Planet of The Rani

 

Planet of The Rani by Marc Platt

Once in a while you get, at least for me, an entirely decent throwaway Episode like this one, it's formulaic and doesn't do anything truly outside the box. Once in a blue moon, you will find one of these stories, and whether it has to do with other people's opinion on it or not, you will personally, absolutely love it. 

Planet of The Rani is one of those for me. Planet of The Rani is not very daring in any way, and perhaps I would have a different opinion on it if I listened to all 204 MR releases leading up to it, as it is pretty average fare for Big Finish, but despite it's ordinary-ness, I just love everything about it.

The central concept, the planet jumping, The Doctor and Constance's chemistry, the back and forth between characters sides, the Rani's experiments being front and center, and especially Siobhan Redmond as the Rani. I'm not a big fan of the concept of her, as she was originally created as an 80s supercamp villainess because the Master was sort of losing steam when he wasn't allowed to be scary as much as the old days. (This was before Survival, when Ainley showed us he could act) and as a result, The Rani is a sort of 80s relic that has weirdly been forgotten by new continuity. 

But Siobhan Redmond basically takes this weird performance of an 80s character, and runs with it, making her softly spoken, devious, and a magnificent joy to hear, while still retaining the Kate O'Mara Camp that made us like her in the first place. Because frankly, there's one thing that seperates the Master and The Rani? Science? No, it's Camp.

You don't need to yell to be extremely campy and 80s and perfect, and Siobhan Redmond proves it.

Constance, The Doctor, and The Rani are all so good together here. Constance's chemistry with both of the leads is definitely something special, when she's teleported to another planet without the Doctor, she doesn't break a sweat. She's awesome.

The Rani is still as stupid as ever, while actually being given a solid soak of dramatic depth, especially in Part Four, in both the scene where the Prince fakes her into thinking she's dead, and the scene where she fakes him at the trial. 

Colin Baker knows how to play the Doctor so well at this point, and I definitely think he relishes getting to play off of The Rani again. 

All of this, without mentioning the cockroach-mecha-robots. Because the story has fist-fighting cockroach mecha robots. 

How can you not adore a Rani story with Cockroach-mecha-robots? 9/10