Description

Hosted by Sylvester McCoy, this tribute to the first Doctor includes rare complete episodes. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good for fans
A nice addition to a fan's collection; I'd put it no higher than that.

Essential for any classic "Who" fan
On this tape are featured three episodes of classic Dr. Who one would never get to see otherwise. Sylvester McCoy (the 7th doctor) hosts this collection well, albeit with a glib tongue.

The first episode featured is the unaired pilot of "An Unearthly Child". The pilot is not radically different from the first aired episode, but it was clearly in need of being refilmed. There are a few embarrassing technical gaffs (Barbara's shoe gets stuck in a door for some time, a cameraman stumbles and clatters in the junkyard) and the doctor is portrayed, IMO, as far too cold and hateful. Also, a reference to Susan being born in the 49th century was thankfully removed after this filming. Also, the TARDIS sound effects were massively improved after this filming. Also included is after the episode is a short section of the "first take" TARDIS scene (the pilot on this tape uses the second take) which featured the infamous refusing to close TARDIS doors, which make the first take almost entirely unusable even for pilot purposes.

Second is "The Wheel of Fortune", which is episode 3 (of 4) of "The Crusades". This is the quintessential history story, and gives an interesting view of that sorry time period, without resorting to racism or blatant bigotry. For seeing an episode in the middle, most of the story is fairly clear. Unfortunately, Ian receives very little screen time and the viewer is left wondering what is going on with him.

Finally, the 4th and final episode ("The Final Test") of "The Celestial Toymaker" is shown. This is probably Dr. Who fantasy at its best, only matched in the 60's by "The Mind Robber" with Patrick Troughton. Peter and Dodo interact well and the Doctor's character plays off very well of that of the Toymaker's. The only possibly "bad" thing is the very, very misleading cliffhanger for the next story, "The Gunfighters." Watch it and you'll see what I mean.

All in all, a collection that must be had. Any Dr. Who collector would want this tape in his or her collection.

A historically important tape for early Dr Who fans
...but others will probably want to give it a miss, not least because of the annoyingly fatuous commentary of Sylvester McCoy (a later Dr Who and about as far from William Hartnell as you can get).

The great interest of the tape is that it contains an alternate un-aired version of An Unearthly Child (the first Dr Who episode). Fans, or simply those who remember and love the episode, will be interested to compare it side-by-side with the aired version. See which you prefer!

The Hartnell Years: A Quick Review.
Who is the Doctor? Many viewers pondered this question on that November night in 1963. Now thirty years later fans still wonder. This wonderful video (the first in it's series) takes viewers back to explore the origins of Doctor Who. Introduced by Sylvester McCoy (the 7th Doctor) we get a chance to look at the original unaired pilot. Then we are taken back in time to episode 3 of "The Crusade" where we meet fantastic characters like Richard the Lion Hart. Then to top it off the tape includes episode four of "The Celestial Toymaker". This tape is a wonderful edition to any Doctor Who fans library. ... Read more

Description

An unsuccessful trial run with the Tardis console throws the Doctor into a parallel universe where his old friends are rather nasty characters. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

So, free will is not an illusion after all.
The last story of the Doctor's seventh season is the 7-part Inferno, one the best in the show's history. At a research facility, the Doctor is observing the efforts of the arrogant and unpleasant Professor Stahlman as he attempts to penetrate the Earth's crust in order to gain alternative energy source known as Stahlman's gas. The problem is, his efforts might lead to the destruction of the Earth, but it's all about him and forget the others, including Sir Keith Gold, the administrator in charge. Then there's a greenish ooze that when touched, causes people to turn green and into murderous ape-like Primords, and radiate such intense heat that whatever they touch feels as if it came from a furnace. That is what the Brigadier and UNIT are here for. All this time, penetration zero is hours away from happening, and to make matters worse, Stahlman is infected with the ooze and also sabotages the computer so he cannot be opposed by the Doctor, UNIT, or Sir Keith.

During an experiment, the Doctor is propelled into a parallel Earth where Britain is ruled by a bureaucratic and fascist dictatorship: "Proper bureaucrat, aren't you? Can't shoot me unless you fill in all the forms?" He is horrified to see his friends Liz, Benton, and the Brigadier in Nazi-type uniforms, and far from the pleasant people he knew on his Earth. The most striking effect is the Brigadier, here the Brigade Leader, sans mustache, with a black patch over his left eye, a scar running down his left cheek. The Stahlman of that world succeeds in penetrating the Earth's crust, which eventually causes the planet's destruction. It is up to the Doctor to return to his Earth to avert such a disaster from happening. As he tells the parallel Earthlings, "compared to the forces that you've unleashed, an atomic blast would be like a summer breeze."

Episode 5 is the most sobering one. The facility starts blowing up, green stuff oozes from the output pipe like a sore, and the fully metamorphosed Primords appear. They are frightening at times, goofy-looking the next, but when they touch someone, that someone becomes one of them, like the parallel Benton

The chaos near the end of Episode 6 are also sobering. The atmosphere is tinted red, people are fleeing in terror or are dazed. And the rivers of molten lava starts flowing. Inferno indeed!

Some of the cliffhangers are effective here. The one for Episode 4 has Stahlman pointing a gun at the Doctor while the countdown voice goes "5, 4, 3, 2, 1..." and then, end credits. The music is eerie and weirdly space-like, and that gives the story its ominous and gripping edge.

All the regulars are terrific here, but Nicholas Courtney gets extra applause for playing the level-headed Brigadier and the vicious and cowardly Brigade Leader. Derek Newark as the authority-flouting Aussie consultant Sutton is particularly splendid, and Olaf Pooley pulls an extra-effective effort at making Professor Stahlman so petty, crazed, and dangerous. Incidentally, Sheila Dunn, who plays Petra Williams, is the wife of Douglas Camfield, who directed this masterpiece.

7-part episodes were abandoned because of their overlength, but it works for Inferno, mainly because of the story. Inferno warns of the dangerously obsessive egomaniacs like Stahlman and also of the terror of nuclear power, of abusing Mother Earth itself. But the story brings hope. When the Doctor learns that Sir Keith survived an auto crash instead of being killed like he was in the fascist Earth, he realizes, "so not everything runs parallel. An infinity of universes, ergo an infinite number of choices. So, free will is not an illusion after all. The pattern can be changed." I'm hoping that's what Nostradamus' prophecies of World War III are-a prediction for a parallel Earth that foolishly and tragically destroyed itself. Well, I hope it's not the fate of this Earth. With our free will, we can prevent that from happening.

a very scary dr.who episode, but worth it! a trip to earth
This episode has the third doctor(Jon Pertwee) and his companion Liz Shaw trying to stop the powerful forces of the Inferno project. The UNIT personall also help in this story. The docotr gets sent accidently to a another world where it's the same people , just differnt problems. This world shows a nazi like world and the effects of the project here! The doctor finally realizes he must save both earth from being destroyed!He also must deal with a gas which changes people to a apelike creature! The only thing I forgot when I bought it was it Liz Shaw's last episode in the series! It also has tension, suspense, horror and the third docotors action sequences!

Great story although a little too long
I am in complete agreement with your reviewers who see this adventure as being one of the best of the Pertwee years.

One of the things for me which makes this interesting is not just the parallel world notion, which surprisingly has not been used too much, but the limits to that notion.

For instance the Doctor finds himself in an alternate universe which is slightly different from the one he begins from. Not only is it different but he, qua the Doctor is not in it, nor has he been. Also the concept that one parallel universe can be destroyed without destroying the others is a novel idea too.

This adventure has almost everything you could want to find in a show geared towards adults and young adults alike. The typical villain and mad scientist are found together in one mean man along with a devoted follower who is intelligent but too uncertain to question his authority. There are the Primords, who are the unfortunate by-products of the scientific process and then there are the populates of the alternative earth...
These neo-fascists clearly intended to resemble to gestapo/SS of the Third Reich and accurately portray an authoritarian regime. There is another aspect to this too which was controversial in England upon the show's broadcast and that was the appearance in uniform of Caroline Shaw. Adult viewing increased considerably.

The adventure is rather long, unecessarily so, and could have done with a better editing. Even so there is a good story here with much to consider for some time. The action scenes and outdoor shots as well as make up and costume have much to commend them. A very good concept which is pretty well executed. No pun intended.

