
Doctor Who - The Trial Of A Time Lord
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Release Date: 29/09/2008
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
This four-disc BBC box-set features the episodes of the classic science fiction series - The Mysterious Planet, Mind Warp, Terror Of The Vervoids and The Ultimate Foe - that make up the Trial of a Time Lord storyline. The TARDIS is drawn to a space station where the Doctor (Colin Baker) is subjected to a Time Lord inquiry into his behaviour, presided over by an Inquisitor. The prosecuting counsel, the Valeyard, presents the first piece of evidence, which consists of a recording played back on a screen linked to the Matrix. It concerns a visit by the Doctor and Peri to the desolate planet Ravolox.
AMAZON REVIEW
Few of Doctor Whos long-standing fans will tell you that The Trial Of A Time Lord is a story that hits their top ten list, and with good reason. A 14-episode opus that formed an entire series of Colin Bakers reign in the Tardis, its a patchy production, that does have some qualities to it, but is probably one for the hardened Who fan rather than the casual viewer.
The key to the story is that the Doctor is on trial, facing a potential death penalty, and the courtroom saga works as a backdrop to a collection of stories that sit on top. So theres The Mysterious Planet, which is a decent enough yarn, the weak and puzzling Mindwarp, the surprisingly enjoyable Terror Of The Vervoids, and then the twisty The Ultimate Foe.
While The Trial Of A Time Lord does have a few notable missteps, with some occasionally muddled writing, and while it does introduce arguably the worst companion the Doctor has ever travelled with (Bonnie Langfords Mel), its still a fascinating series to watch, warts and all. Fortunately, its backed by a substantive collection of extras, including numerous commentaries and documentaries, that provide an honest glance back at a story that arrived in the midst of one of Doctor Whos most troubled periods. All that, ultimately, makes it a worthwhile purchase for Who fans, even if after reacquainting themselves with it, theyre still not likely to put The Trial Of A Time Lord near their aforementioned top ten list --Jon Foster