The Curse of Peladon [TV/1972.1.29 ~ 2.19]

★★★☆☆

  I love the fact that stuff like this, stories with fictional planets battling between joining intercultural bonds and reverting to ultra-nationalism, becomes more and more prescient and poignant with each day. Reality really becomes stranger than fiction when a science fiction programme intended for the family audience in 1972 told children the importance of acceptance and international bonds, and 48 years later some Conservative Party nitwits decided they were too cool for the international federation and yeeted off into the sunset. What a joke.

  The Curse of Peladon is so evocative, so atmospheric, which is odd when taking into consideration that 99% of the serial takes place inside the halls and corridors of a royal castle in Peladon. It's like some sort of Holy Terror scenario where everyone's trapped inside (with only a few glimpses of admittedly superbly made model shots and brief secnes of the Doctor and Jo climbing the rocks) -- but in spite of this fact, Peladon feels so much like a richly detailed planet with a lively culture: Aggedor, the dichotomy between politics and faith, the arena fights, the recent push for joining the Galactic Federation, the lot. It's a very Star Trek story with a Dr. Who twist, and I'm all here for it. All credit to Brian Hayles for writing such a dense script and to Lennie Mayne for somehow, somehow making a succession of atmospherically lit corridors work as a proper representation of an entire planet. He is excused for calling Alpha Centauri "the dick in the cloak."

  Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning are having the time of their lives finally getting to explore an alien planet that isn't filled with quarries. Pertwee especially has a lot of lovely moments, not least the moment where he gets to sing a Venusian lullaby to Aggedor. My favourite thing about The Curse of Peladon has to be the inclusion of the Ice Warriors, because it's not often that we get post-redemption portrayals of monsters and villainous races. The Galactic Federation feels that much more important with their inclusion. The four-part format fits perfectly with the narrative they're trying to tell, a rather clichéd but nonetheless fun and engrossing tale of acceptance and bridging tradition with new ideals. You win some (a cute prince asks you for your hand in marriage), you lose some (you keep getting accused of political espionage and assassination). Such is life.