Third Doctor Annotated Chronology

This is a companion piece to my History of the Third Doctor and is part of my series of essays covering the In-Depth History of Doctor Who.

This list contains the Third Doctor's various prose, radio and television adventures in chronological order. The TV Action/Countdown Magazine comic strips don't really work for me as they're all complete fluff and seem to have no real development or even any real feeling that they're in the same continuity as the TV series since they have the Doctor traveling completely alone and not mentioning any of his pals and companions (plus they were all pretty lackluster stories anyway). Therefore, I haven't bothered to include them. If you are a completist and want to know where they fit, check out the Doctor Who Reference Guide (which also disagrees with me on the placement of certain stories).

"Spearhead from Space" - TV adventure #51 by Robert Homes (4 episodes). The Doctor’s TARDIS crash lands on Earth in the early 70s. The Doctor is now in his Third body, newly regenerated (though we do not actually see the regeneration occur). The Third Doctor has various gaps in his memory and explains that the TARDIS has been tampered with so that it can't leave. What's more, he doesn’t remember how to repair it exactly. First appearance of the Nestenes and the Autons. First appearance of Dr. Liz Shaw. The Doctor is seen to keep the TARDIS key in his shoe. It is revealed that the Doctor has two hearts and that his blood is not identifiable as human blood. The Doctor joins U.N.I.T. as its scientific advisor "Dr. John Smith" (an alias he first used in "The Wheel In Space" and which could be a reference to John Smith and the Con-Men, one of Susan's favorite bands).

"Doctor Who and the Silurians" - TV adventure #52 by Malcolm Hulke (7 episodes). First appearance of the Silurians, a race that pre-dates mankind. First appearance of the Doctor's car "Bessie."

"The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back" - Short story by Vanessa Bishop from DECALOG #1. The Doctor still does not trust the Brigadier after the events of "Doctor Who and the Silurians."

"The Ambassadors of Death" - TV adventure #53 by David Whitaker (7 episodes), finished scripts for episode 1 by Trevor Ray and episodes 2-7 by Malcolm Hulke.

"Inferno" - TV adventure #54 by Don Houghton (7 episodes). The Doctor makes his first trip to a parallel Earth. The Doctor mentions that he has been to Krakatoa. This alternate reality is visited again in the novel Face of the Enemy.

"Still Lives" – Short story by Ian Potter from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #1: Zodiac. U.N.I.T. Corporal Helen Martin is swept through various parallel realities as a result of the Doctor’s trip in "Inferno."

"Prisoners of the Sun" - Short story by Tim Robins from DECALOG #1. A Solarian named Helios intends to invade Gallifrey. The Eighth Doctor mentions in Embrace the Darkness that by that time he's met several different races that call themselves Solarians.

"First Christmas" - Short story by Nick Wallis from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #11: A Christmas Treasury. Liz comes to understand how alien the Doctor truly is.

The Eye of the Giant - Novel by Christopher Bulis.

The Scales of Injustice - Novel. This book involves the Brigadier's first wife Fiona, a character that actor Nicholas Courtney himself invented for Lethbridge-Stewart's backstory. Liz Shaw leaves U.N.I.T. and soon afterwards, Yates is promoted to the rank of Captain.

The Blue Tooth - Audio novel by Nigel Fairs, narrated by Caroline John as Liz Shaw. When a friend of Shaw's goes missing, she gets the Doctor and UNIT to help out.

The Devil Goblins from Neptune - Novel by Martin Day and Keith Topping. Liz Shaw is again with UNIT but Yates is Captain, so this must take place after The Scales of Injustice. Perhaps Liz decided to come back for a short time following the events of The Blue Tooth. The Doctor gets involved with Area 51. The Doctor mentions traveling to Venus long ago (perhaps in the story Venusian Lullaby. The Doctor speaks of the Cybermen invasion ("The Invasion"), the Nestene affair ("Spearhead From Space"), the Silurian case ("Doctor Who and the Silurians") and the Inferno Project ("Inferno"). A character named Trainor mentions meeting Ian Chesterton, who told him to ask the Doctor about Vortis, which was the world in "The Web Planet." The Doctor mentions that certain forms of radiation are deadly even to someone like him, foreshadowing his death.

