The Legends Continue

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'DC's Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Second Season' on Blogcritics.

New to Blu-ray, DVD, and digital is DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Second Season. A spin-off of fellow CW series The Flash and Arrow, Legends finds a group of misfits, both heroes and villains, who are not notable to history banding together to protect all of time. The Complete Second Season is basically a continuation of the first year, but with several of the team members swapped out. A new set of villains, pulled once again from the two parent shows, helps make the adventure fresh.

I loved the premise of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow from the start, and appreciated many of the characters in the ensemble, but was underwhelmed with season one. Thankfully, season two does much to correct that right away. The first year was saddled with an uninteresting story arc that weighed things down. The Complete Second Season does have an ongoing plot thread, but it travels to many more time periods, takes itself less seriously when it’s appropriate to do so, and deepens the characters, making the show into the fun romp it should have always been.

Not every episode is gold, and sometimes the effects and scale of action have to be lesser than they should be for budgetary reasons. But even some of the duller ones, like “Abominations,” have exciting elements that make the most of the money, like Confederate zombies! Yes, the show plays fast and loose with the premise; plenty of things the characters do or see should change history seriously and they don’t, while minor changes have large impacts. However, the season starts and ends strong, with swashbuckling and adventure, and overall, it’s a pretty entertaining run.

A big part of how much enjoyment The Complete Second Season has to offer are the antagonists. The Legion of Doom is comprised of three previously seen villains: speedster Eobard Thawne (Matt Letscher), who has a very powerful motivation in these episodes; incredibly dangerous magic master Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough); and the always charming Malcolm Meryln (John Barrowman). Even before they are joined late in the game by former Legend Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller), they have engaging chemistry that makes one gleefully anticipate every scene they’re in as a group. They set a high bar for season three to live up to.

Less successful is the way the team has changed. While the Hawks were good characters to jettison, Captain Cold’s presence is missed, and too different when he returns on the other side to be comforting. Neither Nate (Nick Zano) nor Amaya (Maisie Richardson-Sellers) are that gripping. The former would have been much more interesting had he not eventually gotten powers. The season suffers from the decreased presence of Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill), though the benefit of his absence is the welcome increased importance of Sara Lance (Caity Lotz). I’d say this mostly makes the makeup of the group a wash, though the chemistry between those around for both years has strengthened delightfully, with Mick Rory (Dominic Purcell) having an especially compelling arc in how he relates to everyone else.

As far as bonus features go, I’d say this release has the minimum needed to be decent, but nothing particularly special. There are a handful of deleted scenes and a fun gag reel. The Comic-Con panel included is from 2016, so not a terrible way to get excited before watching the season, but far less valuable after you’ve seen the episodes, and since its on the last disc, that’s likely when people will view it. It would be far wiser to include the 2017 panel instead, but they did not.

There’s also a featurette on the “Invasion!” crossover between all four CW DC shows, Arrow, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl. The Legends contribution to the miniseries is the finale, and the episode itself is pretty good. But the featurette itself seems to be talking about ideas that aren’t fully communicated on screen, and I found the full story to be relatively disappointing. It didn’t quite living up to what I’d hoped for, changing course too much between parts and shifting the makeup of the combined group hourly without satisfying explanation as to why.

Yes, this is a mixed review, but overall, I would recommend DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Second Season. I’d say that just for Victor Garber’s performance alone, but he’s far from the only redeeming quality. This batch was better than the first, and I’m optimistic about where the show will go from here.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Second Season is available now.

Own DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW Today

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'DC's Legends of Tomorrow - The Complete First Season' on Blogcritics.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.

Once upon a time, two successful television shows, Arrow and The Flash, had a wealth of great, fun recurring characters between them. Unable to devote as much time as the writers would like to these personalities, given that they had lots of main characters to serve, too, it seemed that fans would have to wait impatiently for little snippets of them when they fit into the stories.

A solution presented itself, though. What if a whole bunch of the supporting players were lumped together and given their own team spin-off? And to sweeten the pot, how about add time travel into the mix, opening up a lot more possibilities and setting the story apart so it didn’t run into the continuity of the other series every week? Thus, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow was born, an Avengers-style team-up of heroes and villains.

