Reviews (20)

"And a most merciful and compassionate gesture..."
The TARDIS has landed on a cargo ship in the middle of the Indian Ocean...or have they? Not convinced that they are on Earth, the Doctor discovers that He and Jo, along with other kidnapped earthlings and aliens, are in a minscope, a machine that contains living organisms from around the universe in their own minaturised enviorment. "Carnival of Monsters" is the highlight of the Tenth season. Robert Holmes does it again, poking fun at TV and his audience. The production is pretty good, the direction from Letts is superb. Ian Marter making his fist Who appearance is great, and so is Micheal Wisher( not making his first appearance). Shurna and Vorg are hilarious. The Drashigs(on film) aren't that bad. Even though we can see the edge of the bald cap on Pletrac, and a couple of cheap effects, "Carnival" is thoroughly entertaing, even with repeated viewings.

CARNIVAL OF MEDIOCRITY
This was the second story in the 1972-73 season 10 and was first transmitted on the 27th January 1973. In this tale, The 3rd Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Jo Grant (Katie Manning) materialize in the TARDIS on what appears to be a cargo ship in the Indian Ocean in the 1920's. Unfortunately for them they are actually inside a "miniscope" which is a banned piece of equipment that "snatches" whole areas and people out of time and stores them in a perpetual time-loop for the amusement of paying visitors. This particular miniscope along with its collection of exhibits is the property of a pair of entertainers named Vorg and Shirna who have brought the device to the planet Inter Minor in order to make money displaying their captives.

The Doctor realizes something is wrong and manages to escape from his particular exhibit and enter another "world" populated by the flesh eating Drashigs. Fleeing from the carnivorous creatures, the doctor manages to get into the inner workings of the machine and reach the outside, but is unfortunately pursued by the hungry monsters. Just to complicate matters, two Minorians attempt to use the escaping Drashigs in an attempt to overthrow the planet's president and seize power for themselves. Emerging from the machine causes the Doctor and the giant Drashigs to grown to normal size and it is left to the Doctor and Vorg to destroy them and prevent the overthrow of the planet's rightful leader...

Out of all of the Jon Pertwee episodes that could have been released on DVD, I would have placed this one near the bottom of the list. The story is boring, the acting is terrible, the costumes are laughable and the effects are dreadful. Jon Perwee, of course, gives his usual sterling performance and Katie Manning is as cute as ever, however it's not enough to turn this into an entertaining story. One interesting point to note is the appearance of Ian Marter who would later go on to star as Harry Sullivan in the early Tom Baker stories and even write a few of the target Dr Who novels based on the transmitted stories.

Technical notes: The Doctor Who Restoration Team has again done an excellent job cleaning up the existing prints and removing as many glitches and scratchs as was possible. The disc is full of extra features including a commentary track by Katie Manning (Jo Grant) and Barry Letts (Director and Producer), deleted scenes, behind the scenes footage, test effects for the Drashig puppets and the spacecraft, alternative theme music which was dropped, TARDIS Cam, a training guide to CSO (Green Screen) by Barry Letts, production sub-titles, a photo gallery and more.

Carnival gets a first-class release
Hoo-boy!-another Doctor Who DVD release....As far as Dvds go, this one is loaded with some pretty decent extras. There are at least four deleted, extended and changed scenes. There is an alternate opening sequence that sounds as if Keith Emerson may have had more of a hand in composing than the BBC workshop. There are commentary tracks, but for some reason, my player wouldn't work in that mode. The DVD transfer is of above average quality, but somehow the deleted scenes looked better. Go figure. The audio quality is also above average. I had no trouble understanding any of the spoken dialogue. The photo gallery is nice; I was really surprised to see the way Katy Manning hadn't aged one iota--she truly is a beautiful woman. There is also a small behind the scenes clip that shows just how much work went into the production of just one scene from the series, another reason we fans should be grateful to the creative architects who helmed the series over the years. There are even a couple of hidden features that showcase an extneded opening sequence and some guy counting backwards from 30. As for the story itself, Carnival was never one of my favorites from the Pertwee era, which is why the four stars instead of five. I would have rather seen Inferno or another Master episode released. It's way overhyped. Granted, the writing is very clever, but the action and plot are real yawners. Still any Who you can see is good who.

Roll up roll up and see the monster show!
"A carnival of monsters living in their natural habitats in this little box of mine!" So say Vorg, owner of a miniscope, "a unique artistic achievement, the supreme creative invention of the age." Upon landing on the isolated Inter Minor, now undergoing a kind of glasnost under its liberal president, Zarb, the showman Vorg, resplendent in his flashy clothes, and his cute assistant Shirna, are met with hostility from the triad comprising the Aliens' Admission Commission. There is factionalism between the three, Chairman Pletrac supporting Zarb's policies, the xenophobic and scheming Immigration Commissioner Kalik aided by the submissive Orum. In fact Kalik becomes quite vitriolic: "Don't talk to me about brotherhood and neighborliness! We have survived in the past because of our strength! Now we shall perish because of our weakness!"

Meanwhile, the Doctor and Jo take their first independent flight of the TARDIS, and instead of landing on Metebelis 3, end up on 4 June 1926, aboard the SS Bernice, en route from England to Bombay. The Doctor senses something is wrong and he is right, as a plesiosaurus appears from the ocean. They are captured as stowaways, but once locked in, Jo and the Doctor notices that it was 7:35 PM when they were shut in. A few minutes later, it is 6:40 PM! Also, it's broad daylight outside instead of dark. The best cliffhanger is the end of Episode 1, when a giant hand plucks the TARDIS away from the SS Bernice.

By Episode 2, it's clear that the miniscope and the SS Bernice are connected, and regarding that, the Doctor marvels at the output and input lines, circuits, saying "It's like walking around inside a wristwatch," and the colourful set, with its pilars, red bulbs, shiny chrome-like walkways is a design triumph.

Another design triumph are the screaming caterpillar-like Drashigs. As Vorg says of these ferocious monsters, "the most evil, the most vicious, and undoubtedly the most frightening form of life in the whole universe!" They are the beasties on the cover, BTW.

