Allies - K-9

A Guide to Classic Who references in New Who episodes.  Meet the Friends of Doctor Who...

K-9 was the name given to a series of robot dogs, companions to the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith.

K-9

K-9 was created by Professor Marius in the year 5000 as a companion while working on asteroid K4067.  When leaving the asteroid he gave the robot dog to the Fourth Doctor ("The Invisible Enemy").

This K-9 remained as a companion to the Doctor until it stated behind on Gallifrey with Leela ("The Invasion of Time.")

Behind the Scenes.

K9 wasn't created as an ongoing character, but was instead created by writers Bob Baker and Dave Martin as a one-off character in "The Invisible Enemy," but expense of the prop lead it being made an ongoing character.

As a one-off character, the rights belonged not to the BBC, but to Baker & Martin, which lead to the non-BBC TV series "K-9" which debuted in 2009.  The character features a revamped version of the original K-9 (since the later models weren't created by Baker).

K9 MII

At the end of "The Invasion of Time" the Doctor is seen opening a box marked "K9 MII." The next story ("The Ribos Operation") show the Doctor using a dog whistle to activate him.

This K-9 stayed behind in E-Space with the second Romana in "Warrior's Gate."

K9 MIII

Five years later. Sarah Jane received an mysterious crate from the Doctor for Christmas.  In the crate was a third K-9 unit, and it lean to the pair having a series of one adventures (the failed pilot K-9 & Company).  This K9 unit appeared briefly in "The Five Doctors" still with Sarah Jane before she was kidnapped.

New Who.

The third K9, his upgrade appear in Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures.



http://timeycrash.blogspot.com/search/label/SJK9

~ DUG.

This article refers only to references within the classic series, not the new series.