Rating: 
Summary: Just desserts. Is that all?
Review: If you're going to write a six-part story then at least make sure you've enough material for six parts. The odd bit of padding aside, however, this is an enjoyable story which sees the return of the second doctor (Patrick Troughton) and companion Jamie, the former of whom has been kidnapped. The Sontarans also appear on the scene in a scenic Spanish location which helps add to the overall atmosphere. This story received criticism for its violent moments, true, but quite how a society that gets its kicks out of watching boxing, wrestling and other real-life horrors can complain about fantasy violence is baffling. It is true that Colin Baker's doctor makes a rather sadistic wisecrack after killing a homicidal butcher with cyanide, but James Bond also made such wisecracks after killing enemies and yet everybody still thought of him as the good guy. Overall, 'Two Doctors' is solid science fiction and the second doctor and the Sontarans making returns is certainly an idea that's welcome.
Rating: 
Summary: nouveau cuisine.
Review: Like many 6th Doctor stories, there's an undercurrent of meanness here, which briefly afflicts even the supernaturally good-hearted Patrick Troughton as Doctor Two. Get past this plaint. "The Two Doctors" boasts a relentlessly inventive script, serving Sontarans, cannibals, genetic engineers, fishing expeditions and captured moths together in a semiotic feast. And the Androgums -- feral, passionate, haughty -- are one of writer Robert Holmes's most stirring inventions. If you're curious about the Colin Baker era, the Troughton in this might make Baker's abrasiveness go down a little easier. I think it's worth it in any case. (Sorry about the eating jokes.)
Rating:
Summary: nouveau cuisine.
Review: Like many 6th Doctor stories, there's an undercurrent of meanness here, which briefly afflicts even the supernaturally good-hearted Patrick Troughton as Doctor Two. Get past this plaint. "The Two Doctors" boasts a relentlessly inventive script, serving Sontarans, cannibals, genetic engineers, fishing expeditions and captured moths together in a semiotic feast. And the Androgums -- feral, passionate, haughty -- are one of writer Robert Holmes's most stirring inventions. If you're curious about the Colin Baker era, the Troughton in this might make Baker's abrasiveness go down a little easier. I think it's worth it in any case. (Sorry about the eating jokes.)
Rating:
Summary: Validation of the Sixth Doctor...
Review: Like many Whovians, I've always harbored a dislike for Colin Baker's portrayal of the Doctor. Abrasive, argumentative, and rude, it seemed as if this Doctor was a throwback to his original incarnation. While being crotchety seemed to fit the elderly William Hartnell and added to his charm as Doctor Who, in the younger Colin Baker the effect was rather off-putting.However, I have to say that in retrospect, the lad was actually pretty darned good. I've picked up a few of Colin's adventures on DVD, and have come away with a new appreciation of his take on the Doctor. The Second Doctor and Jaime visit a space station on behalf of the Time Lords. Some scientists have been tinkering with a time machine, and the Time Lords are concerned. However, the Sontarans attack and capture the Doctor and the prototype machine with the help of the station's director. They plot to use the Doctor's DNA to enable them to complete the time machine and travel in time. Enter the Sixth Doctor and Peri, who try to recapture the Second Doctor and save Time itself from the Sontaran warlords. The story is rather inventive in "The Two Doctors", although the Spanish locations are kind of a waste since the show could have been shot just as easily in the UK. The installment was somewhat disappointing in that the cannibalism angle was never fully explained or exploited, and the 45-minute episode length works against the best concepts of the show. There also seems to be a spot of meanness (so common to the Colin Baker era), as one of the minor characters gets murdered pointlessly. The Doctor himself steps way out of character and takes a life in a somewhat glib manner. Still, we have Patrick Troughton, and even in the padded parts, he makes the show a joy to watch. The villains are somewhat entertaining, as well, and the locations are pretty. As for extras, there are two segments of raw footage (one in the studio, one on location), that give the viewer an idea of how the show was put together. Another segment recounts the difficulties encountered in finding suitable locations not only for the story, but for those interested in the industry. There's also a nice retrospect of Robert Holmes' work on Doctor Who, which is a loving tribute to the late writer by his co-workers on the show. The best part of this set is the segment where a young Who fan gets his wish and becomes part of a new, mini-Who adventure with Colin Baker, the Sontarans, and Teagan aboard the TARDIS, complete with impressive floor effects. I love this segment for three reasons; first, it was very, very well-done work. Second, the kid proved to me that Colin's Doctor had fans, as evidenced by his costume, patterned after Colin's, and made "by his Nan." Third, and best of all for me, was Colin's Doctor talking smack to Teagan and pointing out what a mouthy, sour, pain in the neck she was. Teagan is the one companion that grated on my nerves to the nth degree, and one which I've always heartily despised, so full marks to whoever wrote the segment, and for Colin, apparently acting "from the heart." Oh, and if all of that were not enough, let's not forget Patrick Troughton's second Doctor (along with companion Jaime) making a triuphant return to the series. That alone is worth the price of admission. Overall, this is a surprisingly well-packed DVD for the Sixth Doctor, generally known as being the least-loved. If, like me, you never really cared for Colin Baker as the Doctor, you may want to try this one out. You just might change your mind.
