More DOCTOR WHO Fun With THE FIVE(ISH) DOCTORS REBOOT

Article first published as TV Review: 'The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot' on Blogcritics.

Amid all the 50th anniversary Doctor Who hoopla this weekend, there was released a half-hour production that got much less attention than other most other events. It didn’t even make it on air in the United States. For any fans of the classic show, or the genre of comedy in general, The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot is must-see.

Written and directed by Peter Davison, The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot finds Davison, Colin Baker, and Sylvester McCoy anxiously awaiting news about whether they will be included in The Day of the Doctor. Months pass and the phone doesn’t ring. The BBC offices and Steven Moffat begin avoiding their calls.

These are sad, old men, past their prime, and wanted by no one, including their families. They are obsessed with their glory days, unable to let that defining role of Doctor Who go, and desperate for attention that doesn’t come.

This may sound depressing, but it’s not because the half hour is absolutely hysterical. It’s pretty apparent that this is a campy romp, not a biographical story. The actors are game to make fun of themselves in a public forum, and these parts really work because they cut close enough to home to be relatable. Like Matt LeBlanc in Episodes are James Van Der Beek in Don’t Trust The B—- in Apartment 23, the characters are almost parodies of themselves, not their actual personalities.

We know this because of how pathetic they become. No self-respecting men of notoriety would hold picket signs championing themselves, all alone, in front of a TV studio. Or bum a ride from John Barrowman, who forces them to listen to his singing. Or lock their wife and daughters into their house in order to relive old episodes. Or constantly remind everyone that they are in The Hobbit. Or steal Dalek costumes in the hope they can sneak on set and make it on screen. Or call one’s daughter, Georgia Moffett, in the hospital room where she is giving birth and ask a favor of her husband, David Tennant. It’s absurd, in the best of ways.

Other familiar faces, including Russell T. Davies, Paul McGann, Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Peter Jackson, Olivia Colman, and Ian McKellen gamely participate, each poking fun at themselves as much as at the old men. If you’re eagled-eyed, you might spy offspring of two of the older, departed Doctors, really making this a full tribute, with more of the cast returning than in the official episode. Each of these are wonderful scenes, a nod to all the Doctor Who fans watching. But the stars of the show was Davison, Baker, and McCoy, and they are spectacular to watch, even without the slew of terrific cameos.

In the end, the guys get their wish. I wouldn’t reveal the exact circumstances, but there is a sweet twist which proves once and for all that they were able to gain access to the set, and surely are not loathed by the production staff. This capper is necessary because, even though I enjoy watching them bumble and suffer, the tone is a light one, and no one wants to see these guys we love fail. It just wouldn’t be right.

Perhaps The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot is not an official part of the anniversary, and maybe it won’t be remembered as fondly as the actual special. But it’s not something I’m likely to forget, and by posting it on the BBC’s website, the network seems to give it their blessing. I definitely recommend checking it out here. (this link will only work for a limited time)

DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited – Fifth to Eighth’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited – Fifth to Eighth’ on Blogcritics.

The BBC continues Doctor Who‘s year-long 50th anniversary celebration with four specials about the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Doctors, now available in a four-disc DVD set. Like the First to Fourth release, Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited – Fifth to Eighth has a quartet of approximately 30-minute discussions by people involved in the production about each incarnation of the titular character, accompanied by a full serial per version. This completes the original run of the series, bringing us up to the modern continuation, which will be covered in an upcoming set.

In 1981, Peter Davison took over the iconic role of The Doctor. Davison had a serious approach, not as silly or scary of his predecessor, taking Doctor Who back to the basics of the premise. During his run, the stories got darker and grittier, challenging The Doctor to not only deal with some old foes, such as the Cybermen and the Master. But his attitude remained reactive and light, this Doctor allowing a flip of a coin to make decisions for him.

Davison’s Doctor had a different relationship with his co-stars than his predecessors, making his adventures more of a team sport than that of a leader and his assistants. He went through several different companions, making for an every-changing dynamic. And ultimately, the Doctor was forced to face the death of one of his friends.

Interestingly, Davison is the father-in-law of the Tenth Doctor, David Tennant.

After Davison came Colin Baker, with a much more flamboyant take on the part. As dreary as Davison’s Doctor could be at times, Baker’s was the opposite, his personality matching his loud clothing style, with an undercurrent of danger and a lack of trustworthiness that gave him an edge. His chaotic nature matched what was going on behind the scenes, with his tenure short and ending with a lack of explanation. Still, Baker made an impression, even if he only played the part a scant couple of years.

Sylvester McCoy also didn’t stay long, finishing out the initial incarnation of Doctor Who after twenty-six seasons. McCoy’s Doctor was a turn for the role, being both childish and fun, but also sneaky and manipulative, fully realizing the layers the long-lived character was capable of. This Doctor was a manipulator who thought many multiple moves ahead, and showed the Time Lord’s darker nature more than most of the actors who had previously taken on the part.

