Doctor Who: Every Doctor Ranked From Worst To Best

10. The Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee)

Doctor Who the Third Doctor Sea Devils sonic screwdriver
BBC Studios

The Third Doctor was a horse of a different colour in the continuity of this Time Lord. Jon Pertwee, like Troughton before him, was a completely new interpretation of the traveler, spending much of his time on Earth, confined to helping out UNIT.

This snake-tattooed, Venusian aikido enthusiast was a more Rock 'Em Sock 'Em version of the Doctor. He was still a little crotchety, but was marked with a swagger that would be echoed years later by Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor.

Pertwee stepped away from the role in 1974, following the death of Roger Delgado, the actor who originated the role of the Master. His regeneration marked the beginning of a sort of knowing wink to the camera, as the Brigadier sighs "Here we go again" as the Third Doctor begins his transformation.

The frequent comparisons to James Bond are fitting for the Third Doctor: he was cool, suave, and very enjoyable to watch, with the Pertwee years standing as some of the most flat-out entertaining in all of classic Who.

 
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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"