Reviews (1)

for fans of Doctor Who and Peter Davison
This video is the second in the P.R.O.B.E. series, a collection of films about the Preternatural Research Bureau. Although well-written, these videos have a low budget, and their primary appeal is that they feature actors and even characters from the Doctor Who television series. If you're a fan, these videos are for you! If you're not, it may be hard to fathom the appeal.

The story: When P.R.O.B.E. is threatened with closure, Liz Shaw (Caroline John) finds herself in direct conflict with her superiors, including her old friend and ally Patricia Haggard (Louise Jameson, reprising her role from "The Zero Imperative"). Liz hopes that her investigation into strange events at a public school will demonstrate the vital need for the Bureau. But she soon finds the fate of P.R.O.B.E. inextricably linked with the lives of three young men, each of whom has something to hide...

The always enjoyable Peter Davison has a prominent role at the Winterborne school. It should be noted that this is not a program for young children; essentially a horror story/mystery, there is a murder, mild gore and other adult situations. Nothing that couldn't be seen on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", but a bit much if you're expecting Doctor Who.

There is a sequel of sorts entitled "The Ghosts of Winterborne". ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Stranger's past...revealed
Following his previous adventure, In Memory Alone, the Stranger materializes on Earth in the back alley of a nightclub, sardonically described by hostess Tamora Hennessy as a techno-techno place with sweaty dancers and overpriced beer. He keeps passing out, as he somehow recognizes this place, but wonders if he is too early or too late. He also replays a scene in his mind where he climbs up some stairs in the club and has a gun, and opens the door. Tamora though befriends him with a table and coffee, thinking that he's a customer from last night who had one too many drinks. All the Stranger remembers is a girl and a man with a bowler hat (Ms Brown and the hologram from In Memory Alone).

Meanwhile, two unsavory types who turn out to be terrorists, long scraggly-haired Saul and bald, thick, pug-faced Egan get confirmation that a Mr. Raven is the manager of the nightclub, and that he's the victim tomorrow night at ten. They have information about the victim, the time, and that they can get away. However, Egan is uneasy about the situation, especially about the disappearance of their Cell Leader. Imagine their surprise when they run into their missing Cell Leader. It is none other than the Stranger.

It's here that the Stranger's past and memories gradually return, and why he escaped his job as Cell Leader and why Ms Brown became his companion. But who is the mysterious Mr. Raven, whose face is wrapped in blood-stained bandages?

The Stranger's weariness and cynicism comes through when he questions Tamora why she helped him. "Maybe I know this world of yours. I've seen thousands like it. Urban cages, sentient life forms, trapped in concrete warrens. People here don't feel responsible and they don't help strangers." No, they don't, not in the city. Here in the country, maybe.

The scenes take place either in the nightclub or the dingy flat Saul and Egan are in prior to their assignment. And the special effects aren't bad, especially the dematerializations of people.

Like the other stories before it, The Terror Game features two other Dr. Who alumni. Louise Jameson (Tamora) played the Fourth Doctor's companion Leela, she with the huntress tights and knife. She's aged quite well here, and that voice is familiar enough. And David Troughton (Egan) was King Peladon in the Who story The Curse Of Peladon, but his late father, Patrick Troughton, was the Second Doctor (1966-1969). And for those who have seen the first Stranger story, John Wadmore (Saul) played Dane the deaf-mute in Summoned By Shadows. Here, he's more talkative, and at times a bit trigger-happy.

While a departure from the earlier puzzlers, this story deals more with the Stranger's past, and isn't bad in itself. The story is continued in Breach of the Peace, with more of Saul and Egan. ... Read more

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Airzone Solution is good vehicle for former Doctors
Four former Doctor Whos are reunited, so that in itself is a treat. The four are Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, and Sylvester McCoy, a.k.a. Doctors 3, 5, 6, and 7. Two other Who alumni who appear are Nicola Bryant, who played Peri, the Sixth Doctor's assistant, but here, is Baker's co-worker and love interest, and Michael Wisher, best known for providing Dalek voices as well as playing Davros in "Genesis Of The Daleks" and appearing in "Terror Of The Autons," "Carnival Of Monsters," and "Planet Of Evil." Wisher plays the Secretary of State for the Environment here.

