The hottest sci-fi writer on the planet in 1978 was Douglas Adams. Not only was he about to bestow upon the world the original radio plays of The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, he also wrote his first Doctor Who adventure, The Pirate Planet. There are so many similarities — in tone, plotting, and effortlessly clever dialogue — that it’s easy to tell this story came out of the same creative spigot as Hitch Hiker’s, but the recycling doesn’t detract from this incredibly ambitious story about a planet-size genocide machine commanded by a cybernetic pirate captain. But is it still as good as its author’s reputation? By the cavity-ridden teeth of the sky demon, we’re going to find out.
Commentary for The Pirate Planet begins at 27:01.
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Story Essentials
Season 16, Serial 2
Story number: 98, per the The Pull To Open Codex
Writer: Douglas Adams
Director: Pennant Roberts
Producer: Graham Williams
Aired 30 September - 21 October 1978
Pull To Open: The Pirate Planet
Season 4
Episode 23
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
Sphere of Fear (Plundering “The Pirate Planet”)