TV Gold

On the face of it the release line-up for 2007 seems to offer little in the way of restoration challenges with nothing before 1974 being tackled this time round. It was certainly another varied selection with each release punctuated with the now familiar insightful and entertaining extra features however some of the stories selected will no doubt have raised a few puzzled expressions from fans old and new. It is so easy to become overtly blasé about the high standards that the Restoration Team continually maintain with each consecutive release. However both in content and cover art work the phrase ‘timeless classic’ can certainly be applied to this range compared with the previous VHS video range which went through many shifts in artwork and cover design over the years. Anyway lets take a look back over just what was selected for our delectation and delight during the past twelve months.

NEW BEGINNINGS
Replete with dynamic cover art work the three stories that make up January’s “New Beginnings” box set opener lead us from the dying moments of the epic seven year Tom Baker era and into the opening outing of Peter Davison’s tenure as the new series lead. Whilst for me at least the trio of tales themselves are from an entertainment potential perspective a fairly mixed bag you really can’t fault the attention to detail that is employed in the informative and entertaining extra features covering every aspect of the various production. Personally I absolutely love everything I found on the “Castrovalva” disc however I was left unmoved by “The Keeper of Traken” and the funereal feeling of “Logopolis” permeating through everything else on this middle disc left a metaphoric ‘distinct bitter taste in my mouth’. Attractively packaged and well handled this is undoubtedly an essential purchase for marking this critical period in the series history however I personally don’t rate any of these stories amongst my own personal favourites of the entire twenty-six ‘classic series’ run.

SURVIVAL
For the next release the spotlight moves towards the end of season twenty-six and the last story to be transmitted before its triumphant return in 2005. With Sylvester McCoy holding the keys of the TARDIS Rona Munro’s three part “Survival” story debuts on DVD during mid April on a surprisingly lavish two disc release. Another wonderful 5.1 surround sound mix of a seventh Doctor tale rubs shoulders with making of features, deleted and extended scenes, out takes and the obligatory but most welcome photo gallery. The second disc is a fascinating triple treat of “Endgame” (exploring the ending of the series and how it might have continued), a feature on Ace and “Destiny of the Daleks”, a computer games extract featuring the very last appearance of the Master in the guise of Anthony Ainley. Now I will make no secret of the fact that without doubt this is by far and away my favourite release of 2007 and comes very close to my all time best release of “The Curse of Fenric”.

ROBOT
From one end of the Tom Baker era we go to the other next with the story that started it all namely “Robot”, a story that although I personally enjoy the first establishing episode I always find the remaining three parts to be fairly routine and uninspiring. Although matched to a welcome commentary trio and accompanied with a main ‘making of’ extra feature entitled “Are Friends Electric?” this hardly felt like a title that I’ll be making fairly frequent returns to.

TIMELASH
Occupying this years ‘standard edition’ release we find the generally perceived mediocre Colin Baker story “Timelash”. Just like “Robot” we again find a welcome commentary trio this time including Paul Darrow but also a twenty-five minute ‘making of’ featured under the appropriate title of “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”. Personally I find this story mildly more enjoyable overall than Tom Baker’s debut however there are of course stronger releases during 2007 which render this title to no more than a pleasing also ran.

