Planet of Fire
Story 134, Episodes 615-618, Season 21 Episodes 13-16
Doctor: The Fifth Doctor
Companions: Vislor Turlough, Kamelion, Peri Brown
The penultimate Fifth Doctor story ushers in a regime change while having another face-off with the Master.
The Review
After the dreadfulness of the previous story, this story is a welcome to return to form. It starts with some gorgeous on location filming in Spain, and continues to the planet Sarn which is…still gorgeously filmed in Spain. It’s always a treat to see the classic series expand its boundaries. We meet Peri Brown early on, an American college student visiting her stepfather’s archeological dig who wants to travel in Morocco for a few months. She acts a bit too much like a child, but I like her energy (telling the Master she can yell just as loud as he can ruled). Certainly she’s completely different than Tegan, and the difference is immediate. We also see Kamelion again, and he is quickly taken over by the Master to force all of them to the planet Sarn which has a connection to Turlough. The Master doesn’t join the main cast in summer wear, which looks good on everyone but Turlough’s short shorts. I particularly like the Doctor’s question mark suspenders.
Sarn is supposedly the home of the fire spirit Logar, and a lot of the conflict is between Timanov, a zealot, and other ‘heretics’. Anthony Ainley is in excellent form as the Master, even making his miniaturized self seem threatening. The climax sees Turlough finally risk returning to his home world of Trion by calling them in to save those on Sarn, and learning he is welcome back now. The Doctor has to make some tough calls yet again, Kamelion begs for death after being controlled by the Master and the Doctor grimly obliges. The Doctor then simply watches as the Master seemingly burns to death in the flames of the planet. For the Fifth Doctor starting off so cheery, it’s been a depressing last season for him. He agrees to have Peri travel with him, but with no connections to Tegan, I think he just doesn’t feel himself.
Turlough gets to leave on a high note ‘as a hero’, we are introduced to a spunky new companion, and the Doctor feels sad at the end. Thanks to the unique setting and location filming, plus some great music, the story gets elevated.
8.6/10 Extra points for Davison’s look after seeing the Master burn
Reviewing Doctor Who from Start to Finish 