It’s crazy that not too long ago this would be either at my second of all time favourite Fifth Doctor story, but it just goes to show the resurgence the Fifth Doctor has had in recent years. The Caves of Androzani is regarded by many as one of if not the best episode in the show’s history. Whenever you look up such lists online, if it’s not at No.1 it’s definitely in the top 5. I know fans who absolutely despise the Fifth Doctor but still say this is one of Doctor Who’s all time greats, and not just for the fact that it kills the Fifth Doctor.

This is a regeneration story that is everything the Modern Who regenerations stories continuously miss the point on. Pretty much all of Modern Who’s regeneration stories try to be these big universe ending stories with the Doctor’s impending regeneration constantly being foreshadowed or in some cases being the driving force of the plot. They have habit of glorifying the Doctor’s death when honestly, it’s more impactful the more downplayed and simpler it is. In this story the Doctor’s dying right from the get-go and he doesn’t even realise that until the near halfway point, it comes from something so simple as touching an unknown plant. From there the Doctor and Peri are put through a brutally unforgiving story as they’re captured, almost executed, chased by sadistic killers and in the case of Peri being leered over by the Phantom of the Opera.

Sharaz Jek is an all-time great Doctor Who villain, not exactly evil as they give him a tragic backstory and motivation for waging a small war against the government of Androzani Major, but he’s still an intimidating figure who can snap without warning. Christopher Gable gives an intense and unsettling performance as Sharaz Jek, it blows my mind that they originally wanted David Bowie in the role (yes that David Bowie), but I feel that celebrity casting would’ve been distracting. Here Christopher Gable showcases a performance that gets downright uncomfortable at certain points. There’s a scene in particular where he’s alone with Peri that I’m honestly shocked they were allowed to air given the implications. It’s made more uncomfortable by Nicola Bryant’s performance as Peri who’s absolutely incredible playing off Sharaz Jek’s creepy advances and insane ranting, just that look on her face when he strokes her hair, that winced expression mixed with utter terror is just gold.

But as if one great villainous performance wasn’t enough, we get two with John Normington as Morgus, it’s one of those performances where he’s just relishing every moment of how evil he is but he never goes too far, which makes it all the more unsettling, some of his best moments involve him talking to himself while looking directly at the camera, it was unintentional and a miscommunication between him and the director but it was brilliantly performed that they kept it in.

This was the first Doctor Who episode directed by Graeme Harper who went on to direct a few major episodes in the Russel T. Davies era, he brings a more cinematic vibe than most Classic Who stories, and it works excellently. Notably the cliff-hanger to part three which is my all-time favourite Doctor Who cliff-hanger, the editing and sound design is top notch as the Doctor hijacks a mercenary ship and races back to Androzani Minor to rescue Peri, all while holding off his regeneration and with a gun pointed at him. If you don’t watch this story then I do urge you to at least check out the cliff-hanger, it’s incredibly executed and gives me goosebumps every time! For as timid and non-threatening as the Fifth Doctor is often described as, this was his most badass moment!

Then we come to the ending, and oh what an ending this is, the Doctor finds the antidote to the poison that’s been slowly killing him and Peri all episode but there’s not enough for them both. If this were written by Russel, he’d probably have the Doctor crying and screaming about how he can do “so much more!” or how he “doesn’t want to go” and all that crap. But thankfully he isn’t and the Fifth Doctor without a moment’s hesitation uses the last of his energy to give Peri the antidote. Then he calmly and gently says goodbye to Peri as he begins to regenerate and the faces of all his past companions and the Master swirl around in his head before a new Doctor sits bolt upright. Ending on a gold line that change has happened and not a moment too soon. This is the best regeneration in all of Doctor Who and until Modern Who gets a clue how to handle these scenes it’ll continue to stay that way; no crying, no speeches, no nostalgia baiting, the closest they ever got was Parting of the Ways but unfortunately that came before they went off the rails with regeneration stories.

There’s not much else to say really, even for fans who never liked the Fifth Doctor, there’s no denying that he went out with a bang. But more importantly this story answers the age old mystery that everyone wanted to know from the Fifth Doctor’s very beginning…..just why does he wear that celery?????