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The Best Episodes of Doctor Who Season 3

Every episode of Doctor Who Season 3 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Doctor Who Season 3!

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 21 - Destruction of Time
    8.5/10(484 votes)

    S3:E21

    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.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Dennis Spooner

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  2. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 13 - The Traitors
    8.0/10(453 votes)

    S3:E13

    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.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Terry Nation

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  3. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 10 - The Nightmare Begins
    7.9/10(505 votes)

    S3:E10

    The Doctor runs afoul of the Daleks and Special Security Agent Bret Vyon on the planet Kembel.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Terry Nation

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  4. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 11 - Day of Armageddon
    7.8/10(534 votes)

    S3:E11

    The Doctor infiltrates the Daleks' conference to try and discover their plans, leaving Steven, Katarina and Bret to find a way off the planet.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Terry Nation

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  5. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 20 - The Abandoned Planet
    7.7/10(429 votes)

    S3:E20

    The Doctor, Steven and Sara reach Kembel where they find the Daleks have betrayed their allies and imprisoned them.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Dennis Spooner

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  6. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 12 - Devil's Planet
    7.6/10(470 votes)

    S3:E12

    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.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Terry Nation

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  7. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 15 - Coronas of the Sun
    7.6/10(434 votes)

    S3:E15

    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.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Dennis Spooner

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  8. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 14 - Counter Plot
    7.5/10(509 votes)

    S3:E14

    The Doctor, Steven and Sara are accidentally transported to the planet Mira where Chen sends the Daleks after them.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Terry Nation

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  9. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 19 - Escape Switch
    7.5/10(496 votes)

    S3:E19

    Steven, Sara and the Monk are captured by the Daleks in order to force the Doctor to hand over the Taranium Core.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Dennis Spooner

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  10. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 25 - Bell of Doom
    7.5/10(396 votes)

    S3:E25

    Steven rejoins the Doctor and they leave Paris just ahead of the massacre, leaving Anne behind.

    Director:Paddy Russell
    Writers:John Lucarotti, Donald Tosh

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  11. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 17 - Volcano
    7.4/10(429 votes)

    S3:E17

    The Daleks realise the Doctor has given them a fake Taranium Core while, on the planet Tigus, the Doctor encounters the Meddling Monk.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Dennis Spooner

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  12. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 18 - Golden Death
    7.4/10(432 votes)

    S3:E18

    The Doctor, Steven and Sara travel to Ancient Egypt, pursued by both the Daleks and the Meddling Monk.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Dennis Spooner

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  13. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 42 - The War Machines (1)
    7.4/10(737 votes)

    S3:E42

    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.

    Director:Michael Ferguson
    Writer:Ian Stuart Black

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  14. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 9 - Horse of Destruction
    7.2/10(412 votes)

    S3:E9

    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.

    Director:Michael Leeston-Smith
    Writer:Donald Cotton

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  15. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 43 - The War Machines (2)
    7.2/10(669 votes)

    S3:E43

    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.

    Director:Michael Ferguson
    Writer:Ian Stuart Black

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  16. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 44 - The War Machines (3)
    7.2/10(664 votes)

    S3:E44

    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.

    Director:Michael Ferguson
    Writer:Ian Stuart Black

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  17. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 45 - The War Machines (4)
    7.2/10(661 votes)

    S3:E45

    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.

    Director:Michael Ferguson
    Writer:Ian Stuart Black

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  18. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 26 - The Steel Sky
    7.1/10(660 votes)

    S3:E26

    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.

    Director:Michael Imison
    Writers:Paul Erickson, Lesley Scott

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  19. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 27 - The Plague
    7.1/10(616 votes)

    S3:E27

    With the Ark infected with a cold virus, the Doctor must convince the Guardians to trust him so he can find a cure.

    Director:Michael Imison
    Writers:Paul Erickson, Lesley Scott

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  20. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 5 - Mission to the Unknown
    7.0/10(488 votes)

    S3:E5

    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".

    Director:Derek Martinus
    Writer:Terry Nation

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  21. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 8 - Death of a Spy
    7.0/10(411 votes)

    S3:E8

    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.

    Director:Michael Leeston-Smith
    Writer:Donald Cotton

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  22. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 22 - War of God
    7.0/10(407 votes)

    S3:E22

    The TARDIS lands in sixteenth century Paris and Steven becomes involved with a group of Huguenots.

    Director:Paddy Russell
    Writer:John Lucarotti

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  23. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 28 - The Return
    7.0/10(608 votes)

    S3:E28

    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.

    Director:Michael Imison
    Writers:Paul Erickson, Lesley Scott

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  24. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 6 - Temple of Secrets
    6.9/10(430 votes)

    S3:E6

    The TARDIS lands in the middle of the Trojan War, where the Doctor is mistaken for the god Zeus.

    Director:Michael Leeston-Smith
    Writer:Donald Cotton

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  25. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 7 - Small Prophet, Quick Return
    6.9/10(413 votes)

    S3:E7

    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.

    Director:Michael Leeston-Smith
    Writer:Donald Cotton

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Season 3 Ratings Summary

"Destruction of Time" is the best rated episode of Doctor Who season 3. It scored 8.5/10 from 484 votes. Directed by Douglas Camfield and written by Dennis Spooner, it aired on January 29, 1966. This episode is rated 0.5 points higher than the second-best, "The Traitors".