Race relations is a big theme here. On Inter Minor, there are two races, the more humanoid elite and the crude-looking and less intelligent Functionaries, who are getting more rebellious. KKalik is worried that the Functionaries will eventually take over due to Zarb's liberal policies. Orum says of the Functionaries, "No sense of responsibility. Give them a hygiene chamber and they store fossil fuel in it." And the elite refer themselves in the neutral person: "One must do this" or "One believes that..." etc. is interesting. Their first contact with Vorg and Shirna leads to Pletrac talking down to them: "We give magic talk disks back. All very good." Shirna sarcastically tells Vorg, "You tellem tall fella we talk like him pretty good by and by." And Vorg says of the Tellurians (Earth people) that they all look so much alike. But Vorg's purpose to amuse ties back to the Functionaries, whose lack of entertainment is causing their rebelliousness, according to Pletrac.

A few continuity goofs: the calendar structure aboard the SS Bernice is that of the 1925 calendar. And the micrograph Vorg gives Pletrac is nothing more than an ordinary music cassette! And Fred Astaire is mentioned seven years before he became famous. Bad editing in Episode 2 leads to a previously unseen segment shown before a scene shown in Episode 1.

The supporting players are all first rate, especially Tenniel Evans as Major Daly, a typical friendly pukka sahib-type. Ironically, Evans worked with Jon Pertwee in the British radio comedy The Navy Lark back in the 50's. Veteran actor Leslie Dwyer (Vorg) steals the show, with firm support from Cheryl Hall (Shirna). Ian Marter (Andrews) later became a regular in the Tom Baker Who years as Harry Sullivan.

"Our purpose is to amuse, simply amuse. Nothing political," says Vorg. What I hope Predator did for hunting, showing what it feels like man to be the hunted animal, I hope Carnival Of Monsters will do for zoos. But the concept of overcoming isolation-induced xenophobia and prejudice is key here, and despite not appearing, President Zarb is a well-felt presence due to his liberalism. Rating: 4.5, rounded to 5.

Topping day, what?
"Carnival of Monsters" is an odd little story, and probably not the best candidate to be the second Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) story released on DVD. But the "Restoration Team" has done a rather good job on the disc, as with all "Doctor Who" discs, so that even the less-than-outstanding stories are still worth the purchase price.

I've watched this story at least half-a-dozen times since I was twelve years old, but it was only this time out that I noticed the political subtext. Story writer Robert Holmes always crammed politics into his busy scripts, and maybe the fact that I never "got" this story explained why I had such a dim opinion of it. I knew, for example, that the squabbling political functionaries of Inter Minor -- bald, grey-skinned creatures, in that great "Doctor Who" tradition of having three character actors portray an entire alien species -- were supposed to be funny. What I didn't "get" was that they were supposed to mirror not only the declining British Empire of the day, but also the colonial British sailors stuck in a perpetual 1926 evening inside the device that gives the story its name.

At least, I learned that from the production notes feature. I also learned the string of acting credits for every guest actor in the story, and also the dates of filming for every outdoor location scene. As always, I'd prefer production notes that gave a little more substantial information about the episode on disc and its context within the larger "Doctor Who" picture -- not just lists of TV shows that I, in the US, have never heard of. But at least I did come away with something.

The commentary track this time out, by story producer/director Barry Letts, and actress Katy Manning (companion Jo) is a little bit better than some of the recent disasters we've had ("Tomb of the Cybermen" springs to mind). Both commentators spent a lot of time with the show and this is the first DVD for each. Unfortunately, it took a lot of time for them to get to the meat and potatoes.

Also thrown in the special features is model test footage that's just downright funny -- you can see the smirking face of the Drashig puppeteer, for example. I'm less certain about the recurring "Tardis-CAM" featurettes, but maybe one day I'll figure out what they're here for. The lone easter egg allows you to see the Pertwee-era opening credits, without the actual credits.

The best part of this story, unwittingly, is long-time DW character actor Michael Wisher, here playing the most evil of the Inter Minor politicos. He suspects the Carnival of Monsters as being the invasion spearhead of alien spies (the harmless two carnies who arrive on Inter Minor by cargo class). He lets off several great over-the-top political rants... and sounds just like George W. Bush. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Essential addition to any Doctor Who DVD Collection
If you're already a Dr. Who fan then purchase of this DVD is a no brainer. If you're not, then it's a good place to begin. Originally aired during the shows first season, The Aztecs is only the sixth ever Doctor Who story. The first doctor (played by William Hartnell) and his companions arrive on earth in the late 1400's in the middle of an Aztec temple. The original companions include the Doctor's grand daughter Susan and her teachers Barbera and Ian. Barbera puts on an Aztec medallion and is mistaken for a reincarnated high priestess. As such, she decides to influence the Aztec culture by putting an end to human sacrifices. As a result, Ian and Susan are placed in danger and it is up to the Doctor to save his friends and preserve history. William Hartnell's portrayal of the doctor is excellent. As a fan of Dr Who, it is fun to watch these early episodes and see how the show evolved over the years. For example, most of the early shows were based on interacting with earth's historical figures as opposed to alien races. Additionally, the concept of the Timelord race had not yet been introduced.

The quality of the DVD is top notch. Many of these early episodes have been lost, and those that survive are in bad condition. As with the earlier release of "Tomb of the Cybermen", the Aztecs has been meticulously restored to perfection. There are a couple of nice extras including interviews with three of the surviving cast members. Their take on the show and Hartnell's infamous "difficult" personality are well worth the time to watch. There's also a short film that compares the original unrestored print of the film to the final restored product.

The Aztecs is an absolute gem and an essential addition to any Doctor Who DVD library. Fans of classic sci-fi should also considering acquiring this piece of sci-fi television history. If you're just starting a Doctor Who library or have never seen the show, this is an excellent place to start followed by the aforementioned Patrick Troughton adventure "Tomb of the Cybermen" and the John Pertwee's take on the doctor in "Spearhead from Space".

Rewriting History
It seems naive to keep declaring every new "Doctor Who" DVD release the "best one ever", but I think "The Aztecs" actually fits the bill this time. I mean, compared to one of the earliest releases ("Spearhead From Space", about which I raved), this disc really seems to have an impossibly high numbers of features and improvements.

