C13S02 Planet of evil
Synopsis
The Doctor and Sarah answer an intergalactic distress call that takes them to a far-flung planet at the edge of the known universe - Zeta Minor. Arriving at the same time as a rescue team, they search for survivors of an earlier expedition. But will anyone be allowed to leave the planet alive...?
Cover notes
Philip Hinchcliffe had been brought in to produce Doctor Who the previous year, but much of that season had already been set in motion by the outgoing production team of Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks. The Doctor now travelled with a single companion again, Sarah Jane Smith.
Script editor Robert Holmes and producer Philip Hinchcliffe loved drawing on classic horror films for their inspiration for new Doctor Who stories. Planet of Evil drew much of its inspiration from the 1956 sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet. It also had literary horror influences, with details drawn from Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 book, The Strange Case of Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde.
A word or two must be said about the story's design. Alien planets in Doctor Who usually can be divided into two categories - those that work on-screen, and those that don't. This is the studio-based planet that is the exception to the rule. Even by today's standards, it remains as probably the most convincing alien planet ever portrayed on Doctor Who, and a testament tot he design talents of Roger Murray-Leach.
Planet of Evil is a thrilling example of Doctor Who at the height of its popularity.
Cast
| The Doctor | Tom Baker | listed as Doctor Who |
| Sarah Jane Smith | Elisabeth Sladen | |
| Harry Sullivan | Ian Marter | |
Crew
| Written by | Louis Marks | |
| Written by | ||
| Production Unit Manager | ||
| Production Assistant | ||
| Title music | Ron Grainer and BBC Radiophonic Workshop | |
| Title sequence | Bernard Lodge | |
| Incidental music | Dudley Simpson | |
| Special sound | Dick Mills | |
| Visual effects designer | ||
| Visual effects designer | ||
| Costume designer | ||
| Make-up | ||
| Studio Lighting | ||
| Studio Sound | ||
| Fight arranger | ||
| Film Cameraman | ||
| Film Sound | ||
| Film Editor | ||
| Script Editor | Robert Holmes | |
| Designer | ||
| Designer | ||
| Producer | Philip Hinchcliffe | |
| Director | David Maloney |
DVD Extras
| Tom Baker Elisabeth Sladen Prentis Hancock |
commentary track | |
| A Darker Side | A selection of key production personnel look at the making of Planet of Evil, in this 25-minute documentary. | |
| Planetary Performance | A look at the production of Planet of Evil from an actor's perspective. | |
| ... | ||
| photo gallery | ||
| Radio Times listings |
Special Edition DVD Extras
BluRay Extras
Loose Canon Extras
Commentary
| serial code : | 4H |
| episode count : | 4 |
| initial broadcast date : | 1975-09-27 |
| DVD release date : | |
| DVD SE release date : | |
| BluRay release date : | |
| part of the x boxset | |