“Inferno” DVD Review

I’ve been waiting for gridman to do one of his detailed reviews on this over on Lone Locust Productions so I can keep my comments brief, but I still wanted to say a couple of things about this impressive serial.

The first is about the absolutely superb sound design. The production values are high, and there are some tense action sequences in the early episodes, but it is in the use of audio effects that it is exceptional.

The second is the unremittingly dark – even grim – storyline. I’d read Russell T Davies’ comment on getting carried away with parallel universes and giving the Brigadier an eyepatch; and it had lead me to assume there was an element of frivolity in the cast playing their characters’ counterparts. In fact, the differences are necessary and (apart from the strange changing hair) nicely underplayed. There’s far more sense in this parallel universe than that of the Lumic Cybermen.

I like the more serious tone and, having written off the Pertwee era as all giant maggots and “chap with wings – five rounds rapid” I’m now tempted to revisit more Third Doctor stories.

About Simon Wood

Lecturer in medical education, lapsed mathematician, Doctor Who fan and garden railway builder. See simonwood.info for more...

2 thoughts on ““Inferno” DVD Review

  1. You are spot on about the sound, also.

    I completely failed to mention it in my review, but it’s been 12 – 15 years since I last saw Inferno but even before the DVD arrived, I could vividly recall the sounds from this show.

    Although, I hesitate to call it “incidental music”, the mood pieces (or whatever they are rightly called) for this story are simple & dark, yet effective and memorable.

  2. You are spot on about the sound, also.

    I completely failed to mention it in my review, but it’s been 12 – 15 years since I last saw Inferno but even before the DVD arrived, I could vividly recall the sounds from this show.

    Although, I hesitate to call it “incidental music”, the mood pieces (or whatever they are rightly called) for this story are simple & dark, yet effective and memorable.

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