Reviews (11)

A classic Dr. Who story if ever there was one.
First, ignore the last review. The author's messing with you. Second, "The Greatest Show in the Galaxy" is a wonderfully surreal, subtle, and stylish production. In it, the Doctor and Ace visit the famous Psychic Circus to participate in a talent contest only to find its been turned into a trap for killing the participants, apparantly for the amusement of a very creepy 20th-century family of three who are permanantly seated by themselves in the stands... On top of all this, the music score is one of the best the series has ever had, and on this video you'll get to hear it in stereo which you probably didn't get to hear if you saw it on PBS years ago.

A masterpiece.
It grieves me that some people judge McCoy's era (which was one of the series' highest points) on his first few adventures. Most of the stories of Seasons 25 and 26 are examples of how the McCoy era changed overnight from being a bland, garish pantomime into an era filled with multi-layered stories, the kind of genuine mystery surrounding the central character unseen since the sixties and a wonderfully dark, unchildish atmosphere.

'Greatest' is a classic. Whether or not you're scared of or suspicious of clowns there's no doubting they make good villains. The psychic circus' Chief Clown especially is excellently portayed. The story is filled with strong characters, including T.P.McKenna's scheming Captain Cook, the youthfully innocent Mags who hides a sinister secret. The Whizzkid is a humorous parody of the most irritating kind of Dr Who fan: "I never got to see the early days. I know it's not as good as it used to be but I'm still terribly interested". There is also a marvellously creepy family watching the show, providing an association with the audience by saying what the viewer is thinking. The psychic circus itself is genuinely eerie and the whole 4 episodes are filled with refreshing originality, good design and well-thought-out ideas, all assisted by one of the very finest Dr Who soundtracks.

Whatever you've seen before, you ain't seen nothing yet!
Hey, a story with a title describing how I feel about Doctor Who! The Doctor and Ace land on Segonax, home of The Psychic Circus, which back in its earlier days, was a travelling entertainment show. Well, it's the same way on Segonax, except that it's more like a terminal case of the Gong Show or Survivor.

Coming to perform are Nord the Vandal, a brutish musclebrain on a roaring three wheeled bike with cow's horns for handlebars, wearing a winged helmet, intergalactic explorer Captain Cook and his assistant Mags, and the Whizz Kid, a skinny nerd with thick round glasses who's the Psychic Circus's biggest fan. Cook is a khaki-uniformed, pompous, selfish boor, looking out for number one, and quick to bore anyone with his travels. "I remember something similar happening on the planet..." He drops more planet's names than I've had hot meals. Well, maybe not that much, but you get the idea.

The Doctor, Cook, Mags, and Nord are captured, each awaiting their performance. Cook comes up with a survival of the fittest philosophy, all the while sitting leisurely at tea. He says it best concerning the Circus: "Anyone dumb enough to get into the ring gets killed." Or anyone unaware of the dangers, I'd like to add.

The Circus's employees are either disenchanted and rebelling (Bellboy and Flowerchild), under the thrall of the current owners (Ringmaster, Morganna the fortune teller, the Chief Clown), or mentally damaged (Deadbeat). It's the latter who actually helps the others discover the mystery of who's behind the Circus.

Ian Reddington (Chief Clown) has effective makeup that makes him look like the Joker from the Batman TV series. Veteran actor T.P. McKenna plays Cook to oafish, smarmy perfection, and Jessica Martin has an expressive, appealing, and exciting (in the cliffhanger to Episode 3) performance as Mags.

I got two things out of The Greatest Show In The Galaxy, one of the shows last superlative moments. It's an allegory on TV culture, demands by the viewers for better shows and by the BBC for better ratings. Cook's comments while in the cage point to this: "Your chance of survival in the ring are better if you keep them entertained." The Doctor asks, "Why, will they let you out again?" "No, you'll last longer." Whizz Kid is a stereotypical anal-retentively obsessed TV program fan, the family is the viewers, the ones in control the BBC, the Chief Clown the BBC Controller, and the Ringmaster and Morganna the BBC programmers.

However, it's also an allegory about warm and small businesses taken over by a larger, impersonal corporate entity. The difference with the Circus is, the only way out is to be killed. Bellboy wistfully tells Ace how the Circus used to be. "We all had high ideals when we started. We shared everything, enjoyed making people happy. If we all had a problem we'd sit down and talk it through. We were so happy." He's so disenchanted over the death of Flowerchild, he doesn't want to go on living: "the fun and freedom of being what you want to be all gone. They took everything bright and beautiful and buried it." Morganna says "We used to have fun." The Ringmaster tells her that they are part of a machine and more successful now, and that the other employees "couldn't take the pace. They wanted to live in the past, ... in the old lazy ways." If this is the future of all workplaces, then give me the past, give me liberty, or give me death.

One of the best McCoy stories
In a way, this story encapsulates the good and bad aspects of the McCoy era. On the one hand, the humor is sharp, the characters are more interesting, and the story is more imaginative than anything in the Colin Baker or later Davison eras. McCoy was also, to me, more convincing as the Doctor than either of his two immediate predecessors. On the downside, it's obvious the show's budget wasn't stretching as far as it once had, and the writers' ideas don't coalesce into a comprehensive-- or fully comprehensible --whole. This dichotomy affects all the McCoy stories to some degree, but this story and "Remembrance of the Daleks" perhaps best demonstrate the era's virtues without becoming object lessons of its faults (as "Battlefield" and "Silver Nemesis" did, respectively).

Two Words- Rapping Ringmaster
This story falls under a very small category of Dr. Who for me... episodes I'm too scared to watch. From the moment the rapping ringmaster cracks his whip and starts to gyrate to the corny rapping beat you know this is going to be a pretty bad episode. The character names are ridiculous... Pig Pen, Kingpin, and Flower Child. The particulars of the plot are annoying... people going out to perform for the Gods of Ragnorock. We've got a corny, nerdy fan boy, an effete English explorer, and a Werewolf with all the scariness of a member of ths cast of Cats. How could even the most talented actor do a good job pulling off a story with names, costumes, and dialogue like this! There's also a scene where the doctor performs vaudeville style which just doesn't work on TV. The decline of Dr. Who was not Sylvester Mckoy's fault however. He was a good Doctor on a bad show. Nor was it John Nathan Turner's fault... ... Read more

Description

The Doctor and Ace visit Terra Alpha, where a tyrannical ruler, Helen A, insists upon happiness or death. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

"I want to make them very unhappy...!"
The Doctor and Ace land on Terra Alpha, where the inhabitants are forced to remain happy, or become one of the thousands of citizens that have turned up missing! The first balanced McCoy 3-parter. Sadly, this adventure has gotten mixed reviews, it really depends on how much you can tolerate of the McCoy era. "The Happiness Patrol" is a wonderful political story. One might think when they were first watching it, "Oh, no! Another Planet of Women story!"("Paradise Towers"), but it is much more than that, and much than the obvious. It might be the only or one of the few Who stories that focuses on gay pride. The pink and grey contrasts in the design, the TARDIS being painted pink, and then there's the Killjoys, marching in the streets of the city. The Kandyman is just wonderful! He answers the phone "Kandyman!" Helen A is probably the most OTT female vilian in a long time, just great! All the guests give great performances. The Doctor disarming the two snipers is classic Who. And then, it's all over too quick. But like a lot of 80s Who, don't think about it too hard, 'cause you will begin to find the holes...

Simply Awful
I can't belive all the drug-induced positive reviews this story received. Sylvester McCoy's stories are inferior to the rest of the series, hinting that the doctor is something more than a time lord from Gallifrey. But this is the worst of the worst, the crap dela crap! While watching, I couldn't prevent that awful song "Don't Worry, Be Happy", from intruding my brain. I love you, you love me, we are a happy family... I'm expecting Barney to show up any second. Helen A? Suzy Q? Earl S? Daisy K? Silas P? Is this Doctor Who or Romper Room?

I have read all the apologists for this story claim that it parallels Thatcher's reign in the UK. However, I doubt that Maggie issued an edict stating if you're not happy, we'll shoot you. Unfortunately, like that horrible aforementioned song, this story sticks in your mind and won't go away.

