WATCH ALONG | CLASSIC DOCTOR WHO | 13x8 | Planet of Evil: Part 4

Planet of Evil is a story that understandably gets overlooked because it's in a season full of excellent stories, but that's doing it a disservice because this story is very good in its own right and puts Hinchcliffe and Holmes' push towards darker, more cerebral material and taking inspiration from classic horror films/literature (Forbidden Planet and the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in this case) and putting a Doctor Who spin on them into overdrive. Humans going to a planet uninvited and plundering it of its resources is an effective commentary on the exploitation of less developed countries by, shall we say, imperialist powers. The great thing about Doctor Who is that it can put a twist on that idea and the concept of a sentient planet that can defend itself from intruders is ingenious. It ties into the Doctor's comment that as scientists "we buy our privilege to experiment at the cost of total responsibility". Sorenson was so ecstatic at finding a new energy source and what he thought was the solution to his civilisation's problems, that he didn't bother to do his due diligence and think through the consequences of his actions. It reveals humanities greed for power and glory (Sorenson's specifically) and also how desperate we can become to save our skins. This story is dripping with atmosphere, which is becoming one of this era's biggest strengths. The jungle set looks extraordinary, so much so that the BBC educational service extensively photographed it to show it to future set designers for years to come as an example of how it's done. That's perhaps this story's biggest strength, along with its dark, foreboding tone. All the actors really help to sell the gravity of the situation, particularly Tom Baker who is excellent. He gives such a serious, committed performance. It's as if the Doctor is really starting to feel the weight of the universe on his shoulders and is getting more and more frustrated with the interfering fools he encounters wherever he goes. This is balanced by his dynamic with Sarah, which is really fun with a lot of witty one liners exchanged back and forth. This is Tom and Liz's first story together on their own and, predictably, they're superb together. They just feel like a natural fit. All in all, this is a good and well executed story. It doesn't get the attention it deserves though because it's surrounded by all time classics and that's a shame.

Azmat Mahmood