Those chosen are a pretty strong crew. There’s Sara Lance / White Canary (Caity Lotz), Ray Palmer / The Atom (Brandon Routh), Leonard Snart / Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller), Mick Rory / Heat Wave (Dominic Purcell), Dr. Martin Stein (Victor Garber) and Jefferson Jackson (Franz Drameh), who together become Firestorm, and a couple of Hawk people that aren’t all that interesting, but are essential to the first Big Bad’s plot. Toss in Doctor Who’s Arthur Darvill as Rip Hunter, the man who as seeks their help, and it’s an incredibly ensemble right off the bat.

Barely has the season began when (SPOILER ALERT) the premise is blown apart. Originally, Rip tells these people that they are Legends in his time, and that’s why he’s sought their help. Instead, it turns out that they are forgotten footnotes who won’t be missed if something happens to them. This is a painful twist, but one that makes the following proceedings all the more emotionally moving, as each player suddenly has something to prove to both themselves and the word. It’s a really neat idea.

The season itself, comprised of sixteen episodes on this two-disc set, is a tad uneven. For every really cool event, there’s also a snoozer that no one will care about. But for me, already a fan of the six players and newbie mentioned above, I found the run to be overall quite engaging. There are some heroic sacrifices and emotional moments that make the occasional hokey action sequence or repetitive Hawk flashback worth it. Add in fun crossover cameos and a cool cliffhanger featuring Hourman (Patrick J. Adams, Suits), and this show is definitely worth watching. I am very excited to see where it goes when it returns for a second season.

The extras in this release are good. I like the tour of the Waverider, the ship the troupe travels on, which is a pretty spectacular set that begs for further examination. The history major in me also appreciates the featurette on real-life events, even if I wish it were a little more in-depth. The Comic Con panel is, like on most home releases, shortened considerably, which is pretty disappointing, considering most of us will never get the opportunity to travel to San Diego. Still, it’s nice that some of it is here. There’s also a bit on the character of Jonah Hill, who is much cooler in this show than in the recent film flop, and a gag reel, which many people like.

This means I’m pretty happy with the whole thing, and appreciate that the also-ran of the CW’s DC-lineup (which didn’t quite hit as strongly as the two shows that spawned it) isn’t also the black sheep of the Blu-ray market. I look forward to an even better second season, and if you skipped this one, give it a chance. It’s probably better than you think, superior to most broadcast network television.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow – The Complete First Season is available now.

DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW Aired A Couple Days Ago

Article first published as DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW Review on Seat42F.

 

Thursday, January 21^st brings one of, if not the, most anticipated mid-season premiere on the broadcast networks. DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW, a spin-off combining characters from the popular shows The Flash and Arrow, launches, expanding the comic book universe on the network, and making three simultaneously running series set in the same universe. It’s the culmination of the crossovers that have worked very well for the two shows, and a chance to see some fan favorite characters a lot more often. While Marvel is winning at the box office, DC is dominating the small screen.

The premise of DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW is well publicized, so I don’t mind recapping it here. Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill, Doctor Who, Broadchurch) comes back in time from a bleak future in which Vandal Savage (Casper Crump) is destroying the world. To prevent catastrophe, Rip assembles eight people remembered in history as legends to team up and stop Vandal before his rise to power. These include: Professor Martin Stein (Victor Garber) and Jefferson Jackson (Franz Drameh), who together become Firestorm; the resurrected Sara Lance (Caity Lotz), now the White Canary; Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh), a.k.a. The Atom; the immortal Hawkman (Falk Hentschel) and Hawkgirl (Ciara Renee), also known as Chay-Ara and Khufu, who have their own history with Vandal; and the villainous Leonard Snart (Wentworth Miller) and Mick Rory (Dominic Purcell), dubbed Captain Cold and Heat Wave because of their weapons.

The group is undeniably fun. By including antagonists alongside protagonists, there is natural conflict and varied motivations. The spectrum runs from the idealistic (Ray) to the in-it-for-themselves (Leonard and Mick), from those seeking redemption (Sara) to those just out for adventure (Martin). Some have a personal stake in the outcome, while others want to prove something to themselves. None stand out as “the” star, all coming from second-fiddle status on Arrow and / or The Flash, making DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW one of the truest, most balanced ensembles assembled.

While not all of the actors are on the level of Garber or Darvill, both fantastic actors, they are well used in these roles. The writers have smartly figured out the characters, and played to the strengths of the individual performers as much as possible. Miller and Purcell are delightfully re-teamed after their stint on Prison Break as brothers, albeit with a totally different chemistry. Overall, it’s a nice assembly.