The loss of the character Liz from the series was a hard blow. The Doctor clearly needed a companion who had at least half a brain but instead the third Doctor was portrayed as a well meaning but chauvinistic person rather than the enlightened man of reason he had set out being.

Hopefully this will make it ot DVD sooner rather than later.

No, it's not Sliders, its SO much better than that!
The one and only sideways time story of Dr. Who. Inferno is probably the best DW story period. A very strong story about the alternate Universe and is detailed in the background of characters in that Universe. Liz kinda wanted to be a scientist but decided not to, sort of thing. The show stopper for me was the Brigade Leader. A kind of coward/bully/tyrant of lawful order on an obsessive-compulsive level. Very scary. Greg Sutton(Derek Newark) was in an Unearthly child the first DW story. Greg Sutton was also a very strong character in Inferno. What would've been really interesting(though not nessecary) would be an alternate Doctor Who, probably a pathetic anxious fearfull man; the compete opposite of Dr. Who, Jon Pertwee's character. But that wasn't really nessecary for this story. It would've been interesting though.

The Doctor in a parallel universe
This episode is one of Jon Pertwee's finest. A scientist is trying to crack the earths inner core to find a new energy source. The material which they discover turns those who are exposed into monsters. The Doctor attempting to fix the TARDIS's console is accidently shifted to a parallel dimension. In this dimension everyone acts opposite of what they are.In this dimension the Doctor is actually forward in time slightly. e discovers that the experiment at hand will lead to the destruction of life on earth. He is too late to stop it in this parallel dimension but is able to get back to his own dimension to stop the same tradgedy. A well done episode. For those interested in neat facts this epsisode shows the original TARDIS console for the last time and it also marks the last episode of Liz Shaw who in real life left the show to have a baby. This episode shows Jon Pertwee at his finest. A great story ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Scariest Dr. Who Story.
This is one that had me jumping behind the couch when I was 10.Though some reviewers write this story off as rubbish, its one of my personal favorites. I think its because, like much of Hinchcliffe's Who, time and effort go into generating suspense and horror through image, through what we see as much as through plot and character, the two complementing each other, and the story being propelled as much by image as dialogue. The hideous, pig brained "Peking Homonculous" in the Talons of Weng Chiang is a good example of this.

In Face of Evil, potent images of horror abound. Examples include the perpetual twighlight of the forest, the red, purple and black tones dominating the production design, in the fact that we don't see the monster at first, only its effect on the environment (an idea that resurfaced, along with the plastic jungle, in the similarly titled "Face of Evil.") There also is palpable fear generated by surveyors' scruffiness and dirtiness, their desperate rushes through the haunted wood, and the horrific look of their wizened corpses after the monster gets them. The look on Sarah's face when the monster almost gets her is another terrifying (to the 10 year old inside us all) image used in this story.
And the terror is relentless. The suspense builds as the action shifts to the Morestran spaceship. Sorenson's glowing eyes after he morphs into "anti-man," the steaming potion he must gulp (like Dr. Jeckyll) to keep his demons at bay, the corpses ditched from the ship plunging into the endless loneliness of deep space.... all unforgettable images terrifying to the mind of an imaginative 10 year old.
If there was a secret to Hinchcliffe's success as a producer it was this.

Another appealing quality of the Face of Evil is its ending. We get the right sort of closure and denoument, providing the necessary antidote to terror, and thus making it a horror story suitable for kids....(read no further if you're worried by the ending being spoilt.) Sorenson survives, his life is spared by the antimatter force, indicating it is not evil as the title suggests, only misunderstood.
Some Who fans think Sorenson's survival is absurd, out of kilter with his crimes and irresponsibilities, forgetting that ethically speaking, the need to save a dying planet outweighs the deaths of afew individuals. Furthermore, Sorenson's survival is necessitated by the dramatic logic of the script....the Morestrans must have, at the very least, a chance of overcoming the problem of their dying sun for the horror to be truly assuaged. The Doctor empathises with Sorenson, as a fellow scientist and traveller, and suggests alternative sources of energy for his planet.

The moral questions raised by this story exemplify what I like most about Dr. Who (and other great science fiction.) Though the show has a fantastic setting, it is preoccupied with our own moral universe.

Sometimes reviewers forget that Dr Who was a show devised to scare children (in away that all children want to be scared, in the comfort and safety of their living rooms) and start expecting ridiculously high standards. They want perfect acting and special effects, hole-less plots....they forget that the "feeling tone" i.e. the emotional mood of drama is as important as the plot details...more important in Dr Who's case, as it is dreamlike... it deals with realms of the imagination, where absurdities and illogicallities abound. We would miss out on countless great stories if Dr. Who were constrained by dramatic realism.

Makers of kids TV rarely bother to scare children any more.They're all too preoccupied with values laden, politically correct (and mindnumbingly boring) shows about teenagers who think, act, and talk like adults (part of Dr. Who's appeal to me as a kid was the absence of precocious child actors.) Kids get enough of this at school. Soul sucking monsters, mad scientists, aliens who plot to conquer the universe, body counts, the stuff of nightmare and imagination, antidotes to the dull fare of most English classrooms, are all things of the past as far as makers of kid's TV are concerned (my child's heart cries out for another Monkey, another Dr Who.) No wonder the Harry Potter series is so successful. Its fulfilling a deep seated need children have to be frightened out of their wits. The horror element to both series also explains why adults appreciate them as much as children. Thank God not all the episodes of Dr Who were incinerated in the BBC vaults. I'm particularly thankful "Planet of Evil" survived.

Nature prunes dumb scientists.
There was a trilogy of Tom Baker stories during the shows "Golden Age" which bid homage to the classics of Gothic horror fiction -- "The Brain of Morbius" (Frankenstein); "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" (Dracula); and, of course, "Planet of Evil" which was essentially Dr. Jekkyl & Mr. Hyde in space. This episode is inferior to "Talons" (what isn't?) and not as much fun as "Morbius" but it is still a good outing, concentrating far less on humor and camp and more on the classic elements of Gothic horror -- tampering with forbidden knowledge, the internal struggle of good vs. evil, and the mounting terror of a group which is trapped in a haunted house (so to speak) and being picked off one by one. Like "Talons" which also mixed in homages to Phantom of the Opera and the real-life Jack the Ripper killings, this story also borrows heavily from "Forbidden Planet" in its choice of a semi-invisible monster projected, more or less, from it's victims own minds. There are also less-than-subtle moral messages about colonialism and gross exploitation of the environment, which is always humorous when you consider the Brits spent 300 years doing just that to our little planet. I guess Orwell was right when he said that hypocrisy is THE English vice (then again, he also said, "The Americans always have to go you one better on any type of beastliness" so you can read it either way).

The story is your basic 'trapped in a haunted house with a mysterious killer' bit, but the overlapping plot elements and homages prevent it from falling into parody. Tom Baker plays the Doctor with less humor and more edge in this outing, not troubling to hide his disgust at what he sees as militaristic fools tampering with forces they don't understand, and expressing his usual lack of patience with those less intelligent than himself, which in this story is absolutely everybody. The (relative) humorlessness of the normally cheeky, campy Doc helps underscore the mounting sense of doom. As always, the guest characters help to make the episode. Professor Sorenson, the Jekkyl/Hyde character, is both creepy and pitiable with his sunken, bleary eyes, stubbly face, and mixture of nervousness and exhaustion; he is more complex than your average guest character and it is difficult to see if he will play out as a villain or a hero. Not so with Controller Salamar, a ship's captain so repressed and stuck-up not only would butter not melt in his mouth, but if you inserted a lump of coal into this bloke's you-know-what, in thirty seconds you'd have a diamond. What Salamar lacks in charm, me makes up for with his shoot first, ask-questions-never style of command. Finally there is Vishinsky, the kindly veteran X.O., who seems to have gotten the helping of common sense that Salamar missed out on when he was going back to the buffet for a second course of being a jackass. All of these actors work well.

One interesting feature of the story is its violence. This episode has a huge body count and there are times I half-expected to hear that creepy "ch-ch-ch, ha-ha-ha" music from "Friday the 13th" as our heroes stumble around in the jungle, waiting to die.

