The Gunfighters is the eighth serial of the third season in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 30 April to 21 May 1966.

He and his companions Steven and Dodo, dressed as cowboys, encounter local marshal Wyatt Earp, who offers them his protection and warns them to keep his counsel.

Seth Harper is sent to the dentist's surgery and invites the Doctor, tooth removed, to the hotel in five minutes to meet his friends.

Holliday is initially happy to let him be shot in his place, allowing the real Doc to disappear, but Kate intervenes to ensure the Doctor survives.

Soon afterward Wyatt Earp and Sheriff Bat Masterson arrive and break up the fracas, taking the Doctor into custody for his own protection.

Earp and Masterson defuse the situation and take Phin Clanton into custody to ensure the co-operation of his brothers.

Lynda Baron would later appear in the serial Enlightenment (1983), in the role of Captain Wrack, and as Val in the 2011 episode "Closing Time".

[8] This story is notable for being the first Doctor Who episode to contain musical narration, in the form of the "Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon".

The Gunfighters represented a significant decrease over the previous serial, The Celestial Toymaker, which had ranged from 7.8 to 9.4 million viewers.

While he praised the set design, he criticised "The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon", Steven's and Dodo's costumes, and the "American" accents.

[3] DVD Talk's John Sinnott gave the serial two-and-a-half out of five stars, describing it as "decent" with "a lot going for it" but marred by Purves's overacting, the accents, and especially "The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon".

[12] More positively, IGN reviewer Arnold T Blumburg rated the serial 7 out of 10, praising Hartnell and the production values, as well as the high energy and enthusiasm.

[13] Neela Debnath of The Independent stated that younger viewers would enjoy it as an adventure, while older audiences would appreciate the satire.

[14] Paul Cornell, Martin Day and Keith Topping described the serial as "a comic masterpiece, winning one over with its sheer charm".

It is narrated in the first person by Doc Holliday (a framing scene introduces him on his deathbed) and makes a major change in the character of Johnny Ringo by depicting him as a student of the classics.

The serial was released on CD in 2007, including linking narration, the entire "Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon", and a bonus interview with Peter Purves.