Are you like Grimace from McDonalds or something?
The Doctor (Jon Pertwee) has been gravely wounded in his battle with the Master and near death. Transported by the TARDIS to a strange new planet called Spiridon, Jo Grant (Katy Manning) sets out to find help for the Doctor and encounters Thals who have come to the planet on the hunt for Daleks. Jo finds herself in danger as the Doctor works to recover, and the threat of Daleks is growing. Under the planet of Spiridon is a massive army of Daleks on the verge of waking up and the Doctor, Jo, the Thals, and the native Spiridons before the whole universe is threatened.
Doctor Who: Planet of the Daleks aired during the tenth season of Doctor Who. It was a six part serial that aired from April 7, 1973 to May 12, 1973. Following Doctor Who: Frontier in Space, the serial has been collected as part of The Jon Pertwee Years as Story #68.
The Dalek movie? I have no idea what you’re talking about…
Doctor Who: Planet of the Daleks starts with a rare cliffhanger. The final episode of the last serial had the Doctor near death and this serial picks up right after that. I actually like this format a bit better than the typical Doctor Who episode which just has a nice well-rounded ending with all the storylines wrapped up.
Dalek episodes also are always interesting. I like the Thals in some episodes, but I wish that the Thals story was a bit more reestablished here since they haven’t been seen since their first appearance in Doctor Who: The Daleks (Story #2). One fun story aspect is the appearance of the Dalek Supreme which actually is a reworked Dalek from the non-canon Daleks—Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. film.
Oh no! Tons of little model Daleks!
I have to say with this episode and the follow-up episode Doctor Who: The Green Death, Jo doesn’t come off too well. I like that she has a bit of a solo adventure on Spiridon, but her almost hook-up with one of the Thals really makes me question her leaving of the Doctor when she meets Professor Clifford Jones and abruptly marries him during the course of the next serial. Jo was always painted as a more impulsive companion, but it kind of belittles her to have her meet someone she falls for two episodes in a row.
Doctor Who: Planet of the Daleks is too long, but many Doctor Who serials are…especially the six episode ones. Once the serial really starts going near the end, it does turn quite fun. There are a bit too many elements in play (the poison and the invisible native Spiridons could have been dropped), but it is still a better than average Doctor Who outing. Doctor Who: Planet of the Daleks is followed by Doctor Who: The Green Death.
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Preceded By:
Doctor Who: Frontier in Space (Story #67)
Followed By:
