The Best Episodes of Doctor Who Season 3

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   6.4/10(569 votes)

   #1 - Four Hundred Dawns

   S3:E19/11/1965

   After an encounter with a hostile robot called a Chumblie, the Doctor and his companions are rescued by a group of female Drahvins.

   Director:Derek Martinus

   Writer:William Emms

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   Director:Derek Martinus

   Writer:William Emms
2. 

   6.3/10(536 votes)

   #2 - Trap of Steel

   S3:E29/18/1965

   With the knowledge that the planet will be destroyed in two days, the Drahvins instruct the Doctor to help them steal the Rills' ship.

   Director:Derek Martinus

   Writer:William Emms

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   Director:Derek Martinus

   Writer:William Emms
3. 

   6.6/10(553 votes)

   #3 - Air Lock

   S3:E39/25/1965

   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.

   Director:Derek Martinus

   Writer:William Emms

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   Director:Derek Martinus

   Writer:William Emms
4. 

   6.5/10(533 votes)

   #4 - The Exploding Planet

   S3:E410/2/1965

   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.

   Director:Derek Martinus

   Writer:William Emms

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   Director:Derek Martinus

   Writer:William Emms
5. 

   7.0/10(504 votes)

   #5 - Mission to the Unknown

   S3:E510/9/1965

   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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   Director:Derek Martinus

   Writer:Terry Nation
6. 

   6.9/10(452 votes)

   #6 - Temple of Secrets

   S3:E610/16/1965

   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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   Director:Michael Leeston-Smith

   Writer:Donald Cotton
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7. 

   6.9/10(434 votes)

   #7 - Small Prophet, Quick Return

   S3:E710/23/1965

   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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   Director:Michael Leeston-Smith

   Writer:Donald Cotton
8. 

   7.0/10(433 votes)

   #8 - Death of a Spy

   S3:E810/30/1965

   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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   Director:Michael Leeston-Smith

   Writer:Donald Cotton
9. 

   7.2/10(434 votes)

   #9 - Horse of Destruction

   S3:E911/6/1965

   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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   Director:Michael Leeston-Smith

   Writer:Donald Cotton
10. 

    7.8/10(486 votes)

    #10 - The Nightmare Begins

    S3:E1011/13/1965

    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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    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Terry Nation
11. 

    7.8/10(531 votes)

    #11 - Day of Armageddon

    S3:E1111/20/1965

    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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    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Terry Nation
12. 

    7.5/10(456 votes)

    #12 - Devil's Planet

    S3:E1211/27/1965

    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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    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Terry Nation
13. 

    8.0/10(466 votes)

    #13 - The Traitors

    S3:E1312/4/1965

    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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    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Terry Nation
14. 

    7.5/10(519 votes)

    #14 - Counter Plot

    S3:E1412/11/1965

    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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    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Terry Nation
15. 

    7.7/10(452 votes)

    #15 - Coronas of the Sun

    S3:E1512/18/1965

    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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    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Dennis Spooner
16. 

    6.4/10(458 votes)

    #16 - The Feast of Steven

    S3:E1612/25/1965

    The Doctor, Steven and Sara visit a Liverpool police station on Christmas Day and a Hollywood film set during the 1920s.

    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Terry Nation

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    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Terry Nation
17. 

    7.4/10(448 votes)

    #17 - Volcano

    S3:E171/1/1966

    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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    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Dennis Spooner
18. 

    7.4/10(451 votes)

    #18 - Golden Death

    S3:E181/8/1966

    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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    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Dennis Spooner
19. 

    7.5/10(508 votes)

    #19 - Escape Switch

    S3:E191/15/1966

    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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    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Dennis Spooner
20. 

    7.7/10(447 votes)

    #20 - The Abandoned Planet

    S3:E201/22/1966

    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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    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Dennis Spooner
21. 

    8.5/10(502 votes)

    #21 - Destruction of Time

    S3:E211/29/1966

    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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    Director:Douglas Camfield

    Writer:Dennis Spooner
22. 

    7.0/10(432 votes)

    #22 - War of God

    S3:E222/5/1966

    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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    Director:Paddy Russell

    Writer:John Lucarotti
23. 

    6.9/10(413 votes)

    #23 - The Sea Beggar

    S3:E232/12/1966

    While trying to find the Doctor, Steven discovers a conspiracy to assassinate a man known as the Sea Beggar.

    Director:Paddy Russell

    Writer:John Lucarotti

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    Director:Paddy Russell

    Writer:John Lucarotti
24. 

    6.9/10(415 votes)

    #24 - Priest of Death

    S3:E242/19/1966

    Steven has discovered the identity of the Sea Beggar, but can he warn the Huguenots in time?

    Director:Paddy Russell

    Writer:John Lucarotti

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    Director:Paddy Russell

    Writer:John Lucarotti
25. 

    7.5/10(418 votes)

    #25 - Bell of Doom

    S3:E252/26/1966

    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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    Director:Paddy Russell

    Writers:John Lucarotti, Donald Tosh