Rating:
Summary: Despite one flaw, this story has got it all!
Review: Make that two: The original title for the story was "The Androgum Inheritance" - and makes a more powerful title than "The Two Doctors" which is lackluster and vain. The other bad point is that the second Doctor is more like the 4th, being asked to meddle by time lord superiors so he can keep his freedom AND tells his companions he's a time lord! The 2nd Doctor was on the run and kept himself a secret to Jamie, yet here we have Jamie knowing it all... That aside, this story ROCKS! The Sontarans are back and in style. Robert Holmes knows how to write stories, particularly with aliens he himself created. (the Sontarans are a race of clones, bred to fight - Deep Space 9 took the idea and created the Jam Heeder which were controlled by the Dominion.) The actual plot is impeccable: Third zone governments set up an alliance to learn technologies that the time lords possess, mainly time travel. Dastari, a scientist, augmented an androgum (a race of people moved by emotion and the sensual, usually in the form of cuisine as presented here) to effectively make her a genius. In come the Doctor and Jamie who are appalled at the idea. Sontarans invade and take the Doctor captive, leaving Jamie behind. The sixth Doctor feels the pain of the 2nd being under torture and sets to find him via information acquired during a mindlink. He discovers that Dastari is part of the 3rd zone plot, as are the Sontarans... they want to dissect the 2nd Doctor to get at a genetic component which allows time lords to time travel. Thanks to a fortunate set of events, Chessene decides to merely augment the Doctor and turn him into an androgum - to be a consort! But wait, the Sontarans are actually going to doublecross Dastari and Chessene... who will win in the end? And will the Doctor and Peri become vegetarians after having to deal with Shockeye, Chessini's underling, who is hungry to eat human meat as humans are at the top of the food chain! The acting, particularly by John Stratton and Jacquline Pearce is exquisite. The 6th Doctor is at top notch. The subplots are wonderful and are pure genius: The political intrigue, the combination of Doctors, Shockeye wanting to eat a human and his reasons why, the Sontarans' trechary, Chessini, the idea of augmentation, Dastari turning sides, everything. The music is impressive, too, particularly with the Spanish influence. Best of all is the locationwork in Spain. I can overlook the bad introduction of the 2nd Doctor as the rest of it is simply a feast for the eyes. :-)
Rating:
Summary: A weird pairing
Review: Nobody liked Colin Baker when he was the Doctor, including me, but he grows on you. I now think he was one of the most interesting of the Doctors, and in this story he's joined by the most slapstick of the Doctors, Patrick Troughton. The two play off each other well, and this excuses the glaring continuity revisions and whimpy Sontarans. The plea for vegetarianism implicit (barely) here is juvenile and hackneyed, but the scenes of Shockeye (a specimen of the Androgums, who are known for their indiscriminate desire to turn all edible species, including humans, into gourmet meals) lusting obscenely after flesh of a human for his cooking pans, are at once hilarious and gruesome. "Pity it's not a jack," he says, carrying an unconscious Peri, and, "Oooooh, I can just taste that flesh!" to a retreating Jamie's back. Troughton excels, and this seems to drive Baker to great feats in competition.
Rating:
Summary: Feast A La Resistance!
Review: One nice quality about DVDs is one get to see the actors as people than characters which can help lighten one's perspective towards the character they played. I for one thought Colin Baker got a bad rap. The story itself was meant for New Orleans not Spain and the macrabe nature of the story fits New Orleans better than Spain. The aliens would be more recognized as a take on Zombies which is a wonderful concept of magnifying zombies as a new super race being a bad idea so a wonderful take on blind leadership. There are also some nice homages like the "Madeleine Cluster" which Madeleine was a character from Robert Holmes Second Doctor missing adventure "The Space Pirates" and the Spanish music a nice touch. The story would have been less offensive if the Zombie cannabalism was in the proper atmosphere but it sticks out as going too far as a form of gross out than homage to a culture where it was suppose to be shot so some of the bad taste comes from the homage being out of context. As to acting everyone is in top form and the acting is excellent. This story is better than it has been given credit for. Once one realizes why it seems in bad taste it becomes less offensive. It was also a nice bonus to see "A Fix With Sontarans" which although short was well done as were other bonus features but the ones on filming rushes are best left after watching the commentary which some not into filming sequences may want to give a pass on; best for those into that sort of thing. "The Two Doctors" is better than it is given credit for but the change in setting does make some of the story seem in bad taste and like all Zombie based ideas not for everyone's plate to feast apon. Bon appittete! Enjoy if you can.
Rating:
Summary: Colin Baker's best story
Review: Pairing up two Doctors, one meeting his future, the other meeting his past, is an imaginative step. After all, there was already The Three Doctors and The Five Doctors. In that aspect, John Nathan-Turner must surely be commended. The Second Doctor and Jamie try to convince Dastari, head of projects at a space station, to halt time experiments of a primitive time capsule, as the Time Lords are concerned about undue meddling in time. The Doctor and Dastari argue, and then, Sontarans attack the station. The Sixth Doctor and Peri, have just finished fishing for gumbeljacks, when the Doctor feels the effects of his second self dying. He journeys to the space station, beholding the carnage wrought upon by the Sontarans. They rescue Jamie and via a telepathic link with his second self, the Doctor takes them to current-day Spain, near Seville. There, they have to contend with Sontarans and two Androgums (anagram of gourmand), the technically augmented Chessene and her cannibalistic counterpart, Shockeye. Chessene plans to use the Doctor's symbiotic nucleus to program the Kartz-Reimer time machine and thus gain the power of time travel. Classic Colin Baker lines? "When you ask a question, you should listen to the answer, otherwise you'll gain absolutely no benefit from being in my company. It's in the province of knowledge to speak, and the privilege of wisdom to listen." To Peri: "Small though it is, the human brain can be quite effective when used properly." In response, Peri mouths some profanity behind him in addition to that classic dirty look she fires at him. In describing the aftermath of the Sontaran attack: "ancient must heavy in the air, fruit soft, flesh peeling from white bones, the unholy, unburiable smell of Armageddon." His showing Peri smoking laser holes is reminiscent of Ben Kenobi showing Luke the damage done to the Jawa sandcrawler. And his trying to use logic to figure things out: "But the there and then subsumes the here and now. So if I was killed then, I can only exist as some temporal tautology." The Spanish location is a welcome change of pace. I can imagine how much of the BBC budget was used, but with the inclusion of Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines, it was well spent. Two years after this story, Patrick Troughton would become one with the Matrix. The Sontarans are taller here and different from their other stories. They even have beards (!) and carry cool rifles. Clinton Greyn (Major Stike) was also Ivo in State Of Decay. As Shockeye says, "they always seem so tough and tasteless." Jacqueline Pearce plays Chessene as a calculating mastermind rational, calm in mind and beauty. Carmen Gomez (Anita, that "dark-eyed naiad,") does wonders as a sweet and gentle human. James Saxon (Oscar) has a wonderfully poetic line about moths: "moths are ladies of the night, painted beauties. They sleep all day and rise at the sunset, whisper through the roseate dusk on gossamer wings and damask silk." Wow! Upon seeing our heroes, whom he mistakes for police officers, he says, "I can see from your raiment that you're with the plainsclothes branch." Plain clothes--Jamie, Peri, and the Doctor? Yeah, right! John Stratton enjoys himself as the twisted and hungry Shockeye, calling Peri a "fine fleshy beast," describing human meat as "so white and rancidly laird of the bone, a sure sign of a tasty animal." When Chessene tells him that Earth is overpopulated, he responds, "By the time I leave it, madam, that may not be a problem." This is without a doubt Colin Baker's best story, aided by a great supporting cast, on-location shooting in Spain, set design, and a superb Robert Holmes writing.
