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.

DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who – Scream of the Shalka’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Doctor Who – Scream of the Shalka’ on Blogcritics.

Way back in 2003, Doctor Who was a canceled series approaching its 40th anniversary with little fanfare. In order to highlight the big year, the BBC developed an animated web series called Scream of the Shalka, which was presented in six short parts. While originally intended to introduce audiences to the Ninth Doctor (Richard E. Grant, The Crimson Petal and the White), who could go on for many more stories, the announcement of the 2005 reboot series thwarted much of those rumored plans. Now, that stand-alone, non-cannon adventure has been released on DVD.

The Ninth Doctor in Scream of the Shalka is not the same one that Christopher Eccleston brought to life. This version is darker, in fact, something I would not have expected, and a lot less humorous. He travels with an android version of The Master (Derek Jacobi, Last Tango in Halifax), having long ago shunned human contact. Unfortunately for this reclusive Doctor, the TARDIS drops him back on Earth in the midst of a crisis and refuses to let him leave.

The main story of Scream of the Shalka involves lava-loving monsters, the Shalka, that take over people’s brains and make them scream in such a way that it destroys the planet. Apparently, they are widespread across the galaxy, but only emerge from hiding to attack when a planet is near death, which this special surmises ours is, given the environmental conditions.

The Doctor tries to stay out of things and pawn this emergency off on UNIT, but it doesn’t take much for him to befriend a bold barmaid named Alison Cheney (Sophie Okonedo, Hotel Rwanda), thus giving the Doctor some skin in the game. Begrudgingly, he agrees to help save the day.

This Doctor is an intriguing creation. He has a lot of mysterious back story and baggage. Why doesn’t he want companionship any more? Why has he embraced the machine over men? Where has he been? What forces him to return to the public eye? How much of his personality might influence the versions that followed? After all, he’s more similar to the Doctors that can after than before him. It’s a little disappointing these questions are not explored in depth, since this version of the iconic character is not followed up on, other than in a short story, and goes unacknowledged in the modern continuation.

When Scream of the Shalka was released, some reviewers complained about Grant’s disconnect from the material, and the man behind the reboot, Russell T. Davies, says he never even considered using Grant of this version of the Doctor when developing the show. Yet, for the modern viewer, the challenge may be seeing Grant as a hero, since he currently portrays a villain in the current Doctor Who series. Either way, this serial doesn’t quite land as it should.

There are also pacing and originality issues. It plods through the beginning, only later picking up and getting exciting. The plot itself is pretty standard for a Doctor Who tale, other than the little bit that involves the Doctor’s mythology, and the story won’t stand out in the history of the series. Thus, though it is a bold experiment, and many will appreciate it finally getting a DVD release, it isn’t one fans are eagerly anticipating, either.

A few connections to newer Doctor Who episodes do add a little bit to the enjoyment factor. Jacobi not only plays the Master in Scream of the Shalka, but also in the episode “Utopia,” before the Master regenerates into a new body. David Tennant, who is later cast as the Tenth Doctor, makes a small cameo. And Okonedo takes the role of Queen Elizabeth X in a pair of Eleventh Doctor episodes.

The special features on this two-disc release are plentiful. Of course there’s an audio commentary and photo gallery, as well as a production note subtitle option. Also included is a half-hour “Making Of,” the soundtrack album, actor and direction interviews, and a featurette about the BBC’s website and the part Doctor Who serves in that. Among those who participate in the extras is Davies himself.

Scream of the Shalka may not be the best bit of Doctor Who ever made, but it is a unique curiosity for fans to appreciate.

Doctor Who – Scream of the Shalka is available now.

Blu-ray Review: ‘Doctor Who Series Seven, Part Two’

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: ‘Doctor Who Series Seven, Part Two’ on Blogcritics.

The final eight episodes of BBC’s Doctor Who Series Seven, airing months after the beginning of the run, feel quite a bit different than the first five, so it makes sense to package them separately. Gone are Amy and Rory, and the Doctor (Matt Smith) now has a new companion named Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman), who has died twice, but doesn’t remember those past lives. Who is Clara, and will we finally get an answer to the prevalent question, doctor who?

The first episode in this two-disc release, “The Bells of Saint John,” finds the Doctor secluded in the 13th century, living among monks, having given up his search for the mysterious Clara, a journey begun in the Christmas special that aired just prior to this. Then, he gets a phone call from Clara in the modern day, who thinks the Doctor is tech support, and he flies to her side.

