DOCTOR WHO Celebrates "The Day of the Doctor"

Article first published as TV Review: 'Doctor Who' - 'The Day of the Doctor' on Blogcritics.

This Saturday, simulcast in dozens of countries, the BBC’s Doctor Who celebrated 50 years with a special, extra-long episode, “The Day of the Doctor” (also screened at movie theaters around North America in 3D Monday night). The 90-minute feature follows three Doctor incarnations, all on their own missions until circumstances find them meeting and teaming up to stop, not just a couple of immediate alien threats in different time periods, but also a pair of tragic genocides that haunt the titular character to this day.

As “The Day of the Doctor” starts, we are introduced (or re-introduced) to the three Doctors. The Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) is fending off the advances of his would-be wife, Queen Elizabeth I (Joanna Page, Gavin & Stacey). The Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) is called to London by UNIT to investigate destruction in a secret gallery. And The War Doctor (John Hurt, Merlin, Alien) is facing the moment he will destroy both his greatest enemy, the Daleks, and his own people, the Time Lords, during the war at Gallifrey.

While all of these unfold, it gets a little frustrating. Last spring’s season finale left us waiting for a major event, and instead, we get what appear to be stand-alone tales, especially where the Tenth Doctor is concerned, whose plot seems very fluffy, rather than epic, at the start.

But then it all comes together. The Zygons are attacking Earth in both 1562 and in 2013. They must be stopped. While it would not actually take all three Doctors, plus Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman), the current Doctor’s companion (neither The Tenth nor the War Doctor are traveling with companions at the time of the story), it’s OK that they are pulled together because it provides a nice bit of fun interaction, which then becomes a lot of zany criss-crossing between the eras and locations.

However, The War Doctor brings a much more serious, and at the same time, more personal decision into the mix. Should he massacre two races of people to save the universe? While he wrestles with the decision, he allows himself to be distracted, then seeks counsel from those who live with his choice.

The War Doctor is a new version of the character, only recently introduced, who is quite interesting. In the online prequel to this episode, we see the Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann) trying to stay out of the war, but realizing he can avoid it no longer. The Doctor is a very peaceful being who only uses violence when necessary and never kills anyone. Though we are told throughout the past eight years that The Doctor did something very, very bad when pushed to the brink, it’s hard to imagine under which circumstances he would do this. “The Day of the Doctor” gives us a small glimpse of what leads up to it, and a longer look at how he wrestles with the decision.

Despite how bad The Doctor feels, haunted by that day, both The Tenth and Eleventh Doctors agree that it was the only choice to make, and are willing to help him make it again, all placing their hands on the button. It’s one thing to have a guy we are just introduced to kill all the innocents; it’s quite another to have two long-running, beloved characters do the same, which lends serious gravity to the situation.

In true Doctor Who fashion, a solution is found, and all thirteen of the Doctors incarnations thus far, including one who will not take over the TARDIS until the Christmas special this year, combine forces and manage to save Gallifrey. This removes one of the worst things The Doctor has ever done, though he still (sort-of) kills all the Daleks, who, to be fair, are evil.

Most of The Doctors are shown through archival footage, well edited into the new film. This sparks musings of what Doctor Who could do in the future, perhaps editing more of the older actors into fresh material as the technology continues to improve, further making it seem like one big adventure of a single character. The Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi), or Thirteenth if we’re counting The War Doctor now, only gets an extreme closeup, providing no clues to what he or his TARDIS will be like when he leads the show next year.

Is it right to reset history in this manner? Presumably, none of The Doctors will remember these events, and so the more recent ones will still have that painful memory that shaped them into something a bit different from the earlier generations. Plus, now we have future story set up for other Doctors to discover: Gallifrey still exists and can be brought back. Gallifrey should be kinder to the outcast this time around, now that The Doctor has saved everyone on the planet.

So, although this takes away something that has made the role very, very interesting, it’s also a bit of a relief that The Doctor doesn’t wipe out his own race. His genius and compassion remain intact, keeping the character very consistent over the past fifty (or twelve hundred, depending on how you count) years already established.

