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| What: | Battlefield (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 7 May 2011 |
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| Rating: |  10 |
Battlefield always seemed to have been labelled as one of the lesser entries in the Doctor Who original series canon. But this is yet again far from the real point for me. The 26th season of Doctor Who always was one of the best of the classic series, the stories were getting a little darker in tone and werent quite so funny or quite so easy on the lead characters. Here we begin to see the real seventh Doctor. The one who is highly interesting and is bringing back some of the mystery to the character of the Doctor. Add to that the fact that Ace is starting to enjoy more character development than a lot of previous characters to have been a companion of the good Doctor. Battlefield has some great acting, some great set design, and some classy dialogue. The final scene between the angered Doctor and Morgaine is of particularly dramatic note. And here we are presented with fights that generally arent too badly done at all. There is a high level of realism to this story. The destroyer is one of the best designed monsters of the whole of the classic series. I love that drool problem the demon has. But it is Jean Marsh who makes this story the success it is. She is acting brilliantly all the way through. And shes not totally evil either, as the scene with the blind wife of the bar owner will clearly show. A real multilayered character and a good multilayered performance from Jean add to this being a great slice of Doctor Who. Nick Courtney also really made his presence felt yet again here, and its nice to see him with yet another Doctor. He always was such a great character and always was a class act. This is Doctor Who on the darker side, but there are also plenty of brilliant comedy moments peppered throughout this tale. I really like the score to this one too, its effective and rather creepy at the best times. The extras on this DVD arent at all bad either. These DVDs are getting better and better all the time. The extended version of this story makes it all the more better too, especially the addition of the touching scene with the Brigadier and his underling's ashes. Such a lot of good information i never knew about to be found in every release. They are classy packages. Battlefield is the start of season 26, and a very good start it is indeed.
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 | Afine beginning and end... |
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| What: | New Beginnings: (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 6 May 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
The Keeper of Traken is something very special indeed to me. It has wonderful set design, it has great characters, and it has brilliant costume design and the Melkur is creepy and unsettling in appearance. Anthony Ainley makes his first appearance as Tremas, the Dad of Nyssa, played by the wonderful Sarah Sutton. Sarah Sutton was the perfect choice to play one of the most caring characters in Doctor Who. I just love her to bits and she makes a very fine first impression indeed. Its also really good to see Margot Van Der Burgh and John Woodnutt again, and again they both play good and interesting characters. Geoffery Beevers steals the show though, with his voice in particular sounding chillingly effective.
Logopolis is the perfect end to Tom's long reign as the Doctor. Although hes at last come back for some brillaint audio stories! The characters here are all very strong indeed, and Anthony is perhaps at his best here in his first appearance in a full story as the Master. The regeneration sequence is very well done, and looks very good indeed. Its sad to see Tom go on screen so Im glad he's back for more now!
Castrovalva makes for a mad intro to the new Doctor, Peter Davison. He s at once clearly the most calm, reserved, and patient of Doctors. And this gives the story all the more impact after the mentalness of Tom before! This story has some dodgy, but for me, very amusing effects work. And Sarah Sutton is really getting into the role of Nyssa here, using her head and being gentle and lovely. Janet Fielding is great, building on her great introduction in Logopolis. Shes catty but wonderful, already a favourite companion of mine. And Matthew Waterhous gives another good performance as Adric, here manipulated by the Master into making a trap for the Doctor. And we get to see a new part of the TARDIS, in the Zero room which is an interesting idea. Altogether these trio of stories are a great Master Trilogy, with both Geoffery and Anthony instantly making a very good impression. Great stuff!!
| What: | The Sontaran Experiment (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 6 May 2011 |
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| Rating: |  6 |
Kevin Lindsay is the best thing in this. His interpretation of Styre is chilling, totally evil and soulless. He's one of the most evil characters to appear in a Doctor Who.
