DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who’ – ‘The Enemy of the World’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who’ – ‘The Enemy of the World’ on Blogcritics.

The BBC’s Doctor Who has seen many episodes lost in time, especially from the early seasons, due to studio practices that flew in the face of preservation. This is highly regrettable for the many fans of the franchise, especially those of us that came of age well after the original run, having never had the opportunity to see all of the adventures of the infamous Time Lord and his various companions. But from time to time, stories long missing have been recovered and restored, to the delight of viewers the world over. This month’s Doctor Who DVD release, “The Enemy of the World,” is one that benefits from just such a discovery.

“The Enemy of the World” is the fourth serial of the fifth season, originally airing in December, 1967 and January, 1968. Five of the six episodes had not been seen in some time, but were discovered in Nigeria last year, meaning the entire serial can be released as it was broadcast, unlike others which have been augmented with stills or animation to fill in the gaps. A departure from the typical Doctor Who story, “The Enemy of the World” pits The Doctor (Patrick Troughton), Jamie (Frazer Hines), and Victoria (Deborah Watling) against a dictator bent on domination whom looks awfully familiar.

Yep, Troughton plays both the hero and the villain in “The Enemy of the World,” a science fiction trope that has been repeated over and over again, including on Star Trek at around the same time. Perhaps not highly original, and certainly the capability of showing two Troughtons on screen at the same time is primitive, it’s entertaining for the audience to see one of their favorite performers in a different light, and it gives the lead a chance to stretch their acting muscles. The writing here is a little weaker than some, with less care taken to explain away the physical similarities, but that could be a boon, as some shows went into cheesy territory in their desire to give answers. Thus, while the whole thing may seem a little stale from a modern perspective, if one keeps an open mind, one might find the project an enjoyable viewing experience. It’s a decent story, over all.

The story is set in Australia in 2018, not too far from our own era. It’s always enlightening to see how the people in the past expected the world to turn out. For instance, “The Enemy of the World” takes the stance that we would be further along in the globalization process, with more large-scale organizations ruling over huge swaths of the planet. Obviously, while there has been some progress on this front, especially in Europe, this is not the case. Though, events unfold differently on this version of Earth, so perhaps its not unrealistic, just not the outcome reached because of prior circumstances. It’s not the only thing that the story gets wrong, showing a 2018 far behind the technology spectrum than we are in 2014.

I think what is portrayed says something about the era in which it was written, more than where we currently are as a society. Part of this vision is a darkness. The people here live underground, convinced a nuclear war has made the surface uninhabitable, except for grotesque mutants. Whether this is the truth or not is irrelevant in pondering the larger themes, a window into how scared some were in the 1960s about the destruction of the world. Obviously, a third world war has yet to emerge, and personally, I doubt very much that it will any time soon. But it’s cool that the installments, set in the near future, have one thinking much more about the past.

Disappointingly, “The Enemy of the World” lacks any extras, a rarity for a Doctor Who title, as most are jam-packed with bonus material. It is similar to last month’s release, though, which also contains lost episodes found at the same time. Both were previously made available on iTunes, and a DVD may have been hurried along, though I do not have any facts to support that theory. The good news is, the BBC is not shy about releasing Special Editions down the road, so for now, fans can enjoy the serial for the first time in a very long time, and eventually, we’ll probably get an edition more to most buyers’ liking.

Doctor Who – “The Enemy of the World” will be available beginning this Tuesday on a single disc DVD.

DOCTOR WHO Gets Caught in "The Web of Fear"

Article first published as DVD Review: 'Doctor Who' - 'The Web of Fear' on Blogcritics.

Fans of Doctor Who can rejoice! A long lost, but oft-lauded, serial from 1968 was recovered in Nigeria last year. The Web of Fear, the fifth serial of the fifth season, now gets the DVD treatment in the latest release from the BBC. Five of the six episodes are present, with the audio recording of episode three mixed with still photos in order to present the entire story on this single disc set.