"Terror of the Autons" - TV adventure #55 by Robert Holmes (4 episodes). The Nestenes are back, with new Autons. First TV appearance of the Master. Liz Shaw has left U.N.I.T. First appearance of Jo Grant, who becomes the Doctor's assistant. A Time Lord warns the Doctor about the Master's presence and reminds him the Master had a higher degree in cosmic science back at the academy. The Doctor sabotages the Master’s TARDIS by stealing its dematerialization circuit.

"Change of Mind" - Comic strip by Kate Orman from Doctor Who Magazine #221-223. Sometime after leaving U.N.I.T., Liz invites the Doctor to a conference in Paris on psychic phenomenon.

Deadly Reunion - Novel by Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks. The Brigadier and the Doctor mention events from "Terror of the Autons" as being recent. The Doctor faces off against the Master and a dangerous cult leader. The Greek gods get involved. Hermes makes a reference to the Players (seen in World Game and The Players), saying that they are immortals who were worshipped as gods in Mesopotamia. Hades claims he took on the identities of Robespierre and Cardinal Richelieu, both of whom the Doctor met in The Players (Sixth Doctor novel) and The Church and the Crown (Fifth Doctor audio play) respectively.

NOTE: The Doctor mentions that the Master has a working TARDIS and some take that to mean this happens after "The Mind of Evil", but perhaps he means it is generally functional (especially compared to his own time-ship) since the Master does not seem able to travel anywhere in space and time during this adventure. What's more, since the next story "Christmas Truce" (also written by Terrance Dicks) refers to this adventure and states that the Master is still stranded, this story MUST take place before "The Mind of Evil."

"Christmas Truce" - Short story by Terrance Dicks from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #11: A Christmas Treasury. Still stranded on Earth, the Master decides to spend the holidays with his only friend, the Doctor (but not without laying some deadly traps too).

"The Mind of Evil" - TV adventure #56 by Don Houghton (6 episodes). The Master gets a machine that seems to feed off evil. The Doctor has visions of Daleks, Ice Warriors, Koquillion (from "The Rescue"), a War Machine, a Silurian, a Cyberman and Slaar from "Seeds of Death." In the end, the machine is destroyed but the Master escapes, stealing back his dematerialization circuit and regaining his ability to travel through time and space.

"The Claws of Axos" - TV adventure #57 by Bob Baker and Dave Martin (4 episodes). The Axons appear with an offer to the governments of Earth. This adventure is referenced again in the Tenth Doctor episode "The Last of the Time Lords."

"Colony In Space" - TV adventure #58 by Malcolm Hulke (6 episodes). While showing Jo the inside of the TARDIS, the Doctor is unwillingly sent on a mission by the Time Lords to stop the Master on a distant space colony in the future. Jo Grant realizes the Doctor was completely honest about being an alien and traveling to different times and worlds. The Master is masquerading as an Adjudicator, a sort of interstellar law official that will be seen in several audio plays and novels later. First appearance of the Interplanetary Mining Corporation (IMC). At the end of the adventure, theDoctor is sent back to Earth by the Time Lords to continue his exile.

"The Tip of the Mind" - Short story by Peter Anghelides from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #2: Companions. The Time Lords inform the Doctor that his old companion Zoe is regaining the memories the Time Lords meant to block from her when she was sent back home during "The War Games." The Doctor optimistically believes the Time Lords have decided to end his exile by allowing him to use Zoe to regain the dematerialization codes he's forgotten. This attitude would make sense after his adventure in "Colony In Space", so that's why this adventure is placed after that TV story. In the end, the Doctor finds out he is wrong.

"The Daemons" – TV adventure #59 by Barry Letts and Robert Sloman, under the pseudonym Guy Leopold (5 episodes). The Doctor fights the Master and Azal, a creature of the planet Deimos. Azal implies the Daemons are at least partially responsible for the destruction of Atlantis, which the Doctor will witness in "The Time Monster." The "Stone of Sacrifice" that is mentioned in this story is likely the Master's TARDIS in disguise, as he sends his TARDIS to the crypt in Devil’s End at the end of The Face of the Enemy. At the end of this story, the Master is captured by U.N.I.T. forces.

