The 2008 Doctor Who DVD thread (R1 & R2) TV Movie in USA

[2099net]

First review of the DVD Boxset. Including an extensive review of each of the season's episodes!

http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/do ... ies-5.html

It's a shame the PiP commentary is just a PiP Commentary. I was hoping it would, like most Blu-ray implementations - show storyboards, b-roll footage and more. I guess this won't be the case for the Blu-ray being as it doesn't on the DVD.

Regarding Classic Who, Revisitaions set 2 (for release mid-2011) is confirmed to contain Carnival of Monsters, Seeds of Death and Ressurection of the Daleks (in both 2 part and 4 part form).

Personally I'd rather have seen The Three Doctors in place of CoM. The cliffhanger needs fixing, and the current release only contains archive footage for the supplements. However, I must admit, CoM is probably my second favourite Pertwee story, so I'm good. Ressurection seems a bit of red herring though - is it only being re-released primarily for the 2 part presentation?

[Escapay]

2 episodes per disc?!? All because of the separate encode for the In-Vision commentaries? Ugh. The extras sound slimmer than usual, and the lack of Matt Smith (beyond the standard Doctor Who Confidential interviews) is upsetting.

Regarding classic Who, I'm glad "Seeds of Death" is getting a revisitation. I've always wanted more in-depth features for the set. Still can't imagine what else they can do with "Resurrection" beyond adding the two-part version and the mentioned-on-the-previous-page possible documentary about "Warhead".

Every time I've tried to watch Carnival of Monsters, I fall asleep. I honestly don't know why. It's one of the few 3rd Doctor stories that this always happens.

albert

[2099net]

Carnival of Monsters makes you fall asleep?!?

It's one of the few Pertwees that celebrates the fantastical to a large extent - season 7 being in general far to serious for its own good, and even the campy later UNIT stories seem more concerned about having a foot in "reality". I can't put my finger on it exactly - but it's the "modern" day setting for the bulk of the Third Doctor's stories which puts me off the era - even though even in these, there can still be great imagination and audacity. It seems the Third Doctor can have those elements, but can't truly be "oddball".

Anyhow, here's the teaser trailer for the Special Edition Day of the Daleks

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[Escapay]

Carnival of Monsters makes you fall asleep?!?

I think because whenever I would sit down to watch it, it'd be at the end of the day and I'd tell myself "one episode tonight, I need to sleep" and instead, I'd just fall asleep.

And I'm really digging that "Day of the Daleks" trailer. Will be quite interesting to compare to the original (which I have yet to see). Who produced it (the SE)? The effects look similar to the ones that John Kelly does for the optional CGI effects on other stories too. Is he behind this one? Or is it Brendan Sheppard this time? Or someone else entirely?

albert

[2099net]

Well, I got the Blu-ray set (Limited Edition Tin Packaging). There's a number printed on the spine (which unfortunately gives my number, but not the total number of sets made) and in a nice touch that pesky crack on the front is debossed.

Really if you have "vanilla" Blu-ray's already, there's not much to say - the picture is just as sharp and gorgeous. I guess the sound is better, being in 5.1 this time rather than 2.0. I can't really comment not having a surround sound system.

Like the "vanilla" releases, the Next Time trailers are missing. Not a decision that bothers me - I think the choices made with the editing of these on the transmitted episodes shows that they were created to be easily removed (unlike those in the RTD era which tended to bleed around the closing theme).

I am disappointed though that the set comes on six discs, just like the DVDs. The first two discs only have 2 episodes on them. A ridiculous waste of space - especially as the PiP commentaries on the Blu-ray set seem to be done properly. i.e. the content is encoded into the HD audio/visual stream and not a separate encoding as is done on the DVD set.

The visual commentaries are a failure of imagination. I've only viewed the Eleventh Hour's but there was nothing at all which benefited us being able to see the commentators. In fact, The Grand Moff himself seems somewhat lazily slumped in his chair and somewhat... unprofessional? throughout. (Perhaps he's going for an early Fourth Doctor vibe?) It really isn't a shame the footage didn't include odd pre-effects sequences, B-roll footage and design galleries too. Being as the whole episode is being re-encoded for the DVDs as a new title, such innovations could also be viewed on the DVD release.