Besides unlocking a major mystery, “The Day of the Doctor” is also notable for bringing back familiar faces in great ways. Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave), the daughter of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, is still running the show at UNIT, and gets involved in the case. Honestly, I’d like to see a return to more UNIT stories and an increased presence from Kate, as it really serves to tie the current Doctor Who back to the older run.

The machine that The War Doctor uses appears to him in the form of Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), a former companion of The Ninth and Tenth Doctors. On one hand, it’s sad that she’s only an illusion, with no interaction with The Tenth Doctor. On the other, the character has had a nice send off already, and it would be a shame to force her into the episode if she doesn’t belong. By portraying her in this way, fans get to see her again, but it doesn’t take away from Rose’s own arc.

Queen Elizabeth I’s guest spot, the first for this actress, answers a very slow burn question mentioned a handful of times over several years about her connection to our hero. This is the kind of Easter-egg-resolution that should tickle those who pay close attention to continuity.

Finally, viewers get a glimpse of The Doctor in his retirement. The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker), appropriately aged as the actor playing him is, approaches The Eleventh Doctor in the gallery, revealing he is living peacefully at the end of his life and “revisiting” a few of his favorite faces. This is a brilliant, moving scene, informing on the character, but also providing one of those rare interactions between two incarnations, welcoming back a respected veteran of the part. It’s a real treat that this sequence is included.

In the end, “The Day of the Doctor” provides a satisfying adventure incorporating elements and Doctors both old and new, really delivering something new, exciting, fun, and special to honor five decades on the air. There are enough smile-worthy moments and amusing lines to please just about every fan, and delving into a crucial turning point in The Doctor’s existence, not seen before, gives the installment weight that the Zygon invasion by itself would have lacked.

Doctor Who next airs on Christmas Day, completing The Eleventh Doctor’s tenure.

Before Zygons Return in 50th Anniversary, Check Out Their Terror

Article first published as DVD Review: 'Doctor Who - Terror of the Zygons' on Blogcritics.

With Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary special airing in just a few weeks, fans of the show are eager to gobble up any hints they may get as to the plot. One thing that has been revealed is that the Zygons will be featured, an alien race that has appeared only twice before, the second time being in a small way, disguised as humans in last year’s “The Power of Three.” Thus, it seems appropriate that the BBC chooses now to release the defining serial about this race – Terror of the Zygons – on DVD.

Terror of the Zygons is set in the Scottish Highlands and combines four familiar elements: an exploding oil rig, the Loch Ness Monster, overreaching espionage, and shapeshifters. I’m sure BP wishes the spill in the Gulf of Mexico could be blamed on aliens and sea creatures, but alas, this is fantasy, not reality.

The Doctor (Tom Baker), Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), and Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter) arrive in a Scottish town and investigate the destruction of the rig. It soon becomes clear that the destruction was not a natural occurrence, but their early attempts to investigate are thwarted because the Zygons are watching them, meaning they know exactly what our heroes are up to. Eventually, of course, the good guys get the upper hand.

It’s interesting just how relevant so much of Terror of the Zygons is, considering it aired in 1975 as the 13th season premiere.. It’s recently been in the news how the U.S. government is spying on everything we do, as well as our allies’ actions, much like the Zygons are doing in Scotland. Plus, the Deepwater Horizon incident is not far from our memories. This may have been nearly 40 years ago, but the story is still something we can relate to.

Many have praised the Zygons as a very interesting race, with Tenth Doctor David Tennant naming them as his favorite Doctor Who monster. It’s curious why they have been gone so long, then. Surely “The Power of Three” telegraphs the modern continuation’s plans to bring them in, and it’s about time. An alien race who live under the sea, have biological engineering, i.e. living mechanics, and depend on Nessie’s milk to survive, they are unique in many of their characteristics, and it’ll be cool to see how they’ve been updated.

Terror of the Zygons is actually an ending of sorts for a major Doctor Who era. Besides being the last series regular appearance of Harry Sullivan (the Doctor will not have another male companion for five years), it also marks the final episodes of Brigadier Lethbride-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney) for nearly a decade. For a time, Doctor Who became an ensemble, with the Doctor and UNIT cooperating frequently, especially while the Doctor was marooned on Earth. Here, we see the departure of that structure, signaling a return to an older version of Doctor Who stories.

