STORY PLOTLINE

The TARDIS materialises on the planet Dulkis, currently under threat from two alien Dominators, Rago and his subordinate Toba, who have landed in a spaceship.

Aided by their robotic servants, the Quarks, and slave workers drawn from the native Dulcian population, the Dominators set about drilling bore holes, through which they plan to fire rockets into the planet's molten core. Their intention is then to drop an atomic seed capsule into the resulting eruption, turning Dulkis into a radioactive mass - fuel for the Dominators' space fleet

DVD COMMENT

In the BBC ARCHIVE, there are handful of DOCTOR WHO in-tact gems that feature Patrick Troughton as the iconic characterisation of the Doctor. Even the single episodes that remain are to be polished and cherished - even Matt Smith (11th Doctor) is a convert to the charm and authority of Troughton's Doctor.

Entering his final season of stories, the 1968 DOCTOR WHO - THE DOMINATORS may not be the most exciting story (it may have been intolerable if it had reach the planned six episodes) but is a prime example of a symbiotic professionalism that the DOCTOR WHO family had developed over the preceding five years. Extensive location filming combined with a strong cast, remarkable visual effects (re: the location work) and a excellent set design produced on a budget of seven-and-six (ask your parents about pre-decimal UK currency) deliver an absorbing, if a little pedestrian, story.

This BBC DVD Second Doctor release (and there are only two more: THE ICE WARRIORS and THE KROTONS) is a welcome addition and is recommended to both fans of the NEW SERIES and the CLASSIC SERIES.

The behind-the-scenes "making of." feature, RECHARGE AND EQUALISE is informatively entertaining, drawing upon the (quickly fading) memories from DOCTOR WHO luminaries, including set design genius, Barry Newbery. The documentary discusses the "genesis" of THE DOMINATORS (from the writing talents of Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln - THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN and THE WEB OF FEAR), the problems with script delivery times & content that lead to a reduction by one episode and the original writers leaving the production.

Haisman recalls that, following the success of Terry Nation's daleks, THE DOMINATORS' robot servants of the titular invaders were the writer's "cash-cow", with the possibility of multi-functional toys (a merchandise deal was actually signed without the knowledge of the BBC).

Contributions from Frazer Hines ("He can't go any 'quarker'!"), Sylvia James (discussing her contribution to the make-up design across the serial), Brian Hodgson (noting that the story did not have any incidental music but adopted "stings" and special sound effects to aid the narration; "There's more technology in a modern wrist watch than there was in the entire BBC TV Centre in 1967") were enlightening without being repetitive. A well balance feature.

With TOMORROW'S TIMES - THE SECOND DOCTOR I have a problem; it's sleight, lightweight and erroneously meek under the guise of "investigative journalism" due to BBC DVD's access to The British Library newspaper archive. This to-be-repeated (with Peter Purves and Nicholas Courtney) feature is merely a "talking heads" version of the BBC's POINTS OF VIEW and has been a part of DOCTOR WHO fandom fanzines for decades. It's brief and inconsequential, and could have been much more, and this digital feature could be transferred to print then TOMORROW'S TIMES would be "tomorrow's Fish and Chip" wrapping. As for the production values; stagnant, dull, and school project A-Level standard.

The additional EXTRAS are the usual suspects: Photo Gallery, PDF RADIO TIMES documents, Information Text (excellent) and a hidden Easter Egg. Please, don't hunt for this as you will be disappointed.

The DVD EXTRA studio commentary - regular cast Frazer Hines & Wendy Padbury, episode actors Giles Block & Arthur, series make-up designer Sylvia James, moderated by DOCTOR WHO fan Toby Hadoke.

On the visual effects designers, Frazer Hines: Those guys did wonders with the budget that they had.

On spotting actor Malcolm Ferris, who later "exposed" himself in Tom Baker's THE HORNS OF NIMON, Frazer Hines: No wonder his trousers split. He got caught on the horns of nimon.
Moderator: .as the PG certificate walks out of the room.

On the murder of Tolata visualised by the special effects designer, Arthur Cox: Horrifying.

Sylvia James describes the lengths that she went through to visualise the Dulkis' museum "radiation burned victims" exhibits (two live actors instead of two mannequins): More believable.

On Rago (the lead Dominator) played by Ronald Allen, Frazer Hines: He looks like a Frankenstein monster. Those eyes. An Egyptian look.
Sylvia James: Intensive.
Frazer Hines: All you need is a bold through the neck.

INFO TEXT INFORMATION: Ronald Allen described the Dominator as an "overweight woodlice".

On a scene between Jamie and Kando, Frazer Hines: There's Jamie falling in love. Or maybe Frazer.

On identifying location film without Patrick Troughton replaced by Chris Jefferies, the Moderator: That's not Patrick Troughton.
Frazer Hines: NO!?
Sylvia James: We had a very good wig for the double obviously.
Arthur Cox: Why was there a "double"?
Moderator: He (Patrick) was on holiday. He had very few breaks in the 3 years he did DOCTOR WHO.
Sylvia James: He was brilliant at that.
Frazer Hines: I have a photo of the double & me face on.

On seeing the Dominator's Perspex-head scanning device, Frazer Hines: They let me have that after the show. I kept it for years until I threw it away. And that was before eBay.
Wendy Padbury: I haven't got anything at all.

