Doctor Who - Planet of the Spiders
2 Entertain Video (1973)
TV Series  /  Adventure, Drama, Family, Science Fiction, TV Classics
In Collection
#1030
0*
Seen ItYes
883929172290
IMDB   8.4
2 hr 26 mins USA / English
DVD  Region 1   NR (Not Rated)
Jon Pertwee The Third Doctor
Elisabeth Sladen Sarah Jane Smith
Nicholas Courtney Brigadier Lthbridge Stewart
Richard Franklin Mike Yates
John Levene Sergeant Benton
Cyril Shaps Professor Herbert Clegg
John Dearth Lupton
Christopher Burgess Barnes
Terence Lodge Moss
Carl Forgione Land
William Hartnell The First Doctor
Patrick Troughton The Second Doctor
Paul McGann The Eighth Doctor
Peter Davison The Fifth Doctor
Colin Baker The Sixth Doctor
Tom Baker The Fourth Doctor
Richard Hurndall The First Doctor
Sylvester McCoy The Seventh Doctor
William Russell Ian Chesterton
Mary Tamm Romana I
Maureen O'Brien Vicki
Eric Roberts The Master
Geoffrey Beevers The Master
Louise Jameson Leela
Jon Pertwee Doctor Who
Richard Franklin Captain Yates
Steve Ismay Exxilon
Ysanne Churchman Alpha Centauri
Nicholas Courtney Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart
Terry Walsh Jack
Kevin Lindsay Cho-je
Stuart Fell Body of Alpha Centauri
John Bennett General Finch
Pat Gorman Guard
Donald Gee Eckersley
Rex Robinson Gebek
Director
Barry Letts
Michael E. Briant
Producer Barry Letts
James Brown
Writer Robert Sloman
Sydney Newman
Terry Nation

Sarah is invited by Mike Yates to visit him at a Buddhist meditation centre where he has been staying. A group of people there, led by a man named Lupton, are misusing the meditation rituals in order to make contact with powerful alien forces, which manifest themselves as a giant spider. The spider is an emissary from the ruling council on the planet Metebelis 3, sent to recover the blue crystal that the Doctor previously found there and that has now been returned to him by Jo.

The Doctor and Sarah journey to Metebelis 3 and aid its human colonists in an attempt to overthrow the 'eight legs'. They then return to Earth in the TARDIS. The Doctor recognises the meditation centre abbot K'anpo as his former Time Lord guru and, at his prompting, returns to Metebelis 3, where the humans' revolt has ultimately failed. He demands an audience with the Great One - a huge mutated spider revered by the others - and offers her the crystal.

The Great One uses it to complete a crystal lattice, which she believes will increase her mental powers to infinity. Instead, the rising power kills her. The other spiders also die as their mountain explodes. K'anpo has meanwhile been killed while protecting Yates from an attack by the spider-controlled residents of the meditation centre, only to be reborn in the form of his assistant Cho-je - his own future self.

