Doctor Who Logo 'The Curse of Peladon'
(4 Parts)
Story Code 'MMM'

by Brian Hayles
The Doctor

The Doctor repairs the TARDIS, and he and Jo make a test flight, arriving on the planet Peladon. They seek shelter in the nearby citadel, where the new King of Peladon is soon to be crowned. The Doctor is mistaken for the Earth ambassador, who has been summoned to act as chairman of a committee that is assessing an application by the planet to join the Galactic Federation. The other committee members, Alpha Centauri, Arcturus, and Izlyr, an Martian Ice Lord, together with his Ice Warrior subordinate, Ssorg, have already arrived, but they are perturbed by the death of one of the King's advisors, Chancellor Torbis. The High Priest, Hepesh, opposes the Federation, and attributes the death of Torbis to the curse of Aggedor, the sacred beast of Peladon. After a succession of suspicious events, the Doctor is convinced that a saboteur is at large in the citadel. Because of their previous encounters, he naturally suspects the Ice Warriors, but the guilty parties are eventually revealed to be Hepesh and Arcturus. The latter has convinced the High Priest that the Federation would exploit Peladon for its mineral wealth, whereas this is actually the intention of his own race. Ssorg destroys Arcturus with his sonic weapon, but Hepesh escapes into the network of tunnels that lie beneath the citadel, from where he incites the King's guards to rebel. The guards storm the Citadel, capturing King Peladon, and Hepesh orders Aggedor, a real beast that he has been keeping for his own ends, to kill the Doctor. But the Doctor has previously tamed Aggedor, and the creature kills Hepesh instead. The Doctor and Jo return to earth, just as the real Earth ambassador arrives.

Jon Pertwee (Doctor Who), Katy Manning (Jo Grant), David Troughton (Peladon), Geoffrey Toone (Hepesh), Henry Gilbert (Torbis) , Alan Bennion (Izlyr), Sonny Caldinez (Ssorg), Stuart Fell (Alpha Centauri), Ysanne Churchman (Voice of Alpha Centauri), Murphy Grumbar (Arcturus), Terry Bale (Voice of Arcturus), Gordon St. Clair (Grun), Nick Hobbs (Aggedor), George Giles (Guard Captain), Wendy Danvers (Amazonia)

Produced by Barry Letts
Directed by Lennie Mayne


TX:
Part 1 - 29th January, 1972 @ 5.50pm - 6.15pm
Part 2 - 5th February, 1972 @ 5.50pm - 6.15pm
Part 3 - 12th February, 1972 @ 5.50pm - 6.15pm
Part 4 - 19th February, 1972 @ 5.50pm - 6.15pm

Notes:
*Featuring the Third Doctor and Jo

*First appearance of Aggedor and the people of Peladon

*Working title: 'The Curse'