Doctor Who – The Time
Meddler
(BBC DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: B Extras:
A+ Episodes: A+
Story no. 17 in
the classic Doctor Who series
features William Hartnell, the first Doctor. Shot in black & white,
the four episodes on this disc make a good representation of the
formative years of the series. In
them Hartnell's Doctor travels back in time to the England of 1066, just
before the battle of Hastings. The
Doctor and his companions, Vicki (Maureen O'Brien) and Steven Taylor (Peter
Purves) must solve the mystery of a monk who appears to possess technology
far beyond the capability of the period. Over the course of the four-episode story the
true nature of the Time Meddler is revealed, and the Doctor deals with him in
his own inimitable fashion.
For fans of the
newer
Doctor series, Hartnell's Doctor
may seem old and tired on first blush, but as the episodes in this story
progress Hartnell's unique style infuses the character with a
dynamism and energy befitting a Time Lord. In some spots the black & white film
enhances the production, masking some of the low production values that the
color of later episodes often so starkly reveal.
Extras are once
again plentiful on this disc, including commentaries, a brief snippet of audio
from a previously lost scene, and another slick documentary on the Dr. Who
comic strip. The comic strip piece
examines the issues featuring the Hartnell Doctor, and includes interviews from
the writers and artists of the strips. The Time Meddler stands as another ideal
addition to the classic Doctor Who
series of discs, and makes a great addition for fans looking to add
William Hartnell episodes to their collections.
- Scott R. Pyle
