The Three Doctors (TV story): Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox TV| | {{Infobox TV| | ||
story name= The Three Doctors | | story name= The Three Doctors | | ||
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==Synopsis== | |||
The [[Time Lord]]s find themselves beseiged by a mysterious enemy inhabiting the [[antimatter universe]] on the other side of the [[black hole]] from which they draw their power. They enlist [[the Doctor]] in his first three incarnations to battle this foe, who turns out to be a legend from the Time Lords's remote past. | The [[Time Lord]]s find themselves beseiged by a mysterious enemy inhabiting the [[antimatter universe]] on the other side of the [[black hole]] from which they draw their power. They enlist [[the Doctor]] in his first three incarnations to battle this foe, who turns out to be a legend from the Time Lords's remote past. | ||
==Plot== | |||
== | |||
A [[superluminal]] signal is sent to [[Earth]], carrying with it an unusual energy blob that seems intent on capturing [[Third Doctor|the Doctor]]. In the meantime, the homeworld of the [[Time Lord]]s is under siege, with all the power sustaining it being drained through a [[black hole]]. Trapped and desperate, the Time Lords do the unthinkable and break the [[First Law of Time]], allowing the Doctor to aid himself by summoning his two previous [[regeneration|incarnations]] from the past. | A [[superluminal]] signal is sent to [[Earth]], carrying with it an unusual energy blob that seems intent on capturing [[Third Doctor|the Doctor]]. In the meantime, the homeworld of the [[Time Lord]]s is under siege, with all the power sustaining it being drained through a [[black hole]]. Trapped and desperate, the Time Lords do the unthinkable and break the [[First Law of Time]], allowing the Doctor to aid himself by summoning his two previous [[regeneration|incarnations]] from the past. | ||
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With the power now restored to the Time Lords, they are able to send the First and Second Doctors back to their respective time periods. As a reward, the Time Lords give the Third Doctor a new [[dematerialization circuit]] for the TARDIS and restore his knowledge of how to travel through [[space]] and [[time]]. | With the power now restored to the Time Lords, they are able to send the First and Second Doctors back to their respective time periods. As a reward, the Time Lords give the Third Doctor a new [[dematerialization circuit]] for the TARDIS and restore his knowledge of how to travel through [[space]] and [[time]]. | ||
==Cast== | |||
[[Third Doctor | The Doctor]] - [[Jon Pertwee]] | |||
[[Second Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Patrick Troughton]] | |||
[[First Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[William Hartnell]] | |||
[[ | [[Jo Grant]] - [[Katy Manning]] | ||
[[Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]] - [[Nicholas Courtney]] | |||
[[Omega]] - [[Stephen Thorne]] | |||
Sergeant [[Benton]] - [[John Levene]] | |||
[[Dr. Tyler]] - [[Rex Robinson]] | |||
[[Lord President (The Three Doctors)|President of the Council]] - | |||
[[Roy Purcell]] | |||
[[Mr. Ollis]] - [[Laurie Webb]] | |||
[[Chancellor (The Three Doctors)|Chancellor]] - [[Clyde Pollitt]] | |||
[[Time Lord (The Three Doctors)|Time Lord]] - [[Graham Leaman]] | |||
[[Mrs. Ollis]] - [[Patricia Prior]] | |||
Corporal [[Palmer]] - [[Denys Palmer]] | |||
==Crew== | |||
[[Writer]] - [[Bob Baker and Dave Martin]] | |||
[[Producer]] - [[Barry Letts]] | |||
[[Director]] - [[Lennie Mayne]] | |||
[[Title Music]] - [[Ron Grainer and BBC Radiophonic Workshop]] | |||
[[Incidental Music]] - [[Dudley Simpson]] | |||
[[Special Sound]] - [[Dick Mills]] | |||
[[Film Cameraman]] - [[John Baker]] | |||
[[Film Sound]] - [[Bob Roberts]] | |||
[[Film Editor]] - [[Jim Walker]] | |||
[[Visual Effects Designer]] - [[Michaeljohn Harris]] | |||
[[Costume Designer]] - [[Jim Acheson]] | |||
[[Make-up]] - [[Ann Rayment]] | |||
[[ | [[Lighting]] - [[Clive Thomas]] | ||
[[Sound]] - [[Derek Miller-Timmins]] | |||
[[Script Editor]] - [[Terrance Dicks]] | |||
[[Designer]] - [[Roger Liminton]] | |||
==References== | |||
[[Aladdin]], [[antimatter]], [[black hole]], [[The Beatles]], [[Cybermen]], [[jelly baby]], [[recorder]], [[singularity]], [[supernova]], "[[Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star]]", [[Yeti]], | |||
== | ==Story Notes== | ||
* This story celebrates the tenth year of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' on [[television]]. | |||
