I know I've given some serious flack on Season 7 over the last couple of days, but even I have to concede this was the best story of the run. I feel unlike the other seven parters it is not overly padded out, neither is it repetitious. I still feel it could have been an episode shorter and I still dislike the Earthbound setting and the whole complex establishment feel to it but these are the only criticism's I have of this particular story.

I think by this stage Letts and Dicks had got to grips with the 7-parters and added the whole parallel word sub-plot to the story which fills out every episode quite nicely. There is lots to like here. The friction between The Doctor and Stalhman, the alternative characters in the Parallel World, with Nicholas Courtney putting in one of his best performances as The Brigade-Leader. In what was to be her last story, Caroline John is quite effective as Section-Leader Shaw(though I didn't like the dark wig). I also find the fact that anyone touching that green liquid turning into a Primovore quite a disturbing thought. In fact, though at times they were as scary as they were supposed to be, there were times it was quite comical. Evil Benton's transformation was quite funny and reminded me of Michael Jackson's Thriller at times! And Stalhman's change in the last episode made me chuckle as well.

I also think having the TARDIS Console in the story at least makes it feel like a Doctor Who story again which the other stories in this Season didn't.

Episode 6 is definitely the most powerful of all the episodes and has a rare and terrifying cliffhanger. I also enjoyed the very last scene of the story with The Doctor and The Brigadier. It was a shame Caroline John didn't get the chance to say goodbye and we never saw her anymore. I do think at least she went out on a high. Aside her dual role, Normal Liz is really excellent in this. She has definitely become a friendlier and less uppity character than when she started and even developed a sense of humour. Though I love Jo, even I agree just one more Season to refine her character would have been desirable but circumstances dictated otherwise.

For me, this is the ONLY long Who that actually worked (whoops- Genesis Of The Daleks as well)! The story was enough to keep going throughout, and the actors actually had something to do. Pertwee's best Who alongside The Daemons!

Inferno despite it's 7 episodes certainly keeps a good pace through out the alternate universe version of the Bri, Liz Bento are a joy to watch and I just love the end where the Doctor's calls the Brig a pompus idito before r sheepishly reappearing at the door of the hut asking for help.





really don't likethis it's not really explained how the Doctor got the consol out of the TARDIS or even howcome he could removed some thing thatyou would think is firmly connected to wires and cables underneath the floor.

Interesting note from Wikipedia:


Jack Kine didn't work on Inferno but had done visual effects for The Mind Robber.

Very good, solid, disturbing story - especially at the end when the Doctor abandons the parallel Earth to its doom and goes back to save his own Earth.

The final scene of the 'other' Liz Shaw helping the Doctor escape, but then looks out of the barn at the sea of lava sweeping towards her . . . blimey!

I agree. Would rather they had used the actual TARDIS prop than disregarding it all Season. Also wondered how The Doctor got the console out when there's supposed to be this huge power source underneath it!

aah Inferno, one of, if not my favourite Doctor Who stories. I adore it. I just think it's an example of how well the earthbound stories work, a truly intelligent and thoughtful script that doesn't sag at all.

Regarding the TARDIS console, I think it looks pretty cool hahaha, as long as one ignores that technical anomalies it causes.

Perhaps the Doctor just changed the desktop theme to 'cluttered garage?'

Brilliant!

Was the power source part of the canon back then?

Yep All the way back to Hartnell, I'm thinking Edge of Destruction mentions it? Someone please correct me if i am wrong haha

Yes, I think I remember it from the rewatch recently.

i think CHJ and Shrike have more or less get it right. It's easy to assume the idea came from the TV Movie and the New series but it's been around longer than you think.

This is THE one that brought me back to this awful series/season whatever you want to call it! What attracted me to it was the use of the Tardis again, and actually USING IT! The parallel dimension was a good idea too. The Brig and Liz played good alternate roles, along with Sgt Benton!
I give this one top-hole : 9/10

I absolutely love that scene where Benton has changed into a werewolf type being, and there's the close-up where he turns, stares right into the camera, and snarls! Try telling me they weren't deliberately playing that for laughs!

my fave doctor who ever.

I watched this for the first time last night and was I impressed! It takes a little while for the story to get going but once it does the suspense is amazing. Truly edge of seat stuff throughout. As aforementioned the characterisation is something special, not least on the alternate Brig's part, and the tension between Dr Stalhman and Three is brilliant. Alternate Liz comes across as villainous at first but we soon see hints of the "real" Liz shining through, which is a nice touch. It is also quite bittersweet in it's dark tone, the scene with Three abandoning the parallel world as it meets it's end is very disturbing. I'm just reiterating everything that's been said above now but it was fantastic, a genuine classic.

"Inferno" is a Three story, and I think it's one of the better paced longer stories. I loved Liz in it, and liked how the last scene was of her laughing since we never got a proper goodbye with her.

For me Liz was one of the better companions (and she had a fantastic pair of legs).

