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"The Seeds of Death" is the second Doctor Who adventure to feature the popular nemesis the Ice Warriors. Broadcast six months before the first manned moon landing, here the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and companions Jamie (Frazer Hines) and Zoe (Wendy Padbury) beat Neil Armstrong & Co. in boarding a rocket to the moon, where they face the icy Martian invaders who have taken over Earth's T-Mat teleportation system in prelude to a full-scale invasion. The plot encompasses weather control, rising global disaster as food shortages sweep the world's cities, and--remarkably--a fungus that can remove oxygen from the atmosphere but which is destroyed by water!

Writer Brian Hayles might flunk Science 101 but he still tells an entertaining yarn filled with typical Whovian moments of danger and derring-do. The effects are prehistoric, but the Ice Warrior costumes prove a triumph of ingenuity over budget, and the central premise of a worldwide teleportation network is imaginative enough. Hayles brought the Ice Warriors back in surprisingly different circumstances in the Jon Pertwee Doctor Who classic "The Curse of Peladon" (1972).--Gary S. Dalkin ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A great Troughton episode
Patrick Troughton is the most underrated Doctor - the second best after Tom Baker. He always keeps things funny and interesting. The Ice Warriors are great villains - two bad there are only 2 other stories in which they play the villains(plus one story in which they are actually good). Put the Ice Warriors and Troughton together (plus Jamie, the best companion other than Sarah Jane, and Zoe) and you have a great episode - despite the usual padding and hokey sets.

One of the best!
This is one of Troughtons best surviving stories. It is a marvelous DVD with great commentary by Wendy Padbury, Frazer Hines, Terrance Dicks etc. It is a shame that only 6 stories out of 20 in Troughtons era exist in full, but luckily we do have this story. I think the monsters are great in this, and the storyline is wonderful. This is an excellent addition to any Patrick Troughton fan, or to any Doctor Who fan!

The Dying Days
On the recent DVD release of THE SEEDS OF DEATH, the picture quality looks absolutely phenomenal, thanks to the VIDFIRE treatment and from the painstaking effort placed in cleaning each frame. It's a pity the same remedies couldn't have been applied to the script, as it surely could have benefited from having a few of the rough spots removed. Terrance Dicks often complains that six-part Who stories were difficult to do without resorting to padding, and it's easy to nod alongside him. Still, this was the first time I watched the serial in episode format and that helped. By limiting myself to two episodes a sitting stretched over several days, I didn't let the viewing become tedious. The best I can say is that it isn't boring, which isn't an enormous compliment, but it's enough.

One way you could look at the structure of much of this story is as a reworking of the basic base-under-siege pattern that was so prevalent and successful. However, instead of a base, we're presented with a small storeroom; the Ice Warriors effortless capture the entire outpost within minutes rather than (as in the past) not managing it until later episodes, or, indeed, ever. But this actually works, as the storeroom is a convincingly confined set, and you can really believe they these people are pinned in here hiding from great danger lurking in the corridors.

As with many serials from the era, the production is a mixture of silliness and splashes of surprisingly effectiveness. The sets are quite good, and the director successfully makes it appear that there's more than one corridor on the moonbase. As for the silliness, well, other reviewers have mocked the characters' "nappy-wear" costumes, but it looked to me more like some joker had darkened their visible panty lines with permanent marker. I concur with the opinion stated many times on the DVD commentary track: "Not really flattering, no."

One of the major negatives is the story rests so heavily on a hokey piece of fictional technology. T-Mat is the equivalent of Star Trek's transporter, allowing anyone in the world to beam to anywhere else in the world by bouncing a signal off the moon (presumably it only works on half the planet at a time, but this isn't addressed). The world's supply of hamburgers and Chicken McNuggets are delivered via this medium, so a slight delay means starvation for millions. So naturally, this vital, irreplaceable technology is all controlled through one sloppily organized (the opening scene shows the world's food supply delayed by five minutes because of one mistake) point, a relay station. This design flaw becomes most apparent when the aliens invade and start stomping through it.

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the directing in this episode. On one hand, Michael Ferguson does a great job with some short individual scenes. There are set pieces with a lot of tension. That parallel zoom-in thing he does is very effective. But the overall story never feels real or dangerous. The threat from the Ice Warrior's oh-so-dastardly plan remains a little too abstract in tone. There's no real tension from it; I never felt the characters or the world were seriously in jeopardy. Yet I was able to easily accept that they were in immediate danger from, say, the soldier shooting at them. That stated, I did like the way the plot (where there is of it) unfolds. The Ice Warriors plan is multi-staged, and we get to see them constantly one step ahead of everyone.

The places where the story works best are where focus is placed on its human components. The regular cast and the guest actors play it all very nicely and believably (a few wooden extras aside). Terry Scully as Fewsham gets a lot of deserved credit for playing the collaborator whose conscience is slowly eating away at him. Harry Towb steals the show quite nicely... until he's killed off after a scant ten minutes. The Earth-based characters play off each other well, too. I really like the scene where Phillip Ray's Professor Eldred fusses over the would-be-Astronauts while the Doctor gently humors him.

Speaking of the Doctor, I think a large part of what makes SEEDS watchable is that I simply love this Doctor-companion combination. I'd watch them in anything. A little remarked upon scene comes near the end, where the defeated Ice Lord orders his heavy to destroy the Doctor. Patrick Troughton calmly closes his eyes, his character peacefully preparing for death. Until he suddenly spots Jamie in harm's way and leaps across a table to spoil the warrior's aim. It's nicely underplayed, which is classic Troughton.

THE SEEDS OF DEATH isn't terribly good. But ironically, the DVD of it is, simply because of the wealth of material on it that isn't THE SEEDS OF DEATH. The SSSOWING THE SSSEEDSS documentary is relatively interesting, although if one were being unkind, one could simply sum up the 25 minutes with the sentence: "The costumes were uncomfortable." The Censor Clips and The Last Dalek thing are diverting enough, though I'm not sure if I'll ever feel the need to watch them again without a story to go around them.

While watching the main story, I wrote down many jokes and then had to erase them when I listened to the commentary track, because Terrance Dicks had already made them. I have no bad things to say about this commentary. All you need to know is that good old Uncle Terry is on it, which automatically places it in the top-tier.

The Ice Warriors come to DVD.
The Seeds of Death was the very first black & white Doctor Who story released on video, it was also the only one to be released in a movie compilation format. The fact that the new dvd is presented here complete and uncut is just one selling point. That it has been fully vidfired and now looks absolutely astounding is the big one. Only the sound quality of the story should clue you in to the fact that it isn't a transfer from the original video tapes Seeds Of Death isn't quite on the same level as other season 6 stories such as The Invasion and The War Games, but it does pack it's own little dramatic punch. The extras are a bit slim for this release and one wonders why they even bothered with the second disc. Still, this is a required purchase for any fan of Patrick Troughton's doctor.

End-stage Troughton
I made up my mind to leave Ohio in January 1999, and moved six weeks later. I somehow got wrapped up in a very intense relationship during those six weeks, knowing quite well in retrospect that it was never going to work once I left the state for good. However, she was a "Doctor Who" fan, and so was I. You just don't let these rare connections drift by. We spent a good portion of our time together watching my Season 6 Patrick Troughton videotapes (getting far as Episode 4 of "The War Games" until the inevitable happened). The only disagreement we ever had (apart from the move) was on the quality of "The Seeds of Death". She thought it was enjoyable fun. I thought it was a dull slog. Maybe that's why we didn't last. Was I being too critical?