I wouldn’t say my review of the pilot is quite as glowing as how excited I am about the premise. With expectations high, DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW has a lot to live up to, and while it gets off to a decent start, it still has some way to go.

The main flaw I see is that this series was created when a group of people thought “Wouldn’t it be fun to see ____ together with ____.” It’s a hodgepodge of characters, not at all like an Avengers best-of-their-class team up. This is a great concept, but it takes a lot of skill and finesse to make it work. The first two hours fall just a bit short of that, at times having some really good interactions, particularly between Sara and Leonard, but at other times, feeling more like the idea is better than the execution.

There is hope, however. While the premise seems a bit weak at the start, there is a twist late in the first hour that does a lot to righting the course of the story and making things that seem off make more sense. I can’t reveal what I mean by that, but if you can get through that rocky beginning, it will result in a good pay off. The second half of the pilot, which will air a week later, is much better because of it.

At the end of the day, I remain excited about this show. It has a bit of maturing to do, not hitting the ground running as strong as The Flash did, but with a better start than Arrow’s. The sheer adventure element is so much fun, and I do look forward to the character growth that will surely emerge, as well as the larger scale story that this series is tailor-made to tackle. The CW has very valuable property on their hands with their DC partnership, and I hope they continue to make good use of it.

DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW premieres Thursday, January 21^st on the CW with the first half of the two-hour pilot.

Blu-ray Review: ‘The Paradise’

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: ‘The Paradise’ on Blogcritics.

It seems there are always competing projects in the works, with multiple versions of Snow White hitting theaters at nearly the same time, and various Wizard of Oz television programs being developed for next fall’s TV season. Just as folks are discovering Mr. Selfridge, along comes The Paradise, which also is set around the opening of the first big department store in England. The Paradise’s first eight episode series is now available in a two-disc Blu-ray set.

Unlike Mr. Selfridge, which centers on the proprietor of the establishment, The Paradise chooses to unfold through the eyes of young Denise Lovett (Joanna Vanderham, Dancing on the Edge), one of the peons in this world. Denise works for her Uncle Edmund’s (Peter Wight, Babel, Atonement) small business as a shop girl in 1875. But when The Paradise opens nearby, the little store suffers. Undaunted, Denise lands a job for their competitor, and soon catches the eye of the boss, John Moray (Emun Elliott, Prometheus).

Now, Moray is a handsome widower, and Denise isn’t the only one vying for his attention. Her quick rise through the ranks, at least partially due to Moray’s attention, sparks jealousy in her co-worker, Clara (Sonya Cassidy, Vera), who has slept with Moray, but failed to win his heart, as well as the head of the ladies’ fashion department, Miss Audrey (Sarah Lancashire, Lark Rise to Cranford). But Denise is anything but fragile, so she can handle a little competition.

Moray isn’t perfect. Lacking financial resources himself, having come from a very modest background, he counts on the generosity of Lord Glendenning (Patrick Malahide, Hunted) to see his dreams realized. Glendenning has a daughter named Katherine (Elaine Cassidy, Harper’s Island) who also has designs on Moray, so, needless to say, Denise has her work cut out for her to win the man, as well as the successful career she wants.

The Paradise has many of the staples of classic British drama: the various economic classes mixing, messy romance with multiple suitors, the plucky hero who works to better themselves, a sprawling cast, a concentrated story, and gorgeous costumes. Plus, with the staff living above the store, it even gets a little bit of a Downtown Abbey feel sometimes, at the least the parts of that show that focus on the servants. In short, if you’re a fan of the genre, this series should satisfy you quite well.

The plots are scandalous, sort of a period piece version of soapy primetime shows. Some of the stories in this set include: a man whose termination is demanded because of immoral behavior, a baby abandoned in the store being used as a sales tool, mysterious and / or unexpected illnesses, secrets about a past death dredged up, comical misunderstandings, a stubborn shop keep (Doctor Who‘s Arthur Darvill) serving as a barrier to progress, and a lavish wedding plagued by complications. So it’s full and entertaining, even if it delves a little bit into a hyper-reality.

This release is Blu-ray, so no review would be complete without a discussion of production quality. The Paradise has many vibrant colors, which come across very well in high definition, and the detail is welcome. Sometimes, in the darker scenes, a little graininess creeps in, and occasionally, the sharp picture reveals the falseness of the setting. However, overall, it’s a pretty good visual presentation for a British drama, which typically has a little lower budget than its American counterparts.

