I don’t think I’ve ever quite appreciated what Robert Holmes is doing with Carnival of Monsters.  This is a serial that’s set its sights squarely on taking down the medium of television and the BBC, the two things that allow Doctor Who to exist.  Taking essentially the American A-plot/B-plot structure which shouldn’t work nearly as well for a serial, Holmes puts the Doctor and Jo in a machine that makes them eventually gain the awareness of being watched and in the position of being in a television show.  Inter Minor as a planet is one ruled by bureaucracy and stagnancy, with a ruling class that approves decisions and a working class completely under their thumb.  It’s the setup for what at this point is a standard Doctor Who space story complete with Doctor Who and companion stand in played with beautiful James Acheson costumes and hilarious performances from Leslie Dwyer and Cheryl Hall.  They’re both the showmen and steal every scene they’re in.  Michael Wisher as essentially the main villain is this great slimy performance that just screams television executive, playing off Peter Halliday and Terence Lodge, all actors who have been in Doctor Who before.

Inside the miniscope we start with a historical setting with Tenniel Evans, Jenny McKracken, and Ian Marter rounding out the cast.  Despite the audience knowing there is an alien planet involved, that first episode is great at building the tension, breaking the trope of the end of episode monster reveal by showing us a dinosaur in the middle, instead having the TARDIS picked up and taken out of the machine.  Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning are at the top of their game, Holmes giving Jo some of the best material by having her save the day in the first half while the Doctor gets to be obstinate about not being on Earth (he’s sadly right).  Barry Letts got greedy and put himself in the director’s chair, so the serial also looks great.  The location work is really good at giving the impression of being on the open seas and integrating both the plesiosaur and the Drashigs into the footage (the Drashigs are also a great little meta commentary on Doctor Who monsters).  The only thing this serial falls flat is a little bit of the resolution being a touch too easy.  One of Holmes’ best.