having watched his entire run now, i would characterise planet of fire as the most underrated fifth doctor story. it's a story, at its core, about how harmful religion is as the basis of a society. on the planet of fire, they sacrifice to the flames their own people when the machinations that control the fire turn on, they turn at each other's throats, and pray to a god who does not exist, simply a man in a hazmat suit; gears and wires beyond their understanding, beyond their comprehension, because they cannot understand that man to be like themselves.

it's a deeply interesting story, one which presents a quite radical, marxian view on religiosity as a whole, and i'm unsure exactly why other stories like the awakening and warriors' gate, which i found middling but have been thoroughly and convincingly deconstructed by people smarter than myself, have received such analysis when this one has gone untouched. it's a compelling episode, in which a carefully designed overton window is crafted, of those who disbelieve in their god, of those who don't think non-believers should be killed, and those who do so. in this spectrum, the centre is looked at as the rational middle-ground by many in the story, leaving the viewer, to whom it is obvious that there does not exist a fire god who will cause volcanic eruptions if he can't eat a spicy twink for breakfast, wondering exactly how religions, not exactly differentiable from superstition as can be assumed, work towards humanity's progress.

i cried when turlough left. he's among my favourite companions of the show as a whole, and this story gives him a comfortable conclusion to a character arc that has been brewing since the very beginning. since his introduction, he's been a character who's paralleled the doctor in many ways. his introduction in mawdryn undead showcased him, a seemingly high-born private school twit, stealing a car and running away. very literal metaphors here only. throughout, he's been tackling his desire for expediency and his growing compassion towards others. there are so many layers on which this works, not least of all the metaphor of his various fashion choices, stripped from a black suit down to a white one in enlightenment, down to his shorts here, becoming more comfortable in expressing himself without the weight of the expectations of trion or earth. the decision he takes here, to return to trion, sacrificing his own pleasure to help to rebuild after the regime, directly follows on from his decision to reject the reward offered in enlightenment. whereas then, it was out of compassion for his friend, here, it is out of compassion for people overall. it's beautiful. i love it. i love him. i want him.

and it's the best master story i've seen in the classic series by a long-shot. he is written exactly as he should be, taking advantage of hierarchies to further his own ends. and the end, of him burning to death at the hands of the doctor, is the catalyst for a very interesting change in personality towards the end of season 21 that results in the admittedly fantastic the twin dilemma.

the only downside being that this, tied with 5 nyssa tegan as the hottest tardis team in history, is only a single-story affair. damn.