Pre-production on Season 3 had already begun, with a few scripts already written, when COVID-19 hit the Netherlands. Filming was due to begin in May 2020, with a later premiere of November 2020 planned. This didn’t come to fruition. Throughout 2020, attempts were made to start up production, but priorities at NPO had changed, due to the pandemic, and the show was side-lined. Additionally, a change in Season 3, as a whole, was considered during this time, after being suggested by incoming Doctor Who Franchise Executive, Mal Young. The idea was to adapt Doctor Who: Endgame as a 10-episode season arc.
Back in 2019, Wendy van Dijk, the show’s main star, had decided to leave after the third season, however, she hadn’t quite expected to be making that third season as late as she did. She did consider not returning for the third season, when approached to finalise her contract in 2021, but was eventually persuaded around to doing it. In that case, there probably wouldn’t have been a third season and the show would have just ended. Speaking of the show ending, it was only during the production of Season 3 that NPO actually made the decision to end the show, with the “Endgame” adaptation, originally intended, to see the Doctor being resurrected and played another actor, as one would expect. However, essentially NPO decided they hadn’t really missed the show, during its 2020 & 2021 hiatus and they didn’t really have much desire to continue it without Wendy. Additionally, with Paramount+ launching in the Netherlands soon, Dutch people would be able to access actual Doctor Who in a Dutch dub extremely easily, potentially cutting into the show’s audience. With all those factors considered, it was decided that De Dokter would die for good at the end of the season.
The inception of the idea to adapt ‘Doctor Who: Endgame’ was Mal Young’s idea, and was decided upon for many reasons, but chief of them was kind of just the “for the hell of it” reasoning previously employed. Doctor Who on TV now had the rights to the movies, so it was kind of the Dutch going “if we can do it, then let’s do it, and just see how it goes”… So, Season 3 or Dokter Wie: Eindpsel as its title, was the audience seeing if adapting a single movie into a 10×45 minute epic would actually work.
Stijntje left as a companion at the end of Season 2, and obviously this had a knock-on effect for Season 3. Originally, the actress had decided to leave, in 2019, but since this was quite a while on and it was the end etc etc, she was happy to come back, reprising her role in all 10-episodes of this season . That means that Dokter Wie has the same main cast for every single episode it produced.
Cosmetically, the fact the show’s title is Dokter Wie: Eindspel is reflected in the title sequence, but much of the look and feel of Season 1/2 is kept the same.
AFLEVERING 1: HEERSER OVER ALLES
Season 3, Episode 1
Written by MAARTEN VAN DER DUIN
Directed by MATTHIAS ZIRZOW
TX Date – 24 March 2022
This episode is primarily an adaptation of the 2010 story Masters of All. The biggest changes include the fact that the Dokter is not suffering from post-regenerative stress, and instead is her usual self, and the fact that the substance the Daleks are mining is changed to be the crystals that power the Omega Machine (from Endgame).
The other big change is that we intercut, briefly, with a B-plot of Stijntje on Gallifrey with Borusa, as they uncover the fact that the relics of the Omega Machine has been stolen from the Panopticon Vaults.
The rest of the story trundles along like the Masters of All we know, including the return of Davros, with Richard Chevolleau reprising the role, where we see flashbacks, reminiscent of Destiny of the Daleks of Davros being revived, by the Daleks.
After the Daleks are defeated, the slaves are freed, and the TARDIS crew leave, we see the Oplichter arriving on the planet, as he searches for the crystals he needs… and we cut to the end credits.
