Product Details

• Actors: Tom Baker, Peter Davison
• Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC Warner
• DVD Release Date: June 5, 2007
• Run Time: 292 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000NJXG8G
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,311 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  #22 in	Movies & TV > Television > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Doctor Who
  #65 in	Movies & TV > Television > BBC > Gift Sets
  #72 in	Movies & TV > Cult Movies > Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Editorial Reviews

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Keeper of the Traken
The Keeper of Traken was the beginning of the end for Tom Baker's tenure as the venerable TV sci-fi hero Doctor Who. By the end of the next serial, Logopolis, Baker had been replaced by the Fifth Doctor, Peter Davidson (whose debut, Castrovalva, is also available on DVD, as is Logopolis; both, along with Keeper of Traken, can be found in a three-disc boxed set titled New Beginnings). But fans got one more witty and suspenseful dose of Baker's Doctor with this story, which sends the Time Lord and companion Adric to the planet Traken, a peaceful haven ruled by the all-wise Keeper for a thousand years. The Keeper feels his reign is coming to an end, and with it, the rise of evil from within Traken's governing council itself. The Doctor, however, recognizes the presence of a old and familiar foe at the heart of the mystery--one he thought had been vanquished long ago.

Well-played by the cast (especially Baker, who is given a wealth of amusing lines), and an excellent launching pad for new companion Nyssa (Sarah Sutton), The Keeper of Traken is both a fine addition to the Baker canon and an enjoyable serial for new and old Who fans alike. Extras on the single disc include commentary by Sutton, actors Matthew Waterhouse (Adric) and Anthony Ainley (Consul Tremas), and writer Johnny Byrne; a 30-minute documentary on the serial, which includes interviews with most of the cast and production team; a clip of Sutton on the BBC series Swap Shop; and a featurette on the true identity of the evil plaguing Traken. The by-now-standard photo gallery, text-only commentary track, and PDF of the Doctor Who Annual (here from 1982), Radio Times listings, and BBC sales literature rounds out the crowd-pleasing supplements. --Paul Gaita

Logopolis
After seven years as the Doctor on England's long-running science fiction series Doctor Who, actor Tom Baker hung up his scarf and retired from the role in this four-part serial from 1981. )(The second in a three-part story arc focused around the Doctor's longtime adversary The Master (Anthony Ainley), (The other parts of the arc, Castrovalva and The Keeper of Traken, are also available on DVD as single discs and in a three-disc set titled New Beginnings) Logopolis finds the Time Lord in a contemplative mood as he attempts to repair the TARDIS' broken chameleon circuit, which has left the shape-shifting vehicle in the form of a police box. The Doctor and Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) travel to Logopolis, a planet run by mathematical geniuses, but encounter the Master as he plots to steal the secret of the planet's massive radio telescope. His scheme accidentally releases a wave of entropy that threatens to destroy the universe, and the! Doctor and the Master must work together to prevent the end of existence itself. A sense of finality pervades Logopolis, and certainly for Baker fans, it does mark the end of the actor's run in the role, as well as a period of considerable popularity for the series. Baker's replacement, Peter Davidson, faced an uphill battle when he assumed the Doctor's mantle, and for many fans, his arrival signaled a downward turn for the program that was not reversed until its revival in 2005. The story itself is an intriguing one, and well played by its cast, which included newcomer Janet Fielding as airline stewardess Tegan Jovanka, who became one of the Doctor's companions for several seasons. Extras on the disc include commentary on all four episodes by Baker and Fielding, as well as writer Christopher Bidmead; a trio of BBC news program interviews with Baker on his departure and Davidson on his assumption of the role; a terrific 50-minute featurette titled "A New Body At Las! t," which interviews many of the principal cast and crew on the transi tion from Baker to Davidson; and the usual PDF of printed material from The Doctor Who Annual and Radio Times, as well as the excellent text-only commentary and isolated music tracks fans have come to expect from the discs. -- Paul Gaita