Most notably is frame-by-frame restoration of the story. Part and parcel of being a "Doctor Who" fan is accepting the show's poor visual look. Not poor as in aged special effects or wobbly sets, but poor as in picture quality. "Who" was always recorded on videotape, but the tape from the show's entire 1960s run has long since been destroyed, and those episodes are only available now on ancient, scratchy film transfers. "The Aztecs" DVD doesn't miraculously unearth the original videotapes... but it does run the film through a special restoration process which mostly restores the old video look. No scratches, no jumps, this time. Now you can see the original sets and flimsy decorations in all their harsh studio-light glare, and you can see those lights reflected in all the actors' foreheads.

Now, while I'm sure most people who still watch "Doctor Who" don't watch it for picture quality, these DVDs do serve an extreme niche market, and it's nice to know that someone on the DVD-production end is actually trying to put out a worthwhile product.

Apart from the story (which is so brilliant that I won't do it the injustice of a 3-sentence plot summary), the DVD also benefits from the inclusion of the original actors in the special features. The audio commentary track is a major disappointment. Actor William Russell (Ian) is so old that he doesn't seem to realize he's watching a younger version of himself. Carole Anne Ford (Susan) was on vacation for most of "The Aztecs", so her comments are limited to several variations on "Oh, that's pretty!". The star of the commentary is the show's original producer, Verity Lambert, though there was slightly less insight on "Doctor Who"'s beginnings than I expected. I do hope she'll be included on future Season 1 DVDs

Three actors from the "Aztec"'s secondary cast take part in a 30-minute "Remembering the Aztecs" featurette. Ian Cullen (Ixta) sits at a table in a garden, reading from a very visible script, although his glasses are off. Walter Randall (Tonila) and John Ringham (Tlotoxl, a name not pronounced the same way twice throughout the entire story) sit together on a couch, Randall with his shirt unbuttoned and navel revealed. What's up with that? Best of all, Randall and Ringham provide *new* character voices for a hilarious animated short ("Making Cocoa") done in South-Park style, and all three record in-character voice introductions when you select the "Play All" option. And look for the easter egg hidden on the Special Features menu.

There's also a nice 5-minute history lesson on the Aztecs, thrown in from a 1971 children's TV program. The half-hour interview with the episode's set designer, Barry Newbery, goes on a bit too long, but again, these DVDs are aimed at the kind of audience that might appreciate this sort of excess.

Happily, the usually interminable photo gallery now plays by itself, so you don't have to stab the "next" button on your remote every 3 seconds. The photos are mostly useless, but the color snapshots are fun, since you can see what the costumes were actually supposed to look like, before the 1964 story was recorded in glorious Black-&-White-O-Vision.

Oldest Doctor Who DVD story released so far. Excellent.
The Aztecs was the 6th storyline of the first doctor, William Hartnell. This was one of the Historical Doctor Who episodes, and a fascinating one at that. Watching this story, you can see the appeal of the doctor. He goes everywhere in and out of time and space. He has knowledge that only a time traveller of his caliber could possess. He wants to learn as much as he can about the places and people he visits. In this particular show the Doctor and his companions travel back into earth's time to when the Aztec culture was flourishing. It is a great story, and makes me wish that the oldest historical Dr. Who storyline: "Marco Polo" had survived. The DVD quality is excellent, and if someone wants to watch it with the quality it was originally aired, then they would need a Tardis in order to do that. But the rest of us who regret the fragility of the first two doctors' stories (over 1/3 are presumably lost forever), a disc like this is most welcome. "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" and "Tomb of the Cybermen" are also fantastic. Here is hoping that more of the first two Dr.s are released on DVD in such a respectful way!

Get behind the scenes with the commentary
This is really a wonderful disk. I particularly enjoy watching it with the second subtitles on. The subtitles tell you a lot about the production of the episode, the research they did for the episode, and what other episodes characters appeared in. It gives you all of the insight you want without interfering with the story the way voice over commentaries can.

It is rare we get anything this early in the Dr Who cycle on our PBS station, so it is great to be able to watch this any time I want.

Preservation please, not restoration.
Aztecs is one of the all-time Dr Who masterpieces. However, this dvd version fails. The episodes have been painstakingly "restored" to "look as it would have done in 1964". However, no one in 1964 had high-definition televisions, and so this glossy adjustment looks absolutely nothing as it would have done at its original broadcast. Dr Who has here been given a crystal-clear clarity that it is simply not meant to have. Consequently, it is robbed of its atmosphere. Instead of a trip to old Mexico filled with suspense and intrigue, what we see are actors in a studio. The illusion is ruined, and with it, its beauty. The Aztecs is a fantastic bit of magic, but this dvd is just a tragic bit of plastic.
It's bad enough there are so many episodes of Dr Who missing. Can we please refrain from tampering with the ones we do have? Dr Who is perfect as it is. "Improvement" is not necessary and can only end in this kind of disaster. All we want is completeness, a series uncut, so we can judge the show for ourselves and enjoy it in our own way.
If you haven't seen The Aztecs, you must. But I implore you - buy the videocassette instead. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

"Free will is not an illusion after all!"
This could possibly be the best Dr Who story ever made. It's a compelling, disturbing and very human tale that, although 7 episodes long, never drags (in fact, it seems very rushed). The performances are all topline, the direction by Douglas Camfield superb and the music and sound effects very jarring. The parallel Earth scenes, in which England is run by a fascist government (a "what if the Nazis won" scenario), have a depressing, sterile, Orwellian feel; all the central characters have two roles, their "normal" selves and their parallel personas give them all added depth. Top marks to the Nicholas Courtney as the Brigade Leader. Small touches, such as certain pieces of conversational dialogue played out twice, once in the normal Earth and once in the parallel world, make a substantial impact on the viewer. The Doctor being placed in a situation where he cannot save the Earth (or one Earth) is quite haunting when you consider that "saving the day" becomes predictable to the point of cliche. At the end of the story you can't help feeling emotionally drained; the deaths of well defined characters and their parallel selves surviving plays with your feelings, making you both mourn and rejoice. Like the case with much of Dr Who, the monsters are not often well realised. The Primords have their moments, but just try not to think of the Bee Gees when they start rampaging in the later episodes! Best moments - the cliff hanger to episode 4 and the "doomsday" sequences at the end of episode 6. This is must own Dr Who!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (12)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (9)

Two great stories!
With this double tape set, viewers are treated to two stories with similar themes. Both are historical in context and both deal with monsters, of a sort. In The Visitation, the Doctor must stop the evil Terrileptals from overrunning a 17th century earth with a massive plague that would wipe out the entire population. In Black Orchid, we are treated to the first purely historical story since te days of Patrick Troughton's Doctor. Here, the Doctor discovers murder in the home of the Cranleighs. What dark secret is Lady Cranleigh trying to hide and how does it relate to Nyssa? Both stories are well paced, well acted stories, worthy of being included in anyone's video collection.