AFLEVERING 2: DAS OMEGA-GERÄT
Season 3, Episode 2
Written by MAARTEN VAN DER DUIN
Directed by MATTHIAS ZIRZOW
TX Date – 31 March 2022
This episode simply, uses as its premise, the opening scene of Doctor Who: Endgame to adapt. We see the Oplichter arrive on Rellasch, where he enters the main hall and kills several people to get to a particular larger crystal he wants. However, unlike in Endgame, the Dokter and her companions interrupt here, and try to stop the Oplichter. What ensues in this episode is the standard confrontation between the Dokter and the Oplichter, as the Dokter begins to piece together the Oplichter’s plan, and additionally, the Dokter begins to work out why the Daleks are so interested… Again, we return to Gallifrey where Stijntje and Borusa decide to voyage to Karn to meet with the Sisterhood (who are introduced here). They tell them about the Omega Machine and the fact that it’s only weakness was the power of the sisterhood (basically something vague and mysterious). Borusa pleads for help, but they deny it, until Stijntje speaks to Ohila, and manages to persuade her. Ohila then joins with the sisterhood to chant, and then tell the two of them that the Oplichter is putting together the Omega Machine with the Daleks, and that he is currently on the planet Rellasch… with the Dokter. Stijntje decides to join them, but Borusa stays on Gallifrey, with Stijntje dropping into the A-Plot’s action via the Time Scoop, an ancient Time Lord device. Stijntje comes into the plot, just as the Oplichter calls the Daleks into for backup, and the Daleks come down to the planet and basically massacre everyone. Things get worse and worse, as the Oplichter manages to, not just get the crystal he wants, but also kidnaps Berendjen and Stijntje. The Dokter is left on a wreaked planet, with only Evert and the TARDIS. She has a moment of doubt and upset, but after a speech from Evert, decides to get back into the TARDIS, and follow the Daleks. When the TARDIS lands, the two find themselves in the middle of Ancient Rome, as the Dokter states “This is where the Daleks have landed”.
AFLEVERING 3: DE PIJPEN VAN ROME
Season 3, Episode 3
Written by THOMAS VAN DER REE
Directed by HANRO SMITSMAN
TX Date – 7 April 2022
This episode, takes us completely out of the ‘Doctor Who: Endgame’ setting and puts is into the Season 31 historical, ‘Pipe Dreams’, which is retooled here to work as a chapter in this saga. Firstly, only the A-Plot follows this thread, while the B-Plot sees Berendjen and Stijntje with the Oplichter.
In ‘Pipe Dreams’, an alien parasite was infecting Rome’s lead piping, whereas here, it’s a parasite that Davros has created, in order to wipe out the heart of the Roman Empire, so the Daleks can capture one of the crystals needed for the Omega Machine, which is situation in 1st Century Rome. The story plays out pretty much the same as before, more focusing on the parasite, before the Daleks bombastically show up at the end to invade Rome themselves.
In the B-plot, the Oplichter gives Berendjen and Stijntje (and the audience) some much needed context about what the Omega Machine actually is, and why him and the Daleks getting it is a pretty bad idea. There’s an attempted escape from Berendjen and Stijntje, but they fail at the last minute.
Eventually, the Doctor and Evert manage to defeat the Daleks, before getting back into the TARDIS, and trying to fly to where the Dalek mothership is, in hope of finding her companions. After much searching, eventually, the TARDIS arrives, in front of Berendjen and Stijntje, just as the Oplichter is about to kill them. The Doctor swiftly, manages to rescue them, before the episode ends, as the TARDIS lands on Gallifrey.
AFLEVERING 4: DE WAARSCHUWING VAN DE DOKTER
Season 3, Episode 4
Written by SIMON DE WAAL
Directed by TIM OLIEHOEK
TX Date – 14 April 2022
The TARDIS team arrive on Gallifrey, and the episode swiftly has them brought face to face with Borusa to catch him up on events. Borusa decides that if the Omega Machine is at stake, and mastery over all time, then he must inform the Panopticon of his intention for Gallifrey to declare war on the Dalek Empire. This forms the B-plot of the episode, whereby Borusa, alongside Stijntje, are trying to persuade the Panopticon to sanction the war. However, it is difficult, as they don’t quite understand the scale of the Omega Machine and just what it would mean, especially as mainly of the details around it are classified. Additionally the fact the Oplichter is behind it, makes many of the Panopticon members more inclined for the matter to be dealt with internally, some suggesting employing the elusive Order of Rassilon. Eventually, by just one vote Borusa manages to get the proposal through, but only on the condition that the Order of Rassilon will attempt to apprehend the Oplichter, first, and then war will be declared if that fails.
