Doctor Who: The E-Space Trilogy - Full Circle/State of Decay/Warriors' Gate (Stories 112-114) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)"One good solid hope's worth a cart-load of certainties..." well, any fan worth their salt will certainly want this set...
The on-again-off-again blocks of tight continuity and multi-episode story arcs of the new Doctor Who series has already primed fans for the return of this string of CLASSIC Doctor Who stories and some of the best of Tom Baker's final season as the 4th incarnation of the Timelord. This set comes not only at a peak of the show's popularity, but during the restyling of the shows look (and sound). Producer John-Nathan Turner, retooled, the theme and graphic for the 80's, even the Doctor's threads, JNT introduced his appropriately somber plum gear. This set contains the finest examples of all of those changes, end for the Timelady Romana and K9, also the beginning of the end for the 4th Doctor.
"Full Circle" is the first of this arc featuring not only an introduction E-Space, a smaller universe with a universe, but the Doctor's questionable next companion, Adric. Adric is a sortof smarter-version of the 2nd Doctor's Highlander companion Jamie, crossed with Dickens' "Artful Dodger." Will Sci-fi writers never learn, the arrogant oversmart teenager is never appealing on screen, just as poor ole' Weasley Crusher. "Full Circle" for it's faults contains some great moments for Baker to chew-up the scenery, and some superb costuming, the Marshmen ala' creatures of the Black Lagoon. "Full Circle" is a tale of a culture apparently stuck in endless preparations for a "return home" with several dark secrets which further delay their journey. Determined to get "back to the basics" and have the Doctor solving problems without any quick fixes, the producers planned to remove K9 from the series. Already, opening the season with him exploding in saltwater, the assault on K9 continues having him spend much of this 4 parter with his head off.
The next story "State of Decay" is the best of the three...finally VAMPIRES in the Doctor Who Universe (or in this case an E-Space universe)...The Doctor tells in hoarse whispers how "every known planet has legends of vampires" and reads ancient tales of the early Timelords and the war with the Great Vampire and his minions, he reveals how after the bodies were tallied, he remained unaccounted for. Before Steven Moffat's episodes aired, State of Decay was surely the creepiest of the long running series. An ancient rocket, it's fuel tanks filled, not with fuel, but BLOOD!! Hoo, hoo! Genius! An the superb attention to atmosphere in "the village," even Romana's wardrobe to the Hammeresques trio of kingly vampires...Genius, I say again.
Finally, the escape from E-Space in "Warrior's Gate." Featuring a strange and interesting use of a virtual environment, while fairly common now was less successful in past attempts when the series worked "set-less." Here I feel it works well achieving the "nowhere" effects (much like the 2nd Doctor's visit to the Land of Fiction), although much of this episode is overcomplicated and artsy. The cat-people make-up, of the Thrails and the neat Gundan robot warriors all add the high-concept effort of this unique story. In some early moments two of the crew of the Slaver ship indulge an homage to "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" even including the coin. The story follows a cat-like race that while once cruel masters themselves, are currently in need of liberating, the Doctor's prime hobby. As always more great dialog, gems like the Doctor's, "We'll burn that bridge when we come to it." and from Romana, "Astral Jung!" The final farewell to Romana and K9 is brief and less moving than many departures in the show's history, although the Doctor assures us that she will be more than just alright...she'll be SUPERB.
The E-Space Trilogy is a really good set of DVDs to own at a pretty good price. E-SPACE DRINKING GAMES...Drink whenever:
...the TARDIS Monitor shows an exterior shot of someplace they're not.
...you see a technacothaka or any other quirky turn of phrase like the "Three Who Rule," "the Wasting" or even "Mistfall."
...K9 is broken, abused or otherwise written out of the story.
...the Doctor misquotes Shakesphere...like 'He who outlives this day and comes safe home shall stand a tiptoe when this day is named and rouse him at the name of E-Space!"
...the Doctor says, "SWARMED" ...what? "Swarmed."
...Adric seemingly or actually betrays Romana to gangs or vampires.
...a character melodramatically utters the title, example. "...we've come Full Circle!"
...we see an establishing shot that is a model or a matte...like the STARLINER, The Tower, the Warriors Gate or the long shots of the SlaveShip.
...the Doctor shows off his (architectural) expertise and misses the mark like in the Tower of the Lords in "State of Decay" he says the decor is rococo when actually it's late Saxon/early Romanesque...oh snap!