On its own, The Web of Fear is a terrific tale of terror. The Doctor (Patrick Troughton), Jamie (Frazer Hines), and Victoria (Deborah Watling) try to escape a threat in space and end up in London. There, they encounter a military group facing off with an unknown threat. Going below the earth, the Doctor and his companions find a rapidly spreading foam and some pretty scary monsters. The race is on to figure out who the bad guy is and how to stop them.

More than most Doctor Who episodes, The Web of Fear is frightening. With the style and tone of a horror movie, suspense is built with shadows and sounds, relying less on action sequences, as befit the show’s budget. The director does a stellar job of building tension with clever shots and an eerie score, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats throughout the brilliantly tangled “Whodunnit?” mystery. The writing holds up extremely well, and buoyed by a terrific guest cast, including returning player Jack Watling as an older Professor Travers, this is one of the better serials from this era.

The Web of Fear is also important to the continuity of the larger Doctor Who universe. It is a sequel to The Abominable Snowmen (which sadly remains lost), and also to the 2012 Christmas special, my personal favorite holiday outing for the good Doctor, The Snowmen.

It features the Great Intelligence using Yeti to try to invade the city through the Underground, the set up of which is in an episode of the modern-day reboot, and brings back a popular character from a previous serial, as well as introducing UNIT and Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney), who are a major part of Doctor Who moving forward.

Those familiar with the more recent Great Intelligence stories will notice a lot of similarities in the way the villain is handled. The GI is fond of natural weapons and controlling life forms entirely. It also favors a cold weather motif, and seeks to add to its brainpower. Seeing how well the Great Intelligence is used here, it is no wonder it made a big impression on the people who make the series now, and it’s easy to see why they wanted to bring it back.

As far as picture and sound quality go, one would expect The Web of Fear to be severely lacking, given that the prints were found in not-so-nice conditions, not taken care of or preserved in any real fashion. Yet, most likely due to a high talented restoration team, it looks pretty darn good. There are visual flaws, of course, showing the age of the installments themselves. But considering what it’s been through, The Web of Fear is sharper and more detailed than I expected, with a soundtrack that is quite defined for a mono presentation.

The Web of Fear lacks special features entirely. This may come as a surprise to Doctor Who fans who eagerly snap up each new DVD, usually jammed with tons of bonus material. One reason we may be left wanting here is because the story might have been rushed into release, having only been discovered a year ago, in an effort to spare fans of a longer wait. Another may be that the money for the project went into the episodes themselves, clearly presented with care. Whatever the cause, that probably just means the title is ripe for a Special Edition down the line.

Even without extras, though, I still recommend checking out The Web of Fear. It is a compelling, well-made story that stands the test of time and features some terrific performances and production. It’s also cool to fill in such a glaring gap in the Doctor Who universe, connecting dots that many thought could never be connected.

Doctor Who – The Web of Fear is available now.

DOCTOR WHO Visits "The Moonbase"

Article first published as DVD Review: 'Doctor Who' - 'The Moonbase' on Blogcritics.

After an absence during the holidays, the BBC returns to classic Doctor Who releases with The Moonbase. Set in 2070 on Earth’s moon, this four-part serial originally aired February and March 1967, the sixth serial in the fourth season, but has remained unreleased for so long because parts have been missing. Now, with half of the serial existing as recreated animation, it finally gets the DVD treatment.

As The Moonbase begins, The Doctor (Patrick Troughton), Polly (Anneke Wills), Ben (Michael Craze), and Jamie (Frazer Hines) land on the rock above the Earth to enjoy the low-gravity fun available. It isn’t long, though, before they are pulled into a plot at the human-run base, which controls the weather back on our globe. A virus is sweeping through the base’s residents, and soon infects Jamie. Thus, The Doctor must remain until he can sort out what’s happening and fix it.

Of course, a disease is only part of the problem. Doctor Who thrives on monsters, not microscopic bugs, and The Moonbase is no different from the rest of the series in that regard. The Cyberman, redesigned in their second appearance in the show, are behind much of what is going wrong at the base. They pose a serious threat, and if The Doctor can’t stop them, our planet will be in immense danger.

The Moonbase is a pretty good adventure. It does drag in sections, and there are times when the action gets a little hokey, such as a simple drink tray being able to seal a hole in an atmosphere-controlled space. But there are also some very adrenaline-inducing moments, such as the cliffhanger in the penultimate episode, and the Cyberman are quite scary here, as they will continue to be for decades to come.

