As one of the series' most prominent recurring characters over its fifty-year history, the Brigadier appeared in 23 stories during the original run of "Doctor Who", first appearing in the 1968 serial "The Web of Fear" opposite the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton). The character made frequent appearances on the series following the introduction of the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) in 1970's "Spearhead from Space". His final appearance in the program was in 1989's "Battlefield" opposite the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy). Nearly 20 years later, Courtney reprised the role in the spin-off programme "The Sarah Jane Adventures" in 2008, his last appearance prior to Courtney's death in 2011. That year, "Doctor Who" later paid tribute to Courtney by announcing the Brigadier had died with a line of dialogue in "The Wedding of River Song". Later still, a Cyberman avatar of the Brigadier also appears, and achieves some closure with the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi), in "Death in Heaven" (2014).