THE PERILS OF HISTORY!

The exploration of Earth history is surely of great interest to human school teacher Barbara Wright, but when you're actually caught up in it's whirlwind events and facing imminent death from the guillotine, then that's altogether another story, as she and her equally weary time travelling friend and former pupil, Susan, discover during the grim events leading to the finale of acclaimed script writer Dennis Spooner's effective and classy-for-its-time closure to the first season of the William Hartnell Who era: The French Revolution.

'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50! THE LINKS COLLECTIVE...

Gorgeous celebratory art by Daryl Joyce.

We hope you've enjoyed our celebratory coverage of this special and beloved story over the last week, and that we've brought back lots of fond memories of it, either with its ratings-triumphant original transmission in 1973 or in later repeats/home entertainment releases over the years. 

Here are the complete links for this week's entries:

DOCTOR WHO - ADVENTURES IN THE FIFTH DIMENSION!: WELCOME TO 'THE THREE DOCTORS' FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY WEEK!

DOCTOR WHO - ADVENTURES IN THE FIFTH DIMENSION!: 'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 1 - THE 'WHO' TRIPLE TEAM-UP!

DOCTOR WHO - ADVENTURES IN THE FIFTH DIMENSION!: 'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 2 - GALLIFREY UNDER ATTACK!

DOCTOR WHO - ADVENTURES IN THE FIFTH DIMENSION!: 'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 3 - ATTACK OF THE GELL GUARDS!

DOCTOR WHO - ADVENTURES IN THE FIFTH DIMENSION!: 'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 4 -'THE DANDY AND THE CLOWN'!

DOCTOR WHO - ADVENTURES IN THE FIFTH DIMENSION!: 'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 5 - THE WRATH OF OMEGA!

DOCTOR WHO - ADVENTURES IN THE FIFTH DIMENSION!: 'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 6 - THE HUMAN FACTOR!

DOCTOR WHO - ADVENTURES IN THE FIFTH DIMENSION!: 'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 7 - THE FINAL CONFRONTATION...

The HMV VHS exclusive special release cover for The Time Lord Collection set.

'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 7 - THE FINAL CONFRONTATION...

Rehearsal scene of the two Doctors final conferring with Omega.

With their friends now safely returned to Earth, Doctors Two and Three offer Omega the only way out from his all-consuming existence on the singularity world. But it proves an offer the angry god-like being soon turns down, as his mad anger upends the TARDIS force field control device - the only thing once capable of holding Doctor Two's matter-engrained recorder from causing a matter/anti-matter reaction explosion within the black hole.

Doctor Two with the TARDIS force field and its unique central instrument.

Matter and anti-matter annihilation!

As time and space are corrected with Omega's seeming passing, and Gallifrey is restored in power and abilities, a saddened Doctor is soon thrilled to receive a special 'gift' from the Time Lords- an all-new dematerialization circuit alongside restored knowledge of TARDIS operations previously locked away in his mind. 

His long exile on Earth now deservedly rescinded, the Doctor is keen to get back out into the universe...

"They've given me back my freedom..."

'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 6 - THE HUMAN FACTOR!

Two-man army! Now within Omega's realm, the Brigadier (Nicholas Courtney) recruits the service of Mr Ollis (Laurie Webb) to rescue their captured friends.

It's not just the Doctors that have been taken to the Singularity world of Omega, it's his companion Jo too, and a plethora of other diverse human's unwittingly caught in such potentially cataclysmic drama, including a truly perplexed but ready for action Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney enjoying the 'Colonel Blimp' nature of his character in this story), his right hand man Sergeant Benton (John Levene), plus the inquisitive space researcher Doctor Tyler (Rex Robinson) and adaptive nature warden Mister Ollis (Laurie Webb), both of whom had been early-on captured by Omega's 'space lightning' organism sent to ensnare the Doctor on Earth.

 

Benton (John Levene) finally experiences the TARDIS!

Interestingly, despite all the overall busy-ness of the four-part story, and the huge overall Doctors/Omega plot, the supporting cast still get a lot to do, mainly thanks to the partial phasing out (by necessity) of Hartnell's Doctor from the tale. And with Frazer Hines disappointingly unable to participate in the story as Highlands' companion Jamie alongside his pal Troughton, Sgt. Benton's contribution to the tale is most welcome, most notably during Episode Two, and gets some of the best work and lines he'd ever have during his time on the show. 

