Customer Reviews

Doctor Who - Robot [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The fourth incarnation of the Doctor has arrived! Meanwhile, UNIT's top secret plans for the disintergrater gun have been stolen. How can the newly regenrated Time Lord battle a giant robot and prevent World War III? Wow! Tom Baker gives an incredibly goofy and commanding performance in his debut. It's sort of a shame, because we wouldn't see this type of behavior become the norm until Baker's fifth season. The regeneration is just part of the story, being only imphasized in the first episode. A good run-a-round with the UNIT gang. Ian Marter is good, having some of his best lines in this story! The Robot, is, of course, very silly, and very heavy looking(poor Mike Killgarrif). In episode three, the UNIT troops show off their marksmanship by firing round after round at the Robot as Jellicoe escorts it down some stairs and into a van! Robot is no "Castrovalva" or "Spearhead From Space", but is incredibly fun and entertaining. The video location shots in retrospect give it a "Curse of Fenric" look. Another great from Terrance Dicks.

Now follow that indeed!

The third Doctor, portrayed by the dandy Jon Pertwee, finished a remarkable run with the climactic Planet of the Spiders where the Doctor defeated the giant spiders of Metabilis 3 but who suffered terminal irradiation in the process. The transition to the fourth Doctor came with the assistance of the Tibetan abbot, himself a regenerated Timelord who symbolised the earlier incarnations of the Doctor.

Pertwee was a hard act to follow. He had managed to update the Doctor while maintaining and expanding the fan base and had also spearheaded the colour version as well as developing the role by bringing into the series, not only the Master, played with such panache by Roger Delgado, but also the concepts and history of the Doctor's race, the mysterious Timelords. (Sorry about the over abundance of commas)

Tom Baker was different again fronm the previous three but was soon to show that he was similar to all three. That is for the future. For now though he had to manage the transition from Pertwee.

In Robot, the drama is set in almost idyllic rural England. It is a relatively low key affair in terms of plot, bringing together a scientific eccentric genius, the facists group led by fanatical idealists who would rather destroy the planet than forsake their goals, and UNIT still acting as though they were soldiers. The technology was not too far advanced with a jibe at Asimov's Laws of Robotics and a nice line on environmentalism thrown in too.

The plot allowed the new Doctor the opportunity to develop while maintaining some mystique about this incarnation even at the end. The relationship with Sarah Jane Smith was clearly different to that which had existed with Pertwee who was paternalistic and chauvinistic in role.

Needless to say some ethical issues were raised with this story as always but it was very clear from the start that this Doctor is much more individualistic, anti-authoritarian and libertarian than his predecessors.

The story is an OK transition which is why I gave it four stars but it was a pretty good omen of the things to come. Full of celestial promise indeed.

Anybody watching Tom Baker as the Doctor in 1975 would ever realize that this would be the man that would not only become the most popular Doctor of all time. He would also become the longest running and most recognizable incarnation with his long scarf and shocking curly hair. "Robot" is a terrific and fun story to start off the Fourth Doctor's incarnation. The newly regenerated Doctor with the help of the Sarah Jane and Unit are investigating a recent robbery of a very top secret disintergrator gun. The Doctor believes that the culperates are for once not from outer space, but are not quite human either. It is soon revealed that an Organization Known as "Think Tank" are using a giant robot to do their dirty work. A really fun episode for people who have just gotten (or perhaps are curious) about the show and wish to see how Tom Baker's Doctor began.

It's hard for me to believe that there was a time when the whole story behind Doctor Who and the massive continuity behind the show were a mystery to me - especially the deal with the main charachter chaninging his appearance every few years, or that episodes of the show could be set next door (if you live in London) in modern times, medeival France, or on some planet so far from earth that our time doesn't matter. This episode introduced Tom Baker, famous for being all hair and teeth. He was great for his emotional extremes (being either gleefully childlike or fiercely angry when the situation required it). Where the previous Dr. (Played by John Pertwee) was perfect as an inventor of gadgets, in this new incarnation, the Doctor is more of a detective, and this episode spotlights his newfound deductive skills (in another DW serial, "Talons of Weng Chiang", set in Victorian-era London, the Dr. actually goes into "Sherlock" mode).

