The Three Doctors (Doctor Who) the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) for help when Omega drains their civilisation's power. The serial opened the tenth anniversary year of the series, and features the first three Doctors all appearing in the same serial. This makes it the first "Doctor Who" story in which an earlier incarnation of the Doctor returns to the show. A superluminal signal is sent to Earth, carrying with it an energy blob that seems intent on capturing the Doctor. The homeworld of the Time Lords is also under siege, their power being drained through a black hole. Trapped themselves, and desperate to send help,
The Doctor (Doctor Who) that he had no intention of showing the regeneration in the series, and that he believed the story of how the Eighth Doctor became the Ninth is best told in other media. In "Doctor Who Confidential", Davies revealed his reasoning that, after such a long hiatus, a regeneration in the first episode would not just be confusing for new viewers but lack dramatic impact, as there would be no emotional investment in the character before he was replaced. The circumstances of the Eighth Doctor's regeneration were explored during the 2013 specials, with the revelation of the incarnation played by Hurt