THIRD DOCTOR
JON PERTWEE —1970-1975
The most immediately obvious difference that the Pertwee era brought with it was that the series was now filmed in colour. The second major change was that the Doctor was now restricted to one planet and one time. No more traveling the universe, exploring pasts, presents and futures. The writers would now have to bring the threats to him. The third major change was that the series took on a drastically more adult nature, especially in the first year. This was no longer a kid's show.
With the Doctor Earth-bound, he became the scientific advisor for a para-military group, the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce—or UNIT. Headed by Brigadier Alaister Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, the UNIT men were mainstays for most of the Pertwee years. With the Doctor, his companion, the Master, and the men of UNIT, the Pertwee era is the only one to have a sizable regular cast. Because of that, along with the producer and script editor, there was a very strong sense of family on set.
The Pertwee era introduced us to many aliens and monsters, probably even more than did the Troughton era. The Ice Warriors made two return appearances, as did the Daleks after a 5-year absence. In addition, we met the Silurians and the Sea Devils, the Autons, the Ogrons, the Draconians, and the Sontarans. But the most persistent presence throughout the Pertwee era was that of the Master.
The Master was another renegade Time Lord. He was introduced in the first story of Pertwee's second season, and was the equal and opposite of the Doctor, sort of the Doctor's Moriarty. Roger Delgado played the role for 3 years, and had asked to have the character written out in his fourth year. Unfortunately, Delgado was killed in a car accident during the summer break between seasons.
The Pertwee era was the most consistent ratings winner of the series' history, with very little fluctuation in the numbers, which remained very high throughout his 5-year run. Pertwee would probably have stayed on longer, but with Katy Manning (Jo Grant) having left at the end of Jon's 4th year, Delgado's tragic death, and Barry Letts' announcement that he would leave after 5 years of acting as producer, the family was breaking up, and Pertwee decided that 5 years was enough for him, as well.
Episode List
| Season | Story Title | # of Episodes | Companions | Avg Ratings | Main threat |
| 7 | "Spearhead From Space" | 4 | Liz | 8.2 million | the Autons |
| 7 | "The Silurians" | 7 | Liz | 7.7 million | the Silurians |
| 7 | "The Ambassadors of Death" | 7 | Liz | 7.5 million | |
| 7 | "Inferno" | 7 | Liz | 5.7 million | |
| 8 | "Terror of the Autons" | 4 | Jo | 8.0 million | the Autons, the Master |
| 8 | "The Mind of Evil" | 6 | Jo | 7.5 million | the Master |
| 8 | "The Claws of Axos" | 4 | Jo | 7.4 million | the Axons, the Master |
| 8 | "Colony in Space" | 6 | Jo | 8.5 million | the Master |
| 8 | "The Daemons" | 5 | Jo | 8.3 million | the Master |
| 9 | "Day of the Daleks" | 4 | Jo | 9.6 million | the Daleks, the Ogrons |
| 9 | "The Curse of Peladon" | 4 | Jo | 9.4 million | the Ice Warriors |
| 9 | "The Sea Devils" | 6 | Jo | 8.2 million | the Sea Devils, the Master |
| 9 | "The Mutants" | 6 | Jo | 7.8 million | |
| 9 | "The Time Monster" | 6 | Jo | 7.4 million | the Master |
| 10 | "The Three Doctors" | 4 | Jo | 10.3 million | Omega |
| 10 | "Carnival of Monsters" | 4 | Jo | 9.4 million | the Drashigs |
| 10 | "Frontier in Space" | 6 | Jo | 8.0 million | the Draconians, the Ogrons, the Master |
| 10 | "Planet of the Daleks" | 6 | Jo | 9.7 million | the Daleks |
| 10 | "The Green Death" | 6 | Jo | 7.7 million | |
| 11 | "The Time Warrior" | 4 | Sarah Jane | 8.2 million | the Sontarans |
| 11 | "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" | 6 | Sarah Jane | 9.6 million | |
| 11 | "Death to the Daleks" | 4 | Sarah Jane | 9.4 million | the Daleks |
| 11 | "The Monster of Peladon" | 6 | Sarah Jane | 7.7 million | the Ice Warriors |
| 11 | "The Planet of Spiders" | 6 | Sarah Jane | 9.0 million | The Great One |
Recommended Viewing
Listed below are some of the standout stories from the Third Doctor era, hand selected by members of the Atlanta Gallifreyans. The titles are listed in order of most votes.
