Description

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

Reviews (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Description

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

Reviews (14)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (5)

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (19)

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (9)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (3)

Travis, the Federation eveyone seems to be taking hostages
The next enstallment of the series Blake's 7 with the titles HOSTAGE and COUNTDOWN
The epsidoe entitled Hostage
Orac picks up a strange message sent to Blake by of all people Travis. Travis is holding his cousin and is willing to kill her if he does not meet with him. Blake seeing now course but to meet with travis and see what he has to say. The Federation gets wind of the message sent by Travis to Blake they speed off to capture not only Travis but Blake as well. Can Blake save his cousin? Will he figure out if Travis is on his side? Will the Federation capture them both? Will this mean Travis and Blake will have to be cell mates on a penal planet? Who knows?
In the next epsidoe entitled COUNTDOWN
Blake has finally found where control has been moved to. Only one Federation officer named Provine knows where and he is on the planet Albion. What Blake doesn't know is that Provine and his forces have been fighting off rebel attacks and has put into motion the most deadly weapon at hand. Blake and the others try to help the rebels while finding Provine but to Avon discuss he meets up with a man who said he would kill him if he saw him again. This particualr epsidoe shows a bit more into the past of Avon and what is yet to come from him.

Things heat up for the Liberator crew
Volume 11 of the "Blake's 7" videos contains 2 more episodes of this classic British sci-fi series. These episodes--"Hostage" and "Countdown"--continue the saga of rebel leader Blake and his interplanetary crusade against the oppressive Federation.

In "Hostage," Blake's enemy Travis seeks to lure him to a planet with a hostage: an important person from Blake's past. This episode begins with a memorable space combat sequence, and contains some great Vila one-liners. A tense and violent episode, "Hostage" also offers a glimpse into another aspect of Blake's character.

"Countdown" opens with a gritty ground combat sequence on the planet Albian, which is attempting to break free of Federation domination. Blake and his crew arrive to help their fellow rebels evade a deadly Federation countermeasure. This episode is important because it reveals more about Avon's past. Great line: "I'm really looking forward to this: danger, excitement, sudden death. I can't wait" (Vila). This is a suspenseful episode with good guest performances.

These episodes exemplify the strengths of this series: compelling plotlines, memorable characters, and great dialogue. Highly recommended for fans of great sci-fi sagas.

TWO classics in one!
Both stories add dimension to lead characters.

"Hostage" is a Blake story and "Countdown" is an Avon story.

"Hostage" is seemingly a typical story, but uses parts of Blake's family to make the story into something special.

"Countdown" itself is about a revolt on an outer world, complete with some cool ideas as to how the destruction of the rebels would be accomplished. Having a nemesis of Avon adds to the tension, and the ending is astounding.

As with "Hostage", the charcaters in "Countdown" make the stories more than what they are. And it's characters that make us watch and want more. Definitely worth buying. ... Read more

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

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

Reviews (2)

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

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

Reviews (1)

Avon needs allies and Cally meets a evil legend of old
The next vol. of Blake's 7 entitled VOLCANO and DAWN OF THE GODS

In the episode entitled VOLCANO
Avon is taking full advantage of the Federation in disarray over the war with the alien armada. His first stop is the planet Obsidian. The planet somehow managed to stay out of the war and away from the Federation. Dayna and Tarrant go to investiagte why. Meanwhile Servalan takes the reminatns of the fleet and begins to clean up the Federation but she just happens to spot the Liberator near the planet Obsidian. Servalan wants the Liberator and wants to know why the planet is so important to those on the Liberator. Will Servalan win could this be the end of it all?
In the next episode entitled DAWN OF THE GODS
Liberator is heading for a black hole but what Avon and the others can't figure out is why it wasn't there a few seconds ago? Soon they are hurled into the black hole excpeting never to return but then Cally begins to get a metnal command from the Thaarn an ancient tale told to children of Cally people. Could the Thaarn created the black hole? Could Cally be the first to see if the Thaarn is nothing more then a story of something far worse? ... Read more

Reviews (12)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (3)

