STORY PLOTLINE

The time ring takes the Doctor, Sarah and Harry back to Nerva, but to a period many thousands of years earlier than their previous visit. The station is currently acting as a beacon warning space traffic of the existence of a new asteroid orbiting Jupiter.

This is Voga, also known as the planet of gold.

DVD EXTRAS

THE COMMENTARY TEAM

Elisabeth Sladen - Sarah Jane Smith
David Collings - Vorus
Philip Hinchcliffe - Series Producer
Roger Murray-Leach - Set Designer

Unsurprisingly, in the absence of Tom Baker, the commentary was more muted than we have come to expect, with Hinchcliffe being the more proactive contributor and Collings contributing nothing of note. Perhaps, less is more.

Recollections from production staff, such as Designer, Roger Murray-Leach, may be more considered (aided by visual material - see the excellent new CGI work contribution for Barry Newberry's work for DOCTOR WHO - THE BRAIN OF MORBIUS) as a stand-alone featurette.

Nonetheless, taking time to watch (or re-watch) the story with the commentary track active is essential in order to gain a substantive insight to the making of it, and the singular acid-drops or witticisms are sometimes worth the cost of the DVD itself.

On the new Doctor, Philip Hinchcliffe to Elisabeth Sladen: Tom was still working out the relations with you.
Elisabeth Sladen: But I think we worked it out on SONTARAN (EXPERIMENT)
Philip Hinchcliffe: Tom hit his performance at this time.
Elisabeth: Tom got right for ROBOT scene 1.
Philip Hinchcliffe: I like the bits of humour written in by Robert Holmes.

Note: With the clean up of the print for this DVD release, you will be able to clearly see several window shop mannequins strewn across the set representing dead bodies.

On the technology of the time (1975), Roger Murray-Leach: "Bluescreen" was cutting edge then.

Note: the "star background" seen out of the space station's observation windows are clearly electrical lights. In one sequence, they can be seen "swaying" in a line against the black drape.

On the design of the cybermen, Elisabeth Sladen: At the time I didn't like the cybermen but they look very good now

On seeing again the Cybermat attack on Sarah Jane Smith, Elisabeth Sladen: Oh dear! Michael (the Director) was not happy with it. It took forever.

Note: DOCTOR WHO - REVENGE OF THE CYBERMEN was the first VHS release following a supposedly influential "vote" by fans at the 1983 Longleat 20th anniversary event. This is discussed further in CHEQUES, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE featurette.

On mislabelling the Doctor's trusty electronic device, David Collings: Is that the "singing screwdriver".
Elisabeth Sladen: Sonic Screwdriver!

The Fourth Doctor's characterisation as crafted by Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen: Tom played with people in a scene like a cat.

On seeing the "circular logo" (later often titled "The Seal of Rassilon, and used in the NEW SERIES as "Gallifreyan Script"), Elisabeth Sladen: There's you logo, Murray.
Roger Murray-Leach: Yes. I forgot I did that.

On the Doctor's line "You have no home planet, no influence, nothing. You're just a pathetic bunch of tin soldiers skulking about the galaxy in an ancient spaceship", Philip Hinchcliffe: I love that line. Must be Bob Holmes that one.

On the scripting/plotline construction of DOCTOR WHO, Philip Hinchcliffe: My idea for it was to make it work for the intelligent 12 years old and not for the four or five year old.

On recalling a "boat" stunt that could have gone wrong, Elisabeth Sladen: Terry Walsh stayed until the end of filming every day, dressed head-to-toe in a wet suit just in case. And I'm glad he did.

On the costume & make-up of the Vogan alien race, Philip Hinchcliffe: The Vogans look as if they had Mumps.
David Collings: One of them looks like Arnold Ridley from DAD'S ARMY.

On the cliffhangers, Philip Hinchcliffe: I paid a lot of attention to it (them).

On the use of gold dust as a murder weapon, Elisabeth Sladen: That's how some of the Romans committed suicide - gulped down gold.

On discussing how there is within the NEW SERIES is a more "emotional" relationship shown between the Doctor and Rose, Philip Hinchcliffe: We felt that there was taboo about how much we could do and show.

On the development of Doctor's character after Tom Baker, Roger Murray Leach: Tom was the last eccentric to play the Doctor.
Philip Hinchcliffe: In later Doctor's it became a bit of a pantomime.

On seeing the Cyber Leader attacking the Doctor in episode four, David Collings: Looks like a Swedish massage.

On the final scene seeing the Doctor entering the TARDIS, glimpsing just inside the door, Philip Hinchcliffe: I said to people that we shouldn't see inside. To keep the mystery.

DVD EXTRAS: FEATURETTES

THE TIN MAN AND THE WITCH is a elegantly Agatha Christie-esque title for a workman-like "making of." documentary. However, valuable contributions from former CLASSIC SERIES Producer, Barry Letts and the story's Director, Michael E Briant (who, on his website, claims that the Sonic Screwdriver was his idea during the filming of Troughton's FURY FROM THE DEEP).

For the 1970s, Letts was the series' "architect" with his influence throughout the Pertwee years and, as he states, for then first year of Tom Baker with incoming Producer, Philip Hinchcliffe shadowing Letts (and, in 1980, Letts shadowed incoming Producer, John Nathan-Turner) as part of the transition process. Letts contribution cannot be overstated.

Briant admitted that the script he inherited was not as polished as he had expected (REVENGE was his first of three DOCTOR WHO stories that he directed) and requested both Robert Holmes (Script Editor) and Hinchcliffe to revise it (developing the "Voga mining theme" and including a new threat to the Doctor (the mobile bombs).

In effect, this featurette is an essay of DOCTOR WHO production on the 1970s, and whilst Hinchcliffe admits that the "story department" didn't get it quite right the technical presentations was fitting.

LOCATION REPORT - Filmed before any of Tom Baker's episode were shown on BBC 1, this BBC news report is a glorious reminder of the magical eccentricity of the lead actor, and proves that you can lead cybermen to the pub and make them drink.

CHEQUES, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE is cringingly too close to home for fans of a certain age. It describes the lengths by which DOCTOR WHO fans, in the 1980s, would go to in order to get their WHO-addictive video fix. Across the country (and stretching across continents at time), in covert operations, fans would seek out a copy of a copy of a copy of a black & white broadcast story, say THE ICE WARRIORS, from a fan who knows a fan who knows "Steve from the North" and then would either (1) swap chunks of their WHO collection or (2) pay extortionate amounts of hard cash.

NEW SERIES fans may think that this featurette is a spoof but, sadly, in a very witty way, it was true. Honestly, it was so true.

DOCTOR WHO - REVENGE OF THE CYBERMEN is, strangely, a "fan favourite" and whilst the actual plotline is as scrambled as the braid on a Naval Officer's uniform its performances - naturally, Baker is outstanding - and atmospheric location filming are exceptional for its time.

Appreciation must be give to the "clean-up" of the mastercopy; it is crisp, clear and intense, showing a clarity that has not been seen since the 1975 original broadcast.

It is a perfect "entry level" CLASSIC SERIES DVD for new fans of the NEW SERIES.