Speaking of which, "Planet's" biggest strength is its creepy production design -- Zeta Minor, where most of the story takes place, is strange, jungle-like, very alien and claustrophobic, perfect to the atmosphere of the story. The black pit from whence the creature emerges is truly eerie-looking, and a very nice bit of prop-work, especially the fake bubbles which give it the illusion of depth. And the ship, which serves as the final battleground has an unpleasant, overbright 'death trap' feel to it.

One minor quibble -- when the irradiated Sorenson does his slavering, shamelessly over-the-top Mr. Hyde routine, it takes a will of iron not to burst out into hysterical laughter. Blaaaaah! Yeaaaaahh! Grrrrrr! Trick or treat! He hardly needed to strangle his victims; they would have laughed themselves into heart attacks anyway. This aside, "Planet" is one of the more downright creepy episodes shot during Baker's run, and it does an effective job of putting our heroes through one wringer after another before the Tardis whisks off on its next adventure.

A great Doctor Who Story
Planet of Evil is an amazing story prbably one of the creapist of the Doctor Who stories from the 4th Doctor's era.It saw them land on a planet called Zeta Minor in the far future.The Doctor battling an unknown entity controledby antiMatter. What more can i say very enjoyable story. Tom Baker at his best.

The boundary between matter and anti-matter
The year--37,166.The place:Zeta Minor, at the fringes of the known universe.The surviving members of a Morestran survey team are being killed off by an invisible force in a way that resembles "a rapid form of freeze drying."Dr. Sorenson is on the verge of a scientific discovery that could save the Morestran civilization--their sun is dying.Baldwin, a member of the expedition, manages to activate an SOS as he is being attacked.Guess who answers the SOS?A certain jelly-baby loving Time Lord and his assistant.

Also en route to Zeta Minor is a military expedition headed by the young and inexperienced Controller, Salamar.The Doctor and Sarah are captured by Salamar's troops and accused of murdering seven members of Sorenson's expedition.They escape, only to encounter the cause of the deaths at the cliffhanger to Episode 1.Speaking of cliffhangers, the one ending Episode 2 is effective, as the Doctor is seen falling into the black pit, seemingly doomed.

All the great lines are by the Doctor, but this one covers the overall concept of colonial thinking and Sorenson's mission:"Here on Zeta Minor is the boundary between existence as you know it and the other universe which you don't understand.You call it 'nothing' a word term to cover ignorance, and centuries ago, scientists invented another name for it:anti-matter.And you, by coming here, have crossed that boundary into that other Universe to plunder it."Sorensen, however, puts it another wayL"Full scale exploitation of this planet will provide us with perpetual energy in whatever way we need it."The main point being that Sorenson cannot take any minerals of that planet with him.In the meantime, Sorenson's men are being killed off one by one.

Prentis Hancock's impatient action-not-waiting Salamar is a retread of his portrayal as Vaber in Planet Of The Daleks.But Ewen Solon takes top honors as the older and wiser voice of reason, a variation of the Trojan War's Nestor, as second-in-command Vishinsky.

Other notes:The anti-matter monster, despite being shown corporeally on the video cover, is only seen as a glowing yellow outline, which is an interesting way.And Elizabeth Sladen's expression, especially her eyes, brilliantly portray that feeling of her mind leaving her body, a sensation she feels whenever the anti-creature is near.The casualty rate is also high in this story.

By Episode Three, there is a clear Jekyll and Hyde theme established.The larger theme is that of anti-colonialism, a theme previously explored in the Who story The Mutants.Figures, since the British Empire plundered resources of countries in its domain.And with this story, the British, by experience, portrays the immorality of exploiting other countries for their wealth.Sounds like a country I'm familiar with.A worthy story in the Dr. Who canon.

Glorious Galactic Garbage
This was always one of my favorite episodes as a kid, and as an adult I watch it and marvel. They literally just don't make 'em like this anymore. In fact, they can't; a budget, capable acting and a more plausible script would get in the way of all the fun. The story is of course preposterous, the acting laughable [Salomar has to be the biggest idiot ever given command of a space crew in the history of Sci Fi] and the special effects are so goofy that you have to laugh the first time the show the Space Probe (where was Derrick Meddings when they needed him?). Well, so what. That's why I watch Dr. Who in the first place, thank you. I revel in the cheap, shoddy interior sets [dig the office supply store chairs on the command deck], grin from ear to ear at the histrionics of the actors ["Psycho-Stimulators Not Responding!!"] and would love to slog through that space jungle they created on a soundstage. In fact, the most effective sequences are the ones set in the jungle and shot on film, especially Baldwin's hectic run through the jungle right at the beginning of the episode and then the unforgettable Occuloid Tracker (great name for a band) following The Doctor and Sarah through the lush, purple plastic and coaxial cable foliage. I will always be a kid when I watch Dr Who episodes like this one from the Tom Baker years, and that is what makes it such brilliant trash -- (...)you can be 13 again any time you pop this tape in the machine. Sounds like an equitable price to get your youth back for an hour and a half. Recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Colin Baker, one of the most controversial and short-tenuredactors to play Doctor Who, hosts this look at his era (1984-1986) asthe sixth Doctor. He reminiscences about his time on the series alongwith clips from each episode, with funny anecdotes about filming andbackground information. He seems particularly amused at the attention(particularly on the BBC--included here in clips) that getting the partengendered originally. Many of his stories were criticized at the time,both by fans and his BBC bosses, and Baker acknowledges it with frank,but fond, memories of each one nevertheless. He also candidly discussesthe acting process and how it relates to the needs of the series.

This documentary was produced and directed by John Nathan-Turner, theman who originally hired Baker and produced the series during hisentire run, so it wasn't likely that Baker was now going to bite thehand that fed him. Instead, he editorializes about the 18-month hiatusthat was imposed on Doctor Who in 1985 by the BBC, partially inreaction to what was going on in the series at the time, and hisultimate sacking a year later. And while Baker is more than graciousabout most of his guest stars, he is entirely dismissive of Paul Darrow(Blake's 7), who appeared in "Timelash," not even mentioning himby name. The entire production might exist as Baker's final testamentabout the series and his episodes (or as a vanity piece to promoteother videos), but fan opinion continues to be mixed about his era, andhis legacy is to be the first Doctor ever let go by the BBCinvoluntarily. --Ryan K. Johnson ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Colin Baker we hardly knew ya!...
Colin Baker was probably the most under appreciated person to play the role of the good Doctor. It was probably due to his short time in the role. After 2 years of the weak play by Peter Davison, Colin Baker was a return to the Doctor of old. His performance was outstanding and unfortunately as he was just getting into the role and making it more enjoyable he was released. Not that his replacement wasnt good, but its ashame we couldnt have seen more of him as the Doctor. The BBC after so many years changed there opinion on Doctor Who and set out to destroy it by limiting its budjet and deleting storylines. This gives you insight to the end of a legend. How the bbc set out to do what no enemy could do to the doctor and that is destroy it. Colin Baker shows that he truly was a great actor and a great Doctor. Unfortunate for him and us we werent allowed to see it very much. enjoy this tape becaue it shows a great insight. I wish there would have been more Colin Baker episodes but the bbc [messed]it all up.

Colin really wasn't that bad when you get to know him...
I was born the year Colin Baker took the role of the Doctor. My brother was born the exact day the call came from Jonathan Nathan Turner that he would be regenerating. Strange, huh? Well, enough about me, on to the Doctor Who. I found this a most enjoyable programme, I had rented it from a small local store and I must have watched it 5 or 6 times in the three days I had it. It was fascinating. Simply fascinating. I know good ol' Colin isn't very well liked in Whovian circles, but he's one of my favorites.

Time runs out for the Doctor
In 1985, the television programme Dr Who had been running for over twenty years. When Colin Baker took on the role, the future of the show looked rosy. And then, halfway through his first season as the time-travelling Doctor, amid allegations of bust-ups with the production team behind the scenes, and accusations of 'too much horror and violence' in the programme, Dr Who was suspended. Some fans of the show say it never really recovered. The production team's subsequent lack of confidence, together with the BBC's apparent dislike of the show saw its eventual cancellation in 1989. Colin Baker's all-too-breif time playing the Doctor is well documented here. Introducing this video documentary himself, he also adds candid insights into what happened behind the scenes during what was to become known as a fairly troubled time for the long-running show. This video shows Colin as a humourous and likeable actor who was just getting to grips with the role of the world-famous time-lord when it was taken from him. Watching his recollections of Dr Who makes it all the sadder that was not able to remain with show longer.

