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WHO442: The Third Doctor’s final adventure isn’t really about spiders—it’s about fear, control, and the cost of ambition. In this episode, Dom Bettinelli and Jimmy Akin examine Planet of the Spiders as a deeply thematic farewell that reshaped how regeneration is understood.

Why does the Doctor finally call regeneration by name? What does Buddhism contribute to this story’s ideas of enlightenment and sacrifice? And how does a quiet, overlooked character like Tommy become one of the most compelling figures in Classic Who?

Dom and Jimmy discuss how the spiders mirror human flaws, why the Doctor must face death rather than avoid it, and how mentor figures like Kanpo reflect alternative paths a Time Lord might take. They also explore how this serial unexpectedly lays groundwork for future regenerations, including the Fourth Doctor’s own transformation.

Along the way, they highlight UNIT-era callbacks, the living nature of the TARDIS, and why this story works best as a character study rather than a monster tale. Planet of the Spiders closes an era not with explosions, but with acceptance—and a final act of courage.

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