Simply Awful
Sylvester McCoy's stories are inferior to the rest of the series, hinting that the doctor is something more than a time lord from Gallifrey. But this is the worst of the worst, the crap dela crap! While watching, I couldn't prevent that awful song "Don't Worry, Be Happy", from intruding my brain. I love you, you love me, we are a happy family... I'm expecting Barney to show up any second. Helen A? Suzy Q? Earl S? Daisy K? Silas P? Is this Doctor Who or Romper Room?

I have read all the apologists for this story claim that it parallels Thatcher's reign in the UK. However, I doubt that Maggie issued an edict stating if you're not happy, we'll shoot you. Unfortunately, like that horrible aforementioned song, this story sticks in your mind and won't go away.

Don't take this one too seriously!
This show seems to be somewhat of a joke, but I enjoyed it anyway. It's not your traditional Doctor Who, but it's pretty good. It's a place where everybody is forced to act happy, even when they are not... sounds like my old job...Ha Ha! Just joking! Really this show is fun, get some popcorn and soda and enjoy it.

Be Happy or DIE!
This has to be my FAVORITE Dr Who, with this doctor playing the role. The story and plot is unlike ANY other Doctor Who adventure, which adds to the enjoyment. The story seems strangely believeable when you consider other villins in our lifetime, how they started out and ended up being so ruthless and evil. Same applies here... Helen A who is the meglomaniac who begins to hunt down and kill all who attempt any form of sadness admits herself that she NEVER started out this way, but because of her own lack of love and self worth she degenerated into a monster who, along with the Candymay, terroirze the inhabitants of Terra Alpha, a human earth colony some few hundred years to our present. The Candyman is NASTY and ruthless I SOOOOO loved him as the villin and exectionier of Helen A. The music througout is very errie and sorta like Blade Runner in some ways. Dark corridors, errie music, all citizens on the edge of fate waiting their turn to give up and die gives you a whole different outlook on life and how quickly a good thing can turn evil. Definaetly... do not HEED the bad reviews on this one. I watched this episode several times because I enjoyed it so very much. Bye for now! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Doctor Who grows up
Plenty of outdoor scenes instead of cardboard sets. Inept government officials, military men with assault rifles, the Doctor tampering with electronics, present-day London in danger. With this story Doctor Who entered a new age. Although starring Hartnell, it is much more like Throughton or early Pertwee. I prefer this style to the less mature, if likeable, stories with Susan, Ian, Barbara & co.
Sure, War Machines has it's silly and naive moments, but that applies to almost every Doctor Who story. It is scientifically less ridicilous than The Tenth Planet. The machines themselves are like much more crude and clumsy Daleks, but i like them. People who like swinging London-stuff like Adam Adamant could enjoy this. Also those who prefer later doctors to Hartnell might find War Machines a positive surprise. I did, this is my favorite first doctor story.

Doctor Who finally Becomes Doctor Who
This is the first story that really brings the formula of the series until its demise into play. The focus is on the Doctor, who is now a willing adventurer and hero basically, and also brings up a more adult appraoch to the companions. The story is pretty good and very ahead of its time, but the War Machines are totally impractical killing machines and not frightening in a context except maybe if you were the poor chap operating it! As for the characters of Ben and Polly, they are excellent and it is a shame this is the only complete story in the BBC archives that feature the two of them. Also, it is a shame the magnificent Hartnell didn't stick around longer to try on this new modern Doctor Who on for size. A good one from the Hartnell era and a big turning point for the show... all that's missing is Nicholas Courtney as the Brigadier.

The story that influenced the Terminator? Perhaps.
This story is one of many examples of an intelligent concept being utilized in a very exceptional way in the Doctor Who format. This adventure has the good Doctor and Dodo arriving in London of 1966, and soon they would become involved in a very insidious plot put forth WOTAN, the very first example of a thinking computer, otherwise known as A.I., artificial intelligence, and the subsequent construction of an army of robots known as War Machines.

This adventure is something that I believed may have had a hand in influencing the Terminator movies, for in both cases, there is the talk of a super artificial intelligent computer system that has come to the realization that mankind's time is up, and the age of the machines must begin.

However, there is are differences, in the Terminator, the fact that once SkyNet was brought online, it launched nukes that practically destroyed half the world's population and brought about a dismal, dystopia, where there is nothing but wars and fighting, between the human resistance, and the robotic warriors of SkyNet.

In this adventure, the events build up slowly, first learning that WOTAN is a highly advanced computerized problem solver that was envisioned to assist humanity in it's global progress. But as it is connected, in a gothic sort of manner in various thrillers, as the menace is not quite made apparent, but slowly builds up as people of significant importance are brought under WOTAN's control, as more and more people are brought under its control, more of the War Machines are constructed and brought online.

This adventure is also notable for the somewhat abrupt departure of Dodo, and the introduction of two new companions for the good Doctor, Polly and Ben. In addition, there are some rather humorous scenes having the Doctor and his friends in the hottest nightclub in the area, 'The Inferno', as a display of the youthful exuberance of the Swinging Sixties.

In addition, what I thought was great was for the Doctor to be working alongside the military, lending his intelligence to their militaristic strategies, something that served as the first prototype story format that would be utilized during a majority of the 3rd Doctor era. I found this adventure to be very satisfying on an intellectual level, for it serves as an allegorical warning to not allow technology to dominate mankind. A must have for any Dr. Who fan.

Nice Predection Of Networking
This episode of Doctor Who isn't that great. Basically, you have a super computer who has a bunch of killer robots (the "War Machines") and it wants to take over the earth. Blah, blah, blah.

What made this episode interesting to me was the then almost unknown concept of networking computers. The idea for the super computer villian was that it had other computers that all linked to it and each other. The result made the super computer smarter. While that was laughable, today we do have corporate networks that span the globe and enable people to do more than ever.

Bottom line, a mostly dull episode with an close prediction of the future of computing in the 1960's. That part makes it worth having (IMO).

Dare I say...'Internet'
This story is built on the proposition that computers networked together will have a much gretaer capacity. Having a super computer, in this case WOTAN, at the heart of the network allows for the subjugation of mankind by computer. These days we could liken that to the internet.

As others have pointed out this is a thought provoking drama on the dangers of the over-reliance on cold calculationg computers. Recent movies such as Bicentennial Man and AI have sought to couter much of this type of propaganda which is still prevelant throughout the world. Once again, the good old BBC has brought a thorny scientific issue to the fore in the guise of a children's television show.

This is one of the most fab, with it, hip of the shows which was originally broadcast between June 25 to July 16 1966. Polly's fashionable dress and make-up together with the symbols of the swinging 60s, the Post Office Tower, the mini, among others are the touchstones of the new generation that was emerging. This was the year of the Beatles being awarded the MBE by the queen and once again the BBC pays lip service to social developments while helping the British tourist industry with their pictures of London. If you have an attractive outdoor location use it I say!

It's not the best of Doctor Who stories monster wise as others have said but it was a pretty novel idea at the time which certainly is one of the most endearing features of Doctor Who. The scary thing about the mobiles is that their construction was relatively simple and thus could be replicated quickly and easily. An enemy that could grow as fast as you can say 'production line' is scary indeed. ... Read more

Description

Romana quickly locates the Fourth Segment of the Key to Rime while the Doctor indulges in a little fishing, but they fail to leave the planet Tara before becoming embroiled in its complex political intrigues. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

"Would you mind not standing on my chest? My hat's on fire!"
Landing on the planet Tara, Romana believes that she can find the fourth segment of the Key to Time without getting involved with the locals. She couldn't be more wrong. "Androids...", with many Graham Williams' Who stories, is very cheap looking. The Taran beast in the opening doesn't help. But Fisher's story is so charming, and filled with great characters, such as the Count, that you almost forget about the silly acting, and lazy direction. Mary Tamm seems a little relaxed in her acting(especially as the Princess). There is loads of humor. The swordfight at the end of episode 4 is a little long winded, but enjoyable at the same time. At least we don't have a story where the villian wants to take over or destroy the universe, a typical "Prisoner of Zenda" story, incorporated in the Doctor Who universe.

