The Robots of Death Special Edition: DVD NTSC Region 1 Special Edition NEW for Mar. 13, 2012 DVD PAL Region 2 "Revisitations 3" Box Set NEW for Feb. 13, 2012 VHS Video NTSC A NTSC B PAL

(Doctor Who Story No. 90, starring Tom Baker) written by Chris Boucher directed by Michael E. Briant produced by Philip Hinchcliffe music by Dudley Simpson 4 episodes @ 25 minutes each Story: Even on a sandminer working the dunes of an alien desert, the humanoid crew live in relative luxury while robots do most of the work. But someone or something is perverting the robots' complex control systems, turning them into killers. Can the Doctor find the real culprit before this blueprint for dictatorship is unleashed on the population at large?

Special Edition DVD Extras include:

• Audio commentary by actors Tom Baker (the Doctor), Louise Jameson (Leela), Pamela Salem (Toos), and director Michael E. Briant.
• Audio commentary by writer Chris Boucher and producer Philip Hinchcliffe.
• "Sandmine Murders" making-of documentary
• "Robophobia" featurette on the history of robots.
• Model tests
• Interactive Studio Floor Plans
• Pop-up Production Note Subtitles
• Photo Gallery

Unlike the previous story, "The Robots of Death" had a much quicker, last minute inception. Chris Boucher's writing plays it safe this time, using formulae for a whodunit bottle story that is practically guarranteed to work. The sandminer on alien planet setting is the best point of creativity from the script's point of view, even if it was lifted from "Dune". In that respect, this modest little Doctor Who story can be said to be the first attempt to bring some of Frank Herbert's effects-demanding novel to a cinematic format.

The dissolve from the title sequence into the opening shot is something we should be getting much more of; hopefully other stories will pick up on this soon. The model work for the sandminer is particularly well done, as future writer/director Peter Grimwade begins to leave a noticeable mark on the program as Production Assistant / Model Unit Director. Tom Baker even renames a medical syndrome after him in this story. ;-)

After an exceptional introduction to the sandminer and its diverse crew, the Doctor, Leela, and the TARDIS get a near perfect introduction as well. Establishing shot, TARDIS interior nicely explained, new Doctor/companion relationship showcased, full materialization for the police box, interior and exterior juxtaposed..... everything you'd want when introducing the series to completely new viewers, except for one niggling element. We still suffer the silly old primitive dark secondary control room. Arrghh! The view on the scanner screen is not particularly interesting or easily understandable at first either, so this control room's one usual strength is not particularly well boasted either.

Dudley Simpson turns in one of his better scores with this story, reusing a simple but effective motif for the creepy advance of the robots on their possible victims, and accompanying many of the wide scene-setting shots with beautiful light and airy synthesizer sounds, adding to the majesty and uniqueness of the story's setting. Plus there are his renditions of classical music in the lounge. All excellent stuff.

"The Robots of Death" works in large part thanks to the eye-candy design of the production, and some expert direction from Michael E. Briant. The cast does a marvelous job, and the robots themselves are unforgettable. Unlike many other monsters, these ones need not hide their physical features in the shadows to remain frightening - their features have been deliberately designed asthetically. It's what's going on behind their face-plates that is truly frightening and left to our imagination, and one character's dilemma later in the story helps to emphasize this for those with any doubt.

The fixation on strangulation is an unattractive element of the story, and there is some curious non-interaction going on in the plot as well. I'll only get into a real discussion of this in the In-depth Analysis version of this review. But suffice it to say, a little too much character interaction happens off-screen in this story, with someone else coming in and reporting it to the others, when actually seeing the event would seem to have worked better for the story and been equally good at maintaining the mystery.

In the end, though, these are all minor points. The story remains gripping, thanks to the solid formula at work in the writing. The characters and the setting are interesting, and one wants to be there to find out how it will all work out. The story builds to a satisfying conclusion that makes up in dramatic quality for what it lacks in non-violent elegance and imagination.

The lead villain revealed near the end of the piece doesn't quite have a motivation as believable as I would have liked, but single story villains don't need to make too much sense in my view - they haven't got their act together, and they're going to go to pieces in the end anyway.

Unfortunately, the heroes' exit is a little too abrupt at the end, not really tying up the loose ends of what will happen next to what's left of the sandminer crew, but generally season fourteen has produced another solid story. Although it definitely leans towards horror, it is much more in my tastes than most of what season thirteen had to offer.

Special Edition:
DVD NTSC Region 1 Special Edition for the North American market: in the U.S. in Canada NEW for Mar. 13, 2012	DVD PAL Region 2 "Revisitations 3" Box Set for the U.K. NEW for Feb. 13, 2012	VHS Video NTSC A for North America NTSC B for North America PAL for the U.K.
Original release:
DVD NTSC Region 1 for the North American market: in the U.S. in Canada DVD PAL Region 2 for the U.K.		Original DVD Extras include: Audio commentary by writer Chris Boucher and producer Philip Hinchcliffe. Model tests Studio plans Photo Gallery "Who's Who" text biographies (may feature on Region 1 discs only)

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