The plot: the newly regenerated Dr. is asked by his friend, Brigadier Stewart, to investigate the mysterious theft of the components for a prototype weapon - a disintegrator gun that can cut anything. The brigadier, head of a UN organized military task force organized to protect earth from hostile aliens, suspects either an unfriendly ET or perhaps a foreign spy. The Dr., putting pieces together, determines the culprit to be home grown. Meanwhile, the Doctor's companion - the fiercely independent reporter Sarah-Jane Smith - investigates a possible link between "Think-Tank" (a private research lab for those who were too smart for MENSA), another group preparing for a coming nuclear war, and a massive robot on which she stumbles across. The robot seems immensely strong, yet, when its sinister creators at Think Tank decide to demonstrate, proves incapable of willfully causing harm (Asimov was right!). When the mysterious thief seizes the final component of the sinister gun, the Dr. deduces that the next target may be in a supposedly impenetrable safe housing the launch codes for the UK's ICBM force, as a prelude to touching off a nuclear war.

This was the first episode of "Who" that I'd ever seen in its entirety, and I was hooked for years (even though I had to watch on UHF and could barely tell what was going sometimes through the static). Tom Baker's debut was priceless and set the stage for the next seven years. The special affects seem chincy but only enhance the appeal of the show as a homegrown adventure.

Robot was Tom Baker's first Dr. Who story and it certainly wasn't his best, but neither was any first story of any Dr. Who. As Colin Baker said, If your first story is the best, then the others pail in comparison(Not quoted exeactly). For pure continuety reasons you must watch this(after Planet of Spiders and Before Arc in Space), but as a stand alone, it is pretty bland. Only Tom Baker shines in all the dull finish. Robot is much like the Pertwee era(Planet of Dinosaurs, Autons ect) and that is the continuety of it. It is Tom Baker in the Pertwee era(and that is why it is intriguing to watch) Robot is a Transition show for fans of Pertwee to get broken in to Tom Baker. Tom Baker is lively and energetic and funny he also knows how to split a brick until the end of the show(I guess he forgets his Karate skills, but I don't care). You'll notice that Tom Baker isn't the fighting kick boxer that Jon Pertwee was, but Tom is manipulative and cunning as a clown(They can be cunning) which is later seen in all his glory. Tom is a rogue and a thief and a silver tounged devil, much like Patrick Troughton. I like Tom better though. If you haven't seen this broadcast on PBS, be sure and check it out on VHS.(Maybe Tom Baker and Nicolous Cortney can do commentary for a DVD!)

This was the first of Tom Baker's adventures as Doctor Who, and shows it, though it's popularirty is cemented due to the fact that it's Baker's debut episode and he offers a tour de force performance as an undeniably unhinged Doctor. The story is actually rather silly and looks aimed at a younger audience than the majority of the Baker episodes. This is undoubtedly because of the Loveable Robot Syndrome created by the giant Robot the adventure is named after. The Robot is supposed to be the Menace figure in the episodes, and sure it kills people and blows up stuff real good, but it doesn't want to, then feels bad about having been ordered to kill people and break things. It's a good hearted robot, you see, made by a funny little old Professor [who like all professors in Doctor Who lacks a first name] that doesn't really want to hurt anyone either. Aww. Meglomaniacle killing machines with a consciense just don't pan out as scary threats. The heavy in this film is actually the diabolical scheming head of ThinkTank, and as played by the actress that portrays her makes about as scary of a threat as my third grade homeroom teacher did. Too bad they couldn't have decked her out in some leathers and Nazi-like dominatrix attire and created a villain with some color, but no. All of the color is provided by Baker in one of the most delightfully unrestrained performances in his career. The scene where he works on his wardrobe is perhaps the best of the whole story -- too bad they couldn't come up with a Menace worthy of his energy, because Dr Who adventures pass or fail based upon the effectiveness of their villains. This one fails, but I give it marks for effort. Recommended for fans of the series.

The first Tom Baker story gets the era off to a good start with this tale of a mysterious metalic monster stealing top-secret documents and a fanatical secret organization.

