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Caves of Androzani is Peter Davison’s last story. It is quite a clever, sophisticated story, one which got Mary Whitehouse upset. It weaves several layers with Jek, the phantom of the opera character, Stotz the gun-runner and the corrupt politics of Androzani Major all into one rich tapestry. And then there is the regeneration scene, one of the most dramatic and the only one based on Sergeant Pepper! 9/10
Commentary
10/10
Extras Behind the Scenes, The Regeneration is dull if you have the standard audio on because all you get it take after take which only serves to remind you how boring making TV can be. But if you select audio 2, Peter Davison and Graeme Harper comment on what is happening and explain the logic behind most of it. 9/10 Original opening episode is an option that allows the DVD viewer to look at the opening scene as it was originally broadcast in 1984 with, as the notes explain, a jerky movement between the background mountain matte and the foreground film sequence. In other words, you can see the joins! Purists do like to see the unadulterated versions of the restored stories that appear on DVD. There is, possibly, a point to including this in the DVD. But it really isn’t much to write home about. 4/10 The Extended Scene from episode two which was cut from the final print can also have an optional commentary by Graeme and Peter. It helps put the scene in context. The scene gives a little more detail about Stotz and his gun-runners but it really wasn’t essential to the plot. 8/10
10/10 BBC1 trailer is a reminder that the 1980s were brash and colourful and loud and that BBC English was still essential for continuity announcers! 7/10 News Reports – two of them from the day Peter announced his departure. Interestingly, Doctor Who is described as ‘possibly the most successful science fiction programme ever’. Also interestingly, Kate Adie, later famous as a serious war reporter interviews Peter Davison. 8/10 South East at Six was a regional television news programme which managed to get Peter Davison and John Nathan Turner on their sofa for an interview. Much of what was said at the time is old news now, in hindsight, but having gone through a ‘whose the new Who’ last year between David Tennant’s resignation and the announcement of Matt Smith in the part it is interesting that a female Doctor was discussed then as now. The fact that JNT said he wanted an older Doctor next led to questions about whether Peter was too young. He actually says they shouldn’t have anyone younger than him, which we probably shouldn’t read anything more into! 9/10 Photo Gallery is that annoying slideshow format and way too many of them are of Sharez Jek. 1/10 Overall, a decent package. Good commentary and imaginative extras. 8 out of 10
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Commentary
is by Peter Davison, who talks really well, Nicola Bryant who is a
bit dull, and Graeme Harper, who is the only director still with Doctor
Who from the classic series. He had only been directing for two years
when he got to do Androzani. They start by having a laugh at a glaring
continuity error about the mountains in the background of the opening
scene. Peter and Graeme hold the commentary together very well. Peter
is full of anecdotes and Graeme conducts himself well with the technical
detail. Nicola is somewhat surplus to requirements. If there is a
disappointment, it is discovering that the caves were all a set built
in studio. Now I think they would use a real cave system. Also it
seems as if this was recorded before the return of Doctor Who –
or at least before Graeme got involved with it. Or, if not, he at
least has the decency not to keep making comparisons. The habit Terrence
Dicks and Barry Letts have of doing that is very annoying.
Creating
Sharaz Jek is presented by Christopher Gable, who played the character.
He died some years ago, but he recorded his memories of playing Jek
before then and his words are matched with appropriate images. It
is a personal account of his part in the programme rather than a making
of documentary. 
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