Christopher Ecclestone, Billie Piper

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #379 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-11-21
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Number of discs: 5
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 5
• Running time: 585 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
It was always going to be a risk for the BBC to revamp Doctor Who--few television programmes inspire as much rabid and cultish adoration. With the 2005 series, however, the BBC have really outdone themselves. Their updated Doctor Who is a revelation: a cult science fiction series that has real mass appeal, and works for both children and their parents. Christopher Eccleston is an inspired and charismatic Doctor--he leaps around the sets with an unrestrained glee, like he’s a child running amok in a toy shop. His enthusiasm in downright infectious. His sidekick Rose (Billie Piper) adds a real human touch, particularly as she gradually and believably matures from in-over-her-head city kid to tough-minded interplanetary hero. Much of the credit must go to writer Russell Davies, who has a much-practiced knack for finding popular appeal without dumbing-down his ideas, and who appears to have let his imagination run riot. Even the special effects, whilst not of a big-budget cinematic quality, still manage to strike a balance between cheesiness and realism. Thrilling, funny and thoroughly entertaining, this Doctor Who is a hero for the new millennium. --Robert Burrow

Special Features
• Commentaries on all 13 episodes from cast and crew including Russell T Davies, Billie Piper, John Barrowman, Mark Gatiss and Simon Callow • Billie Piper’s Video Diary - On Set With Billie • Making Doctor Who with Russell T Davies • Waking The Dead – Mark Gatiss video diary • Special Doctor Who Confidential disc with 13 specially edited episodes plus an exclusive episode 14 containing behind-the-scenes footage from The Christmas Invasion • Exclusive featurettes: Destroying the Lair; Mike Tucker’s Mocks of Balloons; Designing Doctor Who,; Laying Ghosts – The Origins of The Unquiet Dead; Deconstructing Big Ben, The Adventures of Captain Jack • BBC Breakfast Interview with Christopher Eccleston • Trailers • Exclusive 5.1 Surround Sound • Collector’s booklet including an introduction by Russell T Davies • English SDH subtitles for all video elements • Audio Description for all episodes

Synopsis
Thirteen episodes. In Episode One 'Rose', a young woman called Rose meets up with a mysterious stranger called The Doctor, who saves her from harm when a basement full of showroom dummies comes alive and attacks her. 'The End Of The World' finds Rose and the Doctor in the future and about to witness Earth's destruction. 'The Unquiet Dead' finds the Doctor and Rose in 1869 where they discover the 'walking' dead. In 'Aliens Of London' The Doctor and Rose find themselves back on Earth. London is the location for a downed spacecraft and the alien survivor is wanted by The Doctor. In 'World War Three' the Earth faces war on an interplanetary scale... Or does it? 'Dalek' finds Rose and The Doctor underground in Utah, witnessing the torture and interrogation of an alien whose race wiped out The Time Lords. In 'The Long Game' the Doctor discovers that a satellite is manipulating the future of mankind. Investigations lead to a sinister discovery on the top floor. In 'Father's Day' Rose discovers the dangers of playing with the past when she asks the Doctor to let her meet her late father. The past is changed and the skies fill with monsters that devour all humans. The future of mankind lies in the hands of Rose's father. In 'The Empty Child' a child with a strange power calls for his mommy and wanders around the streets of London. The Doctor is warned by a homeless girl to stay away from the child. Rose meanwhile meets time traveller Jack Harkness who saves her life when she falls from a barrage balloon. In 'The Doctor Dances' Rose's new companion, Jack, and the Doctor fight back against the increasing zombie army in war torn London. Can the Doctor save the day? In 'Boom Town' the Doctor discovers that Cardiff's plan to build a nuclear power plant is actually a mask to hide a devastating alien plot. Also features: 'Bad Wolf' and 'Parting Of The Ways'.

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Customer Reviews

Fantastic!
No need to go into too much detail - this relaunch of Doctor Who was the best thing to happen to television in years. The original series managed it in 1963 and this new version has managed it in 2005 - it's well-written drama with a warmth, wit and imagination far in excess of any other sci-fi show. There are some rather dull people around who have bemoaned the progress the new series has made, who seem to think that genuine, emotional drama and proper, rounded characters have no place in sci-fi (indeed, some of them have contributed reviews to this site). But anyone who's still got a sense of fun in them, anyone who's after a wonderful ride through time and space, should hop aboard the TARDIS. You'll never regret it!