To note, the serial that is included for McCoy is “Remembrance of the Daleks,” which is the one BBC America aired to accompany the interviews. For some reason, “Battlefield” aired instead in Britain. These are the only installments that have differed in the specials between in the two countries.

Last on the DVD set is Paul McGann. McGann didn’t get a full season, merely a two-hour TV movie. It’s an intriguing battle with the Master, sadly to never see a sequel. Intended to headline an American-made continuation of the show, McGann’s pilot lacked the ratings in the States to be ordered to series, although it was very popular in Britain. That small screen film, set in California, is obviously the featured “serial” for this Doctor, meaning Fifth to Eighth has all of his time included.

Just like in the first set, there aren’t any extras, with the four mini-documentaries serving as an extra for the show as a whole. I think again the people who put this set together have done well in selecting which serials to include. The episodes contained on the DVD set are representative of the actors’ work as a whole, and serve to showcase both differences and similarities between the various versions.

This set does come with four cool magnets, each one depicting one of the Doctors profiled in this set. Unfortunately, the first DVD set did not have the same, so it won’t be a complete set, even if you get all the DVDs.

Fifth to Eighth feels different than First to Fourth. While the beginning of this release harkens back very much to some of the earlier parts of the show, there is growth and maturation reflecting the time in which it aired. The 1980s and 1990s were a time of transition, and McCoy, especially, demonstrates how the character could adapt without growing stale.

After these episodes, there would be an almost-decade-long break before Doctor Who graced our televisions again. But that’s a tale for Ninth to Eleventh, which has not yet been completely aired or released.

Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited – Fifth to Eighth is available now.

DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who The Visitation Special Edition’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who The Visitation Special Edition’ on Blogcritics.

The BBC is always reworking and re-releasing classic Doctor Who serials, including offering many Special Editions of previously released stories with better picture and sound quality, as well as a wealth of bonus features. One of the most recent to get this treatment is the 19th season story from February 1982, The Visitation, starring Peter Davison as The Doctor (the one with celery on his lapel).

The Visitation finds The Doctor and his companions, Adric (Matthew Waterhouse), Nyssa (Sarah Sutton), and Tegan (Janet Fielding) in 17th century England. The Great Plague is on, but our heroes quickly deduce that there is more going on than meets the eye. They are right, as a Terileptil’s ship has crashed on Earth, and the alien, not one to leave quietly, plans on taking over the planet by releasing a disease to wipe out the native inhabitants.

Between the Terileptil’s plague and the Great Fire of London, which gets started at the end of the serial, The Visitation attempts to tie itself more into human history than most Doctor Who stories, providing a conspiracy theory-style explanation that blames the events shown here for great destruction. This is both whimsical and also depressing upon further examination, since the Doctor is allowing mankind to be harmed in a serious way by an alien race, as well as his own action (or inaction). This could be a hint of the darkness that will eventually, in the modern reboot, threaten to consume the Doctor, though only a hint.

Even more interesting is the impact The Visitation has on Doctor Who mythology. The Terileptil destroys the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver, which will not be seen again for quite some time. The reason behind the scenes for doing this is that producer John Nathan-Turner felt that the tool provided too convenient a resolution to many a plot twist, though later keepers of the series figure out a way to use it without relying on it too much, so it eventually returns. Whether one agrees with the decision to take out the tool or not, it cannot be denied that the instrument is an iconic part of the Doctor Who character, and this serial is responsible for removing it from the universe for awhile.

Aside from that, though, The Visitation is a rather run-of-the-mill story. It does have interesting looking aliens and animatronics and androids, but the basic plot is that the characters keep getting captured and escaping. For awhile this was a common Doctor Who formula, but it comes across as somewhat lazy storytelling to anyone that has seen it done over and over again in other serials. Can no one adequately lock up one of the central characters; can the main player escape far enough way to not be caught again?

This is not to say that these episodes are not enjoyable. There is a warmth, charm, and humor to Doctor Who present in pretty much every installment, whether it is a special one or not. There is a reason why so many viewers have been drawn to the series over the years, and even in The Visitation, there are signs of this magnetic attraction.

This two disc Special Edition release has a ton of extras, to which fans of the series have become accustomed. The typical inclusions are the audio commentary with Davison, Fielding, Sutton, Waterhouse, and Peter Moffatt (who directed the story); a photo gallery; and PDF materials. Other additions are an isolated score and film trims.

On top of those, though, there are a couple of longer bonuses. The “Making Of” for this serial is 45 minutes long, with a lot of details discussed. Moffatt spends nearly half an hour discussing his time directing Doctor Who. There are relatively substantial featurettes on writing and scoring. “Doctor Forvever: The Apocalypse Element” is an examination of Doctor Who audio productions. And “The Television Centre of the Universe – Part One” brings Davison, Fielding, and Mark Strickson–a producer and actor–to the BBC Television Centre to look back fondly on their work.

