Customer Rating: 
Summary: Not one of the best.
Comment: This is not one of the best Dr Who stories in my opinion. I bought this on VHS because I wanted to have something of DR Who and something of Jon Pertwee. This is Jon Pertwee's last appearance as Dr Who until the Five Doctors. He gets replaced by Tom Baker who plays the fourth doctor, although in my opinion not as good as Jon Pertwee who is the best.
I didn't find the story that interesting about the spiders as I don't like insects of any kind and the fact that they can talk is ridiculous.When the Doctor and Sarah got to Metebelis III it looked suspiciously fake to me as the landscape looked like giant posters with black spots on them.
This story goes for two and a half hours and it is drawn out. Not a very good ending for Jon Pertwee but suppose if you're desperate to watch some DR Who and Pertwee, then you could probably do worse like the Daemons story. I recommend Claws of Axos, Terror of the Autons, Three Doctors, Day of the Daleks and Death to the Daleks.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Oh what a tangled web we weave
Comment: i have given this Jon Pertwee story five stars because in many ways it was one of the best stories that he, himself portrayed and must count as one of the best Doctor Who's ever.I have to admit to not being a Pertwee fan. My preference has always been for Pat Troughton or Tom Baker. However, one thing cannot be taken away from Pertwee - he certainly brought the series up to date, keeping and expanding it's audience at the same time.
The story is a culmoination of a series of shows which seemed to have begun in the penultimate season of Pertwee's third Doctor. It brings together a number of strands which had been threaded together over the Pertwee years and which were to grace this six part adventure.
Clearly the most conspicuous of these strands was the return of the blue crysatl from Jo in the Amazon. However, there was the Tibetan connection which began in the early UNIT days when Troughton was the Doctor in the early Yeti story. The Tibetan link was also strengthened by the growing drip feed of Gallifrey lore which had begun with the demise of the second Doctor and had continued throughout the Pertwee years. On a production note, the increased location work and the use of vehicles climaxed in the extended chase scene which occupied a lengthy segment of this last Pertwee story.
The story itself gave a little insight into the Doctor's travels which later manifested itself in a Tom Baker story which may be subtitled as what happens when I come back to a planet later on in time.
Overall the Planet of the Spiders was a recognition of the new audience that was following the show. The dandyish overtly heroic Doctor and the more glamorous companions together with the latest toys drew many more young adults to the show. This new audience brought with it a new level of sophistication which was reflected in the show's concerns. Less obvious lecturing and more obvious entertaining seemed to be the order of the day.
Most of all Planet of the Spiders reflected the need for Pertwee to end his Doctor Who days with the regognition of his accomplishments. The story line is charged with some of the issues of the day such as the importance of alternative remedies to the issues of the stress of work and the more complex world reality. The female nature of the spiders themselves and the subjugation of the male slaves on Metabilis tells an interesting story of the growth of feminism in the UK ( especially given the chauvinistic tendencies of Pertwee's Doctor)
All in all the story builds to a conclusion which may have possibly included the death of the Doctor. Instead it concluded with an ending that presented significant opportunities for the actor who was to take over the role.
This adventure kept my attention throughout. I must concur with those who see that the chase was overly long but that surely was a feature of most of the Pertwee stories.
Hindsight often enables us to see things differently from those who underwent the experience almost thirty years ago. As a viewer since the first episode appeared on the BBC I can only review this show the way I saw it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good send off
Comment: Jon Pertwee gets a pretty good sendoff in the Planet of Spiders, Likely not as good as he deserved but still worth your time. We see the Doctor FINALLY reach the blue planet that he has been talking about for two seasons. Yet it is a planet with problems, specifically it is being ruled by spiders who are enslaving the humans.
The plot turns involving the meditation center, the other timelord and Mike Yates are interesting, as is the final regeneration scene, I did take exception to one bit of the plot.
It seem strange that the Doctor knowing that the Queen Spider is about to doom herself, while trying to become the most powerful creature in the world would put himself into such danger to try to talk her out of it. If he succeeds she will continue to be a menace. This seems to forshadow Tom Baker more than the quite practical Jon Pertwee. The psycological factor is played well, but I still don't buy it.
Pertwee was a long running doctor, he would give way to the longest running (and in my opinion the best) doctor, and sometimes that gives him short shift in comparison. This is unfair. Pertwee was a class act, a class actor, and a class doctor.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Doctor has flaws after all.
Comment: This marks the last episode of the Jon Pertwee era. It is an outstand ing story that gives great insight to the Doctor. It shows that no one or no creature is perfect. It also shows that sometimes we must face our fears. The Doctor learns that through his own arrogance and greed that he has caused the problem at hand. He also must face his greatest fear in order to make things right. After putting himself through what he knows will be the end of him to destroy the spiders and "the great one" the Doctor returns in his tardis to unit. Falling out ofthe tardis near death he explains that he had to face his fear. That he couldnt go on living if he didnt. As he says his goodbyes to Sarah his mentor appears to console the Brigadear and Sarah and explains that the Doctor is a time lord and that though this life may be at an end a new one will arise.As his mentor leaves the Brigadier and Sarah marvel as the Doctor regenerates. A very moving ending. As we watch the last glimpses of Jon Pertwee and the first of Tom Baker one has to take note that Jon Pertwee helped establish Doctor Who as one of the greatest sci fi series of all time and that we are saddened by his departure. An excellent episode and closure to the Doctors 3rd persona. A little long but a very good story. It saddens me at the end but also I know the future of the Doctor is in good hands. this also is a moving story especially now since the death of Jon Pertwee. I get choked up now thinking of the end as he says goodbye.
Customer Rating:
Summary: the last jon pertwee story.
Comment: this has to be one of jon pertwees best stories. it shows the doctor in a different light, well since he does regenerate into tom baker at theh end! planet of the spiders shows the doctor to be arrogant and selfish, not only for taking the blue crystal but in other ways. when the doctor does regenerate it was very moving,i was nearly in tears! it is a really good buy and according to Howes trandsendental toy box it meant to be worth aroung £50. this collectors item is worth keeping for the future.
