DOCTOR WHO - THE COMPLETE SECOND SERIES

Doctor Who - The Complete Second Series

Actors: David Tennant, Billie Piper
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Widescreen, NTSC
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number of discs: 6
Studio: BBC Warner

DVD Features:

Available Subtitles: English
Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
15 episodes on six discs
Commentary by cast and crew on all episodes
Picture-in-picture commentary on The Girl in the Fireplace, The Age of Steel, The Impossible Planet, and Doomsday
David Tennant's video diaries
Confidential cut-downs

Movie: * * * ½
Disc: * * *

This second season of the recent Doctor Who revival by the BBC not only survives the departure of its charismatic lead actor (Christopher Eccleston) at the end of the previous season, but positively flourishes under the auspices of the same creative team that made the first season one of the best science fiction television shows in simply years.

If you’re unfamiliar with Doctor Who, then where have you been for the past four decades or so? It is one of the longest-running English-language sci-fi TV shows clocking in at 723 and counting episodes thus far. Concerning the adventures of an eccentric time traveler simply known as “The Doctor” who traipses around time and space in a spaceship resembling a blue phone booth, this British television series has always been praised for its clever writing whilst also being derided for its cheap sets and obvious special effects.

This latest incarnation of the show boasts the best of both worlds, combining clever set designs and up-to-date computer-generated special effects and make-up with clever writing. Unlike most American heroes, “the Doctor” seldom solves his adventures using violence, instead preferring more cerebral solutions. This series features anything from the Doctor protecting Queen Victoria herself against a predatory werewolf to scientists unearthing what might be Satan himself on a distant asteroid orbiting a Black Hole. One episode pokes tongue-in-cheek fun at the show’s plot conventions whilst another two-parter pits two of the Doctor’s biggest arch enemies against each other in the sort of thing that makes fan boys wet their pants.

New Doctor David Tennant (Viva Blackpool, Harry Potter) plays the role as a young Tom Baker might have played it, with his anti-authoritarian stance. Still one of the best SF shows on television one is sure that it would also survive the departure of yet another major character at the end of this season.

THE DISCS: The fourteen episodes of the second season are contained on five of the box set’s six discs. The sixth disc consists of several making of featurettes broadcast on the BBC which should preferably be viewed after viewing all the episodes as they do contain spoilers.

WORTH IT? Yes.

RECOMMENDATION: Buy it.