Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4819 in VHS
• Released on: 2003-11-24
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 175 minutes

Video Description
Contains the following stories:

• Reign of Terror:
  The TARDIS materialises not far from Paris in 1794 - one of the bloodiest years following the French revolution of 1789. The travellers become involved with an escape chain rescuing prisoners from the guillotine and get caught up on the machinations of an English undercover spy, James Stirling.
  
• The Faceless Ones:
  The TARDIS arrrives on Earth in 1966 - on a runway at Gatwick airport. Polly witnesses a murder in a nearby hangar and is then kidnapped by the perpetrator, Spencer of Chameleon Tours. Subequently Ben also vanishes. The Doctor and Jamie are left to try to convince the sceptical airport Commandant that there has been foul play. It transpires that a great many other young people have also vanished .....
  
• Web of Fear:
  The TARDIS narrowly avoids becoming engulfed in a web-like substance in space. It then arrives in the London Underground railway system, the tunnels of which are being overrun by the web and by the Great Intelligence's robot Yeti. The time travellers learn that this crisis was precipitated when Professor Travers, whom they first met in the Himalayas some 40 years earlier, accidently caused one of the Yeti to be reactivated, opening the way for the Intelligence to make another invasion attempt.The travellers work alongside army forces as they battle against the alien menace.....

Synopsis
Three Doctor Who stories in one box set. 'Reign Of Terror' follows the TARDIS to Paris in 1794 where the travellers get caught up in rescuing prisoners from the guillotine. 'The Faceless Ones' finds the TARDIS on the runway at Gatwick in 1966 where Polly is kidnapped and Ben vanishes. The Doctor and Jamie try to sort everything out. 'Web Of Fear' finds the TARDIS in the London Underground where the tunnels are being overrun by the web. Includes an anniversary metal pin badge.

Customer Reviews

The final episodes on video...
This set represents the last few episodes never before released on video. The surviving episodes of "The Reign of Terror", "The Faceless Ones" and "The Web of Fear".

Whilst they've done a terrific job on restoring the picture and sound quality of these episodes, the linking sequence to bridge the missing Episodes 4 & 5 of "Reign" is woefully inadequate. The plot of this story is too complex to have 50 minutes of material summarised in a 3-minute synopsis. You return to the story in Ep 6 not having a clue what's happened in between. I suppose we'll have to wait for the audio release of the soundtracks to fully appreciate this story.

That said, it's still worth getting this set for the episodes themselves. But hurry it's limited edition and they're disappearing fast!

The Reign of Terror (Doctor Who)
The scene is set as the TARDIS lands in the French Revolution A greatstart. The Doctor's Companians are taken prisioner and he is seperated. All right so far? Well yes and no because as you get into The Reign ofTerror with its various plot twists you get to the end of episode 3 inthis rather enthralling story I might add to have it all spoiled somewhat. By what seems to be a poor attempt by the BBC team to describe whathappens in the fourth and fifth episodes. This video is definitely onlyfor diehard Dr Who fans as lots aren't and should really have beenreleased to us an audio. The same happens in the other video which comesin the boxed set and features Patrick Troughton's story The FacelessOne's. Well I suppose there is one good thing you get a badge free withyour purchase. Not bad huh?

Good but inadequate
This double box set includes the final episodes of Doctor Who that were released on video. The first video consists of the final story from the first season of Doctor Who, entitled The Reign of Terror, and sees the Doctor and his companions arriving at the time of the French Revolution. The second video takes us into the Patrick Troughton's era as the Doctor and consists of The Faceless Ones episodes 1 and 3, and the Web of Fear episode 1 (followed by a few surviving clips from other episodes of the serial.) For me, the highlight of the set is the remaining episode of Web of Fear, with the Yeti lurking in the London Underground. This type of story would ultimately set the scene for other earthbound adventures later in the series.
Sadly, the box set is a disappointment. the Reign of terror looks like a good story, but sadly, episodes 4 and 5 are missing. Although Carole Anne Ford (Susan) gives us some linking narration, it doesn't go far enough. It's a bit difficult to then take up the story in episode 6. The Troughton episodes are interesting, but we could be done with some further information regarding what happens in the remainder of the stories.
A rare box set, which gives a good insight into sixties Doctor Who. If you are going to get it, then get it at a reasonable price!