Doctor Who - The Invasion of Time [DVD]

First broadcast in 1978, The Invasion of Time, was a last minute replacement for another story that was planned but had to be abandoned due to budget concerns. As an end of a season finale, The Invasion of Time, certainly succeeds despites its rushed script. It features The fourth Doctor, as played by Tom Baker. Leela played by Louise Jameson, and the voice of John Leeson as K9. This time they return to The Doctor's home planet Galifrey to prevent an invasion. But why is The Doctor beahving so strangely. As with the earlier classic Tom Baker serial, The Seeds of Doom, this adventure has two distinct parts to it. Though this time we the intitial four part story, followed by the final 2 episodes when the real villains behind the story are introduced. Clearly, the opening story is a homage to the then recent Star Wars, the effects are actually ok and stand up better today than the model shots used in stories such as Terminus which was broadcast 5 years later. The vardans are interesting villains, although their voices maybe could have been processed more. The Sontarans make a welcome return. Though the new ones have a cockney accent, this is in contrast to the more refined approach taken by actor Kevin Lindsay who played them in previous serials. All the Timelords are well played, in particular familar actor Milton Johns as The Castellan, and Chris Tranchell as Andred. The sets for Galifrey are also impressive. The final episodes are set in the corridors of The Tardis. The corrior sets have been much critcised over the years for looking like the ineterior of a hospital, they were actually filmed in an abandoned asylum. The only way of looking at this is that perhaps, because of The Doctor's increasing eccentricty, he opted to design the corridors in such a way.
Ultimately then The Invasion of Time is well worth a look, and is superior to many of the stories broadcast in the late 80s.

Utterly compelling - classic Tom Baker

Barcode: 5014503258627

I went into this serial not knowing what to expect. From having a quick look over some of the other reviews on here, it seemed many were not overly keen on this serial. And as I started watching, I could kind of see where they were coming from. The premise is slightly confusing as a lot of information is restricted from the viewer and you are very much thrown into the middle of things. For those still relatively new to the classic series, this could be disconcerting, but really, give this serial a chance as when viewed in its whole 6 part epicness and you realise the intricacies behind what is presented in the opening, it is truly awesome.

By the end of the first episode, I was completely won over. You see, there is something irresistible about the overall look and feel of this serial and it is testament to the quality of writing and production that this serial succeeds so well, all the elements coming together to deliver a thoroughly entertaining slice of intrigue and Gallifrey based fun. The afore-mentioned confusion actually becomes integral to the serial, the Doctor's strange behaviour is intentional designed to be disconcerting, his anger and absolute authority quite shocking in its extremity - and when you realise why the Doctor is acting this way you are simply in awe of his courage and intellect.

The pacing is perfectly done too, again, the throwing you into the midst of things right from the start means the tension in this story never lets up and the cliff-hangers that bookend each episode hook you completely. Tom Baker of course is in his element here, every line packed with such intensity, whether seriousness or yet another witty one-liner, his performance draws you into the action and you are completely involved in the story. The sets look particularly fantastic, both on Gallifrey and in the TARDIS and I really like how we get an extended look into some of the other rooms in the latter in episode 6 (yes, it even has swimming pool!)

Where this serial really succeeds though is the dialogue. The acting is top notch and some of the witty sophisticated wordplay between the Doctor and the various other Time Lords will put a smile on your face again and again - not least the repeated jelly baby mentions (which is fine by me, they're one of my favourite sweets). And the Doctor's election ceremony as he becomes president is undoubtedly moving in its extravagance.

The adorable Leela is used really well here, her feisty attitude serving as the perfect juxtaposition against the pomp and strictness of the Time Lords and she seems very keen to keep whipping that little silver knife of hers out every second! Equally, K-9 is utilised really well too - all in all, both companions serving the story in a significant way, always at the heart of the action and always ready to help the Doctor. Rodan is a nice little touch too, filling out that kind of quasi-one-off-companion style role and acting as a friend for Leela to chat with.

In terms of the Time Lords, Borusa, Kelner and Andred all work brilliantly here and the way they play off each other is fantastic to watch. As for the villains, I was actually quite surprised, as being a Sontaran story, they only really feature in the last 2 episodes although Commander Stor's halting, half-whispered Cockney voice is pretty eerie. No, on the whole I actually found the Vardans to be a far more interesting villain here - in their crinkly, ghost-like tin foil forms they are haunting, their apparent alliance with the Doctor only adding to their sinister nature.

