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Summary: "Alien" Doctor Who
Review: This story is to be known as the Alien-episode, some ideas might have been taken out of this interesting and frightning story...
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Summary: CULT and one of the best WHOs
Review: This atmospheric adventure beats Alien in many ways. A new era beginns in the long history of Doctor Who!
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Summary: Excellent Tom Baker Episode
Review: The second of Tom Baker's many episodes as the Fourth Doctor, the Ark in Space is an excellent example of a well-written and well-executed Doctor Who story.The basic plot: the TARDIS materializes on a space station soon found to be filled with human beings in suspended animation. The Doctor quickly surmises that the station and its contents represent the whole of the human race and its knowledge, preserved to weather some terrible catastrophe. Due to sabotage, the station's inhabitants have overslept by many thousand years. The sabotage was carried out by one of the Wyrrn, a race of space-dwelling giant insects who visit planets only to reproduce. The Wyrrn have decided to use the last humans as incubators for their young, and the Doctor, long-time favorite companion Sarah, and the reluctant Harry must prevent the Wyrrn from wiping out all humankind. Whereas many episodes degenerated into camp (though at times very successfully), the Ark in Space does an excellent job at remaining true to its science fiction roots. The episode does still offer plenty of wit as only Tom Baker could deliver it, yet it never lets the humor dominate the story. The plot is tightly-done without side trips and tangents; the Doctor and crew are concerned with the Wyrrn and saving humanity, and that is the task they take on and accomplish. The special effects (or defects) are suitably cheesily done as befitting the Dr. Who franchise, including the use og green bubble-wrap to create monsters. But that's part of the charm of the series, and a point in Ark in Space's favor that the bad effects didn't lead to pure camp. The DVD includes commentary (albeit somewhat disjointed due to the fact of its recording over twenty years after the airing of the actual episode); said commentary is interesting and gives a look at those who created the series. The other features of the disc are decent but not spectacular on the whole. I highly recommend this episode for any fan of Dr. Who.
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Summary: The first great Tom Baker story on a great DVD
Review: "The Ark in Space" is one of those titles DVD-enthusiastic fans saw coming a long, long way away. It was one of the first videos, one of only a handful of stories released on laserdisc, and maintains a consistent popularity that regularly puts it at the top of the list when people think of "great Tom Baker stories", or even great Doctor Who in general. I know several fans - myself included - who had actively expected either "Ark" or "Pyramids of Mars" to start off the post-"Five Doctors" range of DVDs, and were disappointed by the choice of "The Robots of Death"; I'm happy to say, however, that it was well worth the wait. I was quite taken aback by the video element of "The Ark in Space". Although the actual quality is probably no better than that of "Robots", there is no irritating jitter to one side of the screen, and the colors seem - well, more vibrant, somehow. I was quite taken aback by the video element of "The Ark in Space". Although the actual quality is probably no better than that of "Robots", there is no irritating jitter to one side of the screen, and the colors seem - well, more vibrant, somehow. This is something I clearly noticed on all the previous releases except "Robots", so I am definitely happy to report that the Tom Baker stories have just as good a chance as any to look alive and fresh on DVD. Most publicized amongst the extra features are the new CGI model effects. You have the menu option to either watch the story with the original model effects from 1975, or see the new ones integrated throughout. Personally, I would go for the former option Here's what bothered me about the new CGI: while the medium and long shots of Nerva Beacon are undeniably gorgeous and very atmospheric, any time the Ark passes directly in front of the camera - the two prime examples are in Part 1 - my disbelief was instantly shattered. It is clearly a computer-generated model, and looks very fake that close to the viewer, without any shadows to hide it. While the original 1975 model shots are hokey, and a touch embarrassing, I am at least used to them - so I'll continue watching the story that way. The DVD also contains a number of other extras, ranging from the excellent - a 1975 interview with Tom Baker, a 2001 interview with designer Roger Murray-Leach, and an brilliant production trivia subtitle track, to the ridiculous - a new CGI "space station schematic feature", and the mind-numbing Howard Da Silva PBS voiceovers. Most of the extras, including a commentary with Tom Baker, Lis Sladen and producer Philip Hinchcliffe, a reconstructed trailer, cast biographies and a photo gallery, fall somewhere in the middle - worth watching once, anyway. For all my criticisms, "The Ark in Space" is a must-have Doctor Who DVD. Sure, several of the extras are lightweight, but what good ones there are prove very, very good, and the story is of a very high caliber to begin with. Plus, who knows, maybe you'll like those CGI effects more than I did!