* | * [[William Hartnell]]'s last appearance as [[the Doctor]] before his [[Doctor Who deaths|death]] in [[1975]]. Hartnell was too ill to play a more active role in the story. Instead his scenes were filmed in Ealing Television Film Studios while he read his lines from cue cards. The script was rewritten with the explanation that the [[First Doctor]] was stuck in a [[time eddy]] due to the power drain caused by [[Omega]]. | ||
* | * The first of three mainstream return appearances by [[Patrick Troughton]] as the [[Second Doctor]]. His next two were in "[[The Five Doctors]]" ([[1983]]) and "[[The Two Doctors]]" ([[1985]]). | ||
* The first appearance of Omega. Originally Omega's name was supposed to be [[Ohm]], the word resulting from turning "who" upside-down. Ohm was later used as the name of an ancient [[Gallifreyan]] god in ''[[The Infinity Doctors]]''. | |||
*The [[ | *The original script, entitled ''[[Deathworld]]'' had the [[Time Lord]]s enlisting the three Doctors to battle a [[Federation of Evil]] led by Death. The idea of Death as an actual entity was later used in the [[List of Virgin New Adventures Stories | Virgin New Adventure]] novels and [[List_of_Audio_Stories#Big_Finish_Audio_Dramas | Big Finish Audio Dramas]], with [[Death]] as an [[Eternal]] who purposely arranges for the [[Seventh Doctor]] to be shot and die in [[1999]] [[San Francisco]] at the beginning of the [[Doctor Who: The TV Movie|television movie]]. | ||
* | *Original plans were for [[Jamie McCrimmon]] and [[Zoe Heriot]] to appear in the story. However, [[Frazer Hines]] was unable to take time out from ''Emmerdale Farm'' for filming, and the idea of additional companions received objections from [[Jon Pertwee]], who felt too many characters would detract from the story. | ||
* | *This story featured a new redesigned [[TARDIS]] console room set by [[Roger Liminton]]. The one used in the previous story, "[[The Time Monster]]," warped in storage and had a design which [[Barry Letts]] disliked. | ||
* | * The end of the Doctor's exile on [[Earth]]. This also marks the beginning of the gradual phasing out of [[UNIT]] on the series, as the Doctor spends more and more time away from [[20th century]] [[Earth]]. | ||
== | ===Ratings=== | ||
*Episode 1 - 9.6m viewers | |||
*Episode 2 - 10.8m viewers | |||
*Episode 3 - 8.8m viewers | |||
*Episode 4 - 11.9m viewers | |||
===Myths=== | |||
* | *[[William Hartnell]]'s scenes were filmed in the garage of his home against a black backdrop. (His scenes were actually filmed at [[Ealing Television Film Studios]].) | ||
== | ===Location Filming=== | ||
*[[Summerfield Bungalow]] in [[Rickmansworth]], [[Hertfordshire]] served as the Ollis's cottage. The bird sanctuary was actually [[Springwell Reservoir]], also in [[Rickmansworth]]. Exterior scenes set in Omega's universe were filmed at [[Springwell Quarry]]. [[Halings House]] in [[Denham Green]], [[Buckinghamshire]], served as the exterior of [[UNIT HQ]]. The fight between the Third Doctor and Omega's dark side, as well as the First Doctor's scenes, were filmed at [[Ealing Television Film Studios]]. Model shots were filmed at the [[BBC Television Centre Puppet Theatre]], with all other scenes filmed at [[BBC Television Centre Studio 1]]. | |||
===Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors=== | |||
*The fact that he has been brought into his own future and telepathicly linked with the [[Third Doctor]] leads to questions of the [[Second Doctor]] learning of his eventual capture, trial, and exile by the [[Time Lord]]s. [[Season 6B]] is an attempt to reconcile the issues arising from this plot hole. | *The fact that he has been brought into his own future and telepathicly linked with the [[Third Doctor]] leads to questions of the [[Second Doctor]] learning of his eventual capture, trial, and exile by the [[Time Lord]]s. [[Season 6B]] is an attempt to reconcile the issues arising from this plot hole. | ||
== | ==Continuity== | ||
*The [[Second Doctor]] addresses [[Benton]] as Corporal, the rank he held in "[[The Invasion]]." He also refers to [[UNIT]]'s battle with the [[Cybermen]] in that story. [[The Brigadier]] also mentions that adventure, as well as his first meeting with [[the Doctor]] during the [[Yeti]] attack in "[[The Web of Fear]]." Mention is also made of the two occassions the Doctor "changed his appearance," - the process was not yet called "[[regeneration]]," - which occurred respectively at the conclusions of "[[The Tenth Planet (TV story)|The Tenth Planet]]" and "[[The War Games]]." | |||
* [[ | *Omega returns again in "[[Arc of Infinity (TV story)|Arc of Infinity]]" and appears in the spin-off adventures "[[The Infinity Doctors]]" and "[[Omega (Audio Drama)|Omega]]." | ||
