TV Review: ‘The Doctors Revisited – Ninth to Eleventh’

Article first published as TV Review: ‘The Doctors Revisited – Ninth to Eleventh’ on Blogcritics.

As Doctor Who‘s 50th year winds down, the last set of The Doctors Revisited, Ninth to Eleventh, has been released on DVD. These are a lot like the other eight specials, with approximately 30 minutes devoted to discussion of each of The Doctor’s latest incarnations. As before, some of each Doctor’s adventures are included, this time in the form of a pair of one-hour installments rather than a complete serial, keeping with the changed format of the show.

These three are the modern Doctors, beginning with the 2005 reboot and continuing to the present. Premiering nearly a decade after the 1990s TV movie, and even longer since the show went off the air, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, and Matt Smith take what came before them and updated it for the modern era. Still maintaining some of the magic, charm, humor, and monsters, Doctor Who has been tweaked in the best of ways, and has never been more popular.

Eccleston is the first one to be profiled, and his reign is pretty brief, having only been featured in one series. His Ninth Doctor is badly scarred from a war in which he committed heinous acts (a subject touched upon in the recently-aired anniversary special Day of the Doctor), and now he’s trying to find himself again. Along with a young, pretty companion named Rose (Billie Piper), Eccleston re-introduces us to the character as we’ve never seen him before, setting the bar for his followers.

The episodes included in this set for Eccleston are “Bad Wolf” and “The Parting of the Ways.” This is his two-part finale, in which Rose is tested and Captain Jack (John Barrowman), who will soon earn his own spin-off, concludes his time traveling with The Doctor.

David Tennant, “my doctor,” takes over in series two and stays for three years, as well as for a number of specials. The Tenth Doctor has multiple companions during his tenure, beginning with Rose, whom he falls in love with, and continuing through Martha (Freema Agyeman) and Donna (Catherine Tate). This Doctor is witty and clever, but has a dangerous edge that can come out when needed.

Tennant’s run not only makes good use of old foes, such as the Cyberman, the Daleks, and the Master, but also begins building larger-arc stories that play out over a number of episodes. The end of his fourth series is truly a culmination of all that he does, with many of his previous friends, including Sarah Jane (Elisabeth Sladen) from the old series, teaming up in a fantastic finale, which happen to be the installments selected for this DVD.

After Tennant comes Matt Smith’s Doctor. A bit more goofy than the Tenth, the Eleventh is also more unstable, prone to bouts of extreme loneliness, often resulting in the erosion of his moral compass. Though Smith stays for three series (his run will end in the upcoming Christmas special later this month), his story actually spans multiple centuries as he flits in and our of the lives of his companions, Amy Pond (Karen Gillian) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) over the course of a decade or so (from their perspective). After Amy and Rory depart, which leads to even more moping, the Eleventh begins traveling with Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman), a girl he witnesses dying multiple times, a mystery that brings The Doctor back to life.

The storytelling in Smith’s time becomes even more intricate and deep. As producer Steven Moffat takes the Doctor Who reigns from Russell T. Davies, more recurring characters populate the landscape, the Weeping Angels become an important returning villain, and events suddenly take years to play out, words mentioned in previous series culminating much later. The Doctor is also given a wife, River Song (Alex Kingston), whom the Tenth Doctor meets briefly, but whom the Eleventh loves very much, even as his tale and hers intertwine in strange and sad ways.

The episodes for Smith’s era are “The Impossible Astronaut” and “Day of the Moon,” the two-part opener to series six in which The Doctor, Amy, Rory, and River encounter The Silence, an alien race that cannot be remembered once they leave one’s eyesight. This is actually only the beginning of a story that will take awhile to conclude.

As usual, Moffat has recorded openings for each of the episodes, which can be watched in their original two-part versions or as a seamless feature.

The Doctors Revisits – Ninth to Eleventh is available now.

