THE ESSENTIALS OF DOCTOR WHO - PART 3 (My Editorial)

I've been gone for a while but hopefully not forgotten!

To those new to Doctor Who, there is a lot of matterial and maybe not all of you are eager to dive into the classic series. I'm here to show you MY undisputable picks for the top doctor who STORIES (not episodes) of each doctor. 

These are a mix of the best, the most significant in terms of continuity, and the most famous.

Now onto the Third Doctor and the advent of colored television!

THE THIRD DOCTOR
 

The Spearhead from Space:

 
           Notable for being the first ever colored story in the series. It’s also the first story featuring John Pertwee as the third Doctor. The episode establishes the Brigadier as a main character and introduces the Autons as villains for the first time. Those familiar with the New Who episode “Rose” will find a lot of parallels in this story.
 
 
 

The Silurians:
 
           

 
                The first story to feature the Silurians as villains. These enemies were unique because rather than being an extraterrestrial threat, the Silurians were the previous owners of the earth, eager to take it back. This made them popular in the Third Doctor’s run because it was a nice break from alien invaders and mad scientists.
 
 
 
 

Inferno:

Terror of the Autons:

 
            Though it was the second appearance of the Auton’s, this episode is better known for being the first appearance of the Doctor’s nemesis, The Master. Based off of Sherlock Holmes, Professor Moriarty—The Master was a rouge Timelord and the Doctor’s intellectual equal. Roger Delgado brilliantly played the first incarnation. He would become one of the biggest villains in Doctor Who, perhaps second only to the Daleks.
 
 
 

The Sea Devils:

           
            Just one of the better episodes, the Sea Devils marked the return of the Silurians, or rather a sub-race of them. Once again it explored similar themes of racial tension. However the real importance of this episode is that it features one of the most memorable lines in all of science fiction “reverse the polarity of the neutron flow!”
 
 
 
 

The Three Doctors: 

 
                  The 10^th anniversary of the show! It features the first cross over between doctors with the Second and Third being the primary characters and the First making a brief appearance. It also established for the first time that crossing ones own time stream is a big no-no with the Timelords.
 
 

The Green Death:

 
            Another episode that is just damn good. It follows the Doctor and Jo Grant as they are called out to investigate the mysterious death of a minor. What they find there is some pretty convincing practical evil larva and some less convincing rear projection.  In the end it features one of the more heartbreaking companion departures.
 
 
 

The Time Warrior:

 
            This was the first episode to feature Sarah Jane Smith, who is considered by many to be the Doctor’s most famous companion. She went on to lead in not one, but two Doctor Who spin off shows. The episode also features the first appearance of the Sontarans, a clone race whom the Doctor encounters many times over his travels.
 
 
 
 

Planet of Spiders:

            All in all it isn’t all that memorable of an episodes and the space spiders make a weak threat. Yet I feel it is always important to see the first and last episode of every Doctor and this one is no exception. It features the third doctor’s rather dull third transformation to the fourth. However it is the first episode to explicitly lay down the basic laws for the “face changing” of the Doctor and introduces the “regeneration” terminology.  
 
 
 
 So what did you think? Agree with my choice? Hate them? 
Going to watch them right now? Or would rather burn your eyeballs out of your skull?

Let me know in the comments down below.


And while you are at it, check out some of the previous Essential Doctor Who's

The Second Doctor