Doctor Who: Arc of Infinity - Story 124
by Ron Jones
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DVD details
Actor: Colin Baker, Janet Fielding, Michael Gough, Peter Davison, Sarah SuttonDirector: Ron Jones
Brand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 98 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2010-03-02
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Model: E4190
Studio: BBC Worldwide
Product features:
- Traveling with Nyssa in the TARDIS, the Doctor is attacked by a malign entity -- a being of pure anti-matter seeking to cross the dimensions. Although the invader is successfully repelled, the TARDIS is immediately recalled to Gallifrey, where the High Council of Time Lords sentence the Doctor to be executed to prevent any further attempts at bonding.It seems there is a traitor on Gallifrey. And w
DVD Reviews of Doctor Who: Arc of Infinity - Story 124
DVD Review: "You sort it out; I want to sleep..."
Summary: 2 Stars
I hadn't fully watched ARC OF INFINITY since I was a teenager, so I was curious if the bad memories I had would transfer over into my adulthood. My first reaction before viewing was delight at discovering that this production features Thalia, which I assumed was the Mexican singer with a penchant for tight trousers who must have been sent back in time to perform in this story. I was disappointed to discover that this Thalia was actually an elderly Time Lord whose purpose is to dispense lines of technobabble. A missed opportunity, guys.
ARC OF INFINITY opened Doctor Who's twentieth season. After the disappointing end to the previous year (TIME-FLIGHT) and with the start of an anniversary year, this story really needed to be a strong, break-out event that would still have fans in awe twenty-five years later. Unfortunately, while the previous serial had me rolling my eyes, this time I struggled to keep them open.
The story involves a creature from an anti-matter universe attempting to enter our universe by taking control of the Doctor's body. The renegade is being helped by a traitor on Gallifrey, so the Doctor's problems are two-fold; he must keep the renegade from escaping his reality and also unmask the villain on his home planet.
Meanwhile, Tegan (who left in the previous serial) has been fired from her job and decides to visit her cousin Colin in Amsterdam. Alas, instead of Colin, it's his friend with a mushroom-shaped head who mets her at the airport to inform her that her Colin has gone missing under very unusual circumstances. By an extraordinary coincidence, the renegade has made his base in Amsterdam, leaving Tegan to be caught in his machinations.
Writer Johnny Byrne on one of the DVD extras talks about all the story elements he was required by the production team to include. He states that he likes a challenge, but admits that the level of coincidence in the final product is a tad high (Peter Davison has some insightful observations in the DVD's excellent commentary track). There is no good story reason for the foreign filming in Amsterdam (unless you count the ludicrous idea that a creature with the ability to move between universes and travel through time and space would require lots of water); the interviews suggest that the real motivation was simply producer John Nathan-Turner's desire for a trip abroad.
The direction is very stilted and static, even when compared to other Doctor Who productions of this era. The first three episodes feature many scenes with the Gallifreyan traitor communicating with his boss's hologram. In order to keep identities secret, the audience is treated to many shots of the henchman's hand waving around excitedly. The renegade in this restricted form can only react to events by suddenly sitting bolt upright in surprise and/or interest, which he does over and over again.
While the script was probably not Byrne's strongest contribution to the series, I think the direction and production are the most to blame for the story's woes. Nothing about the set design makes Gallifrey look impressive or special. Strangely, while Gallifrey is apparently littered with sofas in corridors, the Supreme High Council of Time Lords must suffice with simple bleacher seating (to steal a joke from Mystery Science Theater 3000, their chair technology is light years ahead of ours). The Gallifrey costumes were originally designed during producer Philip Hinchcliffe era when moody and atmospheric directing was the norm; they look a little sillier under the bright lights of John Nathan-Turner.
The renegade's alien henchcreature looks like a seven foot tall chicken. Why the Ergon is shooting people with a label-maker is similarly a head-scratcher.
Other aspects of the production also come under criticism. The series at this point in its history was becoming far too bogged down under its own weight. It's only because I'm a fan of the show that I know what the Matrix is. I don't believe there's any on-screen explanation saying that the crown the President wears is his connection to the entire repository of Time Lord knowledge.
There is a severe lack of drama to the proceedings. I suspect that the script was relying too heavily on the direction to keep the pacing right and to make the story look impressive, but it never happens. The ending -- where the Doctor must choose whether to destroy someone for whom he respects and once revered -- never feels exciting or dramatic.
The extras on this DVD are actually quite good. There's a documentary on the making of this serial which features a lot of blame being thrown around and also a complete lack of anyone taking responsibility for the visual design of the Ergon. On the plus side, it was interesting to hear from Johnny Byrne and get his original ideas and motivations. I'm not sure why it was hosted by Sophie Aldred, nor did I understand why she and Byrne kept colliding.
The commentary track is easily one of the most fun we seen on these Doctor Who DVDs despite not featuring any of the behind-the-scenes crew. Peter Davison, Colin Baker (Maxil), Sarah Sutton and Janet Fielding sit around laughing, joking, telling funny stories and occasionally commenting on the on-screen action. It's one of the most enjoyable commentaries going.
(As an aside, Colin Baker is on the commentary because he played Maxil a couple of seasons before he was cast as the Doctor. Given how continuity obsessed the series was at this point, I'm vaguely surprised we never got a hokey explanation for the visual similarity.)
ARC OF INFINITY is not out and out ridiculous in the way that TIME-FLIGHT was. Its greatest sin is that it is horribly boring. It's a pity because the renegade's backstory was one of the highlights of a previous story and the gothic horror of what he had endured is rarely touched upon.
Description of Doctor Who: Arc of Infinity - Story 124
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