Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #651 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-11-21
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• 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'.

Customer Reviews

Dr Who indeed?
I must admit I was given this, I didn't buy it, but that isn't to say I would not have bought it, I was, and still am, a huge fan of the original DR Who. However despite all the reviews this is not realy Dr Who at all.

Talk about dumbing-down, a program that was en enlightenment in its time, that managed to push back the boundaries of TV and SF whilst maintaining a responsible atitude toward society has become "Creature Shop meets Eastenders" starring Billy Piper. There is no doubt that Billy looks nice, and it is her show, there is no doubt of that either, but the Dr has died. In the place of an excentric but highly civilised and intelligent man has arisen a 900 year old bore with the psychological development of a randy 14 year old and the intelligence of a high school drop-out.

In this first series the Dr continually refers to Rose's (B.Piper) ex-boyfriend as Micky the Idiot, without cause, needlessly puts Rose's life in danger on several occasions, is rescued by Rose on several occasions because of his own incompetance, displays sufficient cowardice to get an ally needlessly killed and even commits murder. Not once does he solve a problem using his mind, and on many occasions he looks stupid, and is always upstaged by Rose i.e. Billy Piper, to top it off he is arrogant and boorish in his general atitude.

In short this program is a colourfully produced, wonderfully staged insult to the spirit and character of the real Dr Who and a disgrace to the BBC.

The classic is called classic because it is
The original Doctor Who is always the best. I grew up with Peter Davison as the Doctor but my personal favourite is Jon Pertwee.

I am glad Doctor Who is back and its hard to compare this with the original series because the original series was much better. However the Surround Effects on the new ones as well as Special Effects has brought Dr Who to a new generation. Chris Ecclestone is not really that good to be honest with you but everyone has a favourite Dr. Just glad to see it back.

"His Dark Materials: The Northern Doc!"
My favourite show returned and in better form than anyone could have believed. Overall this is a triumphant return in the form of a very rare beast; an updating that works. The roots of The Police Box Show are still there; tardis, lovely new version of the theme, a slightly mysterious loner, companions, monsters, time and space and good triumphing over evil.

The 1st new doctor for some time Christopher Eccelston is great. He is a dark loner but this is subtle and never overdone. Intense but not in a pretentious way that would have gone against family entertainment. He is less obviously eccentric than his predecessors but has a fondness for corny humor that is topped off with a toothy grin.

Billie Piper is the best companion in some time and works as the viewer identification.

Of the stories themselves are all of a good standard, with only "the Long Game" a tale of aliens running news feed statellites having ideas that don't gel too well.

The opener Rose introduces the concept of the show in a way Paul McGann's movie failed to. This is a high incident romp that whets the appetite for what's to come featuring old monsters Nestenes & Autons.

After the contemporary opener it's into the far future for "The End of the World" & Victorian Cardiff for "the Unquiet Dead" the new show's 1st classic.

There is more emotion at the core of new Who as we frequently meet Rose's mother and her ex-boyfriend and look at the consequences of being the people left behind. Also Rose instinctively saves her father's life after visiting the day of his death and then the resulting time paradox is meshed with the emotional fallout.

The Daleks triumpantly return with better effects and design and re-establish their menace in an episode featuring just 1 and then in a breathtaking CGI battle for the series finale.

New villains the Slitheen getting similar airtime, are a hit too with their wearing victims skins like a suit and their "gas exchange" causing excessive wind! Guaranteed to have the young ones sniggering.

New character Captain Jack is introduced in the blitz and goes on to be an excellent addition with Steven Moffat's writing and John Barrowman's acting.

This is the same old show and nods to the past are subtle not suffocating, Unit soldiers in the background, daleks ships like in their comic strips.

The extras include a fun commentary for every story, cut down versions of all the companion documentary show Dr Who: Confidential episodes, some video diaries and featurettes. All in all it's a pretty full package and sets the template for furture box sets.

The only gripe is the lack of Eccleston's presence on the extras. He is in some Confidential bits and a Breakfast Time interview, not the better 1 out of the 2 he gave either.

Still a highly recommended purchase especially at the marked down prices that it's come down to after 2 years.

The Police Box show is in safe hands