"Next time, I shall not be so lenient!"
Don't be fooled by the lack of buzz, or by all the reviews declaring "The Androids of Tara" to be the weakest of "Doctor Who"'s Key To Time season. Granted, the DVD may be the weakest in the new six-disc box set, but the story itself is remarkably witty and something to be enjoyed again and again.

As the production notes are sure to tell the viewer several times, this story is "Doctor Who"'s homage to "The Prisoner of Zenda", following the plot twist by twist, and adding only a few modest sci-fi elements (two androids and some electric swords). As Tom Baker points out on the commentary track, visiting guest stars used "Doctor Who" as an opportunity to "do a turn" (or, as the fans say, "chew the scenery"), and this serial's guest villain Peter Jeffrey (playing the aptly-named Count Grendel of Gracht) gives a delightful performance as the scheming nobleman who doesn't kill a soul and is allowed to swim away at the end of the story, uttering the famous face-saving line above.

The DVD production is bare-bones, unusual for the high-quality "Doctor Who" line. The text commentary is notably weak, perhaps because it's not written by Martin Wiggins, who did the notes for the first three DVDs in this set. Now authored by Richard Molesworth (who did notes on a few of the earlier "Who" DVDs), the notes are basically endless lists of the supporting actors' other TV appearances -- most of which will not be familiar to the audience watching these US-release-only discs -- and the dates of location filming. It indeed adds a lot to your enjoyment of Part Three to learn that Romana's stunt double rode her horse on the 27th and 28th of July. The notes spend a good amount of time describing the original "The Prisoner of Zenda" (stating three times that the novel was written by Anthony Hope in 1894), but fail to pick up on a deliriously funny blooper in which Jeffrey walks through the walls of a set, Leslie Nielsen style, as Tom Baker ducks through a curtained doorway.

The commentary track is recorded by stars Baker and Tamm (Romana), and director Michael Hayes. Hayes dominates the early going by reciting the "Prisoner of Zenda"'s original movie cast, while Baker laughs insanely at the sight of the poorly-costumed miniature bear that menaces Romana in the opening minutes. After a while it's obvious that the three aren't watching the story, and I found myself mentally tuning out. That said, the anecdote about Petter Jeffrey's wart is funny, and, as in every other DW disc released to date, a commentator asserts that the low-rent 1970s production values "stand up rather well today". Charming. But wrong.

"Are we the only three still alive?"
Probably my least favorite adventure in the Key To Time series is THE ANDROIDS OF TARA. And the main criticism that I have of it is that it commits one of the worst sins that a television program can -- it bored me. Which is a real shame because in-between the long stretches of lackluster material, there are more than a few things to enjoy. But my overwhelming impression of this (and that impression is reaffirmed with every subsequent viewing) is that there is just far too much padding and fluff in this adventure for its own good.

First of all, the story seems to jar slightly from the usual way that the Tom Baker Doctor interacts with others. Rather than being at the center and driving the action forward, the Doctor takes a passive role for the majority of the tale. He eventually does become a mover in his own right near the end, but for the most part this is a story that he influences rather than drives. ANDROIDS OF TARA is very much the story of the King, the Crown and the fight for the throne rather than having a structure more typical of the average Doctor Who adventure. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though. It's interesting to see a more subdued Fourth Doctor, although occasionally I was wishing for him to take a more active stance. It just seemed odd that the Doctor would cave so easily under the threat of violence and that it was only this threat that kept him in the story. It's even more odd when one realizes that the Doctor would usually be predisposed to want to help out the Prince, Zadek and Farrah anyway. The fact that most of the plot points are borrowed from other sources is fairly obvious so perhaps this is an inadvertent holdover from an earlier draft. I'm not quite sure what the solution is, but there's something about those sequences that just don't quite seem to work.

As far as the characters go, the oh-so-bad Count is probably one of the most amusing villains in Doctor Who; he almost makes the story worth viewing just by himself. It's true that he becomes a caricature of himself by the end, but by that point he's an entertaining force in his own right. I love how by episode four he isn't even bothering to put up a pretense around his machinations any more, he's just busy being as evil as he can be -- and he's immense fun.

As professional as the rest of the cast is, they simply don't have a terribly exciting script to work with here. The characters are well played but there isn't much to them. With robotic and dull android duplicates roaming through the story, it can sometimes be difficult to determine when exactly someone is portraying an emotionless machine, and when someone is portraying a bland and uninteresting character.

On the positive side, the picture has been cleaned up quite well, and special mention must go to the exterior shots that now look extremely crisp and clear. The sound is also remarkably improved, with many little whispers and mumbles now audible. Tom Baker, Mary Tamm, and director Michael Hayes feature on the commentary track, and this alone is a big reason for obtaining this DVD. Baker and Tamm are slightly more subdued than they were on the RIBOS OPERATION disc, but still manage to come out with several hysterical comments (I particularly enjoyed Tom Baker's pride at his character's ability to consume vast quantities of drugged wine - "I'm the last one to drop!"). Hayes manages to answer Baker's frequent asking of "Who's that?" as well as offering insights into the behind-the-scenes production. The pop-up production notes are sadly much less interesting than those on the previous three discs. While there was some useful information concerning the development of the script, far too many of the slides simply tell us what day and time certain shots were filmed. Not necessarily bad, just dull compared to the other notes.

If you already liked ANDROIDS OF TARA, then no doubt you'll enjoy the DVD release, which again maintains the very high standards that the Doctor Who discs have enjoyed. Personally, I could have done without picking up this one, and had it not been part of the Key To Time box set, I think I would have avoided it. Still, it's always nice to reevaluate Doctor Who stories that one hasn't seen recently, even if one's original opinion remains unchanged. And with the story physically looking and sounding better than it ever has before, this is probably the best opportunity you'll have to enjoy this particular one. I just hope you find it less boring than I did.

Probably the weakest in the Key to Time series
Although it gets off to a good start, Androids of Tara just never really comes together. The story is tried and tested - no originality here. It's just a typical person X wants to become king, but person Y is already king, and so hatch a giant, convoluted plot to make person X king. Romana spends most of the time either captured, or reciting her lines often consisting of silly questions, or "explain the plot to the audience" comments.

To be fair, theres some well played out scenes, and some good one-liners by Tom Baker. Humour is there, and you get the impression the story isn't taking itself too seriously. The problem is, by the start of Episode 3, you'll probably wish it was all over.

Two and a half stars for Androids of Tara.

Sorry Doctor, your fishing holiday has been postponed.
The Doctor is feeling lazy in Episode One and he decides to delegate to Romana, saying that "after a journey of 400 years and 12 parsecs, I'm allowed a rest of fifty years." He goes fishing, to which Romana, clearly disgusted at his childishness, tells him, "Look, I'm going to get that fourth segment and I'll be back in under an hour. You be ready to leave." Of course, things don't pan out as planned.

The medieval society of Tara is the setting for the fourth story in the Key To Time season. The Doctor and Romana get caught up in a power play between the good Prince Reynhart and the evil Count Grendel, contenders for the throne of Tara. Romana finds the fourth segment early enough, and what follows is her being mistaken for an android of Princess Strella. However, when Grendel and Lamia, the peasant android technician, realizes she is human, she becomes further enmeshed in his attempts to gain the throne.

Romana loses none of her stylishness, dressed as she is in a long purple dress with velvety front and matching hat. Despite it being listed as something everyone's wearing, nobody is seen in the outfit. Mary Tamm plays both Romana and Princess Strella.

There's clearly caste philosophy mixed in here. When Reynhart bemoans the tragedy of not being taught peasant skills, Zadek replies, true to Plato's Republic, "If we were meant to be peasants, we would have been born peasants." And Lamia tells Grendel, "I'm a peasant. I leave politics to my betters."

The late Peter Jeffrey has appeared in countless movies and TV series, notably as the headmaster in Lindsay Anderson's if... and as Inspector Trout in The Abominable Dr. Phibes. He's also notable as one of the contenders of the prime ministership in "Party Games," the transition episode of Yes Minister that makes it Yes Prime Minister. He does a fine job as the Machiavellian Count Grendel.