Disappointingly, this installment fails to get into who Clara is, instead delivering a third introduction story for the character, while also rushing into another battle with the Great Intelligence (Richard E. Grant), albeit this time without the Doctor figuring out who his foe is. It’s a fun episode, with some wonderful moments between Clara and the Doctor, but does almost nothing for the serial tale, answering none of the questions fans have been anxiously awaiting.

This trend continues for the next six weeks. 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 or 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.

All of these are whimsical stories, and it’s gratifying to see returning characters and villains, plus some terrific guest stars, such as Warwick Davis (Life’s Too Short). They all serve to strengthen the bond between the Doctor and Clara, and present some amusing stand-alone tales. But with the massive setup for more that viewers are looking for, it comes across a slightly disappointing run over all, even if they are pretty enjoyable episodes taken on their own.

But then we get “The Name of the Doctor,” the amazing season finale. The Great Intelligence is back, as are Vastra, Jenny, and Strax. Beloved River Song (Alex Kingston) plays a vital role, and the secret of Clara is explored. The characters gather at the Doctor’s tomb, and thanks to some incredible editing, the previous ten doctors are involved. There is a startling surprise ending, introducing John Hurt as a brand new incarnation of a familiar face, beautifully setting up this fall’s big 50th anniversary special. It is everything we’ve been waiting for.

Some have complained that “The Name of the Doctor” contradicts previously established events. Doctor Who teaches us that time can be fluid, and there may very well be good explanation for why things unfold the way they do. I recommend reserving judgment until we see where else Steven Moffat and company are going with the story next.

Doctor Who has always balanced the serial with the procedural, so I’m not sure why I am let down by the same type of mix here. I think it may be because Clara doesn’t immediately make herself accessible, as some past companions have done. Part of it could be because we’re so close to a huge reveal that’s been building for years. Whatever the reason, repeat viewings are more satisfying, and “The Rings of Akhaten” and “Nightmare in Silver,” in particular, are very, very good, so I do recommend getting this set and watching it numerous times.

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.

For extras, there are two measly inclusions. There is a delightful, but short, prequel to “The Bells of Saint John,” which is definitely worth watching, and a second prequel to “The Name of the Doctor,” is also present. That’s it. There is nothing to give insight into the making of these episodes. I assume we’ll have to wait for The Complete Seventh Series for more, though I’ll also be disappointed if there is more on that, just because it forces another purchase of episodes we already have. In an ideal world, the extras would all be on the two smaller sets, and The Complete Seventh Series would just be a value method to buy for those who waited. Oh, well.

Doctor Who Series Seven, Part Two is available now.

DOCTOR WHO "The Name of the Doctor" Review

Article first published as TV Review: Doctor Who - "The Name of the Doctor" on Blogcritics.

Overall, the back half of Doctor Who series seven wasn't nearly as strong as the first half. One might chalk this up to adjustmenting to new characters, including a fresh companion. But I think it's more than that. The stakes and the fun just aren't quite there.


However, the series seven finale, "The Name of the Doctor," is the exception. It doesn't have a lot of signature Doctor Who whimsy, but it does have some top notch acting by Matt Smith (the Doctor), the involvement of the always lovely River Song (Alex Kingston), amazing special effects, and a deep dive into some very heavy Doctor Who mythology.

The primary mystery of the past nine episodes has been how Clara (Jenna Louise-Coleman) can exist. Dubbed "The Impossible Girl," the Doctor has seen her die multiple times in multiple places. Now, we know how this happens, as Clara jumps headlong into the Doctor's scar, a singularity that rips her apart and delivers her to many points within the Doctor's life.

The concept of the scar, which exists in the Doctor's tomb, at the place where he finally dies, is an interesting one. He talks about tearing the universe apart by his travels, and yet it doesn't seem to have harmed the universe all that much. Yet, it provides a vulnerability that the Great Intelligence (Richard E. Grant) is able to exploit, ruining everything good that the Doctor has done in his travels.

I am a little confused as to how the Great Intelligence stays aware enough, after entering the scar, to carry out his mission, and yet Clara, in the two encounters we witness her with the Doctor this series, seems to not know what is going on. Perhaps she is confused, or isn't prepared to handle the time stream the way the Great Intelligence is. Or maybe Clara is just a very good actress. Either way, though it doesn't quite seem to add up exactly right, it's an intriguing idea with which to explain her story. 


In "The Name of the Doctor," we see Clara running through the timelines of previous doctors, mostly those who graced the television screen in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s. The production team does a pretty solid job of matching her to the film styles, not just in clothing, but in overall appearance. It's still obviously computer-enhanced, but those very cool sequences are such a treat for long-time fans, to see those familiar faces again!