The recent two-disc DVD release has plenty of extras, as usual. There’s an audio commentary with a panel of those who worked on the production, photo gallery, isolated music, and PDF materials. A Director’s Cut of the first part is available on the disc, which mainly adds a deleted scenes set early in the story. Featurettes include new additions to already existing series – “The UNIT Family – Part 3,” “Doctor Who Stories – Tom Baker,” and “Doctor Who Stories – Elisabeth Sladen.” There’s also a “Making of,” a tribute to Douglas Camfield, the director of this story, and more.

In short, the most recent Doctor Who release lives up to other recent DVDs in the series, continuing to provide not only the chance to watch classic installments of the beloved show, but also giving plenty of information for those who wish to look a bit deeper.

Doctor Who – Terror of the Zygons is available now.

DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited – First to Fourth’

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

In honor of Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary this year, the BBC is releasing a special on each of the eleven Doctors. Each airing is approximately half an hour of documentary about one of the Doctors, and then a full serial in which they star, making it several hours of footage for each. Recently, the First through the Fourth of these were released in a four-disc DVD set.

For fans of the modern Doctor Who, this is a real treasure trove. If you’re like me, you’ve only seen a handful of the old episodes (there are a lot of them), or perhaps none at all. This set gives you a quick overview of who each Doctor is, how the show changed with each new incarnation, and a bit about the actor who played them, making you feel somewhat informed as we approach the big anniversary event. People actually involved in the process are interviewed, giving their unique insights.

The first four were an interesting group. First came William Hartnell, whom is iconic in being the forefather to everything that came after him. At this point, the series was still in its infancy, and the writers hadn’t figured out exactly where they were going with things yet. The Doctor had a granddaughter, the only extended glimpse we get of his family and his life before the series, which seems strange. Yet, he also fought the Daleks and the Cyberman and had various companions during his tenure, establishing a basic structure that continues through today.

Then, Hartnell left the show and, rather than cancel it, someone came up with the brilliant idea that the Doctor would regenerate as a totally different person. Patrick Troughton was cast, and he sets that standard for departure in each new incarnation. Troughton didn’t play an impression of Hartnell, but he kept enough of his predecessor to make it a continuation. It’s a brilliant move that could have gone terribly wrong in hands other than those that guided it, one that has never been successfully repeated by any other series since.

After Troughton comes Jon Pertwee, who, to me, is whom I think of when I think of classic Doctor Who. Eccentric and wise, Pertwee is the caring elderly man who can also run around and be daring. He brings some of his own self to the part, including a memorable car for the Doctor to drive in. He also finds Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), perhaps the most famous of all companions, whom pops up many times over the years with several Doctors, and his long exile on Earth shifts the format of the show show for awhile.

Fourth is Tom Baker, the longest-serving Doctor. With his curly hair, loud scarf, and otherworldly personality, Baker definitely makes his mark. He serves as a transition between the first batch and the second of the older years, not quite fitting in with either group as well as the rest fit with one another, but definitely being memorable in his own right. A lot changes occur during the Baker years, especially the phasing out of UNIT, who had been quite integral to Doctor Who for awhile.

Along with the somewhat in-depth examination of each of the first four Doctors, four complete four-part serials are presented on the DVDs, just as they aired. The stories included here are “The Aztecs,” “The Tomb of the Cybermen,” “Spearhead From Space,” and “The Pyramids of Mars.” Each of these are carefully selected and are good representations of the periods from which they hail. Not exactly typical episodes, but also not too far from the norm, they are well chosen glimpses of the fine men who brought the Doctor to life and great reminders of how the show has lasted so long.

There aren’t any special features to speak of, but the introductions and interviews are themselves special features when you think about it. These discs are extras in the larger scheme of Doctor Who, the ultimate bonus inclusions in the series set.

Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited – First to Fourth is available now.

Doctor Who sails on The Ark in Space

Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who - The Ark in Space Special Edition on Blogcritics.