"Degrees of Truth" - Short story by David A. McIntee from BBC SHORT TRIPS #1. Immediately after "The Daemons", the Brigadier and the Doctor must deal with a man who lost his son during that adventure.

"Freedom" – Short story by Steve Lyons from BBC SHORT TRIPS #1. The Third Doctor is forced to choose between stopping the Master from harming Earth or regaining his freedom.

"Day of the Daleks" - TV adventure #60 by Louis Marks (4 episodes). People from the 22nd century come back to prevent a future where the Daleks rule. First appearance of the Ogrons, ape-like servants of the Daleks. The Doctor speaks of Napoleon, whom he met in World Game and possibly on other occasions. The Doctor mentions the Blinovitch Limitation Effect. Leads directly into "The Curse of Peladon."

"The Curse of Peladon" - TV adventure #61 by Brian Hayles (4 episodes). Continued from “Day of the Daleks.” While performing a test flight on the TARDIS, the Doctor and Jo are sent to Peladon by the Time Lords to settle an affair.

The Face of the Enemy - Novel by David A. McIntee. While the Doctor and Jo are away in the TARDIS during "The Curse of Peladon", the Brigadier and U.N.I.T. must fight off the Master. Guest appearances by Ian and Barbara Chesterton (who are now married to each other). Also features an appearance by Harry Sullivan, who will not appear in the TV series until "Robot." At one point, an alternate reality is mentioned where the British Republic battled Bannermen in 1959, a nod to the later story "Delta and the Bannermen."

"Honest Living" - Short story by Jason Loborik from BBC SHORT TRIPS #2: More Short Trips. The Doctor faces a woman using time-technology from the Dalek-ruled future seen in "Day of the Daleks."

Rags - Novel by Mick Lewis. Jo mentions the events of "Day of the Daleks." The Doctor continues to try and repair his TARDIS. After the Doctor’s extended absence in "Curse of Peladon", the Brigadier fears he may try to run off soon. The Doctor mentions never being afraid of sheep before. He will be in the book Verdigris.

"The Man in the Ion Mask" – Comic strip by Dan Abnett from Doctor Who Magazine Winter 1991. The Third Doctor visits the Master, who is still a prisoner at a U.N.I.T. detention center at Aylesbury Grange.

"The Switching" – Short story by Simon Guerrier from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #1: Zodiac. The Master allows for him and the Doctor to switch minds. While in the Doctor’s body, he alters the configuration of the TARDIS interior, accounting for why it looks different after "The Curse of Peladon." Ends with the Master being sent to the island prison we will see in "The Sea Devils."

"The Sea Devils" - TV adventure #62 by Malcolm Hulke (4 episodes). The Doctor and Jo check on the Master on an island prison. First appearance of the Sea Devils, aquatic warriors who are a cousin race to the Silurians. In the end, the Master escapes his imprisonment.

"The Mutants" - TV adventure #63 by Bob Baker and David Martin (6 episodes). The Time Lords once again summon the Doctor, this time to go to the planet Solos and take care of matters there.

"The Touch of the Nurazh" – Short story by Stpehen Hatcher from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS # 9: Monsters. It is mentioned in the story that the Doctor and Jo have just returned from Solos. A being called the Nurazh attempts to possess the body of an injured Doctor. This strain causes the Doctor to begin to regenerate and for a moment Jo witnesses the form of the Fourth Doctor ("all teeth and curls"). But the presence of a new mind forces the Nurazh out and the regeneration process relaxes, allowing the Doctor to retain his third form. This explains why the Third Doctor is aware of how his fourth incarnation will look, which he mentions in "The Five Doctors."

“Countdown to TV Action” – Short story by Garry Russell from BBC SHORT TRIPS #3: Short Trips and Side Steps.

