The Mysterious Planet

"The Doctor is an incorrigible meddler in the affairs of other peoples and planets."

Writer: Robert Holmes

Format: TV

Broadcast: 6-27 September 1986

Season: 23a

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

The Doctor is on trial for his life. Plucked out of time and space by the Time Lords, he is charged with transgressing the First Law of Time. He must defend himself against the prosecution led by the sinister Valeyard...

The trial begins as the Time Lords review an adventure from the Doctor's recent past. The setting is Ravolox, where the Doctor and Peri find themselves caught in the conflict between a warrior tribe, a pair of intergalactic con-men and a god-like robot. 

But deep below the surface of the mysterious planet lie secrets that threatens the very fabric of the universe. And to protect them, drastic measures have been taken that will shock the Doctor to his very core...

Verdict

The Mysterious Planet was a very good story to kick off the epic that is The Trial of a Time Lord! I've long been a fan of the season-comprising adventure that has the Doctor on trial at the behest of the Valeyard and I've always maintained that despite the Target novelisations splitting it up and the differing writers and format of the season, it should be viewed as one serial. However, in light of judging each segment of its own accord I've decided to go ahead and blog each story within separately. It was a little weird to be honest given the way things start by having the Doctor on trial, well an inquiry to start, and then moving into its own adventure. I like the idea of a story arc overlapping the entire serial and I actually think if this was split by name like the Target books then it would be much better because other than the Key to Time for Season 16, season arcs like this are rare to come by. I thought Colin Baker put on a terrific performance as the Sixth Doctor and it was very refreshing to be watching him in a televised story because it seems so long since I've watched one of his adventures! Of course, there isn't an abundance of material available and I've purposely been putting them off for a while to ensure I have options, but I just felt like today was right. I thought a little more could have bene done regarding Peri's absence at the trial and then just being with the Doctor on Ravolox, but the way her fate is foreshadowed here is really well done. I liked the setting of Ravolox a great deal and the links it had with Earth and the Doctor's confusion of its position in space was very good, but I thought the explanation for that felt a little unfinished and that might have something to do with splitting the segments. I think the way the omnibus versions without the trial scenes that comprise part of The Collection boxset for this season would be an intriguing watch and I'd like to see how this adventure would fare without those interruptions. I love the makeup of the trial with the abrupt Valeyard introduction and the Inquisitor leading proceedings. The relevancy being questioned on more than one occasion was a little funny as the Valeyard's prosecution didn't seem to make a huge amount of sense considering what the Doctor's actions were on Ravolox. I thought Drathro as the Immortal was a lot of fun and even though the design of this robotic god seems a little flawed with the lack of features for emotions and senses, it's a design I can't help but enjoy! I've taken a big fancy lately to the Eaglemoss figurines and the special edition from this episode is something I'd really like now to purchase. I thought Katryca as the Queen was a good character and I really liked her interactions with Glitz. He was a very fun character alongside Dibber as they looked to make a profit. They were a lot of fun and worked really well in the setting as they sought their prize. The cliffhanger at the end of part three was excellent as the Doctor and Peri were in peril and seemed set to be shot, and I also liked the ending of part one before the trial with the Doctor getting stoned! The ultimate fate of Drathro as the black light system destructs is fitting but probably slightly too quick. The reaction of Glitz and Dibber is a lot of fun though. I thought the likes of Merdeen and Balazar were good characters and the books that comprised their texts were hilarious. The Doctor's reactions were fantastic. As a whole, I thought this was a very good little segment to kick off the season and it's good to think of the effect these events had on Peri, whilst they seemed to back up the Doctor's defence as the universe was saved. Overall, a great adventure!

Rating: 8/10