The A-Plot, however, sees the Dokter, Berendjen and Evert enter the Matrix, in order to find clues about how the Omega Machine could be prevented, specifically where all the crystals are. Several tripping scenes, reminiscent of the Deadly Assassin, happen. These scenes are the only scenes which feature the Daleks, only in personified nightmare form, as we don’t actually catch up with the real ones, at all, in this episode. Finally, they put together, through logic puzzles and other brain teasers, the location of the most important crystal… the most powerful one, that the machine will not work without, in any form… It’s in the Grand High Museum, which is also the most secure facility in the galaxy. The Dokter politely shrugs as she says they better set course for there.
The two plots inter-merge, when at the end, Borusa forces the Dokter, by Panopticon decree, a squadron of Order of Rassilon agents to join her, Berendjen, Evert and Stijntje, to the museum. The Dokter is unhappy about this, clearly, noting that it’ll be even harder to be discreet now.
AFLEVERING 5: HET GROTE MUSEUM
Season 3, Episode 5
Written by MAARTEN VAN DER DUIN
Directed by HANRO SMITSMAN
TX Date – 21 April 2022
This episode is largely an adaptation of the Museum heist sequence from Doctor Who: Endgame, although extended in many ways. Firstly, the Dokter, Berendjen, Evert and Stijntje are also joined by a small covert group of Order of Rassilon agents, which allows them to split up into smaller separate groups during the sequence, and for some of them to be killed off too, by the Daleks and the Oplichter. It’s very action heavy but it does end up being successful, and at the end of the episode, everyone (who is still alive) manages to get out of the museum and onto the sandy beach outside, with the crystal.
Meanwhile, the B-plot, continues to focus on Borusa as he speaks with Ohila about just what the Omega Machine could do in the right hands. Ohila strongly advises Borusa against this path of thought, but Borusa tempts her with promises about how Karn could become far more prosperous, and released from the shackles the sisterhood is trapped in. Ohila eventually comes around to the idea.
All we see of the Oplichter and the Daleks in this episode, is their side of the heist, as they try to stop the others. However, once again, they are relegated to only background focus.
AFLEVERING 6: HET BLOEDBAD OP HET ZAND
Season 3, Episode 6
Written by MAARTEN VAN DER DUIN & PASJA VAN DAM
Directed by MATTHIAS ZIRZOW
TX Date – 28 April 2022
This episode is largely an adaptation of the sequence in Doctor Who: Endgame, following the heist, as the heroes and villains confront each other on the sands, and in the original version, Chris loses his life, after being exterminated by the Daleks. This episode takes us through similar events, all the way to the end of the campfire scene.
The difference in this episode is that things are slightly more complicated. Firstly, the confrontation only starts about 10 minutes in, with part of it being dedicated to the B-plot, and the other part showing the Daleks and the Oplichter managing to corner the Dokter and her companions.
The B-plot here, sees Borusa and Ohila travel to the Museum, in order to intervene and take the Omega Machine for themselves. They arrive into the A-plot, at about the 20-minute mark, some time into the confrontation.
The confrontation is interrupted by Borusa and Ohila, as they initially appear to be on the Dokter’s side, but they more Borusa does the talking, especially with the Oplichter, the more the Dokter begins to feel something is up. The Dokter makes a move, realising that Borusa is trying to take the Omega Machine for himself, but a firefight then ensues, as Borusa takes the manpower of the surviving Order of Rassilon members, and they fight off against the Oplichter and the Daleks, while the Dokter and his companions try to avoid the firing. All of the Order of Rassilon agents then die.
After a few minutes, the Dokter manages to arrange a cease fire, however, Borusa uses this to essentially talk the Daleks over… and in a surprising climax, the Daleks exterminate the Oplichter… killing him, as Borusa and Ohila team up with the Daleks. The Dokter makes a small comment on how that’ll go well now “you’ve” declared war on them, but it’s cut short when they begin firing on the Dokter and her companions… however, they manage to escape the Daleks, at the last minute.
