Doctor Who: The Creature from the Pit

CinemaSerf 7/2/2024 11:10:49AM 8.4

This was always one of my favourite "Dr. Who" stories. The TARDIS arrives on the jungle planet of "Chloris" only for the travellers to find themselves apprehended by "Karela" (Eileen Way) who is the chief enforcer of the "Lady Adrasta" (an enjoyably hammy Myra Frances). What nobody quite understands is why there are the remains of what appears to be an huge egg on the surface, and one that the "Doctor" (Tom Baker) thinks might be alive. Luckily, "Romana" (Lalla Ward) manages to escape in the confusion and she soon encounters a tribe of warriors bent on the collection of the planet's rarest commodity. Metal! Needless to say, this puts quite a price on the head of "K9" too - laser gun, or not. As the story develops we learn a little more of the maniacal tendencies of "Adrasta" and of the occupant of a deep pit, and network of tunnels, into which she ceremoniously turfs her enemies - never to be seen again! It's all stage bound so the settings don't impress much, but I just found this to have a more characterful story with loads going on, plenty of opportunity for Baker to keep his tongue in his cheek and for "K9" to get in and out mothballs. There's a lather-clad bloke with a whip, some all-conquering tumbleweed and a monster that I can only imagine must have induced conniptions for self appointed British good taste guru Mary Whitehouse at the time. I enjoyed this.