The Three Doctors Episode Four

The one where the Doctor's recorder saves the universe...

When the Doctor is released from his battle with the dark side of Omega's mind, Jon Pertwee has to pretend to be in a head-lock with the invisible man, but this made me wonder whether the Doctor had been tumbling around the singularity room all this time, fighting an unseen troll? I hope not, because that would've been silly.

Omega finally reveals what it is he wants the Doctor to do: replace him. In a twist reminiscent of The Mind Robber, Omega wants the Doctor to perpetuate the anti-matter universe so that he can leave, because as things stand, Omega cannot leave without relinquishing control, and he cannot do that unless he leaves. It's a paradox. So he needs someone else to take control.

The Three Doctors Episode Three

The one where the Doctors meet one of their heroes (and you know what they say about meeting your heroes)...

I realised while watched the reprise that when UNIT HQ is zapped off into the black hole, it leaves behind a beautifully grassed verge where it once stood, rather than torn foundations, leaking water pipes and sparking electricity junction boxes. It's also rather silly that there's absolutely nobody else in the entire building when it's transported, not even a squaddie on the loo, a cleaner, or a secretary. The only people transported to the anti-matter universe are those who matter. PLUS... when UNIT HQ arrives in the anti-matter universe, we never see it there. It would have been a fantastic shot of an entire building sitting in the middle of a quarry, even if it was done by using a cut-out of the building (as with the black hole effect).

When the Brigadier opens the door to see the CSO beach outside ("I'm fairly sure that's Cromer"), it looks nothing like the reality of a chalk quarry in Rickmansworth. It actually looks quite pleasant outside, which makes me wonder why, if he's all-powerful in this domain, Omega doesn't imagine himself a much more pleasant environment to exist in.

The Three Doctors Episode Two

The one where UNIT HQ is transported through a black hole...

Isn't it interesting how Sergeant Benton has really taken a front seat in this story, as well as in The Time Monster? In the absence of the Second Doctor's actual companions, Benton becomes a replacement sidekick, and the two work very well together, with Benton acting as a sort of ersatz Jamie. I've no idea where Captain Yates is in all this. Richard Franklin appeared in only seven episodes in Season 9, and only appears in three in Season 10 (not The Three Doctors). I think John Levene is more than up to the job, however, and certainly has a more amiable presence than the sometimes smug Franklin.

And with Jon Pertwee's absence, Patrick Troughton really comes into his own, and is able to be the Second Doctor properly rather than a comedy foil for the Third Doctor. Troughton balances his performance beautifully here, being both funny and serious in accurate measure (the bit where he and Benton scarper back into the TARDIS when the organism fizzes is classic!).

The Three Doctors Episode One

The one where the first three Doctors team up...

Doctor Who celebrated its tenth anniversary a whole 11 months before the actual anniversary, because the tenth season started in December 1972. Would it have been wiser to celebrate the anniversary at the start of Season 11, which started in December 1973? Or would that have been too late?

The idea of having more than one Doctor at a time starts here. There'd only been subtle hints and reminders of "earlier Doctors" before now (a glimpse of Hartnell in The Power of the Daleks, and the first two Doctors seen during the Dalek mind scan in Day of the Daleks), but this story was the first to acknowledge properly that there had been earlier Doctors - other actors - and to joyfully bring them back! Now that's pretty damn exciting, isn't it?