"Seeds of Death" has always been on the lower region of my own "Doctor Who" rankings. On paper I should love it: I'm a fan of "The Ice Warriors" and "The Curse of Peladon", two other stories featuring the same villainous Martian marauders. I similarly have great fondness for the Season 6 Doctor/companion pairing. Fraser Hines almost never embarrassed himself as an actor during three long seasons. Wendy Padbury, of course, is a doll. Archaic word, but it actually fits. Cutest face ever.

Each of Patrick Troughton's stories -- whether you're watching on TV or merely listening to the surviving audio -- is a seminar on how to play "Doctor Who". You can always count on Troughton for a riveting mixture of physical clowning and top-tier problem solving -- usually at the same time. "Seeds of Death" is notable for a shockingly well-directed madcap chase sequence in Episode 3, as Troughton runs back and forth down the same lone corridor set, making it seem as if he's running for miles. He slips and slides, turns and twists, and does comic double-takes at every distorted mirror reflection. Finally, when the Ice Warriors have him cornered... he talks his way out of it: "Your leader will be very cross with you if you kill me.... I'm a genius!"

However, "Seeds of Death" itself never tickled my imagination the way other stories did. The Ice Warriors, let's face it, aren't well-used here. Slaar (Alan Bennion, who played three different Ice Lords across the years and gave each of them distinct shadings) is only allowed to stand around a control room on the Moon and terrify a dwindling cast of stock BBC actors. The most interesting of these (Harry Towb) is killed off after ten minutes. There's a lot to be said for Terry Scully's nebbishy performance as Fewsham, the moonbase technician who turns traitor to save his own life until he finally summons up the courage to redeem himself with a noble act of self-sacrifice. However, we've seen this performance many other times across the years, so the hurdle is set high. His best moment is the scene in Episode 5, after Fewsham's already made up his mind to betray the Ice Warriors: he's seen standing alone, frowning, wringing his hands, waiting for Slaar to find him. That's quite a good shot.

The DVD builds up a solid case that this story is a neglected Troughton gem. The crowded commentary track features the companions (Hines and Padbury) making cogent remarks about the action -- when they're not busy laughing at Troughton's clowning or about their own slips and line fluffs. Much is made of Jamie's frequent groping of Zoe. You can always count on this reaction when someone asks what it was like to work with the late Troughton: "Ohhhhh" (Similarly, when asked what William Hartnell was like, the reaction is a less enthusiastic "Well..."). Director Michael Ferguson delivers a good account of how he direct ed the story. Since he's speaking 34 years later, it's impressive that he remembers what he does. Script editor Terrance Dicks should be allowed on every commentary track, even for the stories he didn't oversee. The commentary picks up intensity once he shows up for Episode 3. If you don't have time to listen to two hours of actor ramblings, the one episode to listen to is Episode 4, where Ferguson and Dicks discuss the story alone.

A long featurette, amusingly called "Sssowing the Ssseeds", describes how the Ice Warrior costumes were made, and three actors tell us what it was like to work in them. Speaking of costumes, the VidFIRE process that restores the episodes to their original videotape look, works so vividly that you can actually count the paint brushstrokes on the Ice Warrior helmets. The other extras on the bonus disc do not pertain to "Seeds" specifically, but provide archival footage from a dozen other "Troughton" stories that no longer exist.

I find the production-note option increasingly tiresome when Richard Molesworth is the writer. His formula seems to be: provide all the other acting credits of all the other actors in the guest cast; give us the day and the location of the filming of all the model shots; and describe the originally conceived plot of the episode. Only the last of those three items interests me. It's possible to provide fresh text commentary for decades-old "Doctor Who" stories -- see Martin Wiggins' contributions -- so I think Molesworth could depart from the formula without hurting anyone.

At this point in my life, with new "Doctor Who" a year away, I am never going to fall in love with "The Seeds of Death". I may never watch it again. However, the DVD series, with their focus on what *works* (and, more importantly, by getting the story's actors and production team to laugh at the shortcomings), serve the important task of rehabilitating the less-remembered stories, and work hard to dispute the notion that "Doctor Who" was always done on the cheap, without thought. Fair enough. Job well done. Next DVD, please. ... Read more

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The "unearthly" strains of Ron Grainer's now-famous title music announced the arrival of Doctor Who to British TV screens on Saturday, November 23, 1963. It must have been quite a baffling experience for first-time viewers: the swirling abstract graphics, the weird electronic sound effects courtesy of the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop, the very oddity of the show's title. This really was groundbreaking TV. "I think you'll find there's a very simple explanation for all of this," says schoolteacher Ian Chesterton (William Russell) condescendingly, just before being taken on board the Tardis and transported to an alien planet. For audiences, too, this was something entirely unfamiliar, yet obviously appealing: Doctor Who ran for almost 30 years and even long after cancellation it remains one of the BBC's most popular shows.

His later incarnations were all eccentric in their different ways, but William Hartnell's original Doctor is an irascible and distinctively alien character, not at all happy having to put up with ignorant 20th-century humans. The "Unearthly Child" of the title is his granddaughter Susan (Carole Ann Ford), temporarily attending school on Earth. She is conspicuously different from her classmates and attracts the attention of two of her teachers, who resolve to find out why. After an encounter with her mysterious grandfather they are whisked away on an adventure to a different time and place, where angry cavemen are trying in vain to learn the secret of fire. Thus the show's trademarks are established from the outset: the Doctor and his more or less reluctant human companions, the mechanical unreliability of the Tardis, the cliffhanger ending of each episode. It was a formula that rarely changed but that allowed apparently limitless variation (the only constraint was the BBC's budget). In later years the show tried vainly to compete with blockbuster special-effects movies, but its original low-key incarnation relied more on inventive scenarios and good writing--qualities that are just as important now as then. --Mark Walker ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Where it all began
Viewers back in 1963 would have never expected that the Doctor was actually a Time Lord from Gallifrey with the ability to regenerate. And at that point neither did the writers. All saga's must have a starting point and "Unearthly Child" is where it all began for Doctor Who. I remember watching this episode all wide eyed back when they were rerunning all of the old episodes of Doctor Who back in the mid 1980's on the local PBS station. Despite getting increasingly boring after episode one, this video is well worth getting just to see the first ever episode. I'm not a paticular fan of the William Hartnell era of Who, but I think that it's very interesting how despite that the character of the Doctor was suppose to be the hero, he had a very cunning and manipulative side to him. Manipulative to the point where he endangers his unwilling companions. This video is great for new fans out there who only know about Tom Bakers stay as the Doctor who are curious to see the beginning of what would become a great cult classic in television.

The dawn of a new age of television
I remember seeing this pilot episode of Dr. Who when it was first transmitted - in fact, seeing it twice because the first showing preceded the assassination of John Kennedy by a matter of hours, and fearing that the series might get overlooked, the BBC repeated episode 1 the following Saturday (30th November 1963) immediately prior to episode 2.
The idea of a cranky time traveller captured the imagine in a way that is impossible to understand today. Dr. Who (in fact, it was meant to be "Dr. Who?" because no one knew the name of this strange old man) emerged at a time - it is so hard to avoid making a pun, however unintentionally - when most television in the U.K. was banal in the extreme (alas, most of it still is in America).
Dr. Who helped to fire my young imagination, and that of many other kids growing up in England in the early 1960s. I always look back on this pilot story with great affection, and thoroughly recommend it as a true landmark in science fiction on the silver screen.

