T3T at the THT

Although the Tour occasionally lapses into omniscience with regard to all things Doctor Who, once in a great while gaps creep in.  For a gap year such as 2019 has been, diversions are quite welcome, and we confess to having not been aware of the ‘Games of Rasillon‘ section over at Gallifrey Base.

Over there they have a Top Three Tournament (T3T) which has been run annually since 2002!  As a site ‘devoted’ to Doctor Who History to have not been aware of a venerable 18-year tradition is slightly inexcusable.  The T3T seeks to have GB participants choose their favorite stories annually by having users select three stories out of group of six or seven and moving the ‘winners’ forward through multiple rounds until the finals culminating at the November 23rd Anniversary each year.  (Note: It’s a little more complicated than this as there are ‘Last Chance Saloons’ for stories to stay in the Tournament, but we digress.)

Tour Honchos had noodled over having our own single elimination Tournament to fill the 2019 vacuum but shied away after discovering the T3T, the spirit and supervision of which has been done which good cheer, had this locked down.

Although the Tour Honchos didn’t quite get in at the beginning of this years cycle, we’ll be back next year and hopefully long after that.  Just in case this is all news to you, here is the result of the 2019 T3T along with the winners history going back to the beginning in 2002.  You’ll notice some occasional recency bias at work, and there are inevitably a few winners which might allow for a furrowed brow in response, but overall the cream usually rises to the top, including 2019.  The Tour’s favorite story made it to the finals this year, but didn’t win.  That’s okay, it has won its fair share along the way.

Onto 2020.