Ian Marter again is used abismally in the story. And so is Lis Sladen. The characters arent all that show stealing, and the plots a little bit of a blunder as why would sontarans need to invade a basically empty planet?!!!!!!!!!!! And dont even get me started on that lovely tin box robot! Ha ha. I might even just at times give this story a miss in favour of watching The finale of the fifth series of Doctor Who, as this is just very very bland and slow even for a two parter. The only other saving grace is the character of Roth, and he's even killed off far too soon.
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| Three times the time lords! |
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| What: | The Mark of the Rani (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 6 May 2011 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
Kate O'Mara and Ant Ainley are brilliant working alongside each other in this story. One can forgive the fact that its not explained how the Master survived the incidents of Planet of Fire, because this story is so solid and cool. And for once the Beeb seemed to have acquired writers who know that language wouldnt have been quite the same in the long distant past, as the dialogue is very well done here in this story. Add to the already strong mix of Ant and Kate a Colin Baker then you have the recipe for a very good and memorable tale. And this story, like Timelash, is a real oasis of calm set in the middle of other far more gritty stories. but theres a decent amount of action in this story again too. And all plaudits to Colin for doing all his own stunts again! Hes quite a chap!
The other main characters too are all strong and stolid, and their are no cardboard cutouts to be found in this story at all. And yet like i said its still the dynamic bickering duo of Kate and Ant that really make this story.
I love the Doctor's defeating of the Rani and the Master in this. And Ant's final line to Kate is brilliant "Were trapped you blundering woman!" just has me smile boradly every time I watch it. The setting here too, and locaiton, are all first rate and really add something special to the story. Evem Nicola Bryant is better than usual here. And its a horrific and sad element, the Rani's mines that distort human flesh into vegetable matter. This is all rather well thought out and put together. Its very well paced, and doesnt have a rushed ending. Its all very satisfying.
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| Ah, what an unemotional goodbye... |
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| What: | The Hand of Fear (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 6 May 2011 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
The final scene of this story was the story's only weak point. In that the Doctor, who in previous stories had jumped through roofs for his best friend Sarah Jane, here just doesnt seem all that bothered that Sarah has to head back home because at this time earthling werent alllowed on Gallifrey. Rather the weakest premise to the goodbye of any of the Doctor's companions. This was a bad final story ending for such a great character as Lis as Sarah Jane Smith. She deserved a lot better. But this is my only gripe for this story.
The rest of the story is excellent. It has Lis brilliantly take over again by another malevolant alien, this time one who is crafty and pretends to be only thinking of good but is really just another villain. Judith as the first incarnation of Eldrad is exquisite. She is one of the best characters the series ever produced, her performance is engaging and sympathetic and one does feel very sad for her when shes shot with that acid spear at the climax of episode three. And then to add insult to injury shes crushed to nothing by that block before changing into her natural male form, played strongly, but maybe not quite as memorably, by Stephen Thorne. One recognises his tone straightaway. But Judith is by far the most likeable of the two. I dont know why she couldnt have been the villain at the end. Not that Im saying Steve is no good.
Tom Baker is really good in this, and his camraderie with Lis is at its hieght, aside from the woeful last scene. Glyn Houston is just perfect as the boss of the nuclear powerplant, and breathes vivid life into what could so easily have been a totally run of the mill and forgettable character. He is sharp but reasonable, and his performance bounces off the other cast members wonderfully. Even good old reliable Rex Robinson is back for the first half of this story, and again turns in another good performance which reminds me yet again of why I think hes a great actor.
The scenes shot in the nuclear power station are excellently done. This is a very good backdrop for the main part of the story. And the effect of that had growing and moving in that tupperware box are excellently achieved. If it had not of been for the sadly lacking goodbye to Sarah, then this would have certainly been one of the finest of Tom's stories. At last for the most part Lis got a decent role within a story again, like she did in her first season with Jon, and in Robot.
So altogether, this is another brillaint story, that definitely belongs in the line of classics aside from one tiny thing thats letting it down section! Very good stuff indeed.
