Description

A hyperspace collision fuses the TARDIS with a cargo ship. The Doctor and Romana's efforts to separate the ships draws them under suspicion of drug-smuggling.Worse still, a malfunctioning Continuous Event Transmitter is releasing monsters in the halls. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A superb production!
After sitting through a 12-story-line Dr.Who marathon, I'd obviously saved the best for last. Camera work, sound engineering, acting, stage direction, and editing was much more mature than previous episodes. Sure, the Doctor will always be loved, but why not do a quality job at producing it? This one's got it! This one could well have been shot in Hollywood. Great job! Though the details of the plot became quickly guessable, the whole production held my interest throughout. BRAVO!

"Here, have a jellybaby! Don't forget to brush your teeth!"
"Nightmare of Eden" is actually a hidden gem. Even though the acting and direction is alittle awkward at times, and the design of the Mandrels(why is the Graham Williams era filled with unimaginative monsters?) is laughable, the story itself is very adult, one of the few Who strories to deal with the addiction of drugs. The script is absolutely hilarious! Tom Baker excells(as does Ward)! The scene where Rigg has been drugged by Vraxion, witnessing the massacre of his passengers on the Empress by the Mandrels is a scream: "What's all the fuss? They're only economy class?" David Briely's voice for K-9 this season is also a welcome change, almost giving him a personality and humor. Tryst gives us his best Dr. Strangelove/Peter Sellers impersonation(without the physical humor). I used to think that "The Creature From the Pit" was the funniest ever Tom Baker adventure, I might be wrong. But don't take my word for it, I liked "Time and the Rani"!

Ah...my everything!
The Doctor and Romana arrive in a ship which has materialized out of light space around another ship, soon find a dangerous creature has somehow found its way on board.

The later years of the Tom Baker era were filled with rather unmemorable and silly stories, but this one stands out like a rose in a bed of thorns. The adult theme of drug-smuggling and its consequences, the wonderfully scheming villains and the genuinely gripping and blood-freezing scenes in the creepy Eden forest make this a classic. Even K9 is tolerable for once. So what if the special effects are iffy? In these days of sci-fi which is just effects-laden dross it's a real treat to remember the days when proper storylines and memorable adventures mattered.

"Have a jelly baby, and don't forget to brush your teeth"
One day, they will make a TV-movie about the October 2003 Staten Island Ferry disaster, and that movie will be atrocious. Right before the ferry is about to crash, some actor, who's already seen "Nightmare of Eden", will utter the line, "Oh no!". That's what actor David Daker did right before his character's starship collided with a space freighter. It is not, on its face, a proud moment, or a good beginning for a story.

"Nightmare" tops several "Worst of" lists in the "Doctor Who" pantheon. Worst costumes, certainly. There's not a single character in this piece who's dressed sensibly. Starting at the top, Romana appears to be dressed in a gray maternity gown. With red trim. Most of the starship crew is dressed in leather: the ship's crewmen are wearing red sleeveless vests with glitter added. And white pancake makeup, to boot. The two federal agents whose comic banter takes over the second half of the story, are dressed like the biker from the Village People. Tryst's team wears white T-shirts under black vests, so the only thing missing, cleary, is the rhinestone studding. Daker's black jumpsuit has spandex sleeves. I won't even get into what the starship passengers are wearing. I fly coach three times a month and they just don't issue that at the departure gate.

The special effects are bad. The opening shot is of a styrofoam spaceship wobbling its way across the stars. There's a lot of experimental computer imaging in this 1979 epic, but explosions happen before the gun blasts which cause them, and after Della is shot in the neck, she famously falls to the floor clutching her midriff.

So why, then, is "Nightmare of Eden" so entertaining? At what point does "bad" become "good"?

Make no mistake, this is deep in the doldrums of Season 17. There's the serious plot masked by the off-the-wall script. Two spaceships collide, one still half in hyperspace. The resulting dimensional instability causes a bunch of ape-like monsters wearing bell-bottoms to kill a dozen extras merely by brushing their elongated arms across the victims' heads. Seriously, what is the message of "Nightmare of Eden"? With the customs agents trampling over everyone's civil rights, and the drugs giving several people a really bad trip (including, presumably, the director who quit and the costume designer), you could package this on the "Starsky & Hutch" DVD and it would seem right at home.

There are moments of great subtlety in the script. Before Vraxoin is slipped into his Kool-Aid, Rigg is unusually competent for a "Doctor Who" starship captain. He blows the Doctor's cover after just one scene, and holds his own on the witty banter front for several scenes after that. Once he gets high, he gets to deliver some wickedly funny lines ("They were only economy class, what's all the fuss about?"). The rest of the comedy is a little too broad (Geoffrey Hinsliff and Peter Craze are awful), and Lewis Fiander's accent remains baffling, but at least Fiander seems to be intentionally overacting, so I can take the joke. I do not understand, however, why he pronounced the word "three" as "ten". Or why customs officer Fisk is introduced as a "Water Guard". There was no water in this story. Again, it wasn't just Captain Rigg who was on the Vraxoin.

Tom Baker is completely off the wall. He's already been much maligned for the "Oh! My fingers! My arms! My legs! My everything! Ohh!" shtick. But he also bites into a phallic green appendage for the second story in a row (remember "The Creature From the Pit"?) and tells us that it "didn't taste at all bad." Lalla Ward remains the picture of confidence and competence. Maybe she was having flashbacks to "Hamlet".

I come away from "Nightmare" with Lewis Fiander saying: "We worked on this idea together, before he died, of course. Then we stopped." If I close my eyes, I am having a great time. And learning to brush my teeth after meals.

The profits of suffering...
"First a collision, then a dead navigator, and now a monster's roaming about my ship. Well, it's totally inexplicable." So says Rigg, captain of the passenger liner Empress, to the Doctor.

What happened? A freak accident takes place within orbit of planet Azure. The Empress nearly collides with a small ship, the Hecate, while in lightspeed and materializes around the smaller ship so that they have fused together. The nose of the Hecate is sticking into the Empress, blocking the larger ship's access to the power room and passenger deck. The blurred overlap areas, or matter interfaces between the ships, however, are unstable.

Into this situation comes the Doctor, Romana, and K9. The Doctor offers to help separate the ships, something to which both Rigg and Dymond, pilot of the Hecate on a survey contract job, are amenable to. All that has to be done is to recreate the circumstances of the accident: "excite the molecules, full thrust, then full reverse." However, Rigg's navigator Secker, who got them into this accident, is on vraxoin, a highly addictive drug that "induces a warm complacency and total apathy until it wears off that is, and soon you're dead." In fact the Doctor's seen entire planets destroyed by this drug. Secker's then attacked and killed by something clawed. The questions are, who provided Secker with the vraxoin, and what killed Secker? After all, vraxoin can be detected by the Empress's scanning device, and the Empress's route is the milk run from Station 9 to Azure, nowhere else, with no stops inbetween. And who is the mystery man who knocks out the Doctor, then tries to evade him later?

There's also Tryst, a zoologist with a funny accent and really thin trendy rectangular glasses, on a research expedition to preserve rare species on government funding, made difficult by the Galactic recession. With the aid of the CET (Continuous Event Transmuter) machine, he records the flora and fauna of planets on an event crystal that continue to exist in the machine. A simpler way of naming the CET is an electric zoo. However, the lack of a dimensional osmosis damper in the CET means that with the freak accident, the unstable overlap zones affects the dimensional matrix of the machine, meaning things can go in and out of the machine.

Things heat up when two trigger-happy and bureaucratic Azure excise men, Fisk and Costa, try to arrest the Doctor and Romana as the vraxoin smugglers, and someone slips some vraxoin in Rigg's drink.

The cliffhanger to Episode 1 is effective, as a shaggy monster with glowing green appears from a wall panel K-9 has lasered away. And some interesting special effects are used when the Doctor enters the unstable matter interfaces. However, two goofs are apparent. When Della, Tryst's colleague, is shot in the head, she clutches her stomach. Also, Fisk calls Tryst "Fisk" in Episode 4.

Two funny lines from Tom Baker. When the Doctor's cover as an insurance agent is blown, he says, "I wonder why I hadn't been paid." "That's not good enough," says Rigg. "That's what I said." responds the Doctor. Also, he playfully says that Tryst helps conserve species in the same way a jam-maker conserves raspberries.

