The Third Doctor

What can I say about Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor? The first thing that comes to mind is his wardrobe. Pure 1970s glory. Ruffled shirts, velvet jackets and ... a cape! I loved that outfit. I think that will probably be the nicest thing I will say about him. Called the Dandy Doctor because of the outrageous way he dressed, I found the rest of his character to be lacking. He was an egomaniac to the max and I found him smug, arrogant and sexist. I suppose it was just a sign of the times but I did not enjoy it. The writers were also moving toward a more action oriented, spy kind of show that is just not my cup of tea.

As always The Doctor had companions. The first in his run was Liz Shaw. She was a smart capable woman who was relegated to the sidelines as The Doctors "secretary." Another "sign of the times." Next came Jo Grant. She was spunky and cheerful. I rather liked her. She was even able to make friends with The Master. She was a good companion to The Doctor. Then came Sarah Jane Smith. What a wonderful character. Probably one of the most memorable companions. She was cheerful and easygoing, but also smart and resourceful. I loved Sarah Jane Smith. I think she might be my favorite of all The Doctors companions from this incarnation and all the others. Then, of course, there is the UNIT Team. While, I guess, technically not companions they were a staple of the show during the Jon Pertwee era. First, The Brigadier, Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. Very "by the book" and disciplined to The Doctors flash in the pan. The perfect compliment. Then there is Sergent John Benton, the easygoing, down to earth infantry man and Captain Mike Yates, the young officer: smart confident and good with the ladies. Lol.

Over all Jon Pertwee's episodes were marked by overly complicated plots, Venusian Karate and monsters of the week. I found them pretty boring. I think out of all of them I only liked one episode: The Inferno. The alternate reality where The Brigadier is a militant dictator. I have always liked that concept.

The episodes brought along old and new opponents for The Doctor. There was, of course, the staple Dalek episodes. Always appreciated but never my favorites. And the multitude of alien species: the autons, the silurians and the sea devils, just to name a few. My favorite aliens were the Ambassadors of Death. They were mysterious and deadly. That they turned out to be on a mission of peace made them all the more interesting to me. Jon Pertwee's era marked the introduction of The Master, The Doctor's long running archnemesis. He makes several appearances in these seasons, always looking to gain control over the universe. Each of his plans is more grandiose and labyrinthine then the last.

Overall not the best era of Doctor Who in my mind but some iconic things came out of it and for that I love it.

My Favorite Doctors:
1. William Hartnell
2. Patrick Troughton
3. Jon Pertwee