The Caves of Androzani was the one hundred and thirty-sixth adventure of Doctor Who’s original run, comprising four episodes – and the finale for the fifth Doctor. Its mix of corrupt corporate behavior, the most important/valuable substance in the universe and a dash of Phantom of the Opera is one of the most complex and rewarding of the entire series, past and present.
In its initial twenty-six season run, Doctor Who spawned a great many terrific tales. Despite the fan favorite villains – The Daleks, The Cybermen, The Master – sparking some truly amazing adventures, it was the final adventure of the fifth Doctor [Peter Davison] that was chosen by Whovians as the best Doctor Who adventure ever – even over the rebooted show.
Once again, the Doctor and his companion, Peri [Nicola Bryant] find themselves stumbling into a peculiar and dangerous situation. Their visit to Androzani Minor – to find a particular kind of sand for creating a particular kind of glass – puts them in the middle of an ongoing battle over a mysterious substance called Spectrox.
On one side is a giant corporation based on Androzani Major, headed by the greedy to the point of pure evil Morgus [John Normington]; on the other, a masked madman called Sharak Jek [Christopher Gable] who has a particular grudge against Morgus. Even the Androzani president is a pawn to be played by Morgus, while Jek’s ferocity makes even the armed forces brought to bear against him seem doomed.
Further delineating Jek’s insanity is the fact that his only companions are androids that he designed and built himself. Programmed to kill any human beings they encounter, they are the main reason for Jek’s success in holding off that army.
The Doctor and Peri find themselves captured by the Androzani army and declared traitors. The sentence is death – but Jek has seen them and has other plans. Especially for the lovely Peri… And I haven’t even mentioned the mercenaries who ferry the Spectrox from Minor to Major – or their own internal conflicts.
The Caves of Androzani was written by Robert Holmes and he really did a number on the four-episode adventure. It took a hard look at unrestrained capitalism and the nature of identity, as well as being a fast-paced adventure with some nifty twists and turns – notably one which leads directly to the Doctor’s fifth regeneration.
There are some spiffy devices used in the filming of the tale, as well. One of the coolest turns out to have been a happy accident, but a very effective one: Normington misread a script direction and speaks a number of asides directly into the camera. It feels very Shakespearean and gives Morgus’s greed and duplicity unexpected depth.
Despite some cheap effects [the Magma Monster, in particular] and sets, The Caves of Androzani remains one of the best Whovian adventures because of the brilliant writing, direction and performance – and because Davison’s Doctor is one of the most alien takes on the character [despite his gee whiz, public school cricketer façade].
This two-disc special edition is awash in bonus material, the best of which are a terrifically fun commentary track [Davison, Bryant and director Graeme Harper]; Chain Reaction, a thorough, thirty-six-minute making of featurette, and Directing Who: Then and Now – Harper talks about the differences and similarities between directing The Caves of Androzani and his work on the rebooted series.
Features: Audio Commentary on All Four Episodes; Chain Reaction; Directing Who: Then and Now; Behind the Scenes: The Regeneration [with optional commentary]; Behind the Scenes: Creating Sharaz Jek; Extended Scenes [with optional commentary]; Russell Harty with Peter Davison and Colin Baker; News Reports [on Peter Davison’s departure]; Isolated Music Score; Photo Gallery; Production Notes Subtitle Option [think Pop Up video, only just captions and no cutesy effects], and PDF Materials [Radio Times Listings].
Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani – Special Edition is a DVD set that actually deserves the Special Edition qualifier. It is a loving look at one of the most beloved adventures in the Doctor’s 30-plus seasons [original and reboot].
Grade: Doctor Who: The Caves of Androzani – A+
Grade: Features – A+
Final Grade: A+