331 The Three Doctors: Episode Two

EPISODE: The Three Doctors: Episode Two
OVERALL EPISODE NUMBER: 331
STORY NUMBER: 065 TRANSMITTED: Saturday 06 January 1973
WRITER: Bob Baker & Dave Martin
DIRECTOR: Lennie Mayne
SCRIPT EDITOR: Terrance Dicks
PRODUCER: Barry Letts
RATINGS: 10.8 million viewers
FORMAT: DVD: Doctor Who Revisitations 3: The Tomb of the Cybermen, The Three Doctors & The Robots of Death
EPISODE FORMAT: 625 video

"Keep it confused. Feed it with useless information. I wonder if I have a television set handy....."

With the Third Doctor gone the creature quietens down allowing Benton & the Second Doctor to leave the Tardis. The Brigadier arrives believing that one of the Doctor's experiments has gone wrong and he's reverted to his earlier appearance. The Time Lords' power is being drained further by a black hole leading to the universe of anti-matter. The Third Doctor & Jo wake in a barren wasteland. While they explore they are followed by one of the creatures that attacked UNIT HQ. The Second Doctor works out that the creature at UNIT HQ is made of anti matter and tries to contain it. The Third Doctor & Jo find a number of items that had vanished from their world including Bessie. The Second Doctor finishes building a containment device but is called away leaving Benton in charge of the equipment. However the creature reacts when he throws his chewing gum wrapper at it growing stronger as Benton increases the containment field forcing the Second Doctor, Benton and, at long last, The Brigadier into the Tardis. Jo & the Third Doctor find Doctor Tyler in the wasteland. They explain to him that they are at the other end of the light-streak on his photographic plates on a stable world of anti matter within the black hole. The Doctor speculates they have been kidnapped but by who? Their kidnapper is observing them and sends the Gell Guard creatures to fetch them. The Doctor works out what he's done and tries to find his recorder to help him think. The Third Doctor, Jo & Doctor Tyler are brought to a palace in the wasteland. Doctor Tyler attempts to escape but is swiftly recaptured. The Second Doctor puts the Brigadier in touch with Corporal Palmer who reports UNIT HQ is surrounded. The First Doctor appears on the monitor and advises the Second to turn the Tardis forcefield off. Tyler wonders how they survive, as positive matter, in the anti-matter world without causing a massive explosion. The Third Doctor tells them that they have been converted to anti-matter. The Second Doctor obeys the First, deactivating the Tardis forcefield. The Gell Guards surrounding UNIT HQ vanish, and then so does the building which we see being dragged through the black hole.

Oh that was fab.

The entire episode is completely driven for me by Second Doctor's reunion & interaction with the Brigadier:

SECOND DOCTOR: Steady now, Sergeant. He knows what he's doing. At least I hope he does.
BENTON: Yes, but what about Jo?
SECOND DOCTOR: Yes, it's a pity she ran after him like that. Let's have a look, shall we?
BENTON: Will they be all right?
BENTON: Well, where are they? Doctor!
SECOND DOCTOR: As far as I can see, that stuff's gone to a great deal of trouble to find me, er, him, so whoever or whatever it was that sent it can't merely want to kill him. No, no, they've been transported somewhere.
BENTON: Transported? What do you mean, transported? Transported to where?
SECOND DOCTOR: No, wait a minute. Do you know, Sergeant, I think our friend has gone off the boil, so to speak.
BENTON: Right then. Now I'm going to take this chance to blow it to bits. I'll get a grenade. We'll soon see
SECOND DOCTOR: No, I think we could try a more subtle approach. Let's turn off the force field and open the doors first, shall we?
BENTON: Right.
SECOND DOCTOR: Wait a minute. Let me go first. Hmm. Awaiting further instructions, I would think.
BENTON: You're not going near that thing, Doctor, are you?
SECOND DOCTOR: It's all right. I think it was just hiccups. Fascinating.
BRIGADIER: For heaven's sake be careful, Doctor!
SECOND DOCTOR: No, no, Brigadier. Leave it alone. It's not dangerous for the moment. It seems to think it's achieved its mission.

