Planet of the Spiders

074 – Planet of the Spiders
Doctor Who serial
The Spider Queen of Metebelis Three
Cast
Doctor Jon Pertwee (Third Doctor) Tom Baker (Fourth Doctor) (uncredited)
Companion Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith)
Others Nicholas Courtney — Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart Richard Franklin — Mike Yates John Levene — Sergeant Benton John Dearth — Lupton Carl Forgione — Land Andrew Staines — Keaver Terence Lodge — Moss Christopher Burgess — Barnes John Kane — Tommy Kevin Lindsay — Cho-Je George Cormack — K'anpo Cyril Shaps — Professor Clegg Chubby Oates — Policeman Pat Gorman — Soldier Terry Walsh — Man with Boat Michael Pinder — Hopkins Stuart Fell — Tramp Geoffrey Morris — Sabor Ralph Arliss — Tuar Gareth Hunt — Arak Jenny Laird — Neska Joanna Monro — Rega Walter Randall, Max Faulkner — Guard Captains Ysanne Churchman, Kismet Delgado, Maureen Morris — Spider Voices
Production
Directed by	Barry Letts
Written by	Robert Sloman Barry Letts (uncredited)
Script editor	Terrance Dicks
Produced by	Barry Letts (uncredited)
Executive producer(s)	None
Incidental music composer	Dudley Simpson
Production code	ZZZ
Series	Season 11
Length	6 episodes, 25 minutes each
Date started	4 May 1974
Date ended	8 June 1974
Chronology
← Preceded by Followed by → The Monster of Peladon Robot

Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders

Author	Terrance Dicks
Cover artist	Peter Brookes
Series	Doctor Who book: Target novelisations
Release number	48
Publisher	Target Books
Publication date	16 October 1975
ISBN

Planet of the Spiders is the fifth and final serial of the 11th season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from 4 May to 8 June 1974. It was Jon Pertwee's last serial as the Third Doctor, and marks the first, uncredited appearance of Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor. It marks the last regular appearance of Mike Yates. This serial introduces the term "regeneration".

Following the events of Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Mike Yates was discharged from UNIT and is now attending a Tibetan meditation centre in rural England. Sarah Jane Smith visits him and they witness some curious happenings at the centre, seemingly organised by a resident called Lupton, a middle aged former salesman, and his cronies. Mike and Sarah stumble across Lupton performing an incantation, which conjures up a giant spider into the middle of the basement room. It jumps on Lupton’s back and then disappears. The spider manifests itself in Lupton’s head, telling him to seek out and locate a certain blue crystal.

The Third Doctor has developed an interest in psychic ability, but his testing of a clairvoyant called Professor Clegg backfires when his subject has a heart attack. It is triggered when Clegg comes into contact with a blue crystal from Metebelis Three (sent back from the Amazon by Jo Grant), which caused him to see the image of deadly spiders. Sarah returns from the retreat, having left Mike to watch things there, and she and the Doctor swap spider tales. Meanwhile, Lupton has also arrived at UNIT HQ and steals the crystal from the Doctor’s laboratory. A multi-vehicle chase ensues which Lupton escapes by teleporting himself back to the monastery. Once there, the spider reveals that it is plotting against some of its sisters back on Metebelis Three. The spiders and the crystal originate from the same blue planet in the Acteon Galaxy, which was none too hospitable to the Doctor the last time he visited (during The Green Death).