The Three Doctors: Episode One

Doctor Who: The Three Doctors Part 1 earns a solid 8 out of 10 for its imaginative premise, charismatic performances, and especially its family-friendly charm. The reunion of the First, Second, and Third Doctors is handled with playful warmth rather than convoluted sci-fi jargon, making it accessible to younger viewers while still rewarding long-time fans. The stakes-a cosmic threat from Omega-are dramatic but never too dark, and the pacing balances suspense with lighthearted moments that invite everyone to smile. Tom Baker's wry humor complements Jon Pertwee's action-hero flair and William Hartnell's grandfatherly wisdom, creating a harmonious team dynamic that feels inclusive and safe for family viewing. The production's slightly dated effects only add to its nostalgic appeal, and the clear moral themes-courage, cooperation, and curiosity-resonate across generations. While modern Doctor Who may dazzle with cutting-edge visuals, this classic adventure reminds us that heartfelt storytelling and gentle humor can unite parents and children around the screen. An absolute delight for family viewing, The Three Doctors Part 1 proves that great sci-fi doesn't need to be scary to be memorable.

Review of the Complete Story:

THE THREE DOCTORS is a well-remembered serial from the Jon Pertwee era of DOCTOR WHO. It's certainly a memorable production which packs plenty of ingredients into the narrative: not one, not two, but three different incarnations of the Doctor; the welcome return of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and Sergeant Benton; a world-eating alien blob; time travel; ugly lava monsters; and a renegade Time Lord known only as Omega.

Inevitably the story was going to be an entertaining one with all those ingredients and Who fans are in for a treat with this one. The best scenes are those in which Pertwee and Patrick Troughton are paired up to constantly belittle each other - a real delight. It's a real pity that William Hartnell's poor health meant that he was relegated to appearing on a monitor for a handful of scenes, but at least it's a fitting swansong for the first Doctor.

Those stories featuring the Brigadier are always among my favourites and Nicholas Courtney is on top form here. It's also good to see John Levene's Benton get more screen time than usual. THE THREE DOCTORS is chock full of cheesy special effects work, from dodgy alien planets to monsters which look like walking pasta bakes, but the late-stage intervention of the megalomaniac Omega only adds to the fun. It's not perfect - what is? - but it's a whole lotta fun nonetheless.

I got to experience The Three Doctors in the remastered Blu Ray edition.

It was the days when the outside location shots would be done on 16mm film. The studio shots would be done on video. In theory the upgrade is easier to do on the film.

I thought the upgrade on the video was very good and you can see the detail on the faces of the actors.

This tenth anniversary special was actually shown in 1972. The Third Doctor comes across something odd at UNIT headquarters.

The Time Lords on Gallifrey notice that the universe is in grave danger. To help the Third Doctor they summon the Second Doctor.

I guess producer Barry Letts thought that it would be wise to have the two doctors having an antagonistic relationship. This would then allow the First Doctor to enter and keep the peace and keep things orderly.

Hartnell was infirm and his shots were effectively done in his garden shed.

Still some of the lines between the doctors are classics. They have been reused often in other episodes. Sarah Jane mentioned the redecoration of the Tardis in School Reunion.

Looking back at this episode. I was surprised that all three doctors get together in the first episode.

I was also surprised that Sergeant Benton had never been inside the Tardis until this episode.

"The Three Doctors", the first serial in the tenth season of Doctor Who, celebrated the programme's tenth anniversary by uniting all three actors to have played the Doctor as of that date, William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee. Ill-health, however, prevented Hartnell from playing a full role in the serial, and his participation is limited to a pre-recorded cameo viewed on a monitor screen. (This was to be his last acting role before his death in 1975).

We are informed that there is a "First Law of Time" which prevents two or more incarnations of a Time Lord from meeting one another. This, however, appears to be a "law" in the sense of "piece of legislation" rather than a "law of nature", because we are also informed that it can be broken in extreme circumstances. (Strangely, no mention of this law was made when Troughton's Second Doctor appeared alongside Colin Baker's Sixth in "The Two Doctors" from the eighties). So what circumstance so extreme has occurred to require the Time Lords to breach this fundamental law?

The answer is that their home planet Gallifrey is facing a catastrophic situation, with all their power being sucked into a black hole, a state of affairs which threatens not only Gallifrey itself but the entire universe. The problem is so serious that the Time Lords fear that it cannot be solved by one Doctor alone, and that the combined efforts of all three Doctors will be needed. So the Second and Third Doctors are summoned, although the First finds himself trapped in a "time eddy", a plot device invented to explain Hartnell's limited participation.

Imagine the shock to modern America if it were to be discovered that George Washington did not die in 1799 but is still alive and is actively plotting to destroy the country that he helped to found. A shock of similar magnitude awaits the Doctors. For eons the Time Lords have revered a Founding Father named Omega, the solar engineer whose work created the power source that gives them mastery over time. Omega is believed to have died in a supernova explosion, but in fact he was propelled into an "antimatter universe" where he exists on a world created by his will alone. Believing that the Time Lords left him to die, he is now seeking revenge.

I won't set out the plot any further as it gets very complicated, and indeed frequently absurd. The plot isn't the only absurd thing about this serial; there are also those jelly-like monsters who look like Mr Blobby suffering from an unpleasant skin disease. Omega is a potentially tragic figure, but not enough is made of this aspect of his character; for most of the time he just comes across as a bombastic, posturing pantomime villain. We discover towards the end that he does not really exist except as a manifestation of his own will- a bizarre concept. Troughton, however, makes a welcome return to the show; his Second Doctor finds it impossible to get on with Pertwee's Third because of their very different personalities, the Second being more mischievous and irreverent, the Third more urbane and serious. (The sharp exchanges between Troughton and Pertwee are the story's most amusing feature). Hartnell's First Doctor has to try and reconcile them, but even he cannot resist joining in the mutual recriminations, dismissing his successors as "the dandy and the clown". The idea of reuniting the three incarnations of the Doctor was a good one; it is just a pity that a better story could not have been found for them to star in.

This one was commissioned to celebrate ten years of our celebrated Time Lord, and it pitches the "Doctor" (Jon Pertwee) against his most deadly foe yet! Indeed such is the peril faced by the entire galaxy, the folks on "Gallifrey" have broken just about every rule of time there is to provide him with the support of his earlier iterations - Patrick Troughton and William Hartnell. What's the problem? Well it seems that anti-matter is gradually taking over the universe and the process looks like it will quite literally lead to the big bang. With "Jo" (Katy Manning) and the redoubtable "Brigadier" (Nicholas Courtney) on their team, the three must rally together and use all of their accumulated wisdom and guile if they are to defeat their ultimate nemesis - "Omega"! This is one of my favourite outings for the "Doctor" that's well enhanced by a strong and amiable contribution from the sightly eccentric Troughton as they face a baddie that exudes loads of teatime menace. We still get to film in the BBC quarry for some of this, but that is mixed effectively with some decent visual effects and a really solid story that is well paced and poured into four episodes that don't hang around. True - some of the monsters do look like they've just escaped from a wine gum factory, but with timelines crossing and critters appearing and disappearing all over the shop and quite a bit of wit in the script, this makes for an enjoyable hour of time travel adventures, revenge and an annoying recorder (flute not tape). Good fun, this.