# Doctor Who Series 3 -- Is it downhill from here? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 24, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-series-3-is-it-downhill-from-here/600633 "2011-10-24T15:24:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-series-3-is-it-downhill-from-here/600633/21 "2011-10-24T20:27:03Z")
Stay with it. After Rose you do feel a bit let down and like Martha is a kind of poor substitute. I imagined the Doctor feeling the same way. But by god, you stick with it through Donna at least. I hated Donna Noble the first couple times I saw her but I started warming to her by the end of The Fires of Pompeii (har har har). I hated her so much I wasn’t sure I’d continue watching. Family of Blood is one of my favorites - you get to see a side of the Doctor that is truly a bit frightening. So no, it’s not downhill from here. It’s just a little weird and bumpy and different. Wibbly, wobbley, timey wimey, if you will. Don’t blink. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-series-3-is-it-downhill-from-here/600633/22 "2011-10-24T20:30:15Z")
I’m a huge Dr. Who nerd, and I’ve seen, well, pretty much all of them. To my mind, _Human Nature/Family of Blood_ is the best story in the show’s almost 50 year long history. And _Blink_ is an extremely close second. Stick with it. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-series-3-is-it-downhill-from-here/600633/23 "2011-10-24T20:55:40Z")
Seconding what everyone else already said about Human Nature, Family of Blood, and Blink. 42 is pretty good as well, though not spectacular. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-series-3-is-it-downhill-from-here/600633/24 "2011-10-24T21:03:28Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Seconding what everyone else already said about Human Nature, Family of Blood, and Blink. 42 is pretty good as well, though not spectacular. what \*\*gladiator \*\*said. personally, i loved eccelston’s tenure, adored tennant’s, and can’t wait for smith to move on. ---
**Author:** ![Lilacs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Lilacs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lilacs)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-series-3-is-it-downhill-from-here/600633/25 "2011-10-24T21:30:37Z")
I didn’t mind Martha so much, and I think she was redeemed in the end. I have to add that “The Sound of the Drums” is probably my favorite episode from Series 3. Derek Jacobi was amazing. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-series-3-is-it-downhill-from-here/600633/26 "2011-10-24T21:53:57Z")
Three was my first series and got me hooked. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-series-3-is-it-downhill-from-here/600633/27 "2011-10-24T22:56:47Z")
I lucked out - I missed the first half of Season 3 its first time through, and missed most of the terribleness. As such, I thought Martha was an incredibly strong companion (which she is - it’s just that that’s her stereotype, she’s “The Strong One”). I was mostly annoyed by Donna, until I rewatched her episodes a second time - you really get to watch her become The Doctor’s best friend forever from a new perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-series-3-is-it-downhill-from-here/600633/28 "2011-10-25T02:50:01Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I liked series 4 better than 3. Catherine Tate was brilliant Donna Noble was a very unique companion. She came close at times to being an equal with the Doctor. I also loved the humor that Catherine brought to the companion role. > > Doctor Who constantly changes and reinvents itself. The actors change, the shows main writer changes. If you don’t like one season then you may like the next. I agree. I did like Martha, but got tired of all the ‘pining’ nonsense. Donna for me was one of the best companions who is second to Sara Jane. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-series-3-is-it-downhill-from-here/600633.md?page=1)