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T H E   D V D   R E V I E W
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DR WHO: The Leisure Hive

Distributor: Roadshow Entertainment 
Certificate: PG | 172 minutes 
Region:

Extras
:
Yes
Bonus Bunnies: Yes 
Reviewer: Dom 
Release Date: 7 October 2004
Originally broadcast on BBC1 between 30th August – 20 September 1980

ANYONE IN IT WE KNOW?

Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, Adrienne Corri, David Haig

WHAT’S IT ABOUT THEN?

The Doctor and Romana decide to head off on holiday to the pleasure planet Argolis home to the Leisure Hive tourist resort and of course the Doctor is soon scarf deep in dark secrets and inter-racial bickering.

SO IS IT ANY GOOD?  

A key story in the ongoing evolution of Dr Who significant for the arrival of uber producer John Nathan-Turner, the man credited, the man credited with making so many changes to Who during his tenure on the show that he ended up destroying it; The Leisure Hive features a whole new look for the show – a new title sequence, a new arrangement of the theme tune and a new costume for incumbent Dr Tom Baker.

Story wise though nothing much has changed, the Doctor in this story is maybe a little moodier than usual (but that could have just been the eccentric Baker having a bad week) and he is certainly less prominent here than is the norm.

All the classic Who elements are here though, the shingle beach posing as an exotic planet somewhere, the monsters who look like men in monster costumes, the outrageous wigs and make up and the groovy retro-futuristic sets. All in all pretty entertaining stuff.

ANY SPECIAL FEATURES?

As always with Who releases the extras are first class with raids on the archives for vintage material and interesting new stuff; First up is the commentary by Lalla Ward, director Lovett Bickford and writer Christopher H. Bidmead; A NEW BEGINNING is a feature looking at the changes wrought by producer Nathan-Turner with contributions from cast and crew; FROM AVALON TO ARGOLIS looks at the coming together of the production from the point of view of writer Bidmead; SYNTHESISING STERFIELDS is a look at the creation of the new title sequence; LEISURE WEAR is a look at the costume design with June Hudson; BLUE PETER features a segment from the popular kids show going behind the scenes at the long running Who exhibition at Longleat Safari Park; There’s also a music only option, an option to view the story with enhanced digital 5.1 surround sound, production subtitles , a photo gallery and the usual bonus bunny of  continuity announcements.

 


                              

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