Story: Planet of the Spiders
Written By: Robert Sloman
Length: 6 Episodes
Year: 1974
Jon Pertwee's final story was initially meant to be "The Final Game", a final showdown between the Doctor and the Master, which would ultimately end with the Master's death, with some ambiguity as to whether or not the Master died to save the Doctor's life...and the Doctor would regenerate in there some how. But Roger Delgado sadly passed away. A new finale was written, and "Planet of the Spiders" is as good as Pertwee can go out sans The Master.
The Doctor's final scene is rather sad. At least this time The Brigadier gets to witness the change...he is finally in on it. I think it would have been a poor choice to do otherwise, as the Brig is the most prominent character in the Pertwee stories next to the Doctor himself.
The Doctor gets radiation poisoning, but where there's life...
NEXT TIME: Season 11 Recap
Written By: Robert Sloman
Length: 6 Episodes
Year: 1974
Jon Pertwee's final story was initially meant to be "The Final Game", a final showdown between the Doctor and the Master, which would ultimately end with the Master's death, with some ambiguity as to whether or not the Master died to save the Doctor's life...and the Doctor would regenerate in there some how. But Roger Delgado sadly passed away. A new finale was written, and "Planet of the Spiders" is as good as Pertwee can go out sans The Master.
I have a feeling that "The Final Game" would have been a far better finale to the Pertwee Years...but who really knows? This has as many callbacks and tropes of the Pertwee era as they can really get in. Jo Grant sends the Doctor the crystal from Metabilis III (Jo definitely needed as mention). We get to see a chase scene not only between Bessie and the Whomobile, but with the Doctor in a mini-helicopter as well. Then we get to see the Whomobile fly! And the Doctor gets a hovercraft chase on the water! Mike Yates returns and there is Venusian Akido one last time. It's the real last hurrah for the Bond-ish Third Doctor.
The plot revolves around a small order of Monks and some evil spiders from space on Metabilis III who plan to take over the universe, and the Doctor must stop them, even at the cost of his own life. It's classic Pertwee, and he get's some good moments to end his tenure on. Sure people can claim this is padded, but I tend to look at it as taking it's time before the 5-year run of Jon Pertwee, UNIT, and the Third Doctor can come to it's final end.
The Doctor's final scene is rather sad. At least this time The Brigadier gets to witness the change...he is finally in on it. I think it would have been a poor choice to do otherwise, as the Brig is the most prominent character in the Pertwee stories next to the Doctor himself.
The Doctor gets radiation poisoning, but where there's life...
NEXT TIME: Season 11 Recap
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