DVD Review: Doctor Who First Wave
After the all too real horror of the past couple of weeks it was good to be able
to escape into a bit of harmless fantasy with the first three Doctor Who DVD
releases here in the US. All three discs have much to recommend them though
fan's of the series will obviously appreciate them more than the uninitiated
Spearhead from Space:
The earliest of the three stories is likely also the best for viewers wanting to
get a good idea of what the series is all about. Filmed in color and on
location, a rarity for Who, Spearhead From Space introduces Jon Pertwee as the
Doctor's third regeneration. The Doctor, for those unaware, is an alien - a
Timelord who gallivants throughout time and space saving planets and universes
and mankind and the like on an alarmingly frequent basis. He can die but, like a
cat, he has more than one life, and each time he regenerates his appearance and
personality changes (a nice bonus for the BBC ensuring the series longevity).
As Spearhead opens we find the Doctor recovering from his latest regeneration to
find he looks alarmingly like comedy veteran Jon Pertwee (who would play the
role for four years). The menace this time is an alien invasion of earth and an
army of deadly mannequins. The plot hardly matters - it gets you from point A to
point B in a pleasantly painless way and occasionally features some genuinely
good writing.
The DVD includes a few nice extras including a U.N.I.T recruitment film, an
informative sub-title track and a commentary from Nicholas Courtney and
Caroline Jones, familiar to Who fans as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and Doctor's companion
Liz Shaw..
Robots of Death
Next up is a story featuring the irrepressible Tom Baker as the Doctor's fourth
incarnation. Of the three releases Robots of Death is probably the best all
round. Baker is always terrific and especially so when accompanied by Leela
(Louise Jameson),
easily the series sexiest companion. Robots of Death has it all - outrageously
over the top costumes and sets that just barely avoid being camp, a strong script and earnest
performances from all involved. The production values are quite good including
some very acceptable model work.
Baker's Doctor is eccentric, even by Who standards, but that's what makes him
charming. With his signature scarf and great bulging eyes Baker is probably the
average persons default Doctor - the one they first think of and associate with