Before Zygons Return in 50th Anniversary, Check Out Their Terror

Article first published as DVD Review: 'Doctor Who - Terror of the Zygons' on Blogcritics.

With Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary special airing in just a few weeks, fans of the show are eager to gobble up any hints they may get as to the plot. One thing that has been revealed is that the Zygons will be featured, an alien race that has appeared only twice before, the second time being in a small way, disguised as humans in last year’s “The Power of Three.” Thus, it seems appropriate that the BBC chooses now to release the defining serial about this race – Terror of the Zygons – on DVD.

Terror of the Zygons is set in the Scottish Highlands and combines four familiar elements: an exploding oil rig, the Loch Ness Monster, overreaching espionage, and shapeshifters. I’m sure BP wishes the spill in the Gulf of Mexico could be blamed on aliens and sea creatures, but alas, this is fantasy, not reality.

The Doctor (Tom Baker), Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), and Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter) arrive in a Scottish town and investigate the destruction of the rig. It soon becomes clear that the destruction was not a natural occurrence, but their early attempts to investigate are thwarted because the Zygons are watching them, meaning they know exactly what our heroes are up to. Eventually, of course, the good guys get the upper hand.

It’s interesting just how relevant so much of Terror of the Zygons is, considering it aired in 1975 as the 13th season premiere.. It’s recently been in the news how the U.S. government is spying on everything we do, as well as our allies’ actions, much like the Zygons are doing in Scotland. Plus, the Deepwater Horizon incident is not far from our memories. This may have been nearly 40 years ago, but the story is still something we can relate to.

Many have praised the Zygons as a very interesting race, with Tenth Doctor David Tennant naming them as his favorite Doctor Who monster. It’s curious why they have been gone so long, then. Surely “The Power of Three” telegraphs the modern continuation’s plans to bring them in, and it’s about time. An alien race who live under the sea, have biological engineering, i.e. living mechanics, and depend on Nessie’s milk to survive, they are unique in many of their characteristics, and it’ll be cool to see how they’ve been updated.

Terror of the Zygons is actually an ending of sorts for a major Doctor Who era. Besides being the last series regular appearance of Harry Sullivan (the Doctor will not have another male companion for five years), it also marks the final episodes of Brigadier Lethbride-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney) for nearly a decade. For a time, Doctor Who became an ensemble, with the Doctor and UNIT cooperating frequently, especially while the Doctor was marooned on Earth. Here, we see the departure of that structure, signaling a return to an older version of Doctor Who stories.

The recent two-disc DVD release has plenty of extras, as usual. There’s an audio commentary with a panel of those who worked on the production, photo gallery, isolated music, and PDF materials. A Director’s Cut of the first part is available on the disc, which mainly adds a deleted scenes set early in the story. Featurettes include new additions to already existing series – “The UNIT Family – Part 3,” “Doctor Who Stories – Tom Baker,” and “Doctor Who Stories – Elisabeth Sladen.” There’s also a “Making of,” a tribute to Douglas Camfield, the director of this story, and more.

In short, the most recent Doctor Who release lives up to other recent DVDs in the series, continuing to provide not only the chance to watch classic installments of the beloved show, but also giving plenty of information for those who wish to look a bit deeper.

Doctor Who – Terror of the Zygons is available now.

DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited – First to Fourth’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited – First to Fourth’ on Blogcritics.

In honor of Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary this year, the BBC is releasing a special on each of the eleven Doctors. Each airing is approximately half an hour of documentary about one of the Doctors, and then a full serial in which they star, making it several hours of footage for each. Recently, the First through the Fourth of these were released in a four-disc DVD set.

For fans of the modern Doctor Who, this is a real treasure trove. If you’re like me, you’ve only seen a handful of the old episodes (there are a lot of them), or perhaps none at all. This set gives you a quick overview of who each Doctor is, how the show changed with each new incarnation, and a bit about the actor who played them, making you feel somewhat informed as we approach the big anniversary event. People actually involved in the process are interviewed, giving their unique insights.

