Robert Holmes

Robert Holmes (1926–1986) was a British screenwriter best known for his 18 stories for Doctor Who between 1968 and 1986 and script editing a good number of others.

These aren't just any stories though. Included in his work are some of the all-time classics of the show, including:

• "Spearhead from Space"
• "The Deadly Assassin"
• "The Talons of Weng-Chiang"
• "The Caves of Androzani"

Yep, this is the guy who gave us the Autons and the Sontarans... and, as if that weren't enough, wrote some of the first appearances of some of the best companions.

Many of his plots have a formula--crippled super-villain tries to regain power--but they vary widely from that initial idea. Holmes was very fond of Those Two Guys: many of his stories are advanced by a double act of supporting characters. His Holmsian Double Act in "The Talons of Weng-Chiang", showman Jago and police pathologist Litefoot, were so popular that a spinoff was briefly considered, and eventually realised in 2010 by Big Finish.

He died before he could finish "The Ultimate Foe"; it would require others to finish that one off. It's also a shame that we never got to see "Yellow Fever and How to Cure It", a story planned for the original Season 23.