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The Tardis has brought the Doctor, Romana and K9 to an alternate unvierse, E-Space, where huge poisonous spiders, space vampires and gateways between past and future are commonplace.
DVD Features:Deleted ScenesFeaturetteInterviewsProduction Notes

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Doctor Who: Image of the Fendahl (Story 94) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Elaborately balanced between horrific and comedic, "Image of the Fendahl" comes in near the midpoint of Tom Baker's tenure as the Doctor, a justifiably classic phase of the series when those responsible for its making seem confident but not complacent that their efforts will entertain a wide segment of the BBC audience. That is, while a bit murkier and edgier than prior years, this is still "Doctor Who" as the quintessential family show--somehow working on several levels at once. On the simplest and most tangible level we have big slug-like monsters (and, this being the olden days before CGI, I think we should stop a moment and appreciate the inventive craftsmanship that endowed them with a mouthful of squirming writhing tentacles). On an equally thrilling if less visceral level, we have a finely-scripted tale of suspense and mystery. On yet more sophisticated levels yet, all of this is framed and informed by a complex and intriguingly speculative science fiction premise of astronomical scale spanning eons--which might feel overly remote if it didn't all come to a crisis within the familiar context of rural England in the 1970's. And yet all these levels cohere in harmony rather than jarring and grating with each other, which takes astounding storytelling skill if you think about it.
It seems natural to characterize this story as the last gasp of the so-called "gothic" tendency seen in the show in the mid-70's. Certainly this is apt in that for all intents and purposes "Image of the Fendahl" follows the plot logic of a good horror story (in some ways it rather reminds me of John Carpenter's 1987 film "Prince of Darkness", in fact). It also works the old reliable "Doctor Who" alchemy of reinterpreting standard horror motifs in a science fiction idiom: the pentagram is a "neural relay", the inability to move as something wicked approaches (a prototypical nightmare) is due to some sort of psychic force, a pinch of salt to ward of evil works because sodium chloride "prevents control of localized disruption of osmotic pressures" and so on. For all that, though, this story is somewhat atypical. In such beloved classics as "Pyramids of Mars" and "the Brain of Morbius" and such, the scientific technical interpretation straightforwardly replaces the supernatural one, utterly displacing and invalidating it--a well-intended nod anyway to the show's original mandate to encourage an interest in science (and history) among its younger viewers. Here things are not so simple, however. The premodern, pre-scientific, indeed pre-Christian manner of explaining these phenomena, especially as they are articulated by the local wise woman/"witch" Martha Tyler, are portrayed not as backwards, ignorant, and wrong but merely as different, as an alternate frame of reference every bit as functional when the Fendahleen are slithering towards you down the hall. You know things are getting weird when the Doctor reels off three mutually-conflicting explanations for what's happening as if all three are equally valid and equally invalid. That's surely eccentric even by the Fourth Doctor's standards. But for those of us who suspect that a little epistemological doubt is healthy, it's also rather refreshing.
Multiple levels of significance and sophistication would mean little if not for the wonderfully varied cast of characters we have here though, all of them saved from the brink of stereotype and brought to life by impeccable acting of the first order as well as a superb script sensitive to the finer points of characterization. One actually cares what happens to them, and that's the ultimate sorcery that makes or breaks a tale.

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Doctor Who: The Deadly Assassin (Story 88) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)What can be said about The Deadly Assassin? It's great. It's full of mystery and intrigue, action and suspense, and Tom Baker fortunately not having a companion to upstage him. I daren't talk about the story further; rather, I shall discuss both the DVD and the controversy the story created during transmission.
Ever hear of Mary Whitehouse? I suspect most Americans don't know her, but since this is a British show and she didn't really like it, I feel the need to talk about her. She was an ultra-conservative bint who complained from the 1960's through the 1990's about how so-called "depravity" in BBC programmes (that is, sex, violence and profanity) was culturally retarding the UK. Strangely, she never seemed to complain about anything on ITV (the other major UK broadcaster at the time); I guess it's because they aren't funded by the government, and therefore don't matter. Pink Floyd ripped on her in their album Animals in 1977 (and in America, Tipper Gore hilariously misinterpreted the line "Hey you, Whitehouse" from the album as anti-American).
She started to get her knickers in a twist about Doctor Who in the early 1970's (probably not long after Terror of the Autons was broadcast), but most people didn't listen to her. But then, after part three of this serial was broadcast, she unleashed a vicious attack. She was not very happy about the cliffhanger, where the Doctor's head is held underwater in a memorable freeze-frame shot. The BBC apologized and removed the shot from the master tape.
However, recordings made during the original broadcast exist with the original ending intact, and have been used to restore the ending for the DVD. Speaking of, the DVD includes an audio commentary featuring Tom Baker, Bernard Horsfall and producer Philip Hinchcliffe, along with three documentaries concerning the production of the story, the influence that "The Manchurian Candidate" had on the episode, and the most frightening moments in Doctor Who respectively. Whitehouse (who died in 2001) is featured in the former documentary; it should be a real hoot to hear her attack the show, like that footage of Michael Grade in The Trial of a Time Lord's special features.
All in all, a great episode wrapped up in a nice DVD package. Recommended.