The Trial of Travis and a new code may just stop Blake
The next vol of Blake's 7 entitled Trial and Killer

In the epsidoe entitled Trial
The time has come Travis has failed Servalan time and time again. So this time he is put on trial for his cirminal activites. Many people want to see Travis in prison while others want to use this as an chance to get rid of Servalan for good. The judge is a fleet adimiral called Star Killer two of the Federation Senate are watching and waiting for the chance to give Traivs a chance to get back at Servalan. Servalan is watching in secret waiting for the moment to stirke herself. While Blake has beamed down to a planet to questin why he fights the Federation and what the death of Gan means to him. This epsiode sees new twists and turns for all the players in the Blake 7 universe some good,some bad.
The next epsidoe entitled Killer
Blake has gotten word that the Federation has a new code system. Blake heads to the planet Fosforon where the code is being developed, along the way he spots an ancinet space ship. Zen detects nothing but Cally sense a great evil on board. The planet Fosforon collects the ship and finds a man dead for centuries. Avon and Villa sneak into the base while Blake beams down to investiagte the old ship and what evil Cally senses. Can Avon be trusted to get the new code? Can Villa stop being a coward? Will Blake find out what that evil is on board that ship?

"Trial": a pivotal B7 episode
Volume 10 of the "Blake's 7" videos contains 2 more episodes of this marvelous British sci-fi TV series. These installments continue the saga of rebel leader Blake, who, with his crew, wages an interplanetary war against the tyrannical Federation.

The first episode, "Trial," contains two engrossing, interconnected storylines. One involves Blake: guilt-ridden over the death of a crewman (in the previous episode), he goes on a private quest. The other story finds Blake's arch-enemy Travis being put on trial for allegedly directing a savage massacre. "Trial" offers more tantalizing glimpses into the tortured tangle of Federation plots and politics. And as a bonus, we learn more about the Mutoids. This is a suspenseful episode that delivers some memorable action.

In "Killer," Avon and Vila seek to obtain a piece of Federation technology from a base, while Blake gets involved in a deadly mystery. Great line: "When Avon holds out the hand of friendship, watch the other hand. That's the one with the hammer" (Vila). It's particularly fun to see Vila and Avon on a mission together in this one.

"Killer" is a good enough episode, but the superb "Trial" is certainly one of the best, and most pivotal, episodes of the series' first two seasons. Essential viewing for B7 fans.

Episodes "Trial" and "Killer" are covered on this tape...
"Trial" covers Blake's guilt and self-destructive recriminations following the events in "Pressure Point" and the Liberator's disasterous raid on Earth's Central Control, while arch-enemy Travis is going through a trial of his own. In "Killer" we meet an old friend of Avon's..."I knew you had to have a friend somewhere!"-Vila ... Read more

Reviews (10)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Outstanding.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (18)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sylvester McCoy has the misfortune of being the Doctor with the worst debut story, but that's not his fault, as his acting of someone in the throes of artificially-induced memory loss, and his rapid-fire delivery is superb. It's more the plausibility of the story. I And the first two episodes seem to consist of the Rani leading the Doctor to her damaged machine and the Doctor getting distracted and wandering around the lab, only to have the Rani lead him back to the machine. However, he does have a funny time misquoting sayings: "Fit as a trombone," "drawing the short plank", and my favourite, "absence makes the nose grow longer," to the exasperation of the Rani. Oh, and he has fun playing the spoons.

Another debit is the Tetraps. Furry dog-faced creatures with bat-like wings, they have four eyes, one on either side of their head, so why does one have to turn around when it can see in all directions? Their leader Urak seems very impressed with the Rani, though.

Bonnie Langford does good as the vivacious Mel, but I wonder if she outdoes Deborah Watling (Victoria in the Patrick Troughton series) as being the queen screamer, as she exercises her lungs a couple of times upon seeing a Tetraps.

Kate O'Mara shines again as the Rani, even more ruthless than in her debut role two seasons before. A new hairstyle, maroon outfit, and some makeup are further assets. Her indifference to the Lakertyans are enhanced by her cold scientifically progressive approach: "Am I to abandon my research because of the side effects on inferior species? Are you prepared to abandon walking in case you squash an insect underfoot?" she asks the Doctor.

