Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders

"He knew there was no gentle way of breaking the grip of the terror that had held Metebelis for so long."

Writer: Terrance Dicks

Format: Novel

Released: 

Series: Target 48

Featuring: Third Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis 

'It's happening, Brigadier! It's happening!' Sarah cried out. The Brigadier watched, fascinated, as the lifeless body of his old friend and companion, Dr Who, suddenly began to glow with an eerie golden light... the features were blurring, changing... 'Well, bless me soul,' said the Brigadier. 'Who will he be next?'

Verdict 

Doctot Who and the Planet of the Spiders was a superb sendoff for the Third Doctor in the prose format! Of course, the releases of stories from Target books didn't follow the broadcast order of the television stories, which I think was a positive move in regards to sales, but this story depicts the swansong of Jon Pertwee's brilliant third incarnation of the Doctor and sees us introduced fully and properly to the concept of regeneration. It's finally explained and we're given a reason why and how the Doctor can have many different bodies and faces. I've never watched a James Bond film, but to my understanding the change of actor isn't incorporated into the franchise or continuity whereas here it has become a fundamental part of ensuring the series remains fresh. Just look at last year's season finale! Through regeneration, we got to see a female incarnation of the Master in Dark Water/Death in Heaven. I love how with the novelised format of this story things are able to be slightly different from the TV serial. Here we were welcomed to a lovely cameo from Jo Grant! Of course on television we saw the letter the Doctor was given from her but here we could fully imagine her writing it as she was part of the openings of the book! I like the unusual beginning to the story with the Doctor and his companion, Sarah Jane on this occasion, being split up and up to something not connected. Inevitably, the two situations would be connected but I like the idea of the Doctor dragging the Brigadier along to a dull trick of the mind show. The Doctor was mightily intrigued by the professor and it first it was unclear why as the Brigadier could see through the 'trick'. But then the Doctor asked a splendid question! Why was a man with actual powers using cheap tricks? Things then got interesting. I loved how Sarah responded and went along to meet Mike Yates after his unfortunate removal from UNIT. The reference to Invasion of the Dinosaurs was nicely thrown in. The chase scenes between Lupton and the following Doctor and Sarah were wonderful! After Lupton had the power of the spiders inside of him (or rather on his back) he'd teleported the Metebelis crystal from the Doctor's grasp to his own hand. The chased ensued as Lupton stole the Doctor's hovercraft whilst the Doctor himself set off in the helicopter directing Bessie, driven by the Brigadier with Benton and Sarah as passengers, to keep up with the chase. The sudden disappearance was superb. I liked the hunt for the crystal once Tommy had fallen upon its possession. I loved the irony of him wanting to give it as a present to Sarah but she wasn't too keen to stay with the mindless guy. How things would have been easier had she just accepted the gift! The setting of Metebelis Three for the second half of the novel was fantastic and I loved how the Doctor stirred up a revolt after his humorous arrival just in time to rescue Sarah. The Queen Spider was a tremendous central enemy but I must admit I did prefer the Great One. The story of how the Spiders came to be dominant on Metebelis was wonderful and enhanced just how powerful the crystals were. The reason the Great One was so eager to have the stolen crystal returned was great as she wanted to rule the universe and have her power enhanced even more incredibly than it already was! Not much to ask for then. The revelation of K'anpo being Cho-Je and technically vice versa was magnificent. I loved how he was a Time Lord and an old teacher of the Doctor's! It was fantastic how it was him who explained the regeneration concept. He even regenerated himself! He guided the Doctor into ending the Metebelis crisis and as he returned the crystal, the Great One was no more as the power overloaded. The Doctor though was being destroyed by the crystal's power and after eventually stumbling back to Earth three weeks after he'd left, the regeneration sequence occurred. The Brigadier and Sarah's reaction was wonderful to the final moments of the Third Doctor. Overall, a magnificent novel! 

Rating: 9/10