As for audio, the dialogue is front and center, super clean. There aren’t a lot of effects and the track doesn’t really make use of the surround sound available to the 5.1 mix tin this set. However, you shouldn’t miss a word the characters say, and for a series like this, that’s what viewers are looking for, anyway.

There are also a quartet of bonus features, much more than the other most recent BBC series releases. Interviews with with the cast are present, as well as a set tour, a featurette on the glamorous costumes (of course), and a behind the scenes extra. There are not any commentaries or deleted scenes, as most American audiences look for, but compared to its peers, The Paradise doesn’t do bad with inclusions.

The Paradise is available now on Blu-ray.

Blu-ray Review: ‘Doctor Who – The Complete Seventh Series’

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: ‘Doctor Who – The Complete Seventh Series’ on Blogcritics.

Some like to buy new Doctor Who releases as soon as they come out, but for those who have bypassed the last few, releases the wait was well worth it. Brand new from the BBC is Doctor Who – The Complete Seventh Series, which includes not only the13-episode seventh series, but also two Christmas specials and a wealth of bonus features, some of them never seen before, in a four-disc set.

First up is “The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe.” The Doctor (Matt Smith) visits a woman named Madge (Claire Skinner, Outnumbered) who once helped him out. It’s 1941 and her husband has gone missing. Madge takes her children, Lily (Holly Earl, Casualty) and Cyril (Maurice Cole), to a relative’s house for Christmas, but soon they travel through a portal to a planet being destroyed by a mining company. It’s a fluff episode, just a good, old-fashioned, heart-warming holiday tale, sure to bring a smile to the viewers’ faces.

Then, we jump into series seven the final five episodes featuring Amy (Karen Gillian) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) as the Doctor’s companions. They have been traveling with him a long time, on and off for about a decade from their perspective, or three years in our minds. Each and every one of this quintet of adventures is incredibly special, made with care, knowing their end is near. They find “Dinosaurs on a Spaceship,” visit “A Town Called Mercy” in what appears to be the Old West, are forced to go to an old foe’s planet in “Asylum of the Daleks,” where they meet an odd souffle chef, and learn about “The Power of Three” in an epic story that unfolds over the course of a year and culminates in Amy and Rory making an important life decision.

Of course, the best of the batch is the last, “The Angels Take Manhattan.” Amy, Rory, the Doctor, and River Song (Alex Kingston) are pulled into New York City in the past by the Angels, those creepy living statues that can steal time from you. This is the moment where love must be proven, and values are assessed, ending with a very teary finale.

Next is “The Snowmen,” the first Doctor Who special that ditches the stand-alone format in favor of a bridge to the titular character’s arc this year. The Doctor is moping about in old England, watched over by his loyal pals Madame Vastra (Neve McIntosh), her wife, Jenny (Catrin Stewart), and Strax (Dan Starkey). Strange snowmen, created by the Great Intelligence (Ian McKellan / Richard E. Grant), begin killing people, and the dead souffle chef we met with the Daleks returns as a totally different person. Is all of this enough to pull the Doctor out of his moping?

It turns out the answer is yes, and this kicks off the eight-episode second leg of the season. Starting with “The Bells of Saint John,” in which the Doctor is searching for the twice-dead girl, Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman), the two soon find each other and set of on a number of adventures together. The Doctor and Clara see the remarkable “Rings of Akhaten,” go into a Russian submarine during the “Cold War” and find an Ice Warrior, “Hide” from ghosts stuck in time, “Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS,” which does not care for Clara, help Vastra (Neve McIntosh), Jenny (Catrin Stewart), and Strax (Dan Starkey) investigate “The Crimson Horror,” and find a “Nightmare in Silver,” a.k.a. the Cyberman, in an abandoned amusement park.

These episodes, on the whole, aren’t as good as the first half of series seven, but then, they are the beginning of something new, finding a dynamic between friends just forming their bond, rather than the reward at the end of a long time spent traveling together, so they don’t have the built-in weight and meaning. They serve to introduce the new companion, and that’s the goal here, not starting a new major arc. In this, they work.

The series ends with “The Name of the Doctor,” a mind-blowing showdown at the Doctor’s tomb, with all his pals in attendance, and a glimpse of every incarnation of our hero up ’til now. This is where we learn Clara’s secret, and meet a new version of the Doctor  who is not the Doctor (John Hurt). It’s not only a huge episode in of itself, it also beautifully sets up this fall’s 50th anniversary special.

In all, these are great episodes, well worthy of the Doctor Who series, with many memorable moments and people.