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| Not as classic as all that... |
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| What: | Genesis of the Daleks (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 6 May 2011 |
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| Rating: | 6 |
My top ten who stories are:
THE TRIAL OF A TIME LORD
THE TWO DOCTORS
THE MONSTER OF PELADON
THE WAR GAMES
THE ARK
THE ENEMY OF THE WORLD
THE GUNFIGHTERS
THE SPACE PIRATES
THE GREATEST SHOW IN THE GALAXY
TIME AND THE RANI
And Genesis of the Daleks never reaches any of these for me. It just feels a little too laboured. Im not saying its dull, its just that its too long for once. And the fact that the daleks actually hardly appear in this is for me another major fault.
Michael Wisher is excelllent as the Kaled Scientist Davros though, and gives one of the finest performances of all of the Who shows he appeared him. He obviously relishes the role, and it truly comes out in his performance. And Peter Miles is equally good as the sidekick, Nyder. But thats where the story's great points really end.
Ian Marter again suffers from being shoved right into the background, one hardly even sees him in this. Elisabeth Sladen was a little better served, but also she is nowhere near as involved as she was in most of her Jon Pertwee season. Ian Marter was brilliant as Harry and the scripting for him was too little. Its one of the mistakes the BBC made in getting rid of Harry Sullivan too soon.
The daleks do at last have their unsettling death ray, but like I said the story is a little slow. This is not the top of the Doctor Who totem pole, buts its far above msot of the new series.
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| This is another final part letdown... |
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| What: | City of Death (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 6 May 2011 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Where this story is nearly unparralleled is in its comedy and voert humour. One can clearly hear the words of Douglas Adams all the way through this story. And Tom just gets on so well with Lalla Ward. Julian Glover is again perfectly cast as the sphaghetti headed Scaroth, and he is actually highly sympathetic and not just an out and out villain for a change. Its good for the comic relief of Peter Halliday making a welcome cameo return to Doctor Who, whose smile is pretty side splitting in that photograph!
Where this story falls sharply is the stupid last episode. (I did originally say that Image of the Fendahl was good too, till I watched it again very recently, for the theory in this tale too is absurd. Funny, I never remembered that originally though) As it contradicts the aforementioned Image, and again is just as stupid a theory as that one has too. I came from the dust!
And the character of Duggan is brilliantly portrayed by Tom Chadbon, who is really one of the real saving graces of this story. He just hits and smashes everything and is a highly comic character that spices this story up no end. Its just a real shame about the rediculous climax. Otherwise, this is a classy story once again.
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| This is exceptional good and thoughtful |
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| What: | The Keys of Marinus (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 6 May 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Tthe Keys of Marinus hads garnered the reputation of being the first turkey of the Doctor Who cannon. This is rather unfair, because their is nothing at all wrong that I can find with this tale.
The story opens very well, with the glass beach and the well designed Voord creatures making rather a strong entry. Arbitan is a good solid character, despite the fact he's only in this single episode. But he is a sympathetic character and helps make the beginning of the plot very good and highly entertaining. The cliffhanger to part one is also very good.
The second part has some brilliant acting within it. The morpho brains look rather unsettling, the voice is also very good indeed. The plot thread here is strong and decently laid out too. Sabitha is a really good character, and its a great scene when she smashes that chair over Altos head! Barbara's defeat of the Morpho brains is good too. The screaming cliffhanger too is another classy one.
The third part is strong, but Will Hartnell has taken a holiday. But these episodes proove that the story can carry on well without the involvement of the lead character. The plant jungle is very realistic, and the riddle to find the key is again very engaging and believable. And the freezing wastes that quickly overcome Barbara and Ian at the climax are also well done.
The fourth part has a great psycho in the form of that hunting bloke. One of the early best one off single episode characters to come from the series up to this point. The psycho ends up with a huge prong in his back, so thats a nasty little outgoing too. And the cliffhanger again has you wanting to see more.