For those who are already Doctor Who fans
Yes, the plot is full of holes, the biggest one being, of course, that cave-men speak and understand English. But for anyone who is a fan of the series, this is a must have, if for the historical record alone. Just to be able to see the first episode of a show that ran for over 20 years. And to be able to see the first doctor, William Hartnell, and get a sense of what the character was originally intended to be is a treat. The doctor as written here is crusty and arrogant, not the cuddly, loveable and occasionally (but amusingly) smug doctor you will know if you've only seen the Tom Baker episodes. Taken on its own merits, without the historical significance, this would rate only 2 stars. It's definitely not for the first time Doctor Who viewer, at least not if you want to know why this show is such a cult classic. But it did make me want to own more Hartnell episodes and to fill in the holes in my Doctor Who viewing experience.

That's not his name. Who is he? Doctor who?
23 November 1963. One day after the assassination of President Kennedy, something earthshattering took place across the Atlantic. At 5:15 PM, Greenwich Time, a legend was born on BBC1.

"Have you ever wondered what it's like to be travelers in the fourth dimension? Have you? To be exiles? Susan and I are cut off from our own planet without friends or protection, but one day, we shall get back. Yes, one day..."

That's what two teachers at Coal Hill School, Ian Chesterton (science) and Barbara Wright (history) discover when an extraordinary student, Susan Foreman, piques their curiosity. She is brilliant in some things, outdoing even them, but not in others--she is eight years behind Britain's decimal currency conversion, for example. Also, she flips through a book of the French Revolution Barbara loans her, peers closely at a page, and says, "But that's not right!" Ian and Barbara become curious and follow their mysterious pupil home.

They meet Susan and her grandfather, an eccentric, Edwardian-looking gentlemen wearing a long coat and Astrakhan hat, who whisk them away in a time machine shaped like a police box. Naturally, Ian and Barbara are befuddled, as the space within appears larger than the box. However, it becomes clear when Susan explains the name of the machine, the TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space).

The travellers then land during the dawn of man and become embroiled in power politics within a primitive tribe who have lost the secret of fire with the death of the firemaker, father of the current leader Za. The problem is simple. Without meat, they go hungry. Without fire, they freeze to death. And the leader is the one who makes fire. Kal, a newcomer the Za's tribe took in, vies for the leadership. And Hur, a woman of the tribe, is to be given to whoever will become leader, although she clearly favours Za. Then there's the Old Mother, a pyrophobic ancient who believes fire will bring about evil. She is played by Eileen Way, who would later play Karela, Lady Adrasta's vizier, in the 1979 Who story, The Creature From The Pit.

One will observe that the cavemen speak English and that the travellers understand them. We learn why this is in The Masque Of Mandragora (1976), where it's a Time Lord gift that is shared by the Doctor to whoever else is part of the TARDIS crew.

Having seen the first story so late since I first got into the show, it's interesting to see Ian and Barbara's personalities. Ian is initially skeptical about time travel and the TARDIS, yet Barbara's mind is more open. And the Doctor is shown as a tetchy anti-hero, but who can blame him? After all, Ian and Barbara barged their way into the TARDIS and blew his cover.
And for those not in the know, the title of my review is the line spoken by Ian to Barbara, when the latter calls him Dr. Foreman, after the name on the junkyard where they found the TARDIS, and explains the name of the show. Funny thing is, the Time Lord was never called Doctor Who, except for a goof in The War Machines and in the Peter Cushing movies, but always simply the Doctor.

The beginning of a legend in TV history. I'll conclude with something the Doctor tells Ian, who demands proof they have landed back in time. "If you could touch the alien sand and hear the cry of strange birds and watch them wheel in another sky, would that satisfy you?" All I can say is, if the Doctor landed that TARDIS and asked me if I wanted to go places, I wouldn't wait to pack my bags. To tweak a well-known bumper sticker, I'd say "Dematerialize, Doctor. This planet sucks!" And I wouldn't want to return!

Necessary for Collection
I write here to review to the initiated. "An Unearthly Child" is more historic in what it is than in its content. The first episode of the storyline is great, tense television, but the caveman storyline is lacking. For the initiated this is absolute essential Doctor Who, but despite the fact this is the first story, I don't believe this is a good starting point. This is a show taking its baby steps and toying with its format. Even the Doctor was originally a pretty mean and hateful guy who is more than willing to let a caveman die in one scene. It's Ian and Barbara that are the righteous ones and the heroes in these early episodes. Hmmm, maybe the character of the Doctor owes everything he would become to these two cardigan loving schoolteachers. An exciting start to the greatest series of all time. ... Read more

Description

The TARDIS arrives on a lifeless spaceship. The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan are shocked to find the bodies of the crew slumped over their stations. Yet the crewmembers are far from dead- they are under some form of mental attack that keeps them prisoners in space. The ship is trapped in orbit around the Sense-Sphere, home world of the alien Sensorites. The Doctor and his companions are warned to leave, but before they can do so, the TARDIS is sabotaged, and its lock is stolen. Using telepathic powers, the Sensorites have managed to keep the human visitors from exploiting the mineral wealth of their world. Now the TARDIS crewmembers also find themselves subject to the Sensorites and their mental powers. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Give my Doctor the congratulations!
Now that the William Hartnell years are cool again...

There's so much to enjoy about "The Sensorites", and not just the obvious stuff, either. Obviously, we have to deal with the fluffs first. Hartnell had this great habit, in scenes requiring great technical dialogue, of grabbing his lapels, "Hmm!"ing a lot, wandering up to the camera, and squinting his eyes into the distance, in the direction of the Mary Tamm Memorial Cue-Card Boy. Do you think he would have tried, had he known that this story would be sold to the masses 40 years later, to learn his dialogue? But then we would have been denied such great non-sequiturs as "I rather fancy that's settled that little bit of solution." And, of course, the 28th century watches that he finds in "The Sensorites" are of "the non-winding time." They sure are, Bill, they sure are.

Anyway, "The Sensorites" is an astonishingly radical bit of pacifism. Part One concludes with the first-ever "monster face" cliffhanger in "Doctor Who": we'd already seen a Sensorite hand (in an ill-fitting wool glove) and heard how evil they are, but then we see a misshapen face, floating around in Spain, er, space, and the credits roll. But, by the end of Part Six, it's the Sensorites who are the heroes of the day. The villainy is traced back to three Earth soldiers, minds inadvertently warped by Sensorite telepathy, waging a war against an enemy that didn't exist. And yet, the Doctor lures him out into the open not with weapons, but with sympathy -- and with that wicked bit of psychological byplay that helped later Doctors defuse so many villains. The Doctor then carries the story's moral centerpiece when he says, after the Sensorite warrior refuses to kill that insane Earthman who has killed so many : "The fact is, you didn't kill him, shows great promise for the future of your people."

The Doctor's companion, Ian, again shows his natural aggression, which saved the Thal people in "The Daleks". On the Sense-Sphere, however, he's helpless. The Doctor admonishes: "Now let our own intelligence be our own offense, and attack!" Radical, too, is the fact that Earth Captain Maitland -- the first human we meet in the story -- is completely impotent. He can't even cut through a locked door in less than two episodes! Whereas in other stories, Maitland would have been the human hero, in "The Sensorites" it is Barbara and Susan and Carol (and the Doctor, the unpredictable alien) who are the actors, the voices of reason.