Rating:
Summary: Colin Baker's best story
Review: Pairing up two Doctors, one meeting his future, the other meeting his past, is an imaginative step. After all, there was already The Three Doctors and The Five Doctors. In that aspect, John Nathan-Turner must surely be commended. The Second Doctor and Jamie try to convince Dastari, head of projects at a space station, to halt time experiments of a primitive time capsule, as the Time Lords are concerned about undue meddling in time. The Doctor and Dastari argue, and then, Sontarans attack the station. The Sixth Doctor and Peri, have just finished fishing for gumbeljacks, when the Doctor feels the effects of his second self dying. He journeys to the space station, beholding the carnage wrought upon by the Sontarans. They rescue Jamie and via a telepathic link with his second self, the Doctor takes them to current-day Spain, near Seville. There, they have to contend with Sontarans and two Androgums (anagram of gourmand), the technically augmented Chessene and her cannibalistic counterpart, Shockeye. Chessene plans to use the Doctor's symbiotic nucleus to program the Kartz-Reimer time machine and thus gain the power of time travel. Classic Colin Baker lines? "When you ask a question, you should listen to the answer, otherwise you'll gain absolutely no benefit from being in my company. It's in the province of knowledge to speak, and the privilege of wisdom to listen." To Peri: "Small though it is, the human brain can be quite effective when used properly." In response, Peri mouths some profanity behind him in addition to that classic dirty look she fires at him. In describing the aftermath of the Sontaran attack: "ancient must heavy in the air, fruit soft, flesh peeling from white bones, the unholy, unburiable smell of Armageddon." His showing Peri smoking laser holes is reminiscent of Ben Kenobi showing Luke the damage done to the Jawa sandcrawler. And his trying to use logic to figure things out: "But the there and then subsumes the here and now. So if I was killed then, I can only exist as some temporal tautology." The Spanish location is a welcome change of pace. I can imagine how much of the BBC budget was used, but with the inclusion of Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines, it was well spent. Two years after this story, Patrick Troughton would become one with the Matrix. The Sontarans are taller here and different from their other stories. They even have beards (!) and carry cool rifles. Clinton Greyn (Major Stike) was also Ivo in State Of Decay. As Shockeye says, "they always seem so tough and tasteless." Jacqueline Pearce plays Chessene as a calculating mastermind rational, calm in mind and beauty. Carmen Gomez (Anita, that "dark-eyed naiad,") does wonders as a sweet and gentle human. James Saxon (Oscar) has a wonderfully poetic line about moths: "moths are ladies of the night, painted beauties. They sleep all day and rise at the sunset, whisper through the roseate dusk on gossamer wings and damask silk." Wow! Upon seeing our heroes, whom he mistakes for police officers, he says, "I can see from your raiment that you're with the plainsclothes branch." Plain clothes--Jamie, Peri, and the Doctor? Yeah, right! John Stratton enjoys himself as the twisted and hungry Shockeye, calling Peri a "fine fleshy beast," describing human meat as "so white and rancidly laird of the bone, a sure sign of a tasty animal." When Chessene tells him that Earth is overpopulated, he responds, "By the time I leave it, madam, that may not be a problem." This is without a doubt Colin Baker's best story, aided by a great supporting cast, on-location shooting in Spain, set design, and a superb Robert Holmes writing.
Rating:
Summary: A solid story, but for one point.
Review: The Doctor and Peri meet up with the Doctor's second incarnation and former companion Jamie and are soon tangled up with genetic engineers. The return of Troughton's Doctor is certainly welcome and the story is entertaining and well-written. The murderous butcher Shockeye is a particularly memorable character. Though Dr Who at this point came under fire for its use of violence, I'd much rather watch Dr Who stories like this than those of the rather silly, campy variety. However, this story isn't a classic. What detracts from its appeal is the way the Sontarans are treated. As in 'Invasion of Time', they're just figures of fun, comedic Dad's Army-style soldiers. They're really no more than hired heavies in this story and there's no dramatic build-up to any kind of sudden entrance at all. Writer Robert Holmes hadn't actually wanted to use the Sontarans here, their role one that could have been filled my any monster from the series' past. Enjoyable, but fans of the Sontarans will be horrified.
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