Great adventures from 1666 and 1925 Britain
Two historical adventures, one quasi-, the other a period adventure set in 1920's Britain. The first, The Visitation, has the Doctor and his companions landing in the England of 1666, where they are mistaken for plague carriers and nearly killed if not for the intervention of Richard Mace, an itinerant thespian who has been taking refuge in a barn. Mace saw a comet as the sign of things to come. However, according to the Doctor, Earth isn't due for a comet for a couple years. And the discovery of higher technology pinpoints to aliens on Earth, and thus to the manor where the barn's owner lives. However, the manor is under control of the Terileptils, (inspired by the words territorial reptiles), whose leader becomes interested in the Doctor as he sees the Time Lord foil his servants, villagers controlled by a crude form of mental control.

At first, Richard Mace is skeptical at the Doctor's explanations for the strange occurrences, but he comes to trust the unconventional Time Lord. The representation of manners and customs of 17th century England is accurately shown in Mace, who tells the Time Lord that one should be humble and respectful of the gentry, particularly the owners of the barn the Doctor wants information on. The Doctor ripostes with "I've met kings, emperors, megalomaniacs in my time." And Mace's shock at Nyssa and the Doctor's breaking into the barn owner's house is again 17th century protocol. But Michael Robbins' plummy robust voice as well as his likeable character nearly makes him steal the show as Mace.

One reason why Tegan's among my least favourite companions is her bad temper. When the Doctor misses her own time by a good three centuries, she yells "Call yourself a Time Lord? A broken clock keeps better time than you! At least it's accurate twice a day which is more than you ever are!" Later, he gets his own back when in response to how she's feeling, Tegan says "Groggy, sore, and bad-tempered." He says, "Good. Almost your old self."

The Terileptils justify their plans of conquest thus: "It's survival. Just as these primitive kill lesser species to protect themselves, so I kill them." They also like war and say "War is honorable...even on this planet it is considered so." The Doctor counters with "Yet by your own admission, these people are still primitive. What's your excuse?" eliciting an angry growl from the Terileptil. Designing the Terileptil marked the first use of animatronics in the series, used in making the mouth, lips and gills move.

The Visitation's always been a favourite of mine due to the way the story gradually unfolds. One of Nyssa's more heroic moments come in during her task to convert the TARDIS's sonic booster coupled with a frequency accelerator to destroy the android. And the story ends with an event Samuel Pepys recorded in his diary. Look at the year: 1666. What happened in London then? (Rating: 5).

Black Orchid has the Doctor being mistaken for a doctor at nearby Guy's Hospital and expected at the manor of the Cranleighs for a cricket match, giving a "perfectly ripping performance." Hey, the Doctor isn't wearing that cricketing outfit for nothing, and the montage that shows him batting, pitching no-hitters, and cries of "Howzat?" is a triumph. However, who is the unknown man in beige trousers and brown shoes and guttural hiss who strangles a man at the beginning and who later infiltrates the Doctor's room?

A further surprise is that Nyssa is an identical twin of Ann Talbot, fiancee to Lord Cranleigh. Sarah Sutton plays both Nyssa and Ann, and the latter's clever idea of having identical purple butterfly costumes at the masked charity. However, the Cranleighs have a dark secret which blows open and sunders the festive atmosphere when Doctor is accused of murder by Ann.

One observation of the aristocracy arises when the Cranleighs try to figure out where Nyssa's from. They think Worcestershire, and the identification of class to region, when they say Nyssa's lack of knowledge of Esher shows good taste is telling of the snobbery they exhibit. The implied trust given to the aristocracy by the police is shown as the Doctor is disbelieved and Ann believed in her accusation.

One flaw is how the British police of 1925 know of police boxes when none existed back then.

Despite being a two-parter, Black Orchid works better than expected. Adric and Nyssa's lack of understanding Earth culture is accompanied by Tegan feeling right at home, and in a good mood for once, even doing the Charleston at the ball. (Rating: 4) Overall rating, 4.5, rounded to 5.

A Different Doctor Who
"Black Orchid" is a different kind of Doctor Who story: no malevolent alien influence, no reversing the polarity of the neutron flow, no sonic screwdriver to save the day... With the distinct feel of a British murder mystery, "Black Orchid" offers a brief (only two parts) and refreshing change of pace. As if seeing Tegan and Nyssa do the Charleston and watching Adric pig out at a buffet table isn't entertaining enough, we're treated to the Doctor tramping about, lost and befuddled, in his bathrobe. That alone is worth the purchase price.

With "The Visitation", we're back to the old "stranded alien creatures take over the earth" plot, reminiscent of Tom Baker's "Terror of the Zygons", and "the *real* cause behind that famous historical happening" twist, which we've seen umpteen times before. Still, an agreeable episode to be enjoyed for what it is.

Two excellent examples from 1980's Doctor Who
"The Visitation" A first rate adventure for the TARDIS crew finds the Doctor (portrayed with excellence by Peter Davison)discovering an alien presence at a sensitive time in English history. Will our favorite Time Lord, along with his compantions and an open-minded actor/highwayman, be able to stop this menace? Collector's Note: This story features the last use of the Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver until the 1996 TV Movie! "Black Orchid" The Doctor remains in England, only travelling to the 1920's. While the Doctor enjoys a game of cricket, there are strange goings-on at Cranleigh House. A murder mystery ensues and the Doctor is the prime suspect!

Both of these episodes show the range of the Doctor Who series. While both utilize historical background, they have radically different approaches. One includes sci-fi elements, while another is a period costume drama. Neither suffers from these limitations and are suitable for the whole family.

The acting in the Doctor Who series is typically very good. The producers had to hire talented actors in order to detract from the occasionally rough special effects. Peter Davison brought an enthusiam and joy to the role of the Doctor that had been missing for a few years. Sarah Sutton is an excellent addition to the cast, playing a young scientist who is the last survivor of her world. She shows great range in "Black Orchid" where she takes on a second role. Janet Fielding offers her role of Tegan with great gusto, demonstrating a strength that is missing from many women's roles in family drama of the 80's. Matthew Waterhouse as the much-maligned Adric shows improvement, though he is certainly not adding much to the procedings. Watch for his amusing turn at the buffet in "Black Orchid."

These were two of my favorites growing up. I am glad to call them part of my home video collection. - CCH

Two stories for the price of....er, two. Both great though.
'The Visitation', with its historical setting, well-thought-out plot and strong characters, is well worth seeing. The aliens are interesting, the robot is well-designed and the explanation for the Fire of London is a nice touch. 'Black Orchid', the first truly historical Dr Who story since the sixties, is filled with lavish sets, there is a genuine sense of mystery and suspense, and the idea of Nyssa's double is a good one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Doctor Who: Earthshock finds Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor nicely settling into the role, initially displaying some crotchety short temper which harks back to William Hartnell's incarnation of the Doctor, effectively setting up the most emotionally powerful finale in the show's 26-year run.In this, the penultimate adventure of Doctor Who's 19th season, a scientific expedition in a cave system on 25th-century Earth is wiped out. An army rescue unit led by Lieutenant Scott (James Warwick) and including the one woman, Professor Kyle (Claire Clifford) who survived the original massacre, goes in to recover the bodies. The scenario deliberately evokes Ridley Scott's Alien (1979), and uncannily foreshadows James Cameron's Aliens (1986), developing into a tense actioner on a space freighter bound for Earth carrying a very deadly cargo of Cybermen.

Tightly paced, refreshingly free of the camp humor that sometimes blighted the show in the 1980s, and with a notable guest turn from Beryl Reid as the ship's captain, Earthshock is one of the Doctor's finest adventures. Overlook a few gaping plot holes and by the end they simply won't matter; when the final credits roll in silence the effect is as powerful now as it was shocking to audiences back in 1981. If only Star Trek: The Next Generation had done the same to Wesley Crusher! --Gary S. Dalkin ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Exciting Cyber-Adventure
The return of the Cybermen after their misuse in Revenge of theCybermen is a moody, exciting adventure that contains moment aftermoment of brilliance. The acting is sound on all levels, with special credit due Peter Davison, whose performance raises the tension level as his realization of the true purpose of certain events adds to the overall mood of the piece. The redesign of the Cybermen was criticized by some, but the see-through mouthpiece adds to the effect of the Cybermen's menace, rather than detracting, by allowing us to see the transformed humanity within the outfit. This is one of the best ones to show to new Doctor Who viewers, as it is accessible to those who've never seen a Cyberman adventure, and has high emotional moments -- especially the ending, which works on every level. One of Davison's best by far, and definitely one of the best Cyber-Adventures. A must-own. Now if only they'd get rid of that ridiculous vunerability to gold, everything would be fine. It works here as a plot point, but nowhere else. Enjoy!

"What are they?" "Cybermen!"
A great return for these foes of the Doctor. Emotionless, relentless and determined to destroy all life on Earth (surprise, they succeed). Yes, you need to get over the bad effects and sometimes horrific acting-- much like the old serials of the 30s and 40s, your imagination does a lot of work. This is a fast-paced and exciting story with a lot of memorable moments-- the Cybermen revealed, Cyber Leader in the Tardis, the race to save Adric. Best line: "It might interest you to know we've traveled backwards in time some 65 million years. Think about it."

Man and the Cyberman
This serial of Dr. Who brought back my favorite menace - the Cybermen. Not seen for years since "Revenge of the Cybermen" (1975, during the Tom Baker years), the Cybermen have a new look and a new plan. Using a bomb set deep within Earth, they will destroy the planet as its government is prepared to host an interplanetary summit aimed at - among other things - an alliance against evils like the Cybermen. Unfortunately for them, their plan is discovered by The Doctor who luckily (for us) materializes on the scene in his space-time ship (the "TARDIS"). With their initial plan foiled, the Cybermen switch gears and hit on a new idea. They hijack a huge cargo spaceship carrying a veritable army of Cybermen (originally intended to hold what's left of Earth when the bomb explodes), and aim it at Earth like a bomb. Tracing the source of the signal, the Doctor lands on the freighter and battles the Cybermen alongside a pitiful band of human soldiers and the ship's crew. With his companions - the boy genius Adric, the young but wise Nyssa and the tough but lovely Tegan Jovanka - the Doctor fights a seeming losing battle against the horde of Cybermen holding the ship.

This was a great episode on so many levels. The redesigned Cybermen - see-through mouth-grille and all - are an improvement over the silver-wetsuits of "Revenge", and the script plays up on their strengths: their numbers and seemingly boundless cool and aggression. Cheesy camera work exaggerates their numbers by having the image of a single column of Cybermen "multiplied" within a single shot - but we get the point. ("Who" fans who can't appreciate the "see-through mouth" because we now know that there are people behind the masks, are missing the point - the Cybermen aren't machines, they are mechanized people, the prototypes for the Borg. We always knew that there was a person behind the mask, but the grille still hides what that person must look like after being "assimilated". Also, individual Cybermen are more vulnerable here than they were in "Revenge" (their huge numbers wouldn't be as important if they were as bulletproof as they were in that story). The scene introducing the Cybermen is perfect - with the cold invaders huddled like a coven of witches around a holographic viewer. (They don't recognize the Doctor at first, but his spaceship tips them off) Of course the biggest thing about this story is the end of Adric - there are hints of his leaving from the start of the serial, but the final moments are unforgettable anyway.

IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN AN EPISODE OF DOCTOR WHO none of the above will make much sense (a man - a "timelord" actually - who changes his appearance every few years, traveling across space and time in a ship looking on the outside like a London police call box, accompanied by a constantly changing cast of companions and battling a wide array of menaces both alien and human). Still, some episodes embody a sort of humanity that rises above the kooky continuity of the show, and this is one of them, so it's worth a look. The tragic ending underscores the entire series - times runs out, even for timelords.

CLASSIC! Considering who wrote it, this one really is good.
Episode 1 alone is overall terrific. Mysterious caves being guarded for some important reason, Adric bickering, the androids' way of killing people, this is a very taut and exciting episode. There is some rubbish technobabble about the device used to track the people in the caves, but otherwise this episode hangs together extremely well. As for the cliffhanger, it was a jaw-dropper in 1982 and still holds up exceptionally well.

