Product Details

• Actors: Peter Davison, Mathew Waterhouse, Sarah Sutton, Janet Fielding
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC Warner
• DVD Release Date: March 1, 2005
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0006J28OG
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #43,921 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  Movies & TV > Television > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Doctor Who

• This is item 4 in The Doctor Who: The Fifth Doctor, Peter Davison (1982-1984) Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The Visitation is a routine adventure from Doctor Who's 19th season, beginning with Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor trying to return air hostess Tegan (Janet Fielding) to Heathrow Airport but materializing the TARDIS just as the Plague is ravaging 17th-century England. Three stranded Terileptils (humanoid-reptilian-fish hybrids in laughable costumes) are planning to wipe out humanity, while the local population have accepted the invader's puzzlingly camp robot for the Grim Reaper incarnate. There's much running around, being imprisoned, and escaping again, but little substance in the story other than a return to the original series concept of tying the plot to elements of real history. Trying to find something for all the companions to do stretches the material thin, with the best entertainment coming from Michael Robbins's memorable turn as Richard Mace, an out-of-work actor turned charmingly genial highwayman. The "surprise" ending is predictable, Matthew Waterhouse's Adric as earnestly tiresome as ever and Tegan still tediously grumpy. Sarah Sutton as Nyssa is left too long building a sonic weapon that can vibrate a robot to pieces but doesn't harm the TARDIS or herself, yet Davison goes a long way to redeeming the tale with a charismatic intensity the yarn just doesn't deserve. --Gary S. Dalkin

Product Description
An attempt to return Tegan to Heathrow Airport fails, and the Doctor (Peter Davison) and his companions arrive in 1666 England in the darkest days of the Great Plague.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Interviews
Music Only Track
Photo gallery
Production Notes

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Black Orchid Review, March 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Doctor Who - The Visitation / Black Orchid [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The most charming Davison adventure. a 2-part historical(do we have to mention the last "true" historical?) where the Doctor and his companions are mistaken for a friend of the Cranlieghs filling in at a Cricket match. Davison is a delight as well as the regulars having loads of fun. The story is devoid of padding, which helps the pace of the story where a strange figure stalks Cranliegh Hall. Sarah Sutton gives a great performance as Ann. A breath of fresh air!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Humans are so parochial....and sometimes... so are stories., January 19, 2006

By	Kevin J. Loria (New Orleans, LA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The Doctor arrives at Heathrow Airport, only it's a few centuries too early, have the TARDIS and crew materializing just as the Plague is ravaging England. As the mystery unfolds, we learn that stranded reptilian-aliens, who are also escaped convicts, are accelerating the Plague in a typical half-baked fashion. As the newly regenerated 5th Doctor, played here by young Peter Davison, joins forces with Richard Mace, an actor turned highwayman. Keeping in the classic mold of the series, there is lots of running, capture, escape and escaping again, but very little story to tie up the historical elements.

Significant story points: THE DEATH of the SONIC SCREWDRIVER
(don't worry kids, it'll be back, check out the new season one DVDs in July)

With so many companions in the TARDIS a common flaw with the first Davison season is trying to find something for everyone to do, this is partly why Nyssa ends up in the TARDIS on a superfluous tech detail. Inspite of this I am still disappointed when Michael Robbins's Richard Mace remains behind, rather than add another mouth the feed (in the dialogue sense). The costumes are awkward, but performances bridge the gap. Locations are ok here and Peter Davison is so charming on screen that this below average concept becomes a very watchable piece of Dr. Who history. Unfortunately, Davison is less charismatic on the DVD commentary, filled with pauses and no real revelations, making for a is a less than interesting extra.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "I feel a definite chill about me shoulders...", March 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Doctor Who - The Visitation / Black Orchid [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A marvelous psuedo-historical! One of Eric Saward's best scripts. Michael Robbins as Richard Mace shines with Davison, making a delightful pairing. Even the rest of the TARDIS crew have their part to play. The setting, the location, and even studio bound sets all help this one rise above. It's just a shame that Saward didn't give names to the Terileptils. Even the android(with cricket gloves that didn't bother me) comes across pretty good. A typical lyrical Davison story puncuated by a straightforward script and great timing by all involved.