== DVD, Video | ==DVD, Video and Other Releases== | ||
'''DVD Releases''' | '''DVD Releases''' | ||
[[Image:3r-dvd.jpg|right|76px]] | [[Image:3r-dvd.jpg|right|76px]] | ||
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::PAL - [[BBC Video]] BBCV7364 | ::PAL - [[BBC Video]] BBCV7364 | ||
== | ==Target Novelisations== | ||
''to be added'' | |||
==External Links== | |||
*[http://www.drwhoguide.com/who_3r.htm Synopsis at the Doctor Who Reference Guide] | *[http://www.drwhoguide.com/who_3r.htm Synopsis at the Doctor Who Reference Guide] | ||
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*{{Wikipedia|The_Three_Doctors}} | *{{Wikipedia|The_Three_Doctors}} | ||
Revision as of 17:04, 12 March 2007
Synopsis
The Time Lords find themselves beseiged by a mysterious enemy inhabiting the antimatter universe on the other side of the black hole from which they draw their power. They enlist the Doctor in his first three incarnations to battle this foe, who turns out to be a legend from the Time Lords's remote past.
Plot
A superluminal signal is sent to Earth, carrying with it an unusual energy blob that seems intent on capturing the Doctor. In the meantime, the homeworld of the Time Lords is under siege, with all the power sustaining it being drained through a black hole. Trapped and desperate, the Time Lords do the unthinkable and break the First Law of Time, allowing the Doctor to aid himself by summoning his two previous incarnations from the past.
Unfortunately, the Doctor's first incarnation is trapped in a time eddy, unable to fully materialize, and can only communicate via viewscreen, but the Doctor's second incarnation joins the third in investigating the origins of the creature and the black hole, while UNIT headquarters faces an attack by the gel-like alien creatures.
The First Doctor deduces the black hole is a bridge between universes, and the other two Doctors allow the TARDIS to be swallowed up by the energy creature, which transports them, Dr Tyler, Jo Grant, Sergeant Benton and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart into an antimatter universe created by the legendary Time Lord Omega, a solar engineer who created the supernova that powers Time Lord civilization, but was considered killed in the explosion. In actuality, he had been transported to the antimatter universe, where his will and thought turned the formless matter into physicality. Trapped, due to the fact that his will is the only thing maintaining reality, he vowed revenge on the Time Lords who left him stranded.
It is clear that the exile has made Omega quite insane. Along with his revenge, he has summoned the Doctors here to take over the mental maintenance of the antimatter universe so he can escape. However, the Doctors discover that years of exposure to the corrosive effects of the black hole's singularity have destroyed Omega's physical body - he is trapped forever. Driven over the edge by this discovery, Omega now demands that the Doctors share his exile.
The Doctors escape briefly, and offer Omega a proposition. They will give him his freedom if they send the others back to the positive matter universe. Omega agrees, and when that is done, the Doctors offer Omega a force field generator containing the Second Doctor's recorder, which had fallen in it prior to the transport through the black hole. Omega knocks the generator over in a rage and the unconverted positive matter recorder falls out of the force field. When the recorder comes into contact with the antimatter universe, it annihilates everything in a flash, returning the Doctors in the TARDIS to the positive matter universe. The Third Doctor explains that death was the only freedom anyone could offer Omega.
With the power now restored to the Time Lords, they are able to send the First and Second Doctors back to their respective time periods. As a reward, the Time Lords give the Third Doctor a new dematerialization circuit for the TARDIS and restore his knowledge of how to travel through space and time.
Cast
The Doctor - Patrick Troughton
Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - Nicholas Courtney
Sergeant Benton - John Levene
Corporal Palmer - Denys Palmer
Crew
Writer - Bob Baker and Dave Martin
Title Music - Ron Grainer and BBC Radiophonic Workshop
Incidental Music - Dudley Simpson
Visual Effects Designer - Michaeljohn Harris
Costume Designer - Jim Acheson
Script Editor - Terrance Dicks
References
Aladdin, antimatter, black hole, The Beatles, Cybermen, jelly baby, recorder, singularity, supernova, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", Yeti,
Story Notes
- This story celebrates the tenth year of Doctor Who on television.
