Rating: 
Summary: "It's very '80s, isn't it?"
Review: "Doctor Who" fandom has generally been split when judging the 7th Doctor/Sylvester McCoy era of the show. With "Remembrance of the Daleks", usually hailed as one of the 7th Doctor's best stories, now out on DVD for the first time, that split is as obvious as ever."Remembrance" is set in London, in November, 1963, opening "Doctor Who"'s 25th anniversary season by revisiting events from the show's very first episode. The script, written by then 25 year-old Ben Aaronovitch (who later made a big splash in the subsequent "Doctor Who" book line) is a terrific one, layered with references to the show's past, to the societal fears of the time (uncertainty over the burgeoning civil rights movement, and the Kennedy assassination, all linger over the story), and, of course, gives us a more descriptive view of "Doctor Who"'s signature monsters, the Daleks, than ever before. The production, on the other hand, seems stretched paper-thin, with ultra-wobbly Daleks, a really awful '80s-synthesizer incidental score, and primitive CGI effects that dated as rapidly as '70's DW's fascination with Chroma-key. The DVD commentary track is recorded by Sylvester McCoy himself, and by Sophie "Ace" Aldred. The on-screen chemistry between these two, for which the McCoy era is fondly remembered, is present on the commentary track, which is sadly a little dull when compared to Peter Davison's comedy stylings on the "Caves of Androzani" DVD, also out this month. Aldred audibly enjoys the story, but McCoy's final reaction is "HMMM...". I agreed with both of them. The notable extra is a stunning montage of 13 deleted scenes, with linking text describing their place in the originally-conceived story. This presentation is as handsome as the presentation of the deleted scenes in "The Godfather" box set. Honest! Also welcome are McCoy's on-camera jokes and bloopers -- the man is a human outtake reel and he's quite funny in these. The best of an obligatory photo-gallery is a shot of McCoy on location watching his stunt-double in action. "Remembrance" can also be watched with pop-up production notes, which sometimes border on the painfully obvious ("TV sets took a long time to warm up in 1963") but which add interesting trivia. You can also select a "music-only" option, but the Casio drums and the synthesized handclaps are so painful that you're probably best off skipping that.
Rating: 
Summary: A great Dr. Who episode!
Review: "Remembrance of the Daleks"...a great story with dazzling special effects. There are some nice tributes to William Hartnell & Jon Pertwee in the story as well. One of the great scenes is a Dalek climbing the stairs...something that never has been done before.
Rating:
Summary: Maybe the best Sylvester McCoy adventure
Review: ..."best", but just 4 stars??? Well this is just a shadow what Doctor Who was till the mid-70's. Scripts and some of the producer's decisions managed to push the series quality down to the death-point in 1989.
Nevertheless the 7th Doctor is an original of his own... enjoyable at least in a view stories!
Rating:
Summary: You can't escape these Daleks by running up the staircase!
Review: A great adventure for the Doctor from the programmes' 25th anniversary. Once again the Doctor is caught in a battle between two rival factions of the Daleks, but who is the Emperor Dalek? Could we have met him before? The Doctor returns to Earth, 1963 to put the 'Hand of Omega', a device of infinite power, out of harms way. However, the Doctor and Ace soon discover that there is another interested party!. This is one of the more comic-book adventures, with plenty of action. The special effects are the best the programme has had to offer! On the minus side, as this is an anniversary story the makers couldn't resist couple of in-jokes. I personally feel these could have been left out, but don't let that put you off! It's one of the best 7th Doctor stories, and certainly deserves a place on the list of the all-time greatest Dr. Who adventures. This DVD edition has great image and sound quality, and together with a bag of great extras it is a real treat. Just don't expect to be able to escape the Daleks by running up a staircase, you may be in for a nasty surprise!
Rating:
Summary: "What is the location of the Renegade Dalek Base?"