We don’t usually think of Doctor Who as bending to motivations other than good storytelling, but The Moonbase has a couple of examples of outside influence. The script was commissioned before the first Cyberman story finished airing, wanting to capitalize on the strong, positive reaction the public showed towards the characters. Also, Jamie was added as a main character between the start of the writing and when filming began, so he doesn’t really belong in The Moonbase, something relatively easy to tell when watching it, but is included anyway.

Fun fact: John Levene, later known for playing Sergeant Benton on Doctor Who, guest stars as a Cyberman in this serial. There are other minor players in The Moonbase that tackle different parts in other Doctor Who stories, but Levene is the most notable. This tradition of reusing performers continues to this day, as the newest Doctor, Peter Capaldi, already did a small role in a David Tennant-led episode, which, interestingly enough, is the same installment Karen Gillian appeared in pre-Amy Pond.

If you’re interested in geeky facts like that, you’ll love the extras included on The Moonbase. There’s a twenty-minute “Making of” special. The audio commentaries are divided, with different groups dong the track for the odd numbered episodes than the even numbered ones, though all four get the treatment. Plus, there’s a photo gallery and PDF materials.

This may seem like a lighter compliment than many recent Doctor Who DVD releases, and that is true. However, we’ve gotten used to a lot of Special Editions, second bouts of already-released titles, which seem to collect more materials to make them worth another look. The Moonbase is getting its very first DVD edition here, save a partial release as part of a collection ten years ago. So while it would be nice to have a few more bonuses, the amount present is not entirely unexpected nor off base, excuse the pun.

Doctor Who The Moonbase will be available beginning this Tuesday on DVD.

DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who – The Ice Warriors’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who – The Ice Warriors’ on Blogcritics.

The latest Doctor Who release is a brand-new edition for the DVD franchise. The Ice Warriors is the third serial of the fifth season; it originally aired November and December 1967. But episodes two and three of the six-part serial had been lost, but with the help of animation, complete adventure finally can be presented on DVD.

The Ice Warriors takes place on Earth sometime in the future, though the time period is not clear. Glaciers threaten mankind, possibly throwing the planet into another ice age. A brave team of scientists are diligently racing the clock to complete a machine that can halt the ice, but they are near the point where they will have to give up. Unfortunately, it’s at just this inconvenient time that their work is threatened.

The danger comes from two places. First, there’s Penley (Peter Sallis, Last of the Summer Wine) and Clent (Peter Barkworth, Patton), one of whom used to be a member of the team. This pair are technophobic, and don’t approve of using technology to alter the natural order of the planet. I guess they’re afraid the base’s work might spark a Skynet attack or something.

Secondly, a Martian is found frozen and inadvertently awakened. Once thawed, the warrior, who is named Varga (Bernard Bresslaw, the Carry On films), seeks out his crew mates, hoping to dig his ship from the ice and fly away. Not only are the Martians scary and murderous, though, they also need a key component in the base’s life-saving machine to fuel their ship.

Luckily for the humans, the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) arrives with companions Victoria (Debra Watling) and Jamie (Frazer Hines). They are plenty willing to lend a hand, as they wont to do, to help save the Earth from all of its enemies, whether they be alien, human, or natural in nature.

I have to admit, The Ice Warriors is not my favorite Doctor Who serial; not even close. The plot is meandering, the characters are ill-defined, and the events just don’t make sense. With time being held so precious, there should be no chance to dither or run around, and yet, that’s what happens. And while I did feel the threat posed, it doesn’t seem nearly as serious as in other adventures. Yes, there is death, but most of the people could leave this place and be all right at just about any given time.

I wish more care had been given to study motivation. We don’t really understand why certain characters do certain things or take certain sides. The Ice Warriors unfolds unevenly, and perhaps the story would flow better with a little more explanation along the way. One character just disappears before the end with barely a mention as to where she is, certainly not something that works for the story. It’s not a bad serial, but there are plenty better in the series.