Of course, the Doctor Who set would not be complete without a ton of bonus features. There are behind-the-scenes bits for each and every episode, interviews with Smith and Coleman, full-length specials discussing the show, prequels to a number of installments, webisodes, and a few audio commentaries, which were not part of previous releases. There also fresh featurettes about Clara, the TARDIS, Rain Gods, Inforarium, and more. This is definitely a treasure trove.

As usual, the high definition presentation on the Blu-ray is everything you could ask for. Doctor Who has a number of different settings, so that are lots of opportunity to explore fantastical, special effects-heavy worlds, as well as varying color schemes. All of this comes across as rich and detailed. An at-times-stellar score mixes perfectly with the crisp dialogue, and there are never any complaints of static or graininess. Considering some of the spectacular visuals, Blu-ray is the recommended format to view it in. And yes, I realize if you regularly follow my Doctor Who reviews, this paragraph sounds awfully familiar, but what else is there to say? It looks awesome.

Doctor Who – The Complete Seventh Series is a truly excellent release, and is available now.

BROADCHURCH Not Warm, But Welcome

Article first published as BROADCHURCH Not Warm, But Welcome on TheTVKing.

BBC America viewers are halfway through the first series of the British show Broadchurch as of this past week. The hour-long drama is similar to The Killing, revolving around a single murder of a young boy over the course of the eight episode run, and depicting his family as well as the police looking into the death. At this point, the list of suspects is long, but the number of important clues are sparse.

Broadchurch is an excellent entry to the crime genre. It boasts strong storytelling, with natural twists, and numerous threads intertwined. The acting, done by a roster that includes several familiar faces, is fantastic, and the series lets us dwell on characters as appropriate. However, it also avoids the slow pacing that turned some (not including myself) off of The Killing, and will almost certainly solve the case at the end of hour eight.

The lead detective is DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant, Doctor Who), a man with a past. It is clear that whatever demons dwell within him, owing to an old case he screwed up, are catching up now, as he falls and hits his head, which is presumably connected to pills he is taking, mixed with alcohol. The question we're faced with is, will he self-destruct before he can finish the job? Tennant very rarely lets Who slip into the role, showing fans something new with this part.

Alec is assisted by DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman, Twenty Twelve), who is inexperienced in such grisly murders, but is intelligent and capable. This week, Ellie invites Alec over for dinner, which he awkwardly agrees to. This not only allows them to bond a bit, but we see a lighter side of Alec as he drinks with Ellie's husband, Joe (Matthew Gravelle, The Bible). Alec and Ellie are a bit of an odd couple, but are likely to succeed together, both being beneficial to the other.

Of course, Ellie is distracted by her very personal connection to the small town scandal, her son, Tom (Adam Wilson, Mr Selfridge), being the dead boy's best friend, leaving her in an awkward position when talking to the victim's mother, Beth (Jodie Whittaker, Wired). It's an interesting dynamic, when the police, by virtue of the size of the village, have feelings about those involved, and it's part of what makes Broadchurch so good.

Another thing the show does well is deal with the aspects of this type of murder. For instance, this week Beth finally agrees to talk to Karen White (Vicky McClure, Line of Duty), a big-paper journalist who is working with the local press. Karen isn't pushy, and seems sincere when pleading with Beth to do the interview, pointing out that press attention could help motivate witnesses to come forward and the truth to come out, and she's not getting that support now. But are Karen's motivations merely selfish? The pack of pushy reporters who follow behind her aren't so kind to the family, and Karen doesn't do a good job of preparing Beth for that backlash. It's a tricky business.

There is also a fake psychic who convinces Beth he wants to help, but whom Ellie reveals as a charlatan. It's a shame such jerks prey on those who are grieving, but this is a fact of life, not often seen in standard cop procedurals, so it's interesting to be brought in here. Plus, the psychic character is fairly convincing, even for those skeptical, so it's easy to see how a desperate Beth would fall for his charade.

I also love the way Alec goes to church just to spy on the locals, hoping to figure out who is responsible. It's a smart, though cynical, viewpoint, aided by the other characters' treatment of religion in general, attitudes that are just now catching on on this side of the pond.

