C09S02 The curse of Peladon
Synopsis
Taking a test flight in the TARDIS, the Doctor and Jo make an inelegant landing on the planet Peladon. Mistaken for representatives from Earth, the Doctor soon finds himself chairing the committee of alien delegates assessing Peladon's petition to join the Galactic Federation. When one of the King's advisors is killed, the High Priest fears the ancient Curse of Aggedor is at work, but the Doctor suspects his old enemies the Ice Warriors are to blame. Can the Doctor and Jo uncover the identity of the saboteurs before a major diplomatic incident plunges them into war?
Cover notes
Ever since the Daleks first hit British TV screens in 1963, Doctor Who has delivered a succession of alien races to thrill and excite its viewers. It is perhaps strange then that the Doctor so rarely encounters more than one species at any one time...
The Curse of Peladon is a rare treat, presenting a menagerie of monsters old and new. And like the diverse range of aliens it showcases, this is a multi-faceted adventure which defies expectation at every turn.
A motley collection of creatures find themselves thrust into a murder mystery in a medieval, claustrophobic setting which evokes Shakespearian tragedy rather than space opera. But as the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that it is far more than an alien whodunnit, setting religion and tradition against science and progress, and in its wider context, it is a cheeky political allegory, made at a time when the UK was on the verge of finally joining the EEC after 12 years of negotiations.
Ultimately, this is also a very personal tale, exploring the dilemmas of a young King facing critical state issues and struggling to balance duty, friendship and love. By placing human emotions and motives at the heart of the story, Brian Hayles enjoys the uncommon luxury of allowing his aliens to become personalities in their own right rather than merely ciphers of evil.
Challenging both the Doctor's prejudices and out own, The Curse of Peladon dares to defy the traditional narrative where the bug-eyed monster is always the bad guy.
Cast
| The Doctor | Jon Pertwee | listed as Doctor Who |
| Jo Grant | Katy Manning | |
| Peladon | David Troughton | |
| Hepesh | Geoffrey Toone | |
| Torbis | Henry Gilbert | ep. 1 |
| Izlyr | Alan Bennion | |
| Ssorg | Sonny Caldinez | |
| Alpha Centauri | Stuart Fell | |
| voice of Alpha Centauri | Ysanne Churchman | |
| Arcturus | Murphy Grumbar | ep. 1,2,3 |
| voice of Arcturus | Terry Bale | ep. 1,2,3 |
| Grun | Gordon St Clair | |
| Aggedor | Nick Hobbs | |
| Guard Captain | George Giles | ep. 3,4 |
| Amazonia | Wendy Danvers | ep. 4 |
Crew
| Written by | Brian Hayles | |
| Title music | Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop | |
| Incidental music | Dudley Simpson | |
| Special sounds by | Brian Hodgson | |
| Fight arranger | Terry Walsh | ep. 3 |
| Fight arranger by | PROFILE | ep. 4 |
| Film Cameraman | Fred Hamilton | ep. 1,3,4 |
| Film Cameraman | Peter Sargent | ep. 1 |
| Film Editor | Michael Sha-Dyan | ep. 1,3,4 |
| Visual effects designer | Ian Scoones | |
| Visual effects designer | Bernard Wilkie | ep. 3,4 |
| Costume designer | Barbara Lane | |
| Make-up | Sylvia James | |
| Lighting | Howard King | |
| Sound | Tony Millier | |
| Script Editor | Terrance Dicks | |
| Designer | Gloria Clayton | |
| Producer | Barry Letts | |
| Director | Lennie Mayne |
DVD Extras
| Katy Manning Barry Letts Terrance Dicks Chris D'Oyly-John |
commentary track | |
| The Peladon Saga - part one | Cast and crew recall the making of both Peladon stories. Part One opens with a look at the socio-political climate in the UK in the early 1970s and its influence in the storyline. | |
| Warriors of Mars | A brief history of the Ice Warriors in Doctor Who by the people who designed and brought them to life. | |
| Jon and Katy | A look back at one of the most fondly remembered Doctor/Companion pairings in the show's history - Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor and Katy Manning's UNIT agent, Jo Grant. | |
| Storyboard comparison | Visual effects designer Ian Scoones' hand-drawn storyboards for the opening sequence are compared with the final version as seen on screen. | |
| photo gallery | ||
| Radio Times listings |
Commentary
| serial code : | MMM |
| episode count : | 4 |
| initial broadcast date : | 1972-01-29 |
| DVD release date : | |
| DVD SE release date : | |
| BluRay release date : | |
| part of the Peladon Tales boxset | |