3. The Mind Of Evil
Episode: Season 8,episode 2
Companions: Jo, The Brigadier One of the most underrated episodes of Pertwee's era, it came as a shock to many who bought the fully colorized DVD back in June just what a brilliant episode this is. It's got the ingredients of a classic Pertwee episode The Master, UNIT, a cracking, mysterious plot and some superb actions sequences this time set around Dover Castle. The plot concerns the Keller Machine of Stangmoor Prison, designed to cure prisoners by removing all evil from their minds. Of course all is not as it seems the Master is using the evil impulses to generate anger in the prisoners so he can steal a Thunderbolt Missile being moved by UNIT (who would trust them?) and blow up a World Peace Conference. It's an absolutely bonkers plan with one of the great joys of the episode being just simply watching how all this craziness pans out. The Master is at his very best here. Playing the role virtually as a Mafia boss, Delgado looks incredibly cool as he drives along smoking his cigar in a black limousine. Cool, calm and yet the very epitome of evil, Delgado is as usual magnificent in the role and this is perhaps his finest hour. The prisoners of the episode particularly Harry Mailer are a genuinely scary prospect too, portrayed as nothing more than mindless thugs who could kill at any moment. Even the Master doesn't look too keen on them. Action sequences are a great part of Pertwee's Doctor Who and there's some great ones here, achieved with such spectacle that director Timothy Combe was banned from making episodes because he went so far over budget. The UNIT-against-prisoners fight of episode 5 in Dover Castle is the best, with UNIT being portrayed as an effective military organization for once and Courtney giving a wonderful little performance disguised as a lorry driver. UNIT really did have a 'shoot to kill' policy back then, and it helps make a thrilling and hugely enjoyable slice of Doctor Who.