However for all the complaints, the commentary I listened/viewed is just as fun and informative as the better commentaries on previous sets. (Although I do already miss Julie... and no more "Hurrays" from RTD!)

Really, at the very least, couldn't this be a five disc set, with the appropriate Doctor Who Confidential Cutdowns on the relevant discs?

Much is made of the "Meanwhile In The TARDIS" sequences, and indeed the first one is rather fun. But far from vital and in-itself far from impressive. It doesn't quite have the feel of a proper deleted scene, and doesn't quite feel it belongs where its supposed to. You can play an episode complete or with the "Meanwhile In The TARDIS" segment tagged on the end.

I think these are a good idea, but they need to be more than two-handers on a standing set. I hope that for next year, we can have other side-ways insights into the characters and stories which are more varied. For example, wouldn't it be good to have a Meanwhile... segment covering some/all of "The Lone Centurion's" legend? Or the Alliance meeting for the first time to plot against The Doctor? Or even more of Vincent, perhaps we could see him with a little new found confidence after his short trip in the TARDIS?

Oh and talking of Deleted Scenes, where are they? There is a set of outtakes (I've yet to view) but I don't think these will be deleted scenes.

I've yet to look at anything else in the set, and indeed anything beyond the first disc hasn't even entered by player yet. But IO9 have an overview of the series and the DVD release here:

http://io9.com/5687578/relive-doctor-wh ... son-on-dvd

[Escapay]

Like the "vanilla" releases, the Next Time trailers are missing. Not a decision that bothers me - I think the choices made with the editing of these on the transmitted episodes shows that they were created to be easily removed (unlike those in the RTD era which tended to bleed around the closing theme).

I thought they would bother me, but after watching a few episodes sans trailers, they flow much better with the end scene going into the credits. Maybe next series we'll see no next-time trailers during broadcast as well.

I am disappointed though that the set comes on six discs, just like the DVDs. The first two discs only have 2 episodes on them. A ridiculous waste of space

I think it's so that the configuration on the discs are the same between the DVD and the Blu-Ray, like how the Blu-Rays for the Specials box set has a special on each disc (likely cause they used the individual release discs). But I'd have preferred if they actually put more episodes on disc. Ideally, 5 episodes per disc could fit, and since the 2-parters are 4&5, 8&9, and 12&13, they'd always be on the same disc. I dislike how 4&5 are split across discs on this set.

The visual commentaries are a failure of imagination. I've only viewed the Eleventh Hour's but there was nothing at all which benefited us being able to see the commentators. In fact, The Grand Moff himself seems somewhat lazily slumped in his chair and somewhat... unprofessional? throughout. (Perhaps he's going for an early Fourth Doctor vibe?) It really isn't a shame the footage didn't include odd pre-effects sequences, B-roll footage and design galleries too. Being as the whole episode is being re-encoded for the DVDs as a new title, such innovations could also be viewed on the DVD release.

It doesn't even have the nice border (IIRC) that the Series 2 In-Vision commentaries have. It's quite dull to look at in the corner. I'd rather they have 13 audio commentaries than 6 video commentaries.

Much is made of the "Meanwhile In The TARDIS" sequences, and indeed the first one is rather fun. But far from vital and in-itself far from impressive. It doesn't quite have the feel of a proper deleted scene, and doesn't quite feel it belongs where its supposed to. You can play an episode complete or with the "Meanwhile In The TARDIS" segment tagged on the end.

I liked the "Meanwhile" bits, and when Kram and I were watching the second one with the companions montage, we kept finding Romana (more of Romana I than Romana II) repeated over and over again. Perhaps a sign that she'll be returning? One can only hope. Or maybe the Moff just really likes her like I do.

