McCoy is delightfully dark in his last season as the Doctor. It's a shame the series was cancelled because the writer's back in 1989 were going in the same direction as the current series. You know, giving the companions more of a spotlight and adding some mystery to the Doctor? All that aside this is a good old fashioned haunted house story with an alien twist. Enjoy.

As the only story from Sylvester McCoy's final season as the Doctor to be shot totally in the studio the spooky "Ghost Light" is certainly a bizarre but entirely worthy viewing experience with some fine performances on offer especially Ian Hogg as Josiah Samuel Smith. Lets not forget that it also both plays to the BBC's skill in authentic period drama settings and well as providing valuable insight in the background of companion Ace. Its arrival on DVD, replete with marvellous 5.1 surround sound mix is very much welcome even though it has a total running time of a mere 73 mins. The additional free space available by such a slim main feature has been marvellously filled up by some excellent 'special features' spearheaded by the essential 'Light In Dark Places' which sheds more light (forgive the pun) on the making of the story. Further worthy insight is offered by "Ghost Light" author Marc Platt in the 12 min 'Writer's Question Time'. There's a rare glimpse into studio recording (complete with typical but endearing occasional (Sylvester) McCoy humour) within the Gabriel Chase main set during 'Shooting Ghosts' (19 mins) and with a worthy 18 mins of 'Deleted and Extended Scenes' (complete with explanatory lithograph plates for each) you can almost imagine the story as a traditional four-parter. As a highly regarded offering from the McCoy era it makes for a pleasing DVD release backed up with some great essential extras (which also includes Katharine Schlesinger at the piano singing "That's the way to the zoo!" as a main page Easter Egg and a 5 ½ min photo gallery) making it well worth nabbing a copy!

Buy this! Yes buy it!!...... But before you watch it though, please go to the menu and watch, in the extras :- "LIGHT IN DARK PLACES ". this will make every thing clear. I promise

When Slyvester McCoy took over the role of Doctor Who (No'7), i wasn't overly keen on him or the stories that we're being produced at that time in the 80's, however out of Slyvester's 3rd season as the Doctor, the stories were returning to the old days of intesity, drama & complicated scripts, this was one at the time that seemed rather confusing, however on review, it shows how Slyvester was becoming an very darker, yet interesting Doctor, the assistant in this case (Ace), was being the main focus worked rather well & more dynamic. What is interesting that nearly two decades later, we see where exactly Doctor Who was going & on review becoming a more interesting show again, life was returning, so was great scripts, great characterisation, & brilliant drama........this should have been a 4-part story & then it wouldn't have been so complicated, however being a 3 parter does have it's pluses, you are totally glued to it until the end & wonder afterwards why the hell was the show pulled then when it was getting brilliant again, instead of years earlier. This story shines out for Slyvester & Sophie & is by far one of the best from the 7th Doctors era, a must buy for fans & can be watched again & again.

When I first saw this when it was aired on television it didn't make a hell of a lot of sense to me and I didn't think much of it. Reviewing it many years later it appears to have aged well and is better than first viewing.
The set is perfect and although some of the things goign on are still alittle weird and confusing or indeed pointless on a whole it stands up better with age.