55.75%
The Claws of Axos is not necessarily a bad story: there is a good idea at its core - seemingly friendly aliens asking the people of Earth for assistance. In exchange, they offer a wonderful gift which seems too good to be true. The idea has been done before and has been done since (for example V) but that can be said of anything. Its the execution of the idea that counts - and that is where this story fails. The previous season had established Pertwee's Doctor as resenting his exile and his desire to break free from the restrictions placed upon him by the Time Lords. That notion worked in Season 7, but in The Claws of Axos it doesn't work, especially when the Doctor persuades the Master that this is his intention. In some ways the story has a cosy atmosphere which is not conducive to the possibility that the Doctor might put himself before his friends and the people of Earth.

Bill Filer could have been an interesting character: he is there to show us that concern about the Master's involvement in various events is not restricted to Britain. This aspect is not explored fully and Filer seems to spend a lot of the time never getting his man. Its like so much of the story - interesting facets thrown at us, but few of them are explored as well and as appropriately as they could have been. The Axons are a fascinating race and its amazing that we have not seen them again, in any version of the series. Hmm, I wonder?