I've yet to look at anything else in the set

I've only had a chance to watch Discs 3 and 4 (to continue the marathon I had started earlier watching episodes on my computer), and then watched about an hour's worth of Confidential Cutdown. I don't mind that they're cut down as that's how I've watched all of them since Series 1. Of the few I've seen in their original length, there's way too much padding via expository interviews ("In this story, this and this and that happens") and episode clips, so really, the relevant stuff is what we get in the cutdown. A whole series worth of cutdowns is essentially a 3-hour documentary, even if it repeats the opening and closing credits. But I'd like to see full-length Confidentials offered (like on the Specials), if they actually were worth watching in the full 45 minutes.

I was upset that they didn't bother including a cutdown version of "The Eleventh Doctor" which announced Matt Smith's casting. It had his first interview with him, which I always enjoyed watching for his restless jazz hands throughout the whole thing.

albert

[2099net]

I've since listened (or watched, whatever) the Victory of the Daleks commentary and found it to be one of the best out of all the New Series sets so far. (But of course, I am biased towards anything Gatiss...) It's a shame, because it sounds like Victory of the Daleks could have been a much better story if it was made as a two parter. There's obviously a lot of fine background detail about the story that Mark worked out, but either didn't have time to include, or was cut out.

However, what's interesting is the comments on the new Daleks. Although I found them ugly at first (mainly because of the "hump") I've since grown to like them. From most angles the new Daleks look fantastic (and I predict if we ever see a proper Dalek story with them they'll be mightily impressive - just like they are in the PC Adventure Games - seeing them en mass and with dirt and grime on the casing really sells the new colours). Perhaps they do look a little too clean and plasticky in Victory. And I'm fine with the hump if it does contain extra weapons. Knowing its there for a purpose makes it much more acceptable.

I also watched Karen's video diary on the same disc. I've seen some people complaining that this shows nothing of consequence - but isn't that sort of the point? I found the ten minutes to be most entertaining even if they weren't particularly informative. I think it helps get across the atmosphere of working on the set well - something a documentary finds hard to do.

But there's something missing from the set - its an overall sense of ambition. I can understand if the economic market has dictated fewer supplements and I can easily see simply by looking at the contents that Matt Smith has chosen to hardly be involved. That's fine, but there's no innovation, seemingly no desire to do anything new with the set. Even "In-vision" commentaries have been done before, without I must add, the DVD/Blu-ray producers learning anything from the results.

I hate to complain too much, but the home video releases have gone from being "BBC Flagship" to "same old, same old" each year. It's a shame that where the new team changed and invigorated virtually everything on screen this year, almost nothing has been done to the home video release format.

New Disc News

It appears the Xmas Special "A Christmas Carol" will be available in a DVD/Blu-ray/Digital Copy package on January 24th 2011. Apparently this will include the special, a full length Doctor Who Confidential and "other stuff" (we can hope for a Doctor Who at the Proms in HD this time).

In addition, reports are the special will not be available on either of the 2011 boxsets (one for each "season") - one of the reasons 2|entertain are reportedly putting on more supplements than the normal "vanilla" releases of the past (where the special was included with series episodes)

[Escapay]

I also watched Karen's video diary on the same disc. I've seen some people complaining that this shows nothing of consequence - but isn't that sort of the point? I found the ten minutes to be most entertaining even if they weren't particularly informative. I think it helps get across the atmosphere of working on the set well - something a documentary finds hard to do.

I've only seen the third video diary (with Matt Smith during episodes 12 & 13) and it's basically him chatting to the camera and then pointing it at various people and saying who they are. Not particularly useful, but I enjoy watching things like this (the "Merlin" DVDs also have less-than-an-hour's worth of this) as we get to see the cast and crew out of character and just being themselves. It's been awhile since I've watched the David Tennant video diaries, but I remember he was more talk-to-the-camera than point-and-shoot.

I can easily see simply by looking at the contents that Matt Smith has chosen to hardly be involved.

Could it be because after production of "Doctor Who", he went off to do Christopher and His Kind? So maybe when they were scheduling the In-Vision commentaries, he couldn't do any of them. And aside from the "Meanwhile..." scenes, everything else is stuff shot during production (Confidential, diaries), when he would have time to sit down and chat. The In-Vision commentaries themselves seem to be more of an after thought than anything, unfortunately.

