Doctor Who: The Curse of Peladon + The
Monster of Peladon (BBC DVDs)
Picture:
B- Sound: B- Extras: A+ Episodes: A+
John
Pertwee's run as the third Doctor included a lot of adventures where his
damaged TARDIS left him stranded on Earth. This period included some very
memorable stories, including an intense run-in with the reptilian Silurians,
but did put the show's writers in a bit of a bind after a while. After all, what is Doctor Who without the
ability to travel anywhere, and "anywhen", in time and space? Story No. 61, The Curse of Peladon, features the Doctor's triumphant return to
space as he and companion Jo Grant (Kathy Manning) arrive by chance on the
planet of Peladon, a backward world on the precipice of joining the Galactic
Federation.
Here
writer Brian Hayles borrows a bit from the political news of the day (1972),
channeling Britain's
collective fears and misgivings over joining the EU into Peladon's reluctance
to forego the old ways and embrace the future. Mistaken for the ambassadors from Earth, the
Doctor and Jo must navigate a complicated web of palace intrigue and alien
mistrust to get at the truth behind the Curse of Peladon. Pertwee remains a favorite of many Who fans
for his gallant, suave, and dynamic Doctor, and he does not disappoint in his
return to space! He uses a combination
of wits, charisma, and brawn to eventually win the day. This story benefits tremendously from fine
performances by Kathy Manning and David Troughton (son of second Doctor Patrick
Troughton), whose characters enjoy a bit of a star-crossed romance. A cast of sinister (the Ice Warriors) and zany
(Alpha Centauri) aliens also make for a rich and entertaining setting.
The Monster of Peladon (story No. 73) features the
Doctor's return visit to the planet Peladon, this time accompanied by companion
Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen). Missing his mark by more than fifty years in
the future, the Doctor once again finds himself embroiled in political
intrigue, and this time, all-out rebellion.
Writer Hayles again seeks his inspiration in the political news of the
time (1974), and a British miners' strike that paralyzed the country. On Peladon, the lower-caste miners are driven
to extract valuable trisilicate, a mineral critical to the Galactic Federation's
war effort. A powerful, seemingly
supernatural manifestation of the ancient monster of Peladon sends the
desperate miners into revolt, and the Doctor must sort out the sinister puppet
masters behind it all. Ysanne Churchman
returns as the voice of Alpha Centauri, perhaps one of the most memorable alien
allies in the show's entire, decades-long run.
The
extras on these discs will not disappoint hardcore fans, and will serve to
educate new ones on this period in the show's long history. "The
Peladon Saga" (Parts 1 and 2) runs across both discs and tells the
tale of the two stories, how they were made, and what inspired them. Numerous other commentaries and features
provide a host of extra viewing material that will carry long after the last
episode has been viewed. Most notable in
the interviews is the love and admiration expressed by cast and crew members
for the now deceased Pertwee, who by all accounts shared many of the best
qualities of the character he so richly portrayed.
Both of
these stories exemplify Pertwee's excellent run on the show. His Doctor's traits of heroism, selflessness,
dynamism, and hope marked his long tenure as one of the strongest periods in
the show's history. Both of these discs
rate as essential viewing for all but the most casual Doctor Who fans.
- Scott Pyle
