Series 3 (Doctor Who)

Series 3 of Doctor Who, which ran mostly during 2007, was "Martha's year", since David Tennant was joined by Freema Agyeman for most of the series' episodes.

Predominated by a story arc that dealt with the mystery of Harold Saxon, a British politician who turned out to be, the series also involved the return of Jack Harkness. Because Jack's involvement in the series was narratively important to Torchwood, the series had a demonstrable impact on series 1 and series 2 of that sister programme.

Since the series 3 commission also included the 2006 Christmas Special, the series could also be said to have started the BBC Wales irregular tradition of having a "one-off" companion. The success of Catherine Tate's Donna Noble would not only cause the production team to successfully court her to return as a regular companion for the next series, it also showed the audience could accept, and apparently enjoy, a single-episode companion. Consequently series 3 paved the way for the inclusion of any number of famous and busy guest stars to be companions in single episodes thereafter.

Highlights
Series 3 introduced a slightly tweaked logo, which was first shown in The Runaway Bride, which remained in place throughout the remainder of David Tennant's involvement on the programme. A revamped version of the theme tune was also offered up by Murray Gold.

A new costume was added to the Doctor's wardrobe. From this series forward, he had a blue suit of the same basic design as his brown one. Though at first just a way to give him a Pertwee-esque variation from story to story, it would actually become narratively important to telling the story of series 4's Journey's End, where another version of the Tenth Doctor appeared.

Equally important to the future were the series two main story arcs. The storyline with was crucial to understanding the way in which the Tenth Doctor's regeneration in the later End of Time. Likewise the reasons for Martha Jones' departure at the end of the story were reflected in each of her later appearances in both Doctor Who and Torchwood.

Crucial to the development of the programme was the series' Doctor-lite episode, Blink. It introduced BBC Wales first new enemy that could be said to genuinely rival the Daleks' enduring popularity: The Weeping Angels. They would become one of the Eleventh Doctor's main rivals.

And series 3 was also important for including a direct adaptation of a story that had been originally written for another medium. Though the audios Jubilee and Spare Parts had been the very loose bases for two previous stories, Human Nature was the first, unmistakably direct adaptation of an existing story in franchise story. It would not be the only time when the production office directly adapted a pre-existing work.

The series also inspired the first original animation in franchise history, a 45 minute episode stripped across each episode of Totally Doctor Who's second season. Though nominally a part of the TDW commission, The Infinite Quest nevertheless gave Martha and the Doctor a 14th televised adventure that could be followed each week alongside the live-action programme.

Series 3 also included the first (and so far only) three part story in the new series.

Recurring

 * The Tenth Doctor - David Tennant
 * Martha Jones - Freema Agyeman
 * Jack Harkness - John Barrowman
 * Francine Jones - Adjoa Andoh
 * Tish Jones - Gugu Mbatha-Raw
 * Leo Jones - Reggie Yates
 * Clive Jones - Trevor Laird
 * - John Simm
 * Donna Noble - Catherine Tate
 * The Face of Boe - Struan Rodger (Voice)
 * Lucy Saxon - Alexandra Moen
 * Miss Dexter - Elize du Toit

Guest

 * Florence Finnegan - Anne Reid
 * William Shakespeare - Dean Lennox Kelly
 * Thomas Kincade Brannigan - Ardal O'Hanlon
 * Frank - Andrew Garfield
 * Richard Lazarus - Mark Gatiss
 * Kath McDonnell - Michelle Collins
 * Joan Redfern - Jessica Hynes
 * Sally Sparrow - Carey Mulligan
 * - Derek Jacobi

DVD
All episodes of series 3 were released on DVD by Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment, but under the alias of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment in 2007. This was also the final season of the revived series to be released on DVD by SPHE.

Novels

 * The Sting of the Zygons
 * The Last Dodo
 * Wooden Heart
 * Made of Steel
 * Wetworld
 * Forever Autumn
 * Sick Building
 * Peacemaker
 * Wishing Well
 * The Pirate Loop
 *  Revenge of the Judoon
 * The Many Hands
 * Snowglode 7
 * Martha in the Mirror
 * The Story of Martha

Awards
This series won a 2008 in the category of "Best International Series", following its transmission on the American Sci Fi Channel.