Hello everyone! 🙂
Welcome to ‘Bradley’s Basement’ blog and I’m Tim Bradley!
Let me share with you what I think of the Jon Pertwee/Third Doctor era of ‘Doctor Who’ overall. For me, this is where the Doctor’s connections to Earth become more prominent. This is especially when he’s been exiled to Earth by the Time Lords for most of his tenure during his first three TV seasons. 🙂
Thankfully, the whole of Jon Pertwee’s era of ‘Doctor Who’ isn’t about him being stuck on Earth. There are times during his exile where he gets to be off Earth for special missions by the Time Lords, including ‘Colony In Space’, ‘The Curse of Peladon’ and ‘The Mutants’, which have been enjoyable. 🙂
A prominent aspect of the Third Doctor era is his association with U.N.I.T., an organisation formed to protect Earth from any alien or strange incursions like Autons, Axons, giant maggots and the Master. The main U.N.I.T. family was in Seasons 8, 9 and 10 and it featured so many well-beloved characters.
As well as the Third Doctor, there’s the Brigadier himself as well as Mike Yates and Sergeant Benton. Jo Grant is the Third Doctor’s popular and most prominent companion of his era. The two get on so well with each other, as you can clearly see in the performances of Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning. 🙂
Jon Pertwee’s Doctor also formed a good friendship with Caroline John as Liz Shaw in Season 7 and his Doctor was getting on well with Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith in his fifth and final season – Season 11. Jon Pertwee’s Doctor also had a great opponent in Roger Delgado as the evil Master. 🙂
I’ve had the chance to do my own take on the Third Doctor era, by writing the third story of the ‘Zorbius’ series called ‘The Matter of Reality’, featuring the U.N.I.T. family of the Third Doctor, Jo, the Brigadier, Mike Yates and Sgt. Benton, as well as throwing the Master and Salvador into the mix.
Thankfully, the Third Doctor’s exile by the Time Lords was lifted in ‘The Three Doctors’ and he was able to travel the universe again. Jon Pertwee’s era of ‘Doctor Who’ will always be considered an action-packed era, setting the tone for what future action-packed ‘Doctor Who’ stories would be like.
Thanks for reading!
Bye for now!
Tim 🙂
Bradley's Basement 
I think what is especially notable about this Era is the impact it had on the Doctor Who going forward. Every classic Era Doctor going forward met the Brig. UNIT remains a part of the show till this day, and is even getting it own spin-off…If you can believe the rumors. Sarah Jane had not one but, two spin-offs. Not to even speak of The Master. I dare say the Third Doctor’s tenure had an even bigger impact going forward then even the legendary Tom Baker.
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Hi Zack,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Third Doctor era of ‘Doctor Who’. You’ve made some good points about the future of the series connected to the Third Doctor era, involving the Brigadier, U.N.I.T., Sarah Jane and the Master. I’ve yet to check out the ‘Sarah Jane Smith’ Big Finish audio series as well as review it and review ‘The Sarah Jane Adventures’ TV series on my blog. Hopefully I will soon.
Best wishes,
Tim 🙂
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I enjoyed the Big Finish Sarah Jane series. Be warned however, it ends on a unresolved cliffhanger. 🙄
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Ah. Thanks for alerting me to this, Zack. I’ve picked up that ‘Sarah Jane Smith’ as a BF audio series is darker than ‘The Sarah Jane Adventures’.
Many thanks,
Tim 🙂
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Yes, more Torchwood than Sarah Jane Adventures. I enjoyed it.
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Hopefully there aren’t any sex aliens when I get to hear it. 😆 Thanks Zack. Tim 🙂
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No, neither that nor the blasphemy.
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Well, that’s a relief. I’d be shocked if Terrance Dicks and Barry Letts wrote blasphemy in their scripts. 😀 Thanks Zack. Tim 🙂
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Jon Pertwee’s was the most essential gamechanger out of all the Doctor’s eras, due to the challenges of continuing Doctor Who at all after the 60s. The 70s were probably the best decade for the classic series for showing how much the franchise’s most unique flexibility could pay off. Thank you, Tim, for this article.
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Hi scifimike,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Jon Pertwee/Third Doctor era. Glad you enjoyed my summary of the era.
Best wishes,
Tim 🙂
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P.S. Interesting how you compare 1970s ‘Doctor Who’ to 1960s ‘Doctor Who’ at this point in the TV series’ history. Tim 🙂
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Since the 70s era is where I first got to know Doctor Who, and finally getting to know the 60s era just after the cancellation of the classic series, I can easily appreciate how first impressions influence one’s own critique. Planet Of Evil started it all for me and considering how down-to-basics that story is, that can say a lot about how a show can find such special fandom to begin with.
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Thanks scifimike,
I find it fascinating how classic series fans’ views interact with new series fans’ views, ranging from the ones that often clash with each other and the ones that often agree with each other. So far, the conversations I’ve had with both classic and new series have been pleasant enough and thought-provoking.
Best wishes,
Tim 🙂
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