Doctor Who: The Monster of Peladon

Part One

“I don’t want to leave Peladon without having a word with my good friend the king…”

“Namedropper!”

The first shot instantly tells us we’re on Peladon again, although this time it’s far more obvious that the citadel is just a matte painting. We get miners, bizarre hairstyles, and this rather cool looking alien from Vega who quickly gets killed. We also get Alpha Centauri, now far more annoying, and a very fit looking queen. Oh, and the Doctor’s hair has never been bigger.

This is a story made about miners in 1974, so it’s clear there must be a subtext about Edward Heath and the miners’ strikes of the time, but sadly I’m not so read up on this to be able to spot any parallels. This seems to be a very left-wing script though, especially from a post-Thatcher perspective. The Doctor even states at one point “When miners have to take up arms to protect their rights, they probably have reasons.”

Part Two

“How unfortunate! What a catastrophe! Has she been harmed?”

The Doctor rather stupidly lets the miners know how to open the armoury door, in an alarmingly lazy bit of plotting which hints to us that this may not turn out to be any good. There’s also a lot of tiresome mistrust of the Doctor by Ortron to fill up time- I hate this kind of thing; only Malcolm Hulke is really able to pull it off. And Alpha Centauri is getting really annoying.

It’s interesting to compare what this story is saying about the Federation to what we heard in The Curse of Peladon- if the European Union metaphor is still in operation then this story seems much more Eurosceptic, implying that membership has benefited the Peladonian aristocracy but not its people. I’m not sure how much relevance that has to 70s Britain, mind.

Part Three

“Since she is only a female her activities are of little importance.”

I think this is the point that it becomes obvious that the queen is so irredeemably wet that it’s completely implausible that she’s retained her position, especially in such a patriarchal (and don’t we know it) society as this one. Sarah’s “advice” to the queen on, ahem, “Women’s Lib” of course treats the subject with all the seriousness and gravitas that it requires. “It isn’t like that on Peladon”, indeed.

Meanwhile, Alpha Centauri continues to greatly annoy. Without Izlyr around to make snarky comments about him, you just want him to get off the screen. And why does he accept the Doctor so readily, especially after the ending to The Curse of Peladon?

We end with two momentous events- the sonic screwdriver being actually used as a screwdriver (shock, horror) and the appearance of some Ice Warriors. The very last thing we were all expecting, I’m sure.

Part Four

“I am the law!”

Suddenly, without warning, from coasting along on the trajectory to a 1/5 for three episodes, the story perks up a bit with the arrival of Judge Dredd- er, Azaxyr. His summing up of the situation is great, with Alan Bennion acting everybody else off the screen even with a bucket on his head.

And then we get an entertaining speech with a double meaning from Gebek, and a rather fun swordfight from the Doctor. Things still haven’t improved to the point of actually being any good, but a 2/5 is now looking possible if the standard can be kept up.

Part Five

“He was the most alive person I’ve ever met.”

Sarah believes the Doctor is dead, but it’s obvious from the shot of the explosion that the Doctor wasn’t anywhere near caught up in it.

It’s a genuine sock that Azaxyr, and especially Eckersley, are traitors working for Galaxy Five. For some reason I find it hilarious to hear Alpha Centauri say “Thank you, Eckersley, but you are still a traitor.”

Part Six

“You sure you don’t want to take the job, Doctor? Civil Service post, with a pension…?”

This episode spend most of its time just plodding on, waiting to end. The Doctor’s apparently dead again but we don’t care because the story cried wolf in this way only an episode ago. It’s hardly a surprise to hear he’s just put himself in a trance.

The story seems to have finished with Azaxyr dead, but oh no- Eckersley has to go and kidnap the queen, just to pad things out for a few more minutes. Still, he gets a nice ending- Death by Aggedor.

That was awful. I’d probably have to go all the way back to The Underwater Menace to find a story I disliked so much. A half-hearted rehash of Curse of Peladon but without any of the charm or characterisation, and with six episodes to fill and a plot which is really quite thin, most of the story is just padding. Dull and boring, with even the coolness of Azaxyr not raising it from a 1/5.

Doctor Who: Curse of Peladon

Part One

“It was not I who chose to quarrel!”

Without warning we’re thrust straight into scenes on an alien planet, a particularly disorientating experience at this point in the show. The scene works well both as exposition and as introduction to themes and the Peladonian characters. David Troughton looks very like his dad, particularly so at this very first appearance. He’s playing a king struggling to match his father’s achievements. There’s so much I could say about that!