BRIGADIER: Oh, no.
SECOND DOCTOR: Oh, yes.
BRIGADIER: Yes, but you're not the
BENTON: Yes, it is, sir. It's the first one.
SECOND DOCTOR: How are you, Brigadier?
BRIGADIER: Pretty well, thanks. Doctor, what the blazes are you doing? Why have you changed your appearance? And what's happened to Miss Grant?
SECOND DOCTOR: There you are. It's all quite simple really.
BRIGADIER: Yes, well, I'm sorry. Well, I don't believe a word of it. Look, just tell me this. Are you or are you not the Doctor that I met during the Yeti business, and then later when the Cybermen invaded?
SECOND DOCTOR: Of course I am. You can see that.
BRIGADIER: Right. But then you subsequently appeared on Earth during that trouble with the Autons, only then you'd changed into a tall, thin fellow.
SECOND DOCTOR: Had I really? How fascinating.
BRIGADIER: Doctor, I warn you.
SECOND DOCTOR: It's no use your asking me about all this, Brigadier. As far as I'm concerned, it hasn't happened yet. Don't you see? I'm just a temporal anomaly.
BRIGADIER: It's quite obvious to me what's happened. You've been mucking around with that infernal machine of yours.
BENTON: Be careful, sir.
BRIGADIER: You've been mucking around with that infernal machine of yours, and somehow or other you've changed back your appearance and shot poor Miss Grant off to heaven knows where.
BENTON: It's not quite as simple as that, sir, honestly.
BRIGADIER: Now that'll do, Benton. Just two things I want from you, Doctor. An effective way of controlling that stuff and the safe return of Miss Grant.
BENTON: What about our Doctor, sir? Don't you want him back?
BRIGADIER: Enough of that nonsense, Benton. I've got him back. As long as he does the job, he can wear what face he likes.
SECOND DOCTOR: Well, I'll do my best, but I can't make any promises.
BRIGADIER: In that case, you'd better consult those all-powerful superiors of yours for their advice.
SECOND DOCTOR: Oh, I don't think that'd do any good. At the moment they're far from being all-powerful. That's why it's been left up to me and me and me.

You have to laugh as the Brigadier refuses to believe the Doctor's story, and won't even listen to Benton, coming up with his own version of events. I'd say he's sticking his head in the sand but we really want to be saving the euphemism for what he does in the next episode!

The Second Doctor continues the series occasional digs at the medium it's part of:

SECOND DOCTOR: So wherever they are, Miss Grant and my other self, we can't contact them. That's the problem with antimatter. You can see the effect but never the cause. It's like being punched on the nose by the invisible man.
BRIGADIER: Then what's this stuff?
SECOND DOCTOR: The invisible man. Antimatter.
BRIGADIER: But I thought you said that matter and antimatter couldn't meet without an explosion.
SECOND DOCTOR: Yes, that's right.
BRIGADIER: So, it shouldn't exist here, but it does.
SECOND DOCTOR: Yes. Awkward, isn't it? As far as I can see, there's only one explanation.
BRIGADIER: Yes?
SECOND DOCTOR: Well, this stuff, or whoever sent it, is cleverer than we are. Unfortunate, isn't it.
BRIGADIER: And there's nothing that even you can do?
SECOND DOCTOR: Oh, I wouldn't say that. We can make sure it stays harmless for a start.
BRIGADIER: Oh, that's a relief. Look, can I leave you to get on with that? Those other things are still outside there. I must contact Geneva.
BENTON: Doc, I think the strain's been a bit too much for him. What are we going to do now?
SECOND DOCTOR: Keep it confused. Feed it with useless information. I wonder if I have a television set handy?

Big moment this episode as The Brigadier *finally* gets to enter The Tardis, as they flee from the enraged blob:

BENTON: Doctor! Doctor! Doctor!
SECOND DOCTOR: What is it? Oh!
BRIGADIER: Benton, what have you done?
BENTON: I did what the Doctor told me, sir, but it wouldn't work. It's gone mad.
SECOND DOCTOR: Into the Tardis, quickly! Come on, Brigadier!

SECOND DOCTOR: Yes, it's quite cozy, isn't it? Oh, you'll soon get used to it, old chap. Relative dimensions and all that.
BRIGADIER: So this is what you've been doing with UNIT funds and equipment all this time. How's it done? Some sort of optical illusion?
SECOND DOCTOR: Oh, no, no, no. They come like this. Really.
BRIGADIER: Yeah.
BENTON: Hey, Doc, it's going berserk out there.
SECOND DOCTOR: Yes, it is, isn't it.
BRIGADIER: All right, now we're in here, what do we do?
SECOND DOCTOR: Oh, we have a think. Care for a jelly baby?

