The way it should have been....

I am not going to go into great analytical depth with this story, since a good many other reviewers have done this here already.
Suffice it to say that not only is this probably one of Colin Baker's best story, if not the best one; it is also one of the best Doctor Who stories of the 80's, with a real creeping sense of horror at the things Davros is up to, some brilliant dialogue, and some very black humour.
It is my opinion that this one story equals the classic Hinchcliffe era of Tom Baker stories in its tone.
By that i mean its level of violence, humour and feeling.
Those stories, (Pyramids of Mars, Seeds of Doom, Deadly Assassin etc) are revered as classics, and this one should be too.
Only a few things jar, and that is the Alexsei Sayle DJ character which is a bit over the top, and significant in that producer would repeat this mistake in future series of casting tv celebs in unlikely roles that would jar terribly. (There are a lot of 7th Doctor tales that can be included here.)
The only other thing that is a shame, is that of the ending, where Colin Bakers last line linking into what was supposed to be a real cracker of the opener of the next season, was deliberately missed off.
This is because the series was temporarily shelved due to a lack of support from BBC bosses and pandering to silly people who called it too violent, and would next year go into a decline from which it would never recover,(until 1996,and then 2005 with the new series) with the start of the 'new direction' which would increase the humour content at the expense of realism, thanks to pandering to the Mary Whitehouses of this world, something that thankfully does not affect the new series, where the balance is pretty good.
The Trial of a Timelord that would follow, would see the episode count effectively slashed to half, and with the introduction of more dodgy casting to follow....
Colin Bakers last line?
Well, he was originally supposed to say,
"Alright, I'll take you to Blackpool."
The reason?
This was to be where the Doctor was to have a return match with the Celestial Toymaker, a foe first encountered by William Hartnells Doctor in the story of the same name.
This was to be followed by another story with the return of the Ice warriors for the first time since 1974, and then it was rumoured, a story set in either Hong Kong, or san Francisco, with the return of the Autons....
Instead, we got the Trial Of a Timelord.....

Doctor Who should be scary, violent, and black humoured occasionally, and this story depicts that perfectly, with Colin baker doing a star turn.
Enjoy this, and think about what could have come after in the same vein when you hear the last line that never was!
This story, could, and should, have been the start of a new classic, dark scary era for Doctor Who, with Colin Bakers Doctor seeing a longer tenure.
Alas, it was not to be, but this story stands tall in its own right as a good one.

About time but ..........

Its baout time they released a smaller verson of the box set - the old ones were huge

A steady Warp 5

Whilst this is a superior series to the first, you may still find yourself wincing through some of the cliches and ridiculous lines the actors deliver. TNG didn't really begin to fly until it's third series but here you can see flashes of brilliance with some stand out episodes such as 'Q-Who' which introduced the Borg. Unfortunately there are some real clangers here as well including the dreadful 'Up The Long Ladder' and the truly awful episode where the Counsellor falls for a deaf and mute mediator - the producers clearly trying to make a point about overcoming diversity. The premise of strange new worlds and finding common ground amongst all species is still an admirable one, but it is executed far better in TNG's later series. Worth a look, but don't expect your warp engines to be engaged.

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.

Shockingly good

Season 3 is a strong contender for being the best season of B5 (although it doesn't quite match Season 4 for intensity, it's more accessible). It picks up exactly where Season 2 finished, and immediately throws two new elements to the mix: the White Star, a prototype Minbari / Vorlon hybrid warship designed for service in the coming war, and Marcus Cole, a ranger with an English accent who very quickly established himself as one of the most popular characters among fans.

