A Look Back at Classic Who: The Third Doctor's Era · 3:11am Sep 27th, 2013
Let's continue this look at "Classic Who" with the era of the Third Doctor!
The Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee)
When the Third Doctor recovered from his regeneration, he was exiled to 1970 Earth with all of his knowledge about piloting the TARDIS taken away from him and joined forces with UNIT in order to continue protecting the Earth from alien threats. This incarnation of the Doctor differed from his previous two incarnations in various aspects. Mostly due to his exile, this Doctor was more Earthbound and dealt with more alien problems on Earth vs. the universe at large. Even after his exile ended and he regained the knowledge that allowed him to pilot the TARDIS, he still stuck very close to the Earth. Also, unlike his previous incarnations, he wasn't afraid to partake in hand-to-hand combat. He was a man of action and was never afraid to join in the fray. But, much like his previous incarnations, he was brilliant, intelligent, and incredibly clever. His knowledge of the TARDIS grew once he regained the piloting knowledge and was more skilled at flying it than he had been in his previous forms. He was a gentleman, had a hot temper, and also let some of the guilt of his past actions and losses shine through. He tended to have a rocky start with his companions but grew close to them with time. His era also saw the appearances of many great villains and monsters such as the Autons and the Master. Eventually, the Third Doctor met his end when he was exposed to lethal doses of radiation by destroying the web of the Great One: a monstrous spider. After spending ten years wondering through the time vortex with the radiation slowly eating away at him, the TARDIS deposited him back on Earth and he regenerated into a much different man.
Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney)
When the Brigadier first met the Third Doctor, it took him a little while to accept that he was the same Doctor as the one he had met previously. The Brig and the Third Doctor started off with a rocky relationship which grew to mutual respect and, eventually, a good friendship. Much like the Third Doctor, the Brig was a man of action and was almost always on the front line. He was a charming man but always serious and professional. It was a rare sight for him to take nonsense from anyone. He was a natural-born leader and capable of quickly taking charge of any situation. He never joined the Doctor for a trip off into the universe but he always proved to be a tremendous help to him when there was an alien crisis on Earth. Along with companion Sarah Jane Smith, the Brig was with the Third Doctor during his final moments and witnessed his regeneration into the Fourth Doctor with calm preparation.
Elizabeth "Liz" Shaw (Caroline John)
An accomplished scientist who was new to UNIT when the Third Doctor made his debut, it took a long time for Liz to believe that the Doctor was really an alien who owned a blue box that could travel to anywhere and any time in the universe. Like the Brig, she never joined the Doctor for a trip to the stars but she proved to be a truly useful companion on Earth. She was smart and never afraid to butt heads with the Doctor. However, in time, she grew to have a great deal of respect for the man with the blue box. She helped the Doctor defeat the Autons, dealt with the Silurians along with UNIT, and even faced the Cybermen. Eventually, she came to accept that, despite her vast amount of experience and knowledge, her mind was no match for the Doctor's and she resigned from UNIT to return to her own research; some of her farewell words to the Brig being "All the Doctor needs is someone to pass him his test tubes and tell him how brilliant he is".
Josephine "Jo" Grant (Katy Manning)
Jo was a civilian employee of UNIT who became the Doctor's companion following Liz's departure. Jo and the Doctor had a rough start, mostly due to Jo not exactly being one of the brightest people to work for UNIT. However, the two of them quickly became inseparable. Jo many not have been a genius but she was by no means an idiot. She was always determined to prove people wrong about her and proved her competence multiple times, such as when she disobeyed the Master's hypnosis to protect the Doctor. She was a team player, but her desire to follow her own instincts and beliefs helped her and the Doctor grow close. Her first trip in the TARDIS frightened her but she had a few more adventures through time and space with the Doctor after that. After many adventures, Jo parted ways with the Doctor when she found love in activist and mycologist Clifford Jones. The parting saddened both Jo and the Doctor equally and it would be many years before they reunited; but, by that time, he would be the Eleventh Doctor.
Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen)
Sarah Jane was a journalist who infiltrated a UNIT-controlled facility and ultimately ran into the Brig and the Doctor. Like previous companions of the Third Doctor, her relationship with the Doctor started off rocky with her first trip in the TARDIS being due to her stowing away because she was suspicious of him. Unlike Liz and Jo, Sarah Jane's adventures with the Third Doctor focused more on space and time travel than Earthbound problems. She was a confident, courageous, compassionate, and inquisitive companion and was also somewhat of a feminist as she often butted heads with the Doctor and other men when they talked down to her. Sarah Jane shared a fair amount of adventures with the Third Doctor but it wasn't long before she, along with the Brig, witnessed the Doctor regenerate into different man before her very eyes.
So those were the major players in the Third Doctor's era! Next, I look back at the era of the Fourth Doctor!
A part of me has a hard time believing that Elizabeth Sladen is actually that old. Talk about dedication to her role.
Ah yes, Sarah Jane Smith. The Eleventh Doctor reunited with Jo Grant? When did that happen? They should do that more often with those former companions who are still alive and what not. How come you didn't mention the Third Doctor's iconic catchphrase:
1378694
It was on an episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures, "Death of the Doctor"
My high points: Spearhead From Space, Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Ambassadors of Death, Inferno, Terror of the Autons, Day of the Daleks, The Sea Devils, The Three Doctors, The Green Death, The Time Warrior, Invasion of the Dinosaurs
Low points: The Mutants (padded and forgettable), Planet of the Daleks (lack of originality, thanks to Terry Nation), Death to the Daleks (ditto, along with two of the series worst cliffhangers) and The Monster of Peladon (generally kinda boring).
Certainly one of the more consistent eras.
1378694
I just forgot to mention it, which is actually pretty stupid as that is one of the most famous catch phrases of Doctor Who.
1380148 Well admittedly, it is kind of second these days to "Bow ties are cool".
...aaaactually guys he only said "Reverse the Polarity of the Neutron flow once, and it wasn't exactly in that order.
Guess it just sounds so cool at that time