Is it just me or are doctors getting younger and younger these days? The first Doctor who features in this William Hartnell four parter from 1966 was, after all, clearly an old man. Troughton and Pertwee werent exactly old but were getting there. Peter Davison, Colin Baker, David Tennant all getting towards youngish. Now we have Matt Smith! Perhaps its some weird by product of time travel. At this rate, by 2030, the Daleks will be fighting an adversary in nappies.
That said, these episodes which feature possibly the most ridiculous villains ever the Monoids herald from 45 years ago. Its only slightly exaggerating to say that if you remember Doctor Who The Ark from its first screening, then you might actually remember the voyage of the original Ark itself.
The story is a good one with the Doctor and his two companions, Steven and Dodo (Purves and Lane), arriving on what appears to be a jungle, with Dodo for some reason being convinced that it is Whipsnade Zoo. In fact, the Doctor soon realises that it is not Earth but a spacecraft taking the last remnants of life on Earth to the planet Refusis. In addition to some exhibits from Earth, the craft is inhabited by the one eyed hairy monsters (seriously), the Monoids.
Surprisingly, the Monoids never returned to Doctor Who after this story, a fact explored in the short One Hit Wonders featurette. Riverside Stories takes a look at the number of early Who adventures to be filmed at Hammersmiths Riverside Studios. Peter Purves is one of the few Doctors companions to be more famous for doing something else (Blue Peter) and enlivens the episode commentaries with director Imison and Doctor-obsessed comic Hadoke. The Alls Well That Ends Wells featurette meanwhile explores the influence HG Wells writing (particularly The Time Machine) had on this adventure as well as on a later Colin Baker story and the franchise generally.
Overall Verdict: If you like your Doctor Who flickering in black and white, this is one lost Ark you wont mind raiding.
Special Features:
Audio Commentary with Actor Peter Purves, Director Michael Imison and Toby Hadoke
Alls Well That Ends Wells Featurette
One Hit Wonder Featurette
Riverside Story Feature
Photo Gallery
Reviewer: Chris Hallam