Stories Television Doctor Who Season 2 Serial: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Planet of Giants 1 image Overview Episodes Characters How to Watch Reviews 17 Statistics Related Stories Quotes 2 Transcript Overview First aired Saturday, October 31, 1964 Production Code J Written by Louis Marks Directed by Douglas Camfield, Mervyn Pinfield Runtime 75 minutes Time Travel Present Tropes (Potential Spoilers!) Environmental Message, Miniaturisation Location (Potential Spoilers!) Earth, England Synopsis The doors of the TARDIS open of their own accord just before it materialises, running out of control. On emerging, the travellers find the ship has been reduced in size and they are now only about an inch tall. As tiny people, they stumble across a plot by a ruthless businessman, Forester, and his misguided scientist colleague, Smithers, to launch a new insecticide, DN6 — a product so destructive that it would kill not only those insects harmful to agriculture but also those vital to it. Watch Watched Favourite Favourited Add Review Edit Review Log a repeat Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Owned Save to my list Saved Edit date completed Custom Date Release Date Archive (no date) Save 3 Episodes Planet of Giants First aired Saturday, October 31, 1964 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Louis Marks Directed by Mervyn Pinfield UK Viewers 8.4 million Appreciation Index 57 Synopsis When the TARDIS malfunctions and the doors open in the time vortex, the travellers and their Ship shrink to the size of insects. When they arrive on Earth, they uncover a murderous plot involving a new insecticide - but how can they stop the crime in their miniaturised condition ? (Originally broadcast in three parts.) Dangerous Journey First aired Saturday, November 7, 1964 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Louis Marks Directed by Mervyn Pinfield UK Viewers 8.4 million Appreciation Index 58 Synopsis Ian and Barbara are accidentally taken into Smithers' laboratory and, while the Doctor and Susan face a hazardous journey to reach them, they witness the deadly effects of DN6 first hand. Crisis First aired Saturday, November 14, 1964 Runtime 25 minutes Written by Louis Marks Directed by Douglas Camfield UK Viewers 8.4 million Appreciation Index 58 Synopsis The Doctor and his friends face a race against time to expose Forrester's plans and return to normal size before Barbara succumbs to the effects of DN6. Show All Episodes Characters First Doctor William Hartnell Susan Carole Ann Ford Barbara Wright Jacqueline Hill Ian Chesterton William Russell Forester Alan Tilvern Smithers Reginald Barratt Show All Characters (6) How to watch Planet of Giants: Watch on iPlayer DVD Planet of Giants Blu-Ray The Collection – Season 2 VHS Planet of Giants (VHS) Reviews Add Review Edit Review Sort: Date (Newest First) Date (Oldest First) Likes (High-Low) Likes (Low-High) Rating (High-Low) Rating (Low-High) Word count (High-Low) Word count (Low-High) Username (A-Z) Username (Z-A) Spoilers First Spoilers Last 17 reviews 3 May 2025 · 34 words Review by kawaii2234 1 absolutely love that the main villains of this serial where the doctor and team TARDIS are shrunk down to the size of ants are A: a cat and B: a tory with a gun. kawaii2234 View profile Like Liked 1 13 April 2025 · 78 words Review by Dastari Not bad at all. I think the four-part edit really added something. The story really picked up in the second half and a lot of that was in the new scenes. I can see how this story has a negative reputation but I personally thought it was perfectly decent. I was invested in the pesticide stuff but "the main characters get shrunk" has been done to death. Not one of my favorites but I definitely didn't dislike it. Dastari View profile Like Liked 0 20 March 2025 · 32 words Review by Scottybguud 1 I've always quite enjoyed this one. The cast being miniaturised makes for some fun models and set pieces. 3 parter helps it fly along at a good pace. A fun start to season 2. Scottybguud View profile Like Liked 1 18 March 2025 · 44 words Review by KieranCooper 1 We love an environmentally themed story Looks great, production values out-do themselves Great conceptually, it stands out in it's experimental uniqueness The story doesn't drag at all, proving a 3-parter is often the best story length Just a lot of fun to be had KieranCooper View profile Like Liked 1 27 February 2025 · 92 words Review by uss-genderprise 1 It's amazing how dull a three-parter can be. It's not bad, necessarily, but there's just so little going on. It doesn't help that out main characters have basically no effect on the real plot of the story, which is happening almost entirely out of their view with characters we don't know. The concept of the characters being shrunk is interesting, the sets and props are impressive, and the lesson of the serial is a good one, so it's not all bad. Still, not one I see myself interested in revisiting anytime soon. uss-genderprise View profile Like Liked 1 Show All Reviews (17) Open in new window Statistics AVG. Rating596 members 3.25 / 5 Trakt.tv AVG. Rating508 votes 3.55 / 5 Member Statistics Watched 1038 Favourited 66 Reviewed 17 Saved 6 Skipped 1 Related Stories Lethbridge-Stewart The Grandfather Infestation Rating: ??? Story Skipped Book More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: Lethbridge-Stewart Novels Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Other adaptations of this story: We define an adaptation as a recreation of a similar story but on a different medium or with different characters. Target Collection Doctor Who: Planet of Giants Rating: 3.29 Story Skipped Book More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: Target Collection Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Quotes Add Quote Link to Quote Favourite SUSAN: It's too far for you, Grandfather. DOCTOR: Well, if it is, I shall have to give up, and I'm not going to give up before I've tried. And remember, you must think of the other two. They must be constantly reminding themselves they're only one inch high. There's only the two of us to help them. SUSAN: All right. But you let me go first. DOCTOR: Yes, yes, yes, go on. — Planet of Giants Show All Quotes (2) Open in new window Transcript Needs checking Episode One - Planet of Giants [TARDIS] DOCTOR: We're approaching a planet.IAN: Which one?DOCTOR: We shall soon see.BARBARA: Ow!DOCTOR: What's the matter, my dear?BARBARA: I've burnt myself. It's hot!DOCTOR: Oh, something overheating here. Just as well we're landing. Susan, check the fault locator, please.SUSAN: Yes, Grandfather.BARBARA: We're not going to blow up or anything, are we?DOCTOR: Oh, no, no, of course not. It's just, well, there we were, in the late eighteenth century and I tried another frequency to side-step the ship back into the middle of the twentieth century.SUSAN: There's something on QR18, Grandfather, and A14D. (A klaxon sounds) SUSAN: Grandfather! Grandfather! The door's opening!DOCTOR: What's happening? (frantically flipping switches) Close the doors, please. We haven't materialised properly. Quickly!IAN: What do you mean, close the doors?DOCTOR: Don't argue, dear boy. It's an emergency! Close the doors! Show Full Transcript Open in new window
