.

## Richard Curtis Years (1993 - 1996)

### 1993

* **July 1993** - Filming on Doctor Who's 30th Anniversary begins. Season 30 (Doctor Who) airs. Richard Curtis enters the production office alongside Chris Clough, just in time to film the 30th Anniversary Special.
* **August 1993** - Richard E. Grant announced to be the Next Doctor. Production Notes is introduced to the Doctor Who Magazine by Richard Curtis and Chris Clough to be a new segment, with them alternating the issues.
* **November 1993** - The 30th Anniversary Special airs. Season 31 is commissioned by the BBC.
* **December 1993** - Season 31 enters pre-production, with Sophie Okonedo announced to play the new companion Alison Cheney, the first episode's title revealed, Anthony Ainley's resignation revealed, and Curtis expressing interest in changing the format. It is often assumed that around now, the season's nine writers were commissioned - including Marc Platt's final contribution to the season.

### 1994

* **March 1993** - Filming on Season 31 begins. A video game series for the GameBoy is revealed to be in the works by BBC Multimedia.
* **April 1994** - "Doctor Who Confidential: Eight" - a documentary on Doctor Who - is released to VHS.
* **August 1994** - Season 31 (Doctor Who) airs.
* **September 1994** - Season 32 greenlit. Chris Clough and Richard Curtis announced as executive producers, and a format change announced.
* **November 1994** - Pre-Production on Season 32 begins. Russell T Davies, Paul Leonard, Kate Orman, Jonathan Blum, John Peel and Steven Moffatt invited to write. Sophie Okonedo announces her departure.

### 1995

* **January 1995** - Rupert Graves announced as Alexander Willis.
* **April 1995** - Filming on Season 32 begins. "Doctor Who Confidential: Seven" is released.
* **October 1995** - Season 32 (Doctor Who) airs. Chris Clough, Richard E. Grant and Richard Curtis reveal their plans to leave Doctor Who in 1996.
* **December 1995** - Season 33 and 34 is greenlit. Jo Wright, and Paul Magrs are named as successors for the executive producer position, taking on the role in 1997.

### 1996

* **January 1996** - Pre-Production begins on Season 33. Paul Magrs is confirmed to write the final episode, a Christmas special (and the first), with Russell T. Davies, Steven Moffatt, and Matt Jones. Rupert Graves announces his departure from the series,
* **February 1996** - Paul McGann is announced as The Tenth Doctor.
* **April 1996** - Production begins on Season 33 (Doctor Who). "Doctor Who Confidential: Six" is released.
* **August 1996** - Season 33 (Doctor Who) airs. Chris Clough and Richard Curtis leave the production office.

## Paul Magrs Years (1996 - 2001)

### 1996

* **August 1996** - Jo Wright and Paul Magrs enter the production office. Production on the 1996 Christmas Special begins.
* **October 1996** - The Production Office is confirmed to move to the Broadcasting House, Cardiff. Pre-Production starts on Season 34.
* **December 1996** - The 1996 Christmas Special airs. Iris Wildthyme is revealed in this episode, and the role is given to Gina Bellman.

### 1997

* **February 1997** - Production starts on Season 34. Stories are revealed to be contributed by Russell T. Davies, Paul Cornell, Kate Orman, Terrance Dicks, Christopher Bulis, and Justin Richards. A Christmas Special is announced for the 1997 festive period.
* **April 1997** - "Doctor Who Confidential: Nine" is released.
* **August 1997** - Pre-Production starts on the Christmas Special.
* **October 1997** - Season 34 (Doctor Who) airs. Production starts on the Christmas Special. Gina Bellman reveals she is leaving in the Christmas Special.
* **December 1997** - The Christmas Special airs. A hiatus is announced for 1998, save for a Christmas Special which will run into a new season, effectively confirming an thirty-fifth season. This was primarily since they had been working non-stop since December 1996, and intended to introduce a new spin-off.

### 1998

* **February 1998** - The new spin-off is announced, and pre-production begins on the spin-off. Elisabeth Sladen is announced to return as Sarah Jane Smith.
* **April 1998** - "Doctor Who Confidential: Five" is released.
* **May 1998** - Pre-Production begins on Doctor Who's 1998 Christmas Special, and Thirty-Fifth season.
* **June 1998** - Production finishes on the spin-off.
* **October 1998** - The new spin-off, now named Sarah Jane Adventures, airs.
* **July 1998** - Production begins on Season 35 of Doctor Who. Kate Dickie is announced as the new companion - Milly Jensen.
* **December 1998** - The 1998 Christmas Special airs. Filming ends. Season 35 (Doctor Who) also begins airing. A second season of Sarah Jane Adventures is confirmed to be in pre-production, with filming starting February 1999.

### 1999

* **January 1999** - Doctor Who is confirmed for a thirty-sixth and thirty-seventh season. Doctor Who and Sarah Jane Adventures is also announced to be airing on BBC America for the first time. Pre-Production begins on Season 36 of Doctor Who.
* **February 1999** - Sarah Jane Adventures Season 2 begins filming.
* **March 1999** - Doctor Who Season 36 begins filming.
* **April 1999** - "Doctor Who Confidential: Four (Part 1)" is released.
* **June 1999** - Sarah Jane Adventures Season 2 (SJA) airs.
* **October 1999** - Doctor Who Season 36 (Doctor Who) airs. It is revealed that Sarah Jane Adventures will go on a hiatus until 2001. Pre-Production on Season 37 begins.
* **December 1999** - The 1999 Christmas Special airs, Season 37 is confirmed to be in filming, and would air in June 2000. Jo Wright reveals that this will be her last season.