Doctor Who: Revisitations 2 Review (3.5/5)

The first Revisitations set was a great success last October, combining special editions of The Talons Of Weng Chiang, The Caves Of Andronanzi and The Movie with great new bonus features to showcase the best of classic Doctor Who. Anything that came after that, then, obviously had a big challenge to face in matching up to those much-loved tales, and the pressure to do so sadly shows in Revisitations 2, a collection of three stories that aren't so highly regarded by fans and new features that- while plentiful- leave something to be desired. First up is The Seeds Of Death, a Patrick Troughton featuring the return of the Ice Warriors, a race from Mars who speak with strangely rasping tones and have the ability to somehow slip into space stations and planetary empires unnoticed despite their huge, lumbering suits. Cynicism aside, this is a good example of Who in the 1960s, using just a handful of sets and costumes to create an atmosphere where by the end of the rather drawn-out six episodes viewers will feel as if they know each of the characters well. Meanwhile Carnival Of Monsters is taken from the Jon Pertwee era, a comedy adventure by anyone's standards that is the true definition of 70s Marmite- some of you will love the somewhat cringeworthy gags employed throughout, and the rest will probably just cringe. Some of the effects such as the animation of the Drashigs will probably provide unintended humour, too, however as long as you can sit back and look past the clear budgetary problems then you'll see that it was no wonder that Gareth Roberts used Carnival as the inspiration for the script of recent tour Doctor Who Live: Here Come The Monsters!. Finally there's Resurrection Of The Daleks, a Peter Davison story that uses the infamous classic-era trait of recycling corridors constantly, perhaps not so noticable when it aired in 1983 but there's no missing it now. Worse still, the Daleks are looking much worse for wear this time around, especially when they're being blown up or infected at every turn. The saving graces come in Terry Molloy's excellent début as Davros and the moving departure of companion Tegan, yet the flaws are difficult to ignore here. Each of the three DVDs comes with some cool extras, from Monsters Who Came Back For More (looking at baddies who returned, and the ones who should have) to Come In Number Five (a touching documentary presented by David Tennant on the era of the Fifth Doctor), although the majority of these feel too aimed at sci-fi hardcores who have been watching since 1963, lacking accessibility and overdosing on minor details. Overall, that the included episodes aren't as memorable as the previous set is a major strike against Revisitations 2, but fans will still find lots to love in the effortless charm of each Doctor and some brilliant new features.