Now available from the BBC is the two-disc Doctor Who - The Ark in Space Special Edition. The second serial in the 12th season, these four half-hour episodes have been called the best of the classic Doctor Who by both Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat, both driving forces in the latest reincarnation of the show.

Originally airing in January and February of 1975, The Ark in Space, opens with the TARDIS landing on a seemingly deserted, aged space station; it's a creepy place. It isn't long before the Doctor (Tom Baker) and his companions Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) and Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter) discover that the place isn't nearly as empty as they first think. There is an entire population of humans slumbering peacefully within, frozen in cryonic suspension, waiting to awaken and find a new home to settle in.

But the ark should have already reached its destination, and the people should already be living their new lives. Instead, a dangerous alien parasite known as the Wirrn have taken over the craft. When a few crewmen are woken by the Doctor and his friends, the insect-like creatures take over the captain of the ark, called Noah (Kenton Moore), and the humans must engage in a deadly face-off with these things.

The Ark in Space is credited as being the first to show a darker side of Doctor Who, bringing a horror element to the series that continues to this day in "Blink" and other episodes of the modern version, most notably the ones featuring the angels. Doctor Who wanted to expand its appeal more towards an adult audience at the time, and this is how they chose to do it. They didn't go too far, even cutting out some footage deemed "too scary." But this is a turn away from the show's lighter, fluffier stories.

Part of why this serial is different from that which came before is the level of danger threatened by the enemy; there are casualties and heart-wrenching deaths. People cannot all be saved, and the ending is only happy for some, mixing tragedy into the finale. For those who have seen many episodes of Doctor Who, this may not seem all that novel or different a concept in 2013. But for the time period it aired, it represented something very fresh. And the experiment worked, buoyed by fantastic performances and a gripping script, garnering high ratings and forever changing the series.

The picture and sound have been remastered for this DVD release. As is typical for classic Doctor Who serials, it's not perfect, but it's far better than what is available prior to this release. The newer stuff almost always looks better (depending on the source used to make the DVDs), and considering The Ark in Space comes from the middle of the run, it's easy to find examples of restored Doctor Who that are both better and worse than this one. I would rate this towards the higher end of the spectrum, though, with clearer picture and more vibrant colors, as well as more detailed and less fuzzy sound, than many Doctor Who releases that I've recently reviewed.

This newest Special Edition release, like its peers, contains a whopping pile of extras. The commentary for these episodes is provided by producer Philip Hinchcliffe, joined by series stars Baker and Sladen. A photo gallery and PDF materials are included, as usual, along with the original BBC trailer for the serial and an alternate title sequence and special effects. There is also a shorter version of the whole serial in TV Movie format.

Plenty of featurettes appear are included with this release, including "A New Frontier" is a "Making of" special specific to The Ark in Space. "Scene Around Six" is Tom Baker captured by public news crews a few years later than this was filmed. "Doctor Forever! - Love And War" focuses on the novels written and published during the years Doctor Who was off the air. There is also an interview with a designer and some amateur film shot during the production of another episode. So there's a range of stuff, both pertaining to this specific adventure and to the series as a whole.

Doctor Who - The Ark in Space Special Edition is available now on DVD.

Doctor Who finds Shada

Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who - Shada on Blogcritics.

This month's Doctor Who DVD from the BBC is Shada. Originally intended to be the season 17 finale, only about half of Shada was ever filmed, owing to a strike, and it remains the only unaired Doctor Who serial. Now, for the first time on DVD, Shada sees the light of day.

This release is a three-disc set. The first disc contains the six episodes that make up Shada. Because these episodes were never completed, in 1992, long after he'd given up his title as the Doctor (he was #4), Tom Baker filmed new footage, explaining the parts of the story never actually shot back in the 1970s when Shada was to have aired. The original footage and new bits were spliced together, and the result was released on VHS. Now BBC Home Video has released Shada for the first time on DVD.

