A Damp Squib

After thoroughly enjoying all the boxsets of Star Trek-Next Generation I was left with a bit of a hole to fill. Deep Space Nine's first season didn't fill it. Lacking depth and most importantly adventure. Everyone is harping on about the price of the boxsets and not the content. Maybe the later seasons are an improvement on this one, but do I take that risk?

Good reconstruction - worth having but not at any price

This is an interesting story for many reasons, though it has had most attention focussed on it due to the creation of two animated episodes to cover the gaps from missing master tapes. The creations in question have been matched to recordings made off air by fans onto audio tape. Unfortunately the missing episodes are 1 & 4 of 8, so the whole story kicks of with animation and I found that it took some getting used to - black and white animation with little richness and fairly static faces. Switching to 'real life' the look and feel is overall somewhat drab with a lot of back street London locations and by the time the second animation is reached it is seamless and does not detract at all.

The story overall is from a time of change, the show and Troughton running out of steam and shortly to be reset (and moved to colour) with the end of Troughton and the moving in of Pertwee. In search of ratings it sticks to London / England and echoes slightly Dalek Invasion. A previous story introducing Colonel (now Brigadier) Leftbridge Stewart set in the underground is now reset as Cybermen in the sewers. UNIT is created for this story and has none of the slightly comic feel it would get under Pertwee - here we have shootings, dark cars, chases, helicopters and a lot of action.

At eight episodes the story is too long, the cybermen too vulnerable to grenades and the baddies slightly too hammy (though I like the cowardly sidekick).

From the sublime to the ridiculous

The good news - The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit is an all-time great of Doctor Who. A rare new series off-Earth jaunt for the TARDIS crew, and the results are superb. Alternately tragic and sinister, clautrophobic and agorophobic, it takes to viewer into the darkest depths of human fears to meet the ultimate evil. A strong cast, fast pace, tight plotting and just enough humour to stop it getting unrelentingly grim makes for a jewel in the crown of British science-fiction.

So what happened to the fifth star in the rating? Sunk without trace, along with 'Love and Monsters'. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. To say the parts are better than the whole is to put it mildly. The mostly excellent cast struggle valiently with the material but are ultimately overwhelmed by the tripe that is this episode. I am not a fan of Peter Kay, I must admit, but he is quite impressive in human form; sadly when he loses human shape, he appears to lose his acting ability, as well. The conclusion is trite and unbelievable. Knowing that the main villain was created by a nine year-old Blue Peter viewer in a competition might lead you to fear the worst, so it is ironic that the monster itself is a brilliant conception - it's a pity that the professionals couldn't come up with a quality story to match it.

Don't encourage them!

Bringing together previously released material, adding a single exclusive audio play and special features disc on Remembrance, is really not fair on the fans who have purchased said previous releases.

Eldrad MUST live!

Back in the mid 1970's when I was just a nipper, I would skip gaily home from the newsagents in my little shorts with some penny chews and a lurid red string of liquorice packed with E numbers to watch Saturday's instalment of Doctor Who. I count myself lucky to have experienced the Baker/Sladen partnership first time round. It is the best ensemble acting the show has ever produced. Week in week out, I would be enthralled by the brave, kind and just a little bit unsettling Doctor and the pretty, spunky Sarah-Jane as they battled Daleks, Sontarans, Cybermen and Zygons in a crazed-out monsterfest which was compulsory viewing for any child in Great Britain who grew up in that magical era. Then it all came to an end with the Hand of Fear and I wrote a rude letter to the BBC (which my Mum helped me to write), which they never replied to.

The story is not outstanding, but contains a popular template still retained by the series, namely setting the initial story on Earth in recognisable surroundings (yes, it's THAT quarry again), before shifting the action to outer space. One interesting fact is that Sarah is given a chance to be mean as she is possessed by the power of Eldrad's ring. The highlight is of course her leaving scene, made all the more poignant by being underplayed by both actors.

Elisabeth Sladen is the best actor or actress ever to have played the Doctor's companion, and struck just the right degree of balance between vulnerability and independence, while all the while creating a likeable and entirely believable character. There has not been a companion like her since (although I have to say I was very impressed with Billie Piper). This was her swansong.

Happy days.

Great episodes

I like these episodes a lot.I liked Aliens of LondonWorld War Three and I know a lot of people say the Slitheen aren't scary and I agree but I also think there are some great action scenes and thrilling moments in the episode. The next episode''Dalek'' was brilliant, it was exciting all the way through the episode and the special effects were brilliant.I highly reccomend this dvd.

The Daleks are Masters of Earth!

This story is the one which establishes Daleks forever as the ultimate merciless killing machines they really are. Before the first episode of this story aired, Daleks were known as robots which were lethal, yes, but if you...oh, i don't know...left their city, they couldn't kill you. In this, no matter where you go they can find you; even underwater!