Episode 2 isn't quite as tense, but still easily manages to retain excitement and interest despite a silly claim about the TARDIS' capabilities and how the main enemies in this story can see into the future where they go over the Doctor's bio/history record. But that is a small point. The moment leading to the cliffhanger is reasonably excellent as well.

Episode 3 is now a full shift away from the wonderful claustrophobia of the caves of the first 1.5 episodes. The freighter's interior is extremely well realized considering the show's budget (or even on a big movie budget, they got everything RIGHT) and provides some great tension for more than one gripping scene. The cliffhanger, despite using a prismatic lens to make one row of enemies look like 3 rows, packs a decent punch as well. I won't mention how kewl it was to see how the Doctor deals with the enemy force about to break into the freighter's bridge... So far, the story is worth all of the praise it gets.

Episode 4 is awesome, though the ending is flaky. The ending involves the freighter entering time travel, which seems to be cheaply written in as an afterthought. The reasons behind the ability of the freighter to do this don't cut it and they could have used some flimsy technobabble about the warp engines being the cause instead of the enemy machinery locking the ship's directional control panel. But that's one small point.

Episode 4 does end with another big surprise that you, depending on your point of view, will like...

The story was augmented with modern computer effects. I prefer the original effects, even if they are different than what was intended to be (for example, a spaceship exploding instead of crashing, though it can be said the spaceship exploded in the planet's atmosphere...).

I expect that the video and audio quality will be comparable to the other Dr Who releases (except "The Key to Time", which the UK Restoration Team did not work on). I gather the soundtrack is isolated, which is another BIG plus.

One of my big problems with 80s Dr Who is not as much JNT but Saward. Even from his earliest penned story "The Visitation", Saward loves using gore. Indeed, in "The Visitation" he wanted to have the remains of the smouldering murdered family to be shown, but the director had enough guts to show well orchestrated fade-in clips of the empty house's interior that was far more effective... Fortunately, we're still in the 5th Doctor's early run so it's not so pronounced (by Davison's final year, Saward - both as writer and script editor - went out his way to ensure pointless gore was used. But that's another story...) The only real gore in this episode is how the androids kill people (the people turn into a liquified state which is horrific yet doesn't go out of its way to be shock value. In other words, it's appropriate and maturely handled and properly tells us that the androids doing the killing shouldn't be reckoned with... (in later years (Davison's final year and to an extent Colin Baker's first year), the gore was haphazardly thrown in, with any true atmosphere chucked out the window in name of sleazy shock value. Colin's era did match gore with a coherent intent, but the purpose seemed to be excessive, resulting in the gore being just as pointless as in the prior season...)

But I digress. This is a WONDERFUL story, worthy of 5 stars and is ideal for showing to any potential fan. Also, the enemy I spoke of is the Cybermen. They were created in 1966 and had been disused since 1974. As the story was made 7 years later, it was deemed that they should be re-introduced with as little fanfare as possible. And it worked. and it worked so well that subsequent viewings don't wear the concept down. For a producer maligned with the stigma that he loved using continuity, the continuity works well in this story as it reminds of previous Cybermen history to whet our appetites (later stories merely use continuity to bury storylines, but Earthshock tells a story and uses references in a way that expands one's interest to become a fan, and doesn't pander to fans (who'd only nitpick any inaccuracies in continuity).

The Cybermen were organic creatures who replaced more of their limbs and organs with technology. They're like the Borg, only they'd been around long before the Borg were. And "Earthshock" is possibly the best story they're used in, apart from "The Tomb of the Cybermen". ("Tomb"'s plot is superlative but I don't think it was carried out well, apart from episodes 1 and 4. There are some great performances, but the technobabble is grating, episode 3 is pure pointless padding, and the inclusion of Toberman as an indentured servant of all things is boggling, why couldn't he be an equal? On the other hand, his contributions to the end of that story prove he is the most human of them all... and as "Tomb" had also been released on DVD, it's worthy of pick-up as well.)

Why did it take so long to get to US? WB or BBC problem?
I don't know why it took so long to get to the US but it's been out in Region 2 format (PAL) since last year. At any rate, this is the best Doctor Who DVD made to date. Its has full cast commentary by the stars as well as a well made documentary on the makings of "Earthshock" 20 odd years later. This is a must have for all Peter Davison fans. Lastly, the Cybermen's recount of the past Doctors is a real treat. Five stars. Keep it coming BBC... ... Read more

Description

The Doctor and Ace are put to the ultimate test when the Tardis materializes in Second World War England at a top naval base. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Dark is good
For anyone who stopped watching the McCoy era because of a few mediocre episodes in the first 7th Doctor season, well I must say that they are missing some excellent stories. The Curse of Fenric is one of the best of the McCoy stories, if not the whole show.

The best aspect of this episode is perhaps the uncharacteristic dark atmosphere; when I first watched it, I wondered if this was a Doctor Who story at all. Everything in this story has dark aspects: the story, the minor characters, the main villian(he is the first Evil after all), and even the Doctor presents a hidden dark side.

All in all, dark is good. After thirty years of basically the same thing, I was happy to see Doctor Who embrace a different style. It is unfortunate that the BBC cancelled the program when it did; who knows where the story could have gone if allowed to continue.

