2 thoughts on “Doctor Who – Colony in Space [DVD] [1971]”
One of the best! Great DVD Running for six episodes, this story has drama, action and adventure. A really great storyline and great location work. There’s time travel, alien world, fight scenes and explosions. What a brilliant Dr Who story. You may recognized many faces from this show, notably a very young Helen Worth (Gail from ‘Coronation Street)I vaguely remember the first broadcast, but when this was repeated on UK Gold in the early 1990s I was impressed by the story and production values.The DVD may not have many extras but those that are featured are real gems.IMC Needs You! is the making of Colony In Space really absorbing; the interviews from Barry Letts, Terrance Dicks and Katy Manning are well informative and entertaining also Michael Briant (Director of another Jon Pertwee classic ‘The Sea Devils’) and Graeme Harper (Classic/New Series Director). My only gripe is the cartoonish characters dipicted at the beginning of the programme I thought was rather silly and gimmicky.’From the Cutting Room Floor’ is probally worth the price of the DVD alone. This was absolutely fantastic!! that showed Jon Pertwee, Roger Delgado and others from unused film footage. Running for over 12 mins. Absolute gem!The Photo Gallery was quite impressive with some great shots.The coming soon trailer features a very impressive combined trailer for Invasion of the Dinosaurs and The Android Invasion. I think many people may watch this trailer again and again!This DVD is a must buy. Fantastic viewing.
Maligned interstellar Pertwee I only got to see Colony In Space for the first time quite recently and its fan reputation went before it -overlong, drab, bit of a runaround in a quarry… And yes, to an extent these criticisms are valid, but I still enjoyed it. For me, the DVD releases have benefited the Pertwee era most of all. As I watch the stories again and the accompanying extras, I’m appreciating the work that went into this experimental era.This is Pertwee’s first space adventure, which already (like The Mutants) makes it feel a bit special. The Doctor and Jo are sent to a colony in space (you see?) to stop the Master finding a doomsday weapon, but on the way get caught up in a dispute between colonists and an unscrupulous mining corporation. As another reviewer has stated, the doomsday weapon plot is actually the less successful of the two, but we do get some interesting-looking aliens (and a funny but cute puppet with a normal-sized head). Yes the visuals are fairly colourless but then that’s the point – this is a tough, harsh vision of the future (like Frontios) where life is hard. Malcolm Hulke’s writing is always strong as well as thought-provoking, and I have grown to love Jo Grant in recent years – here she has to deal with an unexpected trip to another planet. The Master was overused this season, but at least this time they let the plot develop for a bit before they bring him in to complicate matters for the Doctor.Yes like most Pertwee six-parters (to be fair, most six-parters in general) there is padding, but watch it in installments and enjoy a bit more Pertwee in space…
One of the best! Great DVD Running for six episodes, this story has drama, action and adventure. A really great storyline and great location work. There’s time travel, alien world, fight scenes and explosions. What a brilliant Dr Who story. You may recognized many faces from this show, notably a very young Helen Worth (Gail from ‘Coronation Street)I vaguely remember the first broadcast, but when this was repeated on UK Gold in the early 1990s I was impressed by the story and production values.The DVD may not have many extras but those that are featured are real gems.IMC Needs You! is the making of Colony In Space really absorbing; the interviews from Barry Letts, Terrance Dicks and Katy Manning are well informative and entertaining also Michael Briant (Director of another Jon Pertwee classic ‘The Sea Devils’) and Graeme Harper (Classic/New Series Director). My only gripe is the cartoonish characters dipicted at the beginning of the programme I thought was rather silly and gimmicky.’From the Cutting Room Floor’ is probally worth the price of the DVD alone. This was absolutely fantastic!! that showed Jon Pertwee, Roger Delgado and others from unused film footage. Running for over 12 mins. Absolute gem!The Photo Gallery was quite impressive with some great shots.The coming soon trailer features a very impressive combined trailer for Invasion of the Dinosaurs and The Android Invasion. I think many people may watch this trailer again and again!This DVD is a must buy. Fantastic viewing.
Maligned interstellar Pertwee I only got to see Colony In Space for the first time quite recently and its fan reputation went before it -overlong, drab, bit of a runaround in a quarry… And yes, to an extent these criticisms are valid, but I still enjoyed it. For me, the DVD releases have benefited the Pertwee era most of all. As I watch the stories again and the accompanying extras, I’m appreciating the work that went into this experimental era.This is Pertwee’s first space adventure, which already (like The Mutants) makes it feel a bit special. The Doctor and Jo are sent to a colony in space (you see?) to stop the Master finding a doomsday weapon, but on the way get caught up in a dispute between colonists and an unscrupulous mining corporation. As another reviewer has stated, the doomsday weapon plot is actually the less successful of the two, but we do get some interesting-looking aliens (and a funny but cute puppet with a normal-sized head). Yes the visuals are fairly colourless but then that’s the point – this is a tough, harsh vision of the future (like Frontios) where life is hard. Malcolm Hulke’s writing is always strong as well as thought-provoking, and I have grown to love Jo Grant in recent years – here she has to deal with an unexpected trip to another planet. The Master was overused this season, but at least this time they let the plot develop for a bit before they bring him in to complicate matters for the Doctor.Yes like most Pertwee six-parters (to be fair, most six-parters in general) there is padding, but watch it in installments and enjoy a bit more Pertwee in space…