Review: After leaving the scrapyard by Totters Lane, London, in 1963 with Susan, Ian & Barbara, the Doctor, in his seventh incarnation, returns with a new companion, Ace, to retieve what he left behind. Truely a classic Who serial. Rembrance of the Daleks not only celebrates the return of the Daleks, but it also brings the viewer back to where it all started. What can be said about Remembrance that hasn't been said. The direction, execution, acting and effects are top-notch. Ben Aaronovitch's first script for Doctor Who has a sort of revisionist continuity that Genesis of the Daleks displayed so many years ago.
Plus, the transfer to DVD is perfect! The clarity and audio has never been better! And, this disc has a good number of extras for a program that aired in the 80s. Kudos all around!
Rating:
Summary: One of McCoy's Better
Review: Ah, the seventh Doctor. Loved by some and hated by many, the dying days of Doctor Who (1986-1989) were undeniably full of hits and misses. "Remembrance of the Daleks" remains one of the better stories of this era, stronger in dialogue and plotting than many of the others. The outstanding performance of Sylvester McCoy, who at last keeps the pantomime to a minimum, the impressive action sequences, and the emphasis on drama over comic book melodramatics also help to make this a respectable outing. Unfortunately, the story relies so heavily on continuity from the past that it will be inscrutable to non-fans. There's also some predictable story elements and cliches (Davros escapes in an escape pod again?) that make for a lackluster conclusion, but overall, this is a satisfying adventure. Tremendous credit is due as always to The Doctor Who Restoration Team for the extra features. In addition to commentary from the lead actors, there's also some amusing outtakes and fascinating deleted scenes (though the latter might have been better if included in the program). And with production information text, alternate camera angles, and episode trailers this disc, like all Doctor Who DVDs, is an outstanding value.
Rating: 
Summary: Did the other reviewers see the same movie that I did?
Review: Am I the only person who thought that this episode was terrible? Maybe the other reviewers were watching another movie. At least Ace looked good. There were just so many things not to like about this wasted Dalek story. I can see why the BBC retired the series now. Here's a one word summation: stale.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Better McCoy Bits
Review: Calling this one of the better Sylvester McCoy stories -- a repertoire that includes suck dreck as "Delta and the Bannermen" -- isn't saying much, but McCoy displays a charm and effectiveness that belies the oft-horrific dialogue he was saddled with. I actually enjoyed his Doctor more than Peter Davison or Tom Baker, and I thought "Remembrance of the Daleks" was superior to "Genesis," "Destiny" [one of the worst Dalek stories IMHO], and "Ressurection." The audio commentary is nice as well. Would have liked to have seen a few more Sly episodes... if he had succeeded Davison, the show might had never been cancelled.
Rating:
Summary: They hate each other's chromosomes...
Review: Even the very title, REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS, suggest that nostalgia is going to play a big part in the story. This breakthrough 1988 episode by Ben Aaronovitch once again pits the Doctor against his oldest enemies, and for a Doctor Who serial, the scripting is unusually fast-paced, with not only an inordinate amount of action and better-than-average visual effects, but also some very well-developed characters and unexpected surprises. Sylvester McCoy has by now very firmly established himself as the Doctor and kicks off his second season by re-introducing an air of mystery to the role. Just when the fans thought they knew everything there was to know about their hero, along come some new plot twists and hushed moments of dialogue to turn the Almighty God Of Plot Continuity on its head. New companion Ace (Sophie Aldred) wastes no time in establishing her rapport with "The Professor," and the two of them are already forging a partnership that will be the best-loved duo since the days of Tom Baker's Doctor and Elisabeth Sladen's Sarah Jane Smith. More than a mere hat-tip to the series' own pilot episode, REMEMBRANCE actually returns to 1963 London and familiar settings last seen haunted by William Hartnell's incarnation