The DVD extras are great, too - particularly the audio commentaries from clearly enthusiastic cast and crew.

Doctor Who - Better than Ever!
When it was revealed that the BBC and Russell T Davies had plans to revive Doctor Who, which ended in 1989 I was somewhat worried and sceptical about the idea. I remember thinking that Doctor Who is a national institution, and if the BBC got it wrong and messed it up, then the millions of Doctor Who fans would never have let it go. I was also a bit concerned about Billie Piper playing the role of the companion, Rose Tyler, but thankfully it transpired that all of my initial quibbles were completely baseless because the series turned out to be far better than I ever could have hoped for. I thought Doctor Who was at its peak during the 1970’s with Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, but Christopher Eccleston’s doctor was just as good. I can’t recommend this box set highly enough, and due to the fact that Doctor Who has received nothing but praise this year, as well as a stack load of awards, you can’t go wrong buying this. It makes for great viewing for the whole family, and its definitely been the highlight of 2005 television for me.

Christopher Eccleston manages to put so much energy, humour and action into his Doctor, and as well as making him accessible to the Doctor Who fans, he has a kind of manic appeal that will make him instantly popular with new Who-fans. Billie Piper proved everyone wrong, and turned in a brilliantly consistent and emotional performance as the Doctor’s companion Rose Tyler. The TARDIS looks great also, especially the interior, which won’t disappoint fans at all. There are the return of some old enemies for the Doctor to fight, such as the dreaded legends that are the Daleks, as well as the terrifying plastic/dummy-model Autons, that made two appearances in 1970 and 1971. This set also pioneers some brand new adversaries such as the Slitheen, The Gelf, etc, which all prove to be thrilling, and will keep the children hidden behind the sofa. The special effects are also great; and make big improvement on the laughable sets and models used in the original series.

There are thirteen episodes; and here they are: (* rating out of 5)
ROSE (disc 1, original airdate: 26/3/05): In the first episode of the series, Rose Tyler meets a strange man and battles a cavalcade of plastic shop dummies. ****
THE END OF THE WORLD (disc 1, original airdate 2/4/05): In her first trip through time and space, the Doctor takes Rose to a strange space station, thirty minutes away from the end of the world. ****
THE UNQUIET DEAD (disc 1, original airdate 9/4/05): The setting for this episode is a Cardiff Christmas in Victorian London back in 1860, we sees the Doctor, Rose and Charles Dickens (Simon Callow) take part in a sinister séance when the dead begin walking. (Note: This episode is given a 12 certificate for scary scenes) *****
ALIENS OF LONDON (disc 2, original airdate 16/4/05): A UFO spaceship crashes into Big Ben and lands in the Thames, and the Doctor meets the Slitheen. ****
WORLD WAR THREE (disc 2, original airdate 23/4/05): As the threat of the Slitheen intensifies, planet Earth is plunged into its first interplanetary war, and Rose takes on a dangerous assignment. ****
DALEK (disc 2, original airdate 30/4/05) Its what we’ve all been waiting for… the return of the Daleks; and they’re better than ever! The Doctor meets his most infamous enemy. ***** (Note: This episode is given a 12 certificate for scary scenes)
THE LONG GAME (disc 3, original airdate 7/5/05): Rose and the Doctor arrive on Satellite 5, a sinister television complex, ruled by a hideous creature and the Editor, played by Simon Pegg. ****
FATHER’S DAY (disc 3, original airdate 14/5/05): Billie Piper gives a thoroughly tremendous performance in this emotional drama-based episode, in which Rose goes back in time to meet her deceased father, but unleashes a deadly threat upon Earth as a consequence. *****
THE EMPTY CHILD (disc 3, original airdate 21/5/05): The character of Captain Jack is introduced in the first of a two-part episode set at the height of the London Blitz, where a strange gas-mask clad child is stalking the streets in search of its ‘mummy’. *****
THE DOCTOR DANCES (disc 3, original airdate 28/5/05): The child plague spread in the concluding part. *****
BOOM TOWN (disc 4, original airdate 4/6/05): The Slitheen are back in an episode where the Doctor questions his right to kill. *****
BAD WOLF (disc 4, original airdate 11/6/05): The penultimate episode of the series and the first in a two parter, which sees Captain Jack, Rose and the Doctor trapped inside some horrific ‘games’ and the return of an evil foe. *****
THE PARTING OF THE WAYS (disc 4, original airdate 18/6/05): In the last episode of the series, Planet Earth is involved in a horrific war. This episode is particularly moving, and features an ending you won’t forget.

