Doctor Who (TV Series) The Abandoned Planet (1966) User Reviews

A Classic brilliant episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 25 October 2015]

The delegates meet for the final conference. The tiranium is fitted to the time destructor, Chen's arrogance is at an all time high, he's attempted to rise above his station, angering his fellow delegates. By a stroke of luck the TARDIS has landed on Kembel, so at least they're in with a chance. The Doctor goes off on his own, leaving Sara and Steven to assume he's been captured, they go in search of him, discovering the Dalek base empty and the delegates imprisoned. With no choice Steven has no choice but to release them and allow them to return to their respective planets and assemble forces to attack the Daleks. Chen true to character turns on Steven and Sara leading them back to the Daleks.

After the highs and lows, and plenty of silliness the latter parts of Master plan are among the best episodes of Classic Who. I was always a little suspicious of the Daleks allying themselves with lesser life forms, so it's refreshing here that they truly return to character, they're back to being as calculating and ruthless as ever.

I really like Kevin Stoney's performance too, he's done a great job with Mavic Chen, showing his increasing desperation for power and growing insanity.

It's a great episode, brilliantly building up to the awesome concluding episode. 9/10

A Bit More Filler

[icewarrior-26727 · 7/10 · 13 January 2017]

This is a pretty decent episode however it could be have a bit more substance as it more or less boils down a "give Hartnell a week's break" episode. Most of it is spent watching Steven and Sara exploring an empty Kembel as the Daleks are underground.

The scenes with Chen in are great especially when he thinks he's usurped the galactic council, his descent into madness increases the more his dreams of grandeur become fiction which really suits his character. I will however praise this episode for it's good atmosphere, even if the dialogue is pretty lacking which is odd for Spooner. Overall there's not too much to say here, it works but there's not a whole lot to it.

The Daleks' Master Plan: Part 11 - Brilliant epic adventure

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 10/10 · 19 August 2014]

Review for all 12 parts:

This is an epic 12 part story from writers Dennis Spooner and Dalek originator Terry Nation, beginning with the episode The Nightmare Begins.

This adventure continues the story introduced in the episode Mission To The Unknown and features the Doctor trying to thwart the Daleks evil plans to conquer the solar system. It also features Nicholas Courtney (later to play Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, a series regular), as Bret Vyon. He, along with the regular cast, Kevin Stoney as villainous Mavic Chen and most other cast, perform superbly. The Daleks too are at their peak in many ways and are great villains for this epic. In addition there are the other interesting alien characters and even the return of the Meddling Monk (Peter Butterworth) from the Doctor's home world! The story even has the shocking deaths of no less than 3 of the Doctor's 'companions'!

The word epic is absolutely right for this mammoth story and it is incredible how the quality and interest is kept over an unprecedented 12 episodes. The only slight drop in quality being the 7th episode The Feast of Steven which is a Christmas special of a far more light- hearted and whimsical kind. To compare that episode and criticise it as a blot on the story is very unfair, you have to take it on its own as a special episode more comparable to the kind of comedy spoof used for charity telethons in later years. On that basis it is successful. The other 11 episodes are brilliant, exciting and well made.

A classic.

My Ratings: Episode 7 - 7/10, all other episodes 10/10