Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5428 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-05-01
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 102 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
David Tennant ably steps into the shoes of the famous Timelord, as the first couple of episodes of the ‘second’ series of the reborn Doctor Who make it to DVD.

In fact, that’s not quite true. The first of the two is actually the excellent 2005 Christmas special, The Christmas Invasion, which not only marked Tennant’s first full story in the role, but also proved to be an excellent way to spend an hour. Taking place during the festive season, the story finds Earth under imminent threat of invasion, at a time when the Doctor is still getting over his regeneration. That means extra pressure for Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler, but also offers a welcome return to the series for the terrific Penelope Wilton as Harriet Jones. Yet it’s the witty script and Tennant’s confident performance that define the episode.

The ‘proper’ start of the ‘second’ series was the slightly uneven New Earth, which scores well again in the humour stakes, but struggles a little more with the story itself. The Doctor and Rose find themselves billions of years in the future, called to a hospital where the feline nursing staff have a cure for every disease. Naturally, there’s something more sinister going on, and there’s the returning, unscrupulous last surviving human Cassandra (played again by Zoe Wanamaker) to deal with. But while it amounts to a fun episode, it’s slightly below the standard the show has set itself of late.

All considered though, as a kick off to the second series DVD collection, there’s plenty in the pair of episodes on offer here to enjoy, and plenty of potential in David Tennant as the Doctor. Now bring on the rest…!--Simon Brew

Synopsis
Two episodes featuring David Tennant as the tenth 'regenerated' Doctor Who. In 'The Christmas Invasion' Christmas trees and seasonal Santa Claus impersonators begin wreaking havoc on the residents of London. Meanwhile the TARDIS lands on Earth with a new Doctor aboard. The Doctor is not yet fully recovered from regeneration. An invasion of the planet threatens mankind and there's only the Prime Minister to battle it out. Also includes 'New Earth'.

Customer Reviews

What Went Wrong?
It's probably unfair to expect quality drama from a Christmas special, but The Christmas Invasion doesn't even compare with subsequent Christmas episodes. Admittedly it has to deal with the introduction of a new Doctor, always a knotty problem. In the 60s and 70s we'd simply have a regeneration and a couple of scenes with the new Doctor being a bit unpredictable before getting on with the story. In the 80s, and here, we have the new Doctor sit out most of the story because his regeneration has gone wrong/he's unstable/he can't be bothered (delete as applicable). The story itself, such as it is, is a very light runaround for the younger members of the family with a scary monster being bad and the Doctor talking in funny voices, quoting The Lion King and doing something with fruit. Big question: the button that he throws the satsuma at - what is it actually for? Rose gets to be quite embarrassing throughout the episode and the new Doctor is quite rude and cocky.

New Earth is another disappointment with little of any consequence happening and the Doctor and Rose getting a bit annoying. It is shiny, though.

The shininess carries through to the DVD boxcover: Series One DVDs looked mysterious and exciting, this one is gaudy and embarrassing.

Volume 1
On this disc we have "The Christmas Invasion" the Christmas special from 2005, a good and exciting episode once it gets going. In "New Earth" the special effects are some of the best on TV, shame it takes so long to get going, but still a very good episode. Bit disappointed at the lack of episodes on this disc-Two!The cheek of it! I woudn't spend any more than five pounds on this, it's best to get the boxset!

Enjoyable episodes
This dvd contains the first two episodes in Doctor Who series 2, they are very enjoyble and great to watch. These episodes are not the best in the series but they are still very good.

The Christmas Invasion= This episode is about an alien invasion at Christmas. The episode introduces David Tennant as the new Doctor and he is brilliant and funny. It is a good episode but it isn't one of the best (7/10)

New Earth= This episode is about Cassandra hiding in a hospital and there are people with a plague disease and they have escaped all over the hospital.This is a good episode with a good plot (7/10 ).

I reccomend this dvd.