In short, there is plenty here to make Doctor Who fans happy, even if the serial itself ranks in the middle of the pack among Doctor Who adventures. Doctor Who The Visitation Special Edition is available now.

Doctor Who lives to see the "Resurrection of the Daleks"

Season twenty-one, serial four of Doctor Who is Resurrection of the Daleks. Intended to be four half hour episodes, but aired as two full-hour installments because of the 1984 Olympics, the tale begins with The Doctor (Peter Davison), Tegan (Janet Fielding), and Turlough (Mark Strickson) dragged through a time corridor to London circa present day (present for when the episode aired). There, they encounter old enemies, the Daleks, who have come for their creator, Davros (Terry Molloy), hoping that he can save them from a deadly disease..

As the Doctor battles the Daleks, Davros isn't exactly looking forward to being rescued by his foe, wanting his revenge on the Doctor for having him cryogenically frozen these past ninety years, apparently a very boring experience. That's OK, though, as the Doctor isn't exactly eager to be the savior of this mad men, either.

The Daleks go after the Doctor, too, but with their own motivations. They plan on cloning him and his companions, then using the clones to assassinate the High Council of Time Lords. This is made easier by mind control technology, which is not full proof, but does make for some suspense, wondering who might not be acting on their own accord at any given time.

Things get even more complicated when Davros raises his own Dalek army, which has opposing orders to the Supreme Dalek's troops. Who is in command? Where do the loyalties of the Daleks lie? Does everyone wish the Doctor dead?

In the end, the showdown is spectacular and violet, more so than almost any other Doctor Who. And, SPOILER, one of the Doctor's companions, horrified by the destruction witnessed, decides to give up the game for good.

Resurrection of the Daleks balances multiple revenge stories. Getting even is a human instinct anyone can relate to, but when taken too far, is one of the ugliest sides mankind can exhibit. Revenge never ends well for anyone involved, as it can spur a person to ignore everything else in a single-minded blind rage, being just as self-destructive as he or she is successful at hurting the enemy. Seeing so much darkness in this episode is thrilling, but it's a good thing that Doctor Who doesn't go down this path too often. To do so would create a completely different show.

The need for revenge probably contributes mightily to why the Doctor loses a companion at the end of the story. Even one as enlightened as a Time Lord can succumb to such base instincts, and this is demonstrated in part by his rare use of a gun in the episode, a weapon that the Doctor generally avoids. It may not be pretty, but it's this fallibility that makes the character so well written.

The Daleks are being threatened by a deadly virus in this serial. Is genocide justifiable when exercised against a nefarious villain? Can one ever really feel good about slaying an entire species? The answer is no. Even as fans root against the Doctor's enemies, they need to remember the high cost of taking lives, especially a race created by a scientist out of unwilling beings. After all, the Daleks are self aware, and many are just following orders. Even if the only way to save lives is to slaughter them, there should be no joy taken in such an act.

Another interesting issue raised in Resurrection of the Daleks is that those who have had their minds controlled remember those forced activities. It's incredibly sad to see Stien (Rodney Bewes), in particular, who is not prepared to live with what he recalls doing. Even though its not his fault, he is party to some serious atrocities, and it is not in most people's nature to let themselves off the hook completely, even when they are not really at fault. This only adds to the tragedy of the hours.

On a side note, some have complained about the unexplained absence of Kamelion (Gerald Flood). As many viewers will be viewing Resurrection of the Daleks as a stand alone story, this will not make much difference. But for those who follow the show's continuity, the lapse is regrettable and certainly an error on the part of the creative team.

Resurrection of the Daleks Special Edition has one of the largest collections of Extras seen on a Doctor Who release yet! It probably goes without saying that the PDF materials and photo galleries are included. There are seven minutes of extended and deleted scenes. This time around, the audio commentary is provided by Molloy, writer Eric Saward, and Peter Wragg, a visual effects designer, moderated by Nicholas Pegg. A second commentary features Davison, Fielding, and Matthew Robinson, the director. Viewers are also given the option to watch the serial in two parts, as originally aired, or four.

Of featurettes, there are plenty. Thirty two minutes are devoted to actor interviews. Eight minutes of "Breakfast Time" with Janet Fielding and John Nathan-Turner are included. "On Location" runs for eighteen minutes. There are several others, but the crown jewel has to be the nearly hour long "Come in Number Five." In it, David Tennant, who plays the 10th Doctor, hosts a retrospective about Peter Davison, covering his time on Doctor Who, as well as why he left the series. It's a loving tribute from one doctor to another, and incredibly insightful.

After all of that, no effort should be needed to sell you on Doctor Who Resurrection of the Daleks Special Edition, which is available now as a two disc DVD set.

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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.