Tom Baker’s first story could have made or broken the series. As much was riding on this as on the very first episode of all. Could a new generation of fans take on a new Doctor? A different Doctor, one who could leap athletically from the back of a landrover and fight his own corner. A youngish and even quite physically attractive Doctor who might be an interest to the mothers and daughters who were the traditional family Doctor Who viewers.

By the end of the first episode he had cracked it. He WAS The Doctor. After that it was a matter of whether the story would hold up. And it more or less did. A take on Fay Wray and King Kong with Sarah Jane’s relationship with the giant robot was woven into a tale of scientific fascism, megalomania and near nuclear annihilation that was quite sophisticated for what was deemed to be children’s television.

Looking at it anew on the DVD, from the 21st century perspective, yes, the giant robot DOES look a bit cheesy. And U.N.I.T look like a rather pathetic bunch of toy soldiers who couldn’t hit a barn door at point blank range. Some of them, in fact, didn’t even hold their guns properly. But these are not let downs. These are reminders that Robot is a historical document as well as a classic episode. The giant robot was actually pioneering special effects in its day, and its day was two years before Industrial Light and Magic’s Star Wars showed what could be done with an unlimited budget. And U.N.I.T were no more inept than any other military or police unit depicted on TV at the time. These days the BBC has a specialist armourer and military advisors for such storylines. They would be much more impressive and more like the elite unit they are supposed to be. But for the time, these shortcomings didn’t matter. The story overall was a cracking one, a triumph for the new Doctor and his friends.

10/10

Extras

DVD commentary by Tom Baker, Elizabeth Sladen and Terrance Dicks. Tom Baker especially could talk for England and he is very amusing. Fourth Doctor fans will love hearing his reminiscences about making his first Doctor Who story. Elizabeth Sladen has never lost her enthusiasm for being Sarah Jane Smith. Terrance Dicks is justifiably proud of his work. This all shines through in the commentary.

10/10

Are Friends Electric. A documentary about the casting of Tom Baker as The Doctor and the making of the first episode. Contributions from many of the cast and crew. Interesting and informative, interspersed with pictures and clips. Again a must see for Tom Baker fans.

10/10

The Tunnel Effect. Bernard Lodge, creator of the original titles and all of the titles up to the beginning of Tom Baker’s Doctor, talks about how he created the new tunnel effect with what was then a new Holywood technique. He looks back at the creation of the original titles and explains how the “howlaround” no longer worked in colour TV and called for new ideas. He also goes on to compare the 1980 style credits and the new series credits which compliment his 1970s tunnel effect. It gets slightly over technical at times, as he forgets his audience do not have degrees in cinematography, but manages to be informative and interesting all the same, and it is interesting to have that link through the years to the new series emphasised.

9/10

Blue Peter. In 1974 there was a BBC strike. The Blue Peter set was one of those blacked by the strikers. So the programme was presented from the Doctor Who set which was ready for filming. While a few minutes of this was interesting, though, an entire episode of 1974 Blue Peter is actually extremely DULL and I could not sit through it. A strange addition to the DVD.

0/10

Radio Times Listings – DVD Rom extra of PDF pages. PDF is a clumsy medium and this is only available to viewers with DVD Rom drives. Limited interest.

7/10

Photo Gallery, Production Subtitles, Digitally remastered sound and picture as standard. The Production Subtitles include a transcript of an interview with the late Ian Marter – Harry Sullivan – who also makes his Doctor Who debut in this episode, so well worth watching for that.

10/10

The extras on this DVD could have been a little MORE imaginative. The Blue Peter section smacks of lack of ideas, and lets the side down.

8 out of 10