(This review was written in Christmas 2024)

This is how you ruin a classic masterpiece.

Oh dear, where to begin?

Well, the colourization looks absolutely wonderful, and the first 20 minutes or so are pretty good!

And then, it all comes crashing down.

The War Games is my favourite Doctor Who story of all time, a colossal 10-parter which is also a regeneration AND companion departure story of the highest calibre. An absolute masterpiece from start to finish, and one that deserves its lengthy runtime.

But this butchered edit was a mess. A disgraceful mess.

Thr pacing is awful, too fast and with no time to breathe. The editing is not good at all and makes everything rather awkward.

The music is... there, I hate how loud they made it be.

The fact that this is now the go-to version makes me feel bitter and annoyed as hell, but the fact that they used the modern Doctors as a replacement to the Time Lords' regeneration sketches makes me feel even worse.

This is not The War Games, this is just an expensive-looking butchering of said masterpiece.

One of my favorites, and most depressing arcs of the classic series in colour! It was perfect, of course it had to cut out some moments, but they've managed to get it right and you would be able to perfectly understand the full story just by watching this version, the only thing that I think they should've kept was the whole sequence of the Doctor trying to escape the time Lords, such a strong and emotional sequence in the original version!

everything has probably been said about this already. not gonna talk about the war chief/master controversy. I do get that they had to cut it down to 90 minutes but it feels like most of the war games was cut out, and we didn't see much of jamie/zoe. I am happy we got lots of jennifer/carstairds (beloved two/jamie parallels) but I wish we saw less of the HQ - inside and out.. - and more of the resistance group, because that feels the most parallel to two's crew, as well as the best way to show jamie/zoe development and growth from their introductions, which would make their departure hit a lot harder, especially for new viewers who haven't seen the original. The colors were beautiful but I don't count this as my personal view of canon lol, i don't think anyone does.

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

“The War Games in Colour: A Bold Retelling of a Classic Regeneration Story”

This Christmas, the BBC delivered a bold reimagining of The War Games, Patrick Troughton’s swan song as the Second Doctor. The 1969 ten-part epic, originally in black-and-white, has been colourized, condensed into a 90-minute omnibus edition, enhanced with new special effects, and capped with a brand-new regeneration sequence bridging the gap to Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor.

The original The War Games is a beloved classic, lauded for its ambition and scale, even if its length sometimes strains modern pacing standards. Naturally, such a drastic reworking invites scepticism, particularly after the mixed reception of The Daleks in Colour. However, this version offers a vibrant, modernised take on a beloved story, albeit with some flaws.

The colourization is a triumph. The once-muted war zones and futuristic War Room sets are now brought vividly to life, with exquisite attention to detail. The War Lord’s red glasses, for example, are a subtle but striking addition. These vibrant visuals, combined with some slick (if occasionally incongruous) CGI establishing shots, lend the story a fresh cinematic feel.

Mark Ayres’ new score enhances the drama, blending elements of Dudley Simpson’s original work with modern sensibilities. However, the music is often overbearing, risking overshadowing the dialogue and action.

Condensing a five-hour serial into 90 minutes inevitably requires sacrifices. The re-edit maintains the core mystery and dramatic beats, but the relentless pace leaves little breathing room. The story barrels from one action sequence to the next, often at the expense of character development and moments of introspection.

Supporting characters, such as Smythe, von Weich, and the Security Chief, are reduced to mere sketches, while others, like Villar, are omitted entirely. Lieutenant Carstairs and Lady Jennifer remain prominent, but their arcs are simplified.

One notable improvement is the removal of the repetitive capture-and-escape sequences from the original, a criticism often levelled at the 1969 version. The result is a more dynamic and engaging narrative, though it sometimes feels rushed.

The most controversial inclusion is the new regeneration sequence, adapted from a fan-made video. While visually impressive and smoothly integrated into the end of the story, it feels unnecessary. The original ambiguous ending, with the Time Lords’ punishment left unseen, had its own charm and mystique.

The use of the Master's theme whenever the War Chief appears is another divisive choice, hinting at a connection between the two characters. While it’s a fun nod for fans, it risks overcomplicating the narrative for casual viewers and undermining the War Chief’s individuality as a villain.

This new version of The War Games is a mixed bag. The colourization and streamlined storytelling make it an accessible and visually stunning introduction for newer fans, while the cuts and changes risk alienating long-time devotees. It successfully highlights the epic scale and key moments of the original but sacrifices much of its depth and character-driven drama.

For those seeking a fast-paced and modernised Doctor Who experience, this is a worthwhile watch. However, for purists and those wanting the full scope of Troughton’s farewell, the original ten-part saga remains unmatched.

📝Verdict: 7.5/10

A vibrant and exciting reimagining that honours the spirit of the original, though its rushed pacing and controversial additions may leave some fans divided.

I didnt like it. And I really went in with an open mind, I was skeptical, even more than I was with The Daleks and well… if anything the Colors here look stunning. And I am happy they didn’t used too many wild Colors, as they did with The Daleks, our Tardis Team feels so strange seeing them in all the brown and green setting.
That being said… somehow the Edit is worse for me, while it starts out very solid with its first 30-40 minutes, it starts to rush more and more. With such a huge Cast in the Story, we miss out a lot of great Character Moments, some Characters just appear out of nowhere! Especially this great part of the Original, where we slowly build up a new threat to another threat to another, and the Resistance feel barely like Characters here.
I understand they couldn’t and wouldn’t do all Episodes in Color, but why pick this one and remove so many great bits? While not as harsh as The Daleks, I would imagine a new viewer would look at their screen and think they missed something.
The Music, while being good on its own, it doesn’t work for me for the most part. It gets too loud at times and I miss the more eerie soundtrack of the Original. It feels like an attempt to make the War Games more like a NuWho Episode. Which is just a bit of a dumb idea, because while I am all for alternative Versions of classic Serials, taking one of the LEAST NuWho Era and trying to make it more like it, just doesn’t work and at best is just jarring, at worst just feels a bit sloppy.
As for some extra bits that got added here:
The CGI Shots look good, but don’t mix too well overall.
Having the Master Themes over the War Chief is annoying. Headcanon fun aside, I wish they wouldn’t have done this, since it MIGHT lead to future appearances of the War Chief just being an early Master. It makes the Universe feel smaller for me and I preferred the ambiguity of it all.
Showing off some future Faces is a fun idea, but done a bit sloppy. Just having those quite famous promo pictures seems charming on first glance, but the more I think about it, the more I dislike it. Why is 12 shown here, when 12 based his face on somebody he would later meet, for example. I understand Who isn’t the most consistent with some of its own canon, but I wish they have done it differently. Perhaps even more in the style of the Original, where it’s drawing of future Doctors. (How they have done it and who they chose is more a nitpick than a real criticism point, although I really wish they went a bit differently about it).
The Regeneration is good, but I still preferred the original attempt, even through it’s quite a morbid note to end the Story on. But it’s still really well-made and nice way to end this alternative take on this Story.

Overall, I understand this Story isn’t for me and that’s okay, but I really hope as they continue with this range that they learn and find some way to improve on some technical issues (please don’t overdo with the music, please!)
I also hope they won’t do TOO MUCH of those slight Implications, there is a lot of fun with some ambiguity.

Glad to see that many see it differently and enjoyed it overall! Not sure if I rate it higher than the Daleks, but the back and forth cutting works MUCH better here for sure, even if I am not totally in love with how they have done it.