New Disc News

It appears the Xmas Special "A Christmas Carol" will be available in a DVD/Blu-ray/Digital Copy package on January 24th 2011. Apparently this will include the special, a full length Doctor Who Confidential and "other stuff" (we can hope for a Doctor Who at the Proms in HD this time).

I hope the Digital Copy is just a code and not a superfluous disc. Since the US and UK markets are now unified or whatever they're calling it, I'm assuming we'll be getting this on the 25th.

In addition, reports are the special will not be available on either of the 2011 boxsets (one for each "season")

While my wallet will potentially be glad that the 2011 season will be split, I'm still upset that there won't be a "complete" set of the whole thing. Still, I'll need something to tide me over between that game-changing cliffhanger.

albert

[2099net]

All of the 2011 DVDs listed (complete with special features)

The latest Doctor Who Magazine lists all of the 2011 DVDs and their supplements. The Doctor Who News Page has a summary.

http://gallifreynewsbase.blogspot.com/2 ... pdate.html

Some interesting releases there - mainly down to some unconventional pairings... and I can see the Auton two pack being controversial due to people "having" to re-buy Spearhead from Space.

Personally, I'm a little disappointed that the Three Doctors release seems so slight, and I'm perplexed by the choice not to record a new commentary for Robots of Death - the current one being particularly poor (probably the result of it being the first[?] commentary recorded for the range).

I'm pleased to see Planet of the Spiders has the 90 minute compilation edit included. I've long wanted one of these just to see how they fair compared to the longer, original episodic presentation.

All in all its an interesting set of releases, including more VidFired releases and more recoloured releases. But as we get to the end of the line, I think story pairings will become more and more tenuous.

[2099net]

The following has just been tweeted by the ClassicDW account:

Due to ongoing restoration issues, Ambassadors of Death will now not be released in 2011. #doctorwho

while some may see this as bad news (and for all of my Pertwee indifference and I looking forward to Ambassadors greatly), I personally see it as a positive sign. Once again it shows the Restoration Team are willing to go the extra mile. I'm sure one certain high profile fan will complain LOUDLY, but he really should be thankful.

[Escapay]

So does this mean "The Sun Makers" gets delayed as well? Or will it just be released with another story or on its own? Ohh, maybe they'll decide to release a "Varos" SE after all to fill in the empty slot!

Either way, I'd rather have "The Ambassadors of Death" delayed in order to get the restoration done right. It beats having a less-than-stellar restoration put out there simply because it was announced for 2011.

albert

[2099net]

Seems like The Sunmakers will be released on its own now. Personally, I think that they could have found another story to pair it with along the same theme - recent info from 2|entertain is most of the discs are pretty much complete and/or there's enough of most upcoming releases done to enable quite radical changes to the schedule if needed. For example, the Ambassadors of Death "making of" seems to have been completed in 2009!

Personally I think The Happiness Patrol would work well as a twin-release to The Sunmakers. Both are quite similar themes (Earth colonies ruled by a dictatorship with a "unusual", initially seemingly non-violent way of repressing the population).

Now, something I should have commented on a few weeks ago, but didn't because I didn't really view the 2010 Christmas Special in optimum conditions, being as it was part of a busy family Christmas Day.

But now the DVD/Blu-ray has been released, I feel I can comment on the story and the disc.

A Christmas Carol

There's no doubt that this is the most "Christmassy" Doctor Who Christmas Special yet, but perhaps it wasn't suited for Christmas Day viewing. I say this because unlike some of the earlier specials, this one really does require the viewer to pay attention to it if they want to get the best out of it. And, once again, Moffat makes time-travel the key to the plot. As people may know, any story dealing with the cause and effect of time-travel needs the viewer to pay attention.

Sadly, I feel that the combination of scheduling and the apparent familiarity of the story will, in fact, cause most of its Television viewers to do the opposite.

