Doctor Who: The Pirate Planet (1978) written by Douglas Adams and directed by Pennant Roberts
The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) and Time Lady Romana (Mary Tamm) continue their hunt for the components of the Key to Time started in The Ribos Operation. They travel to the planet Calufrax only to find it not there. The TARDIS had trouble landing, which they initially assumed was just tempramental machinery (though Romana wants to fly the TARDIS by the instruction manual, which the Doctor disregards). They discover the planet is called Zanak. The planet's society goes through periods of prosperity which are heralded by a change in the stars in the sky. That is, the pattern of the stars completely changes. The Doctor and Romana investigate, finding out that the planet jumps around the galaxy, landing on smaller planets to mine them for valuable resources. Such a plan must be stopped and they get to work.
The show has a fairly interesting plot with some surprises along the way. The writer is the same fellow who wrote The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, so humor abounds. The captain of Zanak is a bit like a Vogon captain, all shouty and threatening death to those who disobey. His cartoonishness has a better explanation than uncreative writing. Baker and Tamm make a good team and work well as individuals.
Recommended.
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