Doctor Who - The Curse Of Peladon (1972)
The Doctor is enjoying a joyride with Jo, in his TARDIS (at last!), When it goes ever so astray & we, the viewer, are treated to an atmospheric adventure, on a cold, dark, wintry, medieval like planet, It's castle kingdom on the edge of a mountain cliff. Peladon is awaiting entry into a "Federation" of advanced planets. Yet, the legendary beast Aggedor is on the rampage. There's a mystery & a conspiracy afoot, involving not just King Peladon & his high priest, but alien delegates including the...Ice Warriors?! The Doctor must get down to the mystery of these events & prevent not just murders, but, possibly destruction on a massive scale, starting with Peladon!
We are set to groove drive with this adventure! Not only are The Doctor & Jo holding for dear life on a cliff, just below the ancient cliff kingdom, but the TARDIS has fallen, amidst the dark, brutal, storm, to a crashing death? Obviously, they make it, as does the TARDIS' warranty of being indestructible, HAL (not the psycho computer from 2001-A Space Odyssey!) from 1968's The Krotons? The smorgasbord of alien delegates is a Sci-Fi geeks wet dream alone. Whoops!
I don't think I've had the honour of reading this Target novelisation version (perhaps!) but Jo's reaction to the alien delegates, at first, though well kept in the background, speaks volumes. I keep reading about how much of a "dumb blonde shell" she was supposed to be. Yet, not only she manages to keep her head. In appearance to being introduce to scary looking aliens, she slips into a role of royalty as Princess Josephine...of TARDIS! Head-strong thinking when her life is threatened by peladon traditions that are beginning to appear outdated. Not just by King Peladon, but by Tobesh who was conveniently killed by Aggedor at the beginning. High Priest Hepesh is 'old school' & opposed to new ideas.
King Peladon is played by Patricks (yes, The 2nd Doc's!) son David, here. We've already seen him in a cameo, as a soldier from 1871, in "The War Games" & still, yet to see him in 2008 Who episode "Midnight" playing like his late Father. sorry, gotta run for the hanky box! Our exciting alien delegates comprise of the loveable Alpha Centauri - an asexual & squealing alien with a few tentacles in a knicker. Creepy looking Arturo who exists in a Dalek-like chamber, complete with disintegration weapon. But, last & definitely not least, those past enemies of The Doctor & warriors of Mars, the Ice Warriors! Obviously this Federation does not adhere to the rules of the Prime Directive like Star Trek TOS. Just the mere mention of this "Federations" threat to destroy Peladon, a primitive planet without space, interstellar travel capability sends shivers down this Whovians spine, every time! Meanwhile, where's the real Earth delegate?!
The Ice Warriors are a lot like Star Trek's Klingons. They are a warrior race, they have noble houses, & yes, they fight among themselves, just like Humans. These Ice Warriors prove to be fab, & help first Jo & then The Doctor. Of course no-one knows that Jo Grant is not a Princess (I beg to differ) anymore than our hero is the diplomat from Earth, though he enjoys playing the role well enough. Naturally at first, he suspects the Ice Warriors from past experience. Well, not even he is perfect! He reminds me of Kirk's xenophobic hatred of the Klingons on the Star Trek movies. refer to Star Trek 6 - The Undiscovered Country (1991). This is where The Doctor gets it a bit wrong with The Ice Warriors. Of course, his xenophobic opinion of Daleks & Cybermen is more excusable in this political correct age. Still, he loves Aggedor at least!
Not only do the Ice Warriors save The Doctors life from Arcturo, but the conspiracy, ironically, is akin to the plot of Star Trek 6, also! Hepesh & Arcturo have plotted together. Hepesh fears Peladon joining the Federation & Arturo wants the mined minerals of Peladon. Fortunately, The Doctor can tame Aggedor. Like the Buffalo of Earth, he is the last of his kind. Aggedor is all, pure, & hairy fact & being used in this conspiracy! The other alien delegates seem to think that there's a thing going between Jo & The King, probably because his mother was an Earth woman. Maybe that's part of the appeal of Jo to The King, he wants to explore his other roots in more ways than one, I think you know what I mean (?) But meanwhile, where's the Earth delegate?
King Peladon is so cool. Even upon Jo telling him she's not a Princess it matters not to him! Besides, his Mother was an Earth woman after all. How did she avoid being executed for being in the royal throne with presumably no royal blood, or was she a future version of Princess Di? Jo can stay & marry the king. Seriously, can you blame him for trying?!. One problem, yes, guys, this was no coincidental trip. Yep, Doctor. The Timelords have interfered yet again! Obviously the Earth delegate had a 'convenient' breakdown & need for a repair service via the Red Dwarf version of AA & suddenly she turns up! Let's go & watch Queen Victoria's coronation instead, again, without breaking the Blinovitch Limitation effect.
Okay, I confess. I thought Alpha-Centauri with it's high-pitched voice was cute watching a rerun version of this as a child. All these aliens were a young Whovians early Christmas wish list! How could I not mention the gorgeous, ancient, cliff-face kingdom? The Doctor & Jo clinging to bare life as the TARDIS crashes to the ground? Classic stuff! Okay, I did? I'll just shut up & let you continuing reading. I love the designers dress for the real Earth delegate when she finally does bother to show up! I know I've got the Target novelization of this, so I must have read this as a child, also! Just for Jo's reaction to the alien delegates, I'm certain, or lying to myself! Like Skaro & the Thals, we've got a recurrent alien society with a sequel episode, in 1974, set 50 years in Peladons future.
Yes, had to add delegate Arturus, scared yet?!
But, that is a tale for another day,
Borgduck,
Stewart.
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