Product Details

• Actors: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison
• Writers: Sydney Newman
• Producers: Peter Bryant
• Format: Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: Bbc Video
• VHS Release Date: October 7, 2003
• Run Time: 138 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000059XVF
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #29,311 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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• This is item 1 in The Doctor Who: The First Doctor, William Hartnell (1963-1966) Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
One of the rarest of the early Doctor Who series, with William Hartnell as the crusty old Doctor, "Edge of Destruction" is entirely based in the Tardis, which has stopped somewhere between worlds and times. The Doctor blames Ian and Barbara, the two teachers who came aboard in search for answers about his granddaughter Susan, assuming they have committed sabotage in an attempt to return to their own time. They, in turn, in spite of recent shared escapes from cavemen and Daleks, have no particular reason to trust his sanity. Something is causing one after another of them to act with violent irrationality, and the clock is ticking toward their destruction... This is a claustrophobic two-episode plot in which the series examines closely some of its more beloved assumptions. For example, who, in this situation, is good and who is dangerous? The restriction to a single set may have started as an economy measure but virtue is made of necessity.

Also included is the original pilot episode, "An Unearthly Child," with several retakes. --Roz Kaveney

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Nothing in ze world can stop me now!!", March 2, 2001

By	Huntsmæñus "Lord of the Wolf Weeds" (New Orleans, La) - See all my reviews

After waiting months to finally obtain the "correct" release of this video, the Warner snafu is over, for now. I can't say it was worth the wait, but I am pleased with the contents on them. The remastering of both "The Edge of Destruction" and the original "pilot episode" look beautiful, magnificently cleaned up by the Restoration Team. Although, don't look at the story too much, as it was originally conceived to fill time between "The Daleks" and "Marco Polo"(the sets weren't ready!). "Edge" itself is incredibly bizarre, but things start ot feel a little normal during "The Brink of Disaster". The original pilot is also very enjoyable. Love Susan's little jig in classroom. But the Highlight of the release, at least for North Amercian viewers, is "The Missing Years". A 30 minute special made by the Restoration Team about various Doctor Who episodes that might be missing forever. Also included, are various extracts and clips from missing episodes. Well researched, well made, these people know what they're talking about, very informative. And let's not forget the bonus episode: Episode 3 of "The Underwater Menace"! It has to be seen to be believed! Absolutely wonderful! The Doctor in disguise is NOT to be missed. A must get for any Doctor Who nut.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars On the brink of disaster..., October 22, 2000

By	"danielchicago" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doctor Who - Edge of Destruction & The Pilot Episode [VHS] (VHS Tape)

"The Edge of Destruction" is probably my favorite Doctor Who story, and is definately a classic from the so-called Monster Era of the 1960s, though often underrated. Thrown together quickly because "Marco Polo" wasn't ready, "The Edge of Destruction" has the distinction of being the only Doctor Who story set entirely inside the TARDIS with only the main characters.

The real hero of the story is the TARDIS herself. Through strange clues--melting numbers on a clock-face, the bliking light on the fault locator, the food machine, and mysterious images from journeys past on the scanner--she tries to lead her passengers to the solution.

"The Edge of Destruction" is Doctor Who at its finest.

SYNOPSIS: After leaving the planet Skaro, the Doctor attempts to return Ian and Barbara to England, 1963. Things are going well until the TARDIS console explodes, rendering the time travelers unconscious and the Ship dead in space. What's worse, the TARDIS doors are open--something that should be impossible.

When Ian suggests a mechanical failure, the Doctor agrees and together they try to discover the fault. Susan, the Doctor's granddaughter, has a different theory. What if something has invaded the TARDIS? Barbara is worried by Susan's line of thinking. Besides, she asks, where would something like that hide? "In one of us," Susan responds grimly.

Soon, however, the Doctor suspects an entirely different cause: sabotage. He lays the blame squarely on Ian and Barbara, and is determined to expel them from the TARDIS. Only when a second explosion rocks the Ship, does the Doctor piece together the mysterious clues the TARDIS has been giving them all along.

With seconds to spare, the Doctor repairs the malfunction, and the time travelers arrive on a snowy mountain pass. "Look at this, Grandfather," Susan calls from outside. On the scanner screen, Ian and the Doctor see a giant footstep in the snow...NEXT EPISODE: MARCO POLO.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Missing Years clips are worth it!, May 22, 2001

By	Michael Hickerson (Augusta, GA) - See all my reviews

After what seems like one of the longer waits in history for a Who video, the superlative Missing Years tapes finally makes the jump across the pond to American shores. And the clips featured on this tape are worth the price along and are really what elevate this reviewer to give this double tape set so many stars. The clips are nicely done and will leave Who fans yearning for more missing episodes to see the light of day--especially anything from Evil of the Daleks or Fury from the Deep. (The clip from Fury is frightfully unnerving and shows off how could this story could be if all of it was available). Yes, the presentation by Deborah Watling and Frasier Hines is a bit over the top at times--but it's worth it for the clips. Also included is the first complete Troughton episode--part three of "The Underwater Menance." It's campy at best and features one of the more infamous cliffhangers in all of Who. But the featured peformance by the second Doctor makes it worth seeing.

As for the Edge of Destruction, it's a quiet Hartnell two-parter. It's really more about the character development of the original TARDIS quartet than anything. An interesting story as it's the only story to take place completely inside the TARDIS. Added on is the umpteenth re-release of the original pilot. If you've got the Hartnell Years tape, you've already got it. it's just been remasted--which I'm not sure helps it that much.

All in all, buy this set for the great clips on the Missing Years. And slip the Edge of Destruction in on a rainy afternoon as a good way to spend an hour.