The other slightly weak spot in the story is that the Great Intelligence kidnaps only Vastra (Neve McIntosh), Jenny (Catrin Stewart), and Strax (Dan Starkey) to lure the Doctor to his grave at Trenzalore. The Doctor has had many friends over the years, and the Great Intelligence has been waiting for a very long time to strike against him. Surely, others would have been targeted save these three, who all live in the same time and place? I enjoy seeing them again, and it's heartbreaking to watch Jenny and Strax die, even if it's not permanent. But it does feel a little convenient, even if one can make the argument that the Doctor spends a lot of time with them in the recent past.

River's involvement is also convenient, but in a very different way that feels more authentic. She is the Doctor's wife, so she is strongly tied to him. We see a chapter of her story here that we haven't glimpsed before, a woman lonely after the long absence of her spouse. This is a reflection of her, rather than her physical presence, but it still serves the purpose. She gives us some very emotional stuff, which is quite welcome, and does save the writers from having to reveal "The Name of the Doctor" yet, though it still feels like that will be coming.

Also, the scenes between River and Clara, who clearly don't know much about one another, are funny, even if it makes the Doctor look a bit like a lousy cheater.


The end of "The Name of the Doctor" is quite a cliffhanger! Inside the depth of the Doctor, the Eleventh Doctor and Clara encounter the Doctor that isn't the Doctor (John Hurt, Merlin, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). This is the very dark persona who turns his back on everything the Doctor stands for. What is he?

Presumably, he is the version that the TV show skipped. When Doctor Who reboots in 2005, we are introduced to Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor. But what if Eccleston is the 10th? What if another version committed genocide against the Daleks and fought in the war? The smart money is that Hurt is this real, forgotten about Ninth Doctor.

Which would make Smith the Twelfth Doctor. Since the Doctor can only regenerate twelve times, Smith could be the penultimate actor, chronologically in the story, to bear the name. Going back and using Hurt as the Ninth, perhaps even in next year's eighth series, could forestall the end of Doctor Who. But the finish line definitely feels near.

Whatever way the series decides to go, we'll find out in November who Hurt's incarnation is, a lot about the iconic character himself, and which version will be continuing in 2014. How exciting!

Doctor Who Hears "The Bells of Saint John"

Article first published as TV Review: Doctor Who - "The Bells of Saint John" on Blogcritics.

Doctor Who begins the back half of its seventh season on BBC American with "The Bells of Saint John." The Doctor (Matt Smith), hiding away as a monk in the early 13th Century, gets a phone call from Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman), who thinks he's tech support. But when he rushes to her side in modern day England, he discovers her Wi-Fi problems are only just beginning.

It's interesting that The Doctor is living in seclusion among monks. Recently, we see he's spent a long time alone before he encounters Clara for the second time, and when she dies again, he sets off to find her. One would think that he would still be out looking for her, not locking himself away.

The web-released prequel, in which the Doctor talks to a child in a park, explains this. He has been looking, but unable to locate her, decides to see if she'll bump into him, as she has in the past. This idea makes sense, and perhaps the Doctor isolates himself because that is how she found him before. It's a bit of a stretch, but given the eccentric way his mind works, this makes sense.

It also makes for a great opening, to see monks confused by a ringing police box in an era well before phones are invented. The Doctor is often in odd locales, and while this isn't the first scene of "The Bells of Saint John," it is certainly the first that makes me sit up and pay attention.

Clara doesn't remember the Doctor, but why should she? They knew each other in a different lifetime. She is hesitant around the Doctor at first, but quickly warms up. This demonstrates the instant and deep connection they have with one another, as the Doctor does with every companion, and proves she belongs traveling by his side.

That's not the only thing interesting about her, though. We still don't know how she can exist in different places and times, definitely with different memories, not just the same person traveling from place to place. Whether it is souffles or minding children, there are connecting threads, and while "The Bells of Saint John" doesn't get around to exploring who Clara is yet, that surely will be part of the story going forward.

At first, I was disappointed that this arc is mostly set aside this week, having been waiting since Christmas for some piece of the Clara puzzle. However, though we've seen her with the Doctor before, this is the first time this Clara meets him. As such, they need time to get acquainted, at least on her end, before the mystery of what she is can be explored.

There are plenty of magical moments between the Doctor and Clara, which set up a wonderful pairing of the two. We see the Doctor tenderly set up flowers and cookies by her beside, she jokingly refers to the TARDIS as a "snogging booth," and they seem to have fun both on a crashing plane and while sitting around drinking coffee. Right away, Clara is established as a worthy character, and she jumps into the series, immediately establishing her role better than some have before her.

