Doctor Who : Bred for War - The Sontaran Collection (The Time Warrior / The Invasion Of Time / The Two Doctors / The Sontaran Experiment) [1973] [DVD]

The Sontarans blasted back into the world of Doctor Who in 2008 after a prolonged absence, and immediately introduced a fresh generation to some of the most uncomplicated, yet dangerous villains that the Time Lord has ever had to face. Honourable warriors, and yet deadly to the last, this Bred For War boxset brings together the four stories featuring the Sontarans from the classic era of the show.

We’ll get the weakest one out of the way first. The Invasion Of Time is too long, and sees the worst depiction of the Sontarans in the show’s history. It’s a story with some merits, but it’s nowhere near the highlight of this box set.

Instead, it’s better to spend your attention on The Sontaran Experiment, a short adventure from the Tom Baker era. It’s flawed, but still very good, filmed entirely on location. This helps, and the adventure clearly benefits from breaking away from the usual maze of corridors.

The Time Warrior, which introduced the Sontarans for the first time, is the undoubted highlight here. Starring Jon Pertwee as the Doctor, and introducing Sarah-Jane Smith to the show, it’s a well-written, strongly-realised adventure, and a must for fans of the classic series.

The Two Doctors, meanwhile, stars Colin Baker and Patrick Troughton, and it’s a bit of a muddled affair. It’s great to see Patrick Troughton’s return to the show, and it’s certainly a harsher, slightly nastier adventure than we’re used to seeing from Doctor Who. But the narrative doesn’t gel particularly well, even though the Sontarans again prove themselves as one of the most underrated villains in the show’s history.

All of these stories have also enjoyed individual releases, but if any are missing from your collection, then the Bred For War box set is certainly worthy of your time. And let’s hope that we’ve not seen the last of the revived Sontarans either. The Doctor’s world might not be better with them in it, but on our side of the television, they’re one of the finest races of monsters he’s ever had to face.