Frazer Hines: I have a complete set of scripts for the first Yeti story. It's like old parchment. Unmarked. Patrick owned the Hush puppies that the Doctor always wore.

On her second story and working with an authoritarian director, Morris Barry, Wendy Padbury told of her unease at working with him, describing her role as a "whipping-boy" to Barry.
Arthur Cox: I thought he was very good. I quite liked him.

On Troughton's relaxed nature, Frazer Hines: No starriness about him. So funny. And you could suggest things to him and he'd not go; "Listen, I'm the Doctor, you behave yourself."

Sylvia James: The atmosphere on DOCTOR WHO was great and a lot of that came from Patrick. It made a lot of difference. It was just like being a part of a family.

As an acting talent "scout" and "Actor's Agent", Wendy Padbury quickly signed up a young actor following his appearance at the Nation Theatre (London); Matt Smith.

This DVD version contains the previously deleted (from the VHS release) scenes of torture and extermination (including the death of Tensa (Brian Cant). The studio commentary team discuss the criticism by the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association (under the stewardship of Mary Whitehouse) laden upon DOCTOR WHO.

On the Quarks, Wendy Padbury: The quarks don't do it for me. Totally Unintimidating. Good design, though.
Frazer Hines: If the voice had been a deep Kroton one instead of a light voice.

Considering that the five-part story is not the most exciting, the mix of cast (both regular and guest) and crew was equally entertaining & informative, and along with the ever present on-screen information text, DOCTOR WHO - THE DOMINATORS DVD studio commentary could be regarded as a resounding success.

Unfortunately, and this may be only a financial issue, but the "clean-up" of the print is not as successful; throughout episode two there is "black-spot". Shame but nonetheless this DVD release is light years away from the stodgy 1990 VHS version.

With a limited uninspiring EXTRAS, BBC DVD's release of DOCTOR WHO - THE DOMINATORS is disappointing (bar the entertaining studio commentary), however, with that said, any - literally any - Patrick Troughton episodes are to be welcomed, embraced and devoured.

Unfortunately, Patrick Troughton's 1968 story, THE DOMINATORS has been regarded as an uninspiring "season opener" (Season 6) with a dull "run-around" plot, staid dialogue and "stage" acting.

This is plainly harsh and misinformed and demonstrates that critics are a fickle bunch. The five-episode story has a reliable and innovative pedigree behind it; Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, under the pen name Norman Ashby, had previously conceived iconic stories THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN and THE WEB OF FEAR.

However, THE DOMINATORS is a very different beast. The viewer-familiar contemporary setting has been replaced by the peaceful planet of Dulkis (read: the perennial gravel pit in the South East England on a cold April shoot), and the threat is more humanoid (The Dominators had landed on the planet to recharge their space vessel by "sucking up" radiation from environment. It's a bit like the TARDIS landing above the Cardiff "Rift" in the NEW SERIES) than the "disembodied" (The Great Intelligence).

Everything about the story is "coincidental" as opposed to planned and that in itself is a refreshing change in the CLASSIC SERIES. The Doctor (with Jamie and new companion, Zoë) arrive on the planet for a holiday, the warmonger race (it is not clear if Dominator is the name of the race or just a military campaign title) are forced to the planet to re-fuel, and the Dulcians - eventually involved with the action - crash their 'land-rover' as the explore a seemingly radiated nuclear "test island".

From that point on the story steadily unravels and whilst the sections of dramatic action (the TARDIS travellers are separated, captured, escape, and then recaptured again.) are repeated the stories strength is the characterisation of the Dominators themselves. The power struggle between Navigator Rago and his (in)subordinate Toba escalates as innocent (and useful) natives are wilfully vaporised leading to the threat of summary execution of Toba. For a planet of "pleasure" and peace, it is far from harmonious, and as the Doctor describes the Dominators; "Callous and without pity". Even between themselves.

Whilst the TV broadcast story may have been too drawn out (over the five episodes), the audio presentation - narrated by former companion, Wendy Padbury - is crisp, clear and concise, assisting the listener to decipher the ever twisting plotline and to keep track of the numerous (some being inconsequential) characters.

Unlike the recently published DOCTOR WHO - MONSTERS ON EARTH audio box set (containing THE SILURIANS, THE SEA DEVILS and WARRIORS OF THE DEEP), THE DOMINATORS is a prime example that a pure audio track (enhanced with a supportive narrative) works better than the TV broadcast itself.

Forty years on, this story will reach a new appreciation , not only amongst fans of the NEW SERIES but by those jaded CLASSIC SERIES fans who thought that THE DOMINATORS was simply escapist nonsense that was a prelude to the next story, THE MIND ROBBER.

The added bonus feature is equally entertaining. Wendy Padbury discusses her time on DOCTOR WHO (alongside Patrick Troughton and Fraser Hines) and THE DOMINATORS in particular.

On the Quark robots being on set: "A complete pain in the bum!"

On the NEW SERIES: "David Tennant is absolute brilliant! I don't think that it (the NEW SERIES) will ever go away. Nice to see the BBC taking it seriously again."

On working with Troughton and Hines: " They had a knack of including the new girl. They were a tight-knit twosome but I never felt excluded."