Obviously this story has whopping production flaws. Parts One and especially Two are dragged to a near standstill by a script that under-runs: seven whole minutes in Part Two are consumed by a few characters slowly creeping down a dark hallway. Think about that. Seven minutes of nothing. You could watch the Ali-Liston 1965 heavyweight title fight four times in those seven minutes! And, even though it's radical and progressive, "The Sensorites" still has the Doctor being overly protective of his granddaughter, and Carol tells the Sensorites that they all look alike. Actually, that last bit is clever -- on a planet of telepaths, wouldn't facial features be less important? -- but that bit has been laughed at for so long that it's too late to redeem it. And when Part Two ends with a door closing ominously, Part Three begins with Barbara opening the door. Wow. Now that, Peter R. Newman, is top-tier suspense.

In the end, the Sensorites are philosophical monsters who are scared of the dark. In the same year of "Doctor Who" that gave us the Daleks, maybe, just maybe, the Sensorites are the more representative alien species.

Human-alien relations, medical drama story is good
The penultimate story of Doctor Who's first season finds them in the 28th century. After their adventure with the Aztecs, they find themselves aboard an Earth ship whose crewmembers, Captain Maitland, Carole Richmond, and John, a mineralogist and Carol's fiancee and are under mental attack by a telepathic alien race called the Sensorites. However, the nature of the attack is bizarre. The aliens are keeping them around orbit of their world, the Sensesphere, yet they choose not to kill the crew, and at times come aboard to feed them. John is the worst of them, as he is under constant mental attack, as if his fear centers are reacting far above normal. The Sensorites render the TARDIS immobile so the travellers are stuck with the crew.

The reason the Sensorites are keeping the crew in orbit is the fear of mineral exploitation of their world by Earthmen. They had a terrible experience in their first contact with Earthmen ten years before, and now, their race is dying from a plague.

The concept of friendship between races is key, and is embodied in the wise First Elder, who seems a true philosopher/sage ruler. "It is the failure of all beings that they judge through their own eyes. What we must create between us is trust." Of political participation and responsibility, he says, "No opinion can be worse sometimes than a dogmatic one." However, there is always a xenophobic element in any society, and the Sensorites are not exempt. There is also a caste system oriented around "what each man is best fitted to do. The Elders think and rule. Warriors fight. Sensorites work and play. All are happy."

The Sensorites on first glance may seem lame, but their simplistic design of bulbous head, shaggy white beard and eyebrows, and flipper like feet make them unique.

Ian and Barbara's characters are really developed to that they've really become comfortable in their time travels. In the beginning, they tell the Doctor that "we're different from when we first started with you." The Doctor is delighted with his new companions and after a brief summary of where they've been, he remarks that "what started as a mild curiosity in the junkyard ...turned out to be a great spirit of adventure."

The best cliffhanger comes at the end of Episode 1, when Ian points at the window of the spaceship, and finds a Sensorite looking inside.

More character development comes from Susan when the Doctor and she argue about her taking action without his permission. She frustratedly responds that she's not a child anymore and is just growing up. The Doctor sagely replies that "the one purpose in growing old is to accumulate knowledge and wisdom and to help people." We also learn her telepathic abilities are advanced. She loves the travel but now has yearnings to find some roots. This growth in Susan comes to its fruition in the second story of the following season, when Susan leaves the TARDIS crew to find those roots.

Part alien-human relations, part medical drama-mystery, and part allegory on colonialism, The Sensorites succeeds admirably.

lengh spoils this one
While this is definaly one of the better 1st doctor adventures with a compelling storyline full of mystery and intrigue; like many dr. who adventures longer than 4 episodes is gets wearing and tends to drag around episode 3.

I like the political dynamic in this story, with everyone being born into a certain rank in society, and the realization by the villian that without their sashes of rank, they couldn't tell the difference between them, a sublte political staement.

I'm enjoying the end of the universe collection...this is a good one.

"Remember your family group!"
This is an excellent 6-part First Doctor space adventure.

The TARDIS lands on a space craft occupied by two astronauts in suspended animation. The ship is being held in orbit around the Sense-Sphere, and they are being terrorized by its inhabitants, the Sensorites.

Why are the Sensorites holding the human astronauts captive in orbit? Why are the Sensorites dying off so rapidly? What secrets are locked in the mind of the deranged madman who the other two astronauts keep sealed in the rear portion of their craft?

Those who liked the Rescue and the Space Museum will like the Sensorites. ... Read more

Description

A band of rebels from a future world ruled by the Daleks sabotage a present-day peace conference in a desperate attempt to change history. ... 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

Reviews (5)

Tom Baker Years
The Tom Baker Years is possibly the best insight into the world of Dr Who The Tom Baker years to date. It's a warts an all episode guide, and Tom really shines once he begins to remember the stories. Tom is rarely seen talking about individual stories so this is a great chance for fans to actually get his thoughts as he views each story. Some of the clips are somewhat vague & it is little wonder that Tom sometimes has trouble recollecting the story concerned, but when he does it's well worth the wait. You can see that Tom is actually enjoying what he is seeing & it is, obvious alot of what he is seeing is the first time he has viewed it since it was recorded. He, as always, adds his own interesting recollections to each epsiode and often adds untold stories that every fan enjoys. It is also worthy to note Tom's affection for Lalla Ward when Viewing the scenes of him & her in Paris. He is almost lost for words & is obviously very moved by his memories of that time. This is an excellent piece of fan loving video & in my book is worth every penny. Tom is the oldest remaining Dr, and it is wonderful to hear his recollections of the time he spent on his, and i quote, "one & only success". Tom enjoys his time on this tape, which ensures that you do too. This is an absolute must for all Dr Wo/ Tom Baker Fans. If you haven't got it yet...WHY NOT!!! Go get it NOW!!!

We luv u tom baker....
we thought u was great we found everythink we needed to 4 our homework ur the best and we luv the jelly babies u used 4 ur wepons but why use them as wepons when u could of et em.we luv u tom keep up the good work. luv tarin, carla, angharad, hollie:)

Tom Baker Shines...
You know its truly amazing that American filmakers have not taken advantage of Tom Baker's rich acting ability... I find him extremely interesting and this tape proves he is one-of-a-kind! I have watched this program so much that another needs to be ordered soon! You will love Baker's eccentricities and his uncanny ability to keep you interested throughout the performance... but I have one complaint- I want more. C'mon BBC & Dr. Who give us more of Tom Baker. Ciao...

Great Video but remenerances are shallow
I thought that the Video was great but at points Baker could not remember the show at all or he gave a one paragraph answer. Still it was great to see his favorite selections. Compared to the Hartnell Years and Troughton Years it left me lacking in subtance & body.

