Doctor Who – The Companion Chronicles

#4.03. The Prisoner of Peladon ~ 9/10

◆ An Introduction

The original Peladon adventure is one of my favourite stories from the Pertwee era; a political thriller with metaphors for the potential benefits of Great Britain joining the EU… where one of the delegates roughly resembled an octopus that had been marinaded in wasabi! It was Doctor Who having a gloriously camp time, and Aggedor was just adorable. I found the whole experience truly delightful, and was looking forward to watching the follow-up: such a shame it was excruciatingly boring!

‘The Curse of Peladon’ has spawned several sequels, across various platforms, but they never manage to be as enjoyable as the original. Scott and Wright are one of the most adored writing duos for the audio adventures; here’s hoping they can break the curse of the Peladon sequels.

◆ Publisher’s Summary

"Tonight, I am going to tell you the story of the Prisoner of Peladon, and of the time when a friend and protector returned to our planet. A man called… the Doctor."

The planet Peladon has joined the Galactic Federation, and has undergone a painful period of change. Still eager to embrace alien culture, King Peladon has welcomed refugee Ice Warriors to his world – innocent creatures that are fleeing the New Martian Republic.

But, as an old friend returns to the capitol, there is murder in the refugee camps. Could the truth lie in an ancient legend?

◆ King Peladon

Something of a departure from the norm of this range, Scott and Wright reunite us with the monarch of Peladon. Five years have passed since his world joined the Galactic Federation, and he’s become a much stronger ruler in a short amount of time. Now he’s got a new challenge to face: an influx of refugees escaping from the carnage of the Martian Civil War. Peladon was something of a wet weekend during his first appearance, so I really appreciate some writers taking the opportunity to give him some depth.

When your voice is as rich as freshly baked chocolate fudge brownies, your narration will be outstanding: I was hanging off of every word. David Troughton easily resurrects his character for audio, though gives him a more mature edge than what we saw in ‘The Curse of Peladon’. The only aspect of his performance I couldn’t take seriously was his Alpha Centauri, which sounded a bit like Mort from the Madagascar films.

When King Peladon was a boy, he would lay awake in his royal bed chamber, high up in the Citadel, long after the torches had burnt their last before dawn. He would listen to the wind and the rain howl and lash against the stone walls; he felt safe and warm under the heavy furs of his bed, knowing Aggedor had watched over him into the night. Sometimes, he thought he heard voices on the wind: people calling out. His mother and father found him, more than once, wandering the Citadel in his night clothes looking for the poor lost souls seeking shelter… but they were never there. Now he is older – perhaps not wiser, but definitely older – and he still finds himself listening to those voices on the wind, because the ruler of a planet must always listen. He must listen to his people; he must listen to his High Priest and his Chancellor; above all, he must listen to his heart and trust that it will guide him to do the right thing. King Peladon knows that nothing is constant: for years he’d known nothing but the Citadel – living an ordered, pre-destined life of privilege – but when the Federation came to Peladon, it brought with it a whole universe. The endless flux of shifting alliances within the Federation worlds never ceased to amaze him. It was this flux that brought the Martian refugees to his planet; refugees fleeing a violent and terrible military uprising on their home world. King Peladon admires the Martian people; fierce, proud, and resilient.

◆ The Third Doctor

This episode takes place a short while after the heartbreaking departure of Jo Grant, and we find the Doctor calling in on an old friend. Scott and Wright have done an excellent job with the characterisation here. I honestly wish we’d gotten something similar to this episode in place of that monstrous bore… sorry, I meant ‘The Monster of Peladon’.

Despite sounding an awful lot like a different incarnation – his father was the Second Doctor, after all – David Troughton expertly captures the essence of Pertwee.

The same careworn face, the same piercing eyes. The Doctor had come and gone like the ghost of Aggedor during the planet’s greatest time of need, yet here he was, this almost mythical figure to the people of Peladon. When asking the Doctor about Princess Josephine of Tardis, Peladon can see there is a sorrow weighing heavy on his heart when he admits that she’s moved on. When you have a nose like his, it’s wise to follow it sometimes! The Doctor could never resist a locked door, but sometimes the oldest and simplest of locking mechanisms can foil even the sonic screwdriver. King Peladon believes that destruction hangs over him like a broiling cloud, and he seems to revel living in its shadow. At least before, he had someone to keep him in check. Perhaps that’s why he looked so upset when the King asked after Jo: perhaps he realised that he needs someone like her, with heart, to keep him from going too far.

◆ Story Recap

Peladon had seen a time of great change: it had been five years since the planet was accepted into the Galactic Federation, and they had flourished. Their world was no longer regarded as a backwater rock, but as a strong and credible voice in the chaotic arena of the Federation Council. It had been a long struggle, and they had given much of themselves as a people, but King Peladon still passionately believes, to this day, that they have gained much more.

New Mars has recently experienced a violent and terrible military uprising, with many refugees seeking sanctuary on other Federation worlds. It was believed that the Martian Royal Family had been executed, but one of them survived, and has been tracked to Peladon.

Princes Lixgaar has been hidden away until safe passage to Galactic Federation headquarters can be arranged… but hidden by who? With forces loyal to the Grand Marshall rapidly closing in, can the Doctor and King Peladon save the last remaining heir to the Martian throne?

◆ Humanitarian Crisis

‘The Curse of Peladon’ managed to balance being a political thriller with having a camp old time, but this episode focuses a lot more on the former. Scott and Wright have created a world struggling with a refugee crisis, and a monarch doing everything in his power to accommodate those fleeing from the bloody revolt on New Mars.

This episode features some quite harrowing imagery; a Martian mother is slaughtered whilst trying to protect her young. A refugee camp has been established on Mount Megeshra, but it’s clearly meant as a temporary measure. Fighting and unrest have already broken out between Pel separatists and the poor unfortunates with no choice but to remain in the camp. Scenes like this serve as a harsh reminder of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine; fifteen years after this episode was released, and it’s taken on a new sense of poignancy.

◆ Sound Design

The Citadel: a Gothic castle built into the mountainside, constantly battered by violent thunderstorms. It’s one of the most recognisable locations from the original Peladon stories, and one Toby Hrycek-Robinson had me visualising in seconds!

◆ Conclusion

“Many still called the Martians Ice Warriors. A xenophobic throwback to a violent heritage: a heritage some sought to resurrect.”

New Mars has recently experienced a violent and terrible military uprising, with many refugees seeking sanctuary on other Federation worlds. It was believed that the Martian Royal Family had been executed, but one of them survived, and has been tracked to Peladon.

The performances in this episode are excellent: I think Nicholas Briggs deserves a round of applause for playing all the Ice Warriors, whilst giving each one their own identity. Then you’ve got the man whose voice is as decadent as a black forest gâteau! Troughton had me hanging off of his every word, especially during the opening scenes when King Peladon was recounting his tale.

The ‘Gallifrey’ range is the worst example of a political drama: it was drier than the Atacama Desert! On the flipside, Scott and Wright have managed to create something truly gripping for our return trip to Peladon, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I might have even convinced myself to purchase the 2022 ‘Peladon’ set…

Oh that’s not it cheif