There are repeated themes from other episodes. Reynhart and the pessimistic Zadek are another variation of Vynda-K and Sholakh (Ribos Operation), and the drugged wine a repeat of The Brain Of Morbius. Grimwade's Syndrome or robophobia, (q.v. Robots Of Death) is also felt by, although not nominally referred to by Farrah and Zadek.

Cyril Shaps, who plays the religious leader, the Archimandrite, already made a Doctor Who appearance in Tomb Of The Cybermen.

The Androids Of Tara works in breaking away from the usual finding the segment in the last episode routine, and the lack of unusual monsters or megalomaniac villains. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In "Four to Doomsday," Peter Davison's recently regenerated Fifth Doctor is burdened by the most irritating trio of companions in the history of the show (Adric, Nyssa, and Tegan) when the Tardis materializes inside a vast starship with a multiracial crew from Earth's distant past. Downloaded into computer chips are the memories of the 3 billion survivors of the Urbankan race, and the Earth is to be their new home. Meanwhile, Monarch, a giant green frog-thing, wants to travel back to the Big Bang to meet God, who he is convinced is himself.

The Alien-influenced spaceship sets are striking, and there are enough ideas to make a decent adventure. Unfortunately, the gentleman autocrat Monarch--your only opportunity to see distinguished actor Stratford Johns maintain his dignity while dressed as a giant green frog--is far too easygoing an opponent for the Doctor. The ideas underlying the plot are barely explored, and there is an almost complete lack of action. Following Peter Davison's introduction in the mind-bending "Castrovalva," this is thin stuff indeed. --Gary S. Dalkin ... Read more

Reviews (7)

You can do better than this in the Peter Davison era.
If your a big fan of the Peter Davison years there is a lot better stuff you can get. Only get this if your trying to complete your Peter Davison collection other wise don't get it .

Let me give a rundown of some of the problems. First off I've rarely seen an episode so obviously padded to fill time. There are alot of people just walking around in what looks to be an attempt to show movement so you won't notice nothing or very little is happening plot wise. There are the various cultural dances and displays they keep showing again and again and again in an attempt to have you not notice how slow the plot is going. Here is what I think happened Four till Doomsday had enough plot for two episodes the director do too format needed four episodes thus the endless walking around and cultural displays.

Other problems Adric is annoying you know the only Doctor Who's I have seen in years are the ones I own. And I have Adric only in the E-Space trillogy, I thought he did rather well in that and was suprised to read so many people thought he was annoying, all I can say is now I understand.Tegan acts like a panicky idiot the whole episode in a attempt to rachet up the tension. Nyssa she doesn't seem to have much to do.

In conclusion of the Peter Davison Doctor Who's I own I would highly recommend, Terminus,The Five Doctors, Resurrection of the Daleks and The Caves of Androzani.You can do a lot better than Four Till Doomsday, the only reason I gave it two stars instead of one is that for all it's problems it's more enjoyable than not but only barely.This is weak tea people.

One of the better Davison stories but thats not saying much!
I agree with many of the comments of the other reviewers, Davison was the worst doctor, Adrek and Teegan were amongst the worst companions both lacking credibility and often just plain annoying! This story has a good basic plot but seems to have a lot of padding, uneventful and repetitive scenes. Still as I say one of the better stories from this period with some good scenes and drama.

Love it!
I absolutely love this story. Tegan is a great companion, showing off those natural human traits many of us really tend to have. Poor Adric hadn't had decent writing since he was with Tom Baker's Doctor, and that is when Matthew Waterhouse showed great potential as Adric. Then everything changes, two girls come aboard and the Doctor regenerates. This is actually the first story to be taped (as the hair on everybody is much shorter) People say Tegan overreacted when she stole the TARDIS and was able to fly it out of the ship. But she wanted to warn Earth what was going to happen. Of course something happens to Nyssa and she always has to be rescued, this is why she isn't part of the next episode, Kinda. Adric's chauvinist remark and Tegans reaction, wonderfully acted out by Janet Fielding, was great. You could feel the tension between those two the most, and Nyssa did feel a bit upset as well, but being a more boring character than the high-strung Tegan, she doesn't say much. Peter Davison is one of the best as the Doctor, and it's great to see him in a more serious role than a drunk young vet in All Creatures Great and Small.

"Brave Hearts Teagen"--The Doctor
This story is typical of the Peter Davison era. Imaginative but drab. Peter Davison, who in my opinion was a weak Doctor Who goes around the entire story with a look of confusion. The stroy is imaginitive. A being comes back to earth from time to time and has a god complex. He brings with him shells of former earth beings now run by computer memories of who they once were. The Doctor eventually uncovers his real motives and sets to stop him. The problem with the Peter Davison era was always Jonathan Turner who produced the show. He wanted to change the format. He targeted an older audience by making the stories darker. He cast Davison as someone totally different then his great predesesor Tom Baker. He wasnt allowed to play the Doctor he wanted to play until the end of his tenure. Which when allowed to makes a good doctor. But now he has this look of confusion. Gone is the wit, confidence and eccentric Tom Baker as the Doctor to a more confused, unsure but younger Peter Davison as the Doctor.

Four stars to Four To Doomsday
The TARDIS crew land on a giant craft under the Urbankan leader Monarch. He and his two ministers, Enlightenment and Persuasion, are humanoids with green-brown frog-like complexion. The Urbankans are going to settle Earth, as their irregular variable sun went nova. However, as there are three billion Urbankans aboard, wherever they are, and three billion people on Earth, is it possible? And in a surprise moment, after Tegan provides some sketches of current Earth fashions, Enlightenment and Persuasion turn themselves human, wearing clothes from Tegan's sketch!

Other humans onboard: Bigon the Athenian philosopher, the Chinese Lin Futu, the Mayan Princess Villagra, and Kukurtji the Australian aborigine, as well as representatives of their tribe. Bigon's a valuable ally, as he tells them the inside story of Monarch's plan. However, if Bigon was rescued 100 generations ago, how can he survive for 2,500 years? The answer comes in the cliffhanger of Episode 2.

I found some of Monarch's intentions disguised as messages that actually hold water. He tells Adric that they are coming to save the Earthlings. "They war amongst themselves. They make more weapons than food and two-thirds of them are starving." I don't know--with the sorry state of the world today, maybe Monarch's grand scheme would be the best for mankind.

The Doctor marvels at the instruments of Monarch's ship in child-like wonder, flicking buttons. He's even polite to the monopticons, Monarch's black globular monitors, even making a pun: "Hello again. You must be having a ball."

Adric, not content to showing off--"...in the inner spiral arm of Galaxia Kyklos [Greek for the Milky Way]," berates the grumpy Tegan, who keeps going on about the TARDIS missed Heathrow Airport and how she'll lose her job. "That's the trouble with women--mindless, impatient, and bossy." WHOA! Tegan counters with "You chauvinist! I heard that." Adric: "You were meant to." Nyssa, also offended, happens to be reading Alfred North Whitehead's Principia Mathematica, and shows Adric the book. He backs off with, "You're not a woman... You're a girl." Kids, stop fighting now! And Nyssa, you're just amazing!

Tegan seems to have had a double serving of sour grapes in her breakfast cereal. When asked how her ancient history is, she answers, "Like I feel--awful." She's so high-strung and eager to get to the TARDIS, I thought, "Just as well, whiny! You're not much fun anyway."

Nyssa comes off best of the trio. She not only tops Adric in scientific knowledge (bioengineering, cybernetics, biology concepts) she's more resourceful, well read, and more able to see the danger Monarch poses than Adric.

Many great lines also abound in this story. Enlightenment describes the Doctor as "too jocular, irresponsible. Such a being prefers mental anarchy. They call it freedom." Me too. Monarch on Bigon's tendency to doubt: "the greatest intellectual galvanizer." The Doctor teases the impatient Tegan by saying half a quote by Sir Francis Drake: "There's time enough to be at Terminal 3 and beat the Armada too." Bigon says, "In a civilized world, there is no substitute for democracy." Well, ideally, yes.

