Planet Skaro > Reviews > BBC DVD > The TV Movie
Home | News | Forums | Forthcoming Releases | Upcoming Covers | Reviews | Links | Meet the Staff | E-Mail

The TV Movie- A Review

by Andrew Hunter

After making an emergency stop, whilst carrying the remains of an exterminated Master, in San Francisco, 1999, the Doctor is shot by street gangs. He soon regenerates, this time into his eighth incarnation and must stop the Master, in someone else's body, from taking the Doctor's body and destroying the Earth…

The TV Movie, aka the Enemy Within, marks the first appearance of Paul McGann as the eighth incarnation of the Doctor. This debut is successful, and led to McGann starring in BF audios. McGann's performance is very strong in the TVM – playing a disorientated and desperate Doctor. His first appearance is very dramatic – walking in a white gown through a dark (and cold?) hospital in bare feet with lightening outside. As he gets up from the bed, scenes of the 1931 Frankenstein are playing on a television. This makes it creepier and lets the casual fan know what is going on – the monster is brought to life from death, so is the Doctor.

The Doctor is not the only one who takes on a new form. The Master, played by Eric Roberts, appears as a snake (his body was destroyed by the Daleks) and enters another man's body. Roberts, with his green eyes, looks very intimidating and evil. The Master is much more evil than in the television show and I don't think he has the same “charm” as the previous incarnations had.

Another thing which was different to the television show was that there was much more action and violence. There are street gangs with guns, vehicle chases and some gore (the probe coming out of the Doctor's chest). This is a movie, not a family show, so they can put as much violence as they like. Some may argue that the violence is too different to the “cheap and cheerful” TV show, but if younger generations are going to get into Doctor Who, there must be something to appeal to them. The TARDIS interior is very different to the TV show, but I think the interior of the “original” TARDIS was much better and looked more advanced. On the other hand, the TVM console room does have a more romantic charm to it, giving the Doctor this quality, but it is not able to boast many special effects.

This is not to say the film has poor special effects. The snake is an example of good special effects. It looks very alien because it is transparent and has a “laser” feel to it. The scenes where the Doctor puts his hand through the glass look amazing.

All these points may make the film seem to be one of the Doctor’s finer adventures, but it is let down because it does not have the British feel to it. Paul McGann has some of that quality, but very little else in the film does.

Overall, the Enemy Within is a very good film, but the extras on the dvd are not the best in the range. The most interesting feature is the various interviews. The trailers for the TVM are also a highlight.