The Time Monster
(DVD)

 

Starring Jon Pertwee
6 Episodes
1972
147 minutes (color)
Single Disc




 

 

Production Notes
Doctor Who
Jon Pertwee

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
Nicholas Courtney

The Master
Roger Delgado

Written by
Robert Sloman
Directed by
Paul Bernard

Produced by
Barry Letts

Original Airdate
May 20 - June 24, 1972

R1 DVD Release Date
July 2010

Warner Home Video
#3000029516

U.K. Box Set Cover


U.K. Individual Cover


 



Cover Blurb
The Master is back!  Assuming the alias of Professor Thascales at the Newton Research Unit at Cambridge University, he harbors his latest deadly plot to seize control of time itself.  Can the Doctor and Jo thwart his terrible plan?

What secrets does the mysterious trident-shaped crystal hold?  Why is the ancient city of Atlantis central to the Master's plan?  And what mythical terror lies at the heart of the Maze?  With time literally against them, the odds might just be too great for the time travelers.



 

 

 

DVD Features
  • Between Now... And Now!  Science and The Time Monster:
 A featurette highlighting some of the science (both good and bad) from "The Time Monster".  Contributors include physics professor Jim Al Khalli, Barry Letts (producer), Richard Franklin (Capt. Yates), and Katy Manning (Jo Grant).
 

 
  • Restoration Comparison:
 Some before and after comparisons highlighting the herculean work done to restore this story for DVD.  This story has never looked better!
 

 
  • Photo Gallery:
 Once again we are treated to many rare production stills and quite a few behind the scenes ones as well.
 

 
  • PDF Materials:
 Accessible from any computer with a DVD drive, a PDF of some of the original Radio Times press clippings as well as BBC Enterprises sales material.
 

 
  • Information Text:
 Lots of trivia and tidbits of Whovian detail are provided.  The text appears intermittently along the bottom of the screen and is written by members of the Doctor Who Restoration Team.
 

 
  • Audio Options:
 There is a full set of contributors for audio commentary, sprinkled liberally amongst different episodes.  Contributors include Barry Letts (producer), Marion McDougall (production assistant), John Levene (Sgt. Benton), Susan Penhaligon (Lakis).  New series TV writers Joe Lidster, Phil Ford, James Moran, and Graham Duff also make an appearance in one of the episodes.  All episodes are moderated by Toby Hadoke.
 

 
  • Easter Eggs:
 None for this release.  For a full list of known Easter Eggs and screen grabs of them click HERE.

 
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Notes

  • This story has got everything.  It's got the lost city of Atlantis (again), a minotaur, crystals, wide eyed priests, silly anagrams, aging 20 year olds, and a baby Sergeant Benton.  Just sit back and enjoy the ride...
  • "The Time Monster" was released on DVD in the U.K. as part of a loosely themed box set called "Myths and Legends".  It was packaged together along with the Tom Baker stories "Underworld" and "The Horns of Nimon".
  • "The Time Monster" was the last story of Jon Pertwee's third season as Doctor Who.  It sees the return of the Master and is a kind of tour de force of all that was good and sometimes a bit silly about the Pertwee era. 
  • Watch for a rather humorous scene early in the story as the Doctor lashes together a jamming device using a tea cup, fork and other spare items in the room.
  • Also watch for an interesting scene near the end of the story as the Doctor recounts to Jo his memories of being on his home planet Gallifrey as a child.  Neat scene.
  • George Cormack (Dalios) returns to Doctor Who 2 years later when he plays K'Anpo in Pertwee's final story "Planet of the Spiders."
  • The TARDIS console room gets a bit of a revamp in this story.  The slightly remodeled design doesn't stick, however, and is only seen in this story.
  • This is the second time that the destruction of Atlantis is part of a Doctor Who adventure.  It also was seen in the Patrick Troughton story "The Underwater Menace."  No mention of that previous story is made in "The Time Monster", nor are the contradictions between the two.
     
  • As with all of the DVD releases to date, the Doctor Who Restoration Team did extensive work on this story.