TotalTelly.co.uk

Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV

Home

Doctor Who : Complete BBC Series 4 [2008]

RRP: £69.99
Our Price: £52.50 (subject to change)

THE BEST SERIES EVER!!!!! TENNANT + TATE=GREAT TELEVISION!!!
Review date: 2008-07-01 Rating: 10 out of 10

this is a review based on the episodes so far and how i am wetting my pants about the upcoming series finale(4 days to go!!!).
series 4 has really amazed me...i mean its everything that the previous three weren't-dark,amazing scripts(all the way through),the best writing ever,the best directing ever,the best actors on the show,amazing villains,and more than just one classic episode.
many were dissappointed with series three...i however found it very good,but it was a bit too tame staying in the PG and not advancing itself further...also it contained about 5 duds which brought it down hill a bit...but overall i likened it to series 1 and 2.
but series four(in my opinion) has pushed the boundaries further,throwing excellent episode after excellent episode...and genuinly being a great show.
i predict there will be lots more BAFTA nominations in store...and the icing on the cake is...the Daleks are terrifying again!!!!
eppy guide-
Time Crash-5/5-a mini-episode(approx 10 mins)by Stephen Moffat which brings the 10th doctor face to face with the 5th doctor...very fun and links nicely with the christmas special.
Voyage of the Damned-4/5-a very good episode and possibly the best christmas special of last year...and it has Kylie Minogue as Astrid Peth...there are some hilarious characters...and the host are very creepy.

Partners in Crime*-5/5-a classic way to start off a series and one of my top ten favourites(#7)Sarah Lancashire makes a remarkable performance as Ms.Foster and the Adipose are the most cutest/funniest aliens you will ever see...great stunts,lots of action and Rose Tyler making a cameo...the closest thing to perfect.

The Fires of Pompeii-4.5/5-a very atmospheric episode that bosts some epic visuals and a great/scary storyline.

the Planet of the Ood-5/5-a fantastic episode that sees the return of the Ood in another one of my favourite storylines which contains some high octane action sequences,thrills,and chills...it is a ferocious ride that makes you feel empathy towards the characters...and theres a pretty nasty scene here too(Ood brains!!).

The Sontaran stratagem-4.5/5-welcome back Martha Jones,she is now working for UNIT and has discovered some devices that may link to an invasion,in comes the Doctor and Donna who warms to Martha and the trio team up to take on the ferocious Sontarants...there are some great scenes here.

the Poison sky*-5/5-one of my top ten favourites(#5)some great performances all round...a dazzling script and some visually amazing stunts...i still love Donnas quote"Oh yes...Back of the neck!!",there's also some emotional dialogue and the two parter is definately the best of all the early two parters(world war three/age of steel/evolution of the Daleks)and this one certainly stands out.

the doctors daughter-4/5-a very good episode that has the trio propelled to the far end of the galaxy on a planet where two races of species are at war...humans vs the Hoix...this epsiode may have sparked controversy but it is very simple who Georgia Moffetts character is...which also adds depth to Tennants doctor.

the unicorn and the wasp*-5/5-a classic episode thats in my top ten(#6)some great script work and some fantastic scenes that makes this episode stand miles out above others,and feels like a true Marple storyline...i love it!!!

Silence in the Library*/Forest of the Dead*-5/5-Stephen Moffat and Euros Lyn team up to make two of the best episodes ever!!!...it definately beats Blink...a library is a perfect setting for a horror story,details are shown about the doctors character,and Donna is made very three dimensional,the scares are effective,and the action scenes are powerful,and who is Professor River Song?,the character development is amazing here which places it second place on my top ten episodes list.

Midnight-5/5-almost a classic...Russel T.Davies is again on top form here,and Lesly Sharp is fabulous and absolutely terrifying...the lower budged and few effects really makes this an unsettling experience,it shows just how the doctor is vulnerable without a companion(Donna is busy sunbathing)and this episode really does show off Tennants acting skills.

Turn Left*-5/5-WOW!!!-talk about pushing the boundaries...this episode is just spectacular,fabulous acting all round here,mainly from the fabulous Catherine Tate who shows many sides to Donna,another one of my favourite episodes and 3rd place on my top ten list,it also paves the way to the epic two part finale!!!!!!:)which i am really excited about.

the Stolen Earth*/Journey's End*-5/5-the Best of the Best(#1 on my list)and i'm sure Journey's End will join it on my top spot of my favourites,all the companions are brought together to face off against the Daleks and the absolutely petrifying Davros!!!fantastic action sequences and dazzling performances...Journey's End is set to be an epic masterclass...and with both parts together it makes the greatest episode ever(just 4 days to go!!!)Stolen Earth has the best cliffhanger known to mankind and the return of the companions(Rose,Martha,Jack,and Sarah-Jane)adds to the greatness of the episode.
altogether series 4 has been an enjoyable ride...and i hope that Russell T.Davies makes another project that will be successfull...his presence on the show will be missed but i'm sure Stephen Moffat will be a great show runner...but series 4 will definately be the best series ever!!!!!
Catherine Tate has been great on the show and i hope that she will return in the shows future...i am longing for the series final to show...this week is taking forever!!!but one thing i know is that Tennant will definately be in the finale so i'm sure there is a twist in the Stolen Earths climax!!!!.
I will be putting this on my christmas wishlist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reviews

How can you review something thats not yet for sale?
Review date: 2008-06-29 Rating: 6 out of 10

I'm sorry, but I don't get it. Last night I watched the penultimate show in this series on BBC, so the BBC won't even have given 2 Entertain Video permission to release the DVD sets for a while yet.

