Planet of Fire

134 – Planet of Fire
Doctor Who serial
Peri caught by Kamelion in the shape of the Master
Cast
Doctor Peter Davison (Fifth Doctor)
Companions Mark Strickson (Vislor Turlough) Nicola Bryant (Peri Brown) Gerald Flood (Kamelion)
Others Anthony Ainley — The Master Dallas Adams — Howard Michael Bangerter — Curt Peter Wyngarde — Timanov Barbara Shelley — Sorasta James Bate — Amyand Jonathan Caplan — Roskal Edward Highmore — Malkon Max Arthur — Zuko John Alkin — Lomand Simon Sutton — Lookout
Production
Directed by	Fiona Cumming
Written by	Peter Grimwade
Script editor	Eric Saward
Produced by	John Nathan-Turner
Executive producer(s)	None
Incidental music composer	Peter Howell
Production code	6Q
Series	Season 21
Length	4 episodes, 25 minutes each
Originally broadcast	23 February–2 March 1984
Chronology
← Preceded by Followed by → Resurrection of the Daleks The Caves of Androzani
List of Doctor Who serials

Planet of Fire

Author	Peter Grimwade
Cover artist	Andrew Skilleter
Series	Doctor Who book: Target novelisations
Release number	93
Publisher	Target Books
Publication date	14 February 1985
ISBN

Planet of Fire is the fifth serial of the 21st season in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 23 February to 2 March 1984. The episode features the nineteenth appearance of Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, and the last before his final serial, The Caves of Androzani. This story marks the final regular appearance of Mark Strickson as Vislor Turlough and introduces Nicola Bryant as the Fifth Doctor's new companion, Peri Brown. It also is the second and final appearance of Gerald Flood as the voice of Kamelion.

On the desert world of Sarn, robed natives worship the fire god Logar and follow the Chief Elder, Timanov, who demands obedience. Those who dissent are known as Unbelievers and two of them, Amyand and Roskal, cause unrest when they claim to have ventured to the top of the sacred fire mountain but not found Logar. One of the Sarns, Malkon, is known as the Chosen One because of the unusual double triangle symbol burnt into his skin: he is also unusual for having been found as a baby on the slopes of the sacred fire mountain.

The same triangle symbol is found on a metal artefact uncovered in an archaeological dig in Lanzarote overseen by Professor Howard Foster. His stepdaughter Perpugilliam (usually called 'Peri') Brown is bored with the dig and wants to go travelling in Morocco and when he seeks to prevent this she steals the strange artefact and tries to swim for freedom. Fortunately for her the TARDIS has landed nearby—responding to a distress call sent by the strange artefact—and Turlough sees her drowning and rescues her. Going through her possessions as she recovers he finds the artefact and acknowledges the same triangle symbol is burnt into his own flesh. The Doctor returns to the TARDIS after attempting to triangulate the source of the signal being emitted by the artefact, and the ship dematerialises, seemingly on its own. It soon arrives on Sarn and the Doctor and Turlough set off to explore.