The first four were an interesting group. First came William Hartnell, whom is iconic in being the forefather to everything that came after him. At this point, the series was still in its infancy, and the writers hadn’t figured out exactly where they were going with things yet. The Doctor had a granddaughter, the only extended glimpse we get of his family and his life before the series, which seems strange. Yet, he also fought the Daleks and the Cyberman and had various companions during his tenure, establishing a basic structure that continues through today.

Then, Hartnell left the show and, rather than cancel it, someone came up with the brilliant idea that the Doctor would regenerate as a totally different person. Patrick Troughton was cast, and he sets that standard for departure in each new incarnation. Troughton didn’t play an impression of Hartnell, but he kept enough of his predecessor to make it a continuation. It’s a brilliant move that could have gone terribly wrong in hands other than those that guided it, one that has never been successfully repeated by any other series since.

After Troughton comes Jon Pertwee, who, to me, is whom I think of when I think of classic Doctor Who. Eccentric and wise, Pertwee is the caring elderly man who can also run around and be daring. He brings some of his own self to the part, including a memorable car for the Doctor to drive in. He also finds Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), perhaps the most famous of all companions, whom pops up many times over the years with several Doctors, and his long exile on Earth shifts the format of the show show for awhile.

Fourth is Tom Baker, the longest-serving Doctor. With his curly hair, loud scarf, and otherworldly personality, Baker definitely makes his mark. He serves as a transition between the first batch and the second of the older years, not quite fitting in with either group as well as the rest fit with one another, but definitely being memorable in his own right. A lot changes occur during the Baker years, especially the phasing out of UNIT, who had been quite integral to Doctor Who for awhile.

Along with the somewhat in-depth examination of each of the first four Doctors, four complete four-part serials are presented on the DVDs, just as they aired. The stories included here are “The Aztecs,” “The Tomb of the Cybermen,” “Spearhead From Space,” and “The Pyramids of Mars.” Each of these are carefully selected and are good representations of the periods from which they hail. Not exactly typical episodes, but also not too far from the norm, they are well chosen glimpses of the fine men who brought the Doctor to life and great reminders of how the show has lasted so long.

There aren’t any special features to speak of, but the introductions and interviews are themselves special features when you think about it. These discs are extras in the larger scheme of Doctor Who, the ultimate bonus inclusions in the series set.

Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited – First to Fourth is available now.

Doctor Who sails on The Ark in Space

Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who - The Ark in Space Special Edition on Blogcritics.

Now available from the BBC is the two-disc Doctor Who - The Ark in Space Special Edition. The second serial in the 12th season, these four half-hour episodes have been called the best of the classic Doctor Who by both Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat, both driving forces in the latest reincarnation of the show.

Originally airing in January and February of 1975, The Ark in Space, opens with the TARDIS landing on a seemingly deserted, aged space station; it's a creepy place. It isn't long before the Doctor (Tom Baker) and his companions Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) and Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter) discover that the place isn't nearly as empty as they first think. There is an entire population of humans slumbering peacefully within, frozen in cryonic suspension, waiting to awaken and find a new home to settle in.

But the ark should have already reached its destination, and the people should already be living their new lives. Instead, a dangerous alien parasite known as the Wirrn have taken over the craft. When a few crewmen are woken by the Doctor and his friends, the insect-like creatures take over the captain of the ark, called Noah (Kenton Moore), and the humans must engage in a deadly face-off with these things.

The Ark in Space is credited as being the first to show a darker side of Doctor Who, bringing a horror element to the series that continues to this day in "Blink" and other episodes of the modern version, most notably the ones featuring the angels. Doctor Who wanted to expand its appeal more towards an adult audience at the time, and this is how they chose to do it. They didn't go too far, even cutting out some footage deemed "too scary." But this is a turn away from the show's lighter, fluffier stories.

