On December 2, 1982, doctors transplanted
   the first artificial heart into a human. This
   plastic and aluminum device, the Jarvik-7,
   was implanted into Barney Clark, who
    survived for 112 days after the operation. 

When people think back to the 1980s, then their thoughts inevitably turn towards
Margaret Thatcher and Thatcherism. 

These were not the best of times. Mass unemployment, strikes, 
walk-outs, boom and bust, high inflation, high interest rates,
food shortages, ozone depletion, nuclear war, Communism and
Channel 4. What a load of old rubbish. The only thing that 
mattered at this time was Tom Baker’s decision to quit the
show after seven glorious years wondering through time and
space. 

And rightfully so. How could the BBC possibly replace this great
man? For sure this was the end for Doctor Who. Any replacement
would be on a hiding-to-nothing. How do you replace perfection - 
you can't. The new Doctor would inevitably suffer through 
unfavourable comparisons, no matter who took over. It was an
impossible situation. So what did the BBC do - they took the 
radical step of casting the youngest actor ever to assume the
role, a very youthful looking Peter Davison. And against all the
odds it worked. The show was back on the road again! For many 
fans Peter Davison ranks as one of the greats; he was part of their early years and will be remembered as
a worthy successor to Tom Baker. 

The programme was now shifted from an autumn to a spring transmission date; and instead of its traditional
Saturday evening slot, it would go out twice weekly. The scripts were never quite as good after Tom Baker
left and there was certainly no improvement from the special effects department. But it was still ok. Davison
stayed for three seasons. He returns from time-to-time to play the Fifth Doctor in the excellent audio plays
produced by Big Finish Productions.  
		
For the next two seasons, the task of playing the Doctor fell to Colin Baker. The length of each episode was
extended from 25 to 45 minutes and the show returned to the more traditional Saturday evening slot. But it
was never the same again. Even when they brought back some of the classic monsters, it was just hopeless. 
The show had run its course. But still, against all the odds, it continued to stagger on until finally, in 1989,
the axe fell. Doctor Who was no more. It was all Sylvester's fault. Anyway, that's what we thought at the time.