Among the prime suspects right now are: Mark (Andrew Buchan), the victim's father, who was having an affair with hotel manager, Becca (Simone McAullay, Blue Heelers); Jack (David Bradley, the Harry Potter films), the victim's newspaper delivery boss, who claims his recently uncovered past as a sex offender isn't what it appears to be; Susan (Pauline Quirker), the scary owner of the cabin that is likely the crime scene, and who goes by a different name than she used to; and Rev. Coates (Arthur Darvill, Doctor Who), who doesn't have an alibi, and just feels slightly creepy.

It likely isn't any of these people, since we're still only halfway through. Anyone who has read or watched a few murder mysteries know that the killer isn't unmasked until late in the game, with plenty of red herrings along the way. My wife has theorized that Joe Miller could be the culprit, appearing the least likely at this time, but that seems too much of a stretch to me. However, I don't mind waiting to find out when the journey getting there is this good.

Something some people misunderstand about a good series such as this is that who is guilty is not the point. If it were, we'd learn who they are early on, and the rest of the tale would be about proving it. Instead, the draw is the process of putting together the clues, as that is what most of the plot concerns. In this, Broadchurch is doing a spectacular job with a complex, well-thought-out arc. This is definitely one of my favorite shows of the summer.

Broadchurch airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on BBC America.

Doctor Who back for more

For those who missed the scant five episode of Doctor Who that aired this fall, you're in luck. The BBC has just been released on a two-disc Blu-ray and DVD set, Doctor Who Series Seven, Part One. And for those who didn't miss the season, you already know that these are five fantastic installments, so you might be interested as well. It will be something to tide fans over until the series returns for a longer run next year.

As series seven begins, Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) are getting a divorce. That's right; the man who waited two thousand years for his love has been tossed out of the house. The Doctor (Matt Smith) is concerned when he notices, but he has other concerns, as the three have been swept up by the Daleks, who are asking for the trio's help with their prison planet.

"Asylum of the Daleks," the season opener, is one of the best hours of Who ever made. Not only do we get to see the Doctor's archnemesis in a slightly different light, and get a glimpse of another aspect of their society, but we also have the Amy/Rory breakup mystery to sustain us. Toss in the introduction of Oswin (Jenna-Louise Coleman, Captain America: The First Avenger, Emmerdale), who will take over as the Doctor's companion beginning this Christmas, and some wonderful twists, progress on a major arc involving the Doctor's identity, and action sequences, and the season begins with a bang!

From there we move to "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship," which is a truly fun romp. There is some danger, with a space pirate (David Bradley, the Harry Potter films) having hijacked a ship full of dinosaurs, which a future version of UNIT is ready to blow out of the sky. But the meat of this episode lies in the humor created when the Doctor brings together not only Rory and Amy for the outing, but also Rory's father, Brian Williams (Mark Williams, also Harry Potter), Queen Nefertiti (Riann Steele, Holby City) from ancient Egypt, and John Riddell (Rupert Graves, borrowed from Steven Moffat's other series, Sherlock), a big game hunter from the early twentieth century. It's these clashing personalities set among such fantastical creatures that really make this episode memorable. Plus, the most adorable triceratops ever!

Then there's " A Town Called Mercy," an interesting little morality tale, that happens to be set in the Old West, and involves a cyborg. This one is arguably the least of the five episode in the set, and yet, the care with which the town is designed, and the Western genre influence, combine to make it worthy of the collection. As the Doctor would say, Stetsons are cool.

In "The Power of Three," Brian is back (yay!). Taking place over a very long span of time, the world is slowly invaded by cubes, while Amy and Rory try to build a more normal life on Earth, and the Doctor struggles with letting them go. The highlights of this episode include seeing how much the Doctor cares for his companions, and how well he does not adapt to the type of lifestyle that they the married couple are considering. It's a "take stock" episode, and it's narration makes it a departure from the norm, if Doctor Who has a norm.

Finally, in "The Angels Take Manhattan," the central trio is drawn to a noir version of New York City, and River Song (Alex Kingston) makes her, sadly, only appearance in this batch. The Angels, Doctor Who's scariest villains, have built themselves a farm in the middle of the metropolis, and catch Rory in their trap. Can the Doctor change time to save him, or will he lose both of his best friends in one swoop? It's a moving love story with high stakes danger and some huge developments.

Not only are these episode incredible, but the special features are pretty great, too. There's the hour-long special, "The Science of Doctor Who," which recently aired on BBC America. "Ayslum of the Daleks" gets a prequel, "A Town Called Mercy" has a bit of back story, and a series of minisodes called "Pond Life" seem to set up the series as a whole. Plus, there's a feature following the cast as they visit Comic Con earlier this year. It may fall slightly short of a "Making Of," but all the additional scenes included on this set, not appearing in the episodes, are very satisfying.

