Planet of the Spiders (TV story)

Synopsis
The Doctor and Sarah Jane travel to Metebelis III, fighting against the Eight Legs, who want the blue crystal which the Doctor stole from them. But if they retrieve it, they will give it to the Great One who will rule the universe.

Plot
Part One The Doctor discovers something sinester going on-giant spiders want to rule the earth. Part Two The Doctor pursues Lupton (John Dearth) who has the crystal Part Three The Doctor is zapped with radiation. Part Four The Doctor is captured by the guards whil rescuing Sarah. Part Five The Doctor and Sarah return to earth to visit an old hermit, who knows the Doctor's past. Tommy is zapped by the guards Part six The Doctor must risk death to return to the cave of the Great One. Three weeks later, after destroying the spiders, the Doctor returns to earth weak, and he collpses to the floor. Sarah asks the Doctor why he had to go back. The Doctor says he had to face his fear. He says that that was more important with them going on living. Sarah cries as she says "Please don't die!" The Doctor holds her chin up and tells that while there's life, there's, but the Doctor dies before he can finish the sentance. Sarah cries as she closes the Doctor's eyes. K'ampo appears and says that all the cells of the Doctor's body have been devistated by the crystals. He says that he will give the process a little push and the cells will regenerate, and the Doctor will become a new man. He does, and as Sarah and the Brig look on, the Doctor regenerates for the third time into his younger incarnation (Tom Baker.)

Cast

 * Third Doctor - Jon Pertwee]
 * Fourth Doctor - Tom Baker
 * Sarah Jane Smith - Elisabeth Sladen
 * Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart - Nicholas Courtney
 * Mike Yates - Richard Franklin
 * Sergeant Benton - John Levene
 * Professor Clegg - Cyril Shaps
 * Lupton - John Dearth
 * Barnes - Christopher Burgess
 * Moss - Terence Lodge
 * Land - Carl Forgione
 * Keaver - Andrew Staines
 * Cho-je - Kevin Lindsay
 * Tommy - John Kane
 * Policeman - Chubby Oates
 * Soldier - Pat Gorman
 * Man with Boat - Terry Walsh
 * Hopkins - Michael Pinder
 * Tramp - Stuart Fell
 * Spider Voices - Ysanne Churchman, Kismet Delgado, Maureen Morris
 * Arak - Gareth Hunt
 * Sabor - Geoffrey Morris
 * Neska - Jenny Laird
 * Rega - Joanna Munro
 * Tuar - Ralph Arliss
 * Guard Captains - Walter Randall, Max Faulkner
 * K'anpo Rimpoche - George Cormack

Crew

 * Assistant Floor Manager - Graeme Harper
 * Costumes - L Rowland Warne
 * Designer - Rochelle Selwyn
 * Film Cameraman - Fred Hamilton
 * Film Editor - Bob Rymer
 * Incidental Music - Dudley Simpson
 * Make-Up - Deanne Turner
 * Producer - Barry Letts
 * Production Assistant - Marion McDougall
 * Production Unit Manager - George Gallacio
 * Script Editor - Terrance Dicks
 * Special Sounds - Dick Mills
 * Studio Lighting - Ralph Walton
 * Studio Sound - John Holmes
 * Theme Arrangement - Delia Derbyshire
 * Title Music - Ron Grainer
 * Visual Effects - Bernard Wilkie

Quotes

 * Sarah: What's going to happen to him?
 * Tuar: The eight-legs will eat him of corse.


 * Queen Spider: The crystal is still on Earth. Do not attempt to deny it.
 * Lumpton: Why should I deny it? I know where the crystal is hidden, I told you, but I didn't say it was hidden on Metebelis. The situation is unchanged. If you wish to invade Earth you need my help.
 * Queen Spider: Be careful two-leg, you may go too far.
 * First Spider: But it's true. Once more O Queen, your arrogance has endangered the master plan of the Great One.


 * First Spider: We dare not take the crystal. The Great One is all seeing.
 * Spiders: All praise to the Great One.
 * First Spider: The Great One is all knowing.
 * Spiders: All praise to the Great One.
 * First Spider: The Great One is all powerful.
 * Spiders: All praise to the Great One.
 * First Spider: You have beaten us, Doctor. It is good that you will die.

The Doctor's last words: A tear, Sarah Jane? No. Now don't cry. While there's life, there's..... (The Third Doctor dies.)
 * The Great One: I am complete! Now I am total power! All praise to the Great One!
 * The Doctor: Stop! Stop! Don't you see what's happening to you?
 * The Great One: All praise to the Great One! All praise to me! Bow down before me planets! Bow down stars! Bow down whole galaxies and worship the Great One! The me! The great, all powerful me!

==References

Story Notes

 * This is the first time Regeneration is mentioned on screen.
 * This story features a large chase scene featuring: Bessie, the Doctor's car (known as the Whomobile), a police car, a gyrocopter, a hovercraft and a boat.

Tom Baker is uncredited in the conclusion of Planet of the Spiders, when Jon Pertwee transforms into Tom Baker. Baker's Doctor would be popular and ratings would go sky-high.

Myths
to be added

Location Filming
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Continuity

 * The Doctor recieves a package from Jo Grant containing his blue crystal, which he picked up during The Green Death, which makes Planet of the Spiders a sequel of sorts to The Green Death.


 * Mike Yates refers to his last appearance in Invasion of the Dinosaurs.


 * Interference: Book Two presents an alternate regeneration sequence.

DVD and Video Releases
to be added

Target Novelisations
to be added