K-9 and Company: A Girl's Best Friend is a British television movie of the science fiction and family genres. It is a spin-off of the sci-fi series Doctor Who. It was directed by John Black with a script written by Terence Dudley. It first aired on BBC One on December 28th, 1981.
Director John Black is also known for directing all four chapters of "The Keeper of Traken" story-arc from Doctor Who, as well as all four chapters of the "Four to Doomsday" storyline.
Writer Terence Dudley is also known for writing all four chapters from the "Four to Doomsday" storyline of Doctor Who, as well as both installments of the "Black Orchid" story-arc, and both chapters of "The King's Demons" serial.
It is stated that The Doctor gave K-9 to Sarah Jane Smith as a Christmas gift. At the time that this film aired, the Fourth Doctor had regenerated into the Fifth Doctor in between seasons, so it is unclear which iteration of The Doctor gave K-9 to Sarah, though Sarah's line "Doctor, you didn't forget", implies that it was the Fourth Doctor.