While i'm used to the new episode with David Tennant, I can still appreciate the true scale of his adventure. The first time the Daleks step foot (not literally) on our home turf, and what an event to remember!

Any Doctor Who fan, or even any fan of goold-old"alien invasion" sci-fi should definately add this to their DVD collection. It's worth every penny of the price, and more!

good packaging

no need to say much about the series- having bought the box set recently- i`d like to comment on the packaging. one reviewer said it was a poor and cheap package-i stongly object to that- the package looks very nice on the shelf- it doesn`t occupy much space- very compact and stylish....
i wasn`t able to buy the entire series due to its high price in previous editions but at this price- i must say it is really a bargain- you not not only get the entire series but you get such a lovely box with all the discs wrapped up inside nicely...
i recommend this set to all trekkies- get it while you can- it is really hard to resist this price:)
ps: i gave it 4 stars because i dont like green very much- if it was yellow or red- i`d give it 5 star then:)

Stargate, ratings the size of Dumbo on steroids

Ok so the original enemy is dead now SG1 starts getting into new and funky story lines inc more lavish scenery and props and nice meaty story lines infact only 2 i thought were ok, the rest rocked, filled with features and great picture and sound
BUY NOW

Best yet

Watching the DVDs through from season one, this is the best of the first four. Doesn't suffer with the poor attempts at comedy episodes that plagued season 3. Still has weaker ones but overall a brilliant season.

Some annoying instances of characters (usually Mulder) being very stupid just to move the plot along but that's just being picky. Good entertainment all the way through.

Not A Great Year In A Great Show's Life

I have greatly enjoyed revisiting all nine years of the TV show which I think most influenced me during the 1990s (ah, those were the years).

Having said that, with age and with swift viewing of episodes originally broadcast months apart, one can't help noticing supporting actors reappearing in different roles (somewhat disconcerting for the proper submersion in the narrative) and Mulder's endless harping on about the truth, becoming a bit of a bore. I know, I know: heresy.

Don't get me wrong, I love it. But Season Seven is a really tired year in the show's life. Everything has become disappointingly arch. Duchovny has clearly tired of it and there is way too much dialogue along the lines of, 'Hey, haven't we been here before', or, 'I know exactly what you're gonna say next, Scully.' It's all too knowing, and how could it be otherwise after so many years? Still, the opening double episode is very powerful and the three-way-bubblebath-telephone conversation in a later epidode is amusing. But there are rather too many lightweight episodes.

I'm glad the show continued and I think the later introduction of Doggett and Reyes greatly refreshed The X Files and offered the scope for more emotional scenes, especially for Anderson. Be warned therefore that No7 is a weak vintage, but it's worth having to complete the set. Anyone unhappy with Mulder's departure should stop at Season Six, given the deficiencies apparent throughout this mostly unfocused seventh season.

a darker season that delves deep into the mythology and becoming consistantly entertaining all the way through...WOW!!

season three still contains the thrills and the chills needed for great sci fi...and this season remains fantastic all the way through.

eppy reviews-

Blessing Way-4/5
Paper clip-4/5
D.P.O-4/5
Clyde Bruckmans final repose-5/5
the list-2/5
2shy-2/5
the walk-3/5
Oubliette-3/5
Nisei-4/5
731-4/5
Revelations-3/5
War of the Corphorages-4.5/5
syzygy-4/5
Grotesque-4/5
Piper Maru-5/5
Apocrypha-5/5
pusher-4/5
teso dos bichos-2/5
hell money-2/5
Jose Chungs From Outer Space-4/5
avatar-3/5
quagmire-3/5
wetwired-2/5
Talitha Cumi(1)-5/5

paves way for the excellent fourth season:)

MUST BUY

"The Good, the Fun & the Myrka"

A fine boxset where the Silurians & Sea Devils go on the pull for customers charitably taking their socially inpet moose of a friend Warriors of the Deep with them.

Dr Who & the Silurians is the most serious and poignant of the stories. The themes of obsession, xenophobia and greed are well expressed in a clever story with a touch of Quatermass as the invaders were on Earth before man.

Shorn of the broad comedy of his 1st story Pertwee excels as the story's moral voice, desparately trying to forge a peace between both sides. Here is a doctor who can see the bigger picture even though most other characters and at many points in the story even the viewers, do not support him.

The supporting characters offer a range of obsessives; paranoid Dr Lawrence, ruthless Dr Quinn determined to use the Silurains to make his name and the xenophobic Major Baker. The misguided patriot is a great favourite of author Malcom Hulke.

If Humanity is not at its best in this stiory, the Silurians are no better attempting to reign destruction on the upstart apes. They are a good design with body language and a special voice distracting from obvious joins in the costume.

Unit is at its most military and seems to actually have troops in this story. The cosy Unit family atmosphere is in short supply and the dependent but less chummy relationship between the Doctor and Brig serves the story well.

