The Time Warrior Invasion of the Dinosaurs Death to the daleks The Monster of Peladon Planet of the Spiders

BBC Season Eleven

• Old and stale...? by Joe Ford
• A Review by James Neiro

Old and stale...? by Joe Ford 22/7/02

Jon Pertwee has been in the role for four years now. He has foiled more invasions on earth than I've had snogs. UNIT who were once great figure heads of army power now hang around with hippy haircuts having arguments about fungus (or roast beef whatever you call it!). Dizzy Jo Grant, the girl everyone loves left to be with her new sweetheart. Things were not looking promising for that crucial last year for the third Doctor, let's see how he got on...

The Time Warrior: Very, very funny! One of Robert Holmes' best scripts... the dialogue is just beautiful and the characterisation is perfect from our master craftsman. Elisabeth Sladen bolts onto the screen like a gale force wind... she's sexy, intelligent, bossy, arrogant, funny and resorceful. Sarah Jane has arrived and she wants to let EVERYONE know! The story itself is a highly enjoyable action tale with the honours going to Linx for most compelling character. It is another Holmes classic bad guy, he has worked a complex background for these monsters and his hard work pays off in spades. Kevin Lindsey gives a great performance. Irongron and Bloodaxe make an amusing duo (Especially when taking on Sarah!) but even small roles like Hal and Elenor are well played. Good fun and proof that the show could still surprise in the Pertwee years: 9/10
Top dialogue: "Why don't you take of that ridiculous gear and go home to your butchers shop!" You go girl!
Top moment: Linx vs The Doctor... a battle to the death, The Doctor fighting in the courtyard, the Doctor in the firing practise scene... Pertwee lives up to his action hero status with true style!

Invasion of the Dinosaurs: The biggest surprise of the year. The direction is flawless... and I mean FLAWLESS! Aside from the action shots (FX out of the director's hands!) every shot is perfect, from the moody and atmospheric opening episode to the exciting Doctor chase to the claustrophobic work in the 'spaceship'. The performances are great too and it's littered with wonderful character moments (Benton asking to be knocked out, Sarah 'going out to play', The Doc trying desperately to make his machine in peace!). All the stuff with Yates is good development and The Brig seems to have found his brain again (amazing!). The issues are relevant and interesting and considering it is six episodes long (and admittedly padded) it's surprising how it NEVER seems boring. I would mention the dinos but even they are more than acceptable in some shots... hell if you can't suspend your belief over some effects I dunno why your a fan in the first place: 9/10
Top dialogue: Pertwee's final speech with Sarah expressing the wonders of Florana.
Top moment: The whole first episode. Very exciting!

Death to the Daleks: Hmm I think I'm the only person who actually likes this. I admit it's not the most original script in the world (and coming from Terry Nation that's saying something!!!) and that Jill Tarrant IS the stupidest, buck toothed, up-chuckingly useless character the show ever vommited at an audience but then nobody's perfect. The first episode is a great scene setter with all the atmospheric shots on Exillon and the city just looks great (stop laughing it does!). The Pertwee/Sladen interaction continues to shine and their intimate moment before he steps into the city always makes my heart melt. The Daleks are at their devious best and I think bullets suit them (and completes the Nazi metaphor!). Admittedly the inside the city games drag on but mostly it's harmless action stuff played with enough conviction and a decent budget. Hell watch for the wonderful quarry fight with the Exillons alone: 8/10
Top dialogue: "I can sink anywhere!" and later "It's as if the TARDIS was dying."
Top moment: The first scene... man stumbles along smoky sand dune, gets hit by arrow, falls into water... very intruiging.

The Monster of Peladon: Hmm, how will he defend this one I hear you say. Nope, I can't. It's not bad per se, just dull. And it's padded out with horrible scenes of the beaver miners' boring revolt. It ain't a patch on the wonderful Curse of Peladon and even the arrival of The Ice Warriors isn't that great as they look pretty stupid this time round. Even the sets feel sparser than the earlier story and they were pretty empty in the first place. Only three things save it from the rubbish bin. The decent Ice Warrior score Mr Simpson gives them. Lis Sladen who sells her scenes for all their worth. And of course Mr Pertwee who is on form as ever. I've just finished Amorality Tale, a third Doctor/Sarah PDA and all throughout I kept thinking this should have been made instead of Monster of Peladon: 4/10

Top dialogue: Anything that isn't re-hashed from Curse... oh wait that's the whole script!
Top moment: Anything that isn't re-hashed from... you get the picture.

Planet of Spiders: You could split this story into three segments, earth (good), Metebelies Three (shockingly poor) and The Great One (excellent). It all starts well with Mike excellently brought back into action and Sarah given more good stuff to do but then we take a trip to the awful sets of Met 3 full of godawful actors (even that thing from The New Avengers!) and I start to nod off. There's a good chase along the way which is quite exhilerating until we start flying against an awful blue screen. The spiders are good, I love creepy monsters and like the maggots last year they are memorably scary. The final episode with The Doctor coming up against his greatest fear is not only a good exit for the third Doctor but gives Jon Pertwee and Lis Sladen a marvelloue opportunity to emote. It's a terrific end to an up and down story: 7/10

Top dialogue: Come on... sing it with me... "Um padme, padme, um... Um, padme, padme, um..." and Sarah's marvellous "I don't think I can take much more..."
Top moment: Definately the ending.

Well, maybe I surprise for some but I happen to enjoy this year a heck of a lot. It has quite a lot in it's favour... only two UNIT stories and one showing them at their very best for one. The outstanding Lis Sladen for another. Barry and Terrance may have been out of ideas (none of these stories is terrifically original) but they sure know how to spin a yarn and milk it for all the excitement and tension they can. Pertwee was on the ball until the very last story and his charged performances help elevate all of the stories here (he practically holds up Peladon with his bare hands!). An underrated jewel then and since I seem to be one of only a small number who like it I shall take a little extra pleasure in enjoying myself watching these stories.

A Review by James Neiro 11/8/10

Season 11 would be Jon Pertwee's final outing as the Doctor. Early in the season, Pertwee announced he would step down as the Doctor in order to resume his stage career also citing typecasting in the role as a reason for quitting. The season's premier, The Time Warrior, introduced us to another foe: the militaristic Sontarans. It would also be the debut episode of fan favorite companion journalist Sarah Jane Smith who would later be given her own series.

The following story, The Invasion of the Dinosaurs, was a popular adventure set in London under martial law and would see the appearance of the dinosaurs. It would also see the first plot-related major betrayal by a main cast member.

Death to the Daleks would come next showing the metallic enemies in a new light; a rather vulnerable one. Drained of power, the Daleks would remain defenceless and for the first time in the show's history join forces with the Doctor on a barren alien world.

The following story, The Monster of Peladon, saw the reunion of all major players from the previous story, its prequel The Curse of Peladon and was just as fun to watch as it's predecessor.

Jon Pertwee would leave the role in the season finale, The Planet of the Spiders where he would die from radiation poisoning from crystals within a spider's cave. It was a sad event as Jon had become so well known as the Doctor playing the part far longer than William and Patrick had. His regeneration, however, would have its benefits as fans were soon to experience...