Fascinating.
A must-have for fans of Dr Who or sci-fi in general, this is a look back at the most unfairly under-rated era of the series. Various clips from the Colin Baker stories are here, together with some footage from Dr Who conventions.

The only downside is the lack of 'Revalation of the Daleks' clips. This was one of the strongest Dalek stories and so its writer refusing to let it be novelized or released on video remains a mystery.

That aside, this is a first-rate release.

"This looks familar..."
If you're a Colin Baker fan, or Who fan in general, then you'll find some enjoyment from this tape. Colin Baker tells us some of more memorable feelings about his role, the show itself, and little of life after Who. He does make a valid point about the cancellation of the show and him getting the shaft. Even reading on events during this time, I just have to wonder what the hell is Eric Saward's problem(this is towards his attitude on no "Revelation of the Daleks" clips, or even an indication if he'll even "allow" the adventure to be released[good thing I have a tolerable copy from PBS airings!]). Very watchable and enjoyable. Colin, you got a big fan here in N'awlins! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The second story of season 2, Dalek Invasion of Earth sees William Hartnell's Doctor in a six-part adventure pitted against his greatest nemesis, the Daleks. The Doctor, Susan (Carol Ann Ford), Ian (William Russell), and Barbara (Jacqueline Hill) arrive in the London of 2164, where the Nazi-like Daleks have turned the remnants of the human race into salve workers or "Robomen," who unfortunately foreshadow Monty Python's hilarious "Gumbies." The Daleks' plan involves a vast mine in Bedfordshire and the final destruction of the human race, while pitted against them is a World War II-style resistance movement led by Dortmun (Alan Judd) and David Campbell (Peter Fraser). One of the most famous of all Doctor Who stories, Dalek Invasion of Earth features such iconic moments as a dalek emerging from the Thames, and a remarkable flight across London showing daleks crossing Westminster Bridge and patrolling Trafalgar Square and the Albert Memorial. Terry Nation's story is almost insanely ambitious for the budget, and while sets and effects are primitive the location work is highly evocative. Lavishly remade for theaters as Daleks Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. (1966), the plot here is more detailed and mercifully free of comic relief, and delivers a surprisingly sensitive ending to mark Carol Ann Ford's departure from the series.--Gary S. Dalkin ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Fun!
I am a obsessive sci-fi nut, but my ultimate obsessions are Dr. Who and The X-Files. "The Dalek Invasion of the Earth" is a wonderful example of Dr. Who at it's best. The Doctor(William Hartnell) is as crabby as ever, always being taken care of by his devoted granddaughter Susan and their two intrusive companions, Ian and Barbara. They arrive on Earth in the future and discover that their nemesis, The Daleks have taken over. With the help of a small group of rebels they defeat the Daleks. It is a well put together story with a tender ending.

THE MOST SADDEST ENDING IN DOCTOR WHO EVER MADE.
THE DALEK INVASION OF EARTH starring Original Doctor William Hartnell was the very first episode to have one of the show's Who characters leaving the show. This was another Dalek adventure that the time lord found himself once again facing his greatest enemies. Like Invasion of time and The Green death, This is a adventure where the characters leave when they fall in love. In the sequel to the episode that made Doctor Who a hit in 1963 "The Daleks", The Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara arrive in a future London only to discover the Daleks have wiped it out and are at war with a band of rebels. Where the Doctor agrees to help the rebels led by David Campbell stop them from blowing up the planet. Dramatically good, This was Carole Ann Ford's final apperence as The Doctor's granddaughter Susan and her acting at the end made this one of the most saddest endings in the show's history. It was very emotional when the Doctor forces his only family to stay behind to start a new life with the leader of the rebels. A classic Daleks sequel.

Magnificent!
This is one of those titles I looked forward to long before I knew of any definite plans to release it on DVD. I've always felt that, along with the Patrick Troughton story "The Seeds of Death", this is probably the best-photographed story of the entire 26 year history of the show; this is despite the fact that the cameraman's shadow can be seen drifting in and out of certain shots, but this can be forgiven since it is only the vastly improved DVD resolution that makes it visible at all, a problem that didn't exist when it was originally broadcast.
It was the first Doctor Who story to contain a significant amount of location footage, which enhanced its credibility; to see Daleks swarming around familiar monuments and landmarks leant the story authenticity, and the exterior lighting conditions throughout are flawless, and contribute greatly to creating a tense atmosphere of apprehensive foreboding.
I would also like to say that I have always been outspokenly opposed to the modification of old films and TV shows for any reason, so when I learned that some of the special effects had been replaced with newly-created CGI images, I was a little disturbed. But when I saw the results, I was floored: the new sequences are integrated so seamlessly and applied with such restraint that I have been forced to reconsider my objections. Furthermore, this DVD allows the viewer to choose between the original special effects sequence originally broadcast and the new updated CGI sequences.
This terrific feature, along with the high quality of the transfer, is an excellent example of the extreme care the BBC has taken in presenting these stories on DVD. They have taken an almost reverential approach in presenting this beloved British national icon to the rest of the world, and this is yet one more reason to buy this DVD.

"RADIATION NIL, OXYGEN NORMAL....."
"The Dalek Invasion of Earth" is one of the best "Doctor Who" adventures of all time. It has excitement, awe and wonder, terror, and humor mixed into an epic tale of conquest and survival! William Hartnell gives a fine portrayal of the Doctor, and the storytelling and acting are top-notch! The farewell to the character of Susan Foreman (the Doctor's granddaughter, played by Carole Ann Ford) makes for one emotional ending!
Sadly, the DVD extras aren't the best. The featurettes have fine interviews, but are so lengthy and boring, no one really cares what their talking about. However, the six-part serial more than makes up for it! Any "Doctor Who" fan will not wanna miss "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" on DVD!
Program Grade: A+ (5 Stars)
DVD Grade: B+ (4 Stars)
Overall Grade: A- (5 Stars)

We are the masters of Earth!
For anyone who bought the VHS, this dvd is nothing short of a revelation. DIOE has gone under some major clean-up work via the Doctor Who Restoration Team's wonderful new VidFIRE machine and looks almost as good as it did (and in the case of episode 5 even better than) back in 1964. It's not entirely perfect due to the age and quality of the source material, but it is impressive. A great assortment of extras rounds out the set. A must buy. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Cyberman History 101 for Whovians
This special documentary was done in the same vein as the Dalek-The Early Years special. This time, Colin Baker, the Sixth Doctor, is the host, who like Davison, presented this in the Museum of the Moving Image, next to some Cybermen heads.

The Cybermen, the second most popular Dr. Who monsters after the Daleks, basically came about because then-producer Innes Lloyd wanted some new monsters. Enter Dr. Kit Pedler, whose scientific knowhow combined with storywriter Gerry Davis, and together they created the Cybermen, who were humans who replaced their bodies with mechanical parts, but at the cost of losing their human qualities. Roy Skelton again was assigned to do the Cyberman voices and the vocal talents of this man, who did the Dalek voices, cannot be understated. Other commentary comes from Morris Barry, director of the Cyber stories The Moonbase and Tomb Of The Cybermen.

The real treat is of course the episodes from incomplete stories. They are Episodes 2 and 4 from The Moonbase and Episodes 3 and 6 from The Wheel In Space. Judging from these stories, they seem to be among the best in the series. The Moonbase is about a weather station on the moon whose personnel are suffering from an unknown disease. These people then vanish! The station director Hobson suspects the Doctor and his companions, Jamie, Ben, and Polly. The Doctor is given 24 hours to find out what's going on. One of his best lines here: "There are some corners of the universe which have bred the most terrible things, things that act against everything we believe in. They must be fought." In Episode 4, the Cybermen attack from the lunar surface and from Moonbase personnel they control. The Cyber march music, consisting of booming kettle drums and staccato horns, makes its appearance at the beginning of this episode.

The Cybermen attack a space station, the "Wheel In Space" via Cybermats. It also sees the debut of the diminutive, super-smart astrophysicist, pure math major with honours, cute-as-a-button Zoe Herriot, played by Wendy Padbury. She is even criticized by the communications officer on that second attribute: "just like a computer, facts and figures... proper little brain child. All brain and no heart." The Doctor says it more gently: "Logic, my dear Zoe, merely enables one to be wrong with authority." Other interesting characters include a pretty Russian, Tanya, going on about her nose, and a practical doctor, Gemma Corwyn, who kind of resembles Glenda Jackson. The Cybermen's voices sound like Daleks with severe bronchitis, while their Coordinator Sphere maintains the Cyber voice heard in Tomb Of The Cybermen.

The personable Wendy Padbury gives her recollections and I don't know when this was taken, but she still has her looks, and is a remarkable contrast without the Zoe-style bangs and pear-shaped hairdo.

Despite being the second most famous Who monsters, the Cybermen did established their reputations in five adventures in less than three years--(1966-1968)--something to think about.

Evolution of the Cybermen
Praise to the BBC for giving us this long awaited glimpse into the long lost tombs of the Cybermen. With so little of Patrick Troughton's episodes still in existence, this video offers an exciting chance to turn back the hands of time and enjoy Doctor Who at its finest, battling his creepiest cyborg foes in four wonderfully retro episodes culled from the missing serials "The Moonbase" and "The Wheel of Space". Although the storylines are incomplete, it does not take long figure out what's going on. It's like watching "The Empire Strikes Back" without the benefit of having seen "Star Wars" or "Return of the Jedi". You may miss some of the details but you'll be thoroughly entertained.

Behind the sofa again...
Even in a fragmentary state, the four episodes (from 'The Moonbase' - episodes 2 and 4 - and 'The Wheel in Space' - episodes 3 and 6) on this tape represent two of the most genuinely eerie stories ever made. Don't believe me? Try watching in a darkened house at about 11pm with your suspension of disbelief lurking somewhere in the corner behind the cat. Still some of my all-time favourites, and something no fan of the early days of Doctor Who should miss. And after you've finished with Cybermen, go find 'Daleks: the Early Years' and 'the Troughton Years'. Well worth the time.

(by the bye, if you really enjoy these, search the web for 'doctor who telesnap reconstructions' if you'd like a taste of what the full stories were like...)

Support the BBC releases!

Gravity of the Cybermen
The Cybermen first appeared in the last story of William Hartnell of the "Tenth Planet" which is not included in this video except in excerpts and may make it to video for only one episode of it is missing from the BBC but its the final episode thats missing and may be the reason why so little of the "Tenth Planet" is on this Cybermen video. A rumour of a private collector had the last mising episode of "The Tenth Planet" existed when this video came out which didn't pan out. So instead the remains of "The Moon Base" and "The Wheel In Space" are seen. "The Moon Base" is disease and cybermen missing the episode when the disease first starts as well as the episode where the Cybermen become the known enemy of the moon base . Episode 1 and 3 are missing in this 4 episode story of "The Moon Base" and is one of the few remaining episodes with Polly and Ben companions. "The Wheel In Space" also has only two remaining episodes from this 6 episode story which episodes 1,2, 4, and 5 are missing which the missing first two episodes has the Doctor's bout with a robot on a spaceship and his being taken to the space station missing and the end missing episodes the rise of the Cybermen's attack on the space station missiing. But what is not missing is sabatoge and Cybermats and the end battle between the space station with the Cybermen. "The Wheel In Space" is also the first story of one of the more liked campanions of Zoe. These incomplete stories are good stories and its good they survived partially for both are better than the worse episode of the Seventh Doctor that didn't suffer from such lost of work like the Second Doctor which is featured in both these stories. This is a good video but its incomplete.

If you like Troughton and the Cybermen (and who doesn't?...)
The BBC were very shortsighted when they methodically erased a great number of old Doctor Who episodes one by one. But what's done is done, and until unknown copies rear their heads (just happened a couple months ago) this is a wonderful way to see incomplete stories. There is unfortunately nothing more than a couple clips from "The Tenth Planet", but what remains of "The Moonbase" and "The Wheel in Space" is very fun to watch. The Cybermen truly blossomed in the Troughton years and this documentary/compilation truly expresses that. This is a good video to ahve, particularly if you are one of the many who loves "Tomb of the Cybermen", "The Invasion" and the Cybermen in general. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

"And I have an ACE up my sleeve!"
This story needs absolutely no introduction. Ben Aaronovith's second script for Doctor Who is a "classic". Aside from this being the last season of the program, Aaronovith was becoming the new Robert Holmes, with his streamlined, revisionlist continuity. I never thought about it before this adventure, but the Doctor does make a great Merlin. The regular cast and guests are outstanding. The Brigadier returns in style. Even though UNIT had been out of the scene for some while, it's the best one since "The Green Death". Ancelyn, Mordred, and of course Jean Marsh as Morgaine are all in fine form. Nice effects, a little sloppy swordplay, and all around fun. Love the ending with the Brig, Ancelyn and the Doctor: "You any good witha lawnmower, Ancelyn?" the Brig asks. The Doctor replies "I'll cook supper..."

Science-fiction for 9-year-olds.
The Doctor and Ace return to Earth and meet up with UNIT. Before long the Brigadier is called out of retirement to assist in defeating medieval armies from another dimension.

I'm amazed that the legends of King Arthur have never featured in Dr Who before. Alas, they're completely wasted in this rather silly, aimless adventure. To start with, the scene near the beginning involving the new Brig is utterly botched. The UNIT soldier calls the Brigadier over and there's a short build-up before you see it's not the Brig we know after all. But this story opens with a sequence showing that the old Brig has retired, so we know in advance that it's not him the soldier's calling.

Other problems involve the decidedly long-winded script. Part 3 especially consists of little more than people fighting and being chased around. And the Destroyer, though impressive, is completely wasted in a minor and rather contrived role. I remember the Pertwee and Tom Baker doctors stating quite clearly that magic was just superstitious rubbish. But this story has the Doctor defeating a wicked witch by giving her some hot air about how nasty missiles are. And how could such a person be stopped by simply being locked up anyway? The Doctor also states that 'magic being explained by science could also work the other way'. Utter twaddle.

The story also contains men in cheap-looking armour falling about in Monty Python fashion and a truly dire soundtrack. A darker, more brooding score would have suited better than the Kids TV music present throughout this.

To its credit, much of this adventure is entertaining in a childish kind of way, and Jean Marsh gives a strong performance as Morgaine. There are also some impressive visual effects. But they can't hide the fact that this is all a let-down, especially in an otherwise nop-notch season. And as for the Brigadier's supposed death - you can see him moving, so any tension or suspense is instantly washed away.

The once and future Merlin
That the Doctor will, in his personal future, be the renowned Merlin of Arthurian legend, is the premise of this episode of the beloved and long-running science fiction series.

The first time I saw "Battlefield" was while sitting cross-legged on a hotel room floor with members of the "Legion of Rassilon" during a science fiction convention. Fast-forward five, maybe 10 years later, and in my second viewing the story lost none of its campy charm. By this time, I was more familiar with the Doctor and his universe, and so, while the story was still just as fresh, I found more to appreciate.

When the Doctor shows up near an archaeological site (and a UNIT exercise) near Lake Vortigern, all hell is sure to break loose, and Sylvester McCoy doesn't disappoint. Bring Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart out of retirement to clash with a younger, female brigadier named Winnifred Bambera and throw in Morgaine and her knights for good measure, and the producers of Doctor Who created a sure winner.

Bambera is an intriguing character who deserved to be brought back in future episodes -- alas, her appearance was late in the show's life.

What can I say about the elder Brigadier, except that he is one of my favorite characters. He is also a character who has weathered the series, from his blood 'n' thunder days with Jon Pertwee to the more reflective man we see coming out of retirement to face one last threat.

The acting is campy, but with great lines of wry, catchy and quotable dialogue. Yes, the special effects are low-budget, but that has always been part of the Doctor's appeal. This episode combines its science fiction and medieval elements skillfully, with well-placed humor.One of my personal favorite episodes, I am sure that I will view "Battlefield" again and again. I am also sure that I will find something new to apprecate each time.

Metaphoric Dr. Who (or is that Merlin?) against nuclear war
The Doctor as Merlin? Well, that's what he's called by Ancelyn ap Gwalchmai, Knight General of the Britons from an Earth where magic is more prevalent over technology. If the Doctor doesn't do something, the "Earth could be in the center of a war that doesn't belong in this dimension." That is a war fought between forces loyal to Arthur and those loyal to Morgaine of the Fay, Battle Queen of the S'Rax and her son Mordred.