Nice touches are sound effects for Silurian technology & that the Doctor has difficulty writing out a chemical formula, a very naturalistic moment from Mr. Pertwee.

A little overlong but still v good stuff.

The Sea Devils is less poignant but more mobile. the Doctor is still playing Peace Ambassador but with less weight than in Silurians. the addition of the Master gives the story more humour especially with his prison scenes and relationship with the Doctor. We get an early tip off that the prison is not what it seems.

The real Royal Navy replace Unit and the use of their hardware jacks production values up several notches.

There is good support from another misguided patriot in Prison Governor Trenchard (though why anyone thought he could cope with the Master is a mystery!), long suffering Jane Blythe, sea faring Brig surrogate Cap Hart and the pompous civil servant Walker.

A good story for the Doctor and jo, the strong working relationship between Katy Manning & Pertwee making them a haphazard Avengers!

The Sea Devils are another fine monster design, synmpathetic turtle faces and a rugged enough suit to allow them to rise out of the sea in an iconic cliffhanger. The only ineffectual moment is when 1 runs from a minefield like a scalded cat! A fast moving story with very little padding.

Warriors of the Deep is awful. A pointless resurrection of an old monster in a half baked cold war parable. The regulars battle with a poor script & make the most of the few good moments they get.

Part 1 is the worst offender for sheer padding. It consist of endless reiteration of the need to revive the Sea Devils by 2 Silurians, running around for the tardis crew after avoiding a missile and a bafflegab contest for the missile base crew.

None of the guest cast get a good role and a wasted Ingrid Pitt while still in her prime was made to look really ugly by ill-judged make up. Only Nigel Humphreys makes an impression as the computer sync operator. In a better story he might have been memorable.
The Silurian mask is a good redesign but sat atop a costume including a beer gut and scaly flares, with a grating tinny voice, they are just ridiculous.
The Sea Devils are faithful to the originals in voice and mask and with moving eyes one up on the original, but having had a visit from Trinny & Susannah they've taken to dressing up as Samurai! Looked bad then, looks bad now.
As for new monster the Myrka, it's a pantomime Sea Cow and beyond that it defies description!
Several slip ups see a completely unnnatural fall into water for the Doctor, Sea Devil heads flopping to 1 side, 2 Sea Devils in the background walking into each other and split Silurian costumes.

Only the model work is good and justly the subject of an Easter egg as Mat Irvine shows his souvenirs.

Commentaries for all 3 stories. A pic n' mix for Silurians with producer Barry Letts, script editor Terrance Dicks and various others dropping in & out. Particularly good points are Letts' recollections of what he didn't want to inherit from predecessors, location memories + companion Caroline John on the differences between script and the novel which she had just narrated for CD.

Dicks and Letts are joined by director Michael Briant on Sea Devils, moderated by Andrew Cartmel. All 3 have so clear many memories that Cartmel becoems a 5th wheel but self effacingly keeps quiet much of the time and just enjoys the chat. The Navy's involvement and the howlers with ranks and so on are good as are the memories of Roger Delgado's bravery in facing his fear of water. But one thing, can 2 Entertain stop Terrance Dicks from repeating the Pertwee Bouffant story? Several commentaries ago it was funny but together with Silurians it's on the same boxset twice.

We get a Pete'n Jan show for Warriors where they are joined by Mat Irvine who is game for a fun commentary. They make no bones about the quality of the story and have lots of fun with it and remembering guest star Tom Adams!

Documentaries are present for each story just a short making of for Silurians but the lengthy look at the social/political situation at the time and its influence on the story is excellent, watch for Roy Hattersley! More of the same please.

Hello Sailor is a fun making of Sea Devils notable for Katy Manning's 1st onscreen interview, Michael Briant's involvement and the Navy personnel who were involved. we aklso get some super 8 footage shot by them with a commentary.

The Depths is a making of Warriors which makes no bones about its shortcomings but looks at how & why it ended up that way. It is complaimented by the equally excellent They came from beneath the Sea featurette on the monsters of that show.

A featurette on the music of the 2 70's stories plus a look at the colour restoration for Silurians complete a fine package.

More of a Notalgiafest for us Classic who fans than a package for the newer fans. But if you want to show them any story Sea Devils is your best bet.

Possibly the best season of TNG

This is simply the best season of TNG, and contains some of there best episodes ever; incl cause and effect, the inner light, disaster, times arrow p1 and the best TNG episode ever 'the game', a must buy

Might have been 5 stars but some of the extras appear to be missing...

I'll leave the other reviewers to speak for the quality of this season ( I think it holds up pretty well) but the packaging of this box set is misleading. Please note that two of the documentaries ("The Making Of The Truth" and"Reflections On The Truth") listed in the contents booklet as being on disc 6 don't actually appear to be on disc 6, or on any of the other discs. And I have looked extensively for them, believe me. So not as much extra value as I first thought. This is in reference to the region 2 M-lock version released in 2005.