Four To Doomsday was the Fifth Doctor's second televised adventure, but the first one made. Having seen it so late after all the other Peter Davison stories, I was surprised and relieved that this story didn't disappoint. Davison is really feeling fresh and cheerful here. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A good McStory
This story involves the Doctor, on Earth, facing a bunch of hostile Androids, controlled by aliens intent on taking over the Earth, and the Doctor is fooled by android facsimilies of his friens....Sound familiar? It should. So far I could be describing the plot to several stories, most notably Pertwee's 'Spearhead from Space'. However, this story just goes to show where you can go with an unoriginal plot.

It is mostly the performances of Elizabeth Sladen as Sarah and Tom Baker as the good Doctor that elevate this beyond it's seemingly 'McStory' status. This is one of the best Doctor/Companion combonations ever in the series, so it's no wonder they spent three seasons together.

More similarities to other science fiction apparant here. The scene when the android Doctor and Sarah emerge from their 'containers' just screams "Invasion of the Pod People".

At worst, 'Android Invasion' is one of the better formulatic stories, and at best, it's a fun runaround worthy of being called good Doctor Who!

We are the vilage green preservation society.
As others have pointed out this is rather a standard android invasion type story with worked in rehashed pulp science fiction props and plots.

Having said that it is more of a comic horror type of story with Tom Baker literally hamming it up throughout. From the early moaning and groaning from Sarah Jane (are we there yet, are we there yet Type of complaining about getting back home) to the Marie celeste type village - could be in Epcot - through to the twisted Sontaran type aliens there is a lot of tongue in cheek humour. This also is a bit of a prototype of the later, not as good, Peter Davison story 'Four to Doomsady' which has a number of similarities but not as good sets or location.

This story is quite droll and if it was to be taken too seriously then I must admit it would not be such a good tale. I have not seen such a Doctor Who where Tom Baker is in such good comic form. It reminds me of a later UK tv show where he played a house doctor and obviously had a lot of fun doing it.

Do not judge this story too harshly. Given the context of the other stories of the season and the Tom Baker series it would not be terribly logical to broadcast a dummy.

Watch it in lightheart and you will get much enjoyment from it.
Originally broadcast 22 November to 13 December 1975.

a.k.a. Doctor Who and Invasion Of The Body Snatchers
When Sarah Jane asks the Doctor if they are on Earth, the Doctor answers "possibly." Part of this has to do with the high radiation reading he gets from an instrument.

However, they see a UNIT corporal commit suicide over a cliff, and upon closer examination discover he has all newly minted coins and bills in his wallet. Upon closer examination of the village of Devesham, which Sarah recognizes, they discover it deserted. When people do appear, they do so in a robotic, clockwork fashion. Among those in the pub is none other than the corporal, alive and well! Sarah gets off a parting shot at his expense: "I don't you think you should be drinking so soon after breaking your neck."

Both decide to explore the Space Defense Station a mile from the pub, where to their bewilderment, they find their friends, Mr. Benton and Harry Sullivan, under orders to hunt them down. To add to the mystery, they are being led by Guy Crayford, an astronaut testing a new space freighter XK-5 who vanished, presumably killed by a colliding asteroid. "All our friends led by a dead man," the Doctor observes wryly. But Crayford is under the thrall of Styggron, a strange alien resembling a cross between a rhino and a boar.

The military vs scientists motif is explored as Styggron puts the emphasis on science as the thing that will help his fellow Kraals, while Marshall Chedaki insists on military might. All I can say is that if Chedaki were in charge of the operation, the Earth wouldn't stand a chance, as Styggron makes mistake after mistake. Chedaki's analysis of the Doctor as someone who has a history of supporting libertarian causes is half-accurate--I'd include a "left" in front of "libertarian."

The astronaut-suited androids with index finger guns is a revamp of the Autons, whose hands dropped down to reveal guns. At one point, the Doctor looks at a robot pointing its gun at him, and asks "Is that finger loaded?"

In the Phillip Hinchcliffe's gothic regime, this is a take on the original movie of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, down to the black pods and duplicates, and the paranoid atmosphere that anyone could be a duplicate. Barry Letts, who was Hinchcliffe's predecessor as producer, directs this one!

Continuity errors irk me to no end, and here's one. The bogus calendar in the village reads 6 July Friday. This is a problem if one considers the UNIT and contemporary Earth stories to be set in the exact year the story was broadcast. This aired from 22 November to 13 December 1975. The closest years with the calendar structure is 1973 or 1979. It can't be 1973, as the Doctor is still in his third incarnation, and it can't be 1979, as the Brigadier has retired by then. He is still in action in this story. The only possible explanation is that the Kraals first conceived of the plan on 6 July 1973, which would fit Crayford's disappearance two years ago. OK, that's sorted out then. Whew!

There are a few good moments, such as an android Sarah's faceplate falling off to reveal circuits beneath, and the difference seen between the cold emotionless robots and the actual humans with warmth and feeling.

This is the last series appearances of John Levene (Benton) and Ian Marter (Harry), the latter having died suddenly at his home in 1986.

While owing a lot to its sci-fi roots, The Android Invasion has consistency errors, all regarding the Kraal plans and the androids. Their plan make the use of androids redundant, so why use them? Not one of the better Fourth Doctor stories.

I just love this episode...
I truly enjoy the earlier Tom Baker (Sarah Jane) episodes. "The Android Invasion" is a wonderful example (when he actually wore the hat) and a great performance by Liz Sladen as they arrive and explore a seemingly deserted English village. When I sit down to watch a Dr Who, I often find myself reaching for this tape. The story has a special charm that is difficult to explain. I would recommend that all Dr Who fans add "The Android Invasion" to their library. It is one of my very favorite episodes!

Pretty good, but not fantastic
This is one of those "pretty good" stories that had the great misfortune to fall into an excellent season. The story is remarkably typical (and amazingly similar to the basic plot of "Terror of the Zygons", just three adventures earlier!), and quite a bit of the supporting acting merely average, but there -is- a nice sense of fun throughout all four episodes. Tom Baker and Lis Sladen continue to work very well together, and this leads to a number of nice moments; plus, the final appearances of John Levene and Ian Marter as Benton and Harry are nicely done. The androids themselves are well-realised (although more than a bit like the Autons from the Pertwee era), and the stunt double stuff in the final episode is fairly painless. Also, part 2 boasts a really classic cliffhanger everyone remembers!

Unfortunately, there's also a bad side. It's very regrettable that Nicholas Courtney couldn't return as the Brigadier; instead, he's been replaced with a carbon copy character played only decently by Patrick Newell of "The Avengers" fame. That's not to say the other supporting cast are anything to boast about, either...in fact, they seem to just be walking through the lines. On the design front, the Kraals' outfits are some of the worst in a long time, instantly revealing that there are perfectly human men inside them.

This is not a total loss of a story - in fact, it's good fun in many places; that doesn't make up for the fact, though, that it's very standard, and sticks out rather obviously amongst so many great stories. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"The Ambassadors of Death" was the third story from Jon Pertwee's first Doctor Who season, slotting between "Doctor Who and the Silurians" and "Inferno." Capitalizing on the then-contemporary Apollo moon landings, the ambitious seven-part adventure told of a space capsule returning from Mars under radio silence, and of the alien occupants eventually retrieved by a space rescue mission. The elaborate government cover-ups and hints of high level conspiracy not only took Doctor Who in a more adult direction, but harked back to the classic BBC Quatermass dramas of the 1950s. The action is particularly elaborate, with a prolonged gun battle in the tense opening episode, a well-shot chase across a river in episode 3, and an especially notable set-piece hi-jacking involving a helicopter in episode 2. It all goes on an episode too long, but Pertwee makes a convincing action hero and the story is interesting for showing the development of UNIT, even if they are depicted as the world's most inept security force. Fans should note "The Ambassadors of Death" uniquely split each week's main titles into two separate sections. The video presents the episodes in a mixture of color and black and white, as not all the material survived in color. --Gary S Dalkin ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Ambassadors... OF DEATH!
VHS... How quaint.

