(618) Planet of Fire - Part 4

It’s clear that Peter Grimwade has saved the best until last because this is where so much is crammed into 25 minutes that I wonder why he waited until now to show it to us. Considering that this is Turloughs final episode it should come as now surprise that he features quite a lot in this episode. I cant remember the last time that a companion’s departure was so much a part of the story. There is a nice reference to Turlough’s first story when its revealed that people from Trion were on all worlds and the solicitor mentioned in Mawdryn Undead was from Trion. Sarn is a prison planet and Turlough’s father was being sent there which was a nice bit of back story and it gives a good feasible reason why Turlough had been put in exile.

The business with the mini-Master inside the TARDIS is quite good and some good effects used. In fact there were a few good special effects moments and Fiona Cumming did well in making these work. The effects of the great fire is something that looks slightly dated by 2015 standards but it still look rather good. The final scene with the Master is quite good because it seems to suggest that the Master is the Doctor’s brother. It also seems to suggest that this might be the last time we see the Master.

The Master is going to use the regenerative powers of the fire to help him get back to normal size. I have to give Grimwade credit for this because it was a problem that the Master needed to sort out and it wasn’t convoluted like most plans involving the Master are. Anthony Ainley has really done it all in this serial and I was impressed with the several scenes involving him in. Kamelion’s ‘death’ was a little bit sad but he has still been a useless companion. I am reluctant to use the word companion because Adrienne Hill appeared in more episodes and had a better impact that Kamelion. Grimwade also deserves some credit for using Kamelion in a way that was practical.

Turlough’s final scene is very sad and it does seem like Mark Strickson is sad to be leaving. Whether this was the case is up for debate but is obvious is that Mark Strickson did well with a character that was pretty empty and it wasn’t until this story that something was added to it. This has been a story that got better as it went along and I think that Peter Grimwade managed to make it work in the end but I maintain that he was a better director than writer. Fiona Cumming’s last story was one that was directed well.

It’s weird to think that there is just one story left in the Peter Davison era. It does seem to have gone fast and I think that the best of the Davison has been saved until last. The transition period is almost over but I think that it’s going a lot better than the Tom Baker transition.