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Timelash has been ‘lashed’ by fans
and critics as cheaply made with low productions values and bad overacting
by the likes of Paul Darrow. And it is true there ARE a couple of
issues. The timelash entrance is a particularly unconvincing effect.
It is something like a triangle shaped shower cubicle with a silver
tinsel curtain and does not really convince anyone as a sinister and
fearful way of disposing of rebels. There is some very cheap IKEA
style furniture in this future world society, expecially the chairs
the councilors sit on when judging the rebels. They look as if hastily
requisitioned from a Television Centre waiting room. The Bandril was
a very disappointing creature, looking like a Shari Lewis glove puppet.
Even worse was the plastic looking monster in the dungeon that terrorizes
Peri. Paul Darrow, attempting to do a sort of Richard III and doing
it so badly that even John Nathan Turner told him to stop, would have
been better if he WAS a glove puppet. On the other hand there are good points. The Borad himself was a triumph of make up and prosthetics, well played by Robert Ashby. For my money, Herbert (a young HG Wells) was a great comic character who shows true courage in the end and proves himself is a good subplot. And it does have golden moments like Peri’s grief when she thinks The Doctor is dead. Timelash is far from the worst and the production values are, with the obvious exceptions always pointed to, not much worse than most programmes being made at the time. Even this episode stands the test of time much better than something like the A Team or many episodes of Dynasty and other top shows of the time with way bigger budgets. 9/10 EXTRAS
9/10
10/10
7/10 Subtitle Production notes. – Extra “making of” information on screen. 10/10 Photo Gallery – new pictures, nice to have. 10/10 Easter Egg – Not a genuine Easter Egg as it isn’t hidden.
This is a coming soon trailer for The Peter Davison episodes, Time
Flight and Arc of Infinity. 7/10 Digitally remastered picture and sound quality – In some ways this shows up the shortcomings of the original special effects. In other respects it ameliorates some of them. 9/10 This is a budget produced DVD with less extras to keep costs down. If it costs an extra six or seven pounds in order to have extracts from Swap Shop and Blue Peter tacked in, then bring on the budget DVDs! 8 out of 10
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Very
good commentary from Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant who come clean
about the issues of this episode. Less good from Paul Darrow who comes
across incredibly conceited and unable to see his own shortcomings.
What DOES he have to be conceited about? What has he done to be that
sure of his acting ability? He is especially scathing at one point
about being asked to take the programme seriously and Colin Baker
corrects him quite firmly by pointing out that you HAVE to take it
seriously for the audience to do so. Kudos to Colin for that, shame
on Paul who clearly thinks Doctor Who to be children’s television
and beneath him. He is also extremely irritating in trying to sound
like a Doctor Who expert and having to be corrected constantly by
Colin Baker who very much IS a fan and an expert on the programme.
The
Good, The Bad and The Ugly – A documentary with contributions
from Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Paul Darrow, David Chandler, Robert
Ashby, Eris Saward and Glen Mccoy, Narrated by Terry Molloy. This
is an honest documentary which examines WHY Timelash is not as big
a critical success as it might have been. Everyone speaks openly about
the issues. EXCEPT Paul Darrow who apart from anything else comes
out with the crass comment that it is worth watching because HE is
in it! 
Radio
Times Listings – Of nostalgic interest only.
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