Nearby, are two other parties who become involved in this war. The first is Peter Warmsley and Shou Yuing, archaeologists working on a dig sponsored by the Carbury Trust. Warmsley's a dedicated archaeologist, believing that "history has to be eased out of the Earth one painstaking layer at a time." After ten years, he has unearthed the scabbard belonging to Excalibur, but where is the sword?

The other party is UNIT, led by Brigadier Winifred Bambera, who is supervising a convoy carrying a nuclear missile. For the first time, we see UNIT for what it's supposed to be, as soldiers from Russia, Czech Republic, and France are seen. However, as the Russian Zbrigniev tells Bambera, "whenever this Doctor shows up, all hell breaks loose." And when the Doctor shows up at this time, Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart has to redon the uniform, take the baton and service issue revolver, and become reunited with his friend and former scientific advisor. Nicholas Courtney's (Lethbridge-Stewart) a familiar and welcome presence in Who, and this show succeeds mostly due to him.

As UNIT shows up, this does reinforce series continuity, as past monsters are mentioned, and a certain yellow Roadster makes a welcome final appearance, though Ace and Shou Yuing's mockery of it--"zero to sixty in twenty minutes" is short-lived.

There are few moments in Who that are embarrassingly cringing, and unfortunately, this story suffers from it in Episode 2, when Mordred, in summoning his mother, goes over the top with some demonic laughter. Whenever I see this segment, I look for something soft to throw at the TV screen. And the concept of the more magical Earth isn't surprising, as the Doctor says the reverse of Arthur C. Clarke's law, "Any advanced from of technology is indistinguishable from magic" is applicable.

Jean Marsh's portrayal of Morgaine makes her a complex villain. Resplendent in battle armour and crown, she clearly believes in an honourable war--"what is victory without honour?"--at one point scolding her son for fighting on Earth without first paying their respects to Earth's fallen soldiers. Her conversation with the Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart is one of fellow foes showing mutual respect. She tells him calmly that she bears him no malice, but at their next meeting, she will kill him.

The Destroyer, which apart from its bluish skin, is a dead ringer for the Devil in the Tom Cruise movie Legend, is an example of animatronics operating the jaws and saliva dripping from its mouth. And its description by Morgaine, "Lord of Darkness, Eater of Worlds," is a reference to Robert Oppenheimer quoting from the Bhagavad-Gita: "I am become death, the shatterer of worlds; waiting that hour that ripens to their doom." And guess when Oppenheimer quoted that?

Which leads to the metaphor of the Destroyer and nuclear war. The Doctor's horrific description: "All over the worlds, fools are poised, ready to let death fly machines of death...of light brighter than the sun. Not a war between armies, nor a war between nations, but death, death gone mad. A child looks up in the sky, his eyes turn to cinders, no not tears, only ashes. Is this honour? Is this war?"

Part Arthurian legend, UNIT action story, Battlefield does waver a bit unevenly into comedic moments when such moments aren't called for, but prevails with a strong story, characters, and a never to be forgotten theme.

One of the better Sylvester McCoy "Doctor Who" adventures
Although I am not a great fan of Sylvester McCoy's "Doctor Who", "Battlefield" must rank as among its finest installments. This is an intriguing look at the Arthurian legend; Jean Marsh is splendid as the evil Morgaine. And of course, it is wonderful to have Nicholas Courtney return one last time as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Diehard "Doctor Who" fans will find "Battlefield" an enjoyable pleasure of Arthurian proportions. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

What a waste of a good enemy.
Omega once again attempts to enter the universe we know with the help of the Doctor, who soon ends up being sentenced to death by the Time Lords (not for the first time in history).

Bringing back old enemies isn't always a good thing, and in this case Omega is completely wasted in a story which is, to be quite honest, a nonevent. The Amsterdam location is pointless, there is endless padding (including extended scenes of the Doctor in the anti-matter universe just lying there 'wobbling', courtesy of some rather dodgy video effects). Omega himself has nothing nearing the presence he had in 'The Three Doctors' and his assistant (the obligatory monster) looks like the offspring of Godzilla and a chicken. The story's only real saving grace is the casting of Colin Baker as a superbly villainous Maxil. His appearance makes this story worthwhile as a curio for fans, but anybody looking for entertainment would be better off looking elsewhere.

Doctor Who goes Dutch on this one
Yes, this is the second of three stories where Doctor Who went abroad on-location, and this time it's Amsterdam. Two Australian students on holiday, Colin Frazer and Robin Stewart, spend the night in an abandoned crypt near a fountain, and before long, Colin vanishes, only to turn up a zombie under control of aliens, leaving Robin in a lurch. His only hope is to get help from Colin's cousin, scheduled to arrive at Schiphol Airport.

For the Doctor and Nyssa, they pass near an area in space that was called the Arc of Infinity because it's the gateway between the universes of matter and anti-matter. The Doctor is attacked by a strange alien, initially billed as the Renegade, but then things get worse. It's another return to Gallifrey, only this time, the Doctor is in danger of suffering the same fate as Morbius, (q.v. The Brain of Morbius). An alien from the realm of anti-matter has been partially successful in bonding with the Doctor to get his polarity reversed. However, for that to happen, someone had to have given this alien the Doctor's bio-data extract, and only members of the High Council of Timelords have that power. The Timelords, still led by President Borusa, don't have time for that--they prefer the Doctor's execution to retain control of the Space-Time Matrix and prevent billions from being killed.

The Doctor has a few allies, such as Damon, a Gallifreyan technician who was on duty when the Doctor's bio-data was being accessed. There's also his old instructor Councillor Hedin of the High Council, a kindly person who manages to get Damon and Nyssa to visit the Doctor even though the Doctor is denied visitors under orders from the meticulous Castellan and his lackey, an unpleasant and trigger-happy commander named Maxil. However, Episode 2 ends with the Doctor apparently being terminated. What then?

There's a lot more to Nyssa that comes out here. Apart from her sensitivity, she gets to shoot some guards in the story, all in aid to rescue the Doctor. After all, the Doctor is all she has since the murder of her parents and destruction of her planet. One of Sarah Sutton's best moments in the series.

The Renegade and his pterodactyl-like helper have interesting H.R. Giger-influenced designs. However, the on-location shooting is utilized quite well so the viewer sees quite a lot of the streets of Amsterdam, particularly in a climactic chase scene in the last episode, where the Doctor and his companions are chasing the decaying Renegade (also played by Peter Davison, who must've made quite an impression running down the streets with a mixture of green-dyed glued Rice Crispies on his hands and face).

Other performers: Elspet Gray (Thalia) also appeared in the first Black Adder series as the Queen. Colin Baker (Commander Maxil) makes his first appearance in the series, and it's ironic that he shoots the Doctor in Episode 1, because at the end of next season, Baker succeeds Peter Davison as the Doctor. Also interesting is that he was a candidate to play the Castellan, but lost out to Paul Jerricho, who also beat out Patrick Stewart. But guess who else was initially considered for Maxil? Pierce Brosnan!! I kid you not! And Hedin is played by Michael Gough (Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred in the Batman movies).

The 20th season was the most memorable season for me, because I was really starting to get into the series, and Arc of Infinity really stayed with me, because it was a Time Lord story, the scenes in Amsterdam, and Sarah Sutton's appealing performance. Enjoying this story does not require smoking cheap grass from Amsterdam.

Weak sequel to "The Three Doctors"
The doctor again faces off against the awesome "Omega", a fellow Gallifreyan who was accidentally sucked into the antimatter universe and will do anything to come back. Omega was last seen in the serial "The Three Doctors" - an extended episode that matched the first three actors who played Dr. Who up with some of the former companions. Supposedly destroyed at the end of that episode, Omega was just delayed, and it's taken him this long ("Three" had to have been in the early 70's) to come up with another plan that will return him to our universe, or destroy it entirely. Not quite sure who he's facing, The Doctor returns to Gallifrey - home of the time lords - to investigate. Though an advanced civilization, Gallifrey manages to have its share of petty intrigues, including a mysterious charachter who sides with Omega and his ways of neutralizing the Doctor before he can thwart Omega's plan. The plan, incidentally involves the "arc of infinity" which, happily for BBC production assistants, is located outside of England, in the happiest place on Earth - Amsterdam. (They couldn't use Paris again after "City of Death")

This was a lackluster story. Why Amsterdam? The concept of the titular arc seems like a weak excuse for going "out on location". Also, oddly enough, the first victim of Omega's happens to be a cousin of ex-companion Tegan Jovanka - a flimsy way of writing her back into the show (she'd been left behind at Heathrow at the end of "Time Flight". In a wonderfully bittersweet moment, she looks unhappily surprised to have missed the Doctor's departure). Omega's mystery collaborator is little mystery, and the Gallifreyan setting with its many intrigues reveals the weaknesses of Davidson's Doctor (Baker was much more in control when dealing with the Castellan and Borusa characters). Still, the script plays up the pathos of Omega's plight (he doesn't really want to destroy or conquer anything - he just wants to go back to his own cosmos), and you get future Doctor Colin Baker (Davidson's successor) as Maxil, the head of the Gallifreyan honor guard. (In a scene that proves ominous to those whovians who couldn't stand Colin Baker's Doctor, Maxil welcomes the Doctor home by shooting him.) A weak story, one that you can live without.