If one adds a shaggy beard to David Daker (Rigg), one will recognize him as the warlord Irongron from the Who story The Time Warrior. His transformation from an upright responsible captain to a complacent, laughing, apathetic man addicted to vraxoin is good. When someone points out to passengers being killed, the vraxoin-addicted captain says "They're only economy class, what's the fuss?"

The issue of drug addiction is key here, but are the dealers justified in saying of the buyers, "they had a choice"? If it's something dangerously addictive that totally incapacitates a person, as in vraxoin, well, no, but what about something less or not addictive, like marijuana?

Apart from the flaws in Episode 4, Nightmare Of Eden is watcheable, with laudable special effects, but nothing too special. ... Read more

Description

On the campus of an English public school the Doctor becomes separated from companions by six years, and the only link is his old friend, the Brigadier. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

I'd give it six stars if I could!
Like all Peter Davsion stories this is brilliant, fabulous SF,
with a stunning script and great acting, especially from the dashing young man of action himself, Peter Davison, the coollest Doctor of them all! Here he's joined by the good old Brigadier who gets one of his best scripts ever and gives a great dual performance and even proves powerful and moving when he talks about his nervous breakdown!
This is the start of the Gaurdian trilogy. Like the E-Space Trilogy, the Master trilogy and the Mara double Kinda and Snakedance, the Black Guardian Trilogy is one of the triumphs of 1980s Dr.Who, which prove to anyone who takes the time to watch them that the 1980s was far superior in terms of intelligence and depth of story than any of the shallow, B-grade tripe which filled up the 1970s. There's not a man in a monster or robot suit anywhere in this story, or most of the scripts in the trilogies I've mentioned, instead, we have strong ideas and themes. Here the main theme is immortality and death, and the plight of Mawdryn (well played by David Collings) reminds us that death makes life worth valuing and that the pursuit of immortality can lead to terrible consequences, just as plastic surgery often disfigures those who seek medical science to provide a fountain of youth in real life. The trilogy gets slow, but by no means really bad in Terminus, and then climaxes in the fabulous Enlightenment! Enlightenment, on very close examination, is a story which may even inpsire you to a new understanding of the nature of the Dr.Who Universe, if Terminus doesn't beat it to the punch! I recommend this and it's two sequels. They are a triumph of substance over style, brilliant scripting over low budget, and they are one more reason why Peter Davison is the best Doctor of them all!

The Black Guardian's back... but so's the Brigadier
A story where the action takes place in two closely related time zones is a first, and this forms the crux of Mawdryn Undead. A weaselly red-haired schoolboy, Turlough, is recruited by the Black Guardian (q.v. The Armageddon Factor) to kill the Doctor in exchange for a return to his home planet.

The Doctor and his companions materialize inside a spaceship set in a warp ellipse around Earth. Someone aboard the ship transmatted to Earth six years before. The Doctor, who meets Turlough aboard the ship, goes to the present, 1983, to fix the transmat equipment on Earth, planning for Nyssa and Tegan to follow him on the TARDIS. However, they get diverted to 1977. The transmat appears, where they encounter who they think is a horribly burned Doctor. Tegan runs to Brendon School for help, where she meets the Brigadier.

The reappearance of the Brigadier for the first time since Terror Of The Zygons is welcome. However, when the Brigadier tells the schoolboy Ibbetson, "Take it from me, boy. A solid object just can't dematerialize," we know something's going on. Evidence of that is proved further when he doesn't remember who the Doctor or the TARDIS is. And when he says fondly, "How could I forget?" The Doctor says "Exactly." So should the viewer. How could one of the Doctor's closest associates forget? We learn that the Brigadier suffered a nervous breakdown in 1977, and that he did meet Tegan. The Doctor tries to get him to remember, and as we learn later, what happened to the Brigadier is indeed the cause of his breakdown. The Brigadier has a good line in this: "After all, if I was to suffer from amnesia, I'd be the first to know."

The setting of Mawdryn's ship is impressive with its red and gold ornate decor. One of Mawdryn's associates sees the 1977 Brigadier and refers to him as a deviant, meaning that he shouldn't be aboard the ship, as his 1983 self is also there. Deviant... now there's a double meaning.

Nyssa and Tegan's personalities are easily discernible here. Nyssa is more logical, trusting, while Tegan is more tough-minded, less trusting, and values security and familiarity. One exchange between them regarding Turlough is good. Tegan: "Nobody from Earth is just going to walk into a transmat capsule." Nyssa: "As you did in the TARDIS on the Barnett Bypass?" Game, set, and match to Nyssa, I think.

The late Valentine Dyall provides a strong menacing presence as the Black Guardian, as evidenced by his effectively harsh demonic voice. And Nicholas Courtney plays the Brig as if he never took a hiatus from the character.

Links to the show's past are shown when the Brigadier regains his memory, via black-and-white clips of various adventures, Doctors, and companions. The homing device from Full Circle makes another appearance here, as does the Fourth Doctor's red coat, worn by Mawdryn. There is a subtle clue that the Doctor knows about the Black Guardian's involvement. He finds Turlough's crystal, which the BG gave him. Presumably, it's made from the same material as the Key To Time.

This is yet another of producer John Nathan-Turner's trilogies, presenting a villain out to get the Doctor and phasing out one companion for another. In this case, Nyssa leaves the TARDIS crew in the next story, Terminus, while Turlough joins the crew.
Mawdryn Undead shows that it's possible to have a story that's fascinating without having sensational alien monsters.

The Best Ever!
This episode has always been my personal favorite,as well as being the one I've seen the most times. It contains probably the least padding out of any episode ever, making it enjoyable from beginning to end. The plotline is also the best ever, the aspect of two Brigadiers from different times is truly thought-provoking. Unlike many fans, I've always loved the stories that delve into the series' past, I think the Tom Baker era could have used a few more of these. This episode also seems to be the most British out of the entire series, due to the public school setting and the talk of the Queens Silver Jubilee. Even the so-called villian of the story, Mawdryn, who is very well realized and very sympathetic, seems like a very British character. This story deals with the aspect of time travel better than any in the history of the program, which is what this show is supposed to be about in the first place. Also, the return of the Black Guardian and the introduction of Turlough are added bonuses, but the story is so great it would have been just as good without them. The real highlight of the story is the long awaited return of the Brigadier(s). The flashback scene where the Doctor reminds him of his adventures is the best in the show's history, right up there with Earthshock's flashback sequences. At first, the Brigadier looks much older than we would expect, but then we realize why when we see his 1977 couterpart.(When we see him again in The Five Doctors, he looks more like this version.) Also, the explanation of why he lost his memory at the end, when he meets his future self, is brilliant. This episode, along with Earthshock, The Five Doctors, and Resurrection of the Daleks, makes it easy to see why the Davison era is a fan's dream come true. However, if you're new to the series, it is advisable to first watch older episodes of the series, especially ones including the Brigadier, to fully appreciate this story.

Playable even to a Star Trek fan.
On a list of Doctor Who's most playable shows at a party or with friends who are unfamilar with The Doctor or Sci-fi buddies that have succombed to a Star Trek one sighted vision this is the best. The story is has elements to carry seamlessly into this decade. The story is fun, has excellent thought stimuli in the plot and is as good as any modern sci-movie that comes out today. (forgiving a little old computer graphics in dream sequences and some cheesy music in the begining)

Turlough! Where is that boy?
A new three story arc begins with Mawdryn Undead which also turns out to be the strongest of the three. The Black Guardian returns with a new attempt to kill the Doctor. As he cannot interfere directly, he sends in young Turlough, the alien trapped in a British public school in the 20th century. Turlough was one of the best compnaions when he first premiered in the series. Unfortunately, the writers didn't keep it up and he devolved into one of the most boring by the endof his run. In Mawdryn Undead, the Doctor is forced to give up his remaining regenerations in order to save a group of scientists who are trapped in an eternal, painful regeneration cycle. His only saving grace is the appearance of two Brigadier Lethbridge Stuarts from two different time lines. It's great seeing Nicholas Courtney in the role once again. Of the three stories in the series, this is the only one really worth owning. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Slowly plotted, but very worthy.
The plot is straightforward: A historical setting (1066, prelude to the Battle of Hastings.) Vikings, Saxons, and bits of technological incongruities/anachronisms and a big mystery surrounding a devious monk.