I don’t think the blame for this can be completely laid upon the jarring transition from digitally remastered live-action to cartoon and back again. While it would be preferable to have the set as aired, it’s understandable that the production team is doing the best they can with what they have left, and fans of Doctor Who would rather have this presentation than one missing a third of the running time.

As usual, there are plenty of extras on this latest Doctor Who saga. All six episode have audio commentaries, with one group covering the filmed installments and others handling the animated ones. There are making of featurettes for both, as well VHS links, PDF materials, a photo gallery, an animated version of the original trailer, and more. In short, both old fans and new ones are served, and the extras are split between the original story and what has gone into this edition.

Doctor Who: The Ice Warriors is available now on DVD.

Doctor Who outwits The Krotons

The Krotons is the fourth serial in the sixth season of the classic British series, Doctor Who. Originally aired in December 1968 and January 1969, this four-part serial featuring the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton) has just been released for the first time on DVD.

In The Krotons, the Doctor and his companions, Jamie (Frazer Hines) and Zoe (Wendy Padbury), land on a planet inhabited by two races, the Krotons and the Gonds. The Gonds are treated as inferiors, being taken care of by the Krotons. In exchange, the Gonds hand over the smartest of their people to be companions for the Krotons. This arrangement is mostly fine, though one Gond, Thara (Gilbert Wynne), who happens to be the son of the Gond leader, Selris (James Copeland), begins to speak out against the deal.

The truth of the situation is far graver, as the Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe soon find out. The Krotons are executing the bright Gonds, not using them as companions. This keeps intelligence limited and the Gonds subservient, never allowing them to find educated enough leaders to do any in-depth investigation, or to try to shake up the system. That is, until now, as the Krotons' real actions are exposed publicly. Though even then, the Gonds are not in agreement over how to proceed.

The Krotons is a post-invasion tale, in which life goes on after the aliens take over. Generally, stories of this nature happen at an earlier place on the time line, but it's cool to see the "new normal" post-take over, and the rebellion as it develops.

The Krotons are not all powerful, as one might think at first. If they were, they would leave the planet and move on. They need the Gonds, though the Gonds don't need them, and are actually hurt by their presence. In this, the Krotons are like a parasite. Even worse, the Gonds don't see the truth because of the reality the Krotons have been perpetuating upon them.

But any deal of this nature will eventually crumple, and when it does, it's quite entertaining at a television show. Hence why The Krotons works so well as a Doctor Who serial. Now, this desperation story is not something new. But, as usual, Doctor Who presents it in a way that seems fresh and different, compelling to watch.

It's easy to feel sympathy for the Gonds, and to demonize the Krotons. Perhaps the Krotons were doing whatever they had to to survive, but does that excuse treading on the rights of others? Most people would say no.

Doctor Who The Krotons has had both the picture and sound remastered. Still shown in the original black and white, the presentation is pretty crisp for a serial so old. It's far from perfect, of course, but a huge improvement over the earlier VHS tape, so this DVD should be well appreciated by the fans.

The DVD extras on this single disc release are plenty. Toby Hadoke once more moderates a panel for the audio commentary, this time including costume designer Bobi Bartlett, special sounds designer Brian Hodgson, assistant floor manager David Tilley, make-up designer Sylvia James, and guest actors Richard Ireson, Philip Madoc, and Gilbert Wynne. There are also the usual PDF materials and photo gallery.

As far as featurettes go, a handful suffice. There is a seven-minute one called "Doctor's Strange Love," which features fans' points of view. Part 1 of a Frazer Hines interview from 2003's The Story of Doctor Who, running seventeen minutes, is included. Most importantly, there is a fifty-two minute documentary focusing on Troughton called "Second Time Around."

In short, as with most Doctor Who releases, this one gets my recommendation. It is well written, enjoyably acted, looks good, and includes enough extras to satisfy. Doctor Who The Krotons is available now.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for every Doctor Who review I've ever written. Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who - The Krotons on Blogcritics.