The Blu-ray itself is amazing. There are rich colors in every landscape, whether characters are on a dark spaceship, the dusty Old West, or the grey of the city. Each setting is vibrant and life-like. This isn't even including the special effects, which are often pretty darn neat, and showcased brilliantly in HD. Sound is high quality, with the base stepping in exactly where you want it to, and overall providing an immersive experience, without pops or static that will ruin the moment.

Fantastic episodes, great extras, and a stunning visual and auditory experience, I have no complaints at all about Doctor Who Season Seven, Part One other than that I wish it went on longer. The Blu-ray and DVD are available now.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Doctor Who Series Seven, Part One on Blogcritics.

Doctor Who's latest Christmas special on Blu-ray and DVD

Christmas specials are an honored tradition in the rebooted Doctor Who franchise, and the holiday season of 2011 was no exception. Now, on Valentine's Day, comes the DVD and Blu-ray debut of that episode, "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe."

The special starts with the good Doctor (Matt Smith) fumbling around in 1938. A kindly woman named Madge (Claire Skinner, Outnumbered) helps him out. Three years later, the Doctor returns to repay that kindness.

In 1941, Madge receives word that her husband, Reg (Alexander Armstrong, The Sarah Jane Adventures), has gone missing in the war. Fearing the worst, she keeps the news from her children, Lily (Holly Earl, Casualty) and Cyril (Maurice Cole), as they travel to a relative's house, outside of threatened London, for Christmas.

The house that they stay in has a strange and very festive caretaker, who is actually, though unrecognized by them, the Doctor. Cyril goes into a glowing Christmas present, and the Doctor and Lily follow him. The trio are in a snow covered world inhabited by wooden creatures. These beings wish to escape their world, but deem the visitors too weak to help them.

In the meantime, Madge goes after her missing kids, and learns that this alien planet is about be pulverized by a mining company. She finds her children and rescues them and the wooden race. But to escape, she must think of memories of home, including the bad news about Reg, which the kids witness through her. Luckily, when they do return home, Reg is there, too, safe and sound! The Doctor leaves them their happy Christmas, and makes a visit to loved ones of his own, Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill).

Honestly, the story in "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe" is a little hokey. Many of the performers hired to join this adventure have comedic backgrounds, and while Doctor Who does often incorporate humor, that is not the focus of the show. Also, there are a few things, plot-wise, that don't quite add up, and the villains don't build that much suspense.

However, those things are minor, and pale in comparison to the joy that this special brings. It is stuffed to the gills with Christmas cheer. The Doctor has always exhibited a fondness for the December holiday, and it's readily apparent that this emotion is firmly in place here. His enthusiasm is infectious, and the adventure has a magical quality often associated with this time of year. The spirit and the tone are such that the episode seems to rise above the sum of its parts, and is thoroughly enjoyable.

One reason for this is the childlike wonder present. The Doctor goes off with the kids, not with the mom, and he fits right in, personality-wise. The adventure isn't too dangerous, and safety and happy endings are almost guaranteed right from the beginning, a strength in this kind of story, rather than a weakness. The special effects and sets add to this feel-good tone, and what is left is something that tastes very good going down.
There are references to other works in this special. The most obvious, of course, is C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, from which the episode title takes its name. Both involve children traveling through portals onto winter worlds. However, Doctor Who does not get overly religious, and the focus is certainly not preachy.

There's also the joy fans of Doctor Who will get in seeing Amy and Rory again. For them, it has been two years since the Doctor faked his death and left them, though those episodes aired only a few months ago in reality. Thus, it answers the question of, will their characters ever know the truth about the Doctor's fate? It's a heartwarming reunion many will be glad to see.

The extras are quite nice, actually taking up much more time on the disc than the special itself. A prequel to the special shows just how the Doctor ends up where Madge finds him. It's short and sweet. Plus, included are three "The Best of Doctor Who" specials that aired recently: "The Best of the Doctor," "The Best of the Companions," and "The Best of the Monsters." None are particularly impressive, but will satisfy those just wishing to relive Doctor Who moments. Plus, since each is almost as long as "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe" itself, it makes the price a little easier to swallow.

Also cool is a teaser for the online video game, Doctor Who Worlds in Time. It looks like a really neat way to waste some time! There are stickers and a code to unlock a reward inside the packaging, which is a good bonus.

