Rate and Discuss: Planet of the Spiders

Not all spiders sit on the back... but this one does...

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jpj4zryfPL...en_spiders.jpg

So, we reach the end of the season and the end of an era too as Jon Pertwee leaves the show.

What are your thoughts on his final story?

again like many stories in the Pertwee, era it suffers from being a 6 parter and TBH, take out the regeneration and it's pretty much just an average story. The chase between the Doctor and Lupton, all seems rather pointless when you think the spider could of made Lupton, dissapear before it even started and scenes on Metabiles really were excess padding. the regeneration it's self is probably the worst we've seen no special effects just a simple morthing of Jon into Tom, makes it all seem rather underwhelming compared to the way both Tennent and Matt Smith, exploded onto our screens.

There's also that rather stange editing at the start of episode 6 (or is it the end of episode 5)?:rolleyes

Actually, I don't mind this one. It's pretty odd but it some interesting ideas.
I'm find the voices used for the spiders to be rather annoying after a while, but that's a minor complaint.

I like the setting in the house/monastery or whatever it is - nice and dark!
I think Lupton and Tommy are interesting characters.

I absolutely adore Planet of The Spiders.

I may have said that about some of the earlier stories this season too, but Spiders is a real winner in my book. More on this later!

I voted 10... and I'll be back in a minute with ten whole reasons why!

After a great start to the season, we give three average/weak stories in the middle but this puts things back on form and is a great end to the season as well as the Pertwee era.

Towards the end of the story, it is quite sad as you know the Doctor will die when returning the blue crystal back to the Great One of Metebelis III.

The story also features a lot of guest actors from previous Pertwee adventures. I actually prefer this serial to Logopolis and The Caves of Androzani, both of which I find overrated.

10/10

It's flawed in lots of ways, but even though I wasn't even 'there' in 1974 I still come away from this one feeling it's something a little bit special. There's dodgy CSO, there's dodgy acting, and some padding, yes, but there's also a slightly unusual story, which turns out to be as interested in the Doctor himself as in the spiders.

At the time, I'm sure the end of part 5 was a real "no, don't stop now!" moment, as we've just had the meeting between the Doctor and the Abbot, who mysteriously seems to know him... It's not some kind of 5 year plan, of course, it was done on the fly - and yet there's still something entirely right and appropriate about the Doctor's old mentor finally putting in an appearance in such an important story.

The regeneration itself IS incredibly simple, as an effect, stripped back totally - and yet it works (for me anyway) precisely because of that. To put some flashy, psychedelic (and possibly not very convincing - this was 1974 remember!!) effects over it would have detracted from the emotion. And there is such emotion in it - when the Doctor emerges from the police box, looking so ill, and says "The TARDIS brought me home" it's so moving I always feel it.

(I feel obliged to add, it's not as good as Logopolis though!!!)

1. It's The Final Pertwee Appearance For Over 7 Years!!!


His final bow until The Five Doctors. And he couldn't go out on a better tale.


2. "Too Realistic For Comfort!"


A spider (Boris) was made but not used as Barry Letts thought it too close for comfort!
Professional to the end, Barry never used the chance to have a final scare for the audience so the next producer would get into trouble for being too frightening...


3. How Many Patrons Thought They Were A Flamboyant Couple Out For The Night Of Their Lives?

The Doctor and the Brigadier go out for the night without their wives. You couldn't have done that in Spearhead From Space or any season seven stories. The trust the Doctor has isn't there during The Three Doctors, Claws Of Axos and dealing with the Master. You cannot tell me that even though it wouldn't have been televised in that time slot and day, but you have to admit one of the other patrons is fantasizing about Pertwee.


4. "Eww! That Would Be Like Kissing My Grandad Or Something!!!!"


Sarah Jane hasn't got the bond with the Doctor as much as when she was still working as a journalist on familiar planet Earth. This story explains how over the next two series, going into space constantly changed Sarah Jane to a level you wouldn't think of by this story.


5. Barry Letts Pre-Empted "BBC Left Wing Bias"!!!


The episodes are set in a monastery and it just so happens Barry Letts is a BUDDIST! The Daily Mail missed this bit then. Although it shows how ahead of his time he was as a producer.