"Well, I'm not too keen on the neighbours!"
"Arc of Infinity" is a story with a few interesting moments, in particular a satisfying and intriguing first episode, but the remainder makes for a merely average tale. Part one is exceptionally moody, providing good exposition - who is the alien?; who is his accomplice?; whose TARDIS has landed in the crypt?; is the Doctor to be executed by his own people?; how are the backpackers involved? However, after episode two everything unravels and, frankly, becomes a bit of a mess. By the end of the story, the link between the alien (I won't mention his name for the benefit if those who haven't viewed it yet) and Amsterdam is just too convoluted to be believable, especially after Tegan becomes involved. The concept of the Arc of Infinity doesn't really make any contribution to the story, and the notion of Amsterdam being on its curve and therefore central to the plot is downright ludicrous. The Amsterdam shots are pretty, but the chase in episode four goes on too long and just seems to be the BBC announcing "Hey, we're making Doctor Who in Amsterdam!" The same was done in Paris for "City of Death", but that was a much more engaging story. Most of the Time Lords are boring and stuffy, which, given our knowledge of their society, seems fitting, but Michael Gough's Councillor Hedin is the only interesting member of the High Council. Colin Baker (a future Doctor) is wonderful as the sadistic Maxil, and the alien is well designed. His identity (an old enemy) is revealed at the end of episode three, but there are enough clues in the story for a fan versed in Who history to work out who he is. The story is well plotted but realised less successfully - it isn't bad, just bland and uninteresting. There are several other factors that work against it - the Ergon is dreadful, the special effects of the Doctor wobbling in the Matrix are comical, Talor's last words are ridiculous and Tegan's cousin's Australian accent is dreadful - however, nobody, whether British, American or otherwise, can perform a decent Australian accent - it's just one of those things! ; ) However, Peter Davison is at his passionate best as the Doctor, and Sarah Sutton's Nyssa has a strong performance. "Arc of Infinity" is a passable and watchable story - it just isn't very memorable.

Omega returns!
Season 21 of Doctor Who offered the return of an old villian in each episode and the season premiere offered one of the best, Omega, renegade TimeLord in his continuing quest to return to normal matter space. The problem with this story is that it is extremely padded and by the time we get to the actual confrontation between the Doctor and Omega in episode four, the Doctor simply banishes him back to his anti-matter universe with some kind of cobbled up gun. The story gets points for the Amsterdam locations and future Doctor Colin Baker's portrayal of Maxil, leader of the guard on Gallifrey. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Particularly significant in terms of Doctor Who's history, The Leisure Hive marked an end to Who's descent into vaudeville, and heralded the entrance of new hotshot series producer John Nathan-Turner. The opening long, slow pan across a wintry beach, on which an autumnal Doctor sits slumped, immediately declares the show's serious intentions. The narrative itself is an erudite discussion on fascism and racism taking in regeneration, megalomania, cloning, and a series of Agatha Christie-esque murders. It's the style, rather than the story, however, that's most prominent in The Leisure Hive: along with his new sober ambitious approach, Nathan-Turner brought a new theme tune, a new logo, a striking red costume, and a new title sequence--one that, tellingly, moved away from the enclosed time tunnel to show the vastness of space opening up. Productions values are also high: the Quantel effects are impressive even now, and the performances are quite stunning, particularly Baker's as the prematurely aged, infirm Doctor.

By dispensing with the clowning and with what he termed "Douglas Addams's undergrad humor", Nathan-Turner reinvigorated a show that was becoming stale. The diegetic rebirth brought about by the Regeneration Drive at the show's denouement is an apposite motif that was emblematic of the rebirth of the show itself--The Leisure Hive truly represented a new beginning for Who. --Paul Eisinger ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The start of Tom Baker's last season!A new look for the show
The Leisure Hive starts the beginning of Tom Baker's last season as Doctor Who.The Doctor and Romana are still running from the Black Guradian.K9 appears brief and becomes waterlogged.The Doctor then goes to Argolis, a planet of recreation.The Doctor ages several hundred years during this episode. The Doctor saves the planet from the cute Foamsi. This episode also marks the start of a new opening and ending for each episode.A semi confusing story for the start of Tom Baker's last season! Also Romana wears an annoying sailor outfit the whole time! Overall, a new season and new refeshing beginning for the series!

Not the best, but still underappreciated
Traditionally, although season 18 of the programme is oft-loved by fans (and deservedly so), "The Leisure Hive" is judged to be a story of merely 'okay' merits. I disagree - in the context of the series, it was a groundbreaking new look and feel for the show, taking it forcefully out of the 1970s and slamming it into the 1980s. Tom Baker, many fans' favorite Doctor, thankfully turns down the humor that made some of season 17's stories so annoying, and his new burgundy outfit is absolutely gorgeous. Joined by Lalla Ward as Romana, this is possibly the best Doctor/companion team ever seen on "Doctor Who". And I must say that Peter Howell's remix of the theme tune will forever be my favorite...it fills me with a sort of excitement I never get with the other versions.

All these points aside, "Leisure" itself isn't that bad. Sure, the plot is nothing terribly new, but the acting is credible and the special effects a definite step up from the previous year. Both the Argolin and the Foamasi are well-conceived aliens, even if the latter are somewhat ungainly. The incidental music deserves special note for being, in my opinion, some of the best heard throughout the 1980s era of the programme.

Although these factors don't all add up to make a classic story, they do make a solidly entertaining one; "Leisure Hive" definitely deserves re-evaluation. Even if you want to pick on a season 18 story (and IMO, none of them are really bad), this isn't the one to choose.

The Dawn of the New Argolis! And the 18th season.
Romana on Argolis: "It's the first of the leisure planets. In relative Earth Date 2250, there's a hideous war against some reptile people called the Foamasi. Most of the planet gets wiped out by two thousand interplanetary missiles, but the survivors build a recreation center called a Leisure Hive. And there's something called an experiential grid. Cells of different environments designed to produce physical, psychic, and intellectual regeneration."

After not only missing the opening of the Brighton Pavilion but also getting the century and season wrong, the Doctor and Romana go to Argolis in 2290, forty years after that terrible war, and become involved in the intrigues of the native Argolins. Bookings to their hive are disastrous, as other leisure planets have anti-gravity swimming pools and speed learning. Brock, the initially pessimistic Earth agent who advises the Argolins to do something about their cash flow, accepts the position on the Board, but recommends they sell the planet and hive to the Foamasi, their ancient enemies, of which the Argolin survivors still have bitter memories. After all, selling them their own planet would be the ultimate defeat. Things have a chance when Hardin, an Earth scientist and lover of Argolin Chairwoman Mena, claims to have found a better use of tachyonics--to manipulate time.

The main attraction of the hive is the Tachyonic Recreational Grid, run by the youthful Pangol. The science of tachyonics, the manipulation of faster-than-light particles, involves temporary duplication of any physical object, and the manipulation of the duplicate object without harming the original, demonstrated by Pangol going into the TRG and his tachyon duplicate's arms and head coming detached while it's talking. Soon, the TRG becomes the site of sabotage, accidents, and later murder, as Hardin's assistant Stimson is found strangled by the Doctor's scarf. And guess who's suspected?