"The Time Monster" - TV adventure #64 by Robert Sloman and Barry Letts (who is uncredited). The Master is back, this time attempting to gain control of Kronos, a Chronovore. The Doctor and Jo wind up going to ancient Atlantis. At one point, the Doctor mentions that when he was a boy, he lived on a house high up the side of a mountain. He mentions meeting an old hermit who taught him much about life and philosophy. This hermit will be seen in "Planet of the Spiders" and will be mentioned in "State of Decay." At the end, the Doctor asks for mercy towards the Master rather than let Kronos torture him.

"Where the Heart Is" – Short story by Andy Lane from DECALOG #2. The Doctor acquires rent-free housing for U.N.I.T., which explains why their facilities look different in "The Three Doctors."

"Target Practice" – Comic strip by Gareth Roberts from Doctor Who Magazine #234. A reference is made to U.N.I.T. having recently suffered budget cuts.

Verdigris - Novel by Paul Magrs. The Doctor faces Verdigris and evil robot sheep. References are made to 'Day of the Daleks" and the "Sea Devils", as well as to the fact that the Master is now a free man. Also, this story leads directly into "The Three Doctors", as Verdigris goes into the anti-matter universe at the end to set Omega against the Doctor. At the end, the Master mentions having plans dealing with the Daleks on Skaro (which leads into his next TV appearance). This novel also features Iris Wildthyme, the often drunk exiled Time Lord who insists that she and the Doctor were once lovers and who travels around in a TARDIS that looks like a double-decker bus. One problem is that when Iris mentions events in the Doctor's past and future, she references the "Curse of Peladon" and the Third Doctor snaps that that hasn't happened yet, even though it definitely happenede before "The Sea Devils." For continuity's sake, one can assume that the Third Doctor (who was short-tempered often) simply snapped at Iris to shut her up.

"The Three Doctors" - TV adventure #65. First appearance of Omega, one of the founders of Time Lord society. We learn about how he was lost in a black hole, sent into the anti-matter universe. When Omega attacks Gallifrey, the Time Lords know that only the Doctor (the one renegade outside of Gallifrey they can trust) can help them and that he needs help. They use their tech to summon up the First and Second Doctors (though the First is caught in a time-space eddy and unable to act directly). It is curious why the Time Lords ever had to chase the Doctor if they can just do this, but one may assume that after capturing the Second Doctor and putting him on trial, they were able to question him extensively and search through his TARDIS's data logs, thus learning about his previous adventures and where he'd been, whereas beforehand they had no clue. This would have made it easier to track down his previous incarnations. After this adventure, the Second and First Doctor are returned, seemingly with only the vaguest memory of these events (probably havnig their minds altered as the Time Lords have shown they like to do). The Third Doctor is released from his exile. He gets a new dematerialization circuit and regains his memories on how to work the TARDIS.

The Wages of Sin - Novel by David A. McIntee. The Third Doctor makes his first time flight since regaining his freedom. To celebrate, he brings his old friend Liz Shaw along with him and Jo.

"Carnival of Monsters" - TV adventure #66 by Robert Holmes (4 episodes). The Doctor mentions this is a trial run of the TARDIS's restored ability to travel through space and time again, meaning this must happen almost immediately after The Wages of Sin. The Doctor attempts to go to Metebilis Three (which will be seen in "Planet of the Spiders") but fails. The Doctor mentions being asked to chair a conference seen in The Empire of Glass.

"Losing Track of Time" – Short story by Juliet E. McKenna from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #3: A Universe of Terrors.

"Deep Stretch" – Short story from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #5: Steel Skies.

The Suns of Caresh - Novel by Paul Saint. Jo mentions the incident of "Carnival of Monsters." The Doctor is trying to recalibrate the TARDIS. When the adventure gets underway, he is fearful to interfere too greatly with another civilization, afraid to be put on trial by the Time Lords again. The TARDIS's security HADS (Hostile Action Defense System) and Zero Room are spoken of. HADS first appeared in "The Krotons" and the Zero Room makes its first TV appearance in "Castrovalva." The Doctor mentions a coat he got from Gilbert and Sullivan, which is a callback to the same coat Ian wore in the last minutes of "The Edge of Destruction." Jo recalls her and the Doctor meeting versions of themselves in "Day of the Daleks" and when the TARDIS fell off a cliff in "Curse of Peladon." In the hospital where the character La Roche stays, there is also a girl Judith Winters, who was first seen in "In the Community" where we learned of her traumatic experience due to the events of "Remembrance of the Daleks."