The courtroom scenes are the best of the lot. Highly suspenseful and not padded out at all. The defeat of the Voords too is amusing and creative. It all wraps this story up very well indeed. Marco Polo, the story before this, was always called an epic, and so is this. One of the classisest early Doctor Who stories. Comes highly recommended from me!
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| Do not fail the Daleks, stupid tin boxes |
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| What: | Dalek War (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 5 May 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Frontier In Space and Planet of the Daleks are very very good slices of Doctor Who.
Frontier In Space is one of the best space operas Doctor Who ever attempted. Here at last we get an alien race that isnt inherently evil, in the very well designed Draconians. And we also see the return of the realistic Ogrons too. Even that Ogron eating bouncy castle doesnt upset the brew at all, for I can see the pros far outweigh the cons with this brilliant tale. It has a steady and engaging pace. I really like some of the characters in this one, especially the President of Earth, Vera Fusek is brilliant! Roger Delgado also makes a brilliant final appearance as the Master, with all his usual guile and charm mixed together perfectly. Its so sad this was his last appearance in the show. He is part of what made the Jon Pertwee years so memorable.
Planet of the Daleks is like a comic strip on screen, it has a comic strip lot, it has comic strip lines and is totally brilliant from the word go. As a follow on from the previous Frontier in Space it wraps up the story arc so very well indeed and is a great return by Terry Nation to the series. The recolourised episode three really is a most unexpected extra, and is really good to watch. This story has great action moments, great moments of drama and great moral points too. These two tales that are really one are two of the best in all of Doctor Who. The characters in Planet of the Daleks are all very well portrayed too, Bernard Horsfall impresses as does Prentis Hancock. But my favourite character is Rebec. She always has been a favourite of mine. These are definiteely worthwhile stories. Great stuff!!
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| Love and War - Not bad/Not great |
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| What: | Love and War (New Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Mark List, Midland, United States |
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| Date: | Tuesday 3 May 2011 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
This book was OK. It was worth reading just to see the introduction of Benny and the departure of Ace (which was somewhat sad).
It kept my ineterest and I didn't have any trouble remembering what was going on. I found the relationship between Ace and Jan completely ridiculous. Ace was such a strong minded companion to the Doctor, and Jan was such a stupid character that I found no chemistry between them. I felt that the only reason the relationship was there was so that there was a reason for Ace to leave.
The concept of the story was quite interesting and rather enjoyable, but it got distracted by the relationship sub-plot.
Would I read it again? Sure.
Would I put it at the top of my list to re-read? No.
| What: | Paradise Towers (BBC classic series videos) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 2 May 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This story for me is one of the all time greats of Doctor Who. It has such a lot going on in it, but all the threads gel together so very well indeed.
First we get to see Sylvester settling into the role of the seventh Doctor, the most harshly viewed Doctor of the lot in my opinion. He was a palpable chap and actor, whose precision at going from camp to totally dark in an instant was unparrallelled. I really like his characterisation throughout this story.
Bonnie Langford gets about her best treatment as a companion here, nearly being eaten by those still so lovable cannibal old biddies! The acting leading up to the cliffhanger is brilliant, as it genuinely shocked me when you saw the sudden darkness beam in those two old biddies eyes! A real good moment of acting.
My Dad thinks Richard Briers ruins this story, but I dont. I really like his rather slapstick approach to the role of the Chief Caretaker. One of those memorable idiots who are totally over the top. But all the other characters are of a far more serious tone. I love the Kangs, played so well by every actress who appears as one of them.
That the villain should be a disembodied brain in a basement is hardly a wholly original idea, but its never been done quite so grippingly as it is here. And thoserobots really are rather creepy looking. Everyone here is on fine form, and I for one cant see why the season from which this heralds is so badly reviewed, theres more going for it than nearly all of the new series!!
The tone of sadness at the loss of the Pex character at the end is very sensitively handled as well, particularly for a Doctor Who, as I had a lump in my throat at the end of this story. This story is definitely in my top ten Doctor Who stories. Along with four other Sylve stories, so that must say something surely?....
I am so glad this is coming out on DVD soon. I cant wait!
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| This isnt Frankenstein... |
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| What: | The Brain of Morbius (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 2 May 2011 |
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| Rating: | 3 |
Ive somehow just never gelled with the Brain of Morbius. Yes, I know that Phil Madoc is excellent as Solon, and Michael Spice provides a chilling voice for Morbius, but this is just so very boring, I think thats the problem for me. It plods so very badly indeed. Tom Baker isnt used well either, with no explanation as to why hess delivered back to Solon apparently dead at the end of episode three. The Morbius monster may be a brilliant piece of design work, but as with the Zarbi in The Web Planet, its just sad it isnt in a better story. Colin Fay is the best thing here, playing aa very sympathetic character, and as usual he's killed off too early. But these points cant stop this from being totally slow and tedious.
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| Do this again please BBC... |
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| What: | K-9 Tales (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 2 May 2011 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
The ruined version! What happened to the end of episode three?! Oh, this is horrible for a fan who always had had something of a soft spot for the heavily maligned The Invisible Enemy. Yes, there are those flaws aplenty, but I still love the story, its great! That giant prawn really is very very likeable. And Louise Jameson is her usual brilliant primitive Leela. The sets inside the Doctor's brain are highly imaginative, although Ive always wondered where his blood was and just how they breathed in there! But he is an alien anyway so..maybe! Please though BBC, re-release this with the episode three untampered with please if thats ok. I love this story and want it undefiled please! That bit of editing was rubbish and ruined it so much for me!
K9 and Company isnt bad at all thanks. John Leeson comes back with that oh so memorable voice, and Elisabeth Sladen was wonderful again as Sarah Jane, it really is tragic about her death. Very sad indeed. She always was such a brilliant companion. Im glad we had the four seasons of The Sarah Jane Adventures too. Theyre something very special!
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| Give me this any day of the week... |
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| What: | Revisitations 2 (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 2 May 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Give me the unadulaterated, bad languageless, OMG minimal and plainly brilliant classic Doctor Who series any day. It always will triumph over the new series. The new series may well have brilliant effects and mind warping scripts, but thats just the problem. Theyre convuluted and very bad in the extreme. And one thing that continues to get on my nerves is how many people does that Time Lord have to kiss for goodness sake? Get back to the days when Doctor Who was innocent and just plain and simple fun. Where the universe could be in dire peril without all the innuendo and all that bland and repetitive rubbish. Matt Smith deserves far far better than what he's getting.
These revisited tales were brilliant anough first time round, but now full of even more extras its a real treat. I would have liked an overall look at the Ice Warriors involvement in Doctor Who, but only get The Seeds of Death adventure discussed in detail on The Lords of The Red Planet, which is the only dissapointment in the whole of the set. The Seeds of Death always was a brilliant Doctor Who story, and here for once their is real sympathy you feel for the characters, especially Fewsham. That is a real strong moral tone to the character. One can empathize a lot with the character along the way. Pat Troughton is as brilliant as ever too, which makes the whole programme one of the best in the shows history. Wobbly walls included! Its part of the appeal of the show too! Some fans dont seem to get that all that much. The cast on this serial all shine and none are just plastic characters. Real good stuff, a brilliant return for the Ice Warriors. Who are more sadistic and menacing here than in their first adventure.