I was thrilled and surprised at the quality of this story.
I was reluctant to purchase The Curse of Fenric, because I used to have a copy of it dubbed off of television, and I was never a huge fan of the McCoy years. His era started off with a wimper, had a glorious but extremely short second season, and then finished with lots of mythological- fantasy mumbo-jumbo aimed at the level of a five year old. I bought this video because I was reading a few reviews of it on Doctor Who fan web sites and thought that my memory of it was perhaps mistaken. I had enjoyed it originally, but thought that it could never compare to some earlier programs I loved dearly. I watched Fenric again yesterday, for the first time in about 3 or four years, and was blown away by it! First of all, McCoy is absolutely brilliant as the Doctor - I say this as a veteran Who fan of 21 years. He has the uncanny ability to act bemused and whimsical one minute and serious and stern the next. The entire beginning sequence in which he and Ace infiltrate the military base is wonderfully carried out and illustrates Ian Briggs' skills as a writer and his sensitivity to the characters of the Doctor and Ace. The minister in the story is basically a good man. Much like the rest of us, he tries to understand the world, all the while knowing it might be horrific in the last analysis. His underplayed performance is really an asset to the production because it shows us how empty and drained he is by his experience of so-called Christendom, an emotional state that prefigures the very real evil awaiting all of the characters. I loved the use of Norse mythology in this story. The scene where the writings in the crypt are created through the control of one of the character's voices is chilling and reminds one of the traditional identification between being and speech, e.g. God said "Let there be light," and there was light. The added footage creates new dimensions to the story, illustrating that perhaps it would have worked even better as a 5 or even a six parter. The special effects were superb - some of the best ever in Doctor Who. I was amazed that this was the same season that produced Survival, an interesting but horribly enacted story with daft plot devices and vacuous characterizations. Now I can see more clearly than ever what John Nathan Turner was trying to do to salvage the program and make it more competitive with other higher budget programs. The script for Fenric is top-notch, and I cannot believe that the B.B.C. would have killed off such a lucrative show, especially considering Fenric was the penultimate show of the original program's run. Now we can only wonder about what might have been. I recommend this video to anyone who craves a good action adventure with an intelligent pen behind all the actions.

Hi! I MAKE NO SENSE!!...
That's what this DVD with a SPECIAL EDITION of THE CURSE OF FENRIC should be called...
CHEESY...OVERWRITTEN...BORING...and why is the sound so bad?

ACE is the best thing about the SYLVESTOR MCCOY episodes...cuz he certainly isn't...just DREADFUL and so re-written that the character of DOCTOR WHO becomes CONTRIVED and conventional which was something it never was before. The SYLVESTOR MCCOY years took all the fun out of DOCTOR WHO and turn it into drivel. This episode is TERRIBLE.

It makes no sense...is badly edited and ridiculously over plotted. WHO CARES?!! Even DOCTOR WHO himself would not watch this eyesore!!

A fatal Curse for Two Doctors...
BBC Video continues to turn out the quarterly releases of the Doctor Who back catalogue on DVD and the latest pairing brings two stories from the latter years of the series lengthy broadcast run. Although technically featuring stories from two different eras of Doctors (and featuring a third in a guest role) both The Two Doctors and The Curse of Fenric come from the very troubled final years of the show's 26 year run when even the fans found it hard to find favor with their hero's antics and the general viewing public made it clear that they could care less!

The Two Doctors was unfortunate enough to be on air when the show was famously cancelled by the BBC, albeit to return 18 months later in a revised and truncated format. Perhaps it is for this reason that this story is not that highly rated, but in all honesty it's more likely to be that the adventure was typically symptomatic of everything that seemed to be wrong with the production at this time.

The first six part adventure to be made and broadcast since 1978, this lengthy story was in fact broadcast in three double-length episodes at the beginning of 1985 in the first full season to feature the controversial sixth Doctor, played by Colin Baker. I've always believed that Colin had the personality and charisma to be a very, very fine Doctor indeed and had he followed Tom Baker and not Peter Davison, things could have been very different for him. As it is, his characterization was horribly misconceived, as was his truly appalling costume and he successfully alienated the very loyal and devoted fans of the show and the general public alike. By the time The Two Doctors was on air, one third of the audience had switched off from the start of the season and the BBC was naturally looking to see why. They blamed the violence enveloping the show and watching this story, they wouldn't be far wrong.

Written by probably the greatest writer ever associated with the show, the late, great former script editor Robert Holmes, this story had so many elements that could have made it a success, but was completely let down by some gratuitous violence, grisly, unnecessary deaths and far too complex a plot. Even the return of one of the show's most popular incumbents, second Doctor Patrick Troughton and his popular sidekick Jamie were unable to save the show. More's the pity since Troughton died the following year and this is hardly a fitting tribute to his contribution to the show.

When the program did make it back on to air in 1986 it was a shadow of its former greatness and although it staggered onwards for another four seasons, the death knell was never far away. The Curse of Fenric comes from the very end of the show's run and is possibly the greatest example of everything that was wrong with the production at the time. Essentially, from the very beginning of the series in 1963, the production team had always worked with their backs to the wall, with never enough time or budget to achieve what they were striving for, and yet, in 26 years, they'd always managed to find entertaining and popular stories that generally worked against all the odds. The Curse of Fenric was simply an unworkable mess. A good mess; a promising mess; but a mess nonetheless. It's staggering to think that a professional TV producer would pull together a script that was so incredibly complex and essentially unworkable under the show's format and then be surprised that the material couldn't be worked into the show's slot. It's only thanks to home video and DVD that we can now see the show how it was intended, which rather ignores the fact that it is a TV show intended for a much wider audience and not the select fans who will buy the DVD or Video.

The DVD set contains the four episodes as they were transmitted (itself a first for home video) plus a (second) attempt to restore all the deleted material and re-order the scenes to make more sense. Certainly it does just that, but I'm still baffled 15 years after it was made and I doubt it will ever truly make sense! Thankfully the writer has recorded a long explanation of how his story was meant to be. Thanks, but that doesn't and didn't help the viewers of BBC1 back in 1989! But as always with the Doctor Who DVD's, it's the extras that make these releases so worthwhile, regardless of the quality of the stories themselves. With the Two Doctors there are all sorts of goodies, including a great commentary from the main cast and director and all sorts of out-takes, behind the scenes information and (perhaps unwisely) a lengthy piece by the producer's ex-partner explaining at length how they unnecessarily set the story in Spain so as to get some fabulous vacation time for themselves. Oops! The Curse of Fenric commentary from Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred and Nicholas Parsons is also highly entertaining and the extras on this two-disc set certainly prove most interesting, even it is all a bit long winded.

Doctor Who was never very good when it took itself too seriously. The fans love all the in-jokes and references to the past. But it hardly works for the general viewer who simply is baffled because they didn't see the story from last season that ties into this, or can't remember something from 10 years ago that drives the whole plot. Sadly, that's what Doctor Who in its final years was all about. At least these discs go someway to making it a little clearer!

