Doctor Who – The Ark In Space DVD – Ian Marter , Elisabeth Sladen

Tom Baker’s second outing as the renegade Time Lord is a solid entry in the Doctor Who saga. Fan favourite Robert Holmes penned “The Ark in Space”, which places the Doctor and his companions Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) and Harry (Ian Marter) on a seemingly deserted space station many years in the future. Station Nerva is not as empty as it appears, though, since on board are the cryogenically preserved survivors of Earth’s destruction, as well as an insect-like alien race, the Wirrin, determined to use the humans–and the Doctor–as hosts to grow their monstrous larvae. Holmes’ well-paced script (which, like Alien, bears a resemblance to the AE van Vogt story “Black Destroyer”) allows Baker to flesh out his well-loved take on the Doctor, as well as considerable suspense. On the DVD: “The Ark in Space” DVD’s obvious highlight is an audio commentary track featuring Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen, and producer Phillip Hinchcliffe. Though Baker’s contributions to the track are sporadic, his participation is valuable nonetheless, considering that his involvement with the series since his 1981 departure has been infrequent at best. The full-frame mono presentation also includes two interviews, one with Baker on the set of another episode in 1975 and the other with designer Roger Murray Leach, who discusses his long involvement with the series. Also included is the episode’s BBC1 trailer, an unused title sequence, new CGI special effects produced by the BBC’s visual effects department and an optional information track, which provides running background information and trivia that should prove valuable for series completists. A trio of Easter eggs reveal Baker’s typically eclectic promotions for the Doctor Who exhibition in Blackpool. –Paul Gaita, Amazon.com