Product Details

• Actors: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison
• Writers: Sydney Newman
• Format: Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: June 27, 1995
• Run Time: 89 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303482627
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #303,985 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

One of the most popular of Colin (the sixth Doctor) Baker's adventures, "Vengeance on Varos" finds the Doctor and Peri (Nicola Bryant) involved with rebels on a 1984-like planet, Varos, where televised torture is used to support and enforce the ruling regime. When first broadcast, the episode aroused condemnation over the violence shown--particularly two men falling into a vat of acid--as well as the implied horror and moral corruption. However, these complaints missed the satiric subtext of a world in which reality-TV suffering pacifies the masses while big business exploits them. While there is too much running about in corridors, the surreal terrors of the Punishment Dome make for good Doctor Who, and the adventure develops ideas from both "The Sun Makers" (1977) and "The Caves of Androzani" (1984) with considerable low-budget aplomb. Filled with bizarre touches, such as Peri's transformation into a bird creature, the show also marked Jason Connery's TV debut as a rebel leader. --Gary S. Dalkin

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Opposing eras showcase The Doctor, March 21, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Doctor Who: Vengeance on Varos -Story 139 (DVD)

BBC Video has released two further adventures from their long running TV series Doctor Who on DVD. The two stories come from the very early days of the programme, and one of its much later seasons, twenty two years later. Comparing the two stories now, 1964's The Aztecs and 1985's Vengeance on Varos, it's very hard to accept that they are even part of the same series.

Whereas The Aztecs is a purely historical drama, Vengeance on Varos is based entirely in the genre of science fiction, although since it's original broadcast in 1985, much of what was fictionalized at the time is now horribly accurate. The story was the second of the twenty-second season, possibly the most controversial season in the show's history. Mid-way through its broadcast, the BBC executives cancelled the show, resulting in an 18 month hiatus. The main reason for this decision was cited as the violence that was dominating the programme, and indeed Vengeance on Varos is perhaps the most striking example of the violent tendency engulfing the show.

Colin Baker certainly had the potential to be one of the best incarnations of the Doctor, but alas his performance was hampered from the outset. The choice of costume did not help, and in the commentary for this DVD release, he bemoans the costume policy himself. His characterisation of the Doctor was also flawed, presenting him as a bad-tempered, arrogant and violent character, a million miles from anything that had gone before. The scenes where two characters die in an acid bath and the Doctor's reaction, are particularly shocking. Baker's commentary justifies this as his attempt to portray the Doctor as an alien being, but it was clear from public reaction that viewers just couldn't accept the character as he appeared in this story. It didn't help either that most of his stories were taken up with the Doctor squabbling with his "American" companion Peri, played by the very English Nicola Bryant.

The production values on this story are somewhat disappointing, with the sets relying on that old standby: The identical corridor, shot from different angles. There is a cheapness about the production which overshadows the quality of the script, which is in itself pretty strong. Many guest actors, including Martin Jarvis, Stephen Yardley and Jason Connery (son of Sean, in his TV debut) certainly help bring the script to life, but undoubtedly it is Nabil Shaban's portrayal of the hideous creature Sil that steals the show. Shaban joins Baker and Bryant on the commentary soundtrack.

The commentary is just one of many extras on the DVD. There are also out-takes, extended and deleted scenes, original broadcast trailers and on-screen production notes.

Unlike the sister release, The Aztecs, a story very reliant on characterisation and performance, and played dead straight by all the actors involved, this cannot be said of the tongue in cheek camp playing of Vengeance on Varos.

The quality of the images are very good, and the story is presented in two 45 minute episodes, as it was when originally broadcast.

It's a taught piece of TV sci-fi, and I admit it will be very popular with fans of the sci-fi based Doctor Who. If you like Vengeance on Varos, you almost certainly won't like The Aztecs and vice-versa.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A thoughtful story for a great season!, July 14, 2000

By 

David Cole (Oak Pk Heights, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doctor Who - Vengeance on Varos [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The second adventure of Colin Baker's first spectacular season as Doctor Who is, as a whole, breathtaking.

The plot is centered around Varos: A planet originally set up as a penal colony, but grew to be a planet of its own accord. Problem is, its citizens are treated like prisoners by the government. They are forced to mine for slave wages and rations and those who rule live in power. And to keep the citizens quiet, forms of punishment are broadcast live or taped. There is a third party, Sil, manipulating events to gain more wealth for himself...

A great story and frighteningly ahead of its time, considering how TV is like these days, yet criticized unfairly and wrongfully for being violent.

The story itself is well-written, excellently paced, daring, and best of all are the shakespearean concepts such as a character talking *to* the camera to help convey the plot along and the characters of Etta and Arak who are showing we, the viewers, how they live - they are the citizens and we get to see how the citizens live along with the other events which in turn makes this story extremely well-rounded and multi-dimensional.

But the only problem is with the acting - solely by Jason Connery (yes, Sean's son and proves he's as much of an actor as daddy). Jason comes across as a mannequin at many times, as does his 'girlfriend' (played by Geraldine Alexander), and it's a shame since everybody else, particularly Martin Jarvis and Forbes Collins steal the show.

Still, I'm being harsh. There are far worse actors out there and their acting could have been worse. The story is indeed a classic and proves that Colin Baker's era is not devoid of compassion and morals as one might think. (they're merely presented in an unconventional point of view)

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Seems he needs a little more than water, Peri, eh?", July 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Doctor Who - Vengeance on Varos [VHS] (VHS Tape)

"Vengeance on Varos" might be the most violent and sadistic Who adventure ever. It's also written wonderfully. Ultra-Black comedy runs amok as citizens of Varos are forced to watch torture, acid baths, canabalism and cell mutation. A grim satire of TV and video sales, with lots of voyeurism. Sil is a great villian with his tongue laugh. Colin Baker excells, and we all know why Nicola Bryant was hired. "Carnival of Monsters" of the 80's?