Some weeks later, the Doctor is brought back to UNIT HQ by the TARDIS, having been fatally affected by the radiation in the Great One's cave. K'anpo appears and, with his help, the Doctor regenerates.
Episodes
Disc 01
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    5/11/1974  1.  Planet of the Spiders
While the Doctor carries out an investigation into ESP, Mike Yates asks Sarah to look into some strange goings on at a meditation centre he's attending.
Director:  Barry Letts  /  Alan Bromly  / Alan Bromley  Writer:  Barry Letts  / Robert Sloman  /  Robert Holmes 
Guest starring:  Chubby Oates, Michael Pinder, Donald Pelmear, John J Carney, Sheila Fay, June Brown, Gordon Pitt
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    5/18/1974  2.  Planet of the Spiders
Lupton forms an alliance with the spider to steal the Doctor's blue crystal, while Sarah and Mike attempt to alert people to what they've seen.
Director:  Barry Letts  /  Alan Bromly  / Alan Bromley  Writer:  Barry Letts  / Robert Sloman  /  Robert Holmes 
Guest starring:  Maureen Morris,  Gareth Hunt, Geoffrey Morris,  Jenny Laird, Joanna Munro,  Ralph Arliss, Kismet Delgado, Bill Monks, Dudley Long, Donald Pelmear, June Brown, John J Carney
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    5/25/1974  3.  Planet of the Spiders
The Doctor and Sarah head to the meditation centre to try and get the crystal back while Lupton prepares to return it to Metebelis Three.But all their plans are disrupted when it is stolen by Tommy.
Director:  Barry Letts  /  Alan Bromly  / Alan Bromley  Writer:  Barry Letts  / Robert Sloman  /  Robert Holmes 
Guest starring:  Gareth Hunt, Geoffrey Morris,  Jenny Laird, Joanna Munro,  Ralph Arliss, Kismet Delgado, Maureen Morris, Donald Pelmear, John J Carney, June Brown, Sheila Fay, Steve Brunswick
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    6/1/1974  4.  Planet of the Spiders
Sarah is captured by the spiders' guards while the Doctor tries to help Arak and the others strike back against the spiders.
Director:  Barry Letts  /  Alan Bromly  / Alan Bromley  Writer:  Barry Letts  / Robert Sloman  /  Robert Holmes 
Guest starring:  Gareth Hunt, Geoffrey Morris,  Jenny Laird, Joanna Munro,  Ralph Arliss, Kismet Delgado, Maureen Morris, Donald Pelmear, John J Carney, June Brown, Sheila Fay, Bella Emberg
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    6/8/1974  5.  Planet of the Spiders
The Doctor escapes from the spiders' larder only to encounter the Great One, while Sarah makes a deal with the Queen Spider.
Director:  Barry Letts  /  Paddy Russell  Writer:  Barry Letts  / Robert Sloman  /  Malcolm Hulke 
Guest starring:  Tom BakerGareth HuntRalph Arliss, George Cormack, Kismet Delgado, Maureen Morris, Ben Aris,  Martin TaylorGeorge Bryson, Gordon Reid, Trevor Lawrence
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    1/19/1974  6.  Planet of the Spiders
K'Anpo persuades the Doctor he must face his fear and return the crystal to the Great One.But first they need to get past Barnes and his men.
Director:  Paddy Russell  Writer:  Malcolm Hulke 
Guest starring:  James MarcusGeorge Bryson
Disc 02
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    1/26/1974  7.  Invasion of the Dinosaurs (3)
London, the near future. The Doctor and Sarah return to a deserted city under martial law. Dinosaurs are running amok in the streets - but how can this be happening? And who stands to gain from it?
Director:  Paddy Russell  Writer:  Malcolm Hulke 
Guest starring:  Terence Wilton
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    2/2/1974  8.  Invasion of the Dinosaurs (4)
London, the near future. The Doctor and Sarah return to a deserted city under martial law. Dinosaurs are running amok in the streets - but how can this be happening? And who stands to gain from it?
Director:  Paddy Russell  Writer:  Malcolm Hulke 
Guest starring:  Terence Wilton, Brian Badcoe
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    2/9/1974  9.  Invasion of the Dinosaurs (5)
London, the near future. The Doctor and Sarah return to a deserted city under martial law. Dinosaurs are running amok in the streets - but how can this be happening? And who stands to gain from it?
Director:  Paddy Russell  Writer:  Malcolm Hulke 
Guest starring:  Terence Wilton, Brian Badcoe, Colin Bell
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    2/16/1974  10.  Invasion of the Dinosaurs (6)
London, the near future. The Doctor and Sarah return to a deserted city under martial law. Dinosaurs are running amok in the streets - but how can this be happening? And who stands to gain from it?
Director:  Paddy Russell  Writer:  Malcolm Hulke 
Guest starring:  Terence Wilton, Brian Badcoe, Colin Bell, Timothy Craven
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    2/23/1974  11.  Death to the Daleks (1)
The barren planet Exxilon, some time in the future. The TARDIS is forced down by a total power failure and the Doctor and Sarah meet a stranded Earth crew who came here to mine for priceless medical supplies. But what is causing the power failures? And why have the Daleks come here too?
Director:  Michael E. Briant  Writer:  Terry Nation 
Guest starring:  Mostyn EvansDuncan LamontJoy HarrisonJulian FoxNeil Seiler
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    3/2/1974  12.  Death to the Daleks (2)
The barren planet Exxilon, some time in the future. The TARDIS is forced down by a total power failure and the Doctor and Sarah meet a stranded Earth crew who came here to mine for priceless medical supplies. But what is causing the power failures? And why have the Daleks come here too?
Director:  Michael E. Briant  Writer:  Terry Nation 
Guest starring:  Arnold Yarrow,  Mostyn EvansJoy HarrisonJulian FoxNeil SeilerDuncan Lamont
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    3/9/1974  13.  Death to the Daleks (3)
The barren planet Exxilon, some time in the future. The TARDIS is forced down by a total power failure and the Doctor and Sarah meet a stranded Earth crew who came here to mine for priceless medical supplies. But what is causing the power failures? And why have the Daleks come here too?
Director:  Michael E. Briant  Writer:  Terry Nation 
Guest starring:  Roy Heymann, Arnold Yarrow,  Joy HarrisonJulian FoxDuncan Lamont