Is this the first mention of the Fourth Doctor's favourite confection in the show? Then as an added bonus he gets the Brigadier's radio working by whacking it on the Tardis console years before a "delicate technical adjustment" became common practice in the computer support profession!

BRIGADIER: Corporal Palmer, this is the Brigadier. Do you read me? Over.
SECOND DOCTOR: You're wasting your time. You'll never get through with the force field on.
BRIGADIER: I've got to find out what's going on out there.
SECOND DOCTOR: Let's have a look at this thing.
SECOND DOCTOR: I'll try to set you up a communications unit.
BRIGADIER: Be careful.
SECOND DOCTOR: It's all right. Don't worry. I can boost this through the Tardis's communication circuit. I think.
BRIGADIER: Oh, I give up.
BENTON: With respect, sir, aren't we wasting time?
BRIGADIER: Yes, we are.
SECOND DOCTOR: Are you still worried about your other Doctor, Sergeant?
BENTON: Well, yes, I am, and Miss Grant.
SECOND DOCTOR: Well, I shouldn't worry too much if I were you. In fact, I rather envy them.
BENTON: You what?
SECOND DOCTOR: Yes, I think they're having a very interesting time.

SECOND DOCTOR: Here we are, Brigadier. Have a try with that. It's all right, it won't bite you.
BRIGADIER: Corporal Palmer? Come in, Palmer.

PALMER: Corporal Palmer here. Over.
BRIGADIER: Corporal Palmer, this is the Brigadier. Now listen. We're pinned down in the laboratory. What's the situation there? Over.
PALMER: Ah, sir, we've been trying to reach you. The building is still surrounded but we're just standing by for further orders. Over.
BRIGADIER: Now listen, Palmer. I want every man to maintain vigilance, but no further offensive action, is that clear? Over.
PALMER: But sir, I thought
BRIGADIER: That's an order, Palmer!
PALMER: Roger, sir. Wilco.
BRIGADIER: Keep in contact. Out.
BENTON: Doc.
SECOND DOCTOR: Hmm?
BENTON: Hey, Doctor, it's the old boy.
SECOND DOCTOR: Oh, excuse me.
FIRST DOCTOR: Made any progress?
SECOND DOCTOR: No, none at all. And you?
FIRST DOCTOR: Hardly. I'm trapped in this infernal time eddy.
SECOND DOCTOR: What about our fellow Time Lords?
FIRST DOCTOR: Growing steadily weaker. They can't seem to check their energy loss.
SECOND DOCTOR: We can't help you, I'm afraid.<

FIRST DOCTOR: Oh yes, you could.
SECOND DOCTOR: Oh? How?
FIRST DOCTOR: Well, first turn off your force field.
SECOND DOCTOR: What? But I don't
FIRST DOCTOR: Off, I said.
SECOND DOCTOR: But I still don't see
FIRST DOCTOR: Oh, use your intelligence.
BRIGADIER: Who in the name of heaven was that?
SECOND DOCTOR: I'm afraid you'd never believe me.

BRIGADIER: But you're not going to turn off the force field?
SECOND DOCTOR: Yes, I think so.
BRIGADIER: But why?
SECOND DOCTOR: Because he told me to, and I've always had a great respect for his advice.
BENTON: Doctor, if you switch the force field off, that thing out there can get at the Tardis.
SECOND DOCTOR: Precisely! Hold tight, everyone.

Anyone in any doubt that Doctor Tyler's escape attempt is padding out a slightly under running episode is put right by his "that was a bit of a waste of time wasn't it?" comment on his recapture!

