For those who have never been swept up by the Dr. Who craze, I would not recommend beginning here at the final appearance of the fifth doctor, Peter Davison. In the midst of an intergalactic battle over a valuable substance called Spectrox, space politics and action can feel a little overwhelming and look a little too cheap for Who first-timers. Nevertheless, these compelling episodes culminate into one of the most significant and exciting stories to be part of the epic Who journey.

Continuing their time-traveling adventures, the Doctor and his fellow companion Perpugilliam "Peri" Brown land on the planet Androzani Minor for some sand – an important ingredient for the Doctor’s hobby in glass blowing. As the two explore caves on the plant, they soon find themselves victims of a spectrox toxemia infection – a near incurable disease that could have them dead within two days. A battle over the strange substance ensues as Sharaz Jek and his android rebels have taken over spectrox mining areas, while General Chellak tries to put an end to this insurgency.

Compared to the glossy and swanky look of the more recent Dr. Who seasons, this 1984 adventure of The Caves of Androzani is packed with rubbery costumes, eighties make up and visual effects that can only be described as comical. Despite this, it isn’t hard for those new to Who to see that the Brit charm of the doctor and the exciting plotline are enough to divert attention away from these minor distractions. With anticipation hinging on the survival of the Doctor and his possible regeneration, this old-school Dr. Who episode will please those willing to take a chance on sci-fi and dedicated Who viewers.

With extensive special features, The Caves of Androzani DVD is archival awesomeness for Who fans who would be interested in seeing multiple takes of important scenes, extended scenes, and added commentary. An in-depth look at the directorial eyes behind the Who productions over the years with Graeme Harper is also an exciting addition that will engage even Who neophytes as details of how the series has changed visually and conceptually over time is explored.