Customer Reviews

Doctor Who - E-space Trilogy [VHS]

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

 

 

This three story arc marks the beginning of the end of Tom Baker's years as Doctor Who as viewers knew it. Popular companions Romana and K9 were leaving the series and new companion, Adric joined the cast. The story arc finds the TARDIS drawn into the extra space (E-Space) where they wind up in a series of a adventures ultimately leading to Romana's departure. The three stories Full Circle, State of Decay and Warrior's Gate represent the best of the various eras of Doctor Who. Full Circle is representative of many of the Peter Davison and Colin Baker stories. State of Decay is a throwback to the early Tom Baker and Jon Pertwee days and Warrior's Gate is similar to many of the later Baker stories. Overall a great collection, one that is a nice addition to the collector or the casual viewer.

Full Circle, while it might not be one of the best Dr. Who episodes, does hold it own. This story marks the entrance of Adric, an intelligent yet nieve and sometimes selfish boy from the planet Alzarius. This story marks the beginning of the E-space trilogy. The Doctor and Romana II find themselves on a small backwater planet in E-space where its people are warned not to go near the swamps because of Marsh Men, which are actually a furthered form of the Alzarians. This story is interesting with heroes, heroines, monsters, and spiders, and ends with Adric as a stowaway on the TARDIS.

The E-Space trilogy is wonderful entertainment. If you are a Whovian then I believe you are growing increasingly annoyed with the BBC's reluctance to speed up the production of Dr Who episodes in DVD format. At this rate we'll be all old and senile before we get to see our favorite episodes again. Mine are some Pertwee episodes as well as the Tom Baker and Peter Davison era.
Several other reviewers have already said enough regarding the contents of this series, I just hope there are enough BBC producers reading and heeding my commentary. Also the price for these old shows should be lowered. I would think you'd find a larger buying audience.

Dr Who was by the greatest adventure series ever to grace the airwaves. If you haven't seen it, you really should try this selection. If these three episodes do not grab you - nothing will. The Haunting parallels with modern life - the fear of the unknown and the threat of that which we do not undrestand is captured powerfully in 'Full Circle'. The gothic splendour and romatic notions of old Transylvania are central to the vampiric myth surrounding the 'State of Decay' Thirdly and perhaps most chilling of all is the wierd story encountered in at the end of the Universe at 'Warriors Gate' A spirit of romance lingers here.

Really, if you like to dip into the fantasy of other worlds and cultures, and yet want to remain in touch with a semblance of reality - then dip into the Time Lords travels!

Go on you know you want to !

This boxed video set features the introduction of a new companion,Adric.The adventures continues with the Doctor,Romana,K9 and Adric(he stowed away in the TARDis at the end of "Full Circle" dealing with vampires.The third entry in the trilogy has the Doctor,Romana,K9 and Adric trying to escape e-space to the normal universe.Also they must free the aliens enslaved by some evil humans.Romana and K9 also leave the Doctor in this episode.The Doctor and Adric leave for the normal universe!

These stories will be released on a three dvd boxset early 2009 in the uk. In the early months of the year, with a later release that year in other parts of the world. So that's more good news for dr. who fans.
And this is one of the best series of stories that doctor who ever produced.

Although I don't care for the other stories much, I must say that "State of Decay" may be the best Doctor Who episode EVER.

The operatic atmosphere, coupled with the acting and cinematography, make this story a hallmark in science fiction. No other Sci-fi show except Doctor Who can get away with incorporating vampires into the show methology. A brilliant episode.

Still trapped in Exo-Space, The Doctor, Romana and K-9 land on a strange planet where science and knowledge are forbidden, and the peasants work in the fields to please the Lords, who protect them from the wasting...! "State of Decay" is a better than average vampire/horror story incorporated into Who mythology. Minor quips aside("Short trip, quick flip"), it's presented with considerablr style, with great design. The Lords might be a little over dramatic, but it only helps any luls. There is even hints of bi-sexuality thrown in for good measure. I always thought "State of Decay" was the story that made Adric infamously annoying. His immaturity, as K-9 mentioned, is quite apparent. Baker still has a lot a great lines ("You jumped on my toe!"), and a cast that's aiming to please make this more than just an average runaround.

This is a compliation of three stories from the final Tom Baker season of Doctor Who. Full Circle, the first, involves a stranded colony ship, marsh creatures, and Adric (probably the most annoying companion of the entire series). State of Decay, the second, concerns a flock of vampires who repress a medieval society; a superior episode, with an eerie score and gorgeous costuming. The real treasure of the set, though, is Warriors' Gate, the third story, filmed mostly on all-white sets, with a war of survival between humans and lion-like humanoids over interdimensional travel. The episode also features the departure of both Romana and K-9. Certainly any Tom Baker fan will want to buy this set, as the three stories link quite nicely into each other.

This trilogy gets 4 stars on the strength of State of Decay, by far the best of the three. Perhaps this is so because it could easily be fit into the gothic theme of seasons 13 & 14, one of the best Doctor Who eras.

Individual ratings of the stories go as follows:

Full Circle: 3 Stars
State of Decay 5 Stars (one of the top 5 Who stories)
Warrior's Gate 3 Stars

Full Circle is a simple story containing far too many plot holes. For instance, when Mistfall arrives every 50 years, are the existing humans killed off only to be replaced by a new set as marshmen evolve into them? Or is their lineage continuous? The story never fully explains this. If the former, then why does one of the deciders say he remembers the last Mistfall 50 years earlier? If he developed from a Marshman, he can't possibly recall it as a human.

State of Decay represents the best and most understandable of the trilogy, easily the most accessible. The atmospheric setting of the forest and the castle serves to enhance the viewers enjoyment of the story. Plus the straightforward plot is a welcome relief.

As for Warrior's Gate, the same plot holes exist as in Full Circle, with a not-so-straightforward plot that is difficult to understand. What exactly does navigating the time winds mean? And if it does mean travelling through time, why does Romana intend to give the Tharils time-travel capabilities when they already have it? Critics love this one (why?) and recommend viewing this one multiple times to fully understand it. However, it is so cryptic that even that may not work. Your best bet is to find Doctor Who story guides by some of those aforementioned critics and read up on it. And why should we sympathize with the Tharils when they started the slave trade during the height of their empire? They are simply getting a taste of their own medicine.