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Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius (Story 84) (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Season Thirteen.
Much to the Doctors chagrin the Time Lords have taken control of the TARDIS, sending the Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith into very dangerous ground upon the stormlashed spaceship graveyard planet of Karn.
Sheltering from the rain in a castle atop a mountain, the Doctor encounters the surgeon Mehendri Solon, and his simple minded slave/assistant Condo conducting gruesome experiments on living flesh, but for what reason?
And now as a storm approaches, great evil from the depths of Time Lord history plots its return to the land of the living.
But can even the Doctor's mind, be a match for The Brain of Morbius.
~~~~
Four episodes of sumptuous gothic filled suspense, suspense that will suspend your everyday worries and cares, well at least for ninety minutes anyway. Mr Baker and Ms Sladen are on sparkling form, as is Philip Madoc, marvellously getting his teeth into a role he can go gloriously over the top with. Welsh born Madoc was a; "Who" semi regular, featuring in stories like The War Games as The War Lord, The Krotons as Eelek, and The Power of Kroll as Fenner. As well as the second Peter Cushing Dalek film. And with the passing of time, even writer Terrance Dicks no longer feels so bland towards this story anymore. For people like myself who finds the extras a nice touch, I did feel the extras were a bit on the weak side compared to some other releases.
Warning to the parents of little ones, the scene where Solon shoots Condo reveals a bit of blood, so a bit of parental discretion may be called for there.
~~~~
DVD Extras
Commentary by Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen, Philip Madoc, Philip Hinchcliffe and Christopher Barry .
Getting a Head:~ A new documentary about the making of the programme featuring Christopher Barry, Philip Hinchcliffe,writer Terrance Dicks, designer Barry Newbery, composer Dudley Simpson, and actors Philip Madoc, Cynthia Grenville, Colin Fay and Gillian Brown, with narration by Paul McGann
Designs on Karn: How the planet Karn was created, with designer Barry Newbery
Set Tour Take a walk around the studio sets with this 3D CGI reconstruction
Radio Times Billings: Listings from Radio Times on Pdf DVD Rom
Photo Gallery
Sketch Gallery
Coming Soon Trailer
Production Information Subtitles
Digitally remastered picture and sound quality.
Originally broadcast:~ 3rd January 1976 - 24th January 1976.
(Region 2 version now on sale at amazon.uk)


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Item Name: Doctor Who: The Brain of Morbius (Episode 84); Studio:BBC Video / Warner Bros.

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Doctor Who: The Invasion of Time (Story 97) (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)
The premise of "THE INVASION OF TIME" is simple, but genius: WHAT IF... the Doctor became EVIL? "Invasion" is a sequel of sorts to the Doctor's last visit to his homeworld of Gallifrey in "Deadly Assassin" in which the Doctor saves the Timelords from the Master and in doing so becomes the sole surviving candidate in an election to determine the Timelord Presidency. The story opens with the Doctor apparently selling out his people to anonymous alien invaders. The Doctor berates and expels his companion, Leela and betrays his old Timelord mentor Borusa and before long succeeds in arranging the conquest of the planet. Once revealed, the invaders turn out to be B list, working for the Sontarans (as seen in this season's DW series 4, the "Sontaran Stratagem"). The Sontaran want control over time itself, via the relics of the President's office and the help of the Lord President of the Timelords a.k.a The Doctor...Once the Doctor's plan is revealed things really get complicated...a rebellion against the traitorous Doctor is underway, ultimately leading up to a battle for Gallifrey, even including a "unforgettable" chase through the deep recesses of the Doctor's TARDIS.
Some of the best moments of the story include conversations between the overbearing Lord Doctor and Borusa, his teacher's current & most memorable incarnation played by John Arnatt. Tom Baker is in top form when he in his over-the-top megalomaniacal glory for the first half of the story. The climatic TARDIS chase is memorable, not for the execution, which isn't so good, but the sense of the transdimensional nature of the Doctor's craft. The scenes in the TARDIS really convey the limitlessness and spark the imagination for the possibilities in store for the new series, hopefully. K9 mark I. and Leela say their farewells, but what's not so memorable, the unbelievable romance between the warrior woman Leela and the sheltered Captain of the Guard, Andred. Equally forgettable are some effects on the second string invaders, the Vardans, worse than their horrible shroud images is their actual physical form in some sort of cross between a WWII paratrooper and a TV news cameraman. One major flaw of the finale of the 6 part story is having the Doctor solve the conflict with a gadget, especially when that gadget is for all intents and purposes a big gun! Even fans new to the series, know "the Doctor just `ain't down with `dat!"
For all of it's script troubles, plot and FX flaws, Invasion is a must own for any Doctor Who fan, for it's many Timelord and Tardis milestones and because the Sontarans have just been revamped. Besides, this is history.
"Invasion" Drinking Game
Drink....
...everytime Gallifrey is saved from "the invaders."
...when Leela kills ( or throttles ) someone.
...everytime RASSILON is mentioned (the Presidential induction provides loads of these.)
...when you see the same BBC car-park stairwell in the TARDIS.
...when a Sontaran trips on patio furniture.