Borusa, Ohila and the Daleks then leave the planet with the crystal, as the campfire scene then happens, as all hope seems to be lost. The final scene sees the Dokter reflecting in the TARDIS, before she flies it off somewhere, away from the heat of the action. The TARDIS then arrives in a ancient temple, as the episode ends.
AFLEVERING 7: HET HEILIGDOM VAN DE BIECHT
Season 3, Episode 7
Written by MAARTEN VAN DER DUIN
Directed by TIM OLIEHOEK
TX Date – 5 May 2022
This episode is largely an adaptation of The Sanctuary of Confession, a 1994 Richard Griffiths story. The context sees the Dokter so upset and depressed, following the crystals all falling into the Daleks’ hands, and the betrayal by Borusa, that she sets the TARDIS to go to the oldest temple in the universe. The adaptation is pretty clean cut, with Benny being possessed swapped to Stijntje. The main core of the episode is a character arc for the Dokter whereby she realises that there is a reason to go on and there is a way to defeat the forces of evil.
This is all done via Stijntje and her experiences Hynea, in the Sanctuary. Stijntje following her ordeal, manages to persuade her mother to go on, as she says that Gallifrey is now at war with the Daleks, and the Panopticon back Gallifrey before they back a disposable president like Borusa… and they should use their force.
Meanwhile, we get a B-plot with the Daleks and Borusa formalising their new alliance and preparing to collect the final piece to power the Omega Machine. The Vice President, Gordra, contacts Borusa during these scenes, to work out whether the mission was successful or not, and Borusa manages to persuade him that it was and the Daleks have been stopped, but when Gordra notices Borusa is on a Dalek spaceship, he informs the Panopticon that he believes Borusa has been captured by the Daleks and sent the message against his will… as Gordra enacts the plan to go to war with the Daleks.
The episode ends with the the TARDIS arriving back on Gallifrey, just after the formal declaration of war.
AFLEVERING 8: RIJK VAN DE DALEKS
Season 3, Episode 8
Written by MAARTEN VAN DER DUIN & SIMON DE WAAL
Directed by HANRO SMITSMAN
TX Date – 12 May 2022
This episode largely takes place on Gallifrey again, as war with the Daleks begin. The story sees Gordra discovering that Borusa is in fact now evil and responding to that by deposing him as president and declaring him an enemy of the state. The Dokter and the TARDIS crew get involved, as they try and stop Gordra from such aggressive action, suggesting that the Dokter goes in herself and apprehends Borusa, personally, which, after a battle with the Daleks, Gordra agrees to… but as long as Borusa faces trial.
The B-plot sees the Daleks and Borusa building the Omega Machine, and preparing to use it. We also see a flash forward of Borusa taking control of the universe. Additionally, we see a scene where the Daleks reveal their plan to exterminate Borusa following the Omega Machine being up and running.
The episode ends with the Dokter arriving at the Eye of Harmony, where the Daleks has just arrived with the Omega Machine, preparing to battle with Borusa.
AFLEVERING 9: STRIJD OM HET HEELAL
Season 3, Episode 9
Written by MAARTEN VAN DER DUIN
Directed by MATTHIAS ZIRZOW
TX Date – 19 May 2022
This episode is largely an adaptation of Doctor Who: Endgame from the point where the Doctor arrives at the Eye of Harmony, to the point where the Doctor dies. However, Dokter Wie decides that it needs to one up that sequence, as featured in a major motion picture, originally, and puts it on an entirely different scale, but with a fraction of the budget.
This adaptation sees the Dokter and Borusa having a fight to the death, but also with an army of Daleks, as they fight through pretty much every deck of the Dalek mothership, avoiding different obstacles and traps, coming into contact with different rogue Dalek mutants. It tries to be as epic as possible, with heavily choreographed fighting, interspersed with dialogue of them arguing and trying to get each other onto their side. At one point they accidentally open up the core of the spaceship, which shoots out some sort of hot lava, and they have to jump between two decks to avoid it… while each them try to push the other in.
