The Twin Dilemma:
The last of the story discs is number 8, and this features Colin Baker's debut.
Often voted the worst story ever (though I'd argue there have been some right old clunkers recently), one of its problems is that it came the very next week after the story usually voted best.
This is the only story of the entire set not to have any new VFX as an option, either new or legacy, but it does finally get a Making-Of documentary. The DVD only really had a costume featurette (the one where they replaced Baker's costume with a dark suit, just to show what the actor himself wanted - though a darker Doctor in a black suit might have been just a little too close to the Master).
Regarding the clown suit, it's interesting that the Doctor himself actually acknowledges that he no longer has any dress sense - so you'd think that they would have seen sense themselves and changed it for Season 22 (and certainly for Season 23).
Some of the model shots - the freighter and the surface of Titan 3 are rather good - and video effects are okay, which is why they probably thought it not worth commissioning new VFX.
The main issues with The Twin Dilemma are the variable acting on show, the presentation / character of the new Doctor, and the gaudy sets and costumes. It's the end of season, so the money has run out and that might go towards explaining some of the production values problems. Peter Moffatt's rather bland direction is another issue.
Watching it again last night - first time in a long time - I actually thought that the twins did a reasonable job considering they weren't really actors. They'd only done a stage version of Oliver! before this.
Performances such as Helen Blatch's - an experienced actor - are worse, though she's a victim of the material she has been given. (The story might be credited to Anthony Steven but the second half is basically Eric Saward's).
Edwin Richfield is totally wasted as Mestor. They could have simply employed him for his voice and had an extra play the Gastropod itself.
The biggest issue is the Doctor, of course. In hindsight it was certainly a mistake to launch the new Doctor at the end of a season when you are going to present him as a bit psychotic - murderous, manic, or cowardly in turns. When he says "I am the Doctor... whether you like it or not", it comes across more as a threat to the audience than a reassurance. Leaving this performance in the audience's minds for 9 months was a mistake, which even JNT finally acknowledged.
The documentary is very good. Presented by Toby Hadoke it interviews cast and crew, including Kevin McNally and Colin Baker at a pub near one of the quarry locations (which Baker claims is where his rubbish now goes - I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere...).
It starts by acknowledging the story's poor reputation, but I think you may have a little bit more respect for it after watching this. The Conrad twins and Noma actor Barry Stanton are amongst the interviewees. The latter has never watched it, and is quite impressed by Azmael's death scene when Hadoke shows it to him.
For Behind the Sofa, the guest viewers are Paul and Andrew, the titular twins (Gavin changed his name). They join Baker, Langford and Bryant.
Janet Fielding is very critical of the new Doctor's behaviour. Davison has mock annoyance at seeing Baker in his costume, and jokingly stomps off the set, leaving the others to carry on watching without him.
The rest of the disc is TV spots, and quite a mixed bag. Not just Baker items but Jon Pertwee on Pebble Mill at One and Mat Irvine on Saturday Superstore (visiting London's Science Museum with K-9).
Discs 9 & 10:
Considering that the special edition could surely have fitted onto the Planet of Fire disc, I'm not entirely sure why they felt the need to have two discs of extras. As well as that SE, Disc 9 has two of those dreadful Escape Room features - one each for the Fifth and Sixth Doctors. Other than that there is a 2013 Fifth Doctor overview and Matthew Sweet in conversation with Matthew Waterhouse.
The fact that this appears on this set, as does the Earthshock Tales from the Tardis, gives the extras a bit of a Davison era leftovers feel.
Waterhouse does actually talk quite a bit about Doctor Who in his interview. We also hear about how he got into acting in the first place, his experience of conventions, theatre, working in New England, and moving into writing. Can't say I buy his interpretation of the exploding console scene in his final episode.
The only other big new extra is the latest road trip with Davison, Sutton and Fielding. Or rather, boat trip, as they take to the River Wey to journey to the studio to do a Behind the Sofa. Mark Strickson was supposed to be involved as well, but had to drop out.
This isn't a straightforward travelogue, as they have elected to employ elements of earlier extras - cooking from the Doctor Who Cookbook, and dining at the Doctor's Table (joined by Colin Baker).
These were extras in their own right on other sets - so it feels like a bit of a jumble. The travel section I was fine with - the scenery is lovely - but the cooking session and the restaurant bit I could have done without.
How you take these all depends on how much you like the Davison / Fielding double act.
Last, but certainly not least, on Disc 10 we have the 50th Anniversary's wonderful The Fiveish Doctors, which comes with optional commentary. Great seeing this again.
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