Doctor Who: The Tenth Planet
Science Fiction Video
Written by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis
Starring William Hartnell
Publisher: Warner Home Video / BBC Video, $19.95
The Tenth Planet is the latest Doctor Who release from the BBC. It’s unique in that this particular series of episodes has never been aired in the U.S., mostly because of missing film footage. Three of the four episodes have been found, and enough telesnaps (single photos) exist for the fourth to get the story across.
In the story, the Doctor, played by William Hartnell, and his two companions, Ben and Polly, land at the South Pole just as a Cybermen invasion is about to begin. What a coincidence. This is the first appearance of the Cybermen in Dr. Who, and it shows. They’re not bad, but you can definitely tell they’re low budget, what with their cloth faces and their pressure cooker headpieces. However, the Cybermen are fairly effective despite their cheesiness. Just remember, early Star Trek was just as cheesy at about the same time. Speaking of Star Trek, didn’t the Cybermen come before the Borg. Hmmmm?
As usual, the Doctor and his companions get caught up in the action as a space mission at a South Pole Tracking Station starts going awry. This of course happens in the first episode of the Tenth Planet, which goes along at a good pace, even up to the cliff hanger, where the Cybermen make their appearance.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the 2nd and 3rd episodes. You have the typical Dr. Who overacted American, General Cutler, and a lot (and I do mean a lot) of people talking on odd shaped telephones. There’s the usual small gun battles, or should I say large flashlight battles (torches for you British nuts). Basically there’s just too much wasted verbiage. The Doctor also decides to take a nap during these episodes, mainly because of Hartnell’s failing health in real life.
The fourth episode consists of still photos, and little snippets of film with a sound track. This section, produced by Ralph Montagu, is put together very well, with little bits of narration going by on the bottom of the screen when the soundtrack wasn’t enough to describe the action. In all, I thought Ralph did a marvelous job putting the final episode together, and I considered it the best of the four. It’s unfortunate that the best episode was the one not fully intact.
In the final installment, William Hartnell returns to his usual and wonderful acting. The Cybermen get what’s coming to them and the Planet Earth is saved (again). At the end of the fourth episode, the first ever regeneration sequence is shown as the Hartnell era gives way to the Troughton era. This last shot existed by itself, and the entire sequence plays out. It’s low budget, but it was still cool to see the change that shocked Dr. Who fans back then.
This was not the best Doctor Who ever produced, but it was good to see something new (even if it’s old). Definitely recommended if your a Dr. Who fan.
(review (c) May 2001 / David Flemming & Erica Woollums)