"Doctor Who" Planet of Evil: Part 2 (1975)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

David Maloney

Writer:

Louis Marks (written by)

TV Series:

"Doctor Who" (1963)

Original Air Date:

4 October 1975 (Season 13, Episode 6)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Color | Ray Gun | Denied To Speak | Reference To Shakespeare | Ladder

Cast

Tom Baker	...	Doctor Who
Elisabeth Sladen	...	Sarah Jane Smith
Frederick Jaeger	...	Sorenson
Ewen Solon	...	Vishinsky
Prentis Hancock	...	Salamar
Louis Mahoney	...	Ponti
Graham Weston	...	De Haan
Michael Wisher	...	Morelli
Haydn Wood	...	O'Hara

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

BBC Television Centre, Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Trivia:

This episode was watched by 9.9 million viewers on its original transmission.

"I'm not sure yet but I have an unpleasant theory." Classic Doctor Who.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Doctor Who: Planet of Evil: Part 2 starts as the Doctor (Tom Bkaer) & Sarah Jane (Elisabeth Sladen) are about to be killed by the alien energy creature when O'Hara (Haydn Wood) a Morestran guard fires at it, the energy creature turns it's murderous attention to him while the Doctor & Sarah Jane escape. O'Hara's body is quickly discovered & again the Doctor & Sarah Jane are blamed for the death, a probe is sent out to locate them which it does & they are recaptured. As the Morestran spacecraft is about to take off with samples & minerals from Zeta Minor's surface the energy creature reappears determined not to let them leave...

Episode 6 from season 13 this Doctor Who adventure was originally broadcast here in the UK during October 1975, directed by David Maloney this story is coming along nicely. The darker than usual script by Louis Marks isn't the quickest story ever & the notions of alternate universes & energy creatures made from forces from those alternate universes might leave some behind a bit, to be honest while it's interesting enough it's not explained that well & so far has only been mentioned in passing. I'm liking Planet of Evil so far but it would be nice if it had been a bit more focused & easy to understand, it hasn't really moved on a great deal since Part 1 either. The Forbidden Planet (1956) references & influence is beginning to show here & the energy creature feels very similar.

I mentioned how good the Zeta Minor jungle looked in my comment for Part 1, by complete contrast here I have to mention how dull the basic & cheap looking Morestran spacecraft looks. What about those outfits they wear with low cut necks so you can see most of their chest, I hope they don't plan on going anywhere cold in them! Still, you can't have everything I suppose. Strangely Planet of Evil seems to have been shot partly on film & partly on videotape, the film inserts obviously look much better than the cheap videotape footage although I really have no idea why it alternates between the two formats & can't think of one good reason why it should.

Planet of Evil: Part 2 is another creepy little episode saved by a good monster & a wonderful alien set, the actual story isn't the best or most exciting so far but there's still time for it to improve over the next two episodes which I'm hopeful it will although that's not to say it hasn't been that good so far because it has & I've still enjoyed it.