I've never really understood the bad rap that AMBASSADORS OF DEATH gets. Sure, it's in the middle of a good season, but I've never felt it was the weakest of Pertwee's first year. I'd much rather watch this again than view THE SILURIANS (I like the idea of SILURIANS much more than the actual story itself). AMBASSADORS is a straightforward romp that I found very enjoyable. When my copy arrived, I planned to watch the first tape one night, saving the second for the next evening. But I was having such a blast, I viewed the whole thing in one long sitting.

A lot of the time we fans find ourselves laughing at the show as often as we laugh with it. Time has not always been kind, and aspects of this serial show their age. Television and film were still new to the idea of portraying space travel realistically; it's amusing to see the production crew simulating weightlessness by turning the camera upside-down and running everything in slowmo. Gender equality is also something that the producers may have attempted, but, amusingly, Britain's Space Control Centre is staffed by a substantial number of pouting, miniskirted scientist-babes.

The story begins with the British Space Programme (well, it was the early 70s, and they were rather optimistic back then) mounting a rescue mission to discover what happened to their latest Mars Probe. When the capsule docks, contact is lost while a loud alien sound screams across the radio. The Doctor believes the sound is an alien message. Some time later, mysterious space-suited figures that can kill by touch are seen committing petty thefts, stealing radioactive isotopes and scientific equipment.

My review is more a series of isolated thoughts. This is an entertaining romp, and deep, serious analysis wouldn't be particularly fruitful. My initial thought is that this is probably the story where the James Bond influence on the Pertwee era is the most apparent. The Doctor pulls gadgets from nowhere. He faces an earthbound menace with access to the latest military hardware. Gun-battles and chase scenes abound. There are even jazzy musical cues to punctuate the action.

On the subject of the music, I just want to say that I really dig the incidental score, occasionally inappropriate as it is (to me, action sequences don't scream out for flute solos). Of particular note is the piece played whenever the Ambassadors initiate their raids. Dreamy and atmospheric, I loved it the first time; multiple viewings have not diminished my appreciation.

Action by Havoc! Yes, the stunt-work in this one is impressive. AMBASSADORS relies on its action sequences and the team is more than up to the challenge. The battles are smoothly executed and sharply directed. Something that I found amusing (and I'm probably alone) is that one of the stuntmen reminded me of Stan Laurel. This presented me with very entertaining imagery. Stan Laurel shooting bad guys. Stan Laurel's rifle shot from his hands. Stan Laurel thrown from a helicopter. I guess life after Hardy was rough on the little guy.

The script contains quite a number of nice little moments. Reegan is particularly villainous, casually ordering his two lackeys to their deaths and then attending to the disposal of their bodies.

Visually, the story is strong. The blank faces of the space-suited aliens are as chilling as any other villain Doctor Who would produce. It's an effective way of highlighting the alien's fundamental otherness by placing the unfamiliar inside the familiar. Removing the face completely dehumanizes the aliens. It's a much more effective way of displaying their unsettling nature than if they had relied on cheap makeup.

The film sequences are fantastic -- a world of difference from the rather static studio portions. The shot of the Ambassador slowing walking towards the UNIT guard with the sun behind him would look at home in a smooth, atmospheric movie. Even the chase-scenes are inspired; note that stylish shot where Reegan races through metal walkways. He steps briefly into a puddle and the camera focuses on the reflection in the water as the ripples soften, allowing us to continue to see his progress. Cool stuff and not what one expects in a three-decade-old television production.

Towards the end, I was struck by the thought that the cliffhangers seemed unimaginative. Rather than having the episode build towards them, they just seemed to happen at whatever point in the story was up after twenty-five minutes. Wouldn't it have made more sense to move the episode five cliffhanger a few minutes so that it occurred as the alien spacecraft appears to smash the two capsules, rather than when the ship has merely appeared on the scanner?

In the later episodes, the story begins dragging. Liz gets very little to do, and her escape attempt adds nothing but time. The aliens are poorly realized outside their spacesuits. When the Ambassador removes his helmet, the director very wisely keeps the shots to a minimum, only showing the face either for a few moments, or from behind foggy glass. Unfortunately, he doesn't employee the same subtlety for the leader on the mothership, so we're treated to the sight of an alien made of oatmeal waving oven mitts at Jon Pertwee from behind a Venetian blind.

The restoration on the video is excellent. It's a pity that there was no alternative to fading between monochrome and color footage, but the transitions aren't especially jarring. The demonstration placed at the end of the second VHS tape really drives home how superior the cleaned up version is.

There's a funny cheat in episode seven where Cornish explains that they can't obtain a good look at the alien spacecraft because radioactivity is blotting out cameras. That'll save a bit of money from the effects budget! But I have to forgive AMBASSADORS its cheats because it's just so damned entertaining. And while there are figures of power in the world willing to launch pre-emptive military strikes, this story will always be relevant.

Lengthy but suspenseful 7-episoder better as 6 episodes.
"I don't know what we brought down in Mars Probe 7, but it certainly was not human." That's the Doctor's assessment of three missing astronauts who were sent up in space, two of who were trasnmitting photos before radio contact was lost and were missing for seven months, and the other who was sent to find the first two. In this 2001-Space Odyssey meets "Invaders From Mars" meets James Bond story, which deals with the implications of the first human contact with space aliens, Recovery 7, the rescue craft, is eventually brought down, with the astronauts missing.

The Doctor later discovers a high radiation reading from the capsule, which indicates that the astronauts should've been dead, but upon further investigation, finds a log discovering a 2 million rad count, leading him to make the opening quote of my review. His attempts to find the astronauts is met with delay, espionage, sabotage, coverups, a hijacking which the Doctor foils in a very clever way, astonishing the Brigadier, and eventually, murder, in the Space Centre. As the story progresses, more people are discovered to be part of the conspiracy, be it ordinary thugs, scientists, and even politicians.

Apart from UNIT, the only person who seems to accept his help is Dr. Cornish, the head of the Space Centre. Then there's General Carrington, head of the military Security Service, whose motives from the get-go are very suspect, even though he tells the Doctor that the astronauts were suffering from a self-sustaining, highly contagious radiation, and he had national security in his interest. However, the concept of moral duty comes into question, as depending on one's frame of mind, moral duty can mean whatever one wants it to mean.

Episode 5 features the first appearance of John Levene (Sergeant Benton) in the Pertwee era, having made his appearance in The Invasion (1968). Caroline John is still great as Liz, but I doubt if real Cambridge Ph D graduates wear miniskirts that short. Two Who guest star alumni include John Abineri (Carrington) later to come out in Death Of The Daleks (1974), and Cyril (Dr. Lennox), Viner in Tomb Of The Cybermen (1967), Dr. Clegg in Planet Of The Spiders (1974), and the Archimandrite in The Androids Of Tara (1978). Michael Wisher (John Wakefield) came out in many Who stories, including Davros (Genesis Of The Daleks).

The times play a big part in this story. The image of the Recovery 7 probe docking with the Mars Probe not only brings reminders of Stanley Kubrick's 2001 (1968) but also David Bowie's "Space Oddity" (1969). I half-expected to hear "Ground control to Major Tom." And John Wakefield's TV narration gives a sense of the impact of TV, as this story was made a year after the first landing on the moon.

Before episode 1, there is the original trailer that was shown on BBC1 for this story. While this is playing, a message scrolling at the bottom explains that although made in colour, only Episode 1 was maintained in its original form--the other copies being accidentally junked in colour, survived as b&w film recordings, with incomplete colour recordings recovered from the U.S. in order to restore the story to colour. Hence there is a mix of colour and b&w, and as the brightness in restored segments plays havoc with the image's visibility, one can see the decision to leave 81 of its 171 minutes in b&w. So, here's a rundown:

Episode 1-all in original colour
Episode 2-first few minutes in colour, then b&w all the way
Episode 3-about 10 minutes in colour, rest b&w
Episode 4-all in b&w
Episode 5-restored colour
Episode 6-b&w for few minutes, colour for couple minutes, b&w for couple minutes, colour for rest
Episode 7-first third in colour, second third in b&w, last third in colour

Yes, it may be an episode too long and contains some continuity errors, but what carries this story is the espionage and suspense, especially as the action goes into a continuous plot W, the Doctor gains the upper hand, only to end up one step behind when someone with information is killed or goes missing, and etc. This is one of those thoughtful stories that requires repeated viewings on a lazy weekend.

Excellent!!!!
First of all for those who keep saying 'why isn't this on DVD?' be patient!!!! those of us who have been collecting Doctor who videos since the early 90's needed to complete our collections, which is why the BBC is releasing all the remaining stories on video ( I bought the End of the Universe collection of course).

I've always felt very strongly that the early Pertwee (3rd Doctor) adventures were the very best that Dr. Who has to offer. They had the best writers, the best production values, and the cast with the Brigadeer and UNIT was superb and as Jon Pertwee often remarked, it is somewhat more terrifing when the menace comes to earth.

the plot is classic doctor who for the time, with the storyline revolving around a misunderstanding and humans who are usually the bad guys in the end. It is hard to belive that this one is one of the last videos to be released, but I'm glad it's finally here!!!!!

Been Waiting For This One For A Long Time
First off unlike what is mentioned in the editorial review, UNIT is not really depicted as the world's most inept security force, as part of the plot is that UNIT is being hampered by someone within the military. This is an enjoyable story with many twists and turns. This story trully shows Pertwee excelling as an action hero in contrast to his predecessors. Ronald Allen, Nicholas Courtney, Caroline John, and the late John Abineri all give remarkable performances.

Why don't they put THIS on DVD?
Ambassadors of Death is an old favorite of mine.
One can tell it was made at the same time as Inferno,
both have longish running times and offer these strangely subdued yet thoroughly effective atmospheres: Lots of stark and empty landscapes stretching under cloudy skies mixed with the eerily quiet "ground control".
And lets face it, a key strength of any Doctor Who episode is its power to convey mood and setting, even if a ton of money for effects was unavailable.
Ambassadors (like uber-classic "Inferno") also feature that gem of an underused companion, Liz Shaw. Only the hard-core Whovian knows why she left so early on, but I always felt that in her all too brief (four episodes) run, that both Pertwee and Pertwee's Doctor where fond of her abilities; she left an indelible impression on Pertwee's first episodes.
Ambassadors is a movie to sit back and settle into; it's more of a mystery than action (Inferno had a lot of action in comparison) and the joy is simply in allowing its plot to unfold. I love the minimal soundtracks that these
earlier episodes employed, and the 'sixties' feel they convey so well.
Treat yourself: Pertwee was the Man! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Blake got to free a President and Avon a hero?
The next thrilling volume of Blake 7 with titles Bounty and Deliverance
In the epsidoe called Bounty. Blake got a tip that the federation is holding a well known president until the right moment happens on his home world for the federation to use him as a tool for the federation in its ever gorwing conquest of other planets. Only a small detail of guards watch the grounds of the presidents home. Blake has high hopes to free him. Once they got him free they have to deal with a new threat. One that has found its way inside the Liberator and none of the crew can be found at all.
In Deliverance the Liberator watches a ship crash land on a planet that was torn apart by nuclear war. Blake decides to go down and see if thier are any suriviors. They only find two people one is the pilot badly hurt so they send him upto the Liberator to get medical help. The other was a doctor but the strange thing is he has a classified acess code and some strange battries in his medical kit. The pilot awakens to find himself on the Liberator he holds Blake and Cally hostage and force them to send him to a planet with the battries they find on the dead doctor. Meanwhile Avon, Gan, Villa and Jenna are stranded on this planet. Jenna captured by what reamins of the people on the planet after the war. Avon, Gan and Villa find a strange door once opened Avon is considered the chosen one by a woman who thinks he has come to save her people.

Plots and politics
Volume 6 of the "Blake's 7" videos contains 2 more episodes of this classic British sci-fi TV series. In the first episode, "Bounty," Blake and Cally engage in a mission to rescue the exiled president of a non-Federation planet, while the rest of the crew of the "Liberator" investigates a suspicious distress call. In the second episode, "Deliverance," Blake and his crew get entangled in Supreme Commander Servalan's plot to acquire Orac, the valuable invention of a brilliant scientist.

"Bounty" offers a fascinating glimpse into the politics of the B7 universe--we learn more about the ruthlessness of the totalitarian Federation, and about the difficulties faced by those worlds that resist it. "Bounty" also features a memorable guest performance by the actor playing the exiled leader. "Deliverance" is an intriguing tale of greed and conspiracy. In this episode, Servalan emerges as a forceful character in her own right--she is clearly more than just the icy master holding Travis' leash. These are definitely two memorable episodes in this engrossing sci-fi saga.

"Bounty" interesting; "Deliverance" a prelude to "Orac"
"Bounty" is classic first-year Blake. Blake spends the episode trying to convice a planet's leader to return to lead his people, but finds that the leader has basically given up on life, on himself and on leading. A trap is set for the rest of the crew and we are reminded that the members of Blake's crew are people who may or may not be loyal nor trustworthy. "Deliverance" is part one of a two-part tale leading up to the search for a supercomputer called Orac. Once again there are two storylines and the part with Avon and others on the planet's surface is intriguing. The other storyline is interesting, but features some of the most extreme over-acting I've ever seen by the actor who portrays the young Ensor. ... Read more

Description

A hostile force, the Mara, is rapidly gaining control of Tegan's will, making her even more difficult than usual. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Snakedance is worthy sequel to Kinda
"Where the winds of restlessness blow, where the fires of greed burn, where hatred chills the blood, here in the Great Mind's Eye, here in the depths of the human heart, here is the Mara." --from the diary of Dojjen.

Much like the later Season 25, Season 20 of Doctor Who had the Doctor confronting villains from his past. This time, it's a creature that only appeared in the previous season.

Tegan has given the Doctor the coordinates to Manussa, a planet of the Earth Federation that used to be part of the Manussan Empire and the Sumaran Empire--Su-Mara, in other words, empire of the Mara, the serpentine embodiment of evil that possessed Tegan in the Kinda story. The Doctor's fears that the Mara is back is confirmed, but he fits a device that prevents dreams from occurring in her subconscious. However, once on Manussa, she gets separated from the Doctor and Nyssa, result being that the Mara gains full control over her.

On Manussa, Lon, the young son of the Federator, is bored with affairs of state and spends his time idling on a sofa or behaving childishly, to the chagrin of his indulgent mother Tanha, who wishes he'd take an interest in his own planet's culture. Ambril, the Director of Historical Research, a pompous academic type who is enthusiastic about archaeology and history, is respectful to Lon nevertheless. He isn't bored much longer, as he is summoned by the owner of a hall of mirrors stall sent to fetch him. There, he meets Tegan, who sports a distinctive snake tattoo on her arm, which he acquires once he makes physical contact with her. She enlists him to get the Great Crystal, under the custodianship of Ambril.

There is a legend on Manussa, that the Mara was not destroyed but driven to the dark places within, and that it will return in a dream and regain power over humans when the minds meet in the Great Crystal. Ambril dismisses the legend with contempt. To him, the Mara was destroyed by the Federation, end of story. His assistant Chela, isn't as skeptical, and he helps out the Doctor under the nose of his boss. And the Doctor's suspicions are stirred further when he learns that there is an upcoming ceremony commemorating the quinquecentennial of the Mara's destruction.

Like its predecessor Kinda, Snakedance is studio-bound, but the lively atmosphere of the bazaar and the sight of costumed Manussans serves to fill the screen with movement and colour.

Of the guest stars, John Carson as the pompous scholar Ambril and Colette O'Neil (Tanha) stand out. Preston Lockwood (Dojjen) doesn't say a word onscreen, but his importance is felt when he is mentioned and his characterization is a credible one as a mystical shaman.

Nyssa's new outfit is alas only seen in this story, as she wears a drab white blouse and blue skirt in her final two stories, but here, the seersucker blouse with a striped multicoloured dress ia a welcome change from her fairy princess-like maroon velvet outfit.

Janet Fielding (Tegan) has more fun being possessed than other companions have in previous stories. Her harsh grating voice is used to great effect, and her laughter when possessed is a far cry from the Doctor's familiar grumpy sorehead of a companion. She plays someone divided within herself, pleading for help one moment, the next moment speaking harshly. One of her better moments.