In premise, this is an exceptional story, especially for 1965. Not only is it the first 'pseudo-historical', it finally pushes "Doctor Who" into doing more than using the TARDIS just to get everybody to a funky planet where they get scared out of their wits by some plastic (or invisible!) monster, and acknowledges that there are others like the Doctor, but who aren't as moral as he is.

The Monk is a delightful character (though I disagree he is an early incarnation of the Master. The Monk clearly has a history of playing with history on a small scale for his own personal gain, the Master has a penchant for seizing power and control whereever and whenever he can.) and well played by Peter Butterworth. Admittedly, it's great fun to watch him manipulate everybody he deals with.

The only problem is that it's slowly paced. The big revelation doesn't come until the end of episode 3. Which is fine, except we're only given small hints at meddling throughout the prior ~65 minutes and everything else happens at a leisurely pace. For first time viewers in 1965, this story is superlative and makes a top-10 story. For repeated viewings or in our supposedly enlightened 21st century, the pace is somewhat slowed. It's still worthy of the top 10 designation, the ideas presented more than make up for the slowness of the plot.

Edith the monk also gets assaulted and almost raped by a Viking. For a 1965 childrens' show, this is strong stuff. (as was the attempted rape of Barbara in 1964's "The Keys of Marinus".)

A pity the source material isn't that good, but that's the BBC's fault for junking the story in the first place. At least it exists and was returned to them so we can all enjoy it.

Definitely worth the rent, at the very least.

"What type are you?" "Mind your own business!"
Landing in 1066 England with a new companion travelling with the Doctor and Vicki, Steven Taylor, discover a Monk who is hell bent on altering time a few days before the Battle of Hastings. The Time Meddler may be the slowest 4 parter ever in Who's history, but it is also very enjoyable. Peter Butterworth is a perfect fit as the Monk, another renegade Time Lord with his Mark IV TARDIS. Steven skeptical of the TARDIS being a time machine and the disbelief that they're actually in 1066 is a nice touch with his character so early in his development. And Vicki comes off ok. She has the usual goofy deliveries, but this serial is one of her best of the season. The villagers are pretty good. But the Vikings and the fight choreagraphy and the pace of the story are reasons why some might want to steer clear. But the first pseudo-historical in Doctor Who's history is really enjoyable. It's quite a surprise when Vicki and Steven enter the Monk's TARDIS for the first time, and realise that the Doctor's TARIDS isn't the only one. Not to be overlooked.

I wonder where the TARDIS'll take us next...
That's what Vicki wonders aloud. The last story of Doctor Who's second season finds the Doctor, Vicki, and Steven landing in Northumbria, in the summer of the fateful year--drum roll please, 1066. References to that include a conversation with Edith, the wife of the Saxon village headman Wulnoth, who mentions good King Edward, i.e. Edward the Confessor, who died earlier that year, and Harold Godwinson, a.k.a. Harold II, who would be runner-up at the Battle of Hastings. The Saxons are indeed wary of Viking raids, and sure enough, some of them appear in future episodes.

However, a monk sees the TARDIS land and watches with intense curiosity. "I wonder..." he says pensively. He also does something extraordinary. He raises the left sleeve of his robe, and stares in bewilderment at his bare wrist. Hmmm...

The Doctor's curiosity is piqued by something and to that end, he goes to the monastery, only to find some things that don't belong there, like a grammophone record, for one. However, he delightfully enjoys the mead offered him by Edith, which he drinks from a horn.

This is Steven's maiden voyage in the TARDIS, and he is skeptical that he has entered a time machine. His question to the Doctor on some equipment on a ship leads to this reply by the Doctor: "That is the dematerialization control. And that over yonder is the horizontal hold. Up there is the scanner, those are the doors, that is a chair with a panda on it. Sheer poetry, dear boy. Now please stop bothering me." Vicki laughs in response to Steven's bewilderment. On finding a Viking helmet, Steven's skepticism is answered by the Doctor's flippant quip: "What do you think it is, a space helmet for a cow?"

This story not only tells the audience that the Doctor's TARDIS is not unique, but also introduces the concept that history can be changed, unlike previous straight historical tales such as Marco Polo, The Aztecs, and The Reign Of Terror. The regulars turn out well, with William Hartnell (the Doctor) his usual crotchety but curious self, eliciting his high-pitched "hmmphs!" and giggles. Peter Butterworth (the Monk) also comes out good in his comic portrayal. With Jacqueline Hill (Barbara) and William Russell (Ian) having left the series in the previous story, it falls upon Maureen O'Brien (Vicki) to be senior companion, and she comes out well, with Peter Purves (Steven) showing some resourcefulness in briefly outwitting the Monk in Episode 3.

Not a bad historical story, even if the fight scenes aren't overly dramatic.

Is the Monk the Master?
I agree 100% with the previous review this is an excellent example of the early historical adventures and also the first time we meet another member of the doctor's race (still not identified as time lords tho).

(Many Doctor who fans have speculated that the Monk is actually an early reincarnation of the Master.)

There are some wonderful scences in this series of the english coastline and the viking ship invading (although it could be stock footage) and the anacroistic bits with a record player and watches being found in 1066 are classic sci-fi themes.

I bought the entire end of the univrse collection and even tho being the last videos to be realesed, there are still many gems in this collection and this is one of them.

"I show little mercy to time meddlers!"
This is an excellent sci-fi/historical from the First Doctor.

It is the first full episode to feature companion Steven Taylor.

The Doctor lands in England: 1066 just days before the Norman invasion that leads to the Battle of Hastings.

But the presence of raiding Vikings and a mysterious monk cause the Doctor to worry both for the integrity of the time lines and the lives of himself and his companions, Steven and Vicki.

Those who liked the Aztecs and the Crusade will like Time Meddler. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For an entire generation who hid behind the sofa during the scary bits, jokes about Doctor Who are almost inescapably funny. "The Curse of Fatal Death," an extended sketch for Comic Relief, stars more unlikely actors and comedians as the Doctor than anyone could have imagined plausible--Rowan Atkinson, to begin with, and both Hugh and Richard E. Grant. The last-named performance indeed gives one uncomfortable thoughts about roads not taken, as does Jonathan Pryce's remarkable tribute to Roger Delgado as the Master. The tape is filled out with an informative behind-the-scenes documentary and three Doctor Who-related sketches by Victoria Wood and Jim Broadbent, by Lenny Henry, and by French and Saunders. This last sketch, never before shown, with French and Saunders as extras playing reptilian aliens, is particularly hilarious. --Roz Kaveney ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Parody very short in length
The parody, 'Curse of Fatal Death', is only about 15 minutes long! The rest of the video is dedicated to how the parody was made which, in my opinion, was boring and tedious. There are three other parodys of Dr. Who at the end of the tape (about 5 mintues each) which are Ok. Although Rowan Atkinson and Hugh Grant are seen in the spoof, I was very disappointed that there wasn't much substance in the parody. The skit is well made, using some orginal Dr. Who visual and audio effects and music, but not enough substance. I probably would not have purchased 'Curse of Fatal Death' if I knew how short it would be.

I Laughed Till I Dried...
I just bought this tape yesterday afternoon, and I'm still chuckling over it. I had heard about this British Comic Relief special over a year ago, but never thought it would be released in the U.S. -- first of all because Doctor Who is considered something of a cult here (i.e., there's little or no money in it), and second because most American fans of the show take it so bloody seriously, they'd probably consider "Fatal Death" as an affront (as witness Star Trek fans' virulent reaction to Shatner's "Get a life" bit on Saturday Night Live). I'm overjoyed to see I was wrong on both counts. Not only have the BBC and Warner Bros. seen a profit potential in a U.S. release, but the reaction I've seen on this page is overwhlemingly positive. As to my reaction? Well...