of the first Doctor: to include Coal Hill School (including some prominent scenes in the Chemistry lab), and Foreman's junkyard in Totter's Lane. The long-standing question of just exactly what the Doctor was originally DOING here is finally answered as two warring schisms of Daleks emerge out of space-time and begin the all-out battle that viewers have been waiting for since 1984's REVELATION OF THE DALEKS. The Daleks somehow don't quite come off as terrifying as audiences may remember them; despite their murderous ways and their unending grating screams of "Exterminate," they present more like long-absent friends than the ultimate threat to the universe. Even the "Emperor" Dalek, last seen in 1967's EVIL OF THE DALEKS, has undergone a makeover in the style of the old Dalek cereal box comics. More central to the story, however, is the wonderful character development and the repeated emphasis on racism. Sophie Aldred's 1990's teen spirit is justifiably thrown off by the ways of the early 1960's --besides being baffled by the old English monetary system, she runs up against harsher realities such as the "No Coloureds" sign in the window of the boarding house run by Mike's mother. From this we can guess where Mike (Durslet McClinton, in a tragically handsome romantic foil for Ace) soaked up his "look out for your own" attitude, and how that idealism in turn caught fire with Ratcliffe (George Sewell) who once found himself at the wrong ideological end of what passed for "patriotism" in World War II. Ratcliffe's resentment has brought him into a reckless partnership with the renegade Dalek faction, who are themselves in turn despised by the "racially pure" Imperial Daleks. (Ace's deep revulsion to racist attitudes will be more fully explored in the later episode GHOST LIGHT.) REMEMBRANCE launches Doctor Who into its final triumphant run on BBC --Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred shepherded the series through its two final seasons with some of its best-ever writing and production values (which, alas, would not be enough to save the series from its ultimate cancellation by the Beeb in 1990). McCoy's unreadable "man of mystery" performance is first glimpsed in this episode, mostly in form of hints and verbal slips that do not go unnoticed by Ace. The grander backstory of the Time Lords is widened out as well, and there are quite a few references to past episodes that longtime fans will enjoy. The script even manages a couple of gags at the series' own expense, as well as providing a plausible "early origins" basis for the secret military agency that will later be known as U.N.I.T. Simon Williams' Captain Gilmore appears to be played mostly for comic effect in a kind of exaggerated foreshadowing of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. The performances by Pamela Salem as Rachel and Karen Gledhill as Alison go a long way towards solidifying the "peacetime chaos" that was English society in the early 60's. The opening pre-credits shot of the Dalek mothership looming over an unsuspecting Earth is brilliantly accented by a background babble of 1960's media sound bytes, to include speeches by John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Besides some hilarious commentary by McCoy and Aldred that demonstrates just how closely the two worked together during their time in the series, the DVD has cleaned up the eternal problem of Doctor Who background music dampening out the dialogue. Special Features are little more than the obligatory biographies, blooper outtakes, and alternate camera angles of two effects sequences --not all it's cracked up to be. Aaronovitch clearly has some big shoes to fill (this being the first Dalek serial in the series NOT directed by Dalek creator Terry Nation), and he carries it off very well. No character (least of all Ace) is left standing around looking for something to do, the story's pacing proceeds at a comfortable rate with very little filler, there are a number of total surprises (even to hardcore fans who think they already know all about Doctor Who), and of course plenty of action scenes with lots of Daleks going kerboom. Definitely one of McCoy's best outings as the Doctor, as well as the best Dalek serial ever (with the possible exception of 1974's GENESIS OF THE DALEKS). This episode occupies a place in my own personal Top Ten list of Greatest Doctor Who Stories Ever.
Rating:
Summary: They hate each other's chromosomes...