Without any explanation beyond a brief allusion from Jo about how the Doctor’s got the TARDIS working again, the Doctor and Jo arrive on Peladon. The scene with Jo exiting the TARDIS at the last moment before it plummets to the ground is extremely well done. Still, for the purposes of her soon-to-be assumed princess persona it’s rather convenient that Jo’s “all dolled out for a night on the town with Mike Yates”.

The delegates are an odd bunch. There’s Alpha Centauri, with its slightly rude shape and funny voice, the sinister Arcturus, who blasts what is no doubt a priceless antique as a social nicety, and some Ice Warriors! In colour! With Alan Bennion back as an Ice Lord! More references to the past for the second story in a row. Two seasons of what felt like an almost completely new programme and now this- it’s great, but somehow also it feels like a bit too much a bit too soon.

The Ice Warriors advance on the Doctor- and welcome him to the delegation. A nice subversion of our expectations. A good episode, marred only by a cliffhanger not exactly exuding danger.

Part Two

“There is no plot!”

Jo’s a bit harsh to shout at the king like that! He seems a nice chap, even to a semi-republican like me. The Doctor also seems to be a bit unfair on the Ice Warriors, calling them “a savage and warlike race”- but saying that may not quite be in the spirit of the marathon. It would probably help if I’d not seen this story before- clearly and understandably we’re supposed to suspect the Ice Warriors. But Jo is right about accusing the Doctor of jumping to conclusions.

Generally, though, this story continues this season’s mellowing of the Doctor, and again he’s likeable here. He’s even good-humoured in the face of Jo’s spot-on accurate mockery: “Oh, come on! You love all that Chairman Delegate stuff!” Jo also gets to show her resourceful, escapologist side by escaping from the Ice Warriors’ room via a dangerous looking ledge. In high heels! She may be a bit dippy sometimes but there’s a bit of the Emma Peel about Jo.

The Doctor and Jo suspect the Ice Warriors of trying to murder Arcturus and the Ice warriors, not irrationally, suspect the Doctor. But Izlyr’s not being irrational, and you can certainly see his point of view.

Part Three

“Yes, you’re a wily old bird, aren’t you, Hepesh?”

The Doctor has been sentenced to death, seemingly just to provide a cliffhanger, but this turns out in fact to be a decent pretext for some interesting development of the delegates. It’s notable that Izlyr sticks up strongly for the Doctor. Meanwhile, the relationship between Jo and His Nibs seems to be developing a bit fast- do they really know each other well enough for all these strong feelings to have sprung up? I suppose that’s the problem of having a romantic subplot in a four part episodic action drama- by definition there can’t be enough time to develop things properly.

I really like the development of Izlyr here- not only is he honourable, saving the Doctor in return for having his own life saved from that oh-so-deadly falling statue, he’s also very sharp, picking up on what’s going on as quickly as the Doctor is.

The Doctor shouts at Jo for having the temerity to interrupt his chanting a Venusian lullaby at Aggedor (!) but this time Jo challenges him right back and he gives ground. Is this a bit of character development I see before me? Is this going to be sustained, with Jo becoming more assertive? We’ll see.

Part Four

“It’s not easy to be a king.”

It turns out Izlyr really is smart- after the Doctor does his Hercule Poirot speech, our Ice Lord gets to say “That is as I suspected”, and he’s earned it. There’s more good character stuff in this episode, although the story is pretty much over five minutes in and Hepesh’s attempted coup feels like a bit of an epilogue. A pity- after three episodes this was on course for a 5/5.

Another nice moment for Jo as the Doctor asks her to “take charge of the conference” while he faffs about in the caves. And a very good job she does, earning Izly’r’s respect and confidence- I love his aside to Jo about preferring Arcturus’ treachery and cold logic to Alpha Centauri’s hysteria!

There’s a nice ending, with the Doctor confessing to Jo that the Time Lords must be behind the trip and Jo finally dumping Peladon’s rather wet monarch. And the final scene, with the real Earth delegate arriving, is perfect.

Almost a 5/5 overall, but I had to dock it a point for having the story end at the start of part four. The remaining plot never felt like more than running on the spot, although the characterisation remained good.

Oh, and this is the first story since The War Games not to feature the Brig!

Doctor Who: The Seeds of Death

Part One


"Look at the size of this one, Doc!"