Doctor Who plants "The Seeds of Death"

One of the latest Doctor Who serials to get the Special Edition DVD treatment is the fifth serial of season six, "The Seeds of Death." Originally aired in six installments from January through March of 1969, "The Seeds of Death" is set only about a century into the future, at the end of the 21st century. On this Earth, transportation has become so simple due to the invention of the T-Mat, a teleporting device, that mankind has grown lazy, and stopped exploring space. This spells bad news when the T-Mat system goes down, stranding people on the moon.

The stranding is actually part of a larger problem, though. The Ice Warriors, a scary group of Martians led by the Ice Lords, have returned, and are planning on using the moon as a launching pad for a full-scale Earth invasion. The valiant moon crew try to hold off these baddies until help can arrive, but this is easier said than done, and there are grave consequences to the attack.

The Martians have a smart plan: infest Earth with a fungus that will make life unsuitable for humans, but ideal for the Martians. In this way, the Ice Warriors can force the natives out of the way without risking their own lives in combat. Taking control of Earth's weather system allows the Ice Warriors to make conditions great for the fungus, ensuring the best rate of growth possible, and a quick take over. It's a shrewd plan, and one that people are not prepared to defend themselves against.

Luckily, The Doctor (Patrick Troughton), Jamie (Frazer Hines), and Zoe (Wendy Padbury) have found another way to bring help to the embattled moon base. Professor Daniel Eldred (Philip Ray, Z Cars, Little Big Time) runs a museum of rockets, and has maintained the technology necessary to leave the planet via means other than the T-Mat. The Doctor and his companions arrive on the moon, and it isn't long before they understand the scope of the problem.

Can the Doctor and his friends save the day? Or is Earth doomed? Does anyone who has ever seen a sci-fi series not know the answer to that question?

 The solution to stop the fungus, SPOILER, it can be killed by rain, is a little too simplistic for my taste. Even if the Martians control the weather, can they really hold off water falling from the sky forever, a natural part of the planet's process? And if they do, what kind of widespread, devastating effects might that have on the globe as a whole? Perhaps the Martians don't need such liquid to survive, and don't care about other life. Maybe the fungus will make permanent changes, and it won't matter if it's destroyed after a certain period of time. But the way that this conclusion is presented doesn't seem to hold up to scrutiny if one stops to analyze the larger implications.

The T-Mat seems to be pretty plainly borrowed from the American Doctor Who contemporary series, Star Trek, which began using the transporter in 1966, over two years before "The Seeds of Death" aired.

That being said, "The Seeds of Death" is a solid story. It's hard to go wrong when delivering a clear villain to root against. This is a typical hero tale, with the good guys fighting against evil. They suffer losses while doing so, but the major characters live to fight another day, and the enemy is repelled. The environmental overtones, which may not have been intended, but are present when viewed with modern sensibilities, as well as the distasteful caste system of Martian society, further separates "us" from "them," providing a serial as black and white as the film of the day.

So perhaps "The Seeds of Death" isn't as complex and deep as other Doctor Who adventures, but it's a fine mix of the usual sci-fi adventure ingredients. A lot can be said for entertaining popcorn entertainment, especially when it is presented with the quality of the Doctor Who brand.

"The Seeds of Death" was already released on DVD back in 2003. This edition, though, has remastered picture and sound, a welcome update. There are also a wealth of DVD extras, including an audio commentary with Hines, Padbury, script editor Terrance Dicks, and director Michael Ferguson. Present on the two disc set are the customary PDF materials and photo gallery.

Besides the standards, "The Seeds of Death" Special Edition contains a number of specialized featurettes. "Lords of the Red Planet" is a thirty minute special about the Martians, discussing various aspects of the fictional civilization, and how the characters were developed for Doctor Who. "Sssowing the Ssseedsss" is slightly shorter, and concentrates on the behind the scenes story of this particular serial. Director Ferguson presents a three minute "Monster Masterclass," and Peter Ware and Nicholas Briggs talk about recurring Who monsters for sixteen minutes.

Doctor Who "The Seeds of Death" Special Edition gets a recommendation from me. Check it out, as it is on sale now.

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Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who - The Seeds of Death Special Edition on Blogcritics.