Jon Pertwee's third & fourth season, Doctor Who's ninth & tenth, appear on screen in this order, which is the order I've been watching them:

Season 9

Day Of The Daleks
The Curse Of Peladon
The Sea Devils
The Mutants
The Time Monster

Season 10

The Three Doctors
Carnival Of Monsters
Frontier In Space
Planet Of The Daleks
The Green Death

However this story was produced out of sequence to allow for the availability of Second Doctor Patrick Troughton, as ever much in demand. The following story, The Carnival of Monsters, was filmed first at the end of the series ninth season followed by the story after that, The Frontier in Space, before The Three Doctors was produced. This isn't the first time a story has been filmed out of sequence, in fact it had happened the previous year for the Sea Devils. The production order for these two season is thus:

Recording Block Nine

KKK: Day Of The Daleks
LLL: The Sea Devils
MMM: The Curse Of Peladon
NNN: The Mutants
OOO: The Time Monster
PPP: Carnival Of Monsters

Recording Block Ten

QQQ: Frontier In Space
RRR: The Three Doctors
SSS: Planet Of The Daleks
TTT: The Green Death
UUU: The Time Warrior

The final story of this block, filmed in May 1973, was held over for the Eleventh season, mainly filmed from September 1972 onwards and broadcast from mid December 1973 onwards.

Note the three letter codes. Each production, even the earliest without overall story titles has a code. Unearthly Child is A, The Daleks is B etc through to story Z The Gunfighters. We then start again with AA for the Savages, BB for the War Machines through to ZZ for, coincidentally, Troughton's last story the War Games. Pertwee's first story Spearhead from space is AAA and off we go again.

The Time Lords are all known to us from other Doctor Who stories where, in two cases, they previously played Time Lords!

Clyde Pollitt is the Time Lord Chancellor and he previously played a Time Lord, presumably the same Time Lord, in The War Games. Clyde Pollit is the brother of Derek Pollit who was the Welsh Driver Evans in the Web of Fear.

President of the Time Lords is Roy Purcell who previously appeared in The Mind of Evil as Chief Prison Officer Powers. You can see him in Doomwatch as Dr. Barton in Public Enemy, I, Claudius as Vitellius in Some Justice and in The Professionals as Richardson in Kickback.

Graham Leaman previously played The Controller in The Macra Terror Price in Fury from the Deep, The Grand Marshall in The Seeds of Death episode five & sixs and a Time Lord here, again presumably the same Time Lord, in Colony in Space. He also has Doomwatch on his CV appearing in the second season opener You Killed Toby Wren as Professor Eric Hayland, which exists and can be found on The Doomwatch DVD, and Cause of Death as Wilfred Ridge, the father of one of the leading chracters, John Ridge. Sadly this appearance is one of the many later Doomwatch episodes which is missing.

The silent Time Lord is Anthony Lang who was previously an Egyptian Slave in Golden Death & Escape Switch he 9th & 10h episodes of the Dalek Masterplan, a Scotsmen in Hold/Highlanders in The Highlanders, Airport Personnel on Plane/worker at airport in The Faceless Ones and a Control Room Assistant in Ambassadors of Death. He returns as a Kaled Councillor in Genesis of the Daleks. He can be also seen in Return of the Jedi as Emperor Palpatine's Advisor Sim Aloo and in the opening The Crimson Permanent Assurance segment of Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

The intention was that the Second Doctor would be accompanied by Jamie but actor Frazer Hines was committed to work on Emerdale Farm where he played Joe Sugden. It would seem his role is largely filled by what Sergeant Benton does in this story which might be worth remembering when you watch the next episode. Corporal Palmer, who appears in the first two episodes, probably fulfils the function Benton would have had.

Meanwhile Richard Franklin, as Captain Yates, is absent from an Earth bound UNIT story for the first time since his debut. At the time he was involved in a theatre production, which was known about quite some distance in advance. However it's worth imagining what a nice touch it would be if he was in charge of the troops left defending UNIT HQ before it vanishes at the end of this second episode!

The original DVD of this story has an authoring error at the end of this episode which repeats a shot towards the end causing audio & video to become out of sync - it's the UNIT soldier staring at the departed UNIT HQ meaning the title crash in slightly too early. Some fans have been up in arms over this for years but it's only now with very precise instructions that I've been able to spot it..... and I don't think it matters one bit. There's far worse DVD faults out there but fixing this has contributed too this story being included in the Doctor Who Revisitations 3 DVD set with Tomb of the Cybermen and Robots of Death.

This episode was repeated on BBC as part of the Five Faces of Doctor Who on Tuesday 24 November 1981 at 17:40.