Initially you get much the same mix of arc stories and strong standalones that characterised later season 2, further building on the same story threads that have been going since Season 1. Then, somewhere about the midway point, all hell breaks loose, the universe of B5 falls apart, and the series essentially never looks back. By the time you get to the amazing finale, you've been through the wringer emotionally and seen some of the most surprising and amazing episodes that B5 has to offer. Back in 1996 we hadn't seen anything like it, and this is what turned many a casual viewer (myself included) into rabid, foaming at the mouth fans. Granted Firefly and Galactica have raised the bar considerably higher since then, but in terms of grand, epic plotting and coherent narrative B5 really hasn't yet been beat, and this is the season that shows it off best. If you've enjoyed watching up to this point, you won't be disappointed..

unfairly panned

I'll try and be brief with this review,when the new avengers came out it was UNFAIRLY PANNED by the"critics"i can only assume they were still pining for the georgous mrs.peel and all things which were 60's.To be fair series one is superb (as good as anything from the original avengers)series 2 is weak(er)but this was down to fall outs with the production crew and tv studios and the filming having to be moved to canada.This set is worth buying for series 1 alone,the chemistry is there especially between gambit (the late gareth hunt) and purdey (joanna lumley....LEGEND AND NATIONAL INSTITUTION)my own favorite episodes are target (it's the one per cent that kills you) and sleeper(watch for joanna in the shop window).There you go,nice and brief,if you buy this box set you will not be disappointed guys.

Comin of Shadows

Season two of B5 is when things start to get serious. Gone are the trivial episodes and there is less of the portentious scene setting. By the end of the season everything has changed. Even the lighting on the sets seems more ominous.

You'll find other comments on the Hugo winning 'Coming of Shadows', but for me the best episode was the dark 'The Long. Twilight Struggle'. Straczynsky elevates the level of writing considerably in season 2. We even get two significant dream sequences to ponder the significance of. Character's personalities change, and the stage is set for many future events.

The effects in the latter half of the season are exceptional, and again, 'the Long, Twilight Struggle' makes brilliant use of CGI - it's rare that you feel emotionally moved by computer graphics, but in combination with the script and some actually very good acting (from Jurasik/Molari and Katsulas/G'Kar) you really feel pulled into the terrible conflict between the NArn and Centauri.

Series 2 is where B5 gets seious. If you don't buy season 1, this is a good place to start.

Great sci-fi

Really good series to kick off the X-Files.

Not having had a TV while at uni I missed most of the episodes but liked what I saw. Now I'm enjoying making my way through the DVDs (especially at the bargain prices they are at just now).

A very strong series to get the ball rolling. Good start to the conspiracy plus loads of good one-off episodes. Can't go wrong with this one.

Pretty routine 1970s"Who"!

Story: 3/5 - Extras: 4/5

"The Hand of Fear" is generally thought of as"Sarah Jane Smith's last story". Indeed, the four parter by Bob Baker and Dave Martin does feature the departure of Elisabeth Sladen's popular character, but only really as an afterthought, or footnote, to what is essentially a very routine and somewhat unmemorable Doctor Who story.
"The Hand of Fear" also has the unfortunate distinction of being a story that gets progressively less interesting as it continues. To begin with, Sarah Jane is possessed by the petrified hand of Eldrad and heads for the nearest nuclear reactor (Sladen puts in quite a good"sinister" performance as the possessed companion), which brings her to the"Nunton Experimental Complex", opening up the opportunity for some great, expensive-looking location shooting at the real-life Oldbury Power Station. The location filming really makes the first two episodes of the story, which have a very distinctive feel. Things go off the plot, however, when the Doctor, Sarah Jane and a newly regenerated Eldrad (Judith Paris) journey to Eldrad's home planet of Kastria, and we get the unfortunate combination of cheap-looking sets and a cheap-looking, shouty monster played by Steven Thorne, that is eventually defeated in the most banal manner possible. The final episode almost, but not quite, redeems itself with a nicely written scene in which the Doctor is summoned to his home planet of Gallifrey and realises that he has to leave his companion behind on Earth.
The DVD presentation of this story is decent, with the usual excellent picture and sound quality, some bits from the archives, a commentary and a documentary. The commentary is a slightly confused affair with Tom Baker, writer Bob Baker, actress Judith Paris, and an unusually quiet Elisabeth Sladen. Producer Philip Hinchcliffe also makes the odd appearance. The 50-minute documentary, meanwhile, is solidly done but slightly repetitive of earlier documentaries when it covers the more general period of Doctor Who outside the confines of this story. Not the very best, but"The Hand of Fear" is a good DVD for the series' ongoing fans.