"Frontier In Space" - TV adventure #67 by Malcolm Hulke (6 episodes). First appearance of the Draconians, a race of lizard-like aliens. Ogrons are attacking ships on orders from the Master. This leads directly into "Planet of the Daleks."

"Planet of the Daleks" - TV adventure #68 by Terry Nation (6 episodes). Continued from "Frontier In Space." The Doctor warns the Time Lords of the Master's alliance with the Daleks and induces a coma to recover from his wounds. The TARDIS lands on Skaro and Jo and the Doctor team-up with several Thals. Jo grows feelings for the Thal man Latep. The Dalek Supreme is fought. First appearance of a gold Dalek Supreme.

Catastrophea - Novel by Terrance Dicks. Opens immediately after the events of "Planet of the Daleks." Like "Frontier in Space", there is a lot of focus on the tensions between Earth and Draconia in the future.

Nightdreamers - Novella by Tom Arden. Jo thinks of Latep from "Planet of the Daleks." The Doctor again attempts to go to Metebilis Three.

"Hidden Talent" – Short story by Andrew Spokes from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #2: Companions. After being back on Earth for a while, the Doctor and Jo fight the Master once more.

Dancing the Code - Novel by Paul Leonard. Using Venusian algorithms, the Doctor makes a machine that predicts the most likely futures.

Last of the Gaderene - Novel by Mark Gatiss. The Doctor and Jo fight the Master and the woman called Bliss. The Master is caught in an transmit link that then explodes. This explosion could be the reason for the villain's horrific appearance in "The Deadly Assassin."

Speed of Flight - Novel by Paul Leonard. The Doctor, Jo and Captain Mike Yates attempt to go to the planet Karfel. They get detoured. The Sixth Doctor and Peri will go to Karfel in "Timelash."

"… And Eternity in an Hour" – Short story by Stephen Bowkett from DECALOG #3. The Time Lords alert the Doctor to a space-time rift. The Doctor enters a self-induced coma again, something Jo says she's getting used to (she saw it in "Planet of the Daleks").

"The Seismologists's Story" – Short story by Peter Anghelides from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #8: Repercussions. A Gallifreyan prison ship apparently crashes in the Mediterranean in the 1950s.

"Come Friendly Bombs …" – Short story by Dave Owens from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #6: Past Tense. The Doctor and Jo demonstrate having had several trips in the TARDIS now since the Time Lords lifted their ruling of exile. Jo begins to have her social conscience enlightened, foreshadowing her departure in “The Green Death.”

"/Carpenter/Butterfly/Baronet" – Short story by Gareth Wigmore from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #10: 2040. Jo’s future death is mentioned as occurring in a fire, by which time her name will be Josephine Jones not Josephine Grant.

"The Green Death" - TV adventure #69 by Robert Sloman, with Barry Letts who is uncredited (6 episodes). Jo and the Doctor meet Professor Clifford Jones and his eco-conscious group the Wholeweal Community. At one point, the Doctor goes off on his own and winds up on Metebilis Three at last. The Doctor fights the living computer BOSS (Bimorphic Organizational Systems Supervisor). In the end, Jo falls for Clifford Jones and decides to join him on his expedition to the Amazon to help with his cause, which she believes in. Clifford announces his intention to marry her and Jo Grant officially leaves U.N.I.T. The Doctor gives her a crystal from Metebilis Three as a wedding gift. He then slips quietly away, obviously sad.

* It is between these two adventures that the Third Doctor meets his Fifth incarnation in the novel Deep Blue. *

"The Time Warrior" - TV adventure #70 by Robert Holmes (4 episodes). First appearance of the Sontarans in the TV series. First appearance of Sarah Jane Smith, a journalist. Sarah Jane stows away on the Doctor's TARDIS as it makes a time jump and joins him on an adventure against the Sontarans. She decides to stick around with the Doctor on his adventures. This story marks the first time the Doctor’s home planet is called "Gallifrey" in the TV series.