Being a Blackadder fan as well as a Doctor Who Fan, I was delighted to see Rowan Atkinson in the title role here. He captures the Doctor's spirit perfectly -- sort of a cross between Paul McGann's look, John Pertwee's warmth and charm, and just a little bit of Pat Troughton's naughty-little-boy attitude. And what a brilliant coup, getting Jonathan Pryce to play the part of the Master! Not only is he a great actor (one of the most underrated British actors working today, and one I wish I could see more often), he is also great at playing villains (which you can see in both the Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, and in Something Wicked This Way Comes, which has Pryce as the devilish Mr. Dark -- his confrontation with Jason Robards in this film is both chilling and electrifying). Here he gives the Master a perfect blend of Anthony Ainley's over-the-top bravado and Roger Delgado's brilliant, jovial menace -- yet Pryce puts just enough of his own not-inconsiderable talent in to make the role his own. Julia Swahala makes a creditable companion to the Doctor, though I can't quite understand why the Doctor would marry her -- she's got nice legs and everything, but they should have brought back Romana if they wanted to go that route. The other guest actors they brought in to play successive Doctor regenerations were all spot-on, from Richard E. Grant's "lick-the-mirror-handsome" incarnation to Hugh Grant's less-conceited-but-still-quite-handsome version. I also loved the use of Joanna Lumley at the end ("Oh, it's got three settings!"); it's a brilliant twist, and one can't help but wonder why they never tried it on the original series (as opposed to, say, Colin Baker).

As to the humor quotient -- well, I think my review title (which I quite frankly stole from Eric Idle) pretty much describes it. There are dozens of in-jokes here, craftily designed for longtime lovers of the show and its conventions/cliches ("Doctor, what's happening?" "I'll explain later."); there are a brilliant series of time-travel gags early on, worthy of Douglas Adams at his most intricate -- and a few (ahem) "bottom-burp" jokes worthy of The Young Ones at their dirtiest. There are also some fine moments regarding the Master being "augmented" by the Daleks -- "You don't even know what it does, do you?" -- and a brilliant twist ending that echoes, of all things, the end of "Some Like It Hot"! Overall, it's a riot.

If I have any complaints, it's that the darned thing is too short! At (barely) twenty minutes, it seems more like a tease than an actual program. If the humor content wasn't so rich, I might feel cheated...however, given the fact that the producers were working under a limited budget, using borrowed sets and busy actors, I guess I can understand the reason for "Fatal Death's" brevity. The BBC must have realized this too, for they've been generous enough to include a documentary about the making of the special (which is actually pretty good, though a bit superficial), as well as three Doctor Who spoofs from other sketch-comedy shows, the funniest of which is the last. (The first one is a French & Saunders sketch which was never aired, and it isn't hard to see why -- it's painfully unfunny. Still, it's better than Spike Milligan's terrible, racist Pakistani Dalek sketch from M6.) It all makes up for the shortness of "Fatal Death", though if the sketches had been less uneven I would be giving five stars here instead of just four. Even so, I'm just glad "The Curse of Fatal Death" was finally released, and as a longtime Doctor Who fan I'm proud to include this in my collection.

Definitely worth a DVD release.
Maybe a DVD release would be a great time to release this show unedited? Since the VHS copy is butchered it would make sense now that this is rereleased in a new unedited DVD. If someone needs me to sign a petition please email me. I'll gladly sign.

The Sofa of Reasonable Comfort
Rowan Atkinson stars in this parody of the long-running Doctor Who. Joanthan Pryce makes an execellent Master.
The Doctor meets with the Master and tells him he has fallen in love with his lovely companion and says he will travel in time no more. The laughs come fast in this parody! Also on the tape are behind-the-scences taping of the parody and 3 comedy sketches.

The Curse of Fatal Editing
The earlier reviews posted here have pretty well covered the merits of the plot, but a brief note is needed on the technicalities, as this story has been re-edited for video.

When it was shown on television, "The Curse of Fatal Death" was in four parts, each one ending in a cliffhanger. But BBC Video, always happy to throw in a spoiler where it can, has chosen for no good reason to pointlessly spoil this story by re-editing it into a 2-parter.

So do be aware that this video is not what was presented on television. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

"You're caught in a Temporal Paradox!"
A World Peace conference is in jeopardy! World War III is imminent. Mercinaries from the future are here to kill Sir Reginald Styles, and how are the Daleks tied into it? Not too bad, the regulars are good, which makes it a shame that the Daleks aren't! The Ogrons are more fun to watch in this story, as the Daleks barely even leave there cubby at their headquarters. The time paradox idea is the only thing that really saves this one. Location footage isn't that bad, and the story is, at least, interesting. Who fans had to wait a long time for the Daleks to come back since "Evil..", and they would have to wait more, since the next "decent" Dalek story wouldn't make its appearance until "Genesis...". It doesn't even feel like a true Dalek story. Tolerable.

It's Just another day
Nice tight story this without much of the waste that characterised a number of the Pertwee third Doctor Stories.

I like this adventure quite a bit despite the obvious shortcomings. It begins with a mysterious military figure disappearing into the night and scaring the wits out of our fearless diplomat. UNIT gets involved due to the impending demise of the peace conference but the Doctor does not want to know despite his affected noncholant view of politicians.

Soon he and Joe are caught up in an inter-temporal assassination attempt with the diplomat Styles attaining notoriety as the harbringer of a nuclear holocaust where the reality is quite different. The slimy, smooth canniving controller in the future dupes Joe into providing information which he then passes on to his Dalek masters.

There are some digs here too. The slave population of the future are housed in tower blocks which is a very nice touch considering the social problems they were to be held responsible for in the ensuing years. The off the cuff remark made by the Doctor too about the well stocked larders of the political class uis well made as is his use of the same.

The temporal paradox causes a bit of confusion but not half as much as the Dalex ownership of a method of time travel again.

On the whole though there are some redeeming features notably the controller's recantation of his help to the Daleks. It moves along well and keeps the attention. One of the better adventures.

They're baaaaaaaaaaaaack!
Five years after the fall of the Daleks on Skaro in Evil Of The Daleks, the Daleks reappeared on the small screen in Day Of The Daleks, which was also their third time in colour, counting the two Aaru films.

The international situation from The Mind Of Evil has gotten worse, to the brink of World War III. However, Sir Reginald Styles, vain to the point of arrogance, is the last hope in reconciling the Russians with the Chinese. While working late one night, a guerrilla from the future tries to kill him, and that's what draws UNIT in. The man is later attacked by a brutish Ogron, one of many ape-like humanoid servants who are "as loyal as they are stupid." A trio of other guerrillas try to succeed where their comrade has failed, and capture Jo and the Doctor, who have spent the night at Styles' place. Of these, Anat, the leader, while sharing the fanaticism of her comrades, is civilized. When Boaz, who looks a bit like Tony Curtis, tries to shoot Jo and the Doctor, she says, "We're soldiers, not murderers."

Jo Grant is wearing what I consider a classic Jo Grant outfit--plaid red and blue blouse, red tie, denim skirt, and white go-go boots. As this was the first story of the ninth season, maybe Katy Manning had a few weeks on the beach in the interim. She appears tanner here and more radiant as a result. It also extends to her good charity when sneaking Sgt Benton some wine and cheese.

The Doctor is seen as quite a gourmet, as he helps himself to Sir Reginald's Gorgonzolla cheese and a red wine which he describes as "good humoured... a touch sardonic, not cynical. A most civilized wine."

Although not specifically stated, the Controller's monotone female staff may be a vast improvement on the Robotization process (Dalek Invasion Of Earth).

The notable guest star here is Aubrey Woods (the Controller), who played the goldsmith in The Abominable Dr. Phibes but is probably best known as the candy store owner Bill in Willy Wonka. His defense to the Daleks that "for every guerrilla cell that's destroyed, another takes its place" reminds me of what Israel faced in the 1980's against the Palestinians.

One goof in Episode 1 is where the Gold Dalek talks slower, enunciating each syllable. Fortunately it gets better in the remaining episodes--maybe he hadn't taken his Dalek pep pills then. BTW, one Dalek speaks in a lower register (not a goof) while the others are more shrill. Maybe he sings bass in the Dalek choir.

Another is the guerrilla Shura putting his gun down and trying to contact headquarters. When an Ogron jumps him, his gun is back in his holster.

A third is the Doctor and Jo seeing their future selves while the Doctor is fiddling with the TARDIS. Hopefully, the ending would have had them seeing their past (when they were fixing the TARDIS.) It is included in the novelization, but I guess there were time constraints.

A classic Daleks story, and the first of three Dalek encounters by the Third Doctor. UNIT maintains its credibility as an effective fighting force, and Jo Grant has never been any prettier than here. Be sure and tell your friends if you like this video, and don't forget to tell it to the marines.