Glad I own it

Season 3 of d9 produced memorable episodes and has quite a lot of episodes involving Garak, which I find always make the episode at least interesting. Episodes like Second Skin and Civil Defense are possibly some of my favourite ds9 episodes. Civil Defense apparently was a nightmare to make with the technical problems they had to get around. Prophet Motive was almsot my favourite Ferengi episode becuase of how interesting it was to Zek as the most generous person around. An episode ODO directed, lol. Du Kat does not feature much in this season, only about 2 episodes and theres no Weyoun, but near the end of the season, theres a very nice 2 episodes interlinked"Improbable cause" and"The Die is Cast" where the Romulan and Cardassian inteligence services join forces and Garak nearly being killed by his own hand but without trying to fully kill himself.(Dont want to spoil too much)
Special Features on season 3 are"The Birth of the Dominion""Micahel Westmores Aliens - Season 3"Time Travel files" -"Past Tense""Crew Dossier" of ODO"Sailing through the stars" and"USS DEFIANT". There is also subtitles in various languges on all discs and voice over non english languges. There is also semi hidden files of extra bits n pieces of interviews called section 31 hidden files which are only found by cliking on the green lights and pressing play on the station map. These hidden files are on all seasons.

A great celebratory romp with brilliant extras.

Okay, so it's really only 3 Doctors as the original William Hartnell was dead, played here by someone who only bears a passing resemlance to him and Tom Baker declined to take part so they had to represent him with archive footage, but the story is still hugely enjoyable, fitting in umpteen old companions and monsters and a story that is still intriguing and more or less coherant. Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee are a delight to watch, each trying to upstage the other and Peter Davison more than proves himself against these old timers. In many respects, you could call this the 'ultimate' Dr Who story and is probably a good one to watch if you're new to the classic series. The extras are superb with the best 'easter egg' to have been hidden on a Dr Who DVD. An essential purchase for any Dr Who fan.

Star Trek The next Generatin season 3

I was wondering if any body else who has Star trek The Next Generation Season 3 onwards.
If anyone is having the same problem I have had. After you have played the first episode,it does not stay in English and you have to go into communications on the menu
to change it each time to English. As the first two seasons, one and two are not doing this.Thanks.About from that Star trek is a great TV series.

CLASSIC & ENTERTAINING! (unlike mad_mushroom’s review)!

If, unlike me you were fortunate enough not to have read mad_mushroom’s ‘ attention seeking ’ and some what off the topic style review, then I hope you have made your mind up about the excellent series of Doctor who. Unfortunately for mad_mushroom, he seems to confuse politics and youth with a Sci Fi TV series – not what it ’ s about folks. BULLY BLAIR? A FEW YEARS YOU’LL BE ABLE TO VOTE? Maybe it’s me, but just because buyers under the age of 18 cannot vote, doesn’t mean they cannot have opinions and enjoy a decent show now does it? But then.. What would you expect from an obvious Tory (Faversham Kent - let’s say no more), a reviewer who possibly took offence to Russell T Davis’s parody in the Christmas invasion about the Falklands war. But hey.... lets not talk about politics eh? IT’S A GOOD SHOW! SO BUY IT PEOPLE!

Where it all went wrong

I was a great fan of the series during seasons 1-3. It developed an intriguing story arc that other shows of the time were afraid to take on, fearing the casual viewer dropping in. What Straczynski realised was that viewers will stay with a series if it's good enough. He built things well enough in a patchy season 1, refined them in season 2 and brought things to a head in season 3. Arguably any climax to such a build up was going to be a disappointment, but as other reviewers have said, the attempt to wrap up the entire Shadow war/Vorlon arc in six episodes (whether through necessity or not), was a huge mistake and the resolution, such as it is, is almost laughable. By this stage B5 was afflicted by Straczynski-itis -the unwillingness of its creator to let others in - and it shows in the writing. You can have a degree of fun in these episodes counting how many times someone says 'hell', but thats pretty much the only entertainment on offer.

B5 is often compared with DS9 because the two series ran at the same time. The comparison is a little unfair, in that the premise, beyond the space station setting, is different. Where DS9 consistently surpassed B5 though, was in production values and scripting. What many people see in B5 as complex political intrigue is really teenage paranoid angst. DS9 meanwhile successfully integrated lighter episodes into its canon (B5 never seemed to realise that humour comes even in dire situations), and dealt with more serious issues in a frequently more sophisiticated way. The acting is also a good deal better, but, hell, that's got a lot to do with the scripts.

B5 can be intriguing and sometimes does hit the right notes, but in seasons 4 and 5 those times are rare. It was a great shame to see something with such promise end this way.