Doctor Who exacts Vengeance on Varos

The latest Doctor Who Special Edition DVD is Vengeance on Varos. Part of the 22nd season, this two-part serial originally aired in January 1985. The Doctor (Colin Baker) and Peri (Nicola Bryant) travel to the planet Varos in search of a rare ore they need to properly run the TARDIS. There, they encounter the evil Sil (Nabil Shaban), who is trying to extort the planet for the mineral, not afraid to hurt or kill those who get in his way.

Vengeance on Varos has some very funny parts. In the beginning, when the Doctor is having trouble fixing the TARDIS, his exchange with Peri demonstrates why Doctor Who is so beloved. But mostly, it is a serious tale of darkness and manipulation.

Political machinations and corruption are nothing new. Yet, they remain a basis for many a story, including a number of television shows that have aired this year. Vengeance on Varos is a great example of how this genre can be done correctly, even if the villain is so evil as to be a bit cartoonish at times.

This serial also touches on execution and punishment as entertainment. On the beleaguered Varos, where the population is starving, a rebel leader named Jondar (Jason Connery, Robin of Sherwood is tortured, and this process is broadcast on television. Violence can distract from problems and diffuse tensions, which could be part of why the masses haven't risen up. But it also is a horrendous thing to have as a part of life, something viewers complained about after this episode aired.

There are scenes in Vengeance on Varos featuring two natives named Arak (Stephen Yardley, Howards' Way) and Etta (Sheila Reid, Benidorm). They are memorable because they are the embodiment of the public, and have grown bored with watching the torture. This not only puts a face on those suffering, but it also reveals a desensitization which is almost as disturbing as what Sil is doing.

Etta and Arak are also cool because they never enter into the main story directly, nor interact with the principal characters. There aren't many shows that would present such an isolated, disconnected plot from the whole, and the uniqueness of this device makes the serial all the better for its inclusion.

The only plot hole that seems obvious is why, when Peri's transformation is interrupted, is she restored to her normal self? Shouldn't she be partially turned into something else? The mechanics of this particular machine aren't very clear, and what is shown doesn't really make sense.

Vengeance on Varos is a great example of what could be a rote Doctor Who adventure with enough charm and originality added to it to make it something special. This is what the show does at its best, and it makes for a very enjoyable couple of hours.

Because this is a special edition, the list of rich extras is quite long. The audio commentary provides the uncommon treat of including Baker, Bryant, and Shaban, the three stars of the serial. There are extended and deleted scenes, outtakes, a photo gallery, trailers, and PDF materials. Fans can also listen to an isolated music score in the original mono sound, or in 5.1 surround. Production notes can optionally come up as subtitles.

"The Idiot's Lantern" examines how the narrative of Doctor Who interacts with the medium of television. "Nice or Nasty?" is a thirty minute making of, and there's an additional four minute featurette looking behind the scenes. A BBC News blurb covering Colin Baker's casting as the Doctor is present, as is a thirteen minute look at the Sixth Doctor and a five minute interview with Baker.

As if all of that isn't enough, there's a Saturday Superstore segment featuring Baker, Bryant, and someone else (the packaging says it's a surprise guest, so I won't spoil it). "French & Saunders" is a comedy sketch done on the set of Doctor Who.

Doctor Who Vengeance on Varos Special Edition is a prime release featuring a terrific serial and tons of icing on the cake for Doctor Who fans. It is available on DVD now.

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Doctor Who's "The Caves of Androzani" gets the Special Edition treatment

Now on DVD from the BBC is Doctor Who's "The Caves of Adrozani" Special Edition. Broadcast in 1984 and voted the best Doctor Who story ever by fans in both 2003 and 2009, "The Caves of Ardozani" finds the Doctor (Peter Davison, the fifth actor to play the role) and Peri (Nicola Bryant) landing smack dab in the middle of a war. Trapped as they are between gun runners and drug dealers, there is the added threat of poison that is slowly killing the pair. And only one of them survives the ordeal.