6. Fantastic Mr Letts! I'll Take A Dozen Episodes Like That!

The chase scene in episode two. Even if Lupton could have been transported back with the help of a spider, the chase isn't as bad as some people seem to saying (Not on this site...yet)


7. Joanna Monro!


I fell in love with her as a child as "The cute one" from the CBBC series "Fast Forward".
I can even remember the theme tune slightly... "Fast forward the video... er.." no, I can't think of any more of the song. But here she is younger... and apparently under medication with the rest of Metebelis Three?...


8. Pertwee's Greatest Acting Moment.


His terror at being made to stomp around around and around. It's the rage in his voice that makes it. And when he escapes the Queen, he decides against returning with a rolled up newspaper.


9. The Whomobile's Design Fault!

It looks impressive scooting about on location but looks rubbish when CSO'd into the air. Really no idea what happened to the paint job. But luckily Pertwee and Sladen carry the scene off.

10. How Did The Male Spider Threaten Another Spider Over A Female Spider?

"Get out of it! I spider first!"
Yeah, I've hit the wall with this one....

should not forget that Planet of the Spiders, was truely the end of an era - it pretty much saw the end of UNIT family , and the earth bound stories plus the production team.

I find this an enjoyable story but quite simply it has too much padding. It's another of those which would have worked better as a four-parter. However, I've always had a soft spot for it as it was my first experience of a regeneration, it was actually a pretty sad occasion as it meant that I'd never see my Doctor again (well, so I thought at the time)

It gets 7/10 from me.

Quite right - this is the one where the lights come up on the great five-year-long Jon Pertwee party. Some of the party-goers have left already; Jo Grant left with a man she met, clearing the way for latecomer Sarah-Jane Smith - and poor old Roger Delgado. Still, the main party crowd have battled through to the end and despite a couple of dull moments in the final stretch, there's room for one last knees-up, a few drinks before everyone gets chucked out, blinking in the sunlight. Because a new day is dawning.

Also, I adore the chase sequence in Episode 2. It probably doesn't make any sense, but it's wonderful. This kind of stuff accounts for at least 70% of each James Bond film!

POTS is a memorable story for so many reasons.

It’s a swansong not only for Pertwee but also for Barry Letts in that he co-wrote and directed the story, as well as being his penultimate story as producer. It’s also a vehicle for exploring Letts’ Buddhist beliefs, and the end for Mike Yates as a regular character.

It’s not a classic story, nor is it even the best of the Pertwee era, but there’s still much to enjoy about it. Unfortunately there are both good and bad points - if you can look past some dodgy CSO here and there, the spiders are generally excellently realised, but the CSO used to create the Whomobile taking off and flying is rather less forgivable, as is the terribly fake sky on Metebelis 3. There are some good solid performances, notably from John Kane as Tommy and from Cyril Chaps who delivers his stock nervous eccentric with aplomb. There’s a lovely gentle performance from Kevin Lindsay in contrast with his earlier and later turns as nasty Sontarans, and a nice whimsical turn by George Cormack as K’Anpo. To balance all that out, there’s also Jenny Laird. :rolleyes

There are also some great action sequences, but they are, for the most part, overt pieces of padding and/or an excuse for Jon Pertwee to have a final fling with some adrenaline inducing modes of transport.

But for all its faults, I still love POTS. Pertwee himself exudes fear and trepidation through the story, which is exactly what’s required of him, and his performance in the last episode really is excellent as he finally accepts his greed in the thirst for knowledge. Although it’s not nearly as doom-laden, it’s just as good a performance from JP as TB gave in Logopolis. I also think Lis Sladen is brilliant in POTS, the high point for me being when she’s wrestling here own conscience against The Queen.

The regeneration itself in terms of special effects is by far the most disappointing in the entire series, but the atmosphere and emotion is quite charming and really warms the cockles when you watch it. :)

I don't really like this story. It's too long by far, there are far too many scenes of people saying "om mane padme om" over and over and over again, the spiders are all a bit crap, the CSO is awful throughout, the comedy chinaman Cho-je is just embarrassing to watch, no-one on Metebelis 3 is engaging or believable as a human being, Tommy stopping being from the West Country when he gets clever is either insulting or just stupid depending how easily offended you are. If he didn't regenerate at the end I think this would be about as well-loved as The Time Monster (which, incidentally, I love).

I liked the spiders, but I generally agree with Zbigniev.

4/10

I actually feel sorry for Lupton even though he's a typical From Nobody to Nightmare example.