The robot itself is a well-designed and imposing creation, and its confusion, not to mention its sympathy for Sarah, the only person not to treat it like a machine, make it a not unsympathetic character. True, there are a few dodgy special effects (like that toy tank), but all in all this is a fine, entertaining adventure and a sample of the magic which was to follow.

tom baker's time on doctor who begins well, with an interesting tale of war-like organisations and giant robots. Tom Baker himself is superb as the Doctor, and Elisabeth Sladen is impressive as Sarah Jane. Ian Marter is sadly unimpressive as Harry Sullivan, but the rest of the cast are just awful. The bad-guys (particularly Ms Winters) are surprisingly poorly acted, and their plans are weak. Professor Kettlewell is utterly ridiculous, but the story's saving grace (Tom Baker aside) is the actual Robot. It has a great voice and looks superb. On the whole, it's good Doctor Who, managing to be enjoyable and fun - but it lacks seriousness and any real point.

On December 28, 1974, Tom Baker assumed the role of the Doctor, following in the footsteps of Jon Pertwee's successful five-year run. "Robot," Baker's first "Doctor Who" serial, is an exciting tale filled with adventure, wit, humor, stellar acting performances and the "bad-taste" visuals effects that would reign supreme in the seven-year tenure of Tom Baker. Baker is very effective in his portrayal of the Doctor, and it isn't a surprise why he stayed in the role for so long. Any fan of "Doctor Who" wouldn't dare keep this one out of his collection! Grade: A+

"The definitive article."

That's what the newly regenerated Doctor tells Surgeon Lieutenant Harry Sullivan when the latter tells him he has to be in the infirmary. That makes more sense than when he says, "If the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides, why is a mouse when it spins? They didn't know the answer to that one." Clearly a bit on the wacky side.

Apart from his body, which he says needs time to settle in, so does his wardrobe. After being a Viking warrior, a playing card noble, a Pierrot clown, he puts on his famous Bohemian overcoat, floppy hat, and twenty foot scarf.

When the parts for a disintegrator gun are stolen, suspicion falls on a giant robot that was supposed to have been dismantled on orders from creator Professor J.P. Kettlewell, and the Think Tank, directed by the stern Hilda Winters. Well, there IS a giant robot, whom Sarah treats compassionately, much to the chagrin of Winters, who sees it as a lump of metal.

The progressive curmugeon Kettlewell, a typical inventor type with tufts of hair wildly sprouting from his bald pate, is working on a noble cause, of trying to find alternative energy sources, such as a solar battery that will be the "source of pollution-free energy at a fraction of the present cost." He naturally gets enthused when the Doctor shows interest. Concern for pollution was topical and has the honourable stamp of the socially conscious Barry Letts, whose last story as producer this was.

Winters and most of Think Tank belong to The Scientific Reform Society, "a tin-pot organization," who work along rational lines and believe in rule by a scientific elite. They believe that inferior people need to be "guided, helped away from harmful ideas and influences." But are they just a bunch of harmless cranks whom Sarah promises to mention in her paper, inbetween the flying saucer society and the flat Earth people. Ouch!

Nicholas Courtney manages to retain playing the straight man to the point that when the Doctor asks him if his Viking outfit might attract attention, he says in his understated flippancy, "It's just possible."

And congrats to Mister Benton in his temporary promotion as Warrant Officer! He deserved it!

Some similarities to the Doctor's previous regeneration involves his hiding the TARDIS key in his shoe and his thinking his nose has improved.

With the mention of a fallout shelter built "back in the Cold War days," meaning the Cold War is over, the Earth of Who is once again a better place than the one we live in. The Doctor flippantly says of Britain's place as a neutral country and a logical choice as a peacekeeper between the superpowers, "Naturally, the rest were all foreigners."

Major goof: a King Kong like scene involving the robot and Sarah, where it's obvious that Sarah's substituted as a doll.

Known actors: John Scott Martin, who plays the ill-fated guard of the second place to get raided, is best known as the guy small enough to get inside the Daleks.

As the Fourth Doctor says, "A new body is like a new house. It takes a bit of time to settle in." Pertwee fans would probably have felt the same upon seeing Tom Baker, but did they know that the longest serving Doctor would become the most popular?