Castrovalva
The four-episode serial Castrovalva not only kicked off the 19th season of Doctor Who, but introduced the fifth incarnation of the venerable British sci-fi hero in the younger (and blonder) form of Peter Davidson, who replaced fan favorite Tom Baker at the end of the previous season. Castrovalva picks up where the Baker finale, Logopolis (also available on DVD), left off, with the Doctor in a weakened state after his transformation, and in need of rest and recuperation. His companions set a course for the planet of Castrovalva, but all is not as it seems on the peaceful and educated world: Could the Doctor's old nemesis The Master be setting a trap for the ailing Time Lord? It's a strong debut for Davidson, who quickly sets his own path as the Doctor (while referencing his predecessor's traits and quirks in several clever bits), and the single disc DVD's extras do an excellent job of covering the transitional phase that the cast and crew underwent during the serial's production. Davidson is front and center on the commentary tracks for all four episodes, and he's joined by castmate Janet Fielding (Tegan), director Fiona Cumming, and writer Christopher H. Bidmead. And he's the focus of two featurettes: "Being Doctor Who," which covers his tenure as the Doctor, and "The Crowded TARDIS," in which he joins Baker, Fielding, and Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) to discuss the Doctor's multiple companions in the Davidson years. Cumming is also profiled in a short feature on directing the episode, and the BBC vaults yield interviews with Davidson from the period on the children's shows Blue Peter and Swap Shop. A pair of deleted scenes, continuity announcements, a photo gallery, the usual above-par text commentary, a PDF of printed material on the show, and a music video for a remix of Peter Howell's theme music round out the supplements. -- Paul Gaita

Product Description

These three stories saw the return of the Doctor's arch-enemy, The Master, as well as the transition from Tom Baker's Doctor to Peter Davison's. The Keeper of Traken: A distress call brings the Doctor (Tom Baker) to the tranquil planet of Traken, where a living statue poses a deadly threat. (4 eps, 98 mins) Logopolis: The Doctor's (Tom Baker) plan to enlist the help of Logopolis's mathematicians for a small favor become sidetracked when the Master's interference leads to disaster on a universal scale. (4 eps, 98 mins) Castrovalva: The Doctor's (Peter Davison) regeneration is failing, and his last hope rests with Nyssa and Tegan, who struggle to steer the TARDIS to the remote haven of Castrovalva. (4 eps, 96 mins)

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Audio Commentary by actors Anthony Ainley, Sarah Sutton and Matthew Waterhouse and writer Johnny Byrne
DVD ROM Features:1982 Doctor Who Annual, Radio Times and BBC Enterprises literature PDFs
Documentary:Being Nice to Each Other: A new 30-minute "making of" documentary that includes contributions from Sarah Sutton, Sheila Ruskin, Geoffrey Beevers, John Black, Johnny Byrne, Christopher H. Bidmead
Interviews:Swap Shop: Noel Edmond interviews Sarah Sutton (11 mins)
Music Only Track
Other:The Return of the Master: Geoffrey Beevers, Christopher H. Bidmead and John Black talk about the return of the Doctor's arch-enemy (8 mins) Trailers and Continuity Announcements (6 mins)
Photo gallery
Production Notes
Audio Commentary:Audio Commentary by actors Tom Baker and Janet Fielding and writer Christopher H. Bidmead
DVD ROM Features:1982 Doctor Who Annual, Radio Times and BBC Enterprises literature PDFs
Documentary:A New Body at Last: A new 50-minute documentary on the transition from Tom Baker to Peter Davison, featuring many of the actors and production team involved, plus exclusive behind the scenes footage of the regeneration
Interviews:Nationwide Interviews with Tom Baker and Peter Davison (8 mins) Pebble Mill at One: Peter Davison interview (12 mins)
Music Only Track
Other:BBC News Reports on Tom Baker's wedding, the announcement of Tom Baker's departure and Peter Davison's arrival (1 min)
Photo gallery
Production Notes
TV Spot:Trailers and Continuity Announcements (2 mins)
Audio Commentary:Audio Commentary by actors Peter Davison and Janet Fielding, writer Christopher H. Bidmead and director Fiona Cumming
DVD ROM Features:1982 Doctor Who Annual, Radio Times and BBC Enterprises literature PDFs
Deleted Scenes
Featurette:The Crowded TARDIS: 11-minute featurette with Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Sarah Sutton, John Black and Christopher H. Bidmead
Interviews:Being Doctor Who: Peter Davison discusses how he approached this iconic role (13 mins) Directing Castrovalva: 11-minute interview with Fiona Cumming Swap Shop, Blue Peter: Peter Davison interviews (29 mins)
Music Only Track
Music Video:New remix of Peter Howell's Doctor Who theme music for 1980 in stereo or Dolby 5.1 surround
Photo gallery
Production Notes
TV Spot:Trailers and Continuity Announcements (5 mins)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FINALLY!!!, March 12, 2007