A delightful evening with Tom Baker
This two-tape set is a must-have for any fan of the Tom Baker era. Sitting down with an aging, but still enchanting Tom baker, to rewatch key scenes from his time as Doctor Who leads to rememberances of behind-the-scenes events, filming details, and rehersal stories, in a personable and hurmorus manner. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see some of the actual behind-the-scenes material. The other tapes in the "years" series have showcased such things as title sequence tests, and blooper footage, none of which is present in the collection. Still, Tom knows how to hold an audience, and even at two tapes, it still feels like you could have spent more time just sitting and chatting. This collection is a true gem. END ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Every legend has a beginning!
Doctor Who will be best remembered for Tom Bakers roll as the eccentric time traveller. This episode introduces him to the world an immediately makes an impact. He is so genuine as the Doctor that you cant help but like him. This episode which also marks one of the last appearence by UNIT is very well done. It doesnt deal with space monsters or villianous time lords but instead deals with a very homegrown real possibility. A robot that was designed for peace is taken over by a tyrannical group bent on forcing there views on the world. The Doctor after recovering from his regeneration from Jon Pertwee is quick to discover there plot and put an end to it. It marks the beginning of the greatest time in Doctor Who history. Tom Baker was the best of all the Doctors and we get to see his beginnings and we have no doubt why when the name Doctor Who is mention that Tom Bakers name is not far after that. Great story a must for Doctor Who and all sci fi fans.

I guess you have to start somewhere.
This was the first of Tom Baker's adventures as Doctor Who, and shows it, though it's popularirty is cemented due to the fact that it's Baker's debut episode and he offers a tour de force performance as an undeniably unhinged Doctor. The story is actually rather silly and looks aimed at a younger audience than the majority of the Baker episodes. This is undoubtedly because of the Loveable Robot Syndrome created by the giant Robot the adventure is named after. The Robot is supposed to be the Menace figure in the episodes, and sure it kills people and blows up stuff real good, but it doesn't want to, then feels bad about having been ordered to kill people and break things. It's a good hearted robot, you see, made by a funny little old Professor [who like all professors in Doctor Who lacks a first name] that doesn't really want to hurt anyone either. Aww. Meglomaniacle killing machines with a consciense just don't pan out as scary threats. The heavy in this film is actually the diabolical scheming head of ThinkTank, and as played by the actress that portrays her makes about as scary of a threat as my third grade homeroom teacher did. Too bad they couldn't have decked her out in some leathers and Nazi-like dominatrix attire and created a villain with some color, but no. All of the color is provided by Baker in one of the most delightfully unrestrained performances in his career. The scene where he works on his wardrobe is perhaps the best of the whole story -- too bad they couldn't come up with a Menace worthy of his energy, because Dr Who adventures pass or fail based upon the effectiveness of their villains. This one fails, but I give it marks for effort. Recommended for fans of the series.

THE LEGEND BEGINS HERE!
On December 28, 1974, Tom Baker assumed the role of the Doctor, following in the footsteps of Jon Pertwee's successful five-year run. "Robot," Baker's first "Doctor Who" serial, is an exciting tale filled with adventure, wit, humor, stellar acting performances and the "bad-taste" visuals effects that would reign supreme in the seven-year tenure of Tom Baker. Baker is very effective in his portrayal of the Doctor, and it isn't a surprise why he stayed in the role for so long. Any fan of "Doctor Who" wouldn't dare keep this one out of his collection! Grade: A+

Tom Baker arrives!
Tom Baker, the 4th actor to play The Doctor, makes his debut in Robot. A giant robot seems to be stealing plans from the government and the Doctor (and UNIT) are sent to see why. I liked Tom Baker's doctor the best.

OK, but all first stories are OK
Robot was Tom Baker's first Dr. Who story and it certainly wasn't his best, but neither was any first story of any Dr. Who. As Colin Baker said, If your first story is the best, then the others pail in comparison(Not quoted exeactly). For pure continuety reasons you must watch this(after Planet of Spiders and Before Arc in Space), but as a stand alone, it is pretty bland. Only Tom Baker shines in all the dull finish. Robot is much like the Pertwee era(Planet of Dinosaurs, Autons ect) and that is the continuety of it. It is Tom Baker in the Pertwee era(and that is why it is intriguing to watch) Robot is a Transition show for fans of Pertwee to get broken in to Tom Baker. Tom Baker is lively and energetic and funny he also knows how to split a brick until the end of the show(I guess he forgets his Karate skills, but I don't care). You'll notice that Tom Baker isn't the fighting kick boxer that Jon Pertwee was, but Tom is manipulative and cunning as a clown(They can be cunning) which is later seen in all his glory. Tom is a rogue and a thief and a silver tounged devil, much like Patrick Troughton. I like Tom better though. If you haven't seen this broadcast on PBS, be sure and check it out on VHS.(Maybe Tom Baker and Nicolous Cortney can do commentary for a DVD!) ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Didn't hold up for me : (
It was with a lot of anticipation that
I sat down to re-watch this classic Troughton
finale; it had been at least 10 years since I
had seen it and I had fond memories. I think
those fond memories were justified to an extent,
but perhaps more so because I was, back then, fairly
new to Troughton's Doctor and I was grooving on the
relative newness of him. He does rock as a Doctor.
Since then I've picked up the occasional Troughton
episode with mixed results. "Mind Robber" remains an

easy favorite. But you know what KILLED many an episode
of his? That lame excuse for a companion, Jamie! Man,
what a wimp, what a cosmic accident. I could write
three pages on why he was such a poor Who companion.
Anyway, its gotten to the point where I just can't stand to
see his face. Zoey, on the other hand, was very cool.
I liked the companions better when they had a little bit
of know-how; let's face it, if you are a several-hundreds
year old Time Lord, you don't want to be crowded by mamby-
pamby louts (like Jamie) who are good for a whole lot of
nothing. Did Jamie alone account for this episode's failures?
Hardly. We love a good long Who-yarn, but this was indeed a
bit too long (for what it was). The acting overall was sub-par, but
mostly by too many extras.
The bad guys (who often used monocles to get their human
soldiers to stay in line) speak in an inhuman and monotone
voice that, after several hours, is retrospectively seen to have "not" been a good idea - as a result, the badies are
so one-dimensional that one easily
looses interest in them and their cause, convoluted as it is
(Daleks can get away with those voices; watching this I felt
like they wanted to 'remind' people about the Doctor's "other" nazi-like enemies.) Is this worth seeing? Abosolutely! Its just a shame they didn't tighten the bolts while chopping the excess.
Obviously, the Doctor hit his stride with the Pertwee era; Pertwee had EXCELLENT companions, beginning with the awesome Ms. Shaw, etc. Long live WHO!!!

EPIC Who
This has to be my all time favorite episode. While some moments tend to be a bit slow, it's rare that it drags the show into the duldrums. Troughton is funny and intelligent, and even more so you see the serious side of him. Also, you finally learn a lot more about where the Doctor comes from and who he is.

It is interesting how they pull together a large number of different era's into one story. You never quite knew what you would find next. To me, the anticipation of the next discovery is what made this story so great.

My first time viewing I watched it taped off the air (before the VHS I now proudly own was available). In spite of a pause button at my command, I sat for over 2 hours watching it with the urge to go, not wanting to break away from the story. Now that's dedication.

Your making me giddie!
I am a Dr. Who fan, but I must admit I am new to the William Hartnel/Patrick Troughton era. War games is an excellent example except for the long and boring first four episodes. It gets interesting in five-ten. The only thing I truely hate are the "american" accents. They are absolutely horrible. I am not too insulted though, I do a lousy brit accent myself. I didn't think I would like Patrick Troughton(a little before my time I was born in 1970) but I do. I like Hartnel better though, but Troughton has his moments and so do his compaignions. This is the second regeneration story and vintage. Phillip Madock was good(for the little time he was in it.) James Bree came on a bit too strong I got the impression he wanted the War Chief part, but Decider Neifred in Full Circle was a better role for him.The scene I looked forward too most, of course, was the regeneration scene, just as I had in Tenth Planet. Patrick Troughton was a comedic clown to the end even in his death cries "Stop! Your making me giddie!" Odviously Jon Pertwee wasn't present for the regeneration scene and Troughton was trying his best to impersonate Jon(Was that a Jon Pertwee wig he was wearing?)
Now if only we could find Power of the Daleks...

