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Robots of Death is Leela’s first outing after joining The Doctor. A primitive woman meets advanced humans and homicidal robots in an Azimov style exploration of artificial life and its morality. Not a bad storyline and very well made robot costumes. 9/10
Commentary is by Philip Hinchcliffe and Chris Boucher, producer and writer of the story. They talk quite competently and very much in their own professions. Philip talks about the effects and the usual limits of budget and physical possibilities. Chris talks about his inspirations for the Human versus robot storyline. They both talk clearly and coherently and clearly love their subject. There isn’t a lot of humour, not so many anecdotes as you get with an actor, but it is a good technical commentary. They have a useful discussion in episode two about how Leela was developed as a character. I’m not sure whether they did this commentary recently or before the new Doctor Who began. Some of their comments seem to suggest that they haven’t seen the way it is done now. When they talk of modern sci fi they don’t seem to be talking about Doctor Who. 10/10
Extras The Featurette includes an extended piece of in studio recording
featuring The Doctor and Leela’s first meeting with SV7 without
post production effects or music and a selection of black and white
model shots of the sandminer moving around. I’m not sure why
any fan would be especially interested in either sequence. 3/10 Studio Floor plans are a set of stills showing the detailed floor plans of the Sandminer sets for two recording blocs. Interesting if you really are interested in film making, but not the most sparkling presentation ever. 5/10 Photo gallery is presented in an irritating way with pictures inset into a TARDIS wall background that they know we’ll have to edit out when we screen cap the pics. 7/10 And that’s it! Not even an annoying Blue Peter Doctor Who make on this one. Very odd collection of extras.
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