By	The Doctor (The TARDIS) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

I have been waiting and waiting for Logopolis on DVD!! I, like many die-hard American Doctor Who fans, grew up watching the fourth Doctor on PBS. As a child he was my hero. (Well, okay, he's still my hero.) Ironically, however, as a kid I had watched the American run of the fourth Doctor without ever knowing anything about his other selves. I hadn't seen the Five Doctors yet, and they didn't show Hartnell, Troughton, or Pertwee's Doctors on PBS. Therefore, when I saw the end of Logopolis, I was both crushed and confused. Where had my boyhood hero gone, and why has he turned into a young guy in a cricket outfit? I remember being very sad and upset about this, and asking my father what had happened. As an older Doctor Who fan, he was able to lay all out for me. "The Doctor can regenerate," he said. "As a Timelord he has 12 incarnations." "Oh," I said, downtrodden. "Will they ever bring Tom Baker back?" Now, as an adult, I enjoy all of the first four Doctors equally well. Though I think the introduction of Peter Davison was the beginning of a downward spiral for the show (which actually started with John Nathan-Turner as producer), he does have some good stories. This New Beginnings box set will be a fascinating bridge between the eras of the fourth and fifth Doctors, and for me will be a remarkable trip down memory lane as I have not seen any of these three stories for quite some time. The Keeper of Traken introduces Nyssa as well as the new Master, played by Anthony Ainley. It was the fourth Doctor's second to last story. Logopolis, of course, is the fourth Doctor's last story, and is very good. Castrovala marks the beginning of the fifth Doctor, though it was not the first fifth Doctor story to be filmed. In it, Peter Davison pulls apart Tom Baker's famous scarf. (Can we forgive him?) As a trademark, he oddly replaces it with a piece of celery on his lapel, an explanation for which is not attempted until the fifth Doctor's last story, The Caves of Androzani. Including these three back-to-back stories in one box set was a wonderful idea. It's too bad the same can't be done for the shifts from the first to second and second to third Doctors. We have the shift from the fifth to sixth Doctor in Caves of Androzani, and there is no shift from the sixth to seventh Doctor, as Colin Baker (quite understandably) refused to film one. It's a shame though that the American television movie featuring Paul McGann as the eighth Doctor is not available on DVD, as its opening scene features the shift from the seventh to eighth Doctor--one of the best-handled death and regeneration segments of all.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WHO'S YOUR DADDY?, June 9, 2007

By	Thomas E. O'Sullivan (Knoxville, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you were a fan of DOCTOR WHO back in the 1980's and you lived in Maryland, then MPT was your home of DOCTOR WHO, and your daddy was Tom Baker... always. For years (and years) MPT would air the entire seven season run of Baker from ROBOT to LOGOPOLIS right up until Peter Davidson sat up tied in Baker's famous scarf and then regenerate again tomorrow back in Tom Baker... and it would begin again. For what seemed like forever DOCTOR WHO was just Tom Baker and it frustrated me to no end - leading me to believe that CASTROVALVA was a masterpeice of WHO fiction denied us. But, one day MPT announced that not only had they purchased the Davidson run, but the entire run of DOCTOR WHO as well... and there I was, at the end of LOGOPOLIS, Davidson sitting up tied in Baker's famous scarf and the next day...it was William Hartnell, and it was miles to go until LOGOPOLIS came around again.