Our human heroes rush back to UNIT headquarters, whose building has been hi-jacked to the alien world.

Our heroes, all reunited in the TARDIS, must work out a way to stop Omega.

'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 5 - THE WRATH OF OMEGA!

One of the memorable posed publicity images of the Doctors with the mighty Omega.

The Gallifreyan stellar engineer whose Black Hole-detonating sacrificial genius turned his race into the legendary Time Lords they are today, Omega, despite being revered by his people over time, was ultimately presumed dead by them after his successful efforts. Instead, Omega would survive, to reside and rule over a unique realm of anti-matter until the time was right for his revenge against the Time Lords. And who better to use against them than the exiled Doctor, especially to aide Omega in his freedom from what has now become his Black Hole existence prison...

Unwilling to become the new replacement custodian to this bizarre universe of Singularity, both Doctors now arrived in Omega's realm are determined to fight him, yet ultimately discover the tragic secret that their once 'hero' can never leave his confinement, and that the entropy factor always wins...

Omega in his Throne Room.

Played with confidence and shouty gusto by Stephen Thorne, working within a striking costume created by Jim Acheson, Omega (originally known as 'Ohm' in the original, darker-themed Deathworld script written by Bob Baker and Dave Martin) would prove an original and worthy opponent in taking on the ingenuity and quirky heroism of The Three Doctors!

The tragedy of Omega- now existing only via the power of his own aggressive will!

James Acheson's memorable 1972 costume design for Omega.

'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 4 -'THE DANDY AND THE CLOWN'!

The Second Doctor has now uncannily arrived in the Third's TARDIS, which is now under siege from the so far unknown alien 'time bridge' being, and the situation is soon tense between the pair. Labelled 'The Dandy and the Clown' by the soon after arrived statesman-like figure of the First Doctor, he quickly puts their unique squabbling in order and, with his own inimitable flair, sets the Third, with Jo, on his path to an anti-matter realm...

Some great posed pics of the Second and Third Doctors - Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee - together from the BBC TV Centre studio filming of The Three Doctors at the end of 1972.

Who is really Who?

A posed shot possibly linked to a deleted scene? Note the Second Doctor holding a broken piece of TARDIS console instrumentation.

Then putting it back into place watched by the Brigadier (Nicholas Courtney) and Jo (Katy Manning) in more posed imagery.

The Doctors argue over the TARDIS scanner controls and the loss of viewing.

Unlike what would be seen on screen, there's hearty smiles between Doctors in this classic image.

Though trapped in a Time Eddy bubble, the First Doctor manages to give help and advice to his other selves. Due to poor health, all of William Hartnell's scene had to be pre-filmed for the actors to react too.

'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 3 - ATTACK OF THE GELL GUARDS!

"Holy Moley!" The Gell Guards arrive to attack the UNIT headquarters!

Uniquely created from the power of Omega's will, via the singularity realm within the Black Hole universe he commands, the interesting but rather wobbly Gell Guards soon make their way to Earth in attacking UNIT headquarters, intent on capturing the Doctor. They later act as guards within their master's own unique landscape.

Four actors played the creatures - John Scott Martin, Cy Town, Murphy Grumbar and Ricky Newby - within memorable costumes created by the ever-talented James Acheson.

Newly arrived on the Singularity world, the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and Benton (John Levene) are captured and escorted to Omega by the Gell Guards.

Taking a break behind the scene.

Regular Dalek and monster inhabiter John Scott Martin with one of the Gell Guard claw arms. A 1973 image by Alan Ballard for the Radio Times/BBC.

'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 2 - GALLIFREY UNDER ATTACK!

Those all-power guardians of the galaxy, the Time Lords of Gallifrey, find themselves in unique danger from a mysterious threat located deep within the place where no man or creature has dared to go - a black hole! This mysterious new enemy attacking them is clearly out to destroy the Time Lords? But who, or what, could it be? 

Intriguing and very colourful set design for the Time Lords control area by Roger Liminton.

Sure enough, the under siege protectors realize that their only hope for survival lies with the exiled Doctor, and not just with his current third regeneration...

