Written by Brian Hayles, based on his scripts for the 1972 TV serial.

The Curse of Peladon takes The Hound of the Baskervilles as its starting point, with a fabled beast replacing a spectral hound (which ultimately turns out to be an entirely non-supernatural animal cruelly used in the employ of the villain). It weds this to a fantasy medieval setting with some neat incidental details of planetary culture to add depth and flavour (like the aside that the Pels traditionally burn their dead) to become one of the more vivid Doctor Jon space adventures.

In keeping with the Sherlockian theme, the Doctor is at his most Holmesian, making deductions based on observation of the details (for example, burning torches in the underground tunnels mean there must be a way in and out). He’s described as “a tall, slightly theatrical figure, his exuberant shock of white hair topping a lean but humorous face.”

And appropriately, given its mystery story inspiration, Hayles provides a number of potential suspects and red herrings (the attempted murder of Arcturus). The Ice Warriors are introduced as if villains, with the Doctor’s prejudice against them countered by Jo’s more open mind. Unfortunately, the reveal of the true villain is slightly thrown away in a descriptive passage of them listening in to a conversation between Jo and the chief suspect. I feel Hayles could have made more of this moment.

Elsewhere, though, he’s on good form. There are some excellent, creepy scenes of Jo fleeing from Aggedor through gothic corridors, and the Doctor talking to Hepesh to understand his patriotic motive for the terrible acts he has committed. The final palace coup is very well presented, with more drama than Malcolm Hulke managed to present at the climax to Doctor Who and the Sea-Devils. Best of all, Hayles’ chilling, Protect and Survive style description of the terrible devastation the Federation’s weapons could wreak on Peladon:

“There was no escape from the invisible clouds that brought disease or radiation sickness. It would be not merely the land and the buildings standing upon it which would be destroyed by the first fire-blasts. In time, the people too those who escaped the initial destruction would be swept away utterly by the sickness of the bone, or a plague to end all plagues. There would be no more children and no more beasts born. No seeds would ever grow to fruit again. The planet would become first sterile, then a living tomb, then as cold and barren as the three moons that circle Peladon.”

This is a strong adaptation of Hayles’ best TV scripts. Grade 2.

Next Time: Doctor Who and the Cybermen