Shada is an interesting serial. It is written by Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), and begins at Cambridge. The Doctor and Ramona (Lalla Ward) answer, quite a bit late, a message sent out by Professor Chronotis (Denis Carey), a retired Time Lord near the end of his life. Unfortunately, Skagra (Christopher Neame) has also come, seeking the location of the Time Lord prison planet Shada, where there is an inmate that can help him take over the galaxy.

The story told in Shada is a bit similar to other tales. There's a villain, the Doctor and his friends, which this time include Chris Parsons (Daniel Hill) and Clare Keightley (Victoria Burgoyne) from the university, investigate. They are captured, escape or are rescued, and fight off Skagra before his plans can be fully realized.

There are some great whimsical moments. Chronotis himself is a pleasant and amusing chap, who often gets verb tenses mixed up, and who has his priorities a bit skewed. His memory isn't all that reliable anymore, and his rooms at Cambridge, where he has lived for three hundred years, are a traveling TARDIS itself. Plus, any serial with K-9 (David Brierly) makes one smile.

I think the pacing, though, is hampered by the incompleteness of the filming. Many of the action sequences, including the showdown at the end, are among the missing scenes. Baker is great at recapturing the character again in the 1990s, but it's disappointing not to have these bits, and it keeps the flow from ever taking off. More footage is missing in later episodes than in earlier installments, which makes getting through the serial a little laborious.

There is a second version of Shada included in this set. In 2003, a radio play edition was released, with Paul McGann, the Eighth Doctor, taking over the lead, and mostly recasting the other parts, save Lalla Ward's Romona. This has been set to animation, and makes for a more cohesive story. The only unfortunate part about this is that it is Flash, and must be played on a computer, rather than a DVD player.

The extras are plentiful, possibly more than in any other release. There are PDF materials, photo galleries, and production notes, of course, but also tons of featurettes including a discussion about why Shada was not completed, a look at the strike and its impact, and a visit to the shooting locations.

A full length, 90-minute documentary entitled More Than 30 Years in the TARDIS, originally released in 1993, is included. There's a remembrance of series star Nicholas Courtney, only slightly weird because he isn't part of this story. Verity Lambert, the first producer of Doctor Who, is interviewed. Plus, there are also Doctor Who Stories and Those Deadly Divas, with a couple of extras that focus on the ladies of the show.

I definitely recommend this collection. Granted, it's not the best presented or looking serial of the series, but it is a rare view of something begun, but not finished. The sheer amount of bonuses included make up for any shortcomings of the episodes themselves, and for any Doctor Who, the opportunity to see a previously missing piece of the puzzle should prove too tempting too resist.

Doctor Who - Shada is available now on DVD.

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Doctor Who dreams a Nightmare of Eden

The BBC has recently released the Doctor Who serial Nightmare of Eden on DVD. Aired at the end of 1979, this four part adventure finds the Doctor (Tom Baker), Romana (Lalla Ward), and K-9 (David Brierley) arriving to help two ships that have collided. The spaceships in question, a cruise vessel and a trader, seem to have little in common. But soon a mystery will emerge that not only connects the pair, but makes the job of separating them quite dangerous!

Nightmare of Eden may be about two ships that have crashed and stuck together, but it's also about a lot more. Most obviously, this serial preaches against the illegal drug trade. Long a problem in human society, dealing in these banned substances can be a profitable game. But the result is to the detriment of the users, whom the dealers pray on, and who spiral out of control. Illegal drugs wreck lives, and not just for the people who use them. As such, Doctor Who feels perfectly justified to go after these villains without making them layered characters.

The drugs in question are very dangerous, and there must be a stash of them somewhere on one of the two ships. The Doctor soon discovers that they are coming from a planet called Eden, which can be accessed through Professor Tryst's (Lewis Fiander) CET protection machine. But where on Eden is this drug coming from? How are the smugglers getting it?

Too bad this investigation can't be finished in peace. There are scary creatures called Mandrels roaming the ships, killing everyone they come across. Where did these creatures come from? What are they doing there?
As one may have guessed, the creatures and the drugs are connected, though I won't spoil the surprise. You'll have to watch to figure it out.

But, suffice it to say, there is another serious moral quandary posed by this connection. These drug people are very bad, indeed.