Review: Even the very title, REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS, suggest that nostalgia is going to play a big part in the story. This breakthrough 1988 episode by Ben Aaronovitch once again pits the Doctor against his oldest enemies, and for a Doctor Who serial, the scripting is unusually fast-paced, with not only an inordinate amount of action and better-than-average visual effects, but also some very well-developed characters and unexpected surprises. Sylvester McCoy has by now very firmly established himself as the Doctor and kicks off his second season by re-introducing an air of mystery to the role. Just when the fans thought they knew everything there was to know about their hero, along come some new plot twists and hushed moments of dialogue to turn the Almighty God Of Plot Continuity on its head. New companion Ace (Sophie Aldred) wastes no time in establishing her rapport with "The Professor," and the two of them are already forging a partnership that will be the best-loved duo since the days of Tom Baker's Doctor and Elisabeth Sladen's Sarah Jane Smith. More than a mere hat-tip to the series' own pilot episode, REMEMBRANCE actually returns to 1963 London and familiar settings last seen haunted by William Hartnell's incarnation of the first Doctor: to include Coal Hill School (including some prominent scenes in the Chemistry lab), and Foreman's junkyard in Totter's Lane. The long-standing question of just exactly what the Doctor was originally DOING here is finally answered as two warring schisms of Daleks emerge out of space-time and begin the all-out battle that viewers have been waiting for since 1984's REVELATION OF THE DALEKS. The Daleks somehow don't quite come off as terrifying as audiences may remember them; despite their murderous ways and their unending grating screams of "Exterminate," they present more like long-absent friends than the ultimate threat to the universe. Even the "Emperor" Dalek, last seen in 1967's EVIL OF THE DALEKS, has undergone a makeover in the style of the old Dalek cereal box comics. More central to the story, however, is the wonderful character development and the repeated emphasis on racism. Sophie Aldred's 1990's teen spirit is justifiably thrown off by the ways of the early 1960's --besides being baffled by the old English monetary system, she runs up against harsher realities such as the "No Coloureds" sign in the window of the boarding house run by Mike's mother. From this we can guess where Mike (Durslet McClinton, in a tragically handsome romantic foil for Ace) soaked up his "look out for your own" attitude, and how that idealism in turn caught fire with Ratcliffe (George Sewell) who once found himself at the wrong ideological end of what passed for "patriotism" in World War II. Ratcliffe's resentment has brought him into a reckless partnership with the renegade Dalek faction, who are themselves in turn despised by the "racially pure" Imperial Daleks. (Ace's deep revulsion to racist attitudes will be more fully explored in the later episode GHOST LIGHT.) REMEMBRANCE launches Doctor Who into its final triumphant run on BBC --Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred shepherded the series through its two final seasons with some of its best-ever writing and production values (which, alas, would not be enough to save the series from its ultimate cancellation by the Beeb in 1990). McCoy's unreadable "man of mystery" performance is first glimpsed in this episode, mostly in form of hints and verbal slips that do not go unnoticed by Ace. The grander backstory of the Time Lords is widened out as well, and there are quite a few references to past episodes that longtime fans will enjoy. The script even manages a couple of gags at the series' own expense, as well as providing a plausible "early origins" basis for the secret military agency that will later be known as U.N.I.T. Simon Williams' Captain Gilmore appears to be played mostly for comic effect in a kind of exaggerated foreshadowing of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. The performances by Pamela Salem as Rachel and Karen Gledhill as Alison go a long way towards solidifying the "peacetime chaos" that was English society in the early 60's. The opening pre-credits shot of the Dalek mothership looming over an unsuspecting Earth is brilliantly accented by a background babble of 1960's media sound bytes, to include speeches by John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Besides some hilarious commentary by McCoy and Aldred that demonstrates just how closely the two worked together during their time in the series, the DVD has cleaned up the eternal problem of Doctor Who background music dampening out the dialogue. Special Features are little more than the obligatory biographies, blooper outtakes, and alternate camera angles of two effects sequences --not all it's cracked up to be. Aaronovitch clearly has some big shoes to fill (this being the first Dalek serial in the series NOT directed by Dalek creator Terry Nation), and he carries it off very well. No character (least of all Ace) is left standing around looking for something to do, the story's pacing proceeds at a comfortable rate with very little filler, there are a number of total surprises (even to hardcore fans who think they already know all about Doctor Who), and of course plenty of action scenes with lots of Daleks going kerboom. Definitely one of McCoy's best outings as the Doctor, as well as the best Dalek serial ever (with the possible exception of 1974's GENESIS OF THE DALEKS). This episode occupies a place in my own personal Top Ten list of Greatest Doctor Who Stories Ever.
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