Lots of Buddhist and Native American religion come into play in this sequel to Kinda, and while not reaching the heights of its predecessor, Snakedance succeeds in presenting the material inspired by it in a more easily understood fashion than Kinda.

Am I free of the Mara, Doctor?
The evil Mara from the previous season returns to haunt Tegan's dreams and then take control of her once again. This time, it manipulates her into steering the TARDIS to a world where it was banished centuries ago. Now, on the anniversary, the Mara plans to gain control of the world once again. A very good sequel to one of the best stories in Davison's time, Kinda.

The follow up to Kinda! The Mara is back again!
In this episode we discover that Tegan is not free of the Mara from the Kinda world.The Mara makes the TARDIS land on the planet Manussa.Eventually the Mara is able to take over Tegan and plot it's return.The Doctor meanwhile tries telling everyone of impending doom for the whole planet!The Doctor suspects that the Mara has taken over Lon , a big government big wig. The Doctor must somehow learn the Snakedance defeat the Mara.The special effects are better than Kinda! Peter Davison and Janet Fielding are outstanding in their roles this time! The companions even change their clothes in this episode! It's a fun episode with a good follow up to Kinda! If you have Kinda ,be sure to buy this episode!

Mostly good.
The Mara, a snake-light entity, lives on in Tegan, who it soon has control over.

Overall a good follow-up. There are some superby eerie scenes in a hall of mirrors, the possessed Tegan's voice is grippingly haunting, and the demonstration of the darker side of Punch & Judy (Punch beating his wife in front of grinning youngsters obviously taking all this to heart) is a nice touch.

The real downer is the ridiculous-looking Mara. Even more unconvincing than the model used in 'Kinda', this one is a rubber creation, complete with wobbling rubber fangs, which bleeds blacmange. Not a very satisfactory climax to what is otherwise a good story.

Forget Kinda! This is better...
Snakedance is a good Doctor Who story. As a sequel to Kinda, it had much better characters (except the useless Tanha and irritating Ambril) and the special effects - particularly that of the Mara - were far more impressive. The fifth Doctor really shines, as does Janet Fielding - again stealing centre stage as main baddie. I'll admit, the "Look At Me" scenes are a little silly, but it isn't that bad. Overall, hugely enjoyable...and better than Arc Of Infinity at any rate! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Blake made a daring raid, So why is Gan going insane?
The next two episodes titled Project Avalon and Breakdown
In Project Avalon we find Blake and the others heading to a planet held by the federation. Blake intends to find the rebel leader in hopes to get more crew and possably a way to get the federation off his back. Travis and Servalan are already on the planet having captured the leader decide to make her the tool of Blake destruction. Blake telports down to the site where he was to meet her. All he finds is death. He figures out the federation has her. He makes a daring raid into the compund and gets her out alive. Blake wondering why all the guards missed while shooting at him or even why Travis didn't try and take his head off? Something is very wrong and if Blake can't figure out why soon then he and all the others on board the Liberator may just very well die.
In Breakdown Gan implanted chip which controls his aggression is breaking down. Gan losses all reason and attacks the crew. Blake knowing that none of them are docotrs can do nothing for him. Zen informs Blake that many planets and space stations with the right medical care for Gan are to far away. Excpet that Avon knows of a space station very close but they have to cross a part of space unkonwn even to Zen. They set course for the space station XK72. Gan holding onto dear life and Zen stops working and the crew have to fly by the seat of thier pants to get through. Once agin Blake does all he can to save the life of his fellow crewmen all the while the federation have found Blake and pursuit ships are hot on there heels.

The B7 universe further fleshed out
Volume 5 of the "Blake's 7" video series contains two more episodes of this classic British sci-fi TV series. These two episodes continue the interplanetary saga of Blake, the rebel leader who, together with a crew of convicts and outcasts, wages an unrelenting war against the tyrannical Federation.

In "Project Avalon," Federation officer Travis plots to use another rebel leader as a lure in order to capture Blake. This episode contains a good sci-fi plot device. In the next episode, "Breakdown," Blake's crewman Gan suffers a devastating medical emergency when his brain implant malfunctions. Blake seeks medical aid from a neutral research station. This episode offers a fascinating window into the politics and personal conflicts caused by the Federation's dominance of so many worlds. Together, these episodes exemplify the suspense, memorable dialogue, and intriguing characterizations that have made this series such a cult favorite. If you are a fan of great British science fiction, don't miss this volume in the "Blake's 7" saga.

"One of the many faces of neutrality."
Finally, two enjoyable Blake's 7 episodes running consecutively - meaning they are both on the same tape! "Project Avalon" and "Breakdown" are among the highlights of the series' first season - both are taut, suspenseful stories which plots that progress and develop. "Project Avalon" continues Blake's Robin Hood style quest against the Federation; this time he is coming to the aid of another high profile freedom fighter, Avalon. But she has been captured by Travis, and the rescue attempt begins. The fact that viewers have the foreknowledge that Travis is setting a trap for Blake, but are unaware of its exact nature, adds to the tension. While Stephen Greif's performance of Blake's nemesis is good, and his character firmly established, it is at this point evident he is the central enemy - he will be behind all plots, schemes and machinations and, because of the hero/villain rule, will never be successful. This is perhaps the only problem with Travis - the character's single-mindedness can only lead to "single-plottedness" as well. But this is not to fault "Project Avalon". The atmosphere builds up as the story progresses, with the plot shifting between two halves: the "action" half, in which the task is to get into the complex and rescue Avalon. This includes walking through caves and corridors, a not very well realised shootout and the obligatory retreat and escape. In my opinion, this is the poorer half. Much better is the "suspense" half, after the crew escape in the Liberator. This is indeed suspenseful - the pace of the story has slowed down, but in its place is the creeping anxiety that something is not quite right - the true nature of Travis's plan will be revealed. "Project Avalon" is the kind of story with fast and slow moments, but the story is served better by the slower paced scenes, rather than the outright action packed ones. The following episode, "Breakdown", is also played out in two halves, although neither are clearly divided between action and suspense. Blake is forced to face an interesting dilemma. A malfunctioning limiter implant puts Gan's life at risk - he will die if he does not get specialist medical treatment. But as the Liberator crew are wanted criminals, where do they turn? The two halves serving the plot make for a well balanced story - the first is the race against time, and journeying into the unknown, to find help for Gan. The second part of the story deals with what unfolds when they arrive at their destination. Unlike "Project Avalon", this episode explores more character traits - Jenna's loyalty, as she will not give up on Gan; Cally's naivete and alien (almost child-like) innocence where she deplores restraining Gan, and Gan's ability to trick her into releasing him; Avon's motives and his preparedness to leave Blake. The episode also tackles the issue of neutrality - its feasibility and, indeed, whether it succeeds or fails. This is the cue for the always brilliant actor, and perhaps the biggest guest star in the series so far, Julian Glover. He plays the neurosurgeon Kayn, a member of a neutral space station, XK-72; Kayn is in fact a Federation sympathiser who informs them of Blake's presence. Glover plays Kayn with an icy coolness; a blend of arrogance and determination. One of the best moments of the story is when Blake threatens to destroy his hands; the other is after Kayn murders the station administrator - a long shot when the neurosurgeon stares at his own hands, reflecting on what he has just done. There is one irritating quibble with this story. Surely the crew of XK-72 shouldn't have to wait for the administrator's order when a plasma bolt is about to hit them? Surely it's not as bureaucratic as that? Arrrgh! However, it doesn't ruin "Breakdown". Nothing can ruin either of these excellent episodes of Blake's 7.

Two excellent first season episodes, esp. Project Avalon
"Avalon" is one of the first season's best episodes. Excellent plot, well-executed. "Breakdown" is also very good and features Gan. Plus, Avon makes his first attempt to leave Blake and crew behind. Well done. END ... Read more

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"Planet ofGiants" opened the second season of Doctor Who with William Hartnell's Doctor and companions Susan, Barbara and Ian finding themselves in a mysterious labyrinth filled with dead giant ants. A TARDIS malfunction has left the travellers an inch high and they have land