As shame, because this episode is without a doubt on of the very best since the show returned. While on paper it may not appear to have the ingredients of a Doctor Who story, on screen it does. It has everything that attracts me to the show. Needless to say, no matter how flexible any other show is, none of them could have told this story.

From the audaciousness of the fish (and sharks) flying in the fog to the doomed passengers singing Christmas Carols this had so much that makes the programme special and unique.

If the presence of a flying shark wasn't enough to convince you that the story is far from a re-run of Dickens' A Christmas Carol - Moffat's imagnative take on The Ghost of Christmas Future is what finally sets the story apart.

As Sardick says, he knows he'll die unloved and alone - what will showing him that achieve?

Incredibly, due to his concept of time being rewritten, the Grand Moff has actually IMPROVED on the original text! Even when struggling to ignore the chaos around me on Christmas Day, this moment left my jaw on the floor.

That "Christmas Furture" moment alone sums of the best of Doctor Who - simply take a familiar concept; give it a new, original twist. It can apply to stories (after all some of the best stories from "Classic" Who were reworkings of familiar concepts), or monsters (The Jadoon are Rhinos, Magnus Greel is The Phantom of the Opera, The Autons are shop dummies, Daleks are Nazis etc.) or as in this case, simply moments.

I feel I must mention Michael Gambon as well. Without a doubt Gambon is one of the countries most overlooked actors. Yes, he's well known, and yes, he get lots of parts - some of a high profile. But he never really gets the credit he deserves. I've been a fan of Gamdon ever since Toys (a criminally overlooked film as it happens) and some of his recent work has simply blown me away. I still cry every time I watch the ending of Joe's Palace.

Needless to say as well, this looks absolutely gorgeous in HD - do I detect a little return to the "fairytale look" of The Eleventh Hour? And the soundtrack (in DTS 5.1 MA) is just as impressive, with Gold's addictive Eleventh Doctor theme being reworked into the score once more.


Everything about this story shines - the script, the actors, the sets, the music. It's a wonderful synergy of every aspect of the production being at the apex of their art.

That said, the release isn't quite as good as it could be. No Digital copy or DVD copy was included in the package (despite this being listed initially and it does seem to be 2|entertain's new policy - the new Jeremy Clarkson Blu-ray from 2|entertain includes both).

But the biggest let-down is the 2010 Doctor Who at the Proms being in DD 2.0 only. While the fact it's presented in HD should be praised, surely a programme 90% about the music should have a full 5.1 soundtrack? The fact that it doesn't just totally mystifies me - who could have thought that this was a good idea?

That said, I love the BBC Doctor Who Proms - not so much for the music, I have most of it on my MP3 player anyway. But because viewing one on screen reminds me of the convention going days. But then I was only seeing similarly passionate fans responding to the programme. By watching the audience at a Prom, you can see how the general public responds to the programme. And they respond well - laughing in all the right places - feeling contemplative and sad too when the appropriate music comes up. But more that that, we can see young children staring wide-eyed with wonder and amazement at the monsters walking amongst them. But what was best for me was hearing each of the Eleven Doctor's get a spontaneous round of applause when presented on the large viewing screens.

The disc also includes the Full Christmas Doctor Who Confidential Episode in HD. This appears to be uncut and with no music replacements - but I really couldn't say, not having seen the original broadcast version. The content is mixed - much as I dislike most of the "Cutdowns" on the season set releases, the hour long Confidentials are somewhat bloated. I think half-an-hour would be the ideal runtime for most Confidentials.

[2099net]

Two absolutely brilliant reviews for A Christmas Carol now its been released in the States:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Doctor-Wh ... 33/#Review

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/4447/dw_christmas.html

[Prince Charming 12]

Net,

I had read an earlier post that there is some speculation that this Christmas special will not be included on a "series" set. Do you have an update on that one? I'd hate to run out and buy it only to have it included on a set later.

Also, you mentioned that there will not be a "complete" Series Six set, as with prior seasons. Is that true or just more fan speculation?

Thanks for the frequent updