Doctor Who — Season 3
At twelve episodes, The Daleks' Master Plan was the longest story in the show's history until superseded by the fourteen-episode The Trial of a Time Lord in 1986. The season also had the greatest numb
About this season
At twelve episodes, The Daleks' Master Plan was the longest story in the show's history until superseded by the fourteen-episode The Trial of a Time Lord in 1986. The season also had the greatest number of different companions (seven) and producers (three). This was the longest season in the history of the franchise to date, at 45 episodes. It also featured the first appearance of actor Nicholas Courtney, although not in his most famous role as the Brigadier. The Daleks' Master Plan also saw the return of Peter Butterworth as the Monk, who became the second Doctor Who enemy to make a return (after the Daleks themselves) to the show. This was also the season of The War Machines, to date the only televised story in which the taboo of never referring to the Doctor directly by the name "Doctor Who" is broken, with the exception of Missy's teasing in World Enough and Time.
Episodes (45)
1. Four Hundred Dawns
6.0Aired 11 September 1965 • 25 min
After an encounter with a hostile robot called a Chumblie, the Doctor and his companions are rescued by a group of female Drahvins.
2. Trap of Steel
5.8Aired 18 September 1965 • 25 min
With the knowledge that the planet will be destroyed in two days, the Drahvins instruct the Doctor to help them steal the Rills' ship.
3. Air Lock
5.5Aired 25 September 1965 • 24 min
The Doctor and Vicki encounter the Rills and learn the situation is more complex than they thought while Steven finds the Drahvins' hospitality ever more perilous.
4. The Exploding Planet
6.2Aired 2 October 1965 • 25 min
The Doctor and Vicki enlist the aid of the Chumblies to rescue Steven from the Drahvins and then find a way off the planet before its destruction.
5. Mission to the Unknown
6.4Aired 9 October 1965 • 25 min
Whilst The Doctor, Steven and Vicki are traveling to their next destination. On the planet Kembel, Marc Cory, a Space Security Service agent discovers The Daleks are attending a secret meeting with their allies. Where Cory discovers the Dalek's evil plan, which sets the stage for the epic 12-part adventure "The Dalek Master Plan".
6. Temple of Secrets
6.2Aired 16 October 1965 • 25 min
The TARDIS lands in the middle of the Trojan War, where the Doctor is mistaken for the god Zeus.
7. Small Prophet, Quick Return
5.8Aired 23 October 1965 • 25 min
While Odysseus forces the Doctor to find a way to win the war, Steven decides to get himself taken prisoner in order to enter Troy and find Vicki and the TARDIS.
8. Death of a Spy
6.2Aired 30 October 1965 • 25 min
With Steven and Vicki being held prisoner by the Trojans, the Doctor's only hope of seeing them again is to suggest the idea of the Trojan Horse.
9. Horse of Destruction
6.0Aired 6 November 1965 • 25 min
The Doctor waits inside the Trojan Horse for a chance to reach his companions but Steven's assumed identity as a Greek soldier and Vicki's growing feelings for Troilus endanger their escape.
10. The Nightmare Begins
7.6Aired 13 November 1965 • 25 min
The Doctor runs afoul of the Daleks and Special Security Agent Bret Vyon on the planet Kembel.
11. Day of Armageddon
7.0Aired 20 November 1965 • 24 min
The Doctor infiltrates the Daleks' conference to try and discover their plans, leaving Steven, Katarina and Bret to find a way off the planet.
12. Devil's Planet
7.2Aired 27 November 1965 • 25 min
The Doctor and his friends escape Kembel in the Spar ship but the Daleks force them down on the planet Desperus, where they are threatened by a group of convicts.
13. The Traitors
7.4Aired 4 December 1965 • 25 min
With Katarina being held hostage, the Doctor, Steven and Bret are in danger of having to given in to Kirksen's demands, while, on Earth, Chen has them listed as traitors.
14. Counter Plot
6.6Aired 11 December 1965 • 24 min
The Doctor, Steven and Sara are accidentally transported to the planet Mira where Chen sends the Daleks after them.
15. Coronas of the Sun
6.8Aired 18 December 1965 • 25 min
The Doctor, Steven and Sara escape Mira in a Dalek pursuit ship but when they find the ship is returning to Kembel, they are forced to come up with a new plan to avoid the Daleks.
16. The Feast of Steven
5.6Aired 25 December 1965 • 25 min
The Doctor, Steven and Sara visit a Liverpool police station on Christmas Day and a Hollywood film set during the 1920s.
17. Volcano
6.6Aired 1 January 1966 • 25 min
The Daleks realise the Doctor has given them a fake Taranium Core while, on the planet Tigus, the Doctor encounters the Meddling Monk.
18. Golden Death
6.6Aired 8 January 1966 • 25 min
The Doctor, Steven and Sara travel to Ancient Egypt, pursued by both the Daleks and the Meddling Monk.
19. Escape Switch
6.2Aired 15 January 1966 • 24 min
Steven, Sara and the Monk are captured by the Daleks in order to force the Doctor to hand over the Taranium Core.
20. The Abandoned Planet
6.8Aired 22 January 1966 • 25 min
The Doctor, Steven and Sara reach Kembel where they find the Daleks have betrayed their allies and imprisoned them.
21. Destruction of Time
7.6Aired 29 January 1966 • 25 min
With the Daleks poised to invade the solar system, the Doctor decides his only option is to activate the Time Destructor prematurely, threatening the entire planet.
22. War of God
7.0Aired 5 February 1966 • 25 min
The TARDIS lands in sixteenth century Paris and Steven becomes involved with a group of Huguenots.
23. The Sea Beggar
6.6Aired 12 February 1966 • 25 min
While trying to find the Doctor, Steven discovers a conspiracy to assassinate a man known as the Sea Beggar.
24. Priest of Death
6.8Aired 19 February 1966 • 25 min
Steven has discovered the identity of the Sea Beggar, but can he warn the Huguenots in time?
25. Bell of Doom
7.2Aired 26 February 1966 • 25 min
Steven rejoins the Doctor and they leave Paris just ahead of the massacre, leaving Anne behind.
26. The Steel Sky
6.0Aired 5 March 1966 • 24 min
The Doctor, Steven and Dodo arrive on a giant spaceship millions of years in the future, transporting the last humans away from the doomed Earth.
27. The Plague
6.0Aired 12 March 1966 • 25 min
With the Ark infected with a cold virus, the Doctor must convince the Guardians to trust him so he can find a cure.
28. The Return
6.2Aired 19 March 1966 • 24 min
The Doctor, Steven and Dodo have travelled 700 years into the future and find that the Ark is now under the control of the Monoids as it approaches Refusis.
29. The Bomb
5.5Aired 26 March 1966 • 25 min
The Monoids abandon the Ark, leaving Steven and the Guardians to die, but a mutiny in their ranks may give the Doctor a chance to bring about peace.
30. The Celestial Toyroom
6.0Aired 2 April 1966 • 25 min
The Doctor, Steven and Dodo arrive in the realms of the Celestial Toymaker, who forces them to play his deadly games.
31. The Hall of Dolls
5.3Aired 9 April 1966 • 25 min
While the Doctor continues to play the Trilogic Game with the Toymaker, Steven and Dodo are involved in a deadly game of musical chairs.
32. The Dancing Floor
5.2Aired 16 April 1966 • 25 min
Steven and Dodo are forced to cross the dancing floor, where the Toymaker's dolls plan to force them to dance for eternity.
33. The Final Test
6.0Aired 23 April 1966 • 24 min
As the Doctor nears the end of his game against the Toymaker, Steven and Dodo take on Cyril in a lethal game of hopscotch to try and recover the TARDIS.
34. A Holiday for the Doctor
6.0Aired 30 April 1966 • 24 min
The TARDIS arrives in Tombstone, Arizona in 1891. Where the Doctor is looking for a dentist when he has a toothache, where The Doctor finds the local dentist is the famous Doc Holliday who is in a feud with The Clanton Brothers and their hired gunfighter Johnny Ringo, whilst local sheriff Wyatt Earp is trying to keep the peace. The Doctor, Steven and Dodo find themselves joining forces with The Clanton Brothers and Sheriff Wyatt Earp.
35. Don't Shoot the Pianist
6.4Aired 7 May 1966 • 24 min
With the Clantons believing the Doctor to be Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp takes him into protective custody but this leaves Steven and Dodo in danger.
36. Johnny Ringo
6.6Aired 14 May 1966 • 25 min
Earp comes to Steven's rescue and arrests Phineas Clanton, prompting the Clantons to decide to enlist the help of Johnny Ringo.
37. The O.K. Corral
5.8Aired 21 May 1966 • 24 min
The Clantons have shot Warren Earp, leading to a showdown between the two families with the Doctor powerless to prevent bloodshed.
38. The Savages (1)
5.8Aired 28 May 1966 • 25 min
The Doctor, Steven and Dodo arrive in the far future and are welcomed by the advanced civilisation of the Elders but soon begin to suspect they are hiding a secret.
39. The Savages (2)
6.0Aired 4 June 1966 • 25 min
The Doctor, Steven and Dodo investigate why there are Savages in the Elders' city and uncover the true price of the Elders' perfect society.
40. The Savages (3)
5.8Aired 11 June 1966 • 25 min
The Doctor has been subjected to the Elders' extraction process and Steven and Dodo must return to their city to rescue him.
41. The Savages (4)
5.8Aired 18 June 1966 • 25 min
The Doctor urges the Savages to finally bring an end to the Elders' oppression and enlists the help of an unlikely ally.
42. The War Machines (1)
7.3Aired 25 June 1966 • 24 min
The Doctor and Dodo return to London in the present day where the Doctor becomes concerned about WOTAN, a new super-computer installed in the Post Officer Tower.
43. The War Machines (2)
6.8Aired 2 July 1966 • 24 min
Dodo is under the control of WOTAN and attempts to lure the Doctor into a trap, while the rest of WOTAN's slaves begin construction on its robotic War Machines.
44. The War Machines (3)
7.0Aired 9 July 1966 • 24 min
Ben tries to escape from the warehouse but is captured by Polly, who is now also under WOTAN's control, and forced to work on construction the War Machine.
45. The War Machines (4)
7.2Aired 16 July 1966 • 23 min
The first War Machine is defeated but the Doctor only has a matter of hours to destroy WOTAN before the rest of its army is activated.