Some have argued that Nightmare of Eden is a little too in-your-face with its message and moral stance. And maybe it is, though it's sure hard to build a logical argument for the opposing side. But the real shame of this episode is the Mandrels themselves, which just look poorly designed and implemented, even when taking into consideration the time period Nightmare of Eden is made in and sci-fi aspect of the show. There have many a great many creatures featured on Doctor Who, but the Mandrels are one of the most laughable, and not in a good way.

Other than that, though, it's a fine tale, as most Doctor Who stories are. There are enough twists and intricacies to keep viewers engaged, and plenty of threats to build suspense. In all, Nightmare of Eden is worth the buy.

To sweeten the deal, the DVD release includes plenty of extras. The audio commentary, once more moderated by Toby Hadoke, features actors Lalla Ward and Peter Craze, as well as write Bob Baker, makeup designer Joan Stribling, and effects guy Colin Mapson. The expected PDF materials and photo gallery are included, as well.

Nightmare of Eden gets a 13-minute behind-the-scenes treatment. Bob Baker spends seven minutes discussing this story, which is the only Doctor Who adventure he wrote by himself, without his usual writing partner, Dave Martin. "The Doctor's Strange Love" lets fans speak out for fifteen minutes about the series they love so much. Finally, Lalla Ward's guest appearance on Ask Aspel, a children's show, is also on the DVD.

In short, Doctor Who - Nightmare of Eden is worth the purchase. While not ranking at the top of a best stories list, it is an enjoyable excursion. Not to mention, the extras are good. This is a DVD I would recommend buying for anyone who is interested in the classic Who.

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 - Nightmare of Eden on Blogcritics.

'The Robots of Death' face Doctor Who

BBC recently released a Special Edition of the Doctor Who serial "The Robots of Death." The Doctor (Tom Baker) and his new companion, Leela (Louise Jameson), appear on a mining planet. They are quickly captured and blamed for the recent murder of one of the crew. As more and more people wind up dead, the mystery of who the killer is deepens. Can the Doctor and Leela figure out who is responsible and stop them before the pair is found guilty, or worse, wind up dead?

"The Robots of Death" plays on a fear of mechanical beings, which is a prevalent theme in science fiction. The four-part story features three different kinds of robots, including one that is mute, and one that is in charge of the others. The Doctor soon suspects that a robot is the one doing the murdering, and he is right, though the sandminers are not eager to accept this theory. But "The Robots of Death" also features a heroic robot that sacrifices itself to save the others.

This duality is not the only thing that sets "The Robots of Death" apart from other anti-robot fiction and makes the story more complex. The man programming the robot to kill is Dr. Taren Capel (David Bailie, Pirates of the Caribbean), a guy raised by robots. Capel has sympathy because he sees the robots being treated like slaves, and because of his deep affection for them, wants justice. However, he takes it a little too far when his robot starts killing the people around him.

The moral issues of whether robots should have rights is one much debated, and often depends upon sentience, or lack thereof. The robots within this Doctor Who story complicate the issue because they are programmed, not self-thinking. Even the robot that helps the good Doctor is assummedly programmed by someone to do so. His sacrifice seems noble, but on closer examination, may just be what he is told to do.

Where does programming end and choice begin? What if a robot is programmed to make its own decisions? This is more of a spectrum question than a black and white one, and kudos to Doctor Who for not making the answer so simple.

One must wonder what is going through Leela's mind as she battles the robots. After all, she lives in a low-tech society until the previous serial, when she chooses to join the Doctor as his latest companion. While all the companions have quite an adjustment to make, hers seems even more extreme than most. She handles it well, of course, as she is a worthy assistant to the Doctor. But still, a transcript of the words going through her head in this story would be invaluable.

Like other Doctor Who Special Editions, "The Robots of Death" is loaded with extras, this time crammed remarkably onto a single disc. The usual photo galleries and PDF materials are included, as well as two audio commentaries. The first is the one that was packaged with the original release of "The Robots of Death" twelve years ago, featuring producer Philip Hinchcliffe and the writer of the story, Chris Boucher. The second brings in actors Baker, Jameson, guest star Pamela Salem (Never Say Never Again, French Fields), and director Michael E. Briant.