Ten episodes is a bit much
This is a good story. An alien race (which look like humans) is planning to conquer the galaxy militarily with the help of the best of the earth's soldiers as weaned from the greatest wars in our history. They procure the help of a renegade Time Lord who brings all these soldiers together into different war zones on a planet that looks like earth, but isn't. The Doctor and companions end up in the middle of it, trying to help a burgeoning resistance movement defeat the plan. It drags on too long, though. The Doctor is captured and recaptured and recaptured and it gets a bit redundant and boring. And unbelievable. How many times in one person (or Time Lord's) life can he escape death? The Doctor does it so often here (including twice being saved from a firing squad), that it becomes a bit unrealistic. The BBC's continual pandering to feminism is a bit aggravating, too; Zoe knows more about war than Jamie, who is a professional soldier, does and such is obviously contrived just for "equality's" sake. Realism again is not served. It's Patrick Troughton's final show, however, and we do learn quite a bit about the background of the Doctor and his people. No actors really shine; Troughton dominates, as usual. If you are a Doctor Who fan you've got to have this; but chances are that, since "The War Games" lasts nearly 4 hours total, you won't be coming back to it time after time.

The War To End All Wars
This is perhaps Patrick Troughton's best adventure, even though it was to be his last. but this story had the 2nd Doctor go out in style as he and his companions cross the barriers of time itself, through numerous Earthbound historical wars, to stop an alien race from creating not just a wholesale massacre, but in creating the ultimate army to unleash upon the universe. Thrown into the mix is the War Chief, who I believe to be The Master in a previous regenerative form, just as I believe the Master was also at one time The Meddling Monk. a fabulously well-paced ten part epic. I had the chance to watch this, at a pace of two episodes per week, and it worked amazingly well, as each particular cliffhanger was very effective at setting up the feeling of anticipation for what would happen next. this adventure truly marked the end of an era, and was a milestone in Doctor Who. For both Jamie and Zoe were returned to their own times, with no memory of the adventures, except for their first meeting with the Doctor, and the Doctor was recalled to his homeworld, to face judgement by the Time Lords. It was here that the Time Lords sent him into exile, imprisoning him on planet earth in the 20th Century, and being forced to regenerate, with the knowledge of how to operate the TARDIS blocked from his memory. It was sad to say goodbye to Patrick Troughton, along with Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury, but it was a marvelous adventure to end the 2nd Doctor era. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jon Pertwee, the third actor to play the title role, introduces an exclusive-to-video feature-length program devoted to his portrayal of the BBC's most famous time traveler. The tape, which is dominated by three complete episodes that were each the final part of a serial, would have been more comprehensible with the inclusion of plot synopses. "Inferno" (1970) is a tale of environmental peril involving a project to drill into the Earth's core; "Frontier in Space" (1973) showcases the last performance by the original Master, Roger Delgado; "The Daemons" (1971) is chosen as the climax of Pertwee's own favorite Doctor Who story. It should be noted this episode is in black and white, as the BBC wiped the color original from the archive.

There are very few personal reminiscences of the kind found in this video's companion volume, The Colin Baker Years, though there are more diverse clips than in The Troughton Years. These include Pertwee's first appearance as the Doctor in "Spearhead from Space" (1970), an unused test version of a new title sequence, footage shot at a 20th-anniversary celebration at Longleat in 1983, and a very entertaining introduction to the "Whomobile" from 1973. --Gary S. Dalkin ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Poor lack-luster offering
Jon Pertwee was easily the most 'beleivable'
Doctor, and as such, is my favorite. So I
was really disappointed by this 'effort' from
the bbc. Most of this tape consists of whole
episodes taken from three of Pertwee's best - there
is little from the Man himself, unfortunately, and
one can't help feeling it was a waste of time when
all is said and done.
No interviews, and very little in terms of 'best
memories' from Jon. Perhaps it was Mt. Pertwee
himself who wasn't in a mind to go all out for this,
I don't know, but I can only recommend this to the
diehard Pertwee fan. There is an alternative take
on the theme which is interesting (and kinda scarey,
and a few minutes of Pertwee showing off the Whomobile).
Pertwee deserved a better tribute than this....

fan fodder plus.
This 1992 release contains, among other things, interesting unused title sequences and three episodes that exemplify the Pertwee era nicely. Episode 6 of the magnificent "Frontier in Space" is likely the best of those, although episode 7 of the overrated "Inferno" is more popular. I have a few quibbles, though. One, no color print of "The Ambassadors of Death" episode 1? Also, the other episode contained herein, "The Daemons" episode 5, is the B/W print, even though it had been recolorized in 1989. Mainly for diehard Pertwee fans; for the curious, try "Doctor Who and the Silurians." Or "The Daemons." Or "Spearhead from Space." Or... ... Read more

Reviews (12)

My FavJon Pertwee Adventure - The Best of His Final Year
I have to say, despite other negative reviews, this is my favorite Jon Pertwee adventure. I think the final Pertwee season is his best and the Chemistry between he and Liz Sladen (sorry Katy Manning enthusiasts) is excellent.

The first and last episodes are the best in this. The TARDIS losing power in the beginning is very creepy and creates a nice tone. The Doctor's navigation through the Exxillon City in the final episode is also nicely executed.

As I said, the final Pertwee year I think had some of the best stories (Time Warrior, Dinosaur Invastion, Death to the Daleks). Many in the US associate Sarah Jane with Tom Baker's Doctor and never realize she had a full season with Pertwee. If you like Pertwee era Doctor Who I highly recommend this.

certainly not the death of good science fiction
This is one of the best Dr Who stories and one of Jon Pertwee's best. It is also one of my favourites.
The TARDIS lands on a planet and is immediately subjected to a power drain.The Doctor thinks initially they have landed on another planet Florana, so they can have a vacation. But not so. They are forced to leave the spaceship and search for the source of the power drain, which is caused by a beacon atop a city which has been in existence for thousands of years.
The Doctor encounters members of an Earth expedition, who are on the planet because they need parrinium which cures the peoples of Earth of a space plague.
Sarah goes near the city and is nearly sacrificed by the inhabitants of the planet that consider the construction sacred. But outcasts of the race do not and try to help the doctor.
The Doctor, with the assistance of Bellal, one of the planet's inhabitants, enter the forbidden city and pass all the tests,and the Doctor gives the city the equivalent of a nervous breakdown. Unfortunately he still has the Daleks to contend with because they are on the planet too to get the Parrinium for their own evil plans.

Third Doctor's third and final tussle w. Daleks
One of the Third Doctor's last stories is against his biggest foes, those salt-shakers the Daleks. And in this story, the members of the Earth Marine Space Corps and the Daleks are forced to undergo a temporary truce to figure out the power drainage that has forced their craft down. "We're all in this together, all equal, all powerless" the Doctor tells the Daleks. The Doctor and Sarah too are victims when the TARDIS is forced down on Exxilon. For once, the Daleks are forced to cooperate with humans, whom they consider inferior. However, the Doctor points out to the MSC that the Daleks are "brilliant technicians. It's their inventive genius that made them one of the greatest powers in the universe" something the humans acknowledge grudgingly.