The last Troughton story on DVD. Blimey- we're getting very near the end. We start with one of those funky sequences based around the title that this era has been doing so well, and then we get eight full minutes (I checked) before the TARDISeers turn up- surely a record. Still, the characters are engaging, from the cold, efficient,, yet sexy and charismatic Miss Kelly to the sympathetic coward Fewsham. For the first time in a while all the guest characters are at least memorable, and there are some nice touches- I love the briefcase!

The way the identity of this story's returning foe is hidden from us is rather clever in terms of concept and its execution by Michael Briant. As usual in these circumstances it's suspense, not surprise, that's the real point, but it leads to an effective cliffhanger. These Ice Warriors are immediately sleeker (well, relatively!) and more deadly than they were before.

The scenes with Eldred are mainly plot filler, of course, but the world's backstory is being sketched out for us, and we get some interesting stuff- notably that mankind hasn't yet gone beyond the Moon, and it's arguably implied that this is after Zoe's time. There's a definite character to the futures of this era, from artificial food (here we get a "synthetic carbohydrates factory") to moonbases to rockets to an uber-planned utopian society which is vulnerable to elements from outside the plan. And here' of course, the Doctor's dislike of computers (big, centralised society-directing things) and championing of individualism comes forth. It's a fascinatingly dated idea of the future.



Part Two


"She's after your job, Julian!"



Eldred's refusal to allow his rocket to be used is pure padding ("It's nowhere near ready, woman!"), but it's quite an effective way of fleshing out some of the major characters so it gets away with it. There's a parallel with The Wheel in Space here in that the main plot won't really get started until next episode, but unlike in that story things may be slow but there's excitement and tension, and we're actually getting to know these people and their world.

Interesting admission from the Doctor: "I'm afraid the TARDIS is not suited to short range travel." We also get a very silly line from Eldred about how there's "only enough food and water for three days". Er, oxygen, anyone?



Part Three



"We've been invaded. Aliens have taken over!"



A rocket landing on the moon- how very 1969! And the cliffhanger ending to part three signifies the actual beginning of the plot- how very this era! but it's still chugging along nicely in spite of that. Mind you, isn't it convenient that the seed should be transported to, of all cities, London.

Otherwise it's more of the same: Miss Kelly is still efficient, kick-ass and oddly sexy, the Ice Warriors are still more of a threat than in their previous story, and the direction is still good. We get an interesting line from the computer about "primitive areas". It's political correctness gone mad...

Oh, and finally the Doctor gets to confront the baddies, after a rather fun chase scene and the rather magnificent "I'm a genius". And then gets knocked unconscious, no doubt for the whole of the coming episode. ho hum.

Part Four



"All these tunnels look the same!"


Foam? In a Patrick Troughton story? Well I never...!

Terry Scully continues to be excellent as ashamed coward Fewsham- his reaction when Slaar gloats he's just destroyed his own species is superbly done. Other great things are the Ice warrior wandering around London, seemingly impervious to all harm- these monsters really present a physical threat, something often forgotten.

We get a great cliffhanger, also a great Zoe moment...




Part Five


"You know, I find T-Mat travel rather disappointing."



Fewsham's arc can't help but be believable and genuinely affecting, no matter how entirely predictable it may be. He turns a corner when he saves Zoe, and we instantly knows he's going to a) redeem himself and b) die. Cos this is Doctor Who and them's the rules. But the moment, when it comes, with Fewsham being shot by Slaar after revealing vital information that will genuinely save the world, is suitably heroic.

40°? That's a bit warm, innit?

So, foam, a moonbase, weather control- this is Patrick Troughton's greatest hits! There's even a bit of traditional bad science as the Ice Warriors' Grand Marshal says that "If we overshoot the Moon, nothing will stop them going straight into an orbit around the Sun". Yeeees...



Part Six


"Oh, there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip."



The story ends satisfactorily with the Doctor getting a confrontation scene with Slaar and everything being nicely tied up. I can almost forgive the blatant re-editing of the cliffhanger. As is by now traditional our heroes slip off at the end as soon as the camera's off them. Interesting that there's still a Security Council of a United Nations at this point in the future, incidentally.




That was good fun overall, competently done if rather par for the course- 3/5. This is undoubtedly the story I'd pick as the most representative of the era to this point.


Incidentally, for the first time in the Marathon I've had to tamper with my pre-existing rankings by demoting The Dominators from 3/5 to 2/5- it was just too poor for the company it was keeping!