Amazing bargain.

The content of this set is identical to the fully remastered Carlton 8-disc set as released in the UK, including the same bonus features. Notwithstanding the minor inconvenience of Dutch menus and having to switch off the subtitles, I paid £15 plus £1.24 postage. Wow!

First older Who...

Ok, so this was the first time I stepped out of my Doctor Who comfort zone: first old-OLD episode, first Black and White episode, first non-Tom Baker episode.

I loved it.

Yes the costumes are crap and sometimes the Cyber-voices are hard to understand but that's enough to look over.

Patrick Troughton is extremely watchable and makes you think that an older Doctor might still work in the current series.
The Companions Jamie and Victoria are both very watchable.

It's also interesting to see the Cybermen used in a very low-key way. They do not, for example, come across the Doctor as they try to destroy the universe. They are simply there to make for an excellent story, and show you don't have to be BIG to be scary.

All in all, it's a must watch.

Interesting, but not quite what Amazon says it is

This makes an interesting 90 minutes viewing especially to one who is pretty new to the Babylon 5 saga. I saw 2 or 3 episodes when it originally ran but have now decided to explore further. I agree with fellow reviewers who state there are several wooden performances here. Overall it's ok and I hope as I proceed further it gets lot better as I have been informed.

One point though. In the description on Amazon.co.uk this is supposedly a special edition, touched up in the late 90's. I would advise Amazon to look again as the product I received today is the original version with the original music score by Stewart Copeland NOT Christopher Franke. The sleeve says this and the film itself complies with this too.

A workmanlike season

By now, the pattern of almost all X-Files seasons is established: mythology episodes at the beginning and end of each year, with a couple of double-episode mytharcs mid-season. In between, the monster-of-the-week eps, and some lighter fare, are spread around.

The show's third year is consistently strong, and high-quality. It seems odd now to look back, having watched all 9 seasons- at the time this series seemed mature even though it was barely a third of the way through its run. The season finale, Talitha Cumi, even when viewed with the season 4 opener Herrenvolk, isn't top flight, but the rest of the season makes up for it.

Favourites:
Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose, Nisei/731, Piper Maru/Apocrypha, D.P.O., Pusher

Episodes I remember not liking, but enjoyed this time round:
Oubliette, Avatar

Weak points:
Teso Dos Bichos - famously disliked by cast and crew. Not as bad as I remember, but not good.

Farscape season 4, must watch!!

Thankfully this was not the end of Farscape, with the Peacekeeper Wars being made and giving much better closure to a fantastic sci fi series.
During this series we see John Crichton carry on searching for a way home, with the wormhole knowledge having now being released at the end of season 3, helping him greatly to achieve this. The speed picks up as not only peacekeepers are after Crition but also Scareans and the crew are forced to go into a deeper, darker part of the galaxy.

This is another great series and very enjoyable, with a jaw dropping finish at the end. Which rightly so caused fans to get their act together enabling the Peacekeeper Wars to be made.

Firing on all cylinders

This is my favourite year of The X-Files. The average episodes are great, and the best are simply outstanding. There is serious drama, particularly for Scully's character. Episodes like Home and Sanguinarium are particularly creepy, whilst others develop the Smoking Man's character, or the possibilities surrounding Samantha Mulder's disappearance.

This season won several Emmy awards, and deservedly so. Although it remained a great show, I don't believe it was ever again quite so consistently good as this season.

