Doctor Who - Sixth Doctor Volume 1 - DVD

Content: Fans of Doctor Who were amazed when the Fifth Doctor Peter Davidson didn't bow out at the end of the 21st season. Season, but instead transformed himself into the Sixth Doctor Colin Baker by regenerating during the current season. His portrayal of the legendary Time Lord took some getting used to at first, as suddenly the Doctor was extremely arrogant and condescending. But the changes didn't stop there. With the end of the 21st season, the makers also (briefly) said goodbye to the usual broadcast format of 25-minute episodes. Instead of telling the individual stories in four episodes each, season 22 was limited to two 45-minute episodes each. In addition, the basic tone of the series was a little darker, what even the very colorful outfit of the new doctor little could change.

Although not everyone could make friends with this new interpretation of the cult figure and especially the fact that Baker's doctor for the first time also used physical violence against his opponents, so some resented, this changed little in the popularity of the series. Behind the scenes, however, there were some discussions about this new direction of the series, which ultimately led to an unusually long break in production and the surprisingly quick end for Colin Baker after only eleven adventures as the Doctor. Yet season 22 in particular has everything to offer that gave Doctor Who the cult status that remains unbroken to this day: fascinating enemies, fantastic stories and a good dose of dry humour.

The first four-parter Twice Einstein is the weakest story in the first DVD set of the Sixth Doctor. The trashy effects, which are especially noticeable in the design of the nasty slug creatures the Doctor has to deal with, are somehow part of the series. And to a certain extent they also make up the charm of the series. Nevertheless, the story about the power-hungry Mestor, who wants to spread his species all over the galaxy in order to take over the universe, just isn't very entertaining. Boredom reigns here rather than suspense and really good entertainment. This changes with the first two-parter of season 22, where there is a reunion with the Cybermen, who are still called Kybermänner in the German version. The Doctor and his companion Perpugilliam Peri Brown (Nicola Bryant) must prevent here no less than the end of the world by Halley's comet. Excitement continues in the next story, which could well be seen as a critique of the reality TV format - and thus still has some relevance. The final two-parter of this set then brings the return of the Master, the Doctor's arch-rival, who has joined forces with the nasty Time Lady Rani. It is against her that the Doctor must battle in 19th century England.

No question, all four stories have very good moments, amusing scenes and convincing acting performances. But there's also no denying that those fans who didn't get to know and love Doctor Who until the much more elaborate and technically better produced 2005 reboot might have problems with the rubber monsters, the trashy sets and the somewhat unfamiliar 80s outfits. But those who can get into it will quickly be captivated by the very special charm of this series, which has made Doctor Who such a beloved cult phenomenon for over 50 years now. And fans will not be able to avoid buying this box alone because of the great bonus material. Therefore, there is again a clear: worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: For a 30-year-old TV production should not be expected with an audiovisual revelation. The picture, which is in the classic 4:3 TV format, shows a coherent colour scheme, but also reveals some blurring and slight picture noise. The sound is in a rather unspectacular stereo mix, but at least the dialogue is very powerful and well understandable from the speakers. The sound effects, on the other hand, seem a bit powerless and too centrally mixed. Nevertheless: for a rather aged TV series, the end result is still absolutely satisfactory.

Extras: This box is again exemplary in terms of bonus material and has all sorts of newly produced extras as well as archive material on offer, which makes the purchase for fans yet indispensable. Starting off with very entertaining audio commentaries on all the episodes with cast and crew. These are consistently entertaining as well as informative commentaries, in which even problems with the production or qualitative weak points of the individual episodes are not concealed. Unfortunately, there are no subtitles for these commentaries. A good knowledge of English is therefore a must. You should also have that for the really good info-subtitle track, where all sorts of interesting and hidden details about the respective episodes are revealed.

Next to the commentaries and the subtitle track, there are still numerous video extras. Starting here on the first DVD is The Man from the Stars (approx. 6:05 min.), an interview with the designer of the title sequence at the time. In One Hundred Years Younger (approx. 11:47 mins), Colin Baker has an amusing conversation with comedian Amy Lamé about the Doctor's various outfits. Then there's an in-depth look at the comics for the series (approx. 17:47 mins), followed by archive interviews from British breakfast television (approx. 9:55 mins) and a popular children's programme (approx. 10:03 mins). Finally, there are some programme announcements (approx. 3:14 mins), a picture gallery, and two easter eggs, one of which has been produced exclusively for German fans.

With most DVD box sets, that would be the end of it. But here, things are just getting started. DVD 2 starts with Der kalte Krieg (approx. 27:29 min.), a retrospective documentary about the making of the episode Attack of the Cybermen. Their story is then explored in more detail in another documentary (approx. 22:52 min.). This is followed by an interesting interview with British professor Kevin Warwick, a specialist in cybernetics (approx. 8:11 min.). Image galleries, trailers (approx. 3:13 min.), an Easter Egg, and the option to watch the episode with the soundtrack track isolated conclude the bonus material on DVD 2.

On the third DVD, there are no extras besides the audio commentary for the episode Revolt on Varos. The bonus material for this episode is on the fourth DVD. Again, there is an interesting documentary on the making of the episode (approx 29:40 mins). This is followed by an examination of how Doctor Who itself dealt with the medium of television within the series (approx. 7:32 mins). This is followed by cut and extended scenes (approx. 17:44 mins) on the episode, followed by footage of the studio shoot (approx. 4:42 mins) and outtakes. In addition, there is the acid bath scene with alternate music (approx. 1:38 min.). After some program announcements (approx. 1 min.), Sarah Sutton, the Fourth and Fifth Doctor's companion, explains how Colin Baker's portrayal of the Time Lord was received in the press (approx. 12:56 min.). There are a few more news clips (approx. 1:10 mins), appearances on breakfast television (approx. 5:44 mins), and a popular call-in show (approx. 15:08 mins). And finally, as a treat, a rare, unaired Doctor Who sketch from the cult comedy series French & Saunders (approx. 7:34 min.).

The final DVD also has some additional material on offer. A worthwhile look back at the making of the episode (approx. 43:20 min.) is followed by a comparison of the filming locations then and now (approx. 4:07 min.). Some Deleted Scenes (approx. 8:40 min.), an interview with composer Jonathan Gibbs (approx. 9:44 min.) and further TV appearances in the Call-in Show (approx. 2:04 min.) and the children's programme Blue Peter (approx. 11:23 min.), as well as a picture gallery and an Easter Egg perfectly round off the really extensive bonus material. It doesn't get any better than this!

Conclusion:The sixth incarnation of Doctor Who in the mid-1980s caused quite a bit of controversy. While Colin Baker's outfits were gaudy, his Doctor's psyche was rather dark and unbalanced. There was also criticism of the unusual brutality with which this doctor proceeded against his opponents. This did little to change the success of the series, but ultimately caused a longer break in production and the rather quick end for Baker after only eleven stories. Whovians, however, can now enjoy his first four adventures, released in a box set bursting with great bonus material. Even if these old episodes sometimes seem trashy, fans can't miss this box. Absolutely recommendable

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp