Doctor Who (1963) 15.04.03

The Sun Makers - Part Three

Leela tricks the guards into thinking that she, Cordo, and Bisham are ready to surrender. The guards approach and are blasted by K-9 who remained hidden around a corner. Leela and the others take the guards' vehicle. They crash through a checkpoint that is in the process of being taken down but Leela gets shot, falls off the vehicle, and is taken prisoner.

Mandrel is ready to interrogate the Doctor. He suspects him of being in league with Gatherer Hade. Cordo and Bisham return in time to help convince Mandrel that the Doctor is on their side. They come up with a plan to foment a mass uprising by disabling the power in Main Control. This would have a cascading effect on the plants that pump chemicals into the air, the chemicals that helps the company to control the people.

Leela is taken to the Controller and interrogated. She tells them about the Doctor and that he is a Time Lord. The Controller decides that Leela must be executed. He coordinates with Gatherer Hade to make it a public execution and set a trap for the Doctor and the others.

The Doctor, Mandrel, Cordo, Bisham, and K-9 break into and take over the main power plant. They convince the two workers there, at gun point, to join them. It is also there that they learn that Leela is about to be executed. The Doctor comes up with a plan to rescue her. He shimmies through a tunnel which leads into the chamber where she is to be executed with steam but time is running out.

Thoughts

Tom Baker, Pennant Roberts (director of the Sun Makers), and Michael Keating (Goudry) are on the commentary track for this episode.

It wasn't until this episode that I noticed that the collector looks a bit like an evil version of Professor X. 

Leela and the Doctor, as with the previous installment, do not share a scene in this episode. I like it when the companions are given their own little arc within the bigger story. It gives them more to do and helps to make them seem like more fully realized characters.

There's one scene where Cordo is supposed to climb up a ladder with his hands full. He walks back to the ladder, at which point he mostly out of sight, and just stands there until the scene ends. It is pretty clear at the end of the scene, if you look closely, that he is just standing there and making no attempt to climb the ladders or do anything other than stand still.

I am still enjoying this story. I think it compares quite favorably to stories from the 14th season, most of which where quite good.