Both the MSC and the Daleks are also after parrinium, a mineral that can cure and give immunity to a virulent plague that's killing millions of colonists in both empires. They need it in quantity and fast. However, they are captured by the native Exxilons, a silicon-based life-form wielding spears and arrows. Any chance of an amicable settlement is done when Sarah wanders into the sacred Exxilon city, a shrine-like place only the high priest can go. The realization of the city, with its touch-sensitized surfaces that glow when touched is a special effects triumph.

However, Dan Galloway, the grizzled and sour-faced weapons officer who's now in command, is ruthless enough to allow an alliance with the Daleks that has the Exxilons and the Doctor on the receiving end. To him, getting that parrinium and saving those millions are the main thing. "If some people we don't know have to die in the process, well, that's just too bad." His attitude appalls the more compassionate Lieutenant Peter Hamilton and civilian geologist Jill Tarrant, but he learns later that the Daleks aren't the best creatures to trust and make alliances with.

The way the Exxilon cloaks blend in with their surroundings is put to good effect in Episode 1. One moment, it seems like a huge rock, but then, it moves in pursuit of the Doctor.

The trip the Doctor and Bellal, one of a more enlightened faction of Exxilons who are friendly, take through the city, avoiding its traps and solving its puzzles, has a dungeon and dragons feel, but it demonstrates the problem-solving abilities of the Doctor. In fact the Venusian hopscotch game is later replicated in the checkerboard scene in The Five Doctors.

Some of Erich Von Daniken's theories of aliens landing on Earth (q.v. Chariot of the Gods) is touched on when the Doctor recognizes the symbols of the Exxilon city from a temple he saw in Peru. As he learns the Exxilons were technological superior when most races were primitive, he deduces that they must have visited Earth and shown the early people how to build temples.
The power drainage is a reference to the power cuts Britons experienced due to the 1973 oil embargo, which had a tremendous effect in 1974, the year this story aired. The scenes where the Doctor has to use an oil lamp for illumination and a crank handle to open the TARDIS door is a sobering realization of how dependent humans were/are on electricity and power.

John Abineri (Captain Railton) also appeared in the Who story The Ambassadors of Death as General Carrington. Duncan Lamont (Galloway) was a friend of Jon Pertwee's (the Doctor) at RADA and the two used to chase girls together. On Joy Harrison (Jill), whom Pertwee described as gorgeous, he remarked in his memoirs that it amazed him that female members of the expedition on a hostile planet always had perfect make-up and hair.

A good story made in Jon Pertwee's last season as the Doctor, with an abandoned Dorset quarry used for Exxilon.

One of the 3rd Doctors best
This was one of the 3rd Doctors best stories. The only problems was that this perticular video was not in the segmented form as i do belieave that is how Dr Who should be seen.This episode is the 2nd of two stories from this season to be unsegmented. Maybe some day it will be avlible on DVD.

Dr. Who and the nergy problem!
This Doctor Who adventure starring Jon Pertwee is another of those Doctor Who adventures popular in the 1970's dealing with the environment.

The TARDIS is thrown off course by a peculiar energy drain and manages to land on the planet of the Exxilons. The Exxilons area savage race who worship the gods who inhabit a deserted city which is dominated by a tremendous beacon. On the planet too, is a party of Earth soldiers who are seeking a mineral to help defeat a galaxy-wide plague which threatens human existance. Shortly afterwards another spaceship crashes onto the surface which brings a party of Daleks to Exxilon and who are also rendered powerless. A series of shifting alliances and some double dealing eventually pits the Doctor and the humans against the Daleks but of course, the Doctor emerges triumphant at the end, the Daleks are thwarted and humanity is saved.

The story has anumber of holes in the plot and is also a thinly disguised attack on the policies of energy corporations. The portrayal of the Exxilons (no guessing who these guys are supposed to be) as savage creatures prone to fearing the unknown who are no match for the higher brained, reasoning humans and Daleks is an obvious sybolism for the short sighted policies of the oil companies versus the longer term policies of environmental groups and well meaning governments.

A well told tale even if the story has it's faults. The most glaring of which is the whole thing about the Daleks being able to move around at all. The Daleks a la Fred Flintstone is a ridiculous concept although a funny one. The plot really does not stand up to much of a close inspection but there you go. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Very Good And Nostalgic Doctor Who Adventure!!!!!
This is the best Dr. Who episode I've seen with the 2nd Doctor. It's also was the first black & white Dr. Who episode I've seen. I rented this video a few months ago and I really enjoyed it. The episode was somewhat in the realm of the Twilight Zone and Outer Limits in a way, but of course it's Dr. Who, in my opinion is the most creative (and intelligent) science fiction series in television history. I liked both Jamie and Zoe in this one when they get lost in this strange dimension where time and space doesn't exist and fantasies and storybook characters come to life. Doctor #2 was an interesting character, but not as much wit and charm as the Doctors I'm used to seeing like Tom Baker (#4). In all, Mind Robber is so fun to watch, very nostalgic. I recommend this video to fans of both Dr. Who and classic science fiction fans.

"Reality's getting too hot anyway!"
This is the first story I saw with Patrick Troughton as the Doctor (apart from the multiple Doctor stories), and it made me a big fan of this specific TARDIS crew - Second Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe each complement the others quite nicely. But I can't help but feel that this story is at least two episodes too long. I really do like the first episode - Jamie and Zoe seeing their homes on the TARDIS scanner, the TARDIS breaking up, etc. But I think the author attempted too much in the following episodes. Gulliver, Rapunzel, a Jamie with a different face, the Minotaur, etc. etc. all fly past so quickly you don't really have time to absorb their presence on the screen. The story itself was fine - although somehow I expected some other explanation for the Land of Fiction and its master. I did have to smile at the scene with the Doctor being pestered by all the taunting British schoolchildren though. It seems the BBC were trying to remake The Celestial Toymaker from the Hartnell era (of which one episode exists on the video The Hartnell Years). All in all, The Mind Robber is not a classic - but it does deserve a look.

This Episode Makes Fine Family Viewing, Too
This 1960s episode of the Doctor Who series is one of the most imaginative ever made, and is a great choice for family viewing with your young family. I saw this story once as a kid in London when first shown and remembered it ever after, finally seeing it again with my own five year old decades later. The Doctor and his companions are in the middle of their usual time travels when their ship, the Tardis, accidently goes into a kind of void where they end up in a land where famous stories come to life. The time travellers meet Gulliver, Rapunzel, find themselves in a forest that turns out to be giant three- dimensional letters of the alphabet, while behind it all there is an "evil genius" (very tame by today's standards) behind it all who must be discovered and stopped before he forces the Doctor to change places with him. My five year-old found this very enjoyable. Selective choosing by Mom and Dad can turn up many of the Doctor Whos that are right for young kids (it was a famous children's/family show in Britain for decades, though in America it sometimes suffers from being too closely associated with adult loner males). Try the Daleks episode, too - the first two ("Daleks" and "Dalek Invasion of Earth"). The Doctor Who stories are great antidotes to the attention deficeit-inducing modern kids shows which are all noise and effects and no story to follow.

