Oh boy, I knew The War Games in Colour was going to be rough from the moment they announced the runtime, but I didn't know it could go this wrong so fast... with every. passing. minute. Benjamin Cook, I hope you never get to edit one of these ever again. Stay away—far away.

I re-watched The War Games only the other day just to remind myself how good the original serial is; The War Games in Colour just amplifies everything wrong with The Daleks in Colour and becomes a truly sour viewing experience. Granted, I can't fault the guys who did the colourisation, some of the choices are utterly tremendous (minus that one moment where the picture inexplicably becomes black and white for a second) but the moment-to-moment editing is completely borked beyond belief utterly destroying any sense of tension, atmosphere or thematic relevance the original serial had in spades.

I will say that Mark Ayres' music this time around was a little better, but still very ill-fitting. The original cues from Dudley Simpson are thankfully still here but they get drowned out by a metric cacophony overlaying noises. The kicker for me however, was the use of The Master’s theme for The War Chief, that’s completely unacceptable. The new effects are a huge mixed bag, the new establishing shots of the locations are nice but the big CG “Earth” opening is rough and, of course, the "new" regeneration being the big one is the most egregious, it’s not terribly done but feels so out of place due to the use of the NuWho orange fire effects. The cast is extremely ill-served by Ben Cook's hacksaw approach to editing, Philip Modac's War Lord is basically a passing cameo which annoyed me so much, also wtf did they do to his eyes?!

Like I've said a few times in the past, I'm all for seeing Old Who with a new coat of paint, but The War Games in Colour is the wrong way to go about it, it’s utterly barbaric and a total misrepresentation of the original serials' greatness, it’s only saving grace is the colourisation. It started relatively alright but fell to pieces very quickly, Ben Cook should never cook again.

This is an interesting one, there's a lot to like, a lot to not like, so instead of a normal rambly review, I'm going to format this one

The Good: The colourisation is incredible, everything is so much more vivid, and it makes the contrast between the war zones, the war room, and the ending segment with the Time Lords even more stark. The War Lord's glasses being tinted red especially was a touch that I just adored. The colourised intro sequence was also an unexpected delight, and I loved that they also kept the The War Games title too, colouring it and the explosions.

While I'll speak more on it later, there's some elements I really enjoyed with the cutdown, having the scientist's monologue explaining the reprogramming partly cut over footage of people in the war zones was a great way to make that scene more visually interesting and reuse some of the footage that would otherwise go to waste.

I can understand criticisms with the music choice, but I think I felt the emotional aspect of Jamie and Zoe's departure moreso here than I did in the original, it just worked for me quite well.

The 'regeneration' scene is brilliant, I love that the faces were all coloured differently as they spin around, the extra colour and effects really give that scene a little extra flair that wasn't needed, but is an absolute delight to have. and on a similar note, the NuWho faces showing up as Two comments on potential new faces is just delightful (though a shame it's only NuWho ones).

There's a few new CG shots in there that I think really elevate the piece, a few exterior shots of the war room, some shots of a TARDIS in flight, some images of Gallifrey. Generally just a little bit of added visual interest on contextualising the setting which I love.

And lastly that new regeneration scene is great, you genuinely wouldn't be able to tell that the performances were cobbled together from other parts of the show, and the nod to the UNIT Dating controversy is just such a fun little part to add.

The Bad: The music is far too loud in a lot of scenes and can make it harder to hear what the characters are saying, plus a lot of it being newer tracks created a little bit of a disconnect for me.

The main issue however is of course the pacing. The War Games is ten 25 min episodes, being generous with time allowed for titles and such, that's a 200 minute story cut down to 90 minutes, and it unfortunately shows. A lot of things feel completely rushed, or you can tell when there's some obvious cuts (the exterior shot of the war room is used more than a couple of times in an attempt to hide them, but the more it happens the more obvious it is). I can understand the reasoning for cutting it down, making it more appealing to modern audiences and not requiring 3+ hours of colourisation, but 90 minutes is just far too short for a story of this magnitude, you don't really get any space to breathe. I could see a 150 minute cut working well, possibly a bit shorter than that, but it really does need that extra time to flow and give more attention to the characters, the rivalry between The War Chief and The Security Chief is a delight to watch in the original for example, and here it's pretty much just glossed over entirely.