(they haven't even shown the series finale yet!)

Yet people are already commenting on a product that they can not possibly have even seen in the flesh yet. Unless these people work for 2 Entertain Video in the art or production departments?

Who knows, there may be some fatal flaw in the first batch of DVD's that will make a mockery of all the 5* reviews.

Excellent Series
Review date: 2008-06-27 Rating: 10 out of 10

Series 4 has been excellent and contrary to the above review - Midnight was a really superb episode and had such a deep meaning and showed the doctor on his own and just how people turn - it was creepy and leads nicely into the last 3 episodes - i have such excitement for these - Turn Left was again well written but the thing that really was interesting is that Rose played and was indeed second fiddle to Donna - and that is the way it should be - Donna (Catherine Tate) has been such a welcome addition to the Tardis - David Tennant was born to play this role and brings so many sides to the part - The Stolen Earth and Journey's End reunite so many characters and Davros look absolutely terrific. People can knock RTD - but he brought all this back and he has overseen it all and by and large it has all been great and is going from strength to strength and will continue to do so - as long as they shake things up and take risks - it all pays off - Roll on The Christmas Special - The 4 Specials in 2009 and the 5th Series in 2010

Series 4 - Good or not so good, that is the question..?
Review date: 2008-06-26 Rating: 8 out of 10

There is only one episode left of the latest Dr Who series and we have to ask "How was it for you?".

The general concensus in our household was good but not as good as the previous three series. RTD's timing for a break is spot-on.
I am not going to review every episode individually and, bearing in mind that one man's meat is another man's poison, I can only offer my own opinion on what I considered the best and worst of episodes.

Partners in Crime (the first episode) - was the re-introduction of Donna Noble and she was a hit with me from the start. After watching drippy Martha for 13 weeks, Donna was as refreshing as a big glass of cold cider on a baking hot sunny day. The attitude was slightly toned-down from the Christmas special of '06 but not enough to render her a wimp. She is bolshy, she tells the Doc exactly what she thinks or feels and the lack of a 'romantic, lovey-dovey' twist just makes her character a lot of fun. The monsters in this episode were very cute but the best part is seeing the Doc and Donna meeting up again. Their interaction is brilliant and it works very well thoughout the whole series. Donna bring a sharper level of humour and balances well against DT's superb one-liners.

The episodes that have stood out for me, to date, are:
Planet of the Ood: Amazing and has been watched many times over. A marvellous re-working of an enemy from an earlier series.
The Doctors Daughter: Just brilliant. We learn some more of the Doc's past in this episode and seeing him having to be a 'father' is both quite funny and very poignant. The ending is ultimately predictable but there are a few moments of holding your breath hoping that the outcome will be what you want it to be. The ending also opens up a plethora of opportunies for the future. Another spin-off series perhaps or just 'something in the bank'for the future?
The Unicorn and the Wasp: Got better on subsequent viewings. Felt it a bit bland the first time we watched it but found it more enjoyable when we watched it again.
The two parter of Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead was enough to give our 8 year old nightmares. And I wouldn't even let him watch it before bed-time but the following morning instead!!
Turn Left: I had to explain this one to a work colleague who didn't get it but she hadn't seen the first 3 series so that was understandable. I thought it was an excellent piece of writing, showing how our lives pan out through the decisions we make and seeing an alternative view was great. The re-visiting of previous series & episodes was a nice little tester for the memory. The 8 year old didn't enjoy it so much - no decent monster! - but the adult perspective was that it was very cleverly done and rolls in nicely to the last episode. The ending of this episode, when it links right back into the first series brought a gasp of surprise & amazement from my husband and I.
Stolen Earth - The penultimate episode and follows on from the end of Turn Left as expected. A truly magnificent episode with all that you would expect in the end-of-series episodes. After four years, we now know what to expect from RTD and he doesn't disappoint. The whole episode, from start to finish is superb, and we are literally breathless with anticipation for the last remaining episode. Even more so than last years wonderful return of The Master. So many questions to be answered. The effects are simply stunning and got several 'wows' in our house. We simply cannot wait to see how it all ends.