INTELLIGENT PREMISE
Although somewhat dissapointing in the realization of the Daleks, this is a very intelligent story on the paradox of time travel and changing history. On the positive side, apart from the story, you have Jon Pertwee, Ogrons (my favorite baddies, I don't know why), the Brigadier, and that wonderful 70's sci-fi electronic music (really sets the mood). On the negative side, you have a bit of overacting (the Controller comes to mind), minimal sets, and of course the minimal involvement of the Daleks. As others have noted, this is not the best Dalek story or Pertwee's strongest episode, but it is still enjoyable nonetheless, with some genuinely scary moments to boot.

"'Boney,' I said, 'an army marches on its stomach.'"
An incredibly ambitious and overrated story that suffers from the inclusion of the Daleks themselves. Had the Daleks NOT been included, and the production team just invented a new alien/monster and/or villian, it might have been more of a success. The main cast is just fine, with a little UNIT humor thrown in for good measure, "Rank has its priveledges..." The Controller isn't too bad, but why does he and his girl assistants have an unhuman glow on their faces? Certainly can't be from stress. And then the Daleks. These Daleks are probably the worst in the entire series, with the most aggravating voices, the silliest staging, and the most pathetic line of formation when they attack Aubrey House. Believe it or not, the Ogrons are better realised in this story than the Daleks. Incredibly disappointing, though it's not without merit, "The Day of the Daleks" is only infamous for nostalgiac reasons. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the rarest of the early Doctor Who series, with William Hartnell as the crusty old Doctor, "Edge of Destruction" is entirely based in the Tardis, which has stopped somewhere between worlds and times. The Doctor blames Ian and Barbara, the two teachers who came aboard in search for answers about his granddaughter Susan, assuming they have committed sabotage in an attempt to return to their own time. They, in turn, in spite of recent shared escapes from cavemen and Daleks, have no particular reason to trust his sanity. Something is causing one after another of them to act with violent irrationality, and the clock is ticking toward their destruction... This is a claustrophobic two-episode plot in which the series examines closely some of its more beloved assumptions. For example, who, in this situation, is good and who is dangerous? The restriction to a single set may have started as an economy measure but virtue is made of necessity.

Also included is the original pilot episode, "An Unearthly Child," with several retakes. --Roz Kaveney ... Read more

Reviews (14)

"Nothing in ze world can stop me now!!"
After waiting months to finally obtain the "correct" release of this video, the Warner snafu is over, for now. I can't say it was worth the wait, but I am pleased with the contents on them. The remastering of both "The Edge of Destruction" and the original "pilot episode" look beautiful, magnificently cleaned up by the Restoration Team. Although, don't look at the story too much, as it was originally conceived to fill time between "The Daleks" and "Marco Polo"(the sets weren't ready!). "Edge" itself is incredibly bizarre, but things start ot feel a little normal during "The Brink of Disaster". The original pilot is also very enjoyable. Love Susan's little jig in classroom. But the Highlight of the release, at least for North Amercian viewers, is "The Missing Years". A 30 minute special made by the Restoration Team about various Doctor Who episodes that might be missing forever. Also included, are various extracts and clips from missing episodes. Well researched, well made, these people know what they're talking about, very informative. And let's not forget the bonus episode: Episode 3 of "The Underwater Menace"! It has to be seen to be believed! Absolutely wonderful! The Doctor in disguise is NOT to be missed. A must get for any Doctor Who nut.

Buy for 'The Missing Years'!
Most die-hard Doctor Who fans have seen 'The Edge of Destruction' and 'An Unearthly Child' enough times not to be dazzled by this release. 'Edge' is not one of the best episodes in Doctor Who's history. This release, however, does contain the unaired version of 'An Unearthly Child,' and it is somewhat interesting to note the differences between this version and the actual aired version. However, nearly all Doctor Who fans should purchase this video for the 'Missing Years' footage, which is about an hour long including the dialogue by Frazer Hines and Deborah Watling. Most fans can gloss over the dialouge about how the BBC lost the episodes. But there are good clips of all three missing Daleks stories, a few moments of Patrick Troughton's recovery from his regeneration, and weird moments from 'Fury From the Deep,' to name some highlights. The entire episode 3 on 'The Underwater Menace' is presented, although the story and special effects are campy. If nothing else, 'The Missing Years' provides some good visuals for episodes now released as audio soundtracks: 'The Highlanders,' 'The Macra Terror,' and a lengthy clip from 'Galaxy Four' are featured. This is not the best of Doctor Who, but it is a must for every Doctor Who fan.

Entertaining
"The Edge of Destruction" is obviously low-budget filler in between the bigger stories "The Daleks" and the lost "Marco Polo." For fans of the underrated Hartnell years, though, this is a great one and at times bizaree. Written by David Whitaker, original script editor for the series, this one is filler (both of the episodes of the story feature just the main cast of the show totally isolated in the time machine), but it's still lots of fun. Hartnell's Doctor again plays the angry and mean side, but this is a turning point in that in the end we see he is finally starting to warm up to the schoolteachers Ian and Barbara who have thusfar been the heroes of the series.

"The Pilot Episode" is a fun watch for die hard fans, as is the missing years tape which almost makes a fan like myself sad at the prospect of all of these lost classics. Some of the best DW? No. Enjoyable? Yes.

Inside The Spaceship
This particular adventure is very claustrophobic, as well as being very intense, and atmospheric. In a way, it's almost Hitchcockian in its execution. For this adventure takes place within the confines of the Doctor's ship, the TARDIS. Some sort of intense shockwave has knocked the crew unconscious, and something seems to be wrong with all of the systems within the ship. Not only that, but paranoia, moments of insanity, as well as suspicions and accusations run rampant among the four companions, as no one is sure who to trust, for rational thinking and understanding are thrown out the window, at least, until the climax of the final episode, as the Doctor finally realizes what has happened. This adventure was really cool, and very intense, as the Doctor faced off with both Barbara and Ian, in an intense scenes of wild accusations and mistrust. But ultimately, it was this adventure that marked a turning point for William Hartnell's Doctor, for it was here that the Doctor showed signs of being less harsh, and more likeable, especially towards Ian and Barbara.

The recap
The "first" pilot episode included on this set was never aired apparently due to dissatisfaction on the part of production team -- they felt that Hartnell had played the part too aggressively, there were problems with some line flubs, a few technical glitches; this was flying by the seat of their pants as it was. Thus, this was left in the can and the "second" pilot (is that like being a virgin twice?), the one shown on television in those flickering, far off days, was the one most known to Whovians and other dimensional travelers until this video was put together. I enjoyed this particular version after seeing the second one (!) - Hartnell does play his part aggressively, rather than the more enigmatic reading he gave it second time around. His impatience with these dense, arrogant humans is obvious; as far as he is concerned, they are a tremendous threat, and for good reason. Were the knowledge of dimensional time and space travel to become developed among this half-barbaric civilization, it would be disasterous. Susan in vain begs him to leave these humans behind - their minds, says she, reject anything they cannot understand (that would have been balm to me as a grade schooler, struggling with what seemed like impossibly unimaginative teachers). It will therefore be presumably a mind-expanding experience for Barbara and Ian (who turn out to be excellent companions) to be literally hijacked to 100,000 BC.

The Edge of Destruction, originally called Inside the Spaceship, owes its claustrophobic studio-bound setting to producer Verity Lambert's desire to save a bit of money and show off the interior of the TARDIS, a 2000 pounds sterling staging that set this cash-strapped show back a fair bit. All I can say is the thing works - hastily put together it may have been (Hartnell had a tough time remembering these long speeches he had to memorize in next to no time and flubs a bit - who cares, it made it seem more realistically frantic, anyway), but the surreality of the whole episode is unsettling - this seeming creeping insanity, the breakdown of trust among four people trapped inside a space ship headed towards its own disintegration, the desperate need to grasp onto some sort of reality, however slippery.

Teased with the thought of all of those missing episodes (110 to be exact), I'm not sure I'm glad or frustrated that I have now seen these excellent out-takes in The Missing Years segment, presented by a peppy, well-preserved Frazier Hines (Jamie) and an equally peppy, endearing Deborah Watling (Victoria, in an awful haircut) with a somewhat wide-eyed narration that is all in good fun. They present a selection of Dr. Who clips and short interviews with the film collectors who found them, and where and how they were found is both amusing and interesting. The censored bits from the Australian collector especially are vivid and shockingly modern; missing the rest of the various episodes made me want to weep. Notable is the intriguing regeneration scene from Hartnell to Troughton -- the fact that someone had probably shot this bit of film by training their old 8mm on their television screen gives it a very creepy, shadowy, telescopic view that I rather liked. Also contained in this segment is the suriving complete third episode of The Underwater Menace, which was great camp.

