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» » Doctor Who The Greatest Show in the Galaxy: Part Three (1963–1989)

Short summary

Mags helps the Doctor escape and Deadbeat leads him to Ace, where Bellboy tells them what happened to the Psychic Circus.

A short scene in which two of the robot clowns unload the newly-repaired Bus Conductor from the hearse and the Bus Conductor then walks back to the Bus was moved from Part Three to Part Four at the last minute. This is why Dean Hollingsworth is credited even though he does not appear.

This episode was watched by 4.8 million viewers on its original transmission.

In the original script, Bellboy was to be haggard and white-haired, implying that he had suffered electric shock treatment, but this was dropped on recording. The script also indicated that he should be lashed to a kite, not a workbench.

User reviews


  • comment
    • Author: Marelyne
    Doctor Who: The Greatest Show in the Galaxy: Part 3 starts as the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) manages to escape the clutches the evil robotic clowns & sets about trying to discover why the Psychic Circus is luring unsuspecting visitor's from all over the galaxy & then sending them to die performing in the ring & to stop himself & his companion Ace (Sophie Aldred) becoming the next attraction's. It all has something to do with a sinister eye that keeps appearing as motif's on everything & seems to be the source of the evil that has infested & transformed the once family friendly circus into what it is now...

    This Doctor Who adventure was the last story from season 25 & it aired here in the UK during late 1988, directed by Alan Wareing I think The Greatest Show in the Galaxy is average Doctor Who at best & I have to say my patience with it is running out. The script by Stephen Wyatt is taking an age to get to the point, don't get me wrong as I like a good mystery as the next guy but I've just finished watching Part 3 & I don't really know much more than when I began watching Part 1. I mean there's just no hook here to make you want to watch the next episode & there's not really that much going on, sure there's this circus which is apparently sending people to their death (it's all been off screen so far) in the ring for some reason that has to do with a floating eye but for what reason we know not, the Doctor has become involved & to honest that's about it. This story has also had three lame cliffhanger endings that don't exactly heighten the anticipation until the next episode or even make you want to watch the next one that much.

    There's an OK scene in this episode inside a trailer full of robotic clowns in various states of repair & some robotic limbs & faces lying around but not much is made of it. There's nothing I'd call scary, particularly effective or exciting so far in the three episodes I've seen & I doubt that will change after Part 4 although there was a cool looking vampire thing at the end of this one which actually had a decent make-up job.

    The Greatest Show in the Galaxy is an OK watch, it's dragging it's heels a bit & I'm in no rush to see Part 4 but it's Doctor Who & I like pretty much all the Doctor Who's I've seen but this one could have been better.
  • comment
    • Author: Lesesshe
    The third entry is the least interesting so far, but it's still a decent watch. Some of the early scares have gone, and it has become a little dialogue heavy, but I still enjoyed.

    Best scene has to be where Ace battles tje damaged clowns in the workshop, that had a real sense of terror. I think the scene where Mags transforms is perhaps less successful.

    Bellboy is a decent character, his scene where the clowns come alive is suitably creepy, but it's the chief Clown who again steals are show. Reddington is the best thing I would argue.

    What's the eye? And who's behind it? How much popcorn hace that family eaten?
  • Episode cast overview:
    Sylvester McCoy Sylvester McCoy - The Doctor
    Sophie Aldred Sophie Aldred - Ace
    T.P. McKenna T.P. McKenna - The Captain
    Jessica Martin Jessica Martin - Mags
    Ricco Ross Ricco Ross - Ringmaster
    Ian Reddington Ian Reddington - Chief Clown
    Deborah Manship Deborah Manship - Morgana
    Christopher Guard Christopher Guard - Bellboy
    Chris Jury Chris Jury - Deadbeat
    Gian Sammarco Gian Sammarco - Whizzkid
    Dean Hollingsworth Dean Hollingsworth - Bus Conductor (credit only)
    David Ashford David Ashford - Dad
    Janet Hargreaves Janet Hargreaves - Mum
    Kathryn Ludlow Kathryn Ludlow - Little Girl
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