Season 15 saw the arrival of Graham Williams as producer of Doctor Who, brought in to counter some of the excesses of predecessor Philip Hinchcliffe. Horror and violence were to be toned right down, and in their place there would be more humour. Script Editor Robert Holmes - responsible for much of that horror and violence - agreed to stay on for six months to help Williams settle in. His presence, and Williams' inability to produce a season with an umbrella theme due to time constraints, has led to Season 15 having a transitional feel. Williams and new Script Editor Anthony Read would favour classic literature over classic horror movies - and a little movie called Star Wars was beginning to have its presence felt across the globe - so we get a mix of space opera and stories which would not have looked out of place under the old regime.
First up is Horror of Fang Rock. This was a very late replacement when Terrance Dicks' planned tale of alien vampires had to be shelved since it might be seen as being disrespectful to a forthcoming adaptation of Dracula. It was seen as a low-key launch to the new season at the time, but its reputation has grown and grown over the years. It's gothic horror meets base-under-siege, and is famous for being the one in which every single guest character dies. With terribly cramped and oddly shaped sets, in unfamiliar studios, director Paddy Russell elects to frame Baker foreground throughout, with his back to the other characters. This allows him to dominate, whilst still letting us see the reactions of the others.
Apparently this story was going to get a Special Edition before they ditched these to go down the Blu-ray boxset route. Whether it would have seen new CGI VFX, I don't know - but it gets them here. I know lots of people don't like these, but I'd strongly recommend you watching with them switched on. The most obvious thing is the new Rutan - a CG enhanced physical prop - but the electronic effects from the initial shooting star to the Rutan mothership are greatly improved. Some nice replacements for the model work as well. The shipwreck and the TARDIS in the rocky landscape look so much better.
The Invisible Enemy is one of two stories on this set which already had the option to view with the CGI option switched on. It's a real mixed back though. Titan is given a murky yellow sky - more scientifically accurate, but dramatically and visually weaker. Things aren't helped by having failed to treat all the window shots in Titan Base.
Inspired in its third episode by Fantastic Voyage, it's best known for the introduction of K-9 - and for the very mixed success of the VFX. Some great model work courtesy of Ian Scoones, but a dodgy giant prawn for a monster, misaligned laser beams and obvious pre-cut damaged walls have given this story a poor reputation overall (though admittedly that was the fault of it being a hurried retake).
If Fang Rock could have sat comfortably within the Hinchcliffe-Holmes era, then so too could Image of the Fendahl. Borrowing from Quatermass and the Pit, its setting of an old dark house, skulls and devil worshippers, with monsters lurking in fog-shrouded woods, could equally have formed the basis of a Hammer Horror. The Gorgon springs to mid, as Sherlock's mum swans about the mansion killing with just a look.
The Sun Makers is Louise Jameson's favourite story, and we can see why. Robert Holmes uses the programme to vent his spleen against the Vatman, in a blackly humorous critique of the Great British tax system. No monsters as such, unless you count human(oid) ones. The juxtaposition of humour and drama doesn't always work - the death of the Gatherer leaving a bad taste. The tone is variable.
Underworld is based on the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, but that's about all you can say about it. No CGI enhancement here, unfortunately. Infamously, inflation of the day led to the production team being unable to complete the planned sets, so actors were recorded on blue-screen to be CSO'd onto model caverns. The spaceship set (reused for both Minyan ships) is good, and there is some excellent model work with those spaceships - but those cave sequences let the whole thing down, along with some poor performances.
The other story from Season 15 to already have a CGI option is the final one - The Invasion of Time. This had a complex genesis, what with the original David Weir story having to be torn up as unfilmable, and then industrial action hitting the production. Williams liked the Time Lords, and their history had already been alluded to twice in the series so far - including the reason for their non-interference stance. Robert Holmes suggested the four-parter / two-parter structure, and gave permission to use the Sontarans. They were Anthony Read's favourite of the established monsters.
It's nice to see one of the classic monsters, as they're rare in this period of the show, and their presence nicely tops and tails the season after their mention in Fang Rock, which debuted their old enemies.
The story - and the season - ends with K-9 Mark I being superseded by Mark II. Leela gets a truly dreadful send-off, thanks to Williams refusing to believe that Jameson was serious about leaving.
The final episode is a let-down overall.
Considering the nature of the visual material they have to work with, the picture quality is superb throughout.
On to the Extras and, whilst not as packed as Season 20, we get quite a few excellent items.
Fang Rock gets a really good, in-depth, "Making of...". Cast and crew are well represented, whilst the main component is a two-day stay at a real lighthouse near Beachy Head for Louise Jameson and Toby Hadoke.
The pair also form one of the Sofa panels, joined by Betsan Roberts - widow of director Pennant Roberts and long-time friend of Jameson. I'm afraid Hadoke doesn't really work as a panellist. He knows the episodes inside-out and simply spouts facts and trivia. It's far more entertaining to see people watching the episodes afresh.
This is also an issue with Matthew Waterhouse, who joins Katy Manning on the second panel. Waterhouse was a fan and also knew these stories very well, so pretending he doesn't won't wash. Someone needs to tell him that repeating everything people say on screen is neither amusing nor interesting - even when you do it in a funny voice.
The third panel comprises Janet Fielding, Sarah Sutton and - for a change - Colin Baker. Fielding isn't anywhere near as annoying this time, which just goes to show that she and Davison simply act up together. Baker is rather upset at the amount of violence on screen, including the Doctor wielding various weapons - his argument being that his era wasn't doing anything that hadn't already been shown before.
As it's her only full season, Jameson gets the Matthew Sweet interview, as well as a couple of convention appearances and a 2003 archive BBC interview. The fantastic Time War trailer piece is also included.
We also get two items from the 50th Anniversary celebrations - an interview with John Leeson and a companions panel, which includes Jameson.
The final disc contains an absolute gem of a new documentary - a biography of the producer Graham Williams. Clocking in at nearly 100 minutes, it's a thorough look at the man and his work - similar in style to the documentaries on Lis Sladen and JNT on other sets. His widow and children are interviewed along with friends and colleagues, revealing a deeply complex figure.
Be prepared to be moved, as it doesn't shy away from the circumstances of his death.
I sincerely hope that we get similar productions for the other producers when it comes to one of their seasons.
All this plus the pre-existing DVD extras ported over, and a wealth of pdf material.
15 down, 11 to go... Here's hoping that we finally get Troughton's Season 6 for the next release.
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