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Doctor Who: The Invisible Enemy (Story 93) / K9 and Company: A Girl's Best Friend (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Invisible Enemy.
A mysterious cloud is causing havoc in space, infecting all those who pass through it with an intelligent virus, the first victims are a crew of a shuttle heading for Titan base.(One of Saturns moons)
The Doctor and Leela try to come to the rescue, but the TARDIS passes through the cloud itself, leaving the Doctor infected with the nucleus.
He and Leela then try to find help at a medical station situated inside a Asteroid, where they meet the eccentric Professor Marius and his pet robot K-9.
According to this story written English in the future will be spelt phonetically, look at the wall signs. Interesting concept.
(Air date:~01/10/77-22/10/77)
~~~~
This was an ambitious story that was unusually given more sfx shots then was usually allowed for a Who story. And once again the Beeb was thankful for it's supplies of old Gerry Anderson models.
~~~~
DVD extras.
Commentary. With actors Louise Jameson and John Leeson, visual effects designer Mat Irvine and co-writer Bob Baker.
Dreams and Fantasy - artistes and production crew recall the making of this story and even take the original K9 for walkies. With actors Louise Jameson and John Leeson, director Derrick Goodwin, co-writer Bob Baker, visual effects designers Tony Harding and Mat Irvine, K9 operator Nigel Brackley, journalist Gary Gillatt.
Studio Sweepings - a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes on the recording of this story, courtesy of a timecoded Shibaden videotape recorded for production use.
Visual Effect - Visual effects designer Mat Irvine meets up with his old colleague Ian Scoones at Bray Studios to talk about the visual effects for 'The Invisible Enemy' and other stories.
Blue Peter - K9 meets John Noakes and Shep in this extract from the long running children's magazine show
CGI Effects - this gives the viewer the option to watch the story with many of the original video effects sequences replaced by CGI versions. Trailers and Continuity, Photo Gallery, Coming Soon, Easter Egg, Radio Times Listings Programme subtitles, Subtitle Production Notes.
~~~~
K9 and Company.
Sarah Jane Smith pays a Christmas visit to her Aunt Lavinia's house in the village of Moreton Harwood. She discovers that Lavinia, a noted scientist, has yet to return from a lecture tour of the USA. She does however meet Brendan (Lavinia's ward) and Commander Bill Pollock*, her partner in a small market garden business.
Also in the house, is a box sent to her by the Doctor, in it she finds K9.
The luckless Brendan is kidnapped by a local coven of witches who want to sacrifice him to the goddess Hecate. Sarah, with K9's assistance, set out to try and foil their dastardly plan.
This was a pilot for a possible spin-off series from Doctor Who. Alas, it was not to be.
(Air date:~ 28/12/81)
(*Bill Pollock is played by Bill Fraser, he played General Grugger in Meglos.)
~~~~
Once passed the annoying and severely dated eighties theme and credits this is an okay story for the undemanding viewer. The more discerning Who fan will probably be impatiently waiting for "Seeds of Doom" and other such stories.
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DVD extras.
Commentary - With actors Elisabeth Sladen, John Leeson, Linda Polan and script editor Eric Saward.
The K9 Files - key production personnel look at the making of this story and K9's subsequent life in books and comic strips. With actors Elisabeth Sladen, John Leeson, writer and co-creator of K9, Dave Martin, script editor Terrance Dicks, director John Black, visual effects designer Mat Irvine and journalist Moray Laing.
K9 - A Dog's Tale - K9 himself answers a selection of questions about his life.
Pebble Mill at One - K9's appearance on the Christmas 1981 edition of the BBC1 lunchtime magazine show.
Trails and Continuities, Photo Gallery, Coming Soon Trailer
K9 Stories - four books for younger children - 'K9 and the Beasts of Vega', 'K9 and the Missing Planet', 'K9 and the Time Trap' and 'K9 and the Zeta Rescue' - plus the K9 annual on PDF for Mac and PC.
The K9 Radio Times Listings
Programme subtitles, Subtitle Production Notes.


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