The story is about investigative reporter Al Dunbar (Davison), who's latest target is the Airzone Corporation, an organization who has been hired by the government to clean up the air. His mentor Oliver Trethewey, is mildly impressed with the video exposé that opens the program, and urges him to press even further. With the aid of his eco-nutter activist collaborator, Anthony Stanwick, Dunbar hacks into Airzone's central computer with a disk given to him by his lover, an Airzone employee, who is later discovered and subjected to the Airzone Solution. Breaking into the central computer of the facility, Dunbar discovers a horrifying secret, at which point, he is detected by the alarm system. Before he can escape, he is captured and later found dead.

Weatherman Arnie Davis (Baker), whose concern for pollution is limited to his cheery weather reports replete with clowning around, suddenly sees Dunbar dying and collapses during one of his reports. Dunbar's reappearance begins to affect his job and personal life with Elenya Brown(Nicola Bryant). He does some digging around of his own, and becomes involved, placing his job in jeopardy.

He unwillingly teams up with Stanwick, who doesn't seem to care too much for him, and with help from Ellie, tries to pick up the pieces where Dunbar left off.

Jon Pertwee (Oliver Trethewey), doesn't have much screen time, but appears as a somewhat omniscient presence looking out for Davis and McCoy.

Colin Baker as Arnie Davis puts in another solid role as someone who is trying to cope with the change in circumstance fate has thrown at him, and the birth of his conscience.

Sylvester McCoy plays Stanwick more irascibly than he did as the Doctor. He's clearly scornful of Davis but is forced to become a reluctant ally in order to get to the truth behind Airzone.

The story is compact, leaving not much room for character development, but that can be excused by Bill Bagg's budget of an fifty-minutes to an hour for its programs.

Set in the near future, Airzone presents a grim picture of a world where people need to be protected from the toxic air by umbrellas and oxy-masks. Is this what we are heading toward, or is Kyoto merely the first step to prevent a scenario in Airzone from happening? I only hope it's not too late. In the end, the real Airzone Solution is a typical example of building a better mouse, not a better mousetrap. I leave that for the viewer to discover.

The speech given by Airzone's CEO, Rachel Lonsdale, is not complete without merit. It is true, after having developed so much technologically, we cannot go back. Progress is the way forward, but progress can mean... what? Well, definitely not the progress Airzone had in mind. Heather Barker plays Lonsdale as the archetypal capitalist with ice in her veins.

Alan Cumming (Eyes Wide Shut, Spiceworld, Titus) plays McNamara, who appears to have a secret agenda of his own.

The show does leave one wondering if people like Rachel Carson became who they were by having the Earth fight against the pollution rained upon it by the human virus by converting certain people to fight for it. It seems to be the case with Al Dunbar, and later, with Arnie Davis.

I enjoyed this video very much!
If you like Science Fiction, you'll really like this one. What is the Airzone Solution? It is a solution to a problem. The dialog at the end is really quite convincing. It sounds like a good solution to a problem. It is a lesson in politics, something that will make you think. If you like Science Fiction shows like Doctor Who, Twilight Zone, and Outer Limits, this one will take you somewhere similar. It is especially good if you are a Doctor Who Fan because Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant do an outstanding job, and there role together is quite different than that of Doctor Who. It demonstrates how good these actors really are, in something different and interesting. After viewing this video, I continued to think about it long after. Something like this could really happen. This video demonstrates how easy it is for all of us to be taken in by convincing words, instead of investigating the facts.

Great for Dr. Who fans
This is one of the Best P.R.O.B.E. vedios made. It has in in Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison, Sylvester McCoy, and Colin Backer, who is the main character along with Nicole Bryant. It is very interesting story about what could take place inthe furture if polution is not taken care of. This show is almost like a mix between X-files and Dr. Who END ... Read more