Doctor Who opens 'The Tomb of the Cybermen'

BBC's Doctor Who - "The Tomb of the Cybermen" gets the special edition treatment in its release this week. The earliest complete Second Doctor serial, "The Tomb of the Cybermen" finds the Doctor (Patrick Troughton, The Omen, Knights of God), Jamie (Frazer Hines, Emmerdale), and Victoria (Deborah Watling, Invisible Man, Take Me High) joining an expedition into a mountain. The rock supposedly hides the remains of the extinct Cybermen, who mysteriously disappeared centuries ago, but soon the adventurers learn that the antagonistic robots may not be as dead as first thought.

The Cyberman are a great recurring Doctor Who foe who continue up into the present series. Revealed to be invented on a twin planet of Earth, unlike the Earth-made parallel version Cybermen of the modern era, they are a machine that originally was organic. These cyborgs want nothing more than to survive, which they often do by trying to conquer. This September 1967 serial, as indicated by the title, features this very popular race.

A man named Klieg (George Pastell, From Russia With Love, The Mummy) is a member of a group who values logic and intelligence above everything else. Thinking he is like the Cybermen, and they will serve him in exchange for being woken up, he frees them. This is a mistake, as the cyborgs turn on him quickly. Even after the Cybermen leader is destroyed, the robots still will not listen to Klieg.

Is the mistake of logic Klieg's or the Cybermen's? Klieg expects obedience, but isn't that because he expects gratitude, an emotion? Of course the Cybermen do not possess such reasoning. Klieg's logic is faulty. Perhaps he is too smart for his own good, overlooking something that should be common sense. In the end, his great intelligence leads to his undoing.

It can be argued that the Doctor is very smart, too, like Klieg. However, the Doctor knows when to keep his "eyes open and his mouth shut," as he tells the disgruntled logistician, and that serves him far better than the alternative.

Of course, Klieg cannot know that the Cybermen already have a leader and a plan while sleeping in their "tomb." They are not extinct, but merely waiting. It's a clever idea, really, to wait until no one is expecting a threat from them, then, taking their 'savior's' ship, stage an invasion. In this way, by following the ship back to its origin, they can pull a surprise attack on a planet that they know is advanced enough to benefit them. And to robots, what's a few hundred years sleep?

A fun continuity note, the Doctor admits to being about 450 years old in "The Tomb of the Cybermen." He also says he can remember his family, when he really wants to. It's a rare glimpse into the mysterious, complicated being at the center of this series.

Not only is "The Tomb of the Cybermen" a great story, but this two-disc DVD set has plenty to merit a purchase. For those who bought the original release a decade ago, this one is digitally remastered, and it does look good, even with a 4:3 black and white picture with mono sound. It appears as crisp and clean as can be expected, given its age. Add to that the wealth of new bonus features, and even those who shelled out money before should probably purchase it again.

Among the new extras is a fresh audio commentary track featuring Hines, Watling, and script editor Victor Pemberton. Also included is the original commentary that Watling and Hines did for the earlier DVD release, as well as a three-minute introduction by director Morris Barry.

A number of featurettes expound upon the story in this serial. "The Lost Giants" is a 27-minute look at the making of "The Tomb of the Cybermen," with cast and crew participation. Fourteen minutes, titled "The Curse of the Cybermen's Tomb," examines the connections of this serial with ancient Egypt. Many elements of the tomb in these episodes are drawn from human history, though obviously adapted with a sci-fi spin. Given the human connection of the race's origin, this seems appropriate. "Cybermen - Extended Edition" gives a pretty thorough history of the cyborgs in half an hour, beginning with their introduction in 1966, and continuing into the rebooted series.

Seven minutes are given to the VidFIRE process, which is how the quality of this release is achieved. There is also a three-minute interview from special effects guru Jack Kine, title sequence tests, a photo gallery, the expected PDF materials, and a recreation of the battle from "The Evil of the Daleks." There is a lot here, so much so that it will take longer to get through the extras than it takes to watch the episodes themselves.

The BBC has really done a top notch job, updating this once-lost tale into a fully-fleshed out, extra-laden DVD set. Doctor Who - "The Tomb of the Cybermen" Special Edition is on sale now.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for every Doctor Who review I've ever written. Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who - The Tomb of the Cybermen (Special Edition) on Blogcritics.