Doctor Who: Every Doctor's WORST Episode
11. The Time Monster (The Third Doctor)
To the joy of science fiction fans everywhere, the arrival of Jon Pertwee’s flashier Third Doctor also heralded a notable uptick in the show’s budget and production value. While a lot of the props still look pretty shaky by modern standards, they’re no longer as embarrassing as they once were.
Still, even the best eras of the show have their low points and Pertwee’s is The Time Monster.
The plot, if you can call it that, follows the Master attempting to summon a creature that “eats time” and is being attracted to the ancient city of Atlantis thanks to a crystal he has in his possession. Don’t worry, it only gets more absurd from there.
The villain of the week, the ‘chronovore’, is one of the most laughable monster designs ever featured in the show. Who knew that a deadly creature existing outside of time itself would look so much like a deranged parrot? It’s enough to give the Zarbi a run for its money.
Thankfully, the rest of the Third Doctor’s run never sank to these sorts of lows again, but it doesn’t make the story any less reviled among Doctor Who fans.