Planet of Fire Part Four

The one where Turlough returns to his home planet...

Part 4 is packed with answers to questions which were never really asked in the first place, concerning Turlough's origins and why he was masquerading as a public schoolboy in 1980s England on Earth. The Mesos Triangle is revealed as a branding applied to political prisoners from Trion, a planet once subject to a civil war. Sarn was a prison colony where Trion insurgents were sent, and the ship in the forbidden zone was piloted by Turlough's father. Turlough's mother was killed in the Trion civil war, and his family (including baby Malkon) was exiled to Sarn. However, Turlough was sent to Earth (reason unspecified), and monitored by one of many agents Trion has peppered about the galaxy: "An agrarian commissioner on Verdon, a tax inspector on Darveg... and a very eccentric solicitor in Chancery Lane."

It brings Turlough's story full circle, harking back to the solicitor in London that Brendon School's headmaster used to deal with ("A very strange man he is too"), as mentioned in Mawdryn Undead. Turlough was in exile on Earth, a prisoner of the regime that ruled Trion. So why was Turlough so keen to return to his home planet all that time, if he was in exile and the son of a political revolutionary?

We also learn that Turlough is actually what we might call his surname, as his full name is Vislor Turlough (pronounced "vees-law"), his rank is Junior Ensign Commander, and his ID code is VTEC9/12/44 (December 9th, 1944 being script editor Eric Saward's birthday). After all this time knowing next to nothing about Turlough, now we know almost everything about him!

Elsewhere, we get answers as to what's going on with the real Master. He accidentally miniaturised himself while working on a new version of his confounded Tissue Compression Eliminator, leading him to re-establish his mind-link with Kamelion, the shapeshifting robot he took from Xeriphas and which has been aboard the TARDIS ever since The King's Demons. Again, it's a nice bit of continuity, bringing Kamelion's short-lived story arc full circle too. When the Master loses control of Kamelion, the robot expresses his sorrow to the Doctor, and begs him to destroy him. The fact the Doctor does so is tragically out of character, but maybe this is what life has done to the previously affable, happy-go-lucky, wouldn't-say-boo-to-a-goose Fifth Doctor. Particularly after the hard-going adventures we see in Season 21 ("There should have been another way"; the unnecessary death of Sir George Hutchinson; the gruesome demise of Captain Revere; the reason for Tegan's departure), perhaps this Doctor is toughening up, realising that he has to make difficult decisions to get on.

There's some nice location filming on Lanzarote as various characters scramble across the volcanic tundra to get from A to B, but Fiona Cumming rarely directs with any ambition, failing to capitalise on the stunning, sweeping, epic landscapes, and instead opting to go for close-ups or tracking shots which don't show the location at its best. The shot of the Trion ship in the distance is about the only time Cumming justifies Doctor Who travelling there. Most of her other shots sadly lack flare. There's an effective mix of stock footage of volcanic lava and eruptions though.

Turlough manages to signal for a Trion rescue ship to take the remaining Sarns off the planet before the volcano erupts and destroys everything (there can't be many Sarns left at all, suggesting a barely sustainable population of about seven!). The Trion ship arrives remarkably quickly ("Now that's what I call a real spaceship!"), and we finally get to meet another Trion, the ship's captain. They have a nice line in pink-trimmed uniforms.

As all of the Sarns and Trion exiles file aboard the ship, there's one who decides to remain behind. Timanov, despite seeing that Amyand dressed in a thermal suit was Logar all along, refuses to disbelieve that his god is real. Peter Wyngarde gets one last moment to shine, gently delivering his final words: "Another deception, and from a heretic. You will never understand, Amyand. Logar is everywhere. He cares for the faithful." Amyand tries to convince Timanov that his faith may be rewarded aboard the Trion ship, but the Chief Elder merely turns away and (presumably) walks into the flames (off camera). It's a beautifully tragic end for an understated character and a nicely observed guest performance. If you want to see Wyngarde at his most charismatic, at his compelling peak, seek out The Innocents (1961), Night of the Eagle (1962) or his trademark role of Jason King in ITC's Department S (1969) and Jason King (1971). You'll be impressed.

The Master also meets his demise, perhaps his final end, in the numismaton flames. At first he manages to restore his miniaturised self to full size by using the restorative powers of the gas, but when the blue flame turns to burny orange, all the Doctor can do is look on in numbed shock. The Master pleads with the Doctor to help him: "I'll plague you to the end of time for this. Help me! I'll give you anything in creation. Please! Won't you show mercy to your own... Aaaaaargh!" Whatever the Master would have said next (brother? kind?) is lost as he is apparently atomised. Peter Davison may often be branded as having a "pleasant, open face", but the look of dazed resignation on his face says it all. He must let his greatest enemy perish, for the greater good.

The Doctor spends the remainder of the episode in a state of shock, a post-traumatic haze in which he is likely thinking back over everything he's lost. Adric, Nyssa, Tegan, now the Master (an old school friend, remember), Kamelion and Turlough. It's been a brutal run of stories for the Fifth Doctor (and it's not over yet), so no wonder he seems initially reluctant to take Peri aboard as his new travelling companion. She may live to regret it...

Turlough's departure is poignant. I had a lump in my throat as the wily young ensign bids a final farewell to his mentor. "I shall miss you," the Doctor says, and you believe he means it. Right from their first meeting he's always given this lad the benefit of the doubt. "I don't want to go, Doctor," says Turlough. "I've learnt a lot from you... Thank you for everything, Doctor." They shake hands, and then he's gone. The schoolboy's grown up, returning home as a hero. How fitting that the perennial coward ends up a saviour.

Planet of Fire is a frustrating serial in that it has a lot of potential visually, but scuppers it either by using it too much (as Sarn and Lanzarote) or not enough (Mirador del Rio and Timanfaya National Park are largely wasted). There are some good actors in Peter Wyngarde and Barbara Shelley, but they're not given enough to justify their casting. There's still lots to enjoy, and Davison continues to perfect his portrayal of his Doctor just before it's too late.

First broadcast: March 2nd, 1984

Steve's Scoreboard
The Good: It's great to get some answers about Turlough's origins at last.
The Bad: Peri chasing a mini Master around the TARDIS with the heel of her shoe is just silly.
Overall score for episode: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (story average: 6.5 out of 10)

NEXT TIME: The Caves of Androzani...

My reviews of this story's other episodes: Part One; Part Two; Part Three

Find out birth/death dates, career information, and facts and trivia about this story's cast and crew at the Doctor Who Cast & Crew site.

Planet of Fire is available on BBC DVD as part of the Kamelion Tales box set. Find it on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Kamelion-Demons-Planet/dp/B002SZQC6Q