Doctor Who: Every Doctor's BEST Episode

12. The Third Doctor - Inferno

Doctor Who Wild Blue Yonder
BBC Studios

If there's a classic Doctor Who story that best sums up any incarnation of the character, it's Inferno. The Third Doctor tries desperately to save the parallel Earth from destruction, even though it's run by a nightmarish fascist regime. Decades later, Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor would do something very similar on the planet Finetime. 

However, it's the perfect Third Doctor story because it defines that era purely by showing us what it isn't. The Doctor may feel constrained by his role with UNIT, but by interacting with the fascistic Brigade Leader, he understands that the Brigadier is definitely more of a friend than an enemy. 

It's also the Pertwee era story that best taps into his skills as both comedian and actor. The Doctor's wry contempt for the Republican Security Force is delivered by a man who knows exactly how to deliver a punchline or a witty retort.

In this post: 
Doctor Who
 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Citizen of the Universe, Film Programmer, Writer, Podcaster, Doctor Who fan and a gentleman to boot. As passionate about Chinese social-realist epics as I am about dumb popcorn movies.