In terms of special features, there is plenty to enjoy. All thirteen episode are accompanied by optional audio commentaries by members of the cast and crew, such as creator/writer Russell T Davies and Billie Piper. There lots of nice features, including all 13 edited editions of Doctor Who Confidential on Disc 5, Billie Piper’s video diary, Mark Gatiss’ writing journal, Russell T Davies on the first week of filming, The Adventures of Captain Jack, features on the special effects such as Deconstructing Big Ben and much more besides. The discs are presented in a lovely TARDIS box, and there is also a Collector’s Booklet included too. In conclusion then, I can’t recommend this set highly enough, and I want to say a big thank you to everyone involved for bringing back Doctor Who bigger, better and bolder than ever before. I can’t wait for the Christmas Special!

Finally, some decent British Television! And sci-fi at that!
I was born in 1984 so I'm of that generation who really missed-out on "Doctor Who". I had no Doctor to call my own when I grew up, and little knowledge of the series outside of the cult symbols of the Daleks and the TARDIS. (When I was still at senior school we had a Christmas quiz one time and one of the questions was to name any of the actors who had played the Doctor - no one could answer, which proves the point.) But then the new series came along, and I, like many other people, became a convert. I'm a big "Star Wars" fan and I love the "Harry Potter" books as much as the next person, but forget "Revenge of the Sith" and "Half-Blood Prince" - "Doctor Who" was *the* event of 2005, without a doubt.

So, what made it work? Well, it's simple really: well-written stories, excellent casting with some superb actors, special effects better than what's usually seen in any British TV series, and a show that was as much about the characters as it was about the monsters and the spaceships. Though its eccentricity when compared to the likes of "Star Wars" and other sci-fis threw me off to begin with, I soon settled in to the show's wit and charm, and I love its ability to never take itself too seriously, which is the downfall of a lot of modern fantasy stuff. Also, the fact that it was thoroughly entertaining and accessible for both children and adults was a real bonus, especially since so many things - even "Harry Potter" - seem to be getting to that level at the moment where they're too dark for younger audiences to enjoy. How wonderful it is to safely be able to sit back with either young kids or your grandparents and still feel comfortable about watching something together!

The show's power for me lays in its characters, though, and every week, though I loved the monsters and the fantastical adventures, I wanted just as much to see what the next development might be in the relationship between the Doctor and Rose, or to see how Mickey and Jackie were getting along without them, if we had an adventure that took us back to present-day Earth. It just made it all feel so much more realistic, though it's ironically choc-full of the impossible!

Billie Piper is an absolute revelation as Rose - I had my doubts at first, but from the moment you set eyes on her in part 1, you know she's a gifted actress. Put her together with Christopher Eccleston, one of the most talented and gritty actors in Britain today, and you've got an absolutely electric combination. Talent ahoy! They're both extremely capable of bringing every aspect of the scripts - from the dry humour to heart-wrenching emotion - to life, and are the driving force behind what proves to be a very energetic, intelligent and moving drama series. Though some episodes prove to be superior to others, there's never a terrible one, and this box set is well worth the investment if you have the cash. The extra featurettes give the enthusiastic Whovian something to get their teeth into, and I guarentee you will never find some more hilarious audio commentaries than you do along to some of these episodes, which, as well as revealing the actor's thoughts, also reveal some incredibly funny asides and memoirs of the on-set hiccups.

Though there are some fans of the classic "Doctor Who" who dismiss the new series (like any fan who treasures the originals, I guess), no one can deny that the new "Who" was a huge hit and that it's an incredibly well-made drama/sci-fi series. Now showing in its second season on BBC in the UK, the first shall always be remembered as the one that set the benchmark for the rest to follow, with a Doctor of the likes that we've never seen before (I personally don't think we'll ever see another Doctor as great as Chris Eccleston, but we all have our favourites, don't we?).

So, just sit back with the whole family, relax, jump behind the sofa if you have to, and enjoy what is the best of British family drama. Thank you Russell T Davies - we owe you one.