Mini reviews

Doctor Who: The Master collection. I have a collection (nearly complete) of all the episodes of Doctor Who that feature his arch-nemesis, the Master. As I get the DVD’s in my “Doctor Who Marathon” I will fill in the gaps with tapes that I own. Unfortunately the tapes don’t have all of the cool extras the DVDs have. Doubly unfortunately, DVDs of “Master” episodes have not been released yet. I don’t know why, it’s about as weird as the fact that Seasons 1 and 3 of Law and Order: Criminal Intent are out on DVD, but not Season 2. What’s up with that? Well, maybe when they make the DVDs of the Master episodes they will ask me to be the commentary expert. I know all there is to know about the Master.

First up is “Terror of the Autons” which is the intro to companion Jo Grant. Jo is the fluffy-brained precursor to the current fluffy-brained companion Rose Tyler. Jo and Rose are about neck and neck when it comes to whining about traveling through space and time. Though there isn’t much whining in the beginning because the Doctor is Earthbound. The Master is introduced here as well and is most memorable. I won’t get into it now since I have already written a great deal about the Master. These essays under the umbrella title of “The Master Plan” will be available to read from my website soon.

“Mind of Evil” is a great episode that once again pits the Master against the Doctor. But the best part is at the very end when the Master realizes that he cannot control the forces he unleashed and the two of them work together.

This “camaraderie” (?) is continued in “Claws of Axos” where once again the Master and the Doctor need each others help to get out alive.

“Colony in Space” is Jo’s whining episode where they travel to a colonized planet in the far future to thwart the Master’s plans. My copy of this tape is very bad; I hope they come out with the DVD someday.

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