Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14881 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-06-05
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 133 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
This second batch of episodes from David Tennant’s maiden run as the title character finds Doctor Who building up an impressive head of steam. There’s a trip back in time to see Queen Victoria, a reunion with an old friend and some deadly clockwork nemeses to contend with as the series really bursts into life.

Tooth & Claw is first up, set back in 1897 Scotland, as the Doctor and Rose must contend with a deadly werewolf, mysterious monks and the suspicions of Queen Victoria. It’s not the strongest of the series, but even so, this is Doctor Who on fine form and very sure footing.

School Reunion is superb, though. It brings back two of the Doctor’s previous companions, Sarah-Jane and K-9, and asks some intriguing questions of what happens to his assistants once he leaves them behind. That it also ties in an intriguing story of sinister goings on at an innocent looking school only adds to the achievement. The final episode, The Girl In The Fireplace, is also excellent. This is a staggeringly successful mixture of love story, unnerving baddies and quality science fiction. It’s the episode to date where Tennant has looked surest with the role, and it’s a highlight of an already highly impressive series.

So, to summarise, a DVD featuring one good and two superb episodes, with the promise of plenty more tasty episodes later in the series. Can’t be bad.--Simon Brew

Synopsis
Three episodes featuring David Tennant as the tenth 'regenerated' Doctor Who and Billie Piper as his companion Rose. In 'Tooth And Claw', the Doctor and Rose arrive in 1897 Scotland and meet Queen Victoria and danger at the Torchwood estate. In 'School Reunion' Sarah Jane and Robot K-9 join the time-travellers in a school that has been taken over by aliens. In 'The Girl In The Fireplace', The Doctor gets involved with Madame du Pompadour, mistress to King Louis XV.

Customer Reviews

Proven
The last series continually took me by surprise! I sat down expecting to lightly pass 45 minutes and became well engrossed, drawn in, amused and often moved. The new series and the new Doctor built brilliantly on the strength of series one, at the same time bringing a freshness and vitality to the show. These episodes are among the best so far, and show the imagination and inventiveness of the writers off well. Tenant is brilliant as the Doctor, compassionate to the oppressed, ruthless to the guilty, and always switiching effortlessly between playing it for laughs and serious drama. Piper shows herself to be far more than just a good actress too; her range is impressive, complimenting Tenants Doctor perfectly. All of the episodes on this disc are strong, my personal favourite being "The Girl in the Fireplace," when the doctor falls for Madame De Pompador in a plot that twists space and time while having some genuinely jumpy moments- check out the tick-tock robots face masks! "Tooth and Claw" is also fantastic, scary and atmospheric, with a memorably haunting performance from the boy who eventually becomes the beast. "School Reunion" sees the return of Sarah Jane Smith and the iconic K-9, and is lighter than the other two. That said it has it's brilliant moments of emotion as Rose finds she's not the only woman the Doctor has ever shared his adventures with. Tenants playimg of the "You'll age and I won't" scene is moving, and gives us insight his character.

Three more adventures for the Doctor and Rose...
This DVD contains three episodes from the new second series of the BBC's revived hit 'Doctor Who'. The disc contains no extra features, but there will be a 6-disc boxset released in November that will contain a mass of bonus material. David Tennant continues to provide a thoroughly enjoyable and zany interpretation of the Tenth Doctor, and Billie Piper is still fabulous as his companion, Rose Tyler. Tennant's two debut episode 'The Christmas Invasion' and 'New Earth' were both excellent, and I was apprehensive that the standard may not be maintained throughout the whole series. Luckily however, there is a wealth of things to enjoy in this episodes, and this DVD is definitely worth purchasing. The DVD also contains subtitles.

The three episodes on the disc are:

Tooth and Claw
Writer: Russell T Davies
Director: Euros Lynn
Originally broadcast: 22/4/06

After the somewhat camp, frenzied and energetic series opener 'New Earth', the second episode of the series expounds a completely different tone and style. The Doctor and Rose encounter Queen Victoria and a genuinely frightening warewolf (which is why this episode has been given a 12 certificate). There are lots of great moments throughout, such as the recurring 'We are not amused' joke, the exciting and cryptic references to Torchwood (the impending spin-off series) and an army of sinister warrior monks. The special effects/CGI are visually stunning and impressive, and the atmosphere of this episode is seeped in darkness and tension. Brilliant.

School Reunion
Writer: Toby Whitehouse
Director: James Hawes
Originally broadcast 29/4/06

For me, this is an episode of two halves, one of which is emotionally poignant and rewarding to the viewer, and other feeling somewhat underdeveloped and rushed. Although 'School Reunion' has its flaws, it is worth it however, because the Doctor is reunited with Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) and k9, the faithful robot dog. These two characters are a delight to see again, and bring back memories of the Tom Baker era in the mid-70's. there are some series questions about the Doctor's lifestyle raised here, which work very well. However, the subplot involing a race of evil aliens called the Krillitanes feels very rushed and the pacing feels all wrong. Although Anthony Head (Buffy and Little Britain) is wonderful as the slimy, slick and sinister Mr Finch, I don't think the story was used to its full potential, and I don't find it stands up too well on repeated viewings. There are still lots of lovely moments though.

The Girl in the Fireplace
Writer: Steven Moffat
Director: Euros Lynn
Originally broadcast 6/5/06

At the time of writing this review, seven episodes of Series 2 have been aired, and this one is still the strongest, because it contains all the ingredients of classic 'Doctor Who'. It is scary, funny, emotional and profoundly sad, and David Tennant turns in his best performance in the role to date. Writer Steven Moffat contributed the gripping 'The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances' last year, and his third script for th series doesn't disappoint at all. In this episode, The Doctor and Rose travel back to the Court of Bersailles and the Doctor forms an intimate relationship with Madame Du Pompadour, who is being stalked by sinister clockwork androids from the future. The ending was gut-wrenching, and there are some great, tender, humane moments peppered throughout. A truly tremendous episode that shows the series at its peak.

There are a number of guest stars in these three episodes, such as Pauline Collins as Queen Victoria, Sophia Myles (David Tennant's current partner) as Madam Du Pompadour, the excellent Anthony Head as Mr Finch the Headmaster and Noel Clarke as Mickey Smith, Rose's poor boyfriend. In conclusion therefore, this DVD is definitely worth buying, and contains three excellent episodes from the second series. Highly recommended.

"The Girl in the Fireplace"
David Tennant does a great job of playing Doctor Who, and of the three episodes on this disc, it's 'The Girl in the Fireplace' episode that stands out as a classic, and it's worth getting it for this episode alone. Take an original idea, add a spaceship with some unique 'windows', some clockwork.. (wait and see) and set it in 18th century France, and you have a recipe for an excellent Doctor Who. The other episodes, Tooth & Claw and School Reunion are also very good and make this three episode set highly recommended for fans of the series.