Five For the Price of One . . . Well, Sort of

As I confessed a couple months ago, in my review of the video "Pyramids of Mars," I like "Dr. Who." A frequently silly show with often laughably low-budget special effects, I nevertheless find it an infectiously enjoyable piece of television history. And it definitely holds a place in television history: having aired on the BBC from 1963 to 1989, it remains the longest-running science fiction show ever.

In order to keep the show running for such a long period of time, the producers soon found it necessary to expand their original concept. Initially a rather crotchety, but deceptively intelligent, old scientist, The Doctor was reinvented as an outcast member of an alien civilization known as The Time Lords, who possess the unique ability to regenerate after death. This allowed the producers to replace the lead actor whenever it became necessary. By the end of the series' run, there had been seven doctors (eight, if one includes a TV movie that was made a few years after the show's cancellation), each with his own distinct personality.

So for the show's twentieth anniversary in 1983, it was as obvious an idea as it was inspired to do a special movie-length presentation featuring all of them. As this was about midway in the fifth Doctor (Peter Davison)'s run, the film was titled "The Five Doctors" (hey, I didn't say they earned points for originality).

The story here is a rather patched-together affair involving a long-dead Time Lord named Rassilon whose tomb holds the key to eternal life. To reach the tomb, however, prospective immortals must work their way through an area known as "The Death Zone," facing a series of lethal enemies while evading thunderbolts that rain down from the sky.

Rather than work through Rassilon's Game, and possibly get killed in the process, the villain plots to kidnap all five incarnations of the Doctor. These five Doctors will play out the game instead--at which point the villain will step in to reap the fruit of their labors.

It is hardly an inspired plot. But then, the plot is little more than an excuse to gather past cast members together in a single, fan-pleasing adventure. In this respect, it is generally successful.

Sadly, William Hartnell, the actor who first played The Doctor, was years dead by the time this film went into production. But the producers found an actor named Richard Hurndall, whose resemblance to Hartnell was nothing short of uncanny. Hurndall looks like Hartnell and sounds like Hartnell. And he acts well, delivering a performance so spot-on that I would have sworn it WAS Hartnell, had I not known otherwise. Still, it's nice that they open this movie with a brief but well-chosen clip of the real Hartnell. This clip helps set the proper, nostalgic tone for the film that follows. Beyond that, it's a nice, classy touch. As is giving Hartnell's Doctor (even played by a different actor, it is still Hartnell's Doctor and always will be) the best of it, making him the nominal lead of this production.

Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee step back into the roles of their Doctors as if slipping on an old suit that still fits perfectly. It took about twenty seconds from his first appearance here for me to remember why Troughton was always my favorite Doctor. Arriving for his friend the Brigadier (Nicholas Courtney)'s retirement, Troughton skips around the young guard obstructing him, moving straight to the Brigadier's office. "You're not allowed back there," the guard tells him. "Not allowed?" Troughton replies with an impish twinkle in his eye. "I'm allowed everywhere!" When the guard reaches out to physically restrain him, the Doctor doffs his coat and slings it over the young man's arm, thanking him for his courtesy as he enters the office. It's a small scene, but it's pure Troughton and it brought an instant smile to my face.

Peter Davison was the incumbent Doctor at this time, and he played his part well. But this show was a bow to fan nostalgia as much as anything, and Davison has primarily a supporting role in this outing. Recognizing this, Davison doesn't mug or try to out-act his predescessors. He remains nicely low-key throughout, sharing his stage with grace.

The film falls short of being classic "Who," however. There are several shortcomings. The plot is a bit silly, and it doesn't really hold together. For instance: the villain obviously wants the Doctors to succeed in reaching the Tomb. So why deposit Cybermen, Daleks, and android assassins to oppose them? It seems unlikely that five dead Doctors would do the villain much good, so why stack the odds to make that possibility even more likely than it is already?

This is a minor quibble, however. As I observed earlier, the point here isn't the plot--it's seeing the Five Doctors all together at once. But if that is the principle pleasure here, then why keep them separate for the bulk of the film? As it stands, the structure has Davison in his own little movie, unravelling intrigues on the Council of Time Lords. Meanwhile, Pertwee's Doctor is paired with Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), using an abundance of MacGyver-like gadgets to drive, climb, fight, and finally fly (!) to the Tomb. Troughton is paired with the Brigadier, bumbling through underground caves to avoid as much danger as possible before--literally--stumbling onto the Tomb. And Hartnell's Doctor walks directly into the Tomb where he faces a different kind of challenge using the only weapon he has at his disposal: his wits.

You might have noticed that this structure basically has three of the five Doctors repeating more or less the same plot. It also has the effect of keeping them separated until the very end of the movie. At which point we have about ten minutes in which to enjoy any interaction at all between them. And most of that time is spent wrapping up a plot that wasn't that impressive to begin with.

You may also have noticed an important exclusion from the above description. Tom Baker, the fourth and most popular Doctor, declined to participate in this film. We therefore end up with exactly one scene of him, lifted from the unfinished "Shada." After that, the writers fill in his absence by having his character sit out the rest of the plot in some kind of strange time vortex. It's a pity Baker could not have been persuaded to change his mind. I was never a big fan of Tom Baker's Doctor. But he was with the show for seven years, longer than any other lead actor, and his absence from this special leaves one with the unmistakable sense that something's missing.

Still, with the plot structured as it is, his absence might well be for the best. Had he been available, the writers would likely have just sent his Doctor on yet another trek to Rassilon's Tomb. And I don't know how much patience I would have had with the same plot being repeated FOUR times in the same movie.


Rating: *** out of *****
Directed by: Peter Moffatt. Starring: Richard Hurndall, Peter Davison, Jon Pertwee, Patrick Troughton, Tom Baker, Anthony Ainley, Nicholas Courtney, Elisabeth Sladen, Janet Fielding, Mark Strickson, Carole Ann Ford, Laila Ward, Wendy Padburdy, Frazier Hines, Caroline John, and William Hartnell.


Year Released: 1983
Running Time: 90 minutes

Rated: Unrated (equivalent to a "PG," at worst)


Note: This film is also available in a 101-minute "Collector's Edition." This version features improved special effects and some expanded scenes and additional dialogue. Also, the scenes with Tom Baker have been slightly redone so that the events in this film do not conflict with the events of "Shada" (now available on video, with linking narration filling in the unfilmed sequences). None of the alterations in any way affect the above review.

Most notable difference is that the "Collector's Edition" is packaged along with a 2-part Peter Davison story, "The King's Demons." "Demons" is entirely unremarkable "Who"--not bad, quite entertaining really . . . just not in any way memorable. Rating for this story is 2 stars.