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Amazon.co.uk Review
By Tom Baker's third season in the role the actor had become firmly established in the minds of many fans as the definitive Doctor. First broadcast in early 1977, "Robots of Death" follows on directly from "Face of Evil", which was writer Chris Boucher's debut and also that of Louise Jameson's Leela, the Doctor's most shapely companion (a kind of Neanderthal Seven of Nine if you will). Boucher's second Who story concerns an isolated mining ship on which a series of inexplicable deaths take place--although as the Doctor opines, "nothing is inexplicable, only unexplained". The Doctor and Leela inevitably become embroiled in events, which soon turn into a sci-fi murder-mystery: imagine Isaac Asimov crossed with Agatha Christie in a Frank Herbert Dune-like setting. Add an undercover robot sent by "the company" and the claustrophobic, not to say deadly setting of the mining ship and there is a fascinating foreshadowing of Alien, too. It is tightly plotted, intelligent Saturday teatime entertainment (something that was possible then but is now an unthinkable oxymoron) with a typically strong cast of redoubtable thesps in supporting roles (not to mention extravagant costumes and garish make-up). There may be no Daleks or Cybermen, but this is vintage Who nevertheless.
On the DVD: For a mid-70s TV programme, this looks really fresh on DVD, although the sound is mono. Each of the four episodes are broken down into chapter points for ease of use. There is a full audio commentary with producer Philip Hinchcliffe and writer Chris Boucher which suffers from some very long gaps ibetween the interesting nuggets of information. Also included are a few sundries of interest to die-hard fans: unused model shots, floor plans of the studio layout and some scene comparisons between "raw" footage and the same shots after post-production. --Mark Walker
Video Description
DVD Special Features :
Writer's and producer's commentary
Photo gallery
Scene selection
Model sequences
Graphical menus
Studio floor plans
Subtitles -- English SDH
Dolby Digital Mono
DVD9 4:3
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Story: 5/5 - Extras: 2/5
One of Doctor Who's finest stories, not for special effects or outstanding originality, but for the quality of the script and the performances of the cast. The premise of the story is unashamedly derivative, both of past Who stories and of the works of Isaac Asimov, but here it is cleverly mapped onto a claustrophobic, Christie-esque whodunnit that will keep the average viewer guessing until the true villain is eventually revealed.
The impassive, Art Deco robots are all the more menacing for their almost human appearance and voices. New arrival Louise Jameson is establishing herself well as the bright savage Leela, only occasionally slipping out of character, and Tom Baker is on good form as the enigmatic Fourth Doctor. The conclusion is ultimately satisfying and reasonably inventive.
The only letdown is the package of extras. This being Who's first release on DVD (apart from "The Five Doctors Collector's Edition"), we are presented with a limited range of bonus material that includes some unused model footage, a photo gallery and some studio floor plans, which forms a much lesser package than many later Who DVD releases. This is saved to some extent by an intermittently interesting commentary from producer Philip Hinchcliffe and writer Chris Boucher, but there are long pauses between their golden nuggets of information.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is not only one of the best Tom Baker episodes, but also one of the best Doctor Who's of all time, and certainly one of the most stylish. It also has one of the strongest cast to ever feature in an episode, apart from say, off the top of my head 'City of Death'.
The Robots are very slick & stylish and may have unintensionly started off the trend in 3/4 length trousers. The costumes that the humans wear are are bit too camp for my taste, but after all, the human crew are supposed to be a bunch of pampered primadonnas who have Robotic Servants to do everything for them.
This is a brilliantly acted, gripping, claustrophobic, edge of the seat episode, which moves at a frenetic pace.
The Robots are very slick & stylish and may have unintensionly started off the trend in 3/4 length trousers. The costumes that the humans wear are are bit too camp for my taste, but after all, the human crew are supposed to be a bunch of pampered primadonnas who have Robotic Servants to do everything for them.
This is a brilliantly acted, gripping, claustrophobic, edge of the seat episode, which moves at a frenetic pace.
