Oh no! That mind is completely evil!
The Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and his companion Jo Grant (Katy Manning) are investigating a new technique in which “evil” is sapped from the minds of criminals convicted to die. When the Keller Machine begins to cause people to suffer death due to phobias, the Doctor and Jo learn that the Doctor’s old enemy the Master (Roger Delgado) is behind it. As the Doctor tries to shut down the Keller Machine before it gets too strong, the Master’s ultimate plan is revealed.
Doctor Who: The Mind of Evil aired during the eighth season of the long running BBC serial. Following Doctor Who: Terror of the Autons, the story aired in six parts from January 30, 1971 to March 6, 1971. Many of the original color versions of the episodes were lost forcing the episode to be recolored for release as part of The Jon Pertwee Years as Story #56.
They’re all going to laugh at you Master!
I really like Jon Pertwee as the Doctor and this is vintage Doctor Who. The previous story introduced the Doctor’s new characters (Jo, the Master, and Yates) and this episode goes a long way to cement them as part of the universe by involving them for two episodes in a row. I do not love the subject of this episode, but it at least is loaded with classic characters.
I love Master episodes and Delgado was the best Master. I just join Delgado to Jo as well when I see him. Despite the Master being Pertwee’s enemy, I think it feels like he always spent more time with Jo…creating a bizarre relationship. This one isn’t heavy Master/Jo but they did play well together.
I’m starting to look like Maude!
I don’t like evil machine episodes of the Doctor. I find them the least compelling type of sci-fi story in general so I can’t say I like this one in that aspect. It just isn’t that intimidating to see the Doctor and Joe looking at a rather harmless machine and being terrified. Give me a Cyberman or a Dalek…they are machines but they at least move around.
Doctor Who: The Mind of Evil isn’t my favorite Jon Pertwee episode, and I’m not a big fan of the longer episodes. The story does keep moving (for a six episode serial), but I wish it had a stronger “big” enemy other than the Keller Machine…which meets its “death”. Doctor Who: The Mind of Evil was followed by Doctor Who: The Claws of Axos.
Preceded By:
Doctor Who: Terror of the Autons (Story #55)
Followed By:
