Doctor Who: 5 Reasons You Need To Watch Castrovalva

1. The Master

The Master, expertly portrayed by Anthony Ainley, attempted yet again to kill the Doctor after his failed attempt to do so in Logopolis. He knew the Doctor would be at his weakest just after regeneration and used his companion Adric against him to create a false city that would make him recover after his difficult regeneration (this was after he attempted to destroy him and the TARDIS in the Big Bang). Although the Daleks are widely considered to be the Doctor's mortal enemy, the Master has always been his greatest foe. Not only is he a fellow Time Lord but he also doesn't have the will to help others that the Doctor possesses - he simply wants to rule the universe and doesn't care who or what he has to dispose of in order to get his way. This time, the Master narrowly misses out once again on his attempt to do away with the Doctor for good, if not for the willpower of Adric and the Doctor coming to his wits at exactly the right time. The Doctor might not have made it past his fifth incarnation if this hadn't been the case which would've been unfortunate for all concerned. Finally, something that the Doctor says at the end of Castrovalva holds true for the whereabouts of the Master after the events of Series 8 finale Death in Heaven. When the Doctor reveals to Tegan that she hadn't flown the TARDIS like she thought he had (it was actually pre-programmed by Adric while he was under the control of the Master) he states, "The Master leaves nothing to chance". As it is doubtful that adage has changed during the long lifespan of the Master, she surely got away when it appeared that the Cyber-Brigadier vaporised her. Only time will tell. Castrovalva was a fine introduction for Peter Davison's portrayal of the Fifth Doctor and, while it does not explain why he wore the celery stalk (that doesn't get explained until the very end of his time on the show), fans are able to see why many fans of Classic Who have him ranked #2 behind Tom Baker as their favourite incarnation of the titular Time Lord to date. What did you think of this list? Is there anything else about Castrovalva that wasn't mentioned? Join the conversation in the comments below. Castrovalva aired on BBC One in four twice-weekly installments from 4th January 1982 to 12th January 1982.