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Doctor Who - Vengeance on Varos [1963]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

One of the most popular of Colin (the sixth Doctor) Baker's adventures, Vengeance on Varos finds the Doctor and Peri (Nichola Bryant) involved with rebels in a 1984-like world, where televised torture is used to support and enforce an unworkable regime ruling a mining society on the planet Varos. When first broadcast the story aroused condemnation not only over the violence shown--particularly two men falling into a vat of acid--but also over the implied horror and moral corruption. However, these complaints missed the satiric subtext of a world in which the reality TV suffering pacifies the masses while big business carries on exploiting them; and none were more memorably corrupt than the reptilian alien Sil--a love-it-or-hate-it OTT performance from Nabil Shaban. While there is rather too much running about in corridors, the surreal terrors of the Punishment Dome make for good Doctor Who, and the adventure develops ideas from both The Sunmakers (1977) and The Caves of Androzani (1984) with considerable low-budget aplomb. Filled with bizarre touches such as Peri's transformation into a bird creature, the show also marked Jason Connery's TV debut as a rebel leader.

On the DVD: There's 15 minutes worth of deleted and/or extended scenes and four minutes of stage footage, but by far the finest extra is the three way commentary track, with Baker, Bryant and Nabil Shaban. Affectionately sending the show and themselves up, while still demonstrating a great love for Doctor Who, the track sometimes degenerates into trivia, but at its best is simply hilarious. Both original BBC1 trailers and a continuity link are included, as is a photo gallery and the option to listen with the unfinished "production sound", something which is likely to appeal only to die hard fans. Rather more interesting are the optional on-screen production notes, which offer a wealth of behind-the-scenes information. The extras are completed with a small selection of outtakes. The sound is strong, clear mono, the 4:3 transfer has no sign of compression artefacting and is good enough to reveal the weaknesses in the original studio-bound video production. --Gary S Dalkin


REALITY TV ON VAROS !
Review date: 2008-03-18 Rating: 8 out of 10

This has to be one of the most intricate and clever Who stories to reach the screen in years. Varos is controlled by the ratings to a populous who worship there Tv screens and take active life or death votes on there leaders and entertainment. Now with a reality filled schedule that litters the Tv screen's today this story was very much ahead of it's time. Martin Jarvis plays the President of Varos to great effect and is a man with his heart in the right place. The brash 6th Doctor decides to stop the Varon's with sidekick, sexy Peri Brown to try to stop Varos reaching meltdown. I was lucky enough to go to the BBC Tv Centre during late 1985 to watch the filming of this show. Suffice to say the sets where indeed like tiny huts in the huge studio 1 and nothing like they are seen on the screen. Colin Baker was lets say 'Offhand' at the fan's presence but he was on a break after acting a scene. There are a decent level of special features included on this issue and though not a classic story it's well worth a purchase. It also brings back a lot of personal memories for me and it's good to see this on Dvd.

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Reviews


"Video Nasty or Nicey?"
Review date: 2008-02-28 Rating: 8 out of 10

Vengeance on Varos has long been considered one of Colin Baker's stronger stories and it isn't hard to see why. It has dated a little due to the budget and what was possible with effects at the time but there is still a lot to enjoy.

Colin gives a strong and commanding performance here having clearly settled into the role. He runs from a disillusioned Doctor pondering the possibilty that he might have to sit out eternity in a faulty Tardis, to a victim of mental torture and then finally a vengeful agent of retribution.

Nicola Bryant is good too but the Doctor/companion relationship in their first season was a problematic one. Bickering nearly all of the time they seem like a jaded married couple who stay together beacuse it's too much effort to get divorced. Thankfully this story is not the worst culprit this season.

There were complaints about the violence and the Doctor's part in it. the acid bath scene is easy to defend. The Doctor assumed to be dead was about to be slung in it and the way the guards end up in there is not really deliberate. The only out of character bit is the James Bond quip that follows.

The Doctor being convinced he was in a baking hot desert is strong stuff but makes the point that mental torture can be just as damaging as the physical kind.

The vengeful way the Doctor leaves some characters in a stutation that will cause their death is more borderline.

A lot of the other ideas would be horrific e.g giant flies if they were better achieved but the limitations of the time stop this from being a horror show. The effect of Peri being turned into a bird is quite laughable!

Nabil Shaban is a marvellous villain both funny and creepy at the same time, complemented perfectly by Martin Jarvis' morally weak governor.

Jason Connery as he-man Jondar is a bit wooden (sad as it's possibly the only Dr Who father Sean watched), but this is due to inexperience and better performances would soon follow in Robin of Sherwood.

A great idea is the 2 characters who watch the events on TV like a Greek Chorus. This tells us more about their society than any amount of sets and explanatory dialogue ever could. Especially fine is the reveal at the end of how "Reality TV" obsessed they were, as the broadcasts stop leaving them wondering what to do next!