Buying the Blu-ray over the DVD is highly recommended. After all, like any Doctor Who special, there are lots of special effects. Those sorts of things are always more enjoyable with a crystal clear picture and wonderful surround sound. It's well worth the extra couple of bucks.

Buy "The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe," on sale now.

Doctor Who The Complete Sixth Series arrives on Blu-ray

     Doctor Who The Complete Sixth Series is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. Over the course of the season, the Doctor (Matt Smith) worries about his impending death date in Utah, while learning more about the mysterious River Song (Alex Kingston, ER) and the Silence. He is still joined by Amy Pond (Karen Gillan, The Well) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill, Swimming With Sharks) on his missions. Together, they continue the very big job of keeping the universe, through time, safe from any number of threats.

     Season six begins big, with the companions being entrusted with a secret that the Doctor cannot know, and all of them having to help Richard Nixon. Things heat up even more in the second part of the premiere, with the FBI on their trail, and aliens that can hide in plain sight, fooling everyone. In other episodes, the team also visits a 17th century pirate ship, explores 22nd century cloning, goes to Berlin in 1938, stays at a hotel that thrives on fear, and confront the Cybermen again. And, the bad guys aren't all whom you may expect in series six, either. Both River Song and a future version of Amy could end it all if the Doctor isn't careful. This spells a thrilling, intense, edge-of-your-seat batch of episodes that just may comprise the best Doctor Who season yet!

     Perhaps because of the high quality of the stories, Doctor Who is able to continue to attract a very good array of guest stars. Sci-fi staple Mark Sheppard (Supernatural, Warehouse 13) gets into the action in the two-part series opener. Listen closely, and one will hear the voices of Michael Sheen (the Twilight movies, Frost/Nixon) and Imelda Staunton (Cranford, Harry Potter). American NBC anchor Meredith Vieira is in the series finale, and Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Suranne Jones (Coronation Street), Lily Cole (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus), and David Walliams (Little Britain) are just a few of the other familiar faces. Plus, James Corden and Simon Callow reprise their Doctor Who roles as Craig Owens and Charles Dickens, respectively.

     Arguably, an even bigger get is award-winning writer Neil Gaiman, who pens "The Doctor's Wife," in which the TARDIS is captured by a mind on an asteroid. It's an exciting cat and mouse game, as the villain holds the Doctor's companions hostage. Luckily, the Doctor finds allies in Uncle and Auntie, who are not, in fact, his uncle and auntie. Because of Gaiman's reputation, expectations are high on this episode, and it fully delivers.

     Series six was previously available as two separate sets, but this release is six discs containing all 13 episodes. It also has last year's Christmas special, "A Christmas Carol," which has had its own release, too. Thus, Doctor Who: The Complete Sixth Series is bringing together three different products in one.

     Bonus features are not scarce either. Five of the series six episodes have short prequels to better set things up. There are two Comic Relief sketches from a charity event. Four shorts known as "Monster Files" delve into the Doctor's best opponents, giving a deeper exploration of the rich guest characters. Plus, Doctor Who Confidential has an inside look at all 13 episodes, with a bonus Confidential concerning "A Night's Tale" (see below). There are also audio commentaries on selected episodes.

     Perhaps most valuable bonuses are five Night and the Doctor specials available only on the new release. They cannot be found online, at least not legally, and were not broadcast on television. As such, they make this release a must-own for any completionist fan.

     With 1080i high definition, and 16:.9 aspect ratio, as well as DTS HD 5.1 surround sound, Doctor Who looks and sounds fantastic. It's a science fiction show with a lot of special effects, and thus, fans will want the best viewing experience possible. They get it with this Blu-ray set, featuring crystal clear picture and sound that will look and sound amazing on any decent home entertainment system. Even better, many of the special features, which aren't always up to the same standards, actually are in this set, having the same audio and visual stats as the episodes themselves. This is certainly a truly excellent set.

     Doctor Who The Complete Sixth Series is, as you may expect, excellent.  The blacks, and all other hues, are rich and deep. This allows for a lot of details, even when events occur in shadow. There is no static around the edges of any of the sound effects, which also are not abnormally loud. Sound levels are mixed to a fine degree, and will allow viewers to stay in the moment on screen effortlessly.

     Buy Doctor Who The Complete Sixth Series, out on Blu-ray and DVD today.

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Article first published as Blu-Ray Review: Doctor Who The Complete Sixth Series on Blogcritics.