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    3/16/1974  14.  Death to the Daleks (4)
The barren planet Exxilon, some time in the future. The TARDIS is forced down by a total power failure and the Doctor and Sarah meet a stranded Earth crew who came here to mine for priceless medical supplies. But what is causing the power failures? And why have the Daleks come here too?
Director:  Michael E. Briant  Writer:  Terry Nation 
Guest starring:  Arnold Yarrow,  Joy HarrisonJulian FoxDuncan Lamont
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    3/23/1974  15.  The Monster of Peladon (1)
The planet Peladon, some time in the future. Mining disputes threaten the peace of the planet, and as the Doctor and Jo arrive, it seems that the ghost of Aggedor walks once more...
Director:  Lennie Mayne  Writer:  Brian Hayles 
Guest starring:  Graeme EtonMichael Crane
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    3/30/1974  16.  The Monster of Peladon (2)
The planet Peladon, some time in the future. Mining disputes threaten the peace of the planet, and as the Doctor and Jo arrive, it seems that the ghost of Aggedor walks once more...
Director:  Lennie Mayne  Writer:  Brian Hayles 
Guest starring:  Graeme Eton
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    4/6/1974  17.  The Monster of Peladon (3)
The planet Peladon, some time in the future. Mining disputes threaten the peace of the planet, and as the Doctor and Jo arrive, it seems that the ghost of Aggedor walks once more...
Director:  Lennie Mayne  Writer:  Brian Hayles 
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    4/13/1974  18.  The Monster of Peladon (4)
The planet Peladon, some time in the future. Mining disputes threaten the peace of the planet, and as the Doctor and Jo arrive, it seems that the ghost of Aggedor walks once more...
Director:  Lennie Mayne  Writer:  Brian Hayles 
Guest starring:  Graeme Eton
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    4/20/1974  19.  The Monster of Peladon (5)
The planet Peladon, some time in the future. Mining disputes threaten the peace of the planet, and as the Doctor and Jo arrive, it seems that the ghost of Aggedor walks once more...
Director:  Lennie Mayne  Writer:  Brian Hayles 
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    4/27/1974  20.  The Monster of Peladon (6)
The planet Peladon, some time in the future. Mining disputes threaten the peace of the planet, and as the Doctor and Jo arrive, it seems that the ghost of Aggedor walks once more...
Director:  Lennie Mayne  Writer:  Brian Hayles 
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    5/4/1974  21.  Planet of the Spiders (1)
England, the near future. Mike Yates, formerly of UNIT, is disturbed by odd happenings at a monastic retreat. Using Sarah as a liaison, he is able to warn the Doctor and the Brigadier. But how is the Doctor's research into ESP and the blue Metebelius III crystal connected to Mike's warning?
Director:  Barry Letts  Writer:  Barry Letts  / Robert Sloman 
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    5/11/1974  22.  Planet of the Spiders (2)
A highly intelligent spider from Metebelius III arrives on Earth in search of the powerful crystal. When it is stolen from his laboratory, the Doctor leads the chase over land, water and air to recover it.
Director:  Barry Letts  Writer:  Barry Letts  / Robert Sloman 
Guest starring:  Chubby Oates, Michael Pinder
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    5/18/1974  23.  Planet of the Spiders (3)
England, the near future. As the Doctor receives a parcel from South America, Mike Yates asks Sarah to visit the meditation centre where he's been recuperating. But what is the true significance of the blue crystal of Metebelis Three? And is this adventure one too many for the Doctor?
Director:  Barry Letts  Writer:  Barry Letts  / Robert Sloman 
Guest starring:  Maureen Morris,  Gareth Hunt, Geoffrey Morris,  Jenny Laird, Joanna Munro,  Ralph Arliss, Kismet Delgado
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    5/25/1974  24.  Planet of the Spiders (4)
England, the near future. As the Doctor receives a parcel from South America, Mike Yates asks Sarah to visit the meditation centre where he's been recuperating. But what is the true significance of the blue crystal of Metebelis Three? And is this adventure one too many for the Doctor?
Director:  Barry Letts  Writer:  Barry Letts  / Robert Sloman 
Guest starring:  Gareth Hunt, Geoffrey Morris,  Jenny Laird, Joanna Munro,  Ralph Arliss, Kismet Delgado, Maureen Morris
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    6/1/1974  25.  Planet of the Spiders (5)
England, the near future. As the Doctor receives a parcel from South America, Mike Yates asks Sarah to visit the meditation centre where he's been recuperating. But what is the true significance of the blue crystal of Metebelis Three? And is this adventure one too many for the Doctor?
Director:  Barry Letts  Writer:  Barry Letts  / Robert Sloman 
Guest starring:  Gareth Hunt, Geoffrey Morris,  Jenny Laird, Joanna Munro,  Ralph Arliss, Kismet Delgado, Maureen Morris
    Seen it: Yes   0 hr 25 mins    6/8/1974  26.  Planet of the Spiders (6)
England, the near future. As the Doctor receives a parcel from South America, Mike Yates asks Sarah to visit the meditation centre where he's been recuperating. But what is the true significance of the blue crystal of Metebelis Three? And is this adventure one too many for the Doctor?
Director:  Barry Letts  Writer:  Barry Letts  / Robert Sloman 
Guest starring:  Tom BakerGareth HuntRalph Arliss, George Cormack, Kismet Delgado, Maureen Morris
Edition Details
Edition Episode 074
Series Doctor Who
Distributor BBC Home Video
Release Date 5/10/2011
Screen Ratio Fullscreen (4:3)
Subtitles English (Closed Captioned)
Audio Tracks Dolby Digital Mono [English]
Stereo [English]
Layers Single Side, Dual Layer
No. of Discs/Tapes 2

Features
Disc 02 Photo Gallery
Production Notes
Audio Commentary with Elisabeth Sladen , Nicholas Courtney Richard Franklin, Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks
The Final Curtain: Making of teh Third Doctor's last story
John Kane Remembers
Directing Doctor Who
Now and Then: Filming locations
Planet of the SPiders: Omnibus Edition
Omnibus Trailer
User Defined
User Lookup 1 Doctor Who 'Verse