TotalTelly.co.uk

Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV

Doctor Who : Series 1 - Volume 4 [2005]


RRP: £15.99
Our Price: £3.00 (subject to change)

Editorial
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

Editorial
DVD Description

Episodes comprise:

11. Boom Town: The TARDIS crew take a holiday, but the Doctor encounters an enemy he thought long since dead. A plan to build a nuclear power station in Cardiff City disguises an alien plot to rip the world apart. And when the Doctor dines with monsters, he discovers traps within traps.

12. Bad Wolf: The Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack have to fight for their lives on board the Game Station. But a far more dangerous threat is lurking, just out of sight. The Doctor realises that the entire Human Race has been blinded to the threat on its doorstep, and Armageddon is fast approaching.

13. The Parting Of The Ways: Rose Tyler has seen danger and wonders alongside the Doctor, but now their friendship is put to the test as Earth plunges into an epic war.

Editorial
Synopsis

Features three more episodes. 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'.

Should have been better
Review date: 2008-07-29 Rating: 6 out of 10

This is probably the weakest set of episodes of the new, revived show's first season. A pity given that they conclude the series.

Boom Town is the "time out" episode, before we rush headlong to the finale. Any reservations anyone may have about the Slitheen should be allayed by Annette Badlands's excellent performance as the alien in the skin suit. The centrepiece of the episode is essentially a set of two-handed scenes between Eccleston's Doctor and Badlands's Margaret and this kind of thing is what the license fee is for. It's a pity she has to be an evil alien monster intent on destroying the earth for profit - the restaurant scenes represent an acting masterclass from two of the industry's finest professionals.

Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways give us our finale... And it all unfortunately falls a bit flat here. It's not the whole reality TV side of things (Doctor Who always tried to reflect the mores of the time - The Beatles appeared in The Chase way back in '65). No, it's the spectacle over substance approach that hamstrings this two-parter. The threat of the Daleks, having been so carefully restated a few episodes ago, is diminished once again and we see them having yet another crack at invading the Earth, only to fall at the final hurdle. Again. It's just not unexpected and it feels desperately disappointing. The resolution of both the Dalek invasion and the Bad Wolf thread comes across as the dictionary definition of deus ex machina.

The Doctor's regeneration is also dealt with a little bit too quickly. It would have been nice to see this wonderful incarnation bow out in a more heroic way, but then, giving up his own life to save Rose is much in keeping with his character.

So. Five stars for the cast, particularly Doctor Chris and Slitheen Annette, but only three for the episodes.

Accessories

Similar Products

Reviews


dr who volume 4
Review date: 2008-06-12 Rating: 10 out of 10

I think the parting of the ways and bad wolf is fantastic and boom town is good not good its brillant from no.1 doctor who fan jack buttrum

An excellent finsh
Review date: 2007-07-02 Rating: 8 out of 10

The three episodes on this dvd are called Boom Town, Bad Wolf and The Parting Of The Ways. Two of the episodes are great and one of them is alright.

Boom Town is the worst episode on this dvd and probably one of the worst episodes in the series. It isn't too bad but it has nothing great or really memorable in it. The episode is about the doctor capturing the last living member of the Slitheen family and he intends to send her back to Raxacoracovalapatorious where she will be executed, but does she have a plan.... This episode does have some good action moments but it still isn't great.

Bad Wolf is a great episode. It is about the Doctor, Rose and Jack ending up on television shows on sattelite five in the year 200'100. The Doctor is on Big Brother and the evicted housemates get killed. Rose is on Weakest Link and the contestants get killed if they are voted off. Jack is on What Not To Wear and the robots try to kill him. When Rose loses in Weakest Link she gets captured by the mysterious force behind the game station( the Daleks ).

The Parting Of The Ways is the final episode in the series and it is brilliant. When the Doctor rescues Rose he has to defeat hundreds of thousands of Daleks and their emperor. At the end of the episode the Doctor regenerates and I was very excited for the next episode that Christmas.

I reccomend this dvd because of the final two episodes, although Boom Town is still worth watching if your a fan of the show.

Series 1 finished with me wanting more! and this is Fantastic! Doctor Who is here to stay!!!!!!
Review date: 2006-07-24 Rating: 10 out of 10

This DVD is the last of Series 1 of the revived series of Doctor Who, i think that this is the best DVD so far out of Doctor Who. Russell T Davies has made Doctor Who better than ever. The main Achievement of this series was not just the re-introduction of The Doctor but also of his greatest rival, THE DALEKS!!!.

The first episode "Boom town" is like the next part to the Slitheen story, when the Tardis Crew find out that Margaret the Slitheen is still alive, they realise that they need to stop her from destroying the planet.

The greatest highlight of Series 1 is the last two episodes "Bad Wolf"/"The Parting of the Ways" The Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack get separated and are forced to play the deadly games on the Game Station (Satellite 5) The secret force controling the station is The Doctor's worst nightmare, THE DALEKS!!! who were long presumed dead and wiped out of existence. The Doctor must make the ultimate sacrifice to save the universe and to save Rose.

This DVD is great and i would recommend it to old and new fans of Doctor Who.

Anti-Climax typical Russell T Davies
Review date: 2006-04-04 Rating: 4 out of 10

I have been a follower of Doctor Who since I was 4. I'm now 20. I've watched, read and listened to many adventures of the doctors. When the new series returned I was excited especially when I heard Russel was involved. However the series was very disapointing. This is in my opinion the worst volume. Boom Town is a bad lesson in story writing. There is a serious lack of plot which falls second to character development. The final two parter starts badly picks up and the daleks are very impressive, but the whole plot is slowed down by cutting back to that council estate! Then theres the silly ending.

Great if your a casual fan or a child. If you're a real Who fan then it's a real let down.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Christopher Eccleston
Billie Piper
Susannah Constantine
Trinny Woodall
Davina McCall

Creators:
Christopher Eccleston (Primary Contributor)
Billie Piper (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: 2 Entertain Video
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
EAN: 5014503175825
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, PAL,
Release date: 2005-09-05
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 135 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2005-11-05
Language: English (Original Language)

Add to Cart

Accessories:

© 2006 Darren Hester, DesignsByDarren.com, Some Rights Reserved.
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional