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Reviews for The Beginning

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Start at the very beginning...

By:the Traveller, a Junkyard...where it all began
Date:Saturday 11 March 2006
Rating:   10

After the recent 2005 season One boxset comes another 3 disc set, with the first three stories ever broadcast, along with a load of extras providing a detailed insight in what really was The Beginning. And a great beginning it is too...

AN UNEARTHLY CHILD
A fantastic first episode leads into a tense and gritty caveman story. William Hartnell and co give great performances and the TARDIS appears impressively 'big' on the inside compared to what it looks like in later years.

THE DALEKS
The Daleks are inspired creations, and the series begins to find its feet. The Thals are disappointing and although the story is slightly long, it certainly feels like an epic adventure.

THE EDGE OF DESTRUCTION
A cheap 2 parter in the TARDIS leads to the characters widly accusing each other of everything under the sun, a clock melting unconvincingly, and Susan going barmy with a pair of rather dangerous looking scissors.
Very strange indeed...



Great Stuff

By:Jon Mahony, Leeds, UK
Date:Thursday 6 April 2006
Rating:   8

A fantastic first Doctor compilation. Only Genesis of the Daleks will have a chance at surpassing it for the best release of the year.

An Unearthly Child’s disk features two cuts of the first episode – which believe me, are different enough to bother watching both of. The story does drag on a little towards the end, as the cave men become a little annoying. But the first two episodes (or three, if you count both cuts of the first) are truly amazing, and more than make up for it. The first Doctor is at his strongest here, and it’s a shame he couldn’t keep up this level of presence throughout his three year tenure.

The Daleks, is certainly the best Dalek story of the first Doctors era – later ones saw them becoming a little more cartoonish, before the second Doctor blew new life into them. This story always suffers a certain level of criticism, as its plot was condensed, and glossed in the 60’s movie version. You often hear people saying it was dragged out, but I believe this version to be far superior in story, to the film. The Daleks are cold and calculating, and the thals are just about bearable ;)

The Edge of Destruction, was a bit of a filler story to be honest, and its one of those first Doctor stories which hasn’t really stood up to the test of time. The crew goes a bit mental and try to kill each other very unconvincingly – nuff said.



These diamonds are forever!

By:Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom
Date:Friday 11 April 2008
Rating:   10

There isn't much to say about this set, except it is highly entertaining; one of the best releases so far.



Essential

By:Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom
Date:Friday 23 May 2008
Rating:   10

If you are new to Who or a long time fan this DVD set is an absolute essential buy. Watch & see how the magic began. I cannot recommend this DVD set highly enough.



The Start of an Iconic Character

By:The Next Doctor, TARDIS
Date:Tuesday 14 July 2009
Rating:   9

This is a brillant set An Unearthly Child is the first which is an amazing story. The Daleks is next and still as good. And last but not least is The Edge of Destruction which was and cheap but brillant production. Now u think that's it but it isn't on The Edge of Destruction DVD there it is a 30mins Recon of Marco Polo which a brillant way to bridge the gap to The Key to Marnius which is soon to be released



Brilliance

By:Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom
Date:Friday 1 April 2011
Rating:   9

An Unearthly Child is a brilliant start to the best series on TV, at least the classic series anyway. It starts with a good mystery, and quickly rips off into an historical yarn that is dark and very convincing. The Daleks is at times a little strained and slow, but the conviction of the entire cast is a revelation. The Edge of Destruction is brilliant, a good little piece of psychology and a good character piece. The characters are really studied in depth and so we begin to feel we know them after these tales. This was Doctor Who back when it first began: With style and drive. These were very strong stories. The fight between Za and Kal is unexpectedly realistic, and the moral dilemma in the Daleks is addressed excellently. The start of something really cool is what these three stories were....

William Hartnell was perfectly cast as the gripy Time Lord, and Carole Ann Ford was a wonderful foil to his strong character, in that she frequently calmed him down when he flew off the handle at anyone or anything. And William Russell and Jacqueline Hill were totally awesome characters. They had such humanity and charm, and they all worked together so well. The stories are all the better for their chemistry.



Mixed bag of episodes; superb extras

By:Christopher Kelley, Manassas, United States
Date:Saturday 7 March 2015
Rating:   8

The DVD is worth owning for having the earliest days of the show and its extremely insightful extras. The episodes themselves are a mixed bag of quality but an interesting look back to the birth of the show.



The Early Years...for DVD!

By:Sofia Fox, Hale, United States
Date:Wednesday 29 November 2017
Rating:   10

I love this boxset...I am heading to get the US Re-Release but at the moment it's fine. Although I thought the Marco Polo 30 min recon was too short. I watched the Loose Cannon (post-2003) recons after that one it was still ok! Excellent! (too bad the US didn't get individual for Stories 2 and 3 and the re-release is a all-in-one...)



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