The Paradise of Death - BBC radio adventure by Barry Letts (5 episodes). First appearance of Jeremy Fitzoliver. Sarah Jane’s editor Clarinda appears for the first time. This adventure also features Professor Mortimer Willow and his assistant Brian Prebble, both of whom will cameo in the book “Island of Death.”

"Invasion of the Dinosaurs" - TV adventure #71 by Malcolm Hulke (6 episodes). The Doctor and Sarah Jane arrive after another time trip and find London deserted, except for vandals and dinosaurs. At the end of the adventure, the Doctor intends to take Sarah Jane to the planet Florana. This leads directly into "Death to the Daleks."

"Death to the Daleks" - TV adventure #72 by Terry Nation (4 episodes). Continued from "Invasion of the Dinosaurs." On the way to Florana, something causes the TARDIS to lose power and crash on a random planet. Sarah Jane encounters the Daleks for the first time.

"The Dead Man’s Story" – by Andy Frakham from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #8: Repercussions. The Doctor goes on a trip with Jeremy Fitzoliver and it has unexpected results.

The Ghosts of N-Space - BBC radio adventure by Barry Letts (6 episodes). Jeremy Fitzoliver rejoins the Doctor and Sarah Jane for an adventure against the sorcerer Vilmio.

"The Monster of Peladon" - TV adventure #73 by Brian Hayles (6 episodes). The Doctor returns to Peladon fifty years after his previous visit. He and Sarah Jane get involved with the Galactic Federation.

"Primitives" – Short story from by John Seavey BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #7: Life Science. The Doctor and Sarah Jane witness the first contact between the human race and the Draconians. Reference is made to the Builder Wars, which is part of the background for the Seventh Doctor novels Original Sin and So Vile a Sin.

"The Discourse of Flies" – Short story from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #3: A Universe of Terrors. Sarah Jane remarks on being quite comfortable now with travels to alien worlds, even if she finds those worlds invariably involving discomfort.

Amorality Tale - Novel by David Bishop. The Third Doctor and Sarah Jane encounter a "Time bomb", which is very much like the Daleks’ Time Destructor but with a more localized effect. A time bomb will also be seen in the audio play series GALLIFREY. Sarah Jane learns that sometimes historical deaths must be allowed to occur.

Island of Death - Novel by Barry Letts. Jeremy Fitzlovier vanishes and Sarah Jane decides to investigate. The Third Doctor and Sarah Jane speak of their trip to Sicily in The Ghosts of N-Space.

"An Overture Too Early" – Short story by Simon Guerrier from BIG FINISH SHORT TRIPS #4: The Muses. The Doctor and Sarah Jane encounter Isaac, who seems to be a companion of one of the Doctor's future incarnations. The Doctor wishes to investigate but is told by a Time Lord (the same one who spoke to him in "Terror of the Autons") that he will learn everything in due course. The end of the story brings up the question of just how long the Doctor spent traveling from Metebilis Three back to Earth during the end of "Planet of the Spiders." The book Love and War will reveal that this trip took about ten years in fact.

"Planet of the Spiders" - TV adventure #74 by Robert Sloman, with Barry Letts who is uncredited (6 episodes). Regeneration is explained for the first time. The Third Doctor meets his old friend K'anpo, the Time Lord hermit he spoke about in "The Time Monster" and whom he will mention again in "State of Decay." We discover for the first time that the TARDIS was "borrowed" by the Doctor (and in "Logopolis" he will simply admit he stole it). An associate of K'anpo's is revealed to be an echo of his future regeneration (a concept similar to this will be seen in "Logopolis"). In fighting the Great Spiders on Metebilis Three, the Doctor is poisoned by the radiation of the planet's environment. He journeys back to Earth, dying, but gets lost in the vortex (the book Love and War claims this journey lasted ten painful years as he clung to life). As he arrives, the Third Doctor dies in front of Sarah Jane. K'anpo jumpstarts the Doctor's regeneration process, saying that the next incarnation of the Doctor may have an erratic personality. He then leaves and is not seen again in the TV series. The Fourth Doctor is born.

"I had to face my fear ...

Tears, Sarah Jane? Now don't cry.

Where there's life, there's ..."

And that's all folks.