Season 11, Episode 5 | 6 parts | First broadcast: 4 May – 8 June 1974 | Writer: Robert Sloman and Barry Letts | Director: Barry Letts
Cast
- Jon Pertwee as the Doctor
- Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith
- Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
- George Cormack as K’anpo Rimpoche
- John Dearth as Cho-Je
Summary
A stolen crystal linked to a meditation retreat leads the Doctor and Sarah Jane to the planet Metebelis Three, where giant telepathic spiders are grooming a human colony of psychic servants to help them dominate the galaxy. Forced to confront his own past greed in taking the crystal in an earlier adventure, the Doctor makes a final, fatal act of self-sacrifice that brings his third incarnation to an end.
Interesting Facts
- This serial marks Jon Pertwee’s final regular appearance as the Doctor, ending with his regeneration into the Fourth Doctor.
- It also marks Roger Delgado’s absence following his sudden death in 1973; the Master had originally been planned to appear before scripts were rewritten.
- The story features an extended, unusually long action sequence involving a car, helicopter, boat, and gyrocopter chase, showcasing Pertwee’s love of vehicular stunts one last time.
- Its Buddhist-influenced themes of karma, greed, and self-sacrifice reflect the personal interests of writer and producer Barry Letts.
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