1)This is another of my favorite early ones. Letts and Dicks deny that this was consciously about Britain's entry into the EEC, but Dicks allows as how it may have been "in the writer's mind" at the time.
On the commentary track, Katy Manning allows as how she was somewhat smitten at the time by David Troughton, who played King Peladon. Troughton's OK in it, I guess, the character comes across as a bit of a wuss, although I suspect he's meant to do.
2)The info notes on this compare it to the Star Trek episode "Journey to Babel", in which a group of aliens are debating the entry of a mineral-rich planet with a three-syllable name into a "Federation", and which also features an alien character with a human mother.
3)Nice seeing the Ice Warriors again, interesting to see them as good guys - or at least, not as straight-out villains, depending on how you feel about whether Peladon might be better or worse off for joining the Federation. It does get to show us the Doctor acting all prejudiced against Martians, though. Arcturus is sufficiently creepy-looking, there's a character I wouldn't mind seeing them bring back for the new show. As for Alpha Centauri, there's a character I imagine they won't be bringing back for the new show. Although, knowing our Steven...
4)Aggedor looks like ALF on steroids. Furry monsters onDoctor Whoalmost invariably end up looking cuddly.
5)My big beef with this story is how the heck the Doctor and Jo can possibly get away with impersonating the Earth delegates. It seems inconceivable to me that the members of a mission of this nature would not have extensive dossiers on all of the delegates that would be attending. It would be like me sneaking into a G-7 conference and somehow successfully posing as the Canadian delegate.
6)"It's a hermaphrodite hexapod."
7)The Doctor is very "establishment" in this, never seeming to question the Federation's intentions towards Peladon.
8)If you watch the fight scene closely, you can spot once or twice where it's Terry Walsh instead of Jon Pertwee.
9)"Time Lords again." No idea why the Time Lords would give a crap about Peladon joining the Federation or not.Probably just giving the Doctor a field trip to stop him whining all the time about being stuck on Earth.
10)Jo: "Oh, Peladon, I'm very, very fond of you." Adds Katy Manning on the commmentary track: "Just not fond enough of you."
11)Cliffhangers:
- Episode One: The statue of ALF Aggedor starts to fall over!
- Episode Two: The Doctor is accused of sacrilege!
- Episode Three: Ssorg shoots!
- Episode Four: The real delegate from Earth arrives! Sure was lucky, her being delayed just enough time for the Doctor to solve everything, wasn't it?
Overall:
I quite liked this - at least it didn't turn out to be the Master this time.
[Part of list of Doctor Who episodes here.]
Replies
Regarding issue 5; all humans look alike to Martians, Arcturans and Alpha Centaurians. Male and female ones too.
Fair enough.
This might be the first ep I ever watched. I'd also like to see the return of the Alpha Centaurians, albeit with significantly improved effects. They're interestingly alien.