McCoy DOES try but.....
I feel sorry for Sylvester McCoy. Because of bad management decisions at the BBC, he didn't get a proper regeneration sequence, his first season was horrible AND short since it wasn't written for him. He was saddled with two companions, one, Mel, who was an unbelievable annoyance and then Ace who eventually had some good moments but also had a mush-mouth and it was often hard to hear what she was actually saying. He only had 12 adventures to play the Doctor on TV at the time and about 8 of them were pretty bad. "Fenric" is one of his better shows but unfortunately that's not saying much. Sometimes, things are not clear in this story, such as the badguy being an old enemy of the Doctor and this really does seem to come out of nowhere. McCoy's Doctor being very secretive and manipulative? Never quite worked for me and I felt the show was at it's worst during his era. He did have some good shows, though, the best being 'Remembrance of the Daleks', 'Happiness Patrol' and 'Battlefield'. Fenric runs in place right after. Keep in mind, I don't blame McCoy but pretty much everybody ELSE involved at the time, right down to the sound man who apparently didn't know what he was doing either when you can't understand a lot of the incidental dialogue spoken by your two lead actors. Go buy ANYTHING form Tom Bakers 12th, 13th and 14th season or Colin Bakers 22nd season for the very best in "Who". Edited to add: the whole "must use voting button to EARN a voting button" is silly and I DID vote on another review so I don't know why they're not recognizing that. Goofy system. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Scotland's Loch Ness is the setting of this very traditional 1975Doctor Who monster story--though it was actuallyfilmed in southern England, with local atmosphere provided byScottish character actor Angus Lennie (The Great Escape). The Doctor (TomBaker) is called in to investigate a mystery involving the destruction ofseveral oil rigs, and it's not too longbefore the Loch Ness monster is revealed as the culprit. But it'sactually just a biomechanical weapon being manipulated by the evilZygons, who have been living at the bottom of Loch Ness and plotting worlddomination. The organically designed sets and monsters are verystriking, as are the visual effects, with one notable exception: reallybig creatures have always been difficult for the series, with its limitedbudget, to pull off, and this story's reliance on an obvious puppetmonster, especially during the climax, diminishes its impact. Butthere is still much to relish, particularly the dialogue of writer RobertBanks Stewart (who would go on to create the long-running BBCseries Bergerac), which provides a number of gems,including the Doctor admonishing the Zygons that if they succeed intheir plans, "You'll have to come out on the balcony sometimes andwave a tentacle." With much derring-do, the Doctor saves the day asusual, but not before four exciting episodes of fun and action. --Ryan K. Johnson ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Terror Of The Zygons
This is a re-release of a serial that was previously in omnibus format It's a very fast paced story that featuresTom Baker at his best also thelast serial to feature U.N.I.Tand the Harry Sullivan companion. The Location work was great making it seem that it was filmed in Scotland when really filmed in some fabulous locations in the U.K."One of Tom Baker's best and in original episodic format alsohas a one minute Disney into where the Brigadier calls the Doctor back! A Must for any Doctor Who fan!

Zygons?...A name humans will learn to fear!
This story has be rated as one of the best ever. Not only are the monsters among the series most convincing (by 1970's Dr Who standards), but the overall atmosphere generated by the direction and production is extremely powerful. Adding to this wonderfully eerie feel, is a superb score by Geoffrey Burgon - the tension created by his music is incredible. For me John Woodnutt steals the show, playing two parts as the lead monster 'Broton', and the 'Duke'. His whispering delivery of the aliens' threat to the world ranks as one of the series most remarkable performances. Some feel that the story is let down by some badly executed animation used for the 'Skarasen' (The Loch Ness Monster). But for me, this only further enhances the appeal of the story: It's not Hollywood special effects that make it work, it's a superb mix of deep characterisation, thoughtful direction and above all, spine-tingling performances from all involved.

"I loathe this abomination of a body...."
The Doctor, Sarah and Harry arrive back on Earth after the Doctor receives a message from the Brigadier that things aren't right at Loch Ness. An incredibly inventive story that has the feel of a Troughton adventure, possibly due to Camfield's careful direction and camera angles. And it looks as though the production team is still trying to feel their way around(as well as Baker) in establishing the Doctor's fourth incarnation. The Zygons themselves are presented to the audience very well, and the story has some effectively scary moments. There is some overblown dialogue here and there, but certainly doesn't distract the viewer. The special effects are "night and day", and shouldn't take away from the enjoyment of this adventure. And even though the bonus video at the beginning isn't as long as "The Face of Evil" or "The War Machines" release, it's still enjoyable, especially in its episodic format.

"THE ULTIMATE WEAPON!"
Apart from one of the cheesiest monsters ever invented(except Godzilla in Japan, of course!), this is a vast improvement on Revenge Of The Cybermen and has atmospheric aliens, brilliant dialogue, nice location shooting, great special effects and Geoffrey Holder's music rises high above Dudley Simpson's very un-spectacular music around that time that slowed some of Baker's adventures to a walking pace. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the early 1970s, the BBC shamefully erased most of their master tapesof black-and-white Doctor Who episodes from the 1960s, with only a fewrandom episodes here and there surviving the purge. Hence the appearance of thiscompilation tape of two Patrick Troughton stories featuring the Cybermen--sortof low-tech versions of Star Trek's Borg--where fewer than half theepisodes still exist. Hosted by the sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, and interspersedwith interviews with series contributors at the time, there are two episodes(out of four) from "The Moonbase" from 1967, and two episodes (out of six) from1968's "The Wheel in Space." The final episode of "The Wheel in Space" is anarchivist's delight, perhaps the cleanest copy of a '60s episode that stillexists (the rest rely on sometimes murky kinescopes).

Short excerpts are also included from "The Tenth Planet" (featuring theCybermen's first-ever appearance), "Tomb of the Cybermen," and "The Invasion."What remains of the stories is still effective because it exploits the bleakblack-and-white photography of the time, and the Cybermen's penchant for takingon isolated near-defenseless humans on futuristic outposts. It was a simplertime when monsters could still threaten without irony, "Resistance is useless"and "You will be destroyed!" But it has to be said that these partialrepresentations are probably for die-hard completists only; casual fans would bebetter served by the excellent novelizations of the missing stories, or the fewremaining (near) complete Cybermen stories like "Tomb of the Cybermen" and "TheInvasion" also available on home video. --Ryan K. Johnson ... Read more

Reviews (5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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