7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Be Happy or DIE!, October 22, 2003
This review is from: Doctor Who - Happiness Patrol [VHS] (VHS Tape)
This has to be my FAVORITE Dr Who, with this doctor playing the role. The story and plot is unlike ANY other Doctor Who adventure, which adds to the enjoyment. The story seems strangely believeable when you consider other villins in our lifetime, how they started out and ended up being so ruthless and evil. Same applies here... Helen A who is the meglomaniac who begins to hunt down and kill all who attempt any form of sadness admits herself that she NEVER started out this way, but because of her own lack of love and self worth she degenerated into a monster who, along with the Candymay, terroirze the inhabitants of Terra Alpha, a human earth colony some few hundred years to our present. The Candyman is NASTY and ruthless I SOOOOO loved him as the villin and exectionier of Helen A. The music througout is very errie and sorta like Blade Runner in some ways. Dark corridors, errie music, all citizens on the edge of fate waiting their turn to give up and die gives you a whole different outlook on life and how quickly a good thing can turn evil. Definaetly... do not HEED the bad reviews on this one. I watched this episode several times because I enjoyed it so very much. Bye for now!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't take this one too seriously!, February 18, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Doctor Who - Happiness Patrol [VHS] (VHS Tape)
This show seems to be somewhat of a joke, but I enjoyed it anyway. It's not your traditional Doctor Who, but it's pretty good. It's a place where everybody is forced to act happy, even when they are not... sounds like my old job...Ha Ha! Just joking! Really this show is fun, get some popcorn and soda and enjoy it.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Look beyond the facade, October 11, 2005
This review is from: Doctor Who - Happiness Patrol [VHS] (VHS Tape)
A lot of people despise this McCoy story, and not entirely without reason. The visuals are certainly lacking - the entire episode practically screams "I was made in the 80's!" and the costumes are garish even for the period in which it was made. Even the most diehard Who fans can't help but snicker at the Candyman and rampant pink glittery hair.
That said, as a story, these episodes work rather well, if you can pay attention to the plot instead of spending the whole time laughing at the silly wardrobes. The planet is run by an emotionally immature and highly repressed dictator named Helen A., who is intent on controlling every aspect of her environment, down to the very minds of the people inhabiting it. Like a popular spoiled girl playing head games with her friends, each character's last initial goes up or down the alphabet depending on how well they pander to Helen A's whims. Everyone is forced act "happy" day in and day out, and any display of sadness, anger or grief gets them labeled as "killjoys" and summarily executed. Helen A will tolerate no tears in *her* world.
The Doctor and his companion Ace arrive to investigate the numerous disappearances. It is not long before they discover the secrets of Helen A's regime and unravel her power over the planet. In the end, even this hard-hearted woman who claims that she only had the best in mind for her subjects and that love is "overrated" must come to terms with the less sunny side of the human experience and learn that to have real emotion, you must take the grief with the joy, or have neither at all.
I personally have had the misfortune of dealing with a few people much like Helen A. and I can assure you, they most certainly do exist.
This story might have worked better as an audio play, given the failure of the sets and costumes, but for those who bother see beyond the disappointing visuals, clever writing, rich characters and a memorable story can be found underneath.
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