Wanda Ventham, who plays Faroon, Beyus's wife, appeared in the Doctor Who story Image of the Fendahl as Thea Ransome.

Apart from the aforementioned debits, Time of the Rani isn't as bad as its reputation, but could've been better.

Better than its reputation
Except for "Silver Nemesis," this is probably the least popular McCoy episode. Personally, though, I've always liked it. Even if the regeneration was poorly explained, I was very glad to be rid of the obnoxious sixth doctor. I thought the strange matter asteroid and the chronon manipulating device were clever uses of physics concepts (the McCoy era would later drift more and more toward mysticism, something rather at odds with most of Who history). The Rani herself is a fun character who should have been used more (she was dispassionately amoral rather than actively cruel like the Master). And I must admit to being greatly amused by the silly closing bit with the Doctor rescuing history's scientists and returning them home in the TARDIS, with Einstein giving a baffled glance at the TARDIS control panel.

McCoy's characterization as a manipulator and pacifist had not been established yet, but I think that's forgiveable in a regeneration episode, the gist of which must always be the new Doctor trying to determine just what his new persona will be like. I'm fond of the scene where, after being misled by the Rani concerning his past, the Doctor comments that he's afraid that he may not like himself very much.

Lastly--and this point must be emphasized--this episode taught me that absolutely any story can be improved by the inclusion of a giant disembodied brain as a plot point. Giant disembodied brains are simply cool. The Brain of Morbius was on the right track, I suppose, but the Rani's synthetic gestalt brain is the size of a Volkswagon, and in my opinion, that makes all the difference in the world. (For the record, other plot points which improve almost any story in which they appear are meditations on the relationship of the soul to physical reality, magnetic railguns, bellbottom trousers, and elephants).

This was a good episode, a return to older styles of storytelling with a modest, comprehensible plot, a sense of humor, and a welcome departure from the violence and bullroar of the 6th Doctor's era.

Has its moments, though there aren't too many of them
It has been said that anyone writing the first story for a new Doctor is in trouble, as they're not yet certain how the still-to-be-cast actor will adopt in the role of the series' central character.

But that is hardly an excuse for coming up with a story which is uninspired and uninspiring. Despite the flashy special effects, nice-looking sets and imaginative design, this story gets off to a bad start and never really improves. After a pathetic regeneration sequence (though I suppose we should be thankful there was one at all), the whole thing descends into farce as the Doctor blunders about. The story just seems to consist of characters running about.

You get the feeling it was all written with Colin Baker in mind. The Doctor's arrogance, brutality (showing a Tetrap to its death) and general carrying-on throughout this story is totally at odds with McCoy's more psychological, sophisticated incarnation. It makes me really furious when people base their views on the McCoy era on episodes such as this. Most of the stories in his era are strong and well-written, especially during Seasons 25 and 26. Meanwhile, Time and the Rani gets two stars for at least being mindly entertaining, if hardly a classic.

Doesn't boad well for the seventh personna
What a waste. Colin Baker's unceremonious firing as the (sixth)Doctor the preveous season dooms this one from the very begining and we have a chessy regeneration scene. The story (written by the horrible Pip & Jane Baker)is bad, the cliffhangers are awful and while there are some decent special effects, the make-up and costumes are hideous. It only gets two stars becuase it is Dr. Who and I don't have the heart to give it only one. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Servalan on Liberator and Villa is the choosen one?
The next vol. of Blake's 7 with the epsidoes entitled THE HARVEST OF KAIROS and CITY AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD

In the epsidoe entitled THE HARVEST OF KAIROS

Servalan has a cunning plan to take the Liberator but her advisors seem to think her plans as of late have not been working. She finds out that a construction worker has been speaking out on Servalan tatcis. She orders that this man be brought to her. What she doesn't know is that this man was once a general in the Federation army. Servalan is taken by the man and he begins in ernest to capture the Liberator from Avon and the others. Servalan in overjoyed that this man in finally able to do what hundreds of other could not take the Liberator and give Servalan the Federation on a silver platter. Will Avon and the others be ready for whatever cunning plans are in store? Or will they end up as another war story fro this general turned construction worker turned lover of Servalan?