Extras are bare as it was an early release. The behind the scenes featurette amounts to a bit of in studio footage but at least the commentary featuring Colin, Nicola and Nabil is a good one.

Not really for fans of the current version unless they are into other Doctors or they watch a lot of Big Brother (in which case the irony is all yours to enjoy!).


Scary stuff!!
Review date: 2007-07-11 Rating: 10 out of 10

Vengeance on Varos is one of the peaks of the classic 22nd Season, a real spine-chiller that also offers thought-provoking entertainment. Colin Baker is a massive presence once again and gives a larger than life performance that consolidates his position as a classic Doctor. In this story he is pitted against one of the show's all-time great monsters, the evil Sil, played by small actor Nabil Shaban. Mr Shaban won the hearts of Doctor Who fans everywhere when his determination to make the role as believable as possible saw him eating Sil's green-goo food FOR REAL!! A real trooper. Nicola Bryant plays The Doctor's cheeky sidekick, Peri and their banter is, as always a joy to behold. Of particular note in a guest cast that pulls out all the stops is a wonderful turn from Doctor Who stalwart Stephen Yardley, who relishes every line and adds a wry touch of wit. A cracking story that is perfect for a dark winter's evening. If you enjoyed the new series, i would say this compares most closely to something like 'New Earth'. A real classic.

Great Episode
Review date: 2007-04-15 Rating: 10 out of 10

Although a bit wierd, a fact I think few can deny, Vengeance on Varos is very enjoyable, presenting us with an odd culture, one which seems to do little more than watch the television, and lead suppressed lives under the command of the Governer, and some other people in a permanant position. Every day (or something like that it seems) the governer must make a declaration of what he plans to do, and the public vote "Yes" or "No" in support or against the Governer (excellently played by Martin Jarvis). The Governer is then victim to the cell disintergrator which can kill, "Nobodys ever survived more than 4 in a row", but not instantly, only after so long...Which adds to the Varosians pleasure.

The people of Varos (portrayed by a man and woman watching the whole escapade) spend all their 'free' time watching the television, seeing executions, or the Punishment Dome. Suggesting a rather sad life, but it suggests a world, not so disimilar from that we find ourselves in

It is the Punishment Dome in which the Doctor and Peri materialise, desperate for some Zeiton-7 Ore, the only real export from Varos. They find the Governor in price negotiations with Sil, from a mining company, who have long exploited Varos for thier own high gain. The Doctor meets some rebels, and spend most of thier time in the horrors of the Dome

Quite why, I cannot say, but Varos is a great episode, it has no particular brilliance, although all the actors are highly convincing, so what it manages to achieve the brilliance, I'm unsure on, but it was most enjoyable

Overrated, but with a cool slug thing
Review date: 2006-04-11 Rating: 6 out of 10

Story: 3/5 - Extras: 3/5

I'm going to go against the grain with what is generally a popular entry in the Doctor Who canon. In my opinion, Vengeance on Varos is an enjoyable story, but it's not really that brilliant.
Vengeance on Varos is a not-so-subtle commentary on the "telly addiction" of the 1980s, with the events of the story watched from start to finish by a fighting couple, Arak and Etta, who regularly vote on the fate of the reigning Governor of Varos (played calmly by Martin Jarvis). If they vote to oppose his proposals, then the Governor's life is forfeit. In a way, Varos foreshadows the era of 21st century "reality" television, also tackled in an even less subtle way by the new series' "Bad Wolf". And in this respect, Varos works well.
However, Varos is entirely studio-shot, and is let down somewhat by the dreary and repetitive design of the corridors of the Punishment Dome (needless to say, budgetary constraints will have necessitated the repeated re-use of the same stretch of corridor). Perhaps much of the budget for the story was blown on the elaborate make up for Sil, the slug-like Galatron Mining delegate from Thoros Beta, who with his evil gurgling laugh as played by disabled actor Nabil Shaban is admittedly one of Who's most entertaining and memorable villains.
At the end of the day, Varos just feels a little flat, with a lot of time spent running around the drab metal corridors, which the designers attempt to make unique by dressing them up with different lighting effects and props. The ending, including Sil's come-uppance, feels somewhat contrived, with the Doctor being thanked graciously by the Governor for, frankly, not doing an awful lot. On the whole, the most successful aspects of the story are its satire elements.
Features-wise, we have a similar payload to The Caves of Androzani. A fun commentary is provided by Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant and Nabil Shaban - although after the successful mix of Androzani, I missed the production-side input that the director had provided in that case. The on-screen production notes are also present as usual, but due to en encoding error on the DVD they disappear ten minutes into episode two. Aside from that, there's another slightly aimless behind the scenes feature, a couple of extended or deleted scenes, trailers and a photo gallery. An average package.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Colin Baker

Creators:
Colin Baker (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: 2 Entertain Video
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
EAN: 5014503104429
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Full Screen, PAL,
Release date: 2001-10-15
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 90 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1975-09-29
Language: English (Original Language)

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