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8 of 9 found the following review helpful:
The Claws of Axos are embedded in the Earth's carcass!Feb 03, 2002
By Daniel J. Hamlow
The landing of a variable-mass object on Earth nearly proves to be the planet's undoing. The gilded humanoid aliens tell a half truth when they say they need to replenish the energy and nutrition cycle of their organically grown ship. What they don't tell is that they intend to drain all living energy from Earth and leave it a dry husk. The Brigadier, Doctor, government bureaucrat Chinn, and two scientists from the nearby nuclear plant that supplies Britain its electric power, meet the Axons, who give them a gift of Axonite, described as the chameleon of elements, which causes anything injected with it to increase in size. It thus has the potential to solve world hunger and energy shortage problems. Chinn is a typical "England for the English" jerk who wants to keep Axonite only for his country despite the fact that for the Axons' plan to destroy Earth, the substance needs worldwide distribution.Chinn, under the Emergency Powers Act, overrules the Brigadier in authority and in a petty show of power, calls in regular army troops and has the UNIT troops arrested. The captain is played by a young Tim Piggott-Smith. The Master has led the Axons to Earth and acts as their agent to get the Axonite distributed throughout the world. This action gets Chinn in hot water and reduces his authority for the rest of the story. The Axons have the Master's TARDIS so he tries to steal the Doctor's, which gets him caught. The Master has the best lines. When he tries to fly the Doctor's TARDIS, he mutters, "Might as well try to fly a secondhand gas stove." During a time when he temporarily aids UNIT, Hardiman, the nuclear plant administrator, asks him if he intends to channel the Axons' power into a police box. To which the Master nods with a mocking smile on his face. He also gives them a flippant advice: "Oh you might want to take the normal precautions against a nuclear blast, like sticky tape on the windows." Compared to Terror Of The Autons and The Mind Of Evil, Jo doesn't seem to have too much of a role here. She's overshadowed by too many key players in this story. So is Sergeant Benton. The Brigadier and Yates are the most effective here. The organic interior of the Axon ship is a masterpiece of the BBC set design, replete with bubbles, tentacles, claws, and parts that seem to breathe. The Axon monsters look like orange coloured canvas bags with a mass of thick, spaghetti-like tentacles sprouting from them. The psychedelic images overlaid over the picture is a real trip back in time. The beginning of Episode Four, when the ship is under attack and undergoes a nervous breakdown, is a wow as humanoid faces and Axon monsters float around in a chaotic mess. And the appearance of the Eye of Axos hanging from the ceiling has subtle sexual overtones. The flaws of nationalistic unilateralism, the importance of having enough fuel, and the dangers of nuclear power, the latter very relevant in the Cold War days during which the story was made, is key to The Claws Of Axos. Maybe the warning: Beware of Axons bearing gifts, is also apt here.
7 of 8 found the following review helpful:
 Galactic yo-yoFeb 21, 2006
By Jason A. Miller
The lesson to be learned here is that, if a "Doctor Who" story is subpar, a well-made DVD release is not going to improve the story. It will, however, spotlight what parts of the story didn't work, and why.
For years I didn't have much enthusiasm for "The Claws of Axos", for a couple of reasons. One, I thought the portrayal of the aliens was a little cheezy. Second, I always thought the story seemed rushed and choppy, especially in the opening minutes of Episode One, and thus couldn't sustain much interest. The DVD actually explains both my problems with the story: producer Barry Letts (who contributes to the audio commentary) and director Michael Ferguson (who's interviewed in the bonus features) wanted a fast-pace story with cutting-edge special effects. Both efforts foreshadowed the elements of successful present-day sci-fi series, but unfortunately fell flat here -- a case of the production team trying to give us too much, too soon. The state of the art in 1971 just couldn't realize their aspirations. Also, episode writers Bob Baker (the same Baker who co-wrote this year's Oscar-nominated Wallace & Gromit feature) & Dave Martin were writing their first DW script, and the final product is the result of probably a dozen rewrites from script editor Terrance Dicks. As Dicks said on another DVD, rewriting a story too many times is just death on a script.
The commentary track is an informative one: Letts and co-star Katy Manning have now appeared as a team on several DW DVDs, and have a good rapport going. Manning's bizarre schtick of talking like a 9 year-old boy is only used once here. Also along for the ride is actor Richard Franklin. Every three-person DVD commentary track has one third wheel, and that's Franklin here, unfortunately.
The 25-minute compilation of raw studio footage from the recording of Episode One is an interesting addition, with a lively text commentary to explain exactly what's going on for those of us who don't make a living behind the camera. This material explains why some necessary introductory scenes got deleted; shows Jon Pertwee and the Master, Roger Delgado, preparing their work between takes; and shows hammy guest actor Paul Bathurst ramping up his performance to even more blustery lengths than he achieved in the finished product.
The best part of the story, as always in this 8th season of "Doctor Who", is Roger Delgado. In Episode Two he plays a scene against the Axos brain with his typical aplomb and determination. However, he's not playing off another actor -- he's sharing the set only with a phallic-shaped prop dangling from the ceiling. It takes a great actor to give a great performance against a prop like that.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
"It seems I'm some kind of Galactic yo-yo!"Mar 11, 1999
An unidentified flying object has landed near the Nuton power complex, supplying Britian with safe, cheap energy. The Axons, aliens form the "far side of the galaxy", intend to suck the Earth dry of all its energies and leave nothing behind. A good UNIT story. Lots of action, people blowing up, and some of Who's most disgusting lookin aliens. Pertwee and the regulars are great, although Fyler's accent is a little iffy. And why, in a majority of Pertwee stories, when a person is in hospital or sedated, they start to wail on about stopping the Master(see the Daemons)? The story itself might be a little silly for casual viewers, but all in all, a great action-packed psychedelic Who Adventure!
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Good old school sci fiJul 08, 2006
By James McDonough
I think the story was well written. The special effects are good even though they were dveloped 35 years ago. Just becuse a show is old doesn't make it bad.
The alens, and their spacecraft, are colorful and reflect the times in wich the show aired.
John Pertwee and the Master were great togeather.
The last serail of the program aired on my date of birth wich is cool.
in My opion is you can't go too wrong with pertwee Davidson or Tom Baker they did a great job with the Doctor who series.
The Kattie Manig Chracter Jo Grat, is pretty enough; although The damsel in distress role she plays can be a little iritating at times.
The extras are good enough. I am just glad to have this episode since a number of them have been lost and this one is cool to have given the date it aired.
Picture and sond are of good quality. just wished they could have nade a movie mode on these dvds so you can watch it like a movie instead of see it in the original seriealized form
Anyone familiar with the show would like this episode
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Best Pertwee Episode!Apr 08, 2009
By Jero Briggs
If I could sum up the entire Pertwee era in one story, then this would have to be it. It's got everything. You've got a strong political story, UNIT, the Master, alien invasion, one of the neatests monsters in "Doctor Who" history who can make duplicates and seem like very beautiful and friendly creatures at one moment and be grotesque frightening murderous ones the next, you've got the Doctor trying to escape his exile on Earth, the Doctor uses his TARDIS in this one, and you've got a lot of mystery and action in this one as well. And unlike many Pertwee ones, it's not long and drawn out. They got so many different plots all going on at once, and it's all within four little parts. I'm actually surprised what they were able to fit into this story into just four parts, which I suppose is what made it so damn good. The acting and directing is great, and so is the special effects. The Axon spaceship is possibly the most alien-looking I have ever seen. It's a living organic spaceship, and it is quite possible the creepiest spaceship ever featured in the show. This story is no doubt one of my all-time favorites. Highly recommended!
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