There's wonderful exchange when the Doctor, Romana, and Mena are gazing at the glowing red sands of Argolis. "Radon 222 decays rapidly." says the Doctor. Mena says, "But not the heavy metal dust. It won't be habitable for three centuries. ... Now you understand the purpose of the Hive. ... to promote understanding between life forms of all cultures and genetic type. There must be no more such wars. Each race learns to understand what it is like to be a foreigner." And the Argolins have the helmet of Theron, a golden hooded helmet resembling a curved KKK hood as a reminder of what happened to them.

Adrienne Corri (Mena) is best known in Clockwork Orange as the ill-fated Ms. Alexander, the author's wife. David Haig does a good job as Pangol, being charming presenter, scientist, and Argolin patriot at the same time.

The first story of John Nathan-Turner's turn at producer heralded some changes that had some great consequences. He toned down the silliness of his predecessor, Graham Williams, and tried to rein in Tom Baker, whose hat, long coat and scarf are red instead of the familiar brown. In trying to get a Star Wars-style image to Dr. Who, he had the new digital Quantel special effects used, as well as an electronic revamping of the theme music. And he even recruited Barry Letts, who had produced Who in the Jon Pertwee era, as Executive Producer for Season 18.

The opening titles are changed, where instead of the bluish time tunnel, there was a galaxy of stars coming towards the viewer, with some in the center gradually forming the Doctor's face. The diamond logo was changed as well.

A story on the horrors of nuclear war and the necessity for cultural understanding between races, with stylish designs (the Argolins' beehive hairdo, flowing yellow robes, goatees for men, and plastic statues) and concepts, how Argolins turn from green to human colour when they grow older. A pity that this and the final season story, Logopolis, are the two best stories in Tom Baker's last season as the Doctor.

Not just the scarf changed.
The start of Tom Baker's season was interesting, but poorly written.

The basic plot was cool but I didn't think it was pulled off properly. The first and last parts of the story were entertaining. (I particularly liked the Beach Sequence.) Loosing the Randomiser was a good call. But something just didn't feel right here.

This was also the season where we saw a less physical Tom Baker, I don't know if it was a specific decision by the writers or just the way it worked out.

Lala Ward continues to grow in the role of Romana here. One would think they were preparing her for her own series.

Not the best of the Bakers by far, but still a good watch.

Tom Baker AND special effects
That's what makes this season so cool. Tom Baker who always steals the show(unlike his sucessors) and good flashy special effects to boot. There is only one setting throughout the whole show and it is the hive which can get boring(like a lot of so-called sci-fi shows nowadays which are single setting soap opras). But thier was that bit about the Doctor growing old which I thought was very well done. He appeared 103 but acted like a wize old 1250 year-old traveler of the universe. This wasn't Tom's best show(excellent acting though on his part) but it wasn't bad either and I had a feeling when I first watched it that things were only going to get better. I still think this season got progressively better, especilally the E-space Trilogy(another story). ... Read more

Description

An alien beacon found by a young American co-ed and her archaeologist father draws her to accompany the Doctor, Turlough and Kamelion on a journey to the volcanic planet Sarn. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

It was great..but I missed Tegan Terribly!!
It wasn't the same without Tegan, that is for sure! Peri..God they could have picked a better actress. First of all, the actress is not at all American, and she had to concentrate so hard on keeping her accent hidden, she blew off her acting throughout her time on the TARDIS. Made you think: Why didn't they just pick an actual American, just like they picked a real Australian to play the Australian air hostess Tegan. And seeing Peri in that bathing suit was just nasty and to base the whole show on that is just bad. Peter Davison was great as always and it surprised me to catch myself teary eyed to see Turlough go. Once again we get to see the Master played by the master himself, Anthony Ainley, and he's in trouble the whole entire story. The story itself was extremely good, but it's always going to be odd for me since Tegan has and will always be my favorite female companion. I never was a Nicola Bryant fan and probably never will be and once again, I need to make it clear that she was not the best choice for the role and she makes the episodes a little cheesy. But Davison, Ainley, and Strickson are marvelous!

The planets not the only thing hot. Hello Peri!!!!!
As I have stated Peter Davison was not a very good Doctor till the end. This is his next to last episode and he play the Doctor great. Its unfortunate he was never allowed to play the Doctor the way he really wanted. This story is the beginning of the end for Davison. He says goodbye to Turlough a long running companion and hello to Peri. Peri may have been a little annoying but boy did she have a nice body. Davison gives a great performance as the Doctor. the story is cleverly designed with the master once again trying to get the best of the Doctor at the expense of some poor civilization. The chamelion thing was poorly used but the story keeps you on your seat all the time. If you want to see the way Peter Davison wanted and should have played trhe Doctor then get this episode. The site of Peri in a bikini is worth the trouble as well.

Part Two of Davison phase out continues in Lanzarote
The Davison era phase-out continues on Planet Of Fire, which is more or less a wrapping up regarding two companions and the introduction of the most voluptuous companion to ever grace the series. And in my Arc of Infinity review, I made the mistake of saying it was the second of three stories made in a foreign location. This is actually the third one, set in Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands, a hop or two away from Morocco, which makes The Two Doctors the fourth foreign-made story--sorry, mea culpa.

A distress call from Earth is picked up by the TARDIS. Turlough recognizes it as a Trion signal and cuts it off. He really has a lot to play in this story because his origins are finally revealed. While in the TARDIS, he spots Peri, a young American girl drowning in the sea around Lanzarote, and rescues her. He lays her down in a spare bedroom, only to find among her belongings a metal artifact with two overlapping triangles, a design that matches a brand on his left arm.

That brand is also found on the Chosen One on the volcanic desert planet Sarn, currently torn between those who believe in Logar, Lord of the Fire Mountain, and unbelievers who think Logar is a myth. Things are more tolerant than before, when Unbelievers were cast into the fires. Malkon, a young man who's the current Chosen One, thinks that it's right to doubt, whereas the Chief Elder and his mentor Timanov thinks it's "still a wise precaution to send the occasional free-thinker to the flame." When the young man says he lacks the faith to condemn anyone, his mentor tells him "accept what you see and hear and feel all around you. The faith will come."

But it's also a time of testing, as an eruption of the Fire Mountain is imminent. Legends say that if Sarns submitted to Logar, an Outsider will come and bring them gifts. That being is impersonated by Kamelion, the shape-shifting android in the company of the Doctor, or rather, Kamelion in the guise of the Doctor's old enemy, the Master. And the real Master is using the droid in continuing his feud with the Doctor, but for some other reason as well.

Certain Sarn men have an interesting mix of costume, khaki shorts and Arab style kaffiyehs, whereas the elders have a total Arab-influenced costume, white robes and kaffiyeh headdresses, and the belief of submitting to Logar is a take on Islam, based on submission to Allah.

Nicola Bryant doesn't do too badly in her debut as Peri, the most underdressed companion since Leela (her bikini scenes). And despite being somewhat of a wimp, she's also got the courage to talk back to the Master. In response to the Master's "I am the Master!" she says "So what? I'm Perpugilliam Brown and I can shout just as loud as you can!" And veteran actor Peter Wyngarde plays Timanov as a leader dedicated to his god to the end. Another solid performance comes from James Bate as Amyand, leader of the Unbelievers, who bears a slight resemblance to Muammar Qaddafi, especially with his beige headdress.

The reason why Kamelion wasn't used continuously was that his designer Mike Power was killed in a boating accident and left little documentation on how to run the robot, so he was killed off in this story. A pity, as he did have potential re his abilities. Here, he's portrayed as a "silver puppet jumping on a string," forced to change his form on someone's mental bidding.

One of Turlough's best stories, and a good one to go out on. The scenery around Lanzarote is a welcome change from the usual studio sets or quarries doubling as alien worlds. Not much goes on in the story, but it's still well done.

"Welcome aboard, Peri....."
Not too bad. Grimwade's scripts, including "Time-Flight" and "Mawdryn Undead", have lots of Who continuity and great dialogue. Although, the only thing that really undermines the plot is the inclusion of Kamelion. Kamelion would be ok, only if there was an actor in a C-3PO style costume, as the animated mannequin just doesn't work, and makes everything around him look tacky. So, I guess it was a good idea that he could change forms, which eliminated scenes of this robot actually walking. But anyway, "Planet.." does have a lot of great things about it. The whole "born again" idea, Timanov and the elders, and the Trions' science that tries to tame the planet. Nicola Bryant certainly makes a great debut, but her accent keeps slippin