Favourites:
Memento Mori, Paper Hearts, Never Again, Demons, Home, Tunguska/Terma, Tempus Fugit/Max

Episodes I remember not liking, but enjoyed this time round:
Never Again, Kaddish

Weak points:
El Mundo Gira - goatsuckers, indeed.

Star Trek Next Generation Seasons 1-7

Finally after years of overpriced and poorly packaged box sets, Paramount have finally released Star Trek The Next Generation as a complete and affordable package.

A review of the series generally would seem almost pointless - If you're even reading this review then you are mostly likely a fan and will already have a very strong opinion - and with this in mind my score of 4/5 is not directed at the quality of the series but at the quality of the package as a whole.

All in all I think this represents very good value for money. It is a nicely presented box set, which takes up far less shelf space than those awful grey plastic sets Paramount released a few years ago, and £100 for 7 series is pretty good value for money really - on a par with similar releases from other studios.

If you've been holding back from buying these on DVD due to the price, here's your chance!

A fantastic SciFi series

I originally borrowed the DVDs of a friend and had to admit that i hadnt ever seen Stargate, from what i could say the whole business seemed a little odd and boring... how very wrong i was. I have bought the DVDs for myself now as i have never watched such an addictive and incredible series as this. The stories are enjoyable and there is not a point in the series where i got bored. End of the day this show managed to trounce all my preconceptions about it and has made me a huge fan. I would deffinately reccomend this box set... and in deed have done... as you just read it (the reccomendation that is)

A truly excellent series

Some situation comedies live or die by their inventiveness ... and Red Dwarf is certainly one such.

The problem with many is that the inventiveness"fails" as one series becomes two, then three, then five, etc. With Red Dwarf this simply doesn't happen. I have got eight series of this sitcom on DVD (and this review applies to, and will be submitted on, all eight) and the eigth is every bit as superb as the first.

I unhesitatingly recommend Red Dwarf to all.

one of the best of the series

Ive been trying to keep some kind of record of each episode of the x-files (of which there were nine seasons) for some time now but with little success. This is a geeky thing for me to do firstly because of the series itself (sci fi, alien abductions anyone?) and also just trying to provide a summary for a show that had some 180 plus episodes is a little bit obsessive. The problem seems to be that I put on an episode (I have alot of time because I am now unemployed yes?) and then I potter around, fix a coffee, my hair, my lunch and have no idea as to what's gone on with the aliens. I can just about remember whether what Ive seen is either a 'mythological' or 'stand alone' episode. Mythological tales begun with Fox Mulder's sister being abducted by non- humans when he was a child and then general alien related stories which always effect Mulder and Dana Scully is some emotional and physical way. Stand alone episodes are about everything elses and can be silly, funny, ironic, frightening, complicated, dull; you get the point. They are always resloved in the same episode.

I'm currently watching Season 7 and have worked my way here starting with season 1 in season order. I watched the first 5 seasons when they originally aired. Looking at them now they seem dated and crude; the chemistry between Mulder and Scully which is really the defining point of the show, undeveloped. By season 6 I'd begun to actually stop experimenting with my hair and was sitting down watching the show. When I took out season 7 from the box I realised that I already knew many of the episodes from title and was very familiar to the plots and had enjoyed many of the episodes already. See our heros had really begun to fully inhabite their charaters and the emotional dynamic between the two had well truly taken off. I think this season is also the one in which Mulder leaves, to come back only for those 'Myth' episodes and the series final. So a beautifully acted season, funny and engaging and fully realised.

Ridiculously bad, but...

i will be the 1st to admit that this series has no redeeming qualities, but i think that b/c it has no redeeming qualities, that makes it a redeeming quality. captain america & iron man made 1 appearance each in this 1 season fluke. thor himself couldn't show up. the writing & the plots are too sub-par, but i just love it b/c it's absolute cheese. i'm glad to see that all the 70s, 80s, & 90s marvel gems are finally getting to see the light of the day. i hope spider-man is coming soon! i will be picking up x-men. i already ordered iron man. good times, good times...