Planet of Giants

As our intrepid band of travelers prepare themselves for their next adventure, the doors of the TARDIS fly open unexpectedly while the ship is still in transit. At first it seems as though everyone has survived this latest snafu unscathed but after briefly exploring their surroundings our heros come to realize that they have been shrunk down to an inch in height. If that weren't enough of a setback, the Doctor and his companions must deal with a powerful insecticide that has killed everything around them as well as a Film Noir murder plot that is unfolding among the regular sized inhabitants of the area. While there's great potential in shrinking down our characters, the serial does so little with the premise. Two of the three episodes end in cliff hangers that are immediately undercut in the following episode, wasting any possible payoff they offered. The serial also pales in comparison with other properties that have used similar premises, so don't hold your breath for any man vs giant insect battles à la The Incredible Shrinking Man (which had come out seven years previously). The show's producers must have known they had a bit of a dud on their hands as the serial was edited down from four episodes to three.

Rating: It's most puzzling. It's a big mystery, my boy%

(Image from avclub.com)