All in all then, a completely fascinating episode which succeeds again and again. If I were to be picky, the only glaring fault I'd pick up on is the stereotyped and poorly used savages from the Gallifreyan wastelands. But aside from that, I'd say give this story a chance - released as a 2 DVD set and packed with all the usual brilliant extras we have come to expect with the Doctor Who DVD releases, this is well-worth getting if you're a Who fan.

"I think we just about got away with it" is script editor Anthony Read's verdict on THE INVASION OF TIME in this DVD's "Making of..." featurette. Many fans already know that this 1978 story was a last minute measure written in desperation by Read and producer Graham Williams under the pseudonym of David Agnew when a David Weir script proved unsuitable. On the whole I'm inclined to agree that this story just about holds together although there are problems. Considering the circumstances under which it was made (the problems were compounded by a BBC scene shifters strike meaning valuable days in the studio were lost) it's little short of astonishing that some parts of it are really very good indeed.

The plot starts very well with the Doctor behaving remarkably out of character, and the audience having no idea as to why. This has a lot of mileage in it and it sustains the narrative effectively for about 2 and a half episodes, especially with his flagrant disrespect for the rituals and pomp of Time Lord politics.

No question at all that episode 6 is a disappointment as it's mostly a rather dull chase around the TARDIS. No question that the Outsiders are a bunch of hearty cliches. Leela's decision at the end to pair up with Andred is a disappointing way to say goodbye to one of the best companions ever. It appears to happen for no very credible reason and it's to the credit of Louise Jameson that her performance retains so much integrity.

The shock appearance of the Sontarans at the end of episode 4 makes for a great little cliffhanger, but because they spend 2 episodes simply chasing people around corridors they lack the impact they had in their first 2 DR WHO appearances. However, Derek Deadman gets the brutal physicality of Commander Stor dead right and I'm probably one of the few people who actually likes his performance, cockney accent notwithstanding. If nothing else there is a certain entertainment value in his delivery of lines like: "This machine is a load of obsolete rubbish!"

Where INVASION OF TIME scores most highly is in sharp witty lines and the quality of its supporting cast. Milton Johns and John Arnatt are exceptional. Arnatt's coldly dignified Borusa and Johns' Uriah Heap-like Kelner are absolutely in keeping with the kind of Time Lords we met in this story's superb prequel: THE DEADLY ASSASSIN. There are some outstanding exchanges between Tom Baker and John Arnatt, and Milton Johns' toadying heightens the audience's interest in any scene in which he appears.

The regulars are also assets to the production. I've already talked about Jameson, but a mention has to go to John Leeson's K9, whose vocal performance makes the robot dog far more than just than a loveable cheap gimmick to amuse the children. The relationship between K9 and his 2 co-stars is utterly believable - and given a chilling twist in episode 1 when he threatens to use his weapon on Leela. No-one really believes that the Doctor has turned into a power-crazed dictator, but that hardly matters as Tom Baker plays each moment with the weight it deserves. His looks of anguish when he has to be mean to Leela are really affecting. What is slightly worrying is that this was the story when in the late 1970's DR WHO stopped being DR WHO and started to turn into THE TOM BAKER SHOW. There is a self-indulgence in the amount of extreme close-ups the leding man receives here, and his talking to camera is less a Shakespearean soliloquy, more a stand-up routine gone wrong. It's just as well he's so good in the role or this would be unforgiveable otherwise.

The extras on the 2 discs are of the usual good quality, although the cheerful commentary with Jameson, Leeson, Read and Mat Irvine feels like it flags in places - probably because 6 episodes is a long time to sustain the kind of anecdotes and reminiscing that's needed. The OUT OF TIME featurette is a brisk and effective little documentary and THE RISE AND FALL OF GALLIFREY is a short but thoughtful piece on the changing portrayal of the Time Lords during the original series. Though I'm not sure that I think THE ELUSIVE DAVID AGNEW works, as if you're in on the knowledge that Agnew is a BBC staff writers' pseudonym the joke falls rather flat, and I doubt that those who don't know will be gasping with amazement when they find out.

The replacement CGI effects add a layer of gloss which slightly takes away the cheap look of the story. The new improved Vardans are particularly effective, even if one of them now looks like he's overweight when sitting at a desk. It's these new enhanced effects coupled with the beautifully restored picture that really make INVASION OF TIME worth having, even if matters do go pear-shaped in the last episode.