Picture and sound are remastered, of course, making for a better viewing experience than was previously available. A thirty-two minute feature entitled "The Sandmine Murders" is the expected Making Of short documentary for this serial. A studio sound feature lets viewers hear the robot voices without special effects for comparison, and to better appreciate the post-production work that goes into such a show. There is a neat, interactive layout of the studio. Seven minutes of the original model insert film, in black and white, are also present.

The most enjoyable feature may be "Robophobia." Toby Hadoke, an actor, writer, comedian, and Doctor Who fan, goes over the history of robots. Hadoke uses his comedy chops to keep "Robophobia" as entertaining as it is informational, making for a delightful surprise.

Doctor Who - "The Robots of Death" 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 Robots of Death Special Edition on Blogcritics.

Doctor Who is 'The Face of Evil'

The Doctor Who releases keep coming from the BBC! One of the newest, on sale this coming Tuesday, is "The Face of Evil," a four-parter from the middle of the 14th series, originally broadcast in 1977, is one of the rare Who stories that had not yet been put out on DVD. That is, until now.

"The Face of Evil" begins as the Doctor (Tom Baker), now without a companion, lands on a jungle planet, where he finds two tribes battling each other. Rescuing the Sevateem outcast Leela (Louise Jameson, Doc Martin, EastEnders), the Doctor becomes embroiled in a religious dispute involving the god Xoanon. The Sevateem declare that the Doctor is the Evil One, who keeps Xoanon prisoner, while the other tribe, the Tesh, think that the Doctor is a god. However, it's soon clear that the Doctor has some past involvement with this planet, and Xoanan, who is quite real, wants him dead.

This is an interesting mystery story. At first glance, the planet is primitive, but soon there are signs that all is not as it appears. Some very advanced technology is present, including force fields and a transceiver, and the Doctor's own face is carved into a mountain. These things sort of make it a precursor to the series Lost, though with a lot more natives, and a lot less plane crash victims.

There is also a story element that the tribes are descended from Earth people. Having crashed and unable to leave, they must start society all over, building lives and villages in the wilderness. This plot borrows heavily from Star Trek, which did a similar thing several times, only a decade earlier. That doesn't make "The Face of Evil" unoriginal, necessarily, but does make it feel familiar for the genre and time period from which it comes.

The humans in "The Face of Evil" are not the men viewers might expect. They were part of a eugenics research project, and some have developed telepathic abilities. This duality, being both more primitive and more advanced than the world where viewers live, makes them a clever curiosity well worth watching.

The villain of "The Face of Evil" is the Doctor, kind of. He creates the personality that controls Xoanon, who is really a computer. It's not a purposeful mistake that the Doctor makes, but it's still at least partially his fault. The Doctor has never been a perfect being, and this story highlights that again. By making the titular character flawed, and capable of causing great damage without even realizing it, the Doctor becomes an even more shifty hero. Stories like these really enrich the series.

Leela is a departure from previous Doctor Who companions. For one thing, she's from a society that isn't exactly modern and up-to-date. This makes her moral compass and attitudes very different. She is plenty willing to kill others to help the Doctor escape. Obviously, the Doctor cannot allow this. But that does not mean he isn't impressed with her courage and resourcefulness. He wisely doesn't invite her to come along with him, but proving her tenacity once more, she gets onto the TARDIS anyway. If one has not seen any future stories that she is a part of, "The Face of Evil" leaves one very much wanting to see how she will adjust to the Doctor's strange lifestyle and activities.

This release of "The Face of Evil" is not considered a special edition, unlike the other three Doctor Whos coming out this week. This is likely because no other version of the story is currently available on DVD. However, it has about as many bonus features as the Special Edition releases. For a one-disc set, the list is quite impressive.

First up, is the expected audio commentary, featuring Louise Jameson, guest stars, a producer, and a cameraman. It's a great, full list, so there is plenty of perspective given. Thankfully, there is also a moderator to keep the conversation from devolving into chaos. The typical photo gallery and PDF materials are also included.