In the next epsidoe entitled CITY AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD
Avon has agreed to Bayban the Butcher(the second most dangerous man after Blake of course) the use of Villa and his safe craking abilites. What Villa doesn't know is what Bayban wantd with this door opened? Bayban doesn't know but wants whatever is on the other side. The people of the planet say it is the doorway to another world. Bayban thinks it is a door to wealth beyond wealth. Villa can only do as he says of die trying for Bayban has only given him an hour. Now Villa is racing against time to save his life and possable give Bayban the means to destroying the world. On a personal note this is my favorite episode. Not only does it have Villa being the hero for once it also has to Doctor Who fans Colin Baker as a rather dangerous villian which is nice to watch. But also the actor who played the Black guardian during the time of Peter Davidson run as the Doctor. So all in all the best episode around.

Adventure and romance
Volume 16 of the "Blake's 7" video collection contains two more episodes of this excellent British science fiction television series. These episodes continue the saga of the space ship Liberator, whose crew battles the oppressive Federation.

In "The Harvest of Kairos," Tarrant plans to steal the subject of the episode's title: a crystal that grows on the planet Kairos. But his plan leads the crew of the Liberator into conflict with Servalan. This episode features one of the series' all-time best guest performances: Andrew Burt as Jarvik, a former Federation officer who distrusts computers and believes in old-fashioned concepts like honor and courage. This episode features everything you could want in a B7 episode: a thrilling space battle, alien monsters, intrigue, romance, and moral ambiguity.

The second episode on the tape, "City at the Edge of the World," is a marvelous adventure that focuses on Vila, the Liberator's cowardly resident thief. Vila gets involved with the notorious bandit Bayban the Butcher (played with a touch of campy humor by Colin Baker), finds romance with a lovely bandit girl (Carol Hawkins), and even gets to expound his theory of safecracking. This episode features lots of action and humor, and great dialogue. Great line: "He's lost a lot of weight, hasn't he?" (Vila, upon seeing a skeleton). This episode shows why Vila is one of sci-fi's all-time classic characters. Together, "Kairos" and "City" represent two of the most entertaining hours in the entire run of this classic series.

City at the Edge of the World=excellent Harvest= decent
City at the Edge of the World is one of the best Vila episodes written,as well as developing the characters of Tarrent, Avon, and Cally. This is a critical episode if you are a Vila fan. It offers a good glipse of Vila's skill, intelligence, and a rare display of bravery. It also shows Avon, and Cally in a good light. Tarrent forces Vila to go down against his will as part of a trade with the natives; which quickly backfires. The others do their best to come to Vila's aid. This is the only episode in which Vila saves the day and gets the girl. The final scenes are exciting, touching, and humorous.

Harvest on Kairos is a decent episode. If you are a Servelain fan this is an episode you will want to see. Avon comes though in the end, but this isn't one of his best episodes. It is an interesting show however, but I didn't care too much for it because Cally and Vila were largely ignored. The only enjoyment I got was out of the further development of Servelain's character. If you like Tarrent this is an episode you will want to see, but if you like Avon better this episode will make you sick!

I give City a 10 and Harvest a 5(lower if not for Servelain)

A Cold blood Avon and Doctor Who on one tape, wow!
"The Harvest of Kairos" with Blake gone from the show finally, the crew realistically tries to get rich by stealing a rare harvest from a planet so dangerous no one has ever survive after a harvest. The ending is not as good as others, but still it is fun to watch the cold blooded Avon and the cool Servalan go at it head to head.

"City at the Edge of the World" is worth the price of the video alone. The crew's loveable thief Vila is threatened by his own crewmate Tarrant to beam down onto the planet Keezarn, where he is used by a crazed villain (wonderfully played by Collin Baker---who later becomes the sixth Doctor Who) to open a deadly vault in a long lost city.

"Harvest" pointless; "City" is a waste
Having now watched episodes 1-32 again, these episodes definitely constitute the worst of all th