Unfortunately, the film collector who admitted that after 30 years the chances of finding any more viewable Dr. Who's are very slim may be, I fear, correct. Like the TARDIS, however, hope is eternal... ... Read more

Reviews (10)

"You're going to hold a dance?"
This Tom Baker adventure is an example of style over substance. The usual threat of alien invasion is dealt with in a more original way than usual, with a cosmic entity known as the Mandragora Helix planning to destroy human learning and endeavour at the time of the Renaissance, thus plunging the world into superstition and intellectual decay. Strangely enough, however, for a story set in Renaissance Italy, there is too much technobabble, especially in the climax, which is insufficiently explained. The story just ends and we're left asking how. (With no answer!) However, the story is a triumph of design. It has brilliant period costumes, lush surroundings and exquisite dance scenes during the masque. There is also a brooding sense of underlying terror. (The Doctor trapped in the temple while it is recreating itself is one such example.) There is also wonderful acting from all involved. The deficiencies of "The Masque of Mandragora" are overwhelmed by its sheer style.

Mandragora shall swallow the moon!
The opening story of Season 14 showed a return to a historical adventure. After a close encounter with the Mandragora Helix, the Doctor and Sarah head off to the Dukedom of San Martino in the late 15th century. Unfortunately, three things happen. One, Sarah is captured by the black-robed brethren, members of the Cult of Demnos, who intend to have her sacrificed. Two, the Doctor is captured by soldiers belonging to Count Federico. Three, some Mandragora energy which had slipped into the TARDIS goes around killing people, grossly distorting their faces.

Count Federico is quite the authoritarian, as his men make random attacks on peasants to get any idea of insurrection out of their heads. He is beset by one obstacle in his attempts to gain the dukedom after the death of his brother. That is his young nephew Giuliano, someone interested in scholarly learning, particularly astronomy, but also justice. "I want to rule over a land where there is no tyranny, no lies, no blind ignorance and superstition. ... We make our own lives... not the stars."

That last is against Hieronymous, the hooded court astrologer with a funny forked beard who also heads the cult. The Mandragora energy communicates with him and choses him as the one to become supreme ruler of the Earth. Hieronymous deems himself a humble astrologer and interpreter who says "the decrees of fate must be obeyed. We have no choice." I wonder if the name of this character was inspired by Hieronymous de Savanarola, who condemned church corruption under the Borgias and wore a monk's habit in public.

The Doctor and Sarah are befriended by Giuliano, who perceived the Doctor's scholarly abilities. He finds an ally in the Doctor, who helps him against Federico, who begins to openly move against his own nephew.

Great lines: when Hieronymous accuses the Doctor of profaning the sacred stone of the cult, the Doctor replies flippantly, "Oh, come off it, Hieronymous. You know who I am. You can drop all that bosh about profanity and sacred stones. Just be your natural horrid self."

One interesting question viewers might have is why do the Doctor's companions understand and speak with the local inhabitants in their travels. Here, the Doctor explains it as a Time Lord gift he shares with his companions.

Other things: Tim Pigott-Smith plays Marco, Giuliano's companion and at times, stronger friend. And Norman Jones (Hieronymous) appeared in another Who story The Silurians as the ill-fated Major Baker. This also sees the introduction of the secondary TARDIS console, with brown wood paneling, brass fittings, and no central column, and smaller so it could be more easily moved. And the Doctor should've said "another 150 years" instead of "another 50 years" when he says "we could've used Galileo's [telescope]."

Some sources place the setting as 1478, but as Giuliano mentions a man who believes the Earth is round and not flat, it's more likely 1492, as Columbus's theories were accepted upon his return back the following year.

The concept of superstition, astrology, and predestination, represented by the Helix, and that of knowledge, astronomy, and free will, represented by Giuliano and the Doctor seems a bit simplistic, but it works. After all, who would want to have their decision guided when Mars is in the House of the Ram or is in conjunction with Saturn? For man, the only thing worth having is a sense of purpose-"the ability granted to every living being to shape its own destiny" instead of being idle-minded, useless sheep. Indeed, Giuliano's pondering, "Perhaps the stars don't move, maybe it's we who move" sums it all. In that sense, it succeeds, with the use of Portmeiron in Northern Wales a good location doubling for early Renaissance Italy.

Boring boring boring!
Boring sums up this episode of Dr. Who. I tend not to be overly critical of most of the story lines, but I honestly must tell you that your money would be better spent on other tales. The doctor and Sarah find themselves in medievel Italy where a cult exists that is attempting to control the world. During the Doctors travels, he accidently picks up an energy source (glows red all the time) and brings it unknowingly to medievel Italy. It isnt long before this evil energy type entity establishes itself within this ancient cult and possesses its members to perform its bidding. This episode lacks anything intriguing in its storyline and I often found myself either falling asleep by the boredom of it all or eyeing my stack of other Dr. Who adventures with the idea of ejecting for another. Don't make this episode a priority if you collect Dr. Who tapes. And, if you must buy it, perhaps just buy one used. This episode could have been written so so much better. I got the distinct impression this was an episode that was thrown together by the writer in quite a big hurry!

Boot cupboard. Not very interesting...
The Doctor and Sarah are "blown off course" into Renaissance Italy by an alien intelligence that wants to suppress humankind's scientific and intellectual development. The alien intelligence finds a ready-made power base in the form of a secret religious cult and sets about trying to disrupt history. Meanwhile the Doctor and Sarah are caught in the middle of a family struggle: a bloodthirsty Count is trying to manipulate events so as to wrest power away from his nephew, the Duke.

Period pieces are always one of Doctor Who's strong suits and this trip to 1492 Italy is no exception. Great attention is paid to the costuming and set design, and there are even throwaway bits of dialogue that allude to historic figures like da Vinci and Galileo. There is a touching (dare I say flirtatious?) moment when the Duke Guiliano (Gareth Armstrong) confesses to Sarah his belief that the world is actually a sphere. For me the hard part is watching all these British actors with West End accents trying to pass themselves off as Renaissance Italians! The least believable moment comes when Sarah is hypnotized by the court astrologer and persuaded to assassinate the Doctor. I just can't swallow the idea that a cosmopolitan reporter from 1970's London can suddenly be made to believe her best friend is an "evil sorcerer."

A large chunk of this episode is shot on location in Portmeirion, a town which has apparently doubled for Italy in a number of other television shows and movies over the years. Enjoyable for Shakespearean-style court intrigue, swordfighting stuntwork, and the way it tackles the razor's edge issue of science over mysticism, THE MASQUE OF MANDRAGORA is nevertheless probably Season Thirteen's weakest episode. Heironymus (Norman Jones) is just plain not scary, even after he turns into a ball of lightning in a purple robe. Count Federico (Jon Laurinmore) is a far better villian, contemptuously sneering his way through scene after scene right on up until his grisly end. Tom Baker is in good form throughout, tossing out flippant one-liners and insults to palace guards and astrologers, but the overall pacing of the story is inconsistent and doesn't adequately explain just exactly how Good Triumphed Over Evil at the end.

My first Dr. Who and my favorite
One day I was surfing channel (in those ancient days when you did it by turning a knob standing next to the set.) when I spotted a fellow with curley hair and a long scarf in a little room that turned out to be an infinately big time machine that ended up in Italy in the era of Leonardo Da Vinci. I found it interesting but thought nothing of it till a few months later when I happened to catch the start of the very same episode again. This time I found out when it was on and my 25 year long love affair with Dr. Who began.

This episode started it all. We see the doctor in Italy battling a cult from the past and an intelligence from the future as they attempt to alter human history for their own ends. A great combination of humor, action and adventure. A pretty good description of the whole series.

Dr. Who fans you will enjoy the return to the backup control room which provides much more ambiance than the regular one.