A 25-minute feature goes behind the scenes of the shoot, providing a nice "making of" documentary. An additional nine minute "From the Cutting Room Floor" expounds upon this. There is a seventeen minute interview with Jameson from 2003, about her Doctor Who experience, as well as another four minute talk with the actress. A toy advertisement and and fourteen minutes of press coverage for the Fourth Doctor, Baker, help convey the public attitude towards the series at the time, and can help younger viewers imagine what it must have been like to watch the series during its initial run.

Doctor Who - "The Face of Evil" is a great story, and the DVD is fully packed with extras. It is a must buy for any Doctor Who DVD collection. "The Face of Evil" goes on sale this Tuesday, March 13.

MORE: If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who - The Face of Evil on Blogcritics.

"The Android Invasion" threatens Doctor Who

     Just out on DVD from the BBC is Doctor Who - "The Android Invasion." This four-part adventure aired at the end of 1975, as part of the thirteenth season of the classic series. The Doctor (Tom Baker, The Beeps, Little Britain) and Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen, The Sarah Jane Adventures) return to Britain, but find the world a bit odd. The little town they come to is empty, the calendar is stuck on one date, and all the money is newly minted. It's soon apparent that the Kraals are set to invade Earth with androids, and this is their training ground.

     This period of Doctor Who is full of invasion stories, and so this one might seem a little stale. Or, for those nostalgic for the previous Doctor, still adjusting to Baker's version, it may be a nice return to formula. Either way, it's a well written story by veteran Who scribe Terry Nation about using human-like androids to take over the planet. Once more, Sarah and the Doctor must thwart these attempts, this time without the aid of UNIT, who has already been infiltrated.

     "The Android Invasion," as par for the time, does lend itself to a little cheese. For one thing, the Kraals are pretty fake looking, something discussed in the DVD extras. For another, why don't the doors in the Kraal base close all the way? Then again, there are also some pretty cool tricks. The androids look pretty sophisticated, and the scene where Doctor Who must fight an android version of himself is done well enough to pass a casual glance test. The double is close to Baker in build, and the camera angles work well enough, that the conceit holds up. It probably helps that Doctor Who doesn't seek to get two identical faces in the same frame. So overall, pretty good job.

     These episodes are notable for a couple of reasons. Namely, that two recurring characters make their final appearances in them. Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter, Crown Court) is the Doctor's companion in season twelve, then does this one last adventure, albeit with a very tiny role, before disappearing forever. Similarly, Sergeant Benton (John Levene, Z Cars), also plays a small part in "The Android Invasion," without a big send-off, but does not return to the series again. It's a shame that the two just drop out with no real explanation after this.

     The quality of this DVD is very good. The team did a fantastic job restoring picture and sound, and while it still looks like it's from the 1970's, of course, it does seem like an original, well preserved copy, rather than a cheap reconstruction.

     Besides the four episodes, there are a few DVD extras. The standard photo gallery and PDF materials are present. In addition, there is a hilarious, completely cheesy commercial for Weetabix cereal featuring the Daleks, which doesn't really seem to tie into this DVD, since the Daleks aren't in the adventure. However, there really isn't any room to complain, because it's fantastic that it's included somewhere in the Doctor Who DVDs. There is also audio commentary by guest stars Milton Johns and Martin Friend, who are joined by producer Philip Hinchcliffe and production assistant Marion McDougal.

     In addition, two half-four featurettes are present. "Life After Who - Philips Hinchcliffe" is an extensive interview with producer Hinchcliffe. He discusses various television series and projects he has worked on. "The Village That Came to Life" is an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at "The Android Invasion." Everything from the filming location, to the look of the Kraal, to Terry Nation's development of the story, to amusing anecdotes of filming are included. It's actually everything one needs to know about this adventure, and is a thoroughly complete special.

     While not as essential to one's Doctor Who collection as the other release from this past week, "Invasion of the Dinosaurs," the wonderful acting and great extras do make this a valuable buy. I recommend picking up a copy of Doctor Who - "The Android Invasion," on sale now.

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Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who - The Android Invasion on Blogcritics.