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Summary: dr who ark in space
Review: Tom Baker is my favrite dr on this dvd picture and sound on this dvd is real good for 70, video tape . and is worth the money to
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Summary: Here comes Noah with a sonic screwdriver in his pocket...
Review: Tom Baker's second story as the fourth Doctor is a jouney into space in the distant future. The story marks a return to the Doctor of old, careering around the universe as in the pre Pertween days. It also marks the start of the establishment of the character of the new Doctor now that a little distance has passed between him and the Mark 3 verison. The plot concerns an apparently deserted space station which contain cryogenically frozen humans in a suspended animation which has lated tens of thousands of years. There is significant evidence that there is something else being there too eventually being identified as the Wirrin who intende to consume the frozen humans and colonise the earth. While the plot is certainly interesting, it does seem to me that it is not the crucial aspect to this adventure. It seems to be more setting the scene from which the new Doctor can emerge. The thrust of the story is to establish Tom Baker as the Doctor. In many people's eyes he was to become The Doctor, but that was to be much later. This Doctor appears younger, relatively than any of his forebears. His dress, although not the more formal dree or morning coat of the first two was not so dandyish as th the third. His clothing too, with more browns and muted colours indicated a warmer, touchier almost fuzzier type of person than the others. Although he certainly had a more serious side, he did not have the sense of gravitas that the earlier Doctors clearly had. His physical appearance, particularly his height, was more powerful but the respect from others more often than not had to be earned. Throughout this adventure the Doctor was seen to be distracted by novel and interesting things and developments which stimulated his intellectual curiosity while at the same time causing him to lose sight of events closer to home. Yet at the same time his apparent lack of interest in events could often be mistaken for lack of concern when in reality he chose to think while apparently resting. His quick wit and sudden changes epitomised his flamboyant nature and mercurial mind. This character was thrown into sharp relief especially during this adventure with the comparison made with the latest companion, Harry. His military training and medical mind contrast sharply with the Doctor heightening the perception of intelectual prowess. Thes use of the companions as a contrasting device is also useful at exploring the softer, one could almost say human, aspect of the Doctor's character. With Sarah Jane the Doctor is seen as a much more understanding and compassionate person than in previous incarnations. In a sense this increases the perception of his own humanity, a feature which is further exposed in the later dealings with the Gallifreyians. All in all a great fourt Doctor adventure and one well worth having. This new DVD version of the four episode adventure is a joy to own. As well as commentaries from Tom baker himself there are those from Elisabeth Sladen and Philip Hinchcliffe and all sorts of other extras. The picture and sound are much clener, clearer and crisper which adds to the overall effect. A very good choice for the DVD treatment although it would not have been near the top of my list. Two thumbs up.
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Summary: One of Baker's Best!
Review: I've been watching this episode for about 20 years now on a 20 year old video, taped off of the tv. I've enjoyed it every time, but was amazed to see how much more I enjoyed it when I could actually ... well ... SEE it! The beautiful transfer to DVD is a delight. (I also discovered that the version sent to tv stations in the early '80's had several small, but noticible edits.)
And the story is just as good as it was on my...video copy, and just as good as it was 28 years ago when first produced. Suspenseful, funny, exciting. (Other reviews have detailed the script, so I won't bother.) Some reviewers have commented on the 'cheesy' special effects. Remember that this was all done 28 years ago. Well before Star Wars and Close Encounters. Well before CGI. And on a very low budget. For the time and the money available, I've always thought that DW did a marvelous job (usually) creating convincing special effects and aliens. So what if the grubs are spray painted bubble wrap? (...) If no one had told me, I never would have guessed. And it doesn't really matter. Since they couldn't cast a giant green larva in the part, they did the best they could. So why only 4 stars? I think that the 'extras' on the Who DVDs could be better. The commentary track is fun ... for a while ... but you keep waiting for them to say something relevent or really intersting, and they rarely do. (Not too surprising. At least Baker was being honest when he said he couldn't remember much about the episode made almost 30 years ago.) The brief bios of the actors (esp. the guest actors who have been less extensively covered in other DW sources) were worth a glance. But the rest .... I hated DaSilva's commentaries when the series first ran. I don't need to hear them again. The trailer gave little new insight. Tardis-cam? Couldn't figure out what that was supposed to be about. The Beeb really needs to come up with some better 'extras'. (How about a foreign language track or two?)
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Summary: Excellent entry into Dr. Who
Review: The Doctor, out to prove to Dr. Harry Sullivan (RN) that the London Police call box actually houses the TARDIS, a time/space machine, whisks the two of them along with Sarah Jane Smith off into deep space and the distant future. Leaving the TARDIS, the group finds themselves inside of an apparently empty space station. Disabling some elaborate security devices, they learn that the station is actually an ark containing the last survivors of humanity - genetically perfect specimens in suspended animation and intended to repopulate an Earth becoming livable after devastation by solar flares. One of the "Adams" is missing, and the Doctor soon finds the station infested with Wirrin - huge and intellligent insects who want the Earth for themselves. To get Earth, the Wirrin need to eliminate the humans. With the survivors' leader infected by the Wirrin and turned him into one of them, the Doctor and the remaining survivors struggle to secure the station and somehow defeat the intelligent and implacable insects. This was an excellent episode for so many reasons. The set design convincingly detailed the claustrophobic insides of the Ark. An excellent script and great acting obviates your having to know the complicated continuity of Dr. Who (the Doctor, an expatriate member of a race of long-lived Time Lords, travels across the space/time continuum righting wrongs, saving the cosmos and occasionally picking up or losing various strangers who join the cast; stories are told in multi-part serials of about a half-hour each, but the serials themselves are linked; the Doctor's advanced physiology allows him to "regenerate" whenever he's mortally wounded, becoming a totally new man - this Doctor is numero quatro), and for a change, the alien menace are completely new and not Daleks again. And of course we've got Sarah Jane Smith. The pacing is excellent, the suspense unending and the cheesy production values shine. If you're going to get one Dr. Who tape, this is the one to get.
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Summary: Doctor Who: Ark in Space
Review: Greeting, people! I has been a big fan of Doctor Who since I was a kid and I am delighted to see Doctor Who comes on DVD. When I bought this DVD, I was thrilled to see the DVD have captions included. When I turned the captions on, I noticed something strange about the episodes during the captions turned on. From the part 1 to the end of part 4 I think, I noticed several times the screen got really dark for few secs and came back normal. I turned the captions off and tried again. I see no problem of seeing screen turning dark for few secs. I tried to turn my TV closed captions on but it didnt show up. I was sadden that the TV captions didnt show up on this DVD and was sadden more when the DVD is deflected with captions causing the screen on TV to goes dark for few seconds. For like example, when the Part one open up to Ark in Space, when the ark move into the center of the screen, the screen got really dark, barely see the ark on it for few secs then I can see hte ark better. I returned the DVD to Media Play and got new one of same DVD like this. I tried to see if it would have same problems or not. THe new Doctor WHo:ark in space DVD I just got, after replacing the other copy, it has same deflects in same areas. I feared that all copies of Doctor Who:Ark in Space may be deflected. Anyone notice about this problems or anyone know how we can replace these DVDs with deflect-free DVDs?
That's why I placed the rating at 3 because of captions causing the deflects. Thank you.
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Summary: YAY
Review: A great Tom Baker episode. It cannot be said to be the best or even close, but it is a fun romp with aliens (think the movie: Alien) in a tin can.
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