Don't get me wrong. Being able to view the DOCTOR WHO from the beginning was pure magic, but in the back of my mind, I was counting down until, finally, at long last... CASTROVALVA began... and once again, here I am and all it takes now is for me to hit PLAY for the show to begin. Times have changed, as to my view of the final two stories of Tom Baker and the first for Peter Davidson, they've changed as well, but not by much.

THE KEEPER OF TRAKEN is a studio bound story high in design and simple in drama. The performances across the board are very good (with only Matthew Waterhouse not ready for prime time), and the story manages at once to be original, yet a copy as well. It doesn't take much to see where all this is heading and while that may sink most shows, here it frees you from having to pay too close attention, and simply enjoy the atmosphere - and TRAKEN has that in spades. From the casual, and comfortable, opening to the renewed battle between the Master and the Doctor, THE KEEPER OF TRAKEN is a solid peice of work. So much so that the Doctor manages to disappear from the story for a long while before you really miss him.

LOGOPOLIS is a stunning mess. There's no two ways about it. It's one of the most original ideas the series has had, and yet, it does almost nothing with it. The story strays, having been burden with not only the weight of continuity issues, the reintroduction of Nyssa, the introduction of Tegan, the battle between the Master and the Doctor and finally, the end of Tom Baker's run on DOCTOR WHO. For a story under constant pressure (I mean, it is the literally the end of the universe we're talking about), it all comes across like a walk in the park. It's simply the silliest armageddon ever.

CASTROVALVA follows on the heels of LOGOPOLIS, taking up the challange thrown down in the previous story in trying to make use of the idea that reality can simply be maintained, created and destroyed through math alone. And it almost works. What nearly kills the story is also one of its greatest strengths, and that's in the performances of the new TARDIS cast starting to work as a unit. Davidson was lucky enough to not have had to make his debut story until he had already made FOUR TO DOOMSDAY which meant he had a better idea and handle on just how this new Doctor was going to be played. It's breathing room he uses to great advantage here - but, it's given too much time, and what's left is not enough for the mystery behind Castrovalva. Davidson is good, but Anthony Ainley is better. The Master's final moments trapped inside Castrovalva are horrific and unsettling, leaving the last moments of the story with the Doctor in the saddle feeling a bit shallow.

As usual 2 ENTERTAIN have gone out of there way to back up these stories with a host of excellent extras. Commentaries across the board are well done and informative. On THE KEEPER OF TRAKEN it's something of a shame that Ainley has so little to say on the topic of the Master and his time on DOCTOR WHO. Someone dropped the ball here by not sitting Ainley down with a professional to mine those memories for future generations. As it is, he's comfortable, happy and delighted to be back among friends. Also, I simply can not priase Janet Fielding enough - whenever she's on a commentary, the tracks shine. She's pure brass, totally adult, and never afriad to speak her mind. For some reason it's the women of DOCTOR WHO that always bring something to the table (and they seem to be the only ones that can make Tom Baker sit up, take notice and be honest) which makes these tracks worthwhile. Text commentary is tight and informative, and worth your time. The MAKING OF... and various documentaries across all three dics are very good (with some repeat from the commentary tracks, but, that's expected now).

All in all, it's pretty much everything you could want spread over three DVD's. Three different, but creative stories, two Doctor's, one Master and a gaggle of companions. Now, I have CASTROVALVA, bring on ROBOT.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Turning Point, February 27, 2007

By	August F. Hutchins (Mt. View, Ca USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

By the time John Nathan-Turner became producer of Doctor Who, it had been running for the better part of 20 years! He felt that the show was starting to become dull and dated. Thus making significant changes, and lending a brand new lease of life into the series.

This boxset consists of the last of the alterations made to the show; adding familiar characters from the show's past (i.e. the Master) and the transition from Tom Baker to Peter Davison.

The stories included are: The Keeper Of Traken, by Johnny Bryne; Logopolis, by Christopher Bidmead; and Castrovalva, also by Christopher Bidmead.

The DVD includes Tom Baker discussing his retiring from the part and has Peter Davison remembering his
time as the Doctor.

Also includes a unique commentary session featuring the late Anthony Ainley.