Carnival Of Monsters possesses a highly imaginative script from Robert Holmes, which is well realised and directed By Barry Letts, and the Drashigs truly are a great looking monster, and they really do look pretty realistic too! The extras here are absolutely brilliant, the making of documentary is particularly good, with Katy Manning being her ludicrous and funny self as usual with that brilliant chicken impression! Jon Pertwee always was a brilliant Doctor, and here his morals are to the fore, with his disgust at what is happening to the beings trapped in the miniscope. Kalik is a deliciously evil and manipulative Who villain again, brought to liife by the ever dependable Michael Wisher. Vorg and Shirna are another in the line of brilliant Rob Holmes double acts. The guy is a far better writer than any of the new series guys in my opinion. Sad he is no longer with us. He had such imagination. Carnival of Monsters is one of the best Jon stories, it has it all. Oh yeah, even the first appearance of Ian Marter, who was later to become Harry Sullivan for just one pathetically short season!!!
Ressurection of The Daleks is a really gritty, grim dalek tale, perhaps the darkest of all the original dalek tales. And theres a liberal dose of death going around in the tale, its no wonder Tegan is truly repulsed by all shes seen in the end. She gets a very sharp, quick leaving scene, but here it is highly poignant and moving. Its one of the best leaving scenes in my opinion. Terry Molloy instantly grabs your attention as the lunatic Dalek Creator Davros, with his ranting just right and never too stupid. Rula Lenska isnt all that bad either, and all the other characters just make the show sparkle. The Daleks are also very well utilised, although one can tell that dalek falling out of the window is just a model, but as ive already said i dont care much about weak effects, if the story can still carry itself off well, which Ressurection does very well indeed. The Dalek troopers are decidedly evil and blank and emotionless too, and Maurice Coulbourne is great in his first appearance as Lytton. Peter Davison is also brilliant when it comes to his showdown with Davros, well scripted and presented. We just knew the most human of doctors would never just murder without reason.
So these are three standout stories, and all have been remixed and represented well in this new set. The BBC so far have chosen well with their revisitation sets. Im looking forward to the next one. (Just not getting any of the new series, its lost all character and hope in my view now)
| What: | Beltempest (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Emma Bowman, Sydney, Australia |
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| Date: | Saturday 30 April 2011 |
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| Rating: | 1 |
My biggest complaint with this book is not the plot holes, the confused mess of narration styles, or even the dodgy and unclear storyline. My biggest complaint is that Jim Mortimore portrayed the Doctor as a blithe, oblivious, savant who hurled himself into every unlikely and implausible situation with a fixed grin and some ridiculous comment that made me want to growl with irritation every time. Yes, the Doctor traditionally uses babble to confuse his enemies, but he most certainly doesn't blither mindless drivel every time he opens his mouth, and the overly cheerful smile-in-the-face-of-imminent-death-whilst-whistling-arias-from-famous-operas approach was so painful I felt embarrassed by it.
Sam likewise was unjustly portrayed as a cringe-worthy, headstrong, rebellious, authority resenting teenager. Apparently, she felt the need to go to great lengths to get herself into as much trouble as possible so she could try to prove herself to the Doctor, only to realise that placing herself in such serious jeopardy, the Doctor was doing to have to rescue her anyway. There was just too much "helpless young companion in distress", with the whole Doctor father figure attitude blowing their relationship out of proportion.
A frustrating and disappointing Eighth Doctor novel.
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| I know so little about telebiogenesis... |
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| What: | Castrovalva (Target novelisation readings) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 21 April 2011 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
...and let's face it, who doesn't? Above you will find an example of one of the clangers of dialogue prevalant in 'Castrovalva' - and luckily this dodgy dialogue is this release's only problem.
Peter Davison's reading of this novelisation is very good - dramatic, tense, and when reading his own character a brilliant replication. His version of Ainley's Master is surprisingly good also - somehow he seems to have captured the actor's essence, and every now and then a word flitters past that sounds as if Ainley has read it himself - it's brilliant.
The novelisation, bar the aformentioned silly scientific stuff, is a robust one. It doesn't take many liberties with the script, but with a complicated story like 'Castrovalva' that's probably for the best. The way the Portreeve and Shardovan are written (as on TV) so that the former appears to be a kindly old man whereas the latter seems to be the Master in disguise (in the event the reverse is true) is a nice idea, and the 'Master in disguise' element is one that would be reused in 'Time-Flight' and 'The King's Demons'.