- William Hartnell's last appearance as the Doctor before his death in 1975. Hartnell was too ill to play a more active role in the story. Instead his scenes were filmed in Ealing Television Film Studios while he read his lines from cue cards. The script was rewritten with the explanation that the First Doctor was stuck in a time eddy due to the power drain caused by Omega.
- The first of three mainstream return appearances by Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor. His next two were in "The Five Doctors" (1983) and "The Two Doctors" (1985).
- The first appearance of Omega. Originally Omega's name was supposed to be Ohm, the word resulting from turning "who" upside-down. Ohm was later used as the name of an ancient Gallifreyan god in The Infinity Doctors.
- The original script, entitled Deathworld had the Time Lords enlisting the three Doctors to battle a Federation of Evil led by Death. The idea of Death as an actual entity was later used in the Virgin New Adventure novels and Big Finish Audio Dramas, with Death as an Eternal who purposely arranges for the Seventh Doctor to be shot and die in 1999 San Francisco at the beginning of the television movie.
- Original plans were for Jamie McCrimmon and Zoe Heriot to appear in the story. However, Frazer Hines was unable to take time out from Emmerdale Farm for filming, and the idea of additional companions received objections from Jon Pertwee, who felt too many characters would detract from the story.
- This story featured a new redesigned TARDIS console room set by Roger Liminton. The one used in the previous story, "The Time Monster," warped in storage and had a design which Barry Letts disliked.
- The end of the Doctor's exile on Earth. This also marks the beginning of the gradual phasing out of UNIT on the series, as the Doctor spends more and more time away from 20th century Earth.
Ratings
- Episode 1 - 9.6m viewers
- Episode 2 - 10.8m viewers
- Episode 3 - 8.8m viewers
- Episode 4 - 11.9m viewers
Myths
- William Hartnell's scenes were filmed in the garage of his home against a black backdrop. (His scenes were actually filmed at Ealing Television Film Studios.)
Location Filming
- Summerfield Bungalow in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire served as the Ollis's cottage. The bird sanctuary was actually Springwell Reservoir, also in Rickmansworth. Exterior scenes set in Omega's universe were filmed at Springwell Quarry. Halings House in Denham Green, Buckinghamshire, served as the exterior of UNIT HQ. The fight between the Third Doctor and Omega's dark side, as well as the First Doctor's scenes, were filmed at Ealing Television Film Studios. Model shots were filmed at the BBC Television Centre Puppet Theatre, with all other scenes filmed at BBC Television Centre Studio 1.
Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
- The fact that he has been brought into his own future and telepathicly linked with the Third Doctor leads to questions of the Second Doctor learning of his eventual capture, trial, and exile by the Time Lords. Season 6B is an attempt to reconcile the issues arising from this plot hole.
Continuity
- The Second Doctor addresses Benton as Corporal, the rank he held in "The Invasion." He also refers to UNIT's battle with the Cybermen in that story. The Brigadier also mentions that adventure, as well as his first meeting with the Doctor during the Yeti attack in "The Web of Fear." Mention is also made of the two occassions the Doctor "changed his appearance," - the process was not yet called "regeneration," - which occurred respectively at the conclusions of "The Tenth Planet" and "The War Games."
- Omega returns again in "Arc of Infinity" and appears in the spin-off adventures "The Infinity Doctors" and "Omega."
DVD, Video and Other Releases
DVD Releases
Released as Doctor Who: The Three Doctors.
Released:
- Region 2 24th November 2003
- PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1144
- Region 4 12th November 2003
- Region 1 2nd March 2004
- NTSC - Warner Video E1925
Contents:
- Pebble Mill at One - Bernard Wilkie and Patrick Troughton interviews from Christmas 1973.
- Blue Peter - Jon Pertwee and the Whomobile in the studio.
- BSB - Excerpts from BSB '31 Who' weekend.
- PanoptiCon '93 - Jon Pertwee on stage at PanoptiCon '93
- Trailers
- Photo Gallery.
- Production Subtitles
- Commentary: Nicholas Courtney, Katy Manning and Barry Letts
Notes: Also released in the UK in a limited edition boxset, including a miniature Bessie model car.
Video Release
Released as Doctor Who: The Three Doctors.
Released:
- First Release:
-
- PAL - BBC Video BBCV4650
- NTSC - CBS/FOX Video 3405
- NTSC - Warner Video E1100
- Second Release: Exclusive to W.H. Smith as part of The Time Lord Collection.
Target Novelisations
to be added