TIMEFLIGHT / ARC OF INFINITY
I know we have the standard argument that ‘they all have to be released eventually’ so like the bewildering appearance of “The Web Planet” in October 2005 we next are presented with two distinctly lacklustre productions pulled together from the Peter Davison era. The only real linking factor between season nineteen’s “Time-Flight” finale and the season twenty opener “Arc of Infinity” is the surprise departure and return of Tegan, a character whom adorns the cover of the box sets case. Undoubtedly “Time-Flight” offers the weaker package which is only significant as offering “Mouth On Legs”, the first onscreen DVD release interview with Janet Fielding. Davison, Fielding, Sutton and script editor (Eric) Saward struggle gamely on to inject their usual brand of commentary humour however with a story as inanely banal (despite its charmingly endearing aspects like the Concorde usage, Anthony Ainley’s puzzling dual role and laughably bad Plasmatons) they are essentially really trying to ‘make a silk purse out of a sows ear’. “Arc of Infinity” makes a better DVD proposition however this is yet another distinctly unremarkable tale which entails former Time Lord bad guy Omega attempting to permanently cross over from his Anti-matter universe at the Doctor’s expense. Although the main extras attractions are undoubtedly the ‘Anti-Matter from Amsterdam’ making of… feature (somewhat jarringly presented by ‘Ace’ actress Sophie Aldred) and renegade Time Lord retrospective “The Omega Factor” this story presents us with the unique opportunity to have two Doctor Who actors providing commentary input. Yes aside from the familiar Davison, Fielding, Sutton trio they are joined by Colin Baker whom also delights in making strange clucking noises whenever his Commander Maxil character appears either carrying or wearing his elaborate feathered helmet. New cover artist Dan Budden offers up suitably disappointing artwork which I guess is certainly in keeping with the largely uninspiring total contents.

THE TIME WARRIOR
After the disappointing three previous titles a return to the Pertwee era with season elevens opening story “The Time Warrior” felt for me a most welcome return to form of quality releases. The cover designed by Clayton Hickman has got to be one of his finest renditions, a piece of artwork that so perfectly captures the very essence of a historical story blended with aspects of science fiction. Robert Holmes introductory tale for new foe the Sontarans forever sparkles with engaging performances, dialogue and effective use of period setting and for the DVD release it is sympathetically but effectively complemented by this inclusion of modern day CGI effects, most notably in the eventual destruction of Irongron’s castle. Looking at the content on offer you’d assume it was another ‘standard edition’ however such is the quality of the “Beginning the End’ making of feature and pleasing cast/production team commentary trio that this is absolutely a delightful viewing experience. I really love the way that use is made of Peckforton Castle when interviewing people associated with the story together with the imaginative framing of photos and other images in recesses of the ancient period structure, all of which is wonderfully in keeping with the four part story. In my opinion this is a true jewel in the crown of 2007 releases and well worth adding to your collection!

THE KEY TO TIME
Now I could easily spend loads of time regarding how absolutely marvellous it is that we now have a gloriously designed seven disc Region 2 set of Season Sixteen’s six story “Key To Time” which is positively overflowing with masses of addition features of varying interest and enjoyment. Suffice to say this really is something very special and unique and obviously quite unlikely to be repeated to this degree. Because of this I personally don’t feel it can be adequately rated against the more traditional single story or minimal multi-story box set that you find elsewhere in the years schedule.

PLANET OF EVIL
You know I guess your perception of a DVD release centres very much around the story in question and with the next release, although I very much appreciate the imaginative jungle setting that has been created plus the anti-matter monster Louis Marks “Planet of Evil” script for the most part leaves me a little underwhelmed. Admittedly on DVD we have got a first rate commentary line-up of Baker, Sladen, (producer) Hinchcliffe and Prentis Hancock and very much the same mood of this tale is conveyed in the “A Darker Side” making of feature. Welcome though its arrival on DVD is again it just feels like another pleasing also ran.

DESTINY OF THE DALEKS
Finishing off not just the 2007 releases but also completing all tales staring mutant humanoid Davros we find “Destiny of the Daleks” arrive either on its own which I guess most people (myself included) will be buying rather than the gargantuan highly expensive Davros box set. Admittedly it’s a good opener for new companion Lalla Ward, the Movellans still seem rather groovy looking as if they’ve just stepped out of a disco or off the set of Gerry Anderson’s “UFO” series and the main location of sandy quarry seems to be used to good convincing effect but there, for me at least, the good aspects of the story end. Personally I thought that despite their best intentions this commentary trio were rather uninspiring especially having them lavish almost the full first episode merely to lavish praise on Douglas Adams. Personally I felt that the CGI Effects added little to the story and wasn’t overly impressed with the Terry Nation documentary “Terror Nation”. To realise just how poor I rate this particular release I would add in closing that the best thing I enjoyed about it was the three minutes worth of ‘Prime Computer Adverts’ added to the special features.

Right so that's a brief word about the candidates this year... which was your favourite???