Yep, that's right. "The Caves of Ardozani" features the last regular appearance of Davison's Doctor, who regenerates into the sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) at the end of the four-part adventure. It is an emotional scene, with the Doctor dying right in front of Peri, only to awaken again seconds later. It's even better, when one considers how many old companions recorded new content for the special effect that goes with the event. The monumental sequence is the subject of an eight-minute extra on the DVD, which can be viewed with or without commentary, and it is mentioned in multiple other extras as well. Surely, as big as the events of "The Caves of Ardozani" are, no element of the story is more important than the finale.

But before that happens, plenty else must occur. The battle that the Doctor and Peri drop into is raging between General Chellak (Martin Cochrane, Specials) and Sharaz Jek (Christopher Gable, The Boy Friend). Chellak has control of the caves, and has an army to back him up. But Jek has control of the planet's precious resource, which lengthens life, and he has many androids to protect him. Adding to the power struggle is a duplicitous politician named Morgus (John Normington), who is comfortable playing with others as his personal pawns, and who has no problem assassinating presidents to get his way.

Which means that the struggle within "The Caves of Androzani" is multi-layered, and has many players. Each of these characters has his or her own motivations and goals, making for a very full two hours. There are officers who serve Chellak, as well as gunrunners who also come into play. As such, the story is complicated and intricate.

Almost too much so, in this reviewer's opinion. If one does not give "The Caves of Androzani" one's full attention, it may be hard to follow along. Adding to the confusion is the fact that Jek willingly makes android copies of others, including the Doctor and Peri, and thus, it's hard to trust that any character is real at any given time. It's barely-contained chaos that can end in no other way that destruction and death. Which is exactly what happens to the caves, and to almost all of the guest stars.

Folded within this action-packed serial is a very touching story about the Doctor's affection for Peri. Other companions become dear to the Doctor over the years, but surely this relationship ranks among the strongest. Peri is poisoned, and is about to die. The Doctor rescues her, but escapes with only enough antidote for one of them, and he is also ailing. The Doctor's death is a heroic sacrifice, giving over his own life so that Peri may live on. The knowledge that he will regenerate does not take away from this at all.

Which is why "The Caves of Adrozani" is a great story, but not the best, despite what the polls say. It has a lot of wonderful things in it, but the many, twisty characters, not so clearly defined, hurt it a little, just because there is so much wedged into a relatively small amount of time. Well, that, and really cheesy giant bat costumes don't exactly help, either. But the acting is terrific, except, arguably, that done by Bryant herself.

Adding another layer to the already busy story is Jek himself. He is a lonely, tormented soul. He has a beef with Chellak, and his reasons for the conflict are personal. But he is not without care for others. For instance, he develops a very deep, somewhat creepy, bond with Peri. It's almost a Phantom of the Opera type of relationship that they share. But in the end, he contributes to saving her life, rather than hurting her, so he's an all right guy.

Considering that this release is a Special Edition, there are plenty of extras included, more than enough to make this DVD worthy of your hard-earned money. A commentary for the story is here, featuring Peter Davison, Nicola Bryant, and the director, Graeme Harper. Hearing from the people who were actually on set is thrilling, and all three add a lot to the history and understanding to the episode.

In fact, many of those who worked on "The Caves of Androzani" are still alive, and are featured in the various special features. A 36-minute extra called "Chain Reaction" interviews a number of them about their experience with this particular story, which was originally titled "Chain Reaction." Harper gets his own 12-minute interview, in which he dwells on directing both this serial, and a modern Doctor Who tale from the current reboot. Five minutes are devoted to the creation of Sharaz Jek, who was almost played by several of today's well-known icons. Old talks with Davison and Colin Baker are present. Plus, there is a photo gallery, extended scenes, and PDF materials.

In short, this is a great Doctor Who story, and even if you have already purchased it on DVD, this release adds a lot to the tale. For anyone interested in the best of Classic Who, and how it got made, this is a set for you.

Doctor Who "The Caves of Adrozani" Special Edition is available for sale now.

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