Official Synopsis:
Christopher Eccleston's Doctor is wise and funny, cheeky and brave. An alien and a loner, his detached logic gives him a vital edge when the world's in danger. But when it comes to human relationships, he can be found wanting. That's why he needs Rose. From the moment they meet, the Doctor and Rose understand and complement each other. As they travel together through time, encountering new adversaries, the Doctor shows her things beyond imagination.
Our Take:
In my entire life, I’ve probably only ever seen a total of maybe two episodes of Doctor Who. It’s not for lack of interest; I’m a huge Star Trek fan, and Doctor Who is to British sci-fi fans what Star Trek is to American ones: something of a national treasure. No, I simply was never really exposed to it. Aside from a few rare occasions when it was on PBS when I was very young, it’s never really aired anywhere I was living. Investing in videotape sets or, later, DVD collections always seemed like an expensive way to decide whether or not I would like something.
So I was very excited when the new incarnation of Doctor Who debuted on the Sci Fi Channel earlier this year. Not only would this be my first real exposure to the good Doctor, but it was a brand new, with-a-real-budget-and-special-effects Doctor Who. I was not prepared, however, to enjoy it as much as I did.
Doctor Who is a fun, irreverent science fiction vehicle with a strong sense of action and adventure, and a dark side that gives the show more heft than its humorous exterior might at first reveal. Christopher Eccleston, the latest incarnation of The Doctor (now replaced in the upcoming series two by David Tennant), is lots of fun without ever coming across as dippy or goofy. Former singer Billie Piper is surprisingly effective as the Doctor’s companion, Rose. The show travels through time and space, throwing the Doctor and Rose into all manner of great science fiction situations, and it never fails to please.
Another thing I wasn’t prepared for is what an amazing DVD set BBC and Warner Brothers has put together for the show. This is, without a doubt, one of the finest TV-on-DVD releases I have ever seen.
* Doctor Who Confidential (164 minutes) - Garnering its own disc, this feature-length documentary is narrated by actor Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead) and features interviews with virtually everyone and anyone involved in creating the show. This is a terrific documentary that would have made a great special feature if it was the only thing in the set. Luckily, there's much more.
* BBC Breakfast Interview with Christopher Eccleston (12 minutes) - An interview with the new Doctor.
* Destroying The Lair (3 minutes) - A look at the climax of the pilot episode.
* Making Doctor Who With Russell T. Davies (15 minutes) - Head writer and producer Davies gives us a no-frills look behind the scenes of the show.
* Waking the Dead (18 minutes) - An episode-specific interview featurette.
* Laying Ghosts (8 minutes) - An episode-specific making-of featurette.
* Launch Trailers (3 minutes) - A collection of trailers announcing the show's return.
* Storyboard of Opening Trailer (1 minute) - Exactly what it sounds like.
* Deconstructing Big Ben (5 minutes) - A look at how the show created and then destroyed Big Ben.
* On Set With Billie Piper (19 minutes) - An on-set video diary/behind-the-scenes with the lovely Ms. Piper.
* Mike Tucker's Mocks of Balloons (5 minutes) - A special effects featurette.
* Designing Doctor Who (20 minutes) - Production design takes center stage in this fascinating feature.
* The Adventures of Captain Jack (8 minutes) - Actor John Barrowman talks about his time on the show as Captain Jack.
Doctor Who may be a British import, but it reminds you that science fiction can still be done right. In the wake of the cancellations of shows like Invasion, Surface, Threshold, Enterprise, Night Stalker, and others, it’s good to know that there is still some really great genre television out there. You might not have joined The Doctor in his travels when they aired on Sci Fi, but you’re truly missing out if you don’t pick up this DVD set.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Overall Picture:
Show: A
DVD: A+
- Mike Spring
Editor
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