I can't guarentee you'll fall in love with the series if you watch this one, but you'll find it fun. ... Read more

Description

The Doctor and Jo travel to Devil's End Village to probe the centuries-old secret of the Devil's Hump, a mysterious burial mound. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A Devilish Tale courtesy of Quatermass and Wheatley
One of my favourite Jon Pertwee era stories originall broadcast May 22 through June 19 1971, this adventure was extremely controversial in the UK at the time with campaigner Mary Whitehouse calling for it not to be broadcast.

Full of references to withcraft and mysticism the story combines ancient English practices of Morris Dancing and the Maypole with Dridic and Celtic legends. Throw in some witchcraft, black and white and Satanism and you have all the makings of a good science fiction story.

Actually the story links the magical elements more with superior science than with devil worship and clearly attempts to show that the representations of the horned demons owes more to early visits from aliens than satanism. The rites and rituals thus evolved as ways of communication with the aliens and ways to cope with their powers.

This story owes a lot to the earlier Quatermass movie where a strange spaceship is discovered in a London Undergound station in an area dominated by streets with devilish names. It is soon discovered to contain elements of Martian life which have a devilish appearance and which cause the local inhabitants to indulge in group killing and other alien behaviours.

There is also a strong undercurrent of the writings of Dennis Wheatly in the script as the devil worshipping practices are measure and correspondent to Christian ones, with the Master assuming the role of the High Priest.

Towards the end of the story the portrayal of the Daemon as being intelligent armed with superior science but with a simplistic moral code is a dramatic scary affair but which makes a good point.

Highly recommended.

Quiet fun
This one is a good example of why dr who is so good. One thing i like about it is it strays a bit. usually toward the end of every episode te doctor is in danger. Well in this one our old frind the Master ends up on the short end of the stick at the end off one. I thought that was neat as the master almost always has everything under control. Good show even if the brigadier wasnt in the action like you know he would like to be.

One of the best for Pertwee, Manning, and UNIT
The final story to Season Eight has its detractors, who consider it a load of rubbish, and its supporters, who declare it as one of the best in the series. I'm happy to say I belong to the latter group.

The plot: Professor Horner, an archaelogist is digging into a barrow at Devil's End that he claims contains treasure by a Bronze Age chieftain. Local resident and white witch Olive Hawthorne is against the dig, as she claims Satan will appear. After all, it is Beltane, 30 April. Something clicks in the Doctor's mind and he and Jo rush over to Devil's End. He is too late, and powerful forces send the Doctor and kills Horner.

The forces have been unleashed by the Master, masquerading as the local reverend, and he intends to invoke Azal, the last Daemon, so he can rule the world with the power given by the Daemon. The Dæmons were an alien race who gave mankind knowledge to evolve, but amorally. To make matters worse, the Master has Azal create a heat barrier encircling Devil's End, trapping the local inhabitants in, and locking everyone else out, so the Doctor and his friends are left to fend for themselves.

Here is one story where the fan/viewer can see the entire UNIT team at work, not only professionally, but in a family sort of way, where everyone looks after each other and shows genuine concern. Yates and Benton are akin to the big brothers to Jo's little sister, the Doctor is the grandfather, and the Brigadier is the uncle of the family. Jo's concern for the Doctor is all so apparent here.

In the confrontation scene between the Doctor, the Master, and Azal, who is a fearsome, satyr-like creature standing 30' tall, the Time Lord launches effective arguments for why Azal should just leave and let mankind grow up, at their own pace. "Thanks to you, he can blow up the world and he probably will. He can poison the river, the land and the air he breathes, he's already started." When the Master says that he alone possesses the strong leadership needed, the Doctor retorts with "I seem to remember someone else talking like that. Who was the bounder? Hitler. Yes, Adolf Hitler. Or was it Genghis Khan?" The Doctor's moral character in the confrontation distinguishes him as a champion for Earth and its people.

One of the best cliffhangers of the series comes at the end of Episode 2, when Bok, the stone gargoyle, traps the Doctor and Jo inside the cavern where they find Azal's miniaturized spaceship. How is it resolved? Yeah, right, like I'm going to tell you.

One goof noticeable is the fight between Sergeant Benton and Garvin, the Master's servant. The shotgun held by Garvin breaks during their struggle and he carries on, holding both pieces together.

The appearance of the heat barrier, the thick black marks on buildings denoting its presence, and the attempts to penetrate are some of the outstanding special effects.

The Daemons is one of those stories whose colour prints were lost during the BBC purge. Episode 4 survived, but the colour synchronized restoration from the black and white prints of the other four episodes gives it a film look. With #4 still in its original condition, the interior video shots are a big contrast to the outdoor film footage. It makes me wonder, well, why not do it to the B&W print of #4 to give the whole story a film look? Still, this is only a minor complaint.

The regulars give their best as usual, but Damaris Hayman (Miss Olive Hawthorne) is one of the best non-regulars I have seen in the entire series. John Scott-Martin has a non-speaking role as one of the villagers, and John Owens (Thorpe) may be familiar as a recurring character in The Two Ronnies.

Jo Grant is the hero of the hour, as what she does causes Azal's defeat. No, you have to watch it to find out what I mean.

The debate between science and magic is another subtopic presented here, between the Doctor and Jo and later, he and Miss Hawthorne at opposite ends. What appears to be magic in conjuring the Daemon is explained as highly advanced science, with the ceremony a means of controlling the psionic forces and the Daemon himself. To the Doctor, anything can be explained by science, as he demonstrates with to Jo by causing his yellow Roadster Bessie to run by itself via solenoids and a remote control.

Yet, let's get one thing straight here. Azal is amoral, not evil, as the Doctor points out. Take Prometheus, a cousin of Azal. In Greek mythology, Prometheus was punished by the gods for giving fire to man. He eventually escaped with the help of his brother and continued giving knowledge to man. As a Rational, Prometheus is my hero, but should he have perhaps let mankind develop at its own pace, as the Doctor claims Azal should have done? Series producer Barry Letts, using the alias Guy Leopold, wrote the story, and how wonderful it was to have had an introspective, intellectual philosopher at the helm of Doctor Who!

The Daemons remains one of my favorite Who episodes. At the end, the Doctor tells Jo, "There is magic in the world." as they and villagers dance around the Maypole. You tell'em, Doctor!

"There's no need to make a production number out of it!"
Once regarded as one of the great stories of the Jon Pertwee era, "The Daemons" unfortunately falls short of achieving "classic" status. It is a story propagated by nostalgia; the fond memories it gave viewers are probably better than the actual story itself. This is not to say that "The Daemons" is bad. On no account. It has great moments. The first episode is excellent - it builds up the tension and is extremely atmospheric. All the night scenes are wonderfully done, as are those in the pub. The second episode is also well done; unfortunately the story tends to sag during the third. It becomes a bit of an action for action's sake runaround - helicopter and motorcycle chases that just wear a bit thin. The attempts to break through the heat barrier go on far too long and are loaded with technobabble. The ending is also a bit rushed and is very implausible. However "The Daemons" is littered with some great moments. The gargoyle Bok is fun to watch (when he first moves in the cavern near the end of episode one it is downright frightening). The village meeting in episode three is an interesting probe into the lives of the inhabitants and there are nice directorial touches - for instance the shadow falling across the police constable's face when the unseen Daemon stands over him and the sweat on the Master's brow as he summons Azal at the end of part three (probably caused by the studio lighting, but works to terrific effect). Azal's presence in the cavern in the final episode is also well realised. I also feel this story is better in black and white. It was transmitted in this format the last time it was on Australian television and I feel that monochrome added to the story's horror atmosphere (especially the first episode). The colour reconstruction of episodes 1-3 and 5 give this effect slightly (you can tell it's from a black and white print), but part 4, the only surviving colour episode, just looks too slick and glossy for the type of story. All in all "The Daemons" is enjoyable - although it tends to deteriorate halfway through.

Good story... bad ending
A satisfying dark and mysterious story, with good effects, and a great performance by the Doctor, Jo and UNIT, but the ending has got to be one of the worst in the series, with Azal basically going "Arrgh! That does not make sense!" and blowing himself sky high. ... Read more

Description

The paradise planet inhabited by the gentle Kinda people would appear to be ideal for colonization, so why is the colonization team disappearing one by one? ... Read more

Reviews (12)

One of the best Doctor Who's on video!
The cast is great, there are some great lines in this story! The cliffhangers have a lot to be desired,but that not the point.The snake of the Mara is a fake ,but who cares! If you watch this series for special effects you'll be disappointed! I watch the series to understand the Doctor and his companions better! Besides it's not TV anymore! Overall one of my favorites with Peter Davison and the companions! If you watch Nyssa ,you'll be disappointed ! Nyssa hardly appears in this episode of the series!

