6.0
The Doctor and Romana follow a distress signal which leads to the jungle planet Chloris, whose ruthless ruler Lady Adrasta harbors a deadly creature in a pit.
Tom Baker
The Doctor
Lalla Ward
Romana
Eileen Way
Karela
Myra Frances
Lady Adrasta
Geoffrey Bayldon
Organon
David Brierly
K-9 (voice)
David Telfer
Huntsman
Morris Barry
Tollund
John Bryans
Torvin
Edward Kelsey
Edu
Tim Munro
Ainu
Philip Denyer
Guard
Terry Walsh
Doran / Mensch
Tommy Wright
Guardsmaster
David Redgrave
Guard
Director
Christopher Barry
Script Editor
Douglas Adams
Writer
David Fisher
July 2, 2024
7
This was always one of my favourite "Dr. Who" stories. The TARDIS arrives on the jungle planet of "Chloris" only for the travellers to find themselves apprehended by "Karela" (Eileen Way) who is the chief enforcer of the "Lady Adrasta" (an enjoyably hammy Myra Frances). What nobody quite understands is why there are the remains of what appears to be an huge egg on the surface, and one that the "Doctor" (Tom Baker) thinks might be alive. Luckily, "Romana" (Lalla Ward) manages to escape in the confusion and she soon encounters a tribe of warriors bent on the collection of the planet's rarest commodity. Metal! Needless to say, this puts quite a price on the head of "K9" too - laser gun, or not. As the story develops we learn a little more of the maniacal tendencies of "Adrasta" and of the occupant of a deep pit, and network of tunnels, into which she ceremoniously turfs her enemies - never to be seen again! It's all stage bound so the settings don't impress much, but I just found this to have a more characterful story with loads going on, plenty of opportunity for Baker to keep his tongue in his cheek and for "K9" to get in and out mothballs. There's a lather-clad bloke with a whip, some all-conquering tumbleweed and a monster that I can only imagine must have induced conniptions for self appointed British good taste guru Mary Whitehouse at the time. I enjoyed this.
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00