COMMENT  

What would happen if THE GREEN DEATH were added to the BBCtv schedule today?

Quite.

The most recent repeats were basically a flawed attempt on BBC2. The two, SPEARHEAD FROM SPACE and THE SILURIANS were not prime examples of ‘colour’ Pertwee, and, enviably, failed to draw suitably respectable ratings for continuation. However, move forward a season (or two), then the ‘repeats season’ may have been more successful.

Being part of the tenth DOCTOR WHO season (oh, how we will miss the delineation of ‘season’, now that ‘series’ has been adopted by the New Series), THE GREEN DEATH is perfect telly.

Science fantasy, contemporary Earth accepts environmental challenges, love and loss, fights & explosions and Police Box time/space machine (isn’t that the brief set by the 2005 New Series Producers?).

However, THE GREEN DEATH is singularly unique (if grammatically it can be and the same) for pre-dating the US comedy, FRIENDS, for being labeled as “…the one with…”. No answers on a postcard, please.

Viewing the story today after a number of years, the reality that this is more than just “…the one with…”, with many small (but key) scenes being rediscovered (The Doctor returning just in time to answer the telephone, the suicide at Global Chemicals, and the drive off into the sunset). A DOCTOR WHO that was thoroughly enjoyable to re-re-watch, and with the extras more so.

Viewing any DOCTOR WHO re-release with the commentary ‘on’ is essential. Here the balance of technical input and frivolous badinage is consummate from Manning, Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks (the latter two should have been ‘consultants’ on the 2005 New Series).

Manning exorcises that she constantly ribbed Pertwee into thinking that he was getting a larger and larger bald patch. In fact, there was not receding hair but this made him wary and him “proficient with the Carmen Rollers”.

Dicks laments that “the 25 minute episodic drama has all but gone. Dramas are all 50 minutes”. A prophetic statement or one of doom?

The spoof schlockumentary, GLOBAL CONSPIRACY?, written & performed by confessed WHOlic, Mark Gatiss (guess the 2005 New Series episode he’ll be acting in and win…nothing, due the certainty that it will happen) is very good in both content and technical competency. This is expected if Gatiss has his hand it; a perfectionist. However, why oh why did they print a photograph of Gatiss’ alter ego, Terry Scanlon in the DVD’s sleeve I will never know.

Interviews with writer, Robert Sloman (conceding that both maggots and spiders are two of his worst nightmares, and so, cathartically, he included them in the two DOCTOR WHO stories he wrote) and actor, Stuart Bevan (concerned that his off-screen relationship would be detrimental to his acceptance on the show) were standard fare if overly long.

Will Colin Mapson’s demonstration that we all can make one, force stores to increase stocks of foam, rubber bands, cling film and rubber-solution glue? However, a DOCTOR WHO equivalent of the Delia Smith-effect seems a little unlikely. This visual effects DVD extra treat is winner, and should be employed by the DVD compilers for another release. Think, K-9’s innards stripped bare and probed by Matt Irvine.

One aspect of DVD extras that is hardly mentioned are the production Subtitles. Well researched, appropriate, useful and often revealing. Essential content.

With only FRONTIER IN SPACE (the first Delgado on DVD?) and PLANET OF THE DALEKS (a DVD release seems a distance off, following the 2003 VHS release and potential rights problems for the Daleks), the tenth season could be first to all stories re-released on DVD.

THE GREEN DEATH eminently stands the test of time (and memory), rewarding in its adult focus of politics, corporate greed, love and ‘what if…’

Will stories from the forthcoming New Series be regarded as fondly (“…the one with a space goat…”) as this.