Doctor Who (1963) 15.04.01

The Sun Makers - Part One

The Doctor and Leela arrive on Pluto on the top of a very tall building. The Doctor thinks something looks amiss and decides that they should investigate. They leave K-9 in the TARDIS, which they exit just in time to prevent Cordo, a D grade worker, from committing suicide.

Cordo can't afford the cost of his father's funeral. He is in a debt spiral which is impossible for him to escape. The Doctor Leela, and Cordo take cover when they hear noise advertising the coming of the Gatherer. 

The Gatherer arrives on the roof top just as the Doctor, Leela, and Cordo duck out of sight. Gatherer Hade and Marn, his assistant, inspect the TARDIS. Hade decides that the TARDIS is being used by the Ajacks (miners) to smuggle in weapons for the purpose of overthrowing his employer, the Company.

Cordo leads the Doctor and Leela down into the undercity, where there is very little light. There they meet the outlaws that live in the undercity. Mandrel, the leader of the outlaws, questions their motivations for descending into the undercity. He doubts their sincerity. He tests them by giving the Doctor a task to complete.

The Doctor in given a card and told to go to a machine and retrieve the money that is on the card. If he fails to return in a timely manner then Leela will be killed. The Doctor tries to complete the task but he is trapped inside the booth with the machine which then starts to fill with gas.

Thoughts

This is a good start. I like the supporting cast, especially the actors who are playing Cordo and Gatherer Hade. They both seem very invested in the parts they are playing.

There are two women in the supporting cast for this story, in addition to Leela. Neither are playing leaders but it's a an improvement from stories where there are no women other than the companion.

Tom Baker, Louise Jameson, and director Pennant Roberts are on the commentary track.

I know I saw this story before, back in the 1980s. I recall bits and pieces of it. I don't recall if I liked it at that time. I can see things now that would have gone right over my head back then. I hope that the next three episodes live up to the promise that I see in this one.