The Doctors - The Jon Pertwee Years

THE DOCTORS – THE JON PERTWEE YEARS is an absolute must for the multitude of serious Dr. Who fans out there. This 2-disc DVD-set is lovingly compiled by devotee/actor Nicholas Briggs, himself very much a part of simply one the best TV series ever, features over five hours of interviews with the top people behind the scenes.

Third Doctor Jon Pertwee was always a first rate actor of much versatility and surprised many with his Dr. Who depiction as he'd previously been seen by many as just a comedy actor. Nicholas Briggs (whose ability is beyond question) has the rare distinction of not only voicing the dreaded Daleks but the evil Cybermen as well. He is still very much responsible for the new animated shows among other Dr. Who related projects. The legions of 'Who-ers' (as screenwriter writer Don Houghton refers to them) have much to be grateful for as regards Mr. Briggs. Many have been waiting for this DVD release but may have seen some of its content before on old VHS tapes (as much is taken from the Myth Makers made in the 80's and 90's by Reeltime Productions).

Disc 1 features two lengthy interviews conducted by Nicholas Briggs (reading from copious notes) and producer Barry Letts and script editor Terence Dicks - the first from 1993 and the second from the following year. Both interviews hit around the 90-minute mark. As mentioned earlier this release is really only of interest to a specialised group (i.e. die-hard Dr. Who fans) and for those there is indeed a real treat in store. Practically everything you've always wanted to know (well, there's always someone who might want to know what Jon Pertwee’s shoe size was) is revealed and the amount of ground that is encompassed here is truly staggering. The winning partnership of Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks works remarkably well in an interview situation, with both coming from very different backgrounds. Barry had started out as an actor and like Jon Pertwee had been a naval officer in the war. Terrance had the distinction of being born in one of London's most impoverished areas but clever lad that he was won a scholarship to Cambridge. We will discover in loving and amusing detail how they came to be very much a part of Dr. Who.

Disc 2 features a convention with both Barry and Terrance (btw his mother misspelt his name on the birth certificate) AND Don Houghton (a busy screenwriter who wrote the two acclaimed episodes 'Inferno' and 'Mind of Evil') plus Bob Baker who, along with Dave Martin, wrote eight Dr. Who episodes (three for Jon Pertwee). Interestingly Terrence cites Bob, along with the all time 'dark' master Robert Holmes, as his favourite writers. In one anecdote (there's hundreds to choose from) Barry Letts mentions that the goobledygook uttered as an enchantment in the revered 'The Daemons' was actually the well-known scatological poem 'Eskimo Nell' recited backwards. However somebody got wind of it and since they couldn't use 'The Lord's Prayer' either they ended up with 'Mary had a little Lamb'. Next up are two interviews with directors Christopher Barry and Paul Bernard informing us how they came to be on board.

Last but not least we have interviews with a number of actors who appeared in Pertwee episodes. Mention can be made here of the estimable and recently departed Damaris Hayman (who played a white witch in 'The Daemons') who admits to have had some knowledge of the occult. Ms. Hayman must albeit posthumously be complimented on her oratorical skills (she could easily have taught our PM a thing or two!). Hopefully this has whetted your appetite - if you are a serious ‘Who-er' you must ask yourself whether you can actually live without this 2-Disc release… The answer is NO!