"Inferno" (1970)
Starring Jon Pertwee (the Doctor), Caroline John (Liz Shaw) and Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart)
When an attempt to drill into the Earth's core does wrong, the Doctor gets transported into a parallel universe, where Britain has been ruled by a Fascist dictatorship for years. He meets the alter egos of his friends—the one-eyed Brigade Leader, and Captain Liz Shaw—who never become a scientist! To his horror, the drilling project unleashes an inferno which destroys the alternate Earth. Back in our universe, can he stop the drilling before the same fate befalls our Earth?
***
"The Silurians" (1970)
Starring Jon Pertwee (the Doctor), Caroline John (Liz Shaw) and Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart)
A secret underground research centre is having serious problems with both personnel and unexplained losses of power. The problems are traced to a cave nearby where an ancient race of reptilian humanoids has been reawakened after millions of years of suspended animation.
Comments:
"The interplay between the Doctor, UNIT, the Silurians, and the scientists made for some great drama." ~Adam
"I like the tension between the different agendas--the Doctor, UNIT, and the aliens." ~Susan F.
****
"The Time Warrior" (1973)
Starring Jon Pertwee (the Doctor) and Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith)
Scientists are being kidnapped from a research station, and the Doctor suspects they are being pulled backwards into the past. The sighting of a Sontaran Warrior confirms his fears and he travels back into the Middle Ages with an inquisitive journalist stowaway on board the TARDIS.
Comments:
"Watching this again recently I was struck by the entire production. Everything about this story stands head and shoulders over the rest of the Pertwee era. This is due in no small part to Robert Holmes's cracking script. (The actors from Blakes 7 all agreed that they used to get very excited when they received a script from Bob Holmes. They said that they knew it would not only be a great story but their characters would always be done justice in the dialogue dept!) Every character in "The Time Warrior" is outstandingly defined and every situation is well thought-out and holds up well to close scrutiny. I love the heaps of subtle things that go on in this story. At the moment when Lynx is translating the speech of the first humans he encounters, he lets out a slight grunt of bemusement as he realizes that they take him for some kind of supernatural being. Kevin Lindsay gets this across even from under his heavy Sontaran helmet! Anyway, there's tons of clever bits like that in this story and I highly recommend checking it out if you haven't seen it yet." ~James
"Not only introduces both the Sontarans and Sarah Jane, It also tells us why the Doctor does what he does" ~Roger
****
"The Daemons" (1971)
Starring Jon Pertwee (the Doctor), Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart), Roger Delgado (the Master)
Will the excavation of a barrow at Devil's End have the disastrous results that the local white witch promises? What is the connection with the sinister new vicar? All too soon the Doctor and UNIT are struggling against demonic forces summoned from the past by devil worshippers.
Comments:
"Probably a cliche to choose this one, but I love it to bits! When I first saw it—many, many years ago and before it was restored to color—the story scared the holy sugar outta me. Roger Delgado's Master has never been bettered. Great stuff!" ~Chad
****
"Frontier in Space" (1973)
Starring Jon Pertwee (the Doctor), Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Roger Delgado (the Master)
A spate of attacks on spaceships threatens the uneasy alliance between Earth and the Draconians, but the Doctor suspects that a third party is trying to provoke war.
Comments:
"A terrific space opera with someone manipulating the galactic political landscape. So much happens during the course of this 6-parter, and it never lets up on the tension. Also, the Draconians are my favourite Pertwee-era aliens. Plus, it was written by Malcolm Hulke, who I consider to be the series' best writer ever." ~Alan
****
"The Sea Devils" (1972)
Starring Jon Pertwee (the Doctor), Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Roger Delgado (the Master)
The Doctor and Jo visit the Master in his island prison and during their visit hear tales of ships disappearing nearby. The Doctor becomes curious and investigates, discovering that the Sea Devils, aquatic relatives of the Silurians, have awoken from their slumbers and are being helped by the Master.
Comments:
"One of the series' strongest moral stories ever. The Sea Devils were terrific monsters. Again, written by Malcolm Hulke (also wrote The Silurians). Hulke's scripts always have a great sense of balance: the 'villains' are never actually evil, just have an agenda that makes them dangerous. He also has a way of giving you a real sense of the alien's culture." ~Alan
To add your comments to the titles above, or to recommend an additional title, please email me. Thanks!
