by Ken Parker
This is amazing. Here I am reviewing one
of the most important episodes of Doctor Who which was just released on DVD. I am listening to the music from “The Tenth
Planet” CD and earlier saw The Adventures in Space and Time
Trailer, featuring a quick scene from the making of “The Tenth
Planet.” And my 5 year old daughter actually watched part of this story with me (first time she watched some of Doctor Who. How cool is that?
"The Tenth Planet" is one of those Doctor
Who stories that for years I never thought I would see because it was
incomplete. Then one day I watched a 10+ generation video tape of
episodes 1-3 and I could barely see what was going on. I was still
intrigued and enjoyed the story. “The Tenth Planet” is one of
the first Target books I saw in a bookstore and one of the first I
bought. Finally it is out on DVD and thanks to Jeff, I have a copy
to watch, enjoy and review!
The story is your basic 'base under
siege” tale but there is nothing basic about this one. First off,
“The Tenth Planet” features the first appearance by the Cybermen
in all their creepy glory. Secondly it is the last time William
Hartnell would play the Doctor until he comes back in “The Three
Doctors” a few years later. We also experience something that is
taken for granted now, but at the time was so original and exciting –
a regeneration.
A few things to note here, this being
the first Cybermen story and Hartnell's last story as the lead of the
Doctor, neither of them are in it that much. Hartnell had gotten ill
during the filming of the story and vanishes for part of episodes 2
and 3 while the Cybermen are dispatched in episode 2 but do return by
the final episode to begin their doomed invasion.
Despite this, both are important to the
story as Hartnell delivers a final performance that is only marred by
the fact that the episode does not exist. The animated part 4 does
an excellent job though with giving a glimpse at what it must have
been like to see the Doctor regenerate.
The Cybermen are especially creepy,
being more human like than any future incarnation. They have human
like hands and their faces are some horrific resemblance of a human
face with a mouth that mimics a human mouth. The fact that the
Cybermen are humans that have replaced parts of their bodies with
machinery was a commentary of science and medicine in our world and
one that co-writer Kit Pedler was obsessed with.
This Cyberman design would be heavily
modified a year later but this one is probably the most terrifying.
The story is not without its faults.
The upside down Earth representing Mondas was a poor idea and should
have been just a different looking planet. The idea that Mondas is
just like Earth except it has gone on a different path is interesting
but hard to take serious with an upside down Earth. The story moves
fairly well and is well conceived. The cast do well in their
respective parts and while it would have been great to see more of
Hartnell in this one, he manages to go out on a high point.
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The DVD looks great and for once the
animation is enjoyable. It is unfortunate that the missing episode
is part 4 but the animation has more motion and looks better than the
paper doll cut out versions of the past.
The making of documentary is
fascinating as most of these are on the DVDs. Several other special
segments make for some good extras including a look at the male
companions of Doctor Who and an excellent, more in depth analysis of
companions in “Companion Piece”. This is one of my favorite
extras I have seen in a while as interviewees discuss some of the
psychological aspects of traveling with the Doctor. A little humor
mixed in, this is a great special.
Along with a Blue Peter is a
short opinion piece that tries to convince me (and fails) to tell me
that the latest Doctor Who is as good as the old one. The
photo gallery and the original VHS reconstruction are also included.
The highlight is a very short interview with William Hartnell which
happened a short while after leaving the show. This segment is far
to brief but gives us a very rare look at the man behind the first
Doctor. Incredible.
So this DVD is an excellent choice for
being an anniversary release of sorts. It is an excellent story and
important one as well.
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