Doctor Who - Time And The Rani [VHS]: Sylvester McCoy, Bonnie Langford, Kate O'Mara: Amazon.co.uk: Video

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Synopsis

The Doctor becomes separated from his companion Mel and tricked into assisting the Rani in her scheme to construct a time manipulator...

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(9)

Average Customer Review

2.1 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable comedy start to McCoy era (spoilers below), 18 Sep 2003

By	Alain English (London, England) - See all my reviews

1987 saw the exit of Colin Baker as the Doctor and the casting of Sylvester McCoy as the Doctor. Baker didn't return for a "regeneration" scene, so the McCoy doubles up for him in the early moments of this story. McCoy's first season would see a comedy approach to his stories. In some instances (this story and "Delta and the Bannerman") this works but in others ("Paradise Towers" and to a lesser extent "Dragonfire") it does not. If not taken too seriously, "Time and The Rani" proves to be a very colourful and enjoyable story that gets Sylvester McCoy off to a solid start.

A pre-credits sequence the TARDIS being attacked in space and forced to land on Lakertya. The Doctor, having been knocked unconscious and regenerated, is captured by his old nemesis the Rani (Kate O'Mara). The Rani needs the Doctor's intellect to help complete her plans to turn Lakertya into a time manipulator, which she has been building with the help of her henchmen, the bat-like Tetraps, and Lakertya's weak-willed natives. The Doctor's companion Melanie (Bonnie Langford), also knocked unconscious comes to and forms an alliance with a Lakertyan rebel to rescue the Time Lord....

The script by Pip and Jane Baker is filled with comic dialogue and some interesting and wacky concepts. Unlike "Star Trek", which has alot of science-based plots, the writers keep it simple and never go too far into the realms of technobabble. Their writing characterises the Doctor and Mel right, even making reference to the latter's expertise with computers. There are a number of plot holes, but this is entirely forgivable in what is basically a comic story.

Sylvester McCoy makes a lively debut as the Doctor, although there is no hint yet of the dark and manipulative persona he would eventually develop throughout his era. Instead he is given to alot of mixed metaphors, running around and the odd spot of slapstick violence.

As for Bonnie Langford, she turns in an enthusiastic performance but does not endear herself to the viewers by screaming at length at nearly everything in sight. Kate O'Mara is a graceful, smooth contrast to McCoy and does a reasonably good job of impersonating Bonnie Langford. Other performances (from Donald Pickering and Mark Greenstreet) are a bit one-dimensional and dull.

The whole story is complemented by some wacky, very angular sets (particularly for the Rani's headquarters) and special effects (the bubble traps). The crazy incidental music adds to the manic feel of many chases and action scenes.

A good start to the McCoy era but the best was yet to come.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Banal, 16 Jan 2003

By	Stu (UK) - See all my reviews

This story, after thankfully two short years of Colin Baker, continues to insult the creative talent that worked on Doctor Who in the past. Any viewer has to feel sorry for Kate O Mara having to impersonate Bonnie Langford. Sylvestor McCoy, who is passable in his last season his absolutely embarassing in this one.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, 5 Jan 2001

By A Customer

Now a number of fans hate this little gem - why? Well they give their reasons below. However I like this story. Basically it is this story that got me interested in Dr Who in the first place way back in 1987. I was only 7. For a child I think that this story is supreme. It is full of some great creatures : the Tetraps in particular, but also the Lakertyans and the two brains. IOt also has some great graphics - in particular the bubble traps. Give this story a go. Its not that bad! Its certainly better than The Twin Dilemma or Timelash!!!