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DVD : Doctor Who - The Hand of Fear (Episode 87) |
- Excellence from Tom BakerPersonally, I thought this was the best interaction between Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen of their entire story arcs.
Rating:
- Superb DVD ExtrasRather than dwell on the specifics of the episode, which is a solid mid-tenure Tom Baker episode, but nothing more, I want to point out the excellence of the bonus material.
Not all DVDs feature Tom Baker on commentary or in interview form, but here we have both. The in-depth documentary on the making of the episode provides lengthy interview material with Liz Sladen and Tom Baker that extend beyond simply commenting on this episode. Indeed, they both recount how they came about to be chosen for their roles.
The real gem is the short (11 minute) video from a British children's tv show, which features Tom and Liz back then. This is priceless.
So, even if this particular episode does not stick out in your memory (I could name about 30 Baker episodes I prefer), if you are a doctor who fan - especially the 4th doctor era - the extras are among the best out there for this DVD series so far.
Rating:
- This One Starts So Well......and then it just kind of peters out. It starts out with an ominous premise (alien genes infect a beloved principal character), a setting apropos to that portentousness (a nuclear reactor), a committed supporting cast (a possessed doctor and a plant foreman with a steel spine), and a villain engaging enough to be able to play on our loyalties like a violin. But as soon as it moves into Act III, where we expect to see enough of a payoff to justify the setup, the story turns into a cheap Atari video game as the characters putter through an unscary obstacle course to a denoument we frankly saw coming. It's as though the production team had a lofty vision in their heads, and lacked the budget and technology to realize any more than a ghost of it. While fans of Sarah Jane may like watching this one to see her final farewell, this episode arc is meant for hardcore fans only; not recommended for casual viewers or neophytes.
Rating:
- THE seminal good byeI admit it. I am a die hard Baker fan. I am a die hard Sara Jane fan, so this episode could have been horrible, and I still would probably have given it a positive review. But not only is it not terrible, it is wonderful. The story is suspenseful from start to finsih, and oh what an ending. Any fan of the show, and particularly of Ms. Smith will need Kleenex bfore the credits role. I still get choked up watching this one. This one truly marked the end of an era in Who history.
Rating:
- Dr Who Episode #87I've been a Dr Who Fan since the 60's and have truly enjoyed each and every episode. I hope you'll keep these episodes available for years to come.
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