Planet of Evil - Episode 4

The final episode of this serial which hasn’t exactly been the greatest in Doctor Who history. The reprise was quite well resolved because the Doctor and Sarah are saved by Vishinky at what felt like the last minute. Once the Doctor gets saved he throws himself into the story and it’s the best episode for Tom Baker as far as I am concerned that he has had in this serial. Elisabeth Sladen hasn’t been paritcuarly memorable since the serial started. I was expecting things to get better for Sladen since Ian Marter left but obviously in the case of this adventure that wasn’t the case.

There is a nice scene between Sorensen and the Doctor. Unfortunately its over before it begins but there is a bit more between these two towards the end. I think that Frederick Jaeger has been one of the best things in this serial and really turns the madness up to 11 and he seems to be having lots of fun when the anti-matter version of the character really takes over. The effect of used on Sorensen which achieved a blue light effect was quite well done. It’s from this moment that I actually start to get interested in the adventure. The drama comes from when its revealed there is more than just Sorensen. The effect of the anti-matter Sorensen is far more impressive than the original anti-matter creature we saw in the first part of this story.

I think that Prentis Hancock is really good in this episode and his best moments come when he is arguing with Vishinsky. I think that the way that Salamar was killed was perhaps the best way that he could have done since the character had reached its natural conclusion. The best moment came between Salamar and Vishinsky came when Vishinsky took control and the reaction of Salamar’s face was pricesless. It looked like Sorensen was not going to make it during this episode but he makes it and is free of the anti-matter. It was the best way to end the character and it even ends

I think that this was a good end to what was a rather lacklustre story. Ok there was a good idea at the centre of it but for some reasons it just didn’t grab me in the way that I would have expected. That’s not going to be the case in the next story but the thing about Planet of Evil is my opinion of it hasn’t changed really but I think that the Zygons story is the better of the two that season thirteen have produced so far.