This is a good tape for parents worried about the empty junk that makes up so much of today's children's televison. Other good kids'/family shows we've found include: the Jeremy Brett-acted Sherlock Holmes' film, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Secret of Roan Inish, The Sand Fairy (this is the classic children's tale Five Children and It retitled for the American market), The Chronicles of Narnia, Postman Pat, Noddy, William's Wish Wellingtons, Brum and the Baby Carriage, Fireman Sam, the Adventures of Mouse and Mole, Darby O'Gill and the Little People, Percy the Park Keeper, Paddington, the Avenger's story The House That Jack Built (another great British series that, with a little parental pre-investigation, can yield good family viewing).

The first Master in a Doctor Who
This is an excellent story which was first transmitted in England between September 14 and October 12 1968.

As other reviewers have alluded to, this is a surreal story set in the land of fiction with some humorous and novel moments - finding a cardboard cut out of Jamie with a blank face, the Doctor discovers some facial feature pictures nearby, places them on the blank face and has a different looking Jamie for a while, or when Jamie climbs up atree in a wierd forest to discover that the forest is actually made up of words!

The fascination of Doctor Who has always been a combination of things. On a basic level there is the science fiction story which of course, the BBC wanted to turn into a semi-educational thing so it included the latest scientific developments which were becoming popularised. There are other levels too. Doctor Who was often played in a pseudo-Shakespearian style as part of the BBC remit to bring Drama to the masses. However, one of the great things about the show was the constant trying out of new approaches. This is one of the finest examples of those attempts.

Although this appeared in the heady, revolutionary days of 1968, this tendency had always been around in Doctor Who viz. the whole concept of the Daleks in 1964 (when teenagers had not long been invented!). This story is full of surrealism and novelty. At the same time it's central concern with books is a strong signal to young people about the importance of learning in cultural transmission as well as being enjoyable and how easily characters can be brought to life.

The ending is a little flat because the 'Master' is found to be a kidnapped English author and of course all of the books are English. This is of minor importance and does not detract from the story. One can only imagine what could be done with such a concept in today's terms with the special effects that are out there.

Outstanding.

We're nowhere, it's as simple as that
One of the most imaginative stories in Doctor Who took place during the notoriously unpreserved Patrick Troughton era. Fortunately, The Mind Robber survived the BBC purges for us to enjoy, and it's bizarrely surreal with a capital biz!

The TARDIS leaves the space-time dimension into a place where anything is possible. "We're nowhere, it's as simple as that." Jamie and Zoe enter nowhere, represented by a blank opaquely white background. The TARDIS breaks up, and they find themselves in a strange land full of life-size toy soldiers, a forest of words, unicorns, a Minotaur, Medusa, Rapunzel, and other characters.

They constantly encounter a British sailor who speaks in a well spoken but extraordinary manner, and the Doctor deduces his identity later.

Riddles and intuition are helpful in this land. And the Third Doctor's explanation to Jo in The Mind Of Evil, "we believe what our minds tell us to," is also apropos here. When Jamie and the Doctor try to rescue Zoe, they hear her voice behind a door without a handle. "When is a door not a door? When it's ajar." The door vanishes, and guess what they find Zoe trapped inside?

Wendy Padbury stands out as Zoe. She is cute as a button, in a glittering black catsuit, hanging for dear life on the disembodied TARDIS console like an exotic ornament. Another time, she has her turn as Emma Peel, using martial arts to overcome the Karkus, a Teutonic comic book superhero. Christopher Robbie (the Karkus), would return in Revenge Of The Cybermen as the Cyberleader. Zoe's inquisitive as the Doctor, while Jamie, protective of her as he was with Victoria, is more cautious. Keirsey would see it as a classic example of a Rational paired with a Guardian. Her analytical mind and memory comes in useful, as she detects an arithmetic progression in the labryinth.

Bernard Horsfall (the British sailor) would appear in two other Who stories (Planet Of The Daleks, The Deadly Assassin).

Debits: the Medusa could have been more convincing, i.e. more frightening (q.v. Clash Of The Titans) and the villain isn't exactly effective. Still, one of the series' greatest moments. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

"Two wrongs don't make a left turn....Right!"
As Mr. Pilato wrote in his review, "Time and the Rani" might be one of the most underrated Who stories. Certainly, this adventure is no "Spearhead From Space" or "Castrovalva", but compared to "The Twin Dilemma", it's a masterpiece! What's great about this story, is that it jumps into the teeth of the storm. It doesn't give us any explanation about the Sixth Doctor's injuries leading to his regeneration. But when has a Who story been forthcoming about certain elements of the a story? Romana's regeneration comes to mind. But it's Sylvester McCoy's portrayal of the Time Lord in a state of confusion and Kate O'Mara's impersonation of Mel that really help the flow of the plot. Even Mel, although some may not agree, is very good in this one, Pip and Jane Baker, being the only writers to give her anything decent to say. The Tetraps are also the fastest moving aliens in the JNT era, they are realised VERY well. And why do fans and critics have a problem with the Lakertyians? Great make up! Some wonderfully overblown dialogue, great design, impressive special effects, and incredibly different and innovative soundtrack by Keff McCulloch! McCoy's misquotes throughout the story is a nice touch. Love the ending...."I'll grow on you, Mel!"

Debut of 7th Doctor isn't too good, but not all that bad
Following the unceremonious dismissal of Sixth Doctor Colin Baker, the BBC appointed Scottish actor Sylvester McCoy as the new Doctor, and presumably to gain viewers, brought back Kate O'Mara as the deadly Rani, the cold scientific Time Lord from the Mark Of The Rani story two seasons back.

In the pre-title sequence, the Rani hijacks the TARDIS. It crash lands, knocking both Mel and the Doctor unconscious and triggering the latter's regeneration, done by McCoy donning a blonde wig while some special effects complete the regeneration.

"The Rani always dabbles on a grand scale" the Doctor tells Mel, and this involves an asteroid made of a super-dense "strange matter." However, the Rani needs the Doctor to repair something faulty in one of her machines. To that end, she has commandeered the planet Lakertya, inhabited by yellow-skinned humanoids with reptilian influences and wild hairdos at home on members of Sigue Sigue Sputnik, and taken hostage Beyus, the leader. There isn't much resistance because the Lakertyans are an indolent race. The exception is the young Ikona, who survives on the surface avoiding the Tetraps, the Rani's alien servants. And in a moment that stretches credibility and might even make the Rani retch at doing something so undignified, the Rani disguises herself as Mel, down to her clothing and red wig.

In The Mark of the Rani, the Rani laid some ingenious mines in the forest. Here, she has more deadly traps, requiring special effects, which involves an energy bubble that traps the victim and sends it flying until it hits a solid surface and then...BOOM! Pretty devious.

Ikona takes Mel hostage, thinking she is in league with the Rani, but is convinced that she is good and helps her get into the Rani's citadel in search of the Doctor.

The new snazzy title sequence by CAL video used computer graphics for the first time, along with a souped-up keyboard synth version of the theme tune. The animation of the sequence also used a digital editing system and the Quantel Paintbox colouring system.

Sylvester McCoy has the misfortune of being the Doctor with the worst debut story, but that's not his fault, as his acting of someone in the throes of artificially-induced memory loss, and his rapid-fire delivery is superb. It's more the plausibility of the story. I And the first two episodes seem to consist of the Rani leading the Doctor to her damaged machine and the Doctor getting distracted and wandering around the lab, only to have the Rani lead him back to the machine. However, he does have a funny time misquot