Part of why this serial is different from that which came before is the level of danger threatened by the enemy; there are casualties and heart-wrenching deaths. People cannot all be saved, and the ending is only happy for some, mixing tragedy into the finale. For those who have seen many episodes of Doctor Who, this may not seem all that novel or different a concept in 2013. But for the time period it aired, it represented something very fresh. And the experiment worked, buoyed by fantastic performances and a gripping script, garnering high ratings and forever changing the series.

The picture and sound have been remastered for this DVD release. As is typical for classic Doctor Who serials, it's not perfect, but it's far better than what is available prior to this release. The newer stuff almost always looks better (depending on the source used to make the DVDs), and considering The Ark in Space comes from the middle of the run, it's easy to find examples of restored Doctor Who that are both better and worse than this one. I would rate this towards the higher end of the spectrum, though, with clearer picture and more vibrant colors, as well as more detailed and less fuzzy sound, than many Doctor Who releases that I've recently reviewed.

This newest Special Edition release, like its peers, contains a whopping pile of extras. The commentary for these episodes is provided by producer Philip Hinchcliffe, joined by series stars Baker and Sladen. A photo gallery and PDF materials are included, as usual, along with the original BBC trailer for the serial and an alternate title sequence and special effects. There is also a shorter version of the whole serial in TV Movie format.

Plenty of featurettes appear are included with this release, including "A New Frontier" is a "Making of" special specific to The Ark in Space. "Scene Around Six" is Tom Baker captured by public news crews a few years later than this was filmed. "Doctor Forever! - Love And War" focuses on the novels written and published during the years Doctor Who was off the air. There is also an interview with a designer and some amateur film shot during the production of another episode. So there's a range of stuff, both pertaining to this specific adventure and to the series as a whole.

Doctor Who - The Ark in Space Special Edition is available now on DVD.

Doctor Who vows Death to the Daleks

Death to the Daleks, the third serial in the eleventh season of Doctor Who, finally comes to DVD! In this four part story, the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) crash on the planet Exxilon, which just happens to be a battle site. Here, humans and Daleks fight over a rare mineral that cures a deadly space plague.

But the humans and Daleks are not the only beings on Exxilon. There is also a savage native race, which practices sacrifice in their worship of a living city. This isn't good news for Sarah, who is soon captured by them. Seeing a heroine about to be killed in service to gods is nothing new, but Sarah Jane Smith is a brave, bold, woman, and playing the damsel in distress doesn't suit her for very long.

Faced with this common enemy, as neither the humans nor Daleks are allies with the natives, the two enemies are able to band together. This is a strange turn of events, given the animosity and contrary goals between the two, and, predictably, it doesn't last long, especially once the Dalek's true mission is revealed. But for awhile, the two species find some common ground, a first for the Daleks and anyone else on Doctor Who!

Besides the obvious dangers, there are plenty of secrets on Exxilon, such as why does such a backwards race live so near to a very advanced city? What made them the way that they are? Who built the city, one of the 700 Wonders of the Universe? What is its purpose? Also, why do devices, such as the TARDIS and the Dalek's weapons, lose power here? All of these are answered, in time, and provide a driving narrative thread for the serial, running below the more immediate threats.

Death to the Daleks is not unique in featuring a super smart computer who is in control. This is a common science fiction theme that has been done over and over. But Doctor Who handles this in an interesting way, making the computer mind tale subservient to other power struggles for much of the serial. In this way, there are multiple stories being balanced and it doesn't feel like a cheap copy of other works.

The theme of working with one's enemy is also one that pops up a lot in various fiction and dramatic television. But for the Daleks, a seemingly emotionless cyborg race, to be willing to work with people, whom they consider vastly inferior, is a surprise. The Daleks are intelligent, so the story does make sense. But the Doctor is right not to trust them as the Daleks have no reason to make a permanent peace, nor help mankind very much.