Got to agree with you Daveyboy that this story isn't padded out. I watched it for the first time a couple of days ago and then again this afternoon and its a tense but enjoyable watch. I was surprised at how dark it was in the parallel world but loved it at the same time. There is a braveness having the torture scenes with the Doctor and what I love is that the story doesn't shy away from uncomfortable facts. The Royal Family are dead, there is a totalitarian regime and these are nasty people. Solutions aren't based on being saved by 'love' ( raises eyebrows thinking of recent series) well unless you count Petra with Sutton but on practical solutions. Seeing the Doctor having to abandon those people to their deaths is awful but one gets a sense of satisfaction seeing the Brigade Leader as a coward at the end. Nicholas Courtney was really convincing as a sadistic bully and Caroline John was very good too. I do disagree slightly with your assessment of Liz as I found her a warm character through every story. As a scientist I think she had a healthy scepticism which allowed her to question the Doctor a bit. I wish she could have stayed for a bit longer.

Lots of highlights in this one ( as well as the slightly dodgy green makeup and hair which is a bit funny at times to be fair) My favourite scene is the Brigadier ordering Seargent Benton to bring him Stalmann
even if he has to carry him. Nicholas Courtney just does military ordering so well !

I know from reading your comments that Season 7 wasn't your favourite season but I found it overall a strong season with no real duds. Its a great debut for Jon Pertwee. He is such a charismatic man and he has such a reassuring and intelligent presence.
There are some really Interesting contemporary storylines , The introduction of UNIT is handled really well with the link to the government which gives them a purpose to go in and sort out problems. ,The strong action sequences give the stories energy and we have a clever companion in Liz who I would have liked to have seen more of.

I'd agree 7 episodes is probably too much for one story but I think that was an inherited thing for financial reasons from the season before which is a shame .The stories are all set on Earth but I think it works for one season as it brings the alien threat closer to home.


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Its very good isn't it. It feels like a real group production Lots of interesting characters all arguing with each other over the course of action. You do get invested in the characters so you are right the Doctor abandoning the parallel world is disturbing.

Nice overview and couldn't agree more. Like reading posts and indeed threads like this. Said elsewhere , this is a 10 out of 10 classic for me. A few stories like The Silurians, Carnival of Monsters and The Daemons are close, but would say this is my favourite Pertwee story. Not very original as the fans who voted in the recent DWM poll agreed, but...it's brilliant!

I think if you look at Liz in spearhead From Space and then Inferno, there is a difference in her interpretation. I never thought she was uppity in an unfriendly sense. I just thought that she saw UNIT as below her at first and resented being dragged there to work so she was a bit awkward in her first story. By inferno she had accepted her situation more and I just found her more friendlier and humorous.

Yes, Season 7 is not one of my faves but it's more the format I dislike than the stories themselves though The Silurians is a colossal bore. Pertwee I found very arrogant in this season. I'm watching Terror Of The Autons at the moment and I see a massive improvement in his Doctor from Season 8 onwards where he was a lot friendlier and less bolshy.

I'm glad you like Inferno, I do like this story and as I said at the top, it's the best of the run for me.

Fair enough on the comments on Liz.

I do get what you mean about the format . I've whizzed through 4 stories but I can imagine having 28 weeks of the doctor stuck on Earth may have felt like a change too far for some.

You know what I think. I do like is the emphasis on technology and the concerns it brings The location filming makes full use of the landscape and different environments. It feels like an action series.

I'm going to watch Terror of the Autons tomorrow.

I like this story and respect your opinion, but I just can't have this as a 10 out of 10 classic. It lacks the excitement to be a 10 out of 10, and is a bit repetitive before the Doctor enters the alternative world. Agree it's excellent from then on.
It's a good Pertwee, but probably top half a dozen or so for me.


Fair point here, these type of scenes are done better here than some other serials in Doctor Who.

Just watched this for the first time again since it was originally broadcast. My 10 year old self enjoyed it immensely at the time. I think I remember it more strongly than some other stories because of the parallel Earth plot device. It was probably my first encounter with the concept.

Now, I think it's very much a product of its time - particularly with the "nice middle class chaps" in overalls and the acting by shouting the loudest. Some pretty poor (unbelievable) dialogue writing (by modern standards at any rate). The plot meandered a bit and was rather repetitive. I lost count of how many times it was reinforced that Professor Stahlmann was a rather nasty, domineering obsessive, capable of almost anything to get his project completed. The less said about the primords, the better.

On the plus side, the regulars all gave pretty good performances and the female characters were in powerful positions, giving the lie to the cliché screaming female companion, albeit still subordinate to male characters. Some decent action and stunt sequences by the standards of the time. The final moments of alternative Earth and of the countdown on "our" Earth were quite tense. Strong subliminal pro eco and anti greed and stupidity message.

I was somewhat disappointed by the picture quality. Distinct reddish and yellowish banding was particularly visible on flesh tones (surely correctable with modern digital techniques) and there was some odd patterning in bands on the final "yellow" outdoor scenes towards the climax. It's a pity there weren't more strikes forcing more productions to be shot entirely on film!

Crikey what a moment of genuine fear that was, just imagining what that would feel like.


Think I would agree here, and the end really rounds off a story that builds towards this climax.