Eventually they get down to the shuttle bay, where the Omega Machine is located and, after more and more fighting, the Dokter sacrifices herself to save the day, destroying the Eye of Harmony and also killing Borusa… just like in the original.
Meanwhile, we follow a B-plot where our Gallifreyan characters have a huge space battle with the Daleks, following Gallifrey officially being at war. Due to budgetary constraints many of the shots in the space battle were taken directly from Panopticon’s Doctor.
As the episode ends, and the Dokter is dead… and the threat to the universe seems fixed… we focus on our companions, who mourn her loss… however, just then, there’s some sort of rupture, as things begin looking weird and everything seems out of sync. Gordra says that the destruction of the Eye of Harmony is more dangerous than anything imaginable, and that they are all doomed.
AFLEVERING 10: HET UNIVERSUM EINDIGT
Season 3, Episode 10
Written by MAARTEN VAN DER DUIN
Directed by MATTHIAS ZIRZOW
TX Date – 26 May 2022
The episode begins with a flashback, to many years ago, as the Dokter and Stijntje leave Gallifrey, and steal the TARDIS. After which, we cut to Gallifrey, in the present, where alarms are going off, as Gordra orders everyone to “enter the Matrix” for their own safety, as time is beginning to fall apart… and we cut to the opening titles.
Following the evacuation of all Gallifreyans into the Matrix, Evert, Berendjen, Stijntje and Gordra gather to discuss what the plan is. Gordra tries to get the others to go into the Matrix but they say they are staying to help and fix everything, in honour of the Dokter. Gordra explains that the only way to fix everything is incredibly dangerous and their safety isn’t guaranteed. Gordra says that they need to recreate Omega’s original Eye of Harmony experiment, with another sun, in another solar system, in order to balance out time.
We then see a montage of the team surveying different systems and stars, trying to find one that fits the conditions of the original as close as possible. They eventually find that the Sol System is the most suited, and that they will conduct the experiment on it, to turn it into the new Eye of Harmony.
However, a Dalek ship turns up, attempting to do the same thing… although they don’t know that yet, and assume the Daleks are attempting to kill them. A small skirmish ensues, before they manage to come to a deal with the Daleks to work together to restore the Eye of Harmony and balance to Time.
While working with the Daleks, we get a small scene with Evert and Stijntje, as they discuss just whats happened and loosing the Dokter. However, they are interrupted by a Dalek telling them to get back to work.
Meanwhile, a Dalek has a private discussion with Gordra, where he explains that in order for the experiment to work, all life in the system will be destroyed… Gordra isn’t happy about this, but comes to the decision that 7 billion lives can be sacrificed for the sake of the universe. However, he decides to keep it a secret from the others.
Finally, the experiment begins and everything seems to be going okay. Everyone plays their respective parts, and the sun begins to go supernova as expected. However, Stijntje monitors the readings and notices that catastrophic event that is about to happen. She confronts Gordra who tells her to be quiet. Stijntje tries to stop the experiment and shut it down, but before she can, a Dalek exterminates her. Evert and Berendjen then try and shut it down, realising that it’s going to wipe out Earth, and that the Daleks just killed Stijntje… but Gordra tries to talk them out of it, saying that it’s a small price to pay for the safety of the universe. Evert asks why they can’t evacuate all of humanity into the Matrix, like they did with the Gallifreyans… to which Gordra coldly says “and why would I want such lesser life forms in my matrix?”… Evert and Berendjen are horrified, but Gordra locks them in the airlock, and shoots them into the core of the sun. Eventually, he stabilising the new Eye of Harmony, restoring time… and killing every living thing in the Solar System. The Daleks then thank Gordra, before exterminating him.
The final scene sees the Daleks enter the Matrix on Gallifrey, as they begin to exterminate everyone, massacring every Gallifreyan… The show then ends with the Daleks chanting “The Daleks are the masters of the universe!”…
WIDWWA 