One of the oddest stories ever to emerge fom the Doctor Who canon. Once considered a classic, 'The Web Planet' is now derided by most fans. That's a shame. Of course, we're all much more sophisticated nowadays, but at the time this story was something truly magical. Yes, the production values are pretty ropey - even for 60s Doctor who! - and the sight of giant fibre glass ants banging into the sets (not to mention the cameras!) does take some getting used to; but if you persevere with it, then 'The Web Planet' has a lot to offer. For a start, the planet Vortis is one of the few genuinely realised alien environments in the show's history. It may look like an obvious studio set, but at least it isn't just another quarry. As with the planet Skaro in the earlier story 'The Daleks' there is a real attempt to present Vortis as fully realised, with a history, ecology and culture. The alien Animus that is slowly destroying the planet is one of the creepier entities to have appeared in the series, and the fact that we don't learn much about it actually makes it all the more sinister. The regular team of actors are generally on good form, doing their best to make it all seem real, although William Hartnell does forget the odd line (necessitating some quick thinking on the part of his colleagues) and Maureen O'Brien's growing dissatisfaction with the role of Vicki does manifest itself occasionally. But none of this detracts from the story's essential charm. The other characters are all non-human and, again, effort has been put into presenting them as genuinely unearthly. Overall, 'The Web Planet' has a very weird feel to it. Of course, it does take some effort to watch from a modern perspective, and the pace of the story is at times painfully slow; but if watched in short bursts, rather than in one go, this isn't so noticeable. A challenge to its makers at the time and a brave, though flawed, experiment, 'The Web Planet' really does deserve a little more respect than its been getting over the last few years.