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
There is something about this episode. Whether it be the sharp script, the wealth of excellent supporting characters, the claustrophobic atmosphere, the genuinely gripping plot, the creepy featureless robots, the iconic Art Nouveau design of everything, Tom Baker's finest performance, Leela's skimpy outfit...no i know what it is. Its the ideas. The whole story is steeped so much in names / places / ideals / theories / fantastic imagination...yet below it lies a simple murder mystery, and thats what is so enveloping. The storm mine and its crew have a whole history, you could swear the future they live in is true. In much the same way Tolkien created Middle Earth, Chris Boucher has created the world in which this story takes place. You care for the characters, and not one thing goes above your head as unbelievable. In particular, robophobia: not a fear of robots, that would be cliche, but instead a fear of something the human mind can't recognise, but thinks should be human. Its fantastic. So many things which are made up but you believe in them instantly: dust miners, scoops, corpse markers, VOC robots.
I can't wax lyrical about this enough. It truly is my favourite doctor who story, there isn't a doubt. I laugh every time that Borg knocks the jelly babies away...i shudder every time they go into that cargo hold and the Doctor asks Poole: "What would you do now...?" And Poole says, without thinking..."Why...i'd...I'd call for a robot!"
Stunning. The best Who story ever, highly recommended.
Oh...and don't get me started on why the robots themselves. VOCs, SVOCS? They're so...just so brilliant. Especially that poor one with the secret.
"Then...I have failed."
Oh, wicked. I'm going to go watch it again. Right now.
I can't wax lyrical about this enough. It truly is my favourite doctor who story, there isn't a doubt. I laugh every time that Borg knocks the jelly babies away...i shudder every time they go into that cargo hold and the Doctor asks Poole: "What would you do now...?" And Poole says, without thinking..."Why...i'd...I'd call for a robot!"
Stunning. The best Who story ever, highly recommended.
Oh...and don't get me started on why the robots themselves. VOCs, SVOCS? They're so...just so brilliant. Especially that poor one with the secret.
"Then...I have failed."
Oh, wicked. I'm going to go watch it again. Right now.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Tom Baker in space helping everyone.
this if a good Tom Baker story in space with his nice helper, it's got the Tom Baker style of having a joke with then against him.
Published 1 month ago by Mr. Robert Lismore
not a good one
The starting idea is a good beginning as we have the classical Agatha Christie's murders, but beyond this, it grows preposterous ( robots with anorak ?? Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ruben G. Margarit
Die Robot!
In one of the more impressive openings to a Doctor Who serial, a vast sand-miner glides imperturbably across the craggy terrain of an alien planet; a dust storm whipping through... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Scaroth, Last of the Jagaroth
A fan of new 'Who', becomes a fan of the old...
For me, this was the first of the old series I had watched all the way through. I am a big fan of Eccleston and Tennant and felt that if I was going to really consider myself as a... Read more
Published on 10 Aug 2009 by Josh Whedon
Well written 4 parter!
Ah, the Robots of Death.. It's a good one.
Yes. I said "A Good one!". It's a shame that this DVD isn't. And that's what annoys me. Read more
Yes. I said "A Good one!". It's a shame that this DVD isn't. And that's what annoys me. Read more
Published on 11 July 2009 by Mr. R. Porter
Superb - A Dr Who classic
The Robots Of Death is one of the very finest stories in Dr Who's history. A mix of Isaac Asimov's robot stories and Agatha Christie's who-dunnit's (specifically Ten Little... Read more
Published on 25 Mar 2009 by M. Evans
"Attack of the Killer Forsyths!"
I am old enough to remember this from its 1st broadcast, and although it has dated a little with some poor model work showing the sandminer and some of the conventions of making... Read more
Published on 25 Feb 2008 by Bob Marlowe
A classic Agatha Christie style Doctor Who
After meeting two of this stories guest stars Brian Croucher (Travis in season 2 of Blake's 7) and David Collins (Silver in Sapphire and Steel) at a film fair where they discussed... Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2007 by David
The Biggest Doctor Who fan says that
Posibley the best story in the 1976- 1977 series. The theme of this clasic story is more mystery than the average story whilst Tom Baker and new companion actor Louisa Jameson; aka... Read more
Published on 12 Nov 2006 by do-dar-wotsit
Quite Good
Admittedly there is without a doubt a sharp lack in almost the whole of Tom Bakers time of a truly exceptional story that I have seen. This isn't too bad though. Read more
Published on 28 Oct 2006 by DB
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