The Ugly Downright Strange: I have absolutely no idea where to put this, but I find the choice to use The Master's Theme for The War Chief to be really interesting. Expanded media has of course given countless contradictory accounts of the nature of The Master's relationship with The War Chief (hell, sometimes adaptations of the same story disagree in the case of Goth Opera). I assumed that this adaptation would continue to simply ignore any connection, so this surprised me. Not really much to say good or bad about it, just that it's interesting.

Conclusion: Overall I think this is a much weaker story than The War Games, but I'm extremely glad it exists. I'm not always in the mood to sit down and watch three hours of television, and no matter how good The War Games is, that's still a fatal flaw for it. I think a lot of the updates work to this story's benefit, and I think I'm more likely to rewatch this than I am The War Games, even if I do think it's the inferior version.

It's absolutely not a perfect comparison in the slightest, but I think of it in a similar way to The Lord of The Rings. The Extended Editions give you so much more and are probably better overall, but I don't always want to sit down and watch 11 and a half hours of film, sometimes I just want to kick back and throw on the theatrical Fellowship of The Ring.

After The Daleks in Colour, my expectations were low. I am happy to say that this surpassed my expectations, although it was still far from perfect. The original serial is excellent and this version inherits a lot of that. I felt that the colourisation was really good on the whole. The music was also alright in my opinion. I am disappointed, however, by the extent to which the plot was cut down. It was always going to happen to some extent, but I feel that the cuts really removed a lot of the more interesting nuanced and mysterious elements that really made the original stand out. Moreover, some of the cut content caused bits of this version to not quite make sense, sometimes in ways that I felt were quite major. I could see a viewer who's not seen the original being rather confused at points. I feel that the original was really well paced and was the length it needed to be for the plot to be fully explored, so, other than making the colourisation financially feasible to produce, the cuts serve no positive purpose for me. I also felt that some of the new shots and sequences were really unnecessary and, at times, messed with the tone and feel of the story in negative ways. This includes much of the ending. I much prefer the mysteriousness of the original. Hence, overall, I can't see myself ever returning to this version or recommending it over the original. It's not terrible, but it just completely fails to come close to the original.

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.

This production is a phenomenal showcase for the remarkable talents behind its colourisation. The transformation of black-and-white footage into vibrant colour is nothing short of magical, offering an entirely fresh way to experience a familiar story. For long-time fans, it reinvigorates a classic, while for newcomers, it makes the material more accessible and engaging.

When I consider who this is aimed at, I think of someone like my sister. She’s made multiple attempts to engage with classic Doctor Who but often finds the slower pacing inaccessible. Fans like me appreciate the stately, deliberate pace of the originals, which makes certain aspects of this production feel a little breathless at times. While I prefer the slower original version, the brisker pacing here does shine in places, though I think an extra 20 minutes of runtime could have helped the middle section breathe and reduced some of the muddling caused by trimming too much.

That said, I don’t see this as a replacement for the original but as an exciting addition. For fans, it’s a way to re-experience an old story with fresh eyes, and it has the potential to draw in new audiences who might otherwise struggle with the original’s pacing. My sister, for example, loved The Daleks in Colour, largely because its pacing made it more digestible. I’d be fascinated to hear how she feels about this production and whether it struck the same chord.

The new elements—such as cheeky additions, appearances from other Doctors, the regeneration, and the updated music—were delightful and added a sense of playfulness. The overall production quality was stellar, and while I would have loved more time to let certain parts settle, this version remains a triumph. It also leaves open the exciting possibility of a longer cut down the line.

In summary, this is an exceptional piece of work. Fans are incredibly lucky to have this opportunity to reimagine and rediscover classic Doctor Who. While not perfect, it’s a wonderful addition to the canon and a brilliant reimagining for a modern audience.