For a series that has run as long as Doctor Who does, there are bound to be weaker entries that seem more derivative. Death to the Daleks is one such serial. However, even the worst Doctor Who, and this is not the worst, are better than a lot of what's out there. Death to the Daleks, in spite of its weaknesses, is an entertaining couple of hours, worth checking out for Who fans. Plus, there are some neat design elements when viewing the creatures and structures that actually belong on Exxilon.

As per usual, Doctor Who Death to the Daleks comes with a number of special features. Photo galleries and PDF materials join some of the first Dalek footage from 1965 and a trailer on the DVD set.

Toby Hadoke once again moderates a panel for the audio commentary, which includes Julian Fox, who plays a Marine Lieutenant in the human group of this serial, director Michel E. Briant, Dalek operator Cy Town, special sounds maestro Dick Mills, and assistant floor manager Richard Leyland. Many of these same people participate in the making of featurette, "Behind the City of the Exxilons."

Check out Doctor Who: Death to Daleks, on sale now.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for every Doctor Who review I've ever written. Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who: Death to the Daleks on Blogcritics.

"The Android Invasion" threatens Doctor Who

     Just out on DVD from the BBC is Doctor Who - "The Android Invasion." This four-part adventure aired at the end of 1975, as part of the thirteenth season of the classic series. The Doctor (Tom Baker, The Beeps, Little Britain) and Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen, The Sarah Jane Adventures) return to Britain, but find the world a bit odd. The little town they come to is empty, the calendar is stuck on one date, and all the money is newly minted. It's soon apparent that the Kraals are set to invade Earth with androids, and this is their training ground.

     This period of Doctor Who is full of invasion stories, and so this one might seem a little stale. Or, for those nostalgic for the previous Doctor, still adjusting to Baker's version, it may be a nice return to formula. Either way, it's a well written story by veteran Who scribe Terry Nation about using human-like androids to take over the planet. Once more, Sarah and the Doctor must thwart these attempts, this time without the aid of UNIT, who has already been infiltrated.

     "The Android Invasion," as par for the time, does lend itself to a little cheese. For one thing, the Kraals are pretty fake looking, something discussed in the DVD extras. For another, why don't the doors in the Kraal base close all the way? Then again, there are also some pretty cool tricks. The androids look pretty sophisticated, and the scene where Doctor Who must fight an android version of himself is done well enough to pass a casual glance test. The double is close to Baker in build, and the camera angles work well enough, that the conceit holds up. It probably helps that Doctor Who doesn't seek to get two identical faces in the same frame. So overall, pretty good job.

     These episodes are notable for a couple of reasons. Namely, that two recurring characters make their final appearances in them. Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter, Crown Court) is the Doctor's companion in season twelve, then does this one last adventure, albeit with a very tiny role, before disappearing forever. Similarly, Sergeant Benton (John Levene, Z Cars), also plays a small part in "The Android Invasion," without a big send-off, but does not return to the series again. It's a shame that the two just drop out with no real explanation after this.

     The quality of this DVD is very good. The team did a fantastic job restoring picture and sound, and while it still looks like it's from the 1970's, of course, it does seem like an original, well preserved copy, rather than a cheap reconstruction.

     Besides the four episodes, there are a few DVD extras. The standard photo gallery and PDF materials are present. In addition, there is a hilarious, completely cheesy commercial for Weetabix cereal featuring the Daleks, which doesn't really seem to tie into this DVD, since the Daleks aren't in the adventure. However, there really isn't any room to complain, because it's fantastic that it's included somewhere in the Doctor Who DVDs. There is also audio commentary by guest stars Milton Johns and Martin Friend, who are joined by producer Philip Hinchcliffe and production assistant Marion McDougal.

     In addition, two half-four featurettes are present. "Life After Who - Philips Hinchcliffe" is an extensive interview with producer Hinchcliffe. He discusses various television series and projects he has worked on. "The Village That Came to Life" is an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at "The Android Invasion." Everything from the filming location, to the look of the Kraal, to Terry Nation's development of the story, to amusing anecdotes of filming are included. It's actually everything one needs to know about this adventure, and is a thoroughly complete special.

