Doctor Who: Time-Flight
“Don’t ask. I have no idea,” says Sarah “Nyssa” Sutton at one point in the audio commentary for the 1982 four-parter Time-Flight, and later Peter Davison himself admits, “You’re right. I have no idea what’s going on.” Such is the fate of one of the more convoluted early adventures from Davison’s era of Doctor Who, which was released alongside Arc Of Infinity - another story which can’t really be considered a fan favorite. The two back-to-back stories represent the end of the 19th season and the beginning of the 20th, and I think there’s a reason these two examples of how not to top the most-popular-classic-Who-episode polls are already on DVD. It was surprising enough to see Timelash make it to DVD, but a dual release (or, in the U.K.’s case, an actual box set) of not-fondly-remembered material is even more surprising.
My theory goes something like this: when the production team of the new series feels the need to re-establish a concept or a classic villain, they pull some strings with the schedule of classic Doctor Who DVD releases. Follow along here: the New Beginnings box set, which introduced Anthony Ainley as a new incarnation of the Master after the character’s long absence from the series, appeared just a few months before the premiere of season three, which introduced John Simm as the Master. Similarly, not long before the announcement was made that the Sontarans would return in the new series, The Time Warrior - their first adventure - appeared on the DVD release schedule. I believe that Time-Flight and Arc were released when they were to ease the audience into the concept of a companion leaving the show and then returning. At the end of Time-Flight, the Doctor unceremoniously - and with no warning - leaves Tegan behind in her native time period on Earth. Arc brings her back to the time-traveling fold, though some months later in the character’s personal timeline. I believe this pair of unlikely Peter Davison stories was rolled out to pave the way for Martha Jones to take her leave of David Tennant’s TARDIS and return at a later date.
Time-Flight takes a beating from all involved in the commentary; Peter Davison, Janet “Tegan” Fielding, Sarah Suton and script editor Eric Saward spend much of the show’s running time marveling at just how bad it is. At a few junctures, Davison urges his fellow commentators to try to focus on the positive, but once we’re well into episode two, almost at the halfway point of the story, he gamely surrenders and joins the others in taking a few well-observed potshots. The three actors have nothing but praise for the late Nigel Stock’s high-profile guest turn, but that’s almost the only praise that anyone manages to get out. (Saward, for his part as the supposed shepherd of storytelling, falls asleep at one point.) Janet Fielding once again all but shouts down her co-stars at several points, proving that Tegan’s extremely abrasive personality may not have been all acting; I have to admit that I can’t watch all four episodes in one sitting with Ms. Fielding along for the ride because the verbal assault is exhausting. At one point, Davison talks about uber-fans and Fielding starts to wind up for a “get a life”-style diatribe, until Davison points out that it is precisely that kind of fan who happens to be behind the new series, which brings her up short - needless to say, I don’t think we need to worry about The Tegan Adventures as a spin-off.
Janet Fielding and Tegan are also the subject of the main featurette on Time-Flight, a brief retrospective piece called Mouth On Legs (a nickname for her character). She discusses her early career, her audition for Doctor Who, and her career after the show. It’s an interesting piece, but it’s over in the blink of an eye. Some very rare deleted scenes are included, as well as bloopers and a montage of behind-the-scenes material from the studio recording sessions (under the pun-ishing title Jurassic Larks). From the Myth Makers library comes a 20 year old interview with the late writer of the story, Peter Grimwade (with the interview conducted by future voice-of-the-Daleks Nicholas Briggs). It’s a little disappointing to see yet another ’80s story released without an isolated music track, but on the other hand…it’s just Time-Flight, which may also explain the paucity of bonus features compared to some other classic Who DVDs. Even the cover artwork isn’t up to the usual standard. I give Time-Flight a very cautious recommendation, because this is a case where, unlike the aforementioned Timelash, the extras really don’t contribute to a greater appreciation of the story and the forces at work behind it - they merely serve to highlight its already perfectly abundant mediocrity.