Episodes to avoid: Predominately 'Midnight' - This was PANTS of the first degree. Awful, totally awful. I can only think that this was the last episode that was filmed and they had run out of budget. It was pre-advertised as 'creepy'. The only thing 'creepy' was how they managed to get away with putting this on the tv. Yes, it IS that bad!! This is, however, my own opinion. Some people agree with me and some don't. That's what life is all about.

Some people have commented that I should have waited until the series had finished before posting this review. I felt however, that I could give a more balanced account of the series as a whole when my judgement had not been coloured by what was always going to be an awesome finale. It is too easy to say 'the whole series is brilliant' when all you can think about is how superb the big-budget ending was. Again, that is my opinion, and others will have theirs.

RTD has used many tricks with this series. The way Rose has popped up in quite a few episodes (you had to be sharp to catch her in some) has kept the appetite whetted throughout for the grand finale. Martha's re-appearence was better than expected but we still think she's a wimp. The mixing of the Doc's personal past and future has added intrigue and ended up creating more questions than were answered.

Thanks to the technology of recording we have already re-watched most of the episodes for this series.

Will we buy the DVD's? Too right we will!!

Bloody Excellent !!!
Review date: 2008-06-02 Rating: 10 out of 10

It just keeps getting better and better !!!
The 4th series is nothing short of excellent !!!
Charismatic David Tennant has really settled into the role comfortably by this his third series.
Catherine Tate, companion Donna is re-introduced as a regular this series as does Martha makes a welcome return for the Sontaran story but many fans have been eagerly awaiting the return of a new and tougher Rose Tyler.
Plus it boasts the return of Davros & the Sontarans, also the Daleks & the Ood,and a mysterious woman from Doctor Who's own personal future,alas the rumour mill is running wild on the internet but I am patient to just enjoy the final outcome on DVD as I have little choice but to wait as I live in Japan.

The episodes just screened in Great Britain are as follows;
1 - Partners In Crime (reunites Donna & the Doctor, Sarah Lancashire leads a fatty invasion in modern day London)
2 - The Fires of Pompeii (The Doctor tries to stop a crazy alien cult from creating more chaos in Pompeii on the eve of its destruction)
3 - Planet of the Ood (We visit the Ood in the 42nd Century and find out what slavery and rebellion is all about)
4 - The Sontaran Stratagem (Martha recalls the Doctor back to Earth to help stop an invasion based at Rattigan Academy)
5 - The Poison Sky (The second part of the Sontaran invasion as they hope to re-create the earth as a power base for their clones)
6 - The Doctor's Daughter (Starring 'ironically' Peter Davison's daughter Georgia Moffet on a war-torn planet as 2 factions fight it out)
7 - The Unicorn and the Wasp (The story of famous writer Agatha Christie's missing 10 days)
8 - Silence in the Library (Another 2-parter introducing a woman from Dr Who's future and for Donna a phantasmic love story or is it?)
9 - Forest of the Dead (Killer shadows,a million million lifeforms and silence in the library)
10 - Midnight (A hostile Alien gains entry to a shuttlecraft thats broken down en route to a sapphire waterfall with the Doctor trapped on board with a bunch of paranoid half wits)
11 - Turn Left (A meaty role for Donna set on an alternative reality where she never met the Doctor and everything takes a turn for the worse)
12 - The Stolen Earth (Guest starring just about everybody from the previous 3 series - the Doctor and Donna,with Sarah Jane,Rose,Martha,Torchword are Earth's mighty heroes and are challenged by the new Dalek Empire)
13 - Journeys End (Guest starring whats gotta be the BBC's worst kept secret in Dr Who history)

So the series doesnt wrap up there,too much is happening and we're presented with a cliffhanger & a series of specials next year to which we can look forward too.
But it doesn't matter, this is a great series well crafted with carefully thought out plots and not let down by an excellent cast and guest stars.
This DVD boxset would make an fantastic Christmas present and is on my X-mas wishlist plus to make sure I've also put it on everyone else's wishlist so someone's gotta buy it for me PLEASE :)
Doctor Who, after 45 years has finally fused the whopping great void between Science Fiction and Drama, small wonder its been firmly established as the BBC's flagship TV Show finally giving Doctor Who the respect it deserves after many many years in the wilderness.
Regardless of what many 'fans' say I think Russell Davies has done an excellent job as producer on Doctor Who and we should thank him for his drive and vision in getting the damn show back on the air after so long being without it and lets not spoil it by treating the man like a pariah like so many 'fans' did with John Nathan Turner 20 years ago, lets just be thankful Dr Who is back and not only that its the Number 1 SF/Drama in England if not the World, or indeed the 'Universe' as the Doctor himself would say.
The End...for now....

Product Details/Specifications

Actor(s):
Catherine Tate
David Tennant

Recording label: 2 Entertain Video
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
EAN: 5014503260927
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 6
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2008-11-03
Audience rating: To Be Announced
Region code: 2
Language: English (Original Language)

TotalTelly.co.uk

Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV

Doctor Who : Complete BBC Series 4 [2008]

Similar Products

Reviews

Product Details/Specifications

Categories

Search

Links