     While not as essential to one's Doctor Who collection as the other release from this past week, "Invasion of the Dinosaurs," the wonderful acting and great extras do make this a valuable buy. I recommend picking up a copy of Doctor Who - "The Android Invasion," on sale now.

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Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who - The Android Invasion on Blogcritics.

Doctor Who battles the "Invasion of the Dinosaurs"

     BBC's newest Doctor Who DVD release, on sale this Tuesday, January 10th in the U.S., is Invasion of the Dinosaurs. Airing in January and February 1974, as the second serial of the eleventh season, "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" finds the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee, Worzel Gummidge) and Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen, The Sarah Jane Adventures) arriving back in London, to find it nearly deserted. The streets are plagued by dinosaurs, and most of the citizens have been evacuated. Teaming up with UNIT, which remains behind, they attempt to find the cause of it all, only to be blocked by a government conspiracy.

     Much crap has been given by Doctor Who loyalists for the look of the dinosaurs in these six episodes, so let's dispense with that issue right away. Yes, they look ridiculous. They are stiff, often change appearance, there are only about five of them, and they don't do much of anything interesting. They are the epitome of cheese, and no one will ever defend the look of the dinosaurs in this episode, even allowing for the technological limitations of that time.

     That being said, Invasion of the Dinosaurs has a mostly excellent story. The real tale is about a group of fanatics who think that the world has gone to pot, because of government corruption and militarism, among other things, and are seeking a restoration of society's Golden Age. The dinosaurs are partially a distraction, partially a way to scare off the current residents of London, and partially a test of the time bending technology. They have several hundred people sequestered underground, tricked into believing that they are on their way to another planet, and ready to try building civilization 2.0 when they are let out. It's an idealistic, and insane, plot, timely then and now, and one that the Doctor and Sarah Jane cannot allow to happen. The Doctor probably puts it best when he remarks there never was a Golden Age, no matter what people believe.

     Now there are problems with Invasion of the Dinosaurs, certainly. Such as that the two protagonists are too trusting, being captured by people they think are helping them on multiple occasions. Also, it's a little stretched that Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart (Nicholas Courtney) falls for the conspiracy a little too easily, rather than trusting the Doctor. However, in the end, things shake down in an exciting way, and the bad guys are, of course stopped.

     There is some truly excellent acting in this Doctor Who serial. Besides the show's stars, Richard Franklin (Emmerdale Farm) is fantastic as Captain Mike Yates, a recurring character who falls out of favor after he is taken in by the plot. John Levene's Sgt. Benton is very funny, and John Bennett makes Finch appropriately sleazy. Taking the cake is Noel Johnson as Minister Charles Grover. It's hard to tell if Grover feels at all guilty about all the people who will cease to exist should the plan be acted upon, but Johnson makes him charming and firm in his beliefs.

     The first episode of Invasion of the Dinosaurs plays in black and white by default, though a colorized version is available if one goes into the special features on the first disc. The rest of the episodes are in color, each remastered. The picture does appear fuzzy at times, but for as old as this adventure is, it looks and sounds remarkably well. Certainly well enough to enjoy a viewing of and not get distracted by picture quality.

     There are a wealth of extras in this two disc set. Not only is commentary provided by select surviving cast and crew, but deleted scenes have also been found. A half hour documentary briefly addresses the dinosaur puppets, before spending most of the time discussing the story and the process of making the episodes. Sladen gives a fourteen minute interview as part of a larger series made a few years ago. She has some fascinating memories about her co-star and the origin of her role. There is also a photo gallery.

     Less exciting is the thirteen minute "Now and Then," which basically shows locations used for shooting this episode both in the show, and now. Sure, it's interesting, but goes on far too long. Also, "Billy Smart's Circus" is short and campy, not really adding to anything.


     Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs goes on sale this Tuesday.

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Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs on Blogcritics.

Doctor Who: The Complete David Tenant Years

     Now available on DVD is a massive boxed set from the BBC, Doctor Who: The Complete David Tenant Years. For many, David Tennant, who became the tenth Doctor in 2005, and played the part until 2010, is still the iconic image of the revamped character. Tennant is known for his cheeky, yet sometimes vengeful, portrayal of the legendary character, with a tendency to babble and be rude at times, but in a delightful manner. To have all three series, eight specials, and two animated spinoffs together in one collection is amazing. For any Doctor Who fan, this is a must-buy for this Christmas.

     As series two of the modern reboot, the first featuring Tennant, begins, the Tenth Doctor retains the same companion as the Ninth Doctor, Rose Tyler (Billie Piper, Secret Diary of a Call Girl). Waking from a coma just in time save Christmas (and the Earth), they go on many adventures, including rescuing Queen Victoria from werewolves. They play a part in the creation of Torchwood, an anti-alien institution that will eventually have its own spin-off series, and fight the Daleks, again, as well as the Cybermen. Rose's boyfriend, Mickey (Noel Clarke, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet), joins the pair, and they encounter former companions Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen, who starred in her own spinoff, The Sarah Jane Adventures, until her recent death) and K-9 (John Leeson).

     In series three, Rose is gone, and the Doctor picks up med student Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman, Law & Order: UK), who will eventually leave him when the Doctor doesn't return her affections. The Doctor and Martha battle The Master (John Simm, Life On Mars), speak with Shakespeare, encounter more Daleks, and meet back up with Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman, Torchwood). Also introduced is Donna Noble (Catherine Tate, The Catherine Tate Show), who refuses the Doctor's offer to be her companion.

     Series four gives the Doctor many companions to work with, including Donna Noble, who returns to stay, and guest appearances by Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Captain Jack Harkness, Mickey, and Sarah Jane Smith. Additionally, several characters from Torchwood appear. Among their adventures in series four, the Doctor and Donna find the Adipose, visit Pompeii, stop the invasion of the Sontarans, meet Agatha Christie, explore a planet-size library, and listen to a fortune teller. The series culminates in a spectacular finale, featuring the Daleks, Cybermen, and many previously seen characters.

     But these three series, while making up the meat of Doctor Who: The Complete David Tennant Years, are far from the only stories included. All five of the specials that were produced following Tennant's announcement that he was leaving are in the set, as well as two animated series, "The Infinite Quest" and "Dreamland." Plus, there are the "Children in Need" specials and "Doctor Who Confidentials."

     The twenty-six disc set boasts almost forty hours of Doctor Who, along with more than twenty-five hours of bonus features. Among those features are In-Vision and Audio Commentaries on select episodes, deleted scenes, and outtakes. Billie Piper and David Tennant contribute video diaries, giving some insight into the episodes, as well as their characters. There are trailers and a tour of the studio with Freema Agyeman, Doctor Who visits Comic-Con, Cast members are interviewed. There is also an animation test for Tennant and animatics, character profiles, a photo gallery, and three Greatest Moments specials round out the set.

     It has to be mentioned that the packaging is beautiful. The discs are housed in a full-color book, with lots of photos from the series, laid out in a very interesting way. It's all sturdy cardboard, rather than cheap materials, so it should hold up over time fairly well. Some reviews on Amazon.com have complained of finding it difficult to pull out the discs, but if this was a problem, it appears to have been fixed; I had no such issues with my set. It is literally one of the coolest DVD sets I've ever seen.

     In short, there is enough to keep any Doctor Who fan busy for weeks, maybe months. No one who buys Doctor Who: The Complete David Tennant Years could justifiably be disappointed. Do yourself a favor and order a copy today. I highly recommend it.

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Article first published as DVD Review: Doctor Who: The Complete David Tenant Years on Blogcritics.