I do wonder if there is some connection between Clara and Amy, the Doctor's previous fellow journeyer. In "The Snowmen," Clara somehow knows that the word 'Pond,' Amy's last name, will get the Doctor's attention. In this episode, Clara's charge is reading a book by Amelia Williams, Amy's full first name and her husband's last name. Have we not seen the last of Amy and Rory, lost in New York City after being touched by an Angel? Are they using Clara to call out for help? Because that would be really cool!

The foe that Clara and the Doctor go up against is Miss Kizlet (Celia Imrie, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), who is enslaving mankind through their Wi-Fi networks and capturing souls. She tries for Clara's, but, in the end, the Doctor traps Miss Kizlet, as well, and convinces her to release her prisoners.

This is a sort-of interesting villain, playing on something so prevalent in modern society. The best of the recent Doctor Who monsters are things that seem real and could attack us now. From the Angel status to this internet-based group, these are creepy because they're all around us.

However, "The Bells of Saint John" kicks it up a notch by showing viewers, but not the Doctor or Clara, that the Great Intelligence (Richard E. Grant) is actually behind this latest invasion. We just saw him in the Christmas special, and Who aficionados will know that the powerful mind attacked Earth in the interim, as portrayed back in the 1960s' fifth season. So apparently we have a new Big Bad, who will plague our hero throughout this year, at minimum.

"The Bells of Saint John" may not be a huge, splashy episode of Doctor Who, as at least half of this season's entries so far have been, but it's a nice, solid adventure that showcases well the chemistry between our two new leads. I look forward to the next installment.

Doctor Who airs Saturdays at 8 p.m. ET on BBC America.

The Crimson Petal and the White

Recently released on DVD by Acorn Media, The Crimson Petal and the White is a tale of love, betrayal, and insanity. Set in Victorian England, it's a character-driven drama with an impressive cast, playing out as a heartbreaking miniseries.

William Rackham (Chris O'Dowd, Bridesmaids, The IT Crowd) is heir to a perfume company, but would rather be a writer. Saddled with a father (Tom Georgeson, Bleak House) who wants William to face reality and give up on his dreams, and a wife, Agnes (Amanda Hale, Bright Star), so mentally unbalanced that she doesn't even recognize the existence of her own young daughter, Sophie (Isla Watt), William finds nothing but misery. That is, until he meets Sugar (Romola Garai, The Hour).

Sugar is a prostitute. But she, too, wants more than she has in life, working on her own novel, inspired by an equally miserable existence. Sugar is all too willing to become monogamous for William in exchange for money and a decent place to live, eventually becoming nanny and mother to Sophie. It's a position that badly needs filled, so that Sugar is less an interloper, and more a savior, to the family, deranged Agnes even believing her to be a guardian angel.

But emotions and motivations are complicated. Those who indulge their dreams often are flighty, never satisfied when they get what the want. William is controlling and Sugar is ambitious, not subservient. This is the makings of a clash, one highly entertaining in this psychological thriller.

One thing for which The Crimson Petal and the White has been routinely praised is its cast. Besides O'Dowd and Garai, who do an absolutely stupendous job in the leading roles, Hale is perfect as a madwoman, Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) is delightfully monstrous, and Richard E. Grant (The Iron Lady) brings to his character new levels of creepiness.

Visually, The Crimson Petal and the White succeeds well. It perfectly builds a specific world for which these characters to dwell, the setting every bit a part of the people in it as anything else. Costume and makeup design are also top notch, really selling the story well. There is a dark quality the world, and the people inhabiting it.

The one complaint raised by those who have read the book upon which this miniseries is based is that some of the material has been toned down. True, there is only so much nudity most television channels can show, and the violence can't really be R rated. Still, creating a masterful tone helps sell the story anyway, making these complaints insignificant when weighed against the other factors.

Sadly, the bonus features are lacking. Eleven minutes of deleted scenes, some character biographies, and interviews with a couple of the cast and crew is all you get. Yes, the discussions provide some meaningful insight, but mostly these aren't anything memorable, nor entirely necessary. More might have been included.

Overall, though, the story of The Crimson Petal and the White is well worth your time, no matter what omissions may have been made in crafting the extras. This is a wholly original, brilliantly executed drama that will delight, surprise, and creep you out, sometimes all at the same time.

The Crimson Petal and the White is available now on a two-disc DVD from Acorn Media.


If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Article first published as DVD Review: The Crimson Petal and the White on Blogcritics.