Production
Following the success of the first series, the BBC announced that Doctor Who had been recommissioned for a third series on 16 June 2005, only two months after the announcement of the second series. Recording for the Christmas special began on 4 July 2006, with production on the series itself beginning on 8 August 2006 and concluding on 2 April 2007.
First-time writers for the show included Gareth Roberts, who previously wrote the interactive episode "Attack of the Graske" and the TARDISODEs, Helen Raynor, one of the show's script editors, Chris Chibnall, the head writer and co-producer of spin-off series Torchwood, and Stephen Greenhorn. Previous writers Paul Cornell, Steven Moffat and Russell T Davies all contributed to the series, with Davies continuing to act as head writer and executive producer. Phil Collinson and Susie Liggat acted as producers, with Julie Gardner as executive producer. Euros Lyn, Charles Palmer, Richard Clark, James Strong, Graeme Harper, Hettie MacDonald and Colin Teague directed episodes in the series.
The episodes in series three are arranged in a loose story arc: "Mr Saxon", an alias for the Master. The character's name was first mentioned in "The Runaway Bride"; the Ministry of Defence shot down an alien craft at Saxon's request. Several elements from episodes in the series are contributory to the three-part finale: the events of "The Lazarus Experiment" and "42" were directly influenced by the Master; the Face of Boe's prophecy is directly related to Master; and a similar fob-watch that was used by the Doctor to change his Time Lord biology into human was also used by the Master to hide from the Time Lords.
Production blocks were arranged as follows:
| Block | Episodes | Director | Writers | Producer | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Runaway Bride" | Euros Lyn | Russell T Davies | Phil Collinson | 3.X |
| 2 | "Smith and Jones" "The Shakespeare Code" |
Charles Palmer | Russell T Davies Gareth Roberts |
Phil Collinson | 3.1 3.2 |
| 3 | "Gridlock" "The Lazarus Experiment" |
Richard Clark | Russell T Davies Stephen Greenhorn |
Phil Collinson | 3.3 3.6 |
| 4 | "Daleks in Manhattan" "Evolution of the Daleks" |
James Strong | Helen Raynor | Phil Collinson | 3.4 3.5 |
| 5 | "Blink" | Hettie MacDonald | Steven Moffat | Phil Collinson | 3.10 |
| 6 | "Human Nature" "The Family of Blood" |
Charles Palmer | Paul Cornell | Susie Liggat | 3.8 3.9 |
| 7 | "42" "Utopia" |
Graeme Harper | Chris Chibnall Russell T Davies |
Phil Collinson | 3.7 3.11 |
| 8 | "The Sound of Drums" "Last of the Time Lords" |
Colin Teague | Russell T Davies | Phil Collinson | 3.12 3.13 |
An animated serial, The Infinite Quest, was also produced alongside the series and was broadcast as part of the CBBC programme Totally Doctor Who.
Read more about this topic: Doctor Who (series 3)
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