KryptonSite's DVD Review Column #9: Doctor Who: The Key to Time Special Edition
Reviewed by Craig Byrne
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Read previous installments of the KryptonSite DVD Column:
#1 (10/08) Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 3 & Supernatural Season 3
#2 (10/08) Doctor Who: The Brain Of Morbius, Trial Of A Time Lord, & The Sarah Jane Adventures
#3 (11/08) Doctor Who: The Complete Fourth Series
#4 (11/08) Primeval: The Complete Series 1 and 2
#5 (1/09) Doctor Who: War Machines & Four To Doomsday
#6 (1/09) The All-New Superfriends Hour: Volume 2
#7 (3/09) Wonder Woman: The Animated Original Movie
#8 (3/09) Wonder Woman: The Animated Original Movie

Doctor Who: The Key To Time Special Edition
BBC Video
Starring Tom Baker, Mary Tamm, and John Leeson
Release Date: March 3, 2009

Years before other science fiction series made season-long arcs an expectation, back in 1978, Doctor Who did the same with its season-long "Key to Time" season. This series of six serials - twenty-six half-hour episodes in all - followed the Doctor and his new companion Romana in a search for six elements with hopes of getting them before the evil Black Guardian can.

In 2002, this series of episodes was released on DVD as a U.S. exclusive without picture restoration and with very little as far as extras were concerned. It was a treat to have an entire season of Doctor Who in one fell swoop, but extras-wise, it was not up to the usual standards of the Doctor Who range. Thankfully, the folks at 2Entertain worked with BBC Video and the Doctor Who Restoration Team to create a much-improved set.

There's a lot to like in this season. The first story, "The Ribos Operation," introduces Mary Tamm as the first actress to play the Time Lady Romana. (Her name is longer but darn if I could spell it) Perhaps because I saw her before developing a fondness for Romana's second incarnation as played by Lalla Ward, I actually preferred Tamm's portrayal. She was sexy, sly, and could put the Doctor in his place in ways no companion could before.

The Doctor's trusty "tin dog" K-9 is also present for this series of adventures, appearing in all but "The Power of Kroll," which is conveniently the season's weakest link... unless characters that look like the Jolly Green Giant are your thing.

Every other story in the box set is a gem. "The Pirate Planet" features the writing of Douglas Adams. Yes, the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Douglas Adams. "The Stones of Blood" gives us Stonehenge, Doctor Who style, and also serves as the series' 100th serial. "The Androids of Tara" gives us not only Romana but a Romana lookalike!

It all comes to a conclusion with "The Armageddon Factor." In that six-part story, it's kind of obvious from some repetitive scenes that they're stretching for time. There's a villain in that one that I still say looks like Zechs from Gundam Wing, so it gets points from that. The episode has two other highlights as well - we meet Drax, a man who knows the Doctor from his past, and we also are introduced to Lalla Ward as Princess Astra - the same Lalla Ward who would take over the role of Romana for the next season.

It's almost as though BBC Video knew they'd have to give you your money's worth if you're going to spring for new sets. And "your money's worth" is definitely here. As a comparison: The original "Armageddon Factor" on one disc had only production notes, a photo gallery, a who's who, and commentary with Mary Tamm, a guest actor, and director Michael Hayes. This time around it's on two discs, with two commentaries - including one with Tom Baker, Mary Tamm, and John Leeson (K-9) and not one, not two, but somewhere around TEN extra featurettes! For the record, the most enjoyable featurettes on these discs, for me, include "A Matter of Time" on the "Ribos Operation" disc - it's a one hour feature about the entire tenure of producer Graham Williams; a retrospective on doubles in Doctor Who on "The Androids of Tara" disc; "There's Something About Mary," a short featurette about Mary Tamm's tenure (on "The Power of Kroll"); and then finally, on the "Armageddon Factor" disc, there's a look at rogue Time Lords. As a small (but significant) bonus, the DVD's have much better looking cover art this time around too.

I wish more classic Who was released in full-season chunks like this one, although I pity the person who'd have to sit through a Season 24 set. Either way, if you want to spend a weekend with some fun classic British sci-fi, you can't get much better than this. It's still classic Doctor Who in its prime with Tom Baker as the time traveller with two hearts. I give this one 8.5 TARDIS Keys out of 10 - definitely a recommended set. Order your copy of Doctor Who: The Key To Time Special Edition and support KryptonSite!

These episodes are also available individually if you do not want to get the full set:

"The Ribos Operation" - "The Pirate Planet" - "The Stones of Blood" - "The Power of Kroll" - "The Androids of Tara" - "The Armageddon Factor"

Next up in the KryptonSite DVD Review column... Watchmen: Tales Of The Black Freighter! Want something reviewed? Send us an e-mail!