Still in their near-omnipotent form, the Time Lords of the Pertwee era are seen in greater numbers within their planetary control room, led by the senior figures played by Roy Purcell and Clyde Pollitt, previously seen five years earlier in The War Games in a similar role, and assisted by regular Who guest star Graham Leaman as a technician.

The First Doctor is removed from his time stream...

... soon followed by the Second...

... who swiftly enters into a tense alliance with the Third on Earth.

'THE THREE DOCTORS' AT 50: DAY 1 - THE 'WHO' TRIPLE TEAM-UP!

We may not have had epic cinematic blockbusters like Marvel's The Avengers franchise back in 1973, but when it came to Doctor Who and its incredible Tenth Anniversary, fans young and old in their genuine millions across the UK nonetheless had something just as thrilling in their own way to enjoy on the small screens presented by BBC TV - The Three Doctors, and the wonderful gathering of William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee facing a universe-threatening danger as only they could. 

Original Radio Times episodic listings. Art by Frank Bellamy.

Who can ever forget this superb and hugely atmospheric photo session capturing the magic, marvel, mystery and enigma of the Doctor in his first three incarnations, within a now legendary shoot for the Radio Times magazine, taken by the talented lensman Ray Rathborne.

Image restoration by Clayton Hickman.

And a selection of image related covers from over the years...

The original 1972 for 1973 Radio Times cover beautifully restored by Clayton Hickman.

Doctor Who Monthly's classic cover. 

And another outtake image used during the noughties.

WELCOME TO 'THE THREE DOCTORS' FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY WEEK!

Classic UK DVD release art by Clayton Hickman.

The landmark date of 30th December, 1972 would prove the ultimate post-Christmas gift for any long-term fans or viewers of Doctor Who since the series birth back in November 1963. For years, fans had asked to see a multi-Doctor story of some kind, of which, finally, the then series behind the scenes team would recognise the simple elegance and potential for a terrific and wonderfully nostalgic Tenth Anniversary adventure, which is what we'd ultimately get with the debut of Bob Baker and Dave Martin's epic season launcher, The Three Doctors.

Welcome to our week of celebratory highlights (clips and imagery) linked to this important and beloved story... 

LEGENDS OF 'WHO': THE TRUE FATHER/CREATOR - SYDNEY NEWMAN

Image: BBC STUDIOS.

Just the right gust of fresh air needed to clear out the stuffy bureaucracy of the then BBC and take the corporation properly into the mid 1960's with innovation, gusto and popular appeal television, Canadian TV genius Sydney Newman was full of charm, charisma and bolshy aggression of the right kind in revolutionising the corporation's then upper class drama department after prior great success working for the rival ABC TV channel several year before. The idea of a science fiction series to fill the BBC's deficient Saturday pm teatime slot may have been in the planning for a while before his arrival (thanks to staff veterans C.E. Webber and Donald Wilson), but it was Newman who created that show's ultimate format and gave it the iconic title of Doctor Who. And his second master stroke linked to the series creation? Well, that was to bring in a female producer - a new first for a shocked, heavens-forbid attituded BBC of the time - to handle the creative duties: his popular, instinctive and equally ambitious young former secretary, Verity Lambert.

A legend was born, one that would soon hit its creative side into becoming an incredible international success story with viewers of all ages. 

Pioneering Doctor Who - The Early Days - BBC Website

TRUTHS AND CONSEQUENCES!

Deep within the bowls of the ice world of Svartos, its chilling leader Kane gives young Earth girl Ace an alluring but loaded with deadly consequences choice to make, during the effective opening episode to Season Twenty Four's climactic adventure, Dragonfire.

 A challenging but dramatic first scene for young actress Sophie Aldred to film for the series as Ace.

KEEPER OF SECRETS!

The all too logical, all too stubborn Andromedan android known as Drathro keeps charge of the small and efficiently run human underground colony Marb Station, located on 'the mysterious planet' that is Ravalox. But it's also, more importantly, the custodian of secret stolen knowledge from the all-powerful Time Lords and their Matrix. And when the Doctor inadvertently arrives on that world and hears the mystery of its 'sleepers', a whole chain of dangerous events against our hero will be future unleashed, during Parts One to Four of The Trial of a Time Lord.