Peter Davison at his finest
When I read a review for "Kinda," all I heard was that Janet Fielding was real great in it and such praise like that. So, when I watched it, I found (to my delight) that most of the companions really didn't do much in this story. Nyssa mainly sleeps though the adventure in the TARDIS, Tegan has weird dreams and gets possessed, and Adric is trapped in the dome with the psychos. Who, in my opinion, really shines in this story is Peter Davison. While he gave a great performance in "Castrovalva," he had not established what his Doctor was going to be like. In "Kinda," we get our first look at the Fifth Doctor's personae. Doctor Todd is another outstanding character in the story, and is the Doctor's stand-in companion during this adventure. There's of course little things like huge rubber snakes that strain your suspended disbelief, but that's part of Doctor Who. Any fan of the Fifth Doctor or Peter Davison should watch this.

Buddhism meets Word For World Is Forest in this Who story
"Paradise, isn't it? The sun shines, the birds sing, food grows on trees?" On the lush forest world planet S14 (Deva Loka), the Doctor and Adric run into an Earth military expedition consisting of Colonel Saunders, Security Officer Hindle, and Dr. Todd, the surviving members of a former six-person mission on whether or not to colonize Kinda. The forest world concept is borrowed from Ursula LeGuin's 1970's story The World For World Is Forest, which was an indirect protest against the US presence in Vietnam.

Saunders is a typical imperialist type, dismissing the Kinda people as primitives and ignorant savages. He also quite the authoritarian. "Too many opinions! Meet a few difficulties and suddenly, everyone has an opinion. That's how things fall apart!" Todd, though, thinks the Kinda aren't primitive. She thinks they are telepathic. Hindle, though, is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and as soon as he's left in charge, he snaps, deciding that the trees and vegetation are the enemy and decides to enact the self-destruct sequence to their dome.

But Saunders returns after an encounter with the Kinda by opening the box of jhana, and far from being "the old red-faced one who shouts", is a diffident, nice old man who smiles more and is polite.

In a surreal sequence, Tegan falls asleep under a set of wind chimes, and has a very weird dream. She sees an elderly couple playing chess, the woman telling her "You my dear can't possibly exist." They debate upon whether she exists. "Besides, how do you I know that what you think you see is what [I] think [I] see?" Then, a tall ghoulish skeletal man appears and offers her out of the dream, if she'd loan him her body. She wakes up, and is quite changed in personality. And she boasts a new snake tattoo on her right arm.

The Kinda are a peaceful people, dressed in Pacific Islander type skirts. They are telepathic, but a select few have voice, such as the wise blind old woman Panna, and her disciple, the preteen Karuna. "No predators, no disease, no adverse environmental factors, the climate is constant within a 5 degree range, trees fruit in sequence all year around"...yes, they are the people in their Eden, where there's no sense of a chronological time. But in every Eden, there is a serpent.

The overall idea of the story is how people identify themselves and others by stereotypes and categories, creating the illusion of permanence. But dividing between "among-we" and "not-we" creates a duality (the scene with the two Tegans), which further becomes the source of illusion and suffering.

Tegan's dream experience is full of Buddhist subtexts. The old couple are (billed but not mentioned) as Anicca (the impermanence of things) and Anatta (egolessness), which details the futility of defining one's ego because there is no self, hence the discussion of perception (does Tegan exist?) and ego-identity. And the tall ghoulish man is Dukkha (suffering, insubstantiality).

Karuna's name means "active compassion" in Buddhism, and the Box of Jhana (meditation) is the way the sickness of the world is cured. And the great wheel of time symbolizes the rise and fall of civilizations, "gathering speed through the centuries, crushing everything in its path." And who turns the wheel? The Mara (the lord of death). "He dances to the music of our despair, our suffering is his delight, our madness his meat and drink." The wheel turns because Saunders' expedition wants to colonize Kinda. The timeless circularity of the Kinda lifestyle will end, and the colonialist linear, ordered lifestyle will begin.

The dialogue is top-notch, as is the studio jungle, and the dream sequences involving Tegan. Trivia: Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) only appears in the beginning of Episode 1 and the end of Episode 4 because appearing in all four went beyond the limit of episodes she could appear in per contract. Fortunately, her contract was renewed soonafter.

Nerys Hughes' (Todd) interraction with the Doctor is one of the best things here, but Simon Rouse is a bit OTT as Hindle. Sarah Prince shines out as Karuna, as does Adrian Mills (Aris) whose muted looks of confusion and sadness is well-expressed.

After taking my World Religions class, I finally understood the symbolism in this story. And here, I disagree with the Doctor. For me, paradise can never be too green.

"You can't mend people!"
"Kinda", first broadcast in 1982 (not 1975 - how did Amazon come up with that?) as part of season 19, is easily one of the best Peter Davison adventures, if not the entire series. A race of telepathic people, the Kinda, are in turn using and being used by a Terran survey team, all the while trying to avoid the foretold 'second coming' of an ancient and terrible evil, the Mara. Although it seems simplistic, the telling of the story is quite original and, like other recent adventures, geared more in a classic science-fiction vein. Ultimately, however, the whole thing is based around the concepts of Buddhism.

Sound strange? It is. But it's some of the best script-writing "Doctor Who" ever saw, with crisp, memorable lines and a villain whose horror is based not in how it attacks people, but how it takes them over. In truth, the sequel - "Snakedance" - is perhaps easier to watch, but "Kinda" has the real brilliance.

With the companions mostly out of the way (Nyssa almost totally absent, Tegan seeming to be pivotal but later sidelined, and Adric swapping allegiances) the bulk of the heroism is left up to Peter Davison. But that's no problem - Davison delivers his first solid performance as the Doctor, backed by an unusually superb guest cast. Nerys Hughes' Dr. Todd makes a great surrogate companion, while Simon Rouses mentally disturbed Hindle completely steals every scene he's in. With all this greatness, how can the story possibly fail? It doesn't. Excluding a couple of embarrassing moments, most notably the famous 'rubber snake' at the end, "Kinda" is four of the most absorbing "Doctor Who" episodes, and - unlike many others - will leave you thinking after you've finished watching.

EXCELLENT! Peter Davison and Janet Fielding are GREAT!
This was the FIRST doctor who video I purchased a bit ago (I now have almost 30). I sat down and I was totally tuned into it. Janet Fielding is unbelievably good in this episode, and Peter Davison plays a very good Doctor! The Mara, you could tell was fake, but thats how it was back in the eighties. BBC didn't have as much money as we did to make semi-good effects back then. Everyone acted so well in this episode, although Sarah Sutton was only in the first few bits of the first episode, and a couple seconds in the last part of the fourth episode. If you don't have this one yet, you should get it. I recommend seeing Snakedance as well, which is a sequel to the Kinda. ... Read more

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The Doctor, Zoe and Jamie team up with Unit to fend off a worldwide invasion of Cybermen. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

an all round good story
the tardis lands on earth in the mid seventies,this originally eight part story still keeps the suspense going with two episodes missing from the bbc archives these being episodes one and four nicolas courtney fills in the gaps episodes 5-8 is when the suspense builds up one of doctor who's most famous moments is contained in this story, the cybermen walking down the steps of st pauls in london where the story is set and this is at the end of episode six and not giving too much away thre is a unit vs cybermen battle scene, this story is one of the few gems left from patrick troughtons era.

A gem from the second doctors era
This episode features the return the of the cybermen from "the moonbase", the first time UNIT appears in a episode and helps the Doctor defeat cybermen. The video is in black and white but the actor who played "the brigadier" omits the missing episodes. This episode is the last time the cybermen are in the series until the episode"Revenge of The Cybermen" with Tom Baker!!of course the Doctor and UNIT defeat Vaughn(human ally) and the Cybermen!!Look for the invisible TARDIS in the last few minutes of the episode 8!!

One of the best Cyber stories-and UNIT's debut too!
The Invasion is significant in three aspects. One, it introduces UNIT, United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, which was founded four years after the Yeti invasion in the sadly no-longer extant story The Web Of Fear. Two, it further establishes Bri