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The Three Doctors

Rating		Votes
10	18%	21
9	22%	25
8	27%	31
7	18%	20
6	9%	10
5	2%	2
4	4%	5
3	0%	0
2	0%	0
1	0%	0
Average Rating 8.0
Votes 114

Synopsis

From http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide

A gel-like plasma creature arrives on Earth and hunts down the Doctor, who calls on the Time Lords for help. The Time Lords themselves are in crisis as their energy is being drawn off into a black hole. They send the Doctor's earlier selves to join him.

The first Doctor, caught in a time eddy and able only to advise, deduces that the creature is a time bridge. The third Doctor and Jo then give themselves up to it and are transported to a world of antimatter beyond the black hole.

On Earth, the second Doctor is forced to take refuge in the TARDIS along with the Brigadier and Sergeant Benton. On the advice of the first Doctor he switches off the ship's force field, and the whole UNIT building is transported through the black hole.

Behind these events is Omega, a figure from Time Lord history whose solar engineering provided the power for time travel. He has been trapped in the black hole ever since and now wants the Doctor to swap places with him, but it transpires that the corrosive properties of his domain have already destroyed his physical form, leaving only his will.

He threatens to destroy the universe but is tricked into touching the second Doctor's recorder - the only thing not converted to antimatter when the TARDIS passed through the black hole - and is consumed in the resulting supernova. Everyone else is returned home.

Has Prerequisite Story

7 out of 32 (21.9%) raters say this story requires a previous story.

Extended Ratings

Plot

8.1

(44)

Acting

8.7

(44)

Effects

7.6

(43)

Replay

8.6

(44)

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart

Jo Grant

Sergeant Benton

UNIT

Gell Guards

Omega

Time Lords

Action

Adventure

Sci-fi

Cast

The Doctor - Jon Pertwee

The Doctor - Patrick Troughton

The Doctor - William Hartnell

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - Nicholas Courtney

Jo Grant - Katy Manning

Sergeant Benton - John Levene

Chancellor - Clyde Pollitt

Corporal Palmer - Denys Palmer

Dr. Tyler - Rex Robinson

Mr. Ollis - Laurie Webb

Mrs Ollis - Patricia Pryor

Omega - Stephen Thorne

President of the Council - Roy Purcell

Time Lord - Graham Leaman

Director:

Lennie Mayne

Writer:

Bob Baker

Writer:

Dave Martin

My Rating/Review

Page 1

Latest Community Reviews

Classic TV Series

The Three Doctors

From the Reviewer:

User Rating:

7

Plot Rating:

6

Acting Rating:

8

Replay Rating:

7

Effects Rating:

7

Has Prerequisite(s):

No

Reviewed By: adpirtleReview Date: 4/23/19 10:49 am

0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

The Three Doctors may not be the best multi-Doctor serial. The Five Doctors, The Two Doctors, and The Day of the Doctor are all arguably better stories. However, The Three Doctors was at least the first one, and it's still pretty good. Pertwee, Troughton, and all the regulars seem to be having a ball with the affair, Troughton especially, who looks like he never left the role. It's also nice seeing Hartnell again, even in his limited capacity. The villain lets this story down a bit, but at least Omega gets a better showing here than in Arc of Infinity.

Classic TV Series

The Three Doctors

From the Reviewer:

User Rating:

10

Plot Rating:

10

Acting Rating:

10

Replay Rating:

10

Effects Rating:

7

Has Prerequisite(s):

No

Reviewed By: DalekbusterScreen5ReviewsReview Date: 4/8/17 4:31 pm

0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

This being the multi-Doctor adventure which started the tradition, it's hard not to see why multi-Doctor stories became as popular as they are today. Whilst it's a shame William Hartnell couldn't have a bigger role due to illness, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee are hilarious together and form a entertaining double act.

The plot also adds some interesting details to Time Lord mythos; here, we meet the stellar engineer of time travel technology Omega (who was trapped in a anti-matter universe by the Time Lords). Omega is one of the best villains ever to be introduced in the show; he has a certain presence that makes you instantly fear him whenever he appears in shot. It's also a rare instance where the classic series look almost rivals the look of the monsters and villains in the new series; Omega's costume would not look out of place in the 2005 reboot of the show.

If you love Doctor Who and haven't seen The Three Doctors, then I urge you to watch it. For it showcases exactly what makes the traditional multi-Doctor adventure so great.

Other Recommendations

7.9

(117)

Classic TV Series

The Five Doctors

7.2

(98)

Classic TV Series

The Two Doctors

8.7

(145)

The Day of the Doctor

Classic TV Series

The Three Doctors

From the Reviewer:

User Rating:

8

Plot Rating:

7

Acting Rating:

9

Replay Rating:

10

Effects Rating:

7

Has Prerequisite(s):

Unsure

Reviewed By: TheBigChurroReview Date: 10/16/16 12:50 am

1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

Not the most clever story but it is immense fun due to Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee. They are so much fun together and adds to re-watchability of the story. Omega is a great villain while adding to the mythos of the show to add concepts that go on to influence great stories.
Easy to get into and would highly recommend to new classic viewers :)

Classic TV Series

The Three Doctors

From the Reviewer:

User Rating:

10

Plot Rating:

10

Acting Rating:

10

Replay Rating:

10

Effects Rating:

8

Has Prerequisite(s):

Unsure

Reviewed By: AlfredReview Date: 10/27/15 7:14 am

0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

Getting the three doctors together for one episode was a masterstroke and remains a major milestone of Doctor Who. Hartnell, Troughton and Pertwee play perfectly off each other and the fundamental distinctions between their characterisations of the Doctor are thrown into magnificent high relief. The plot has an excellent air of mystery right up to the reveal. The overall experience is such that the viewer is left feeling saddened at the end when all the Doctors have to go their own ways.

There is a fair dose of humour throughout The Three Doctors to the point that the show is on the verge of spoofing itself. However, the result is brilliant in a way that only happens when a story takes some risks with its credibility but somehow manages to pull it off.

The Three Doctors is must-see Doctor Who.

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