Simon Power's sound effects are of course brilliant when we get them, though I would have liked more - though with nearly half the book set in the TARDIS this might have proved difficult. My one quibble is the Cloister Bell sound: personally I think the other-worldy sound of the TV bell is better than the simple church bell Power employs here.
Overall, this is a strong release, and I must say I love the cover artwork; whod've thought Ben Willsher, he of the satirical cartoon printed with DWM's DVD review, was also able to produce something of this beauty?
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| Quietly chumbling along... |
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| What: | Galaxy 4 (TV episode audio soundtracks) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 21 April 2011 |
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| Rating: | 6 |
I don't really mind 'Galaxy 4'. The hatred it has been given by many fans is pretty unfair, because there is nothing glaringly wrong with it. My main problem is that its story is far too run-of-the-mill, and as a result it does suffer.
The idea isn't a bad one: two races trying to get off an exploding planet, with the Doctor and his companions caught in the middle. It's very simple, but 1960s 'Who' was simple so that's not a problem. However it just seems a very lazy plot; the characters simply walk back and forth from each ship effectively playing Chinese whispers, and the plot goes nowhere fast. The 'beauty is skin deep' idea is nice too, but is again not really that integral to the plot as it is quickly obvious that the beautiful Drahvins are the enemies.
From reading the CD information booklet, it appears to have been a lazy production too, with both sides reusing sets from past 'Doctor Who' stories for their own benefit. From publicity stills also the look of the Chumblies is clearly rubbish, at least on the CD cover they managed to 'zhuzh' it up a bit.
So if you're looking for a deep, complex story that's a great example of black-and-white 'Who', miss this out. But it's simple and although not a great example, it's not too bad, and here's the proof. Stuck in a traffic jam on the way to Cornwall once, my mum asked if I had any CDs in the car to while away the time. The only one I had was 'Galaxy 4'. We listened to it all the way through, even after the jam was clear - and she didn't complain once. In fact, she rather enjoyed the whole thing.
| What: | Planet of the Spiders (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 21 April 2011 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
I've gotta say, I really enjoyed 'Planet of the Spiders'. For all its faults (and there are some), it's a really great story which ends the Pertwee era perfectly. It features some great characters and ideas, and its only downfall is its 6-episode length.
Story-wise, it's good up to Part 4, when the "oppressed humans" stuff that we've seen on 'Who' time and time again returns to us. Sure the chase sequence in Part 2 is a little long but it's great fun, taking in land, sea, air, and even a bumbling policeman for comic relief on the way. Part 6 takes us back into solid action with the reveal of the Great One, a giant spider who is realised quite well for the day. Then of course we have the Doctor's regeneration, and although the actual effect is a bit unimaginative it is all played very tense and emotionally, which is great.
In the character department the main villains are the Eight-Legs, or spiders, whose voices are done by Ysanne "Alpha Centauri" Churchman, Kismet "wife of Roger" Delgado, and Maureen "the Great One" Morris. The voices are great and really add a sense of drama and other-wordliness. Lupton, the lackey of the spiders for much of the story, is also played very well - wonderfully evil! Also guest-starring are John Kane as the simpleton Tommy (this is also an exemplary performance) and Kevin "Sontaran" Lindsay as the sort-of-Time-Lord monk Cho-je.
If slimmed to a 4-parter this might have been up there as one of the greats. As it is, it isn't that far off.
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| Confusing and a bit pointless... |
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| What: | Mission: Impractical (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Max Allen, London, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Tuesday 19 April 2011 |
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| Rating: | 3 |
it was mostly all a real mess, the conflict in the story didnt really seem all that necessary. The Doctor was OK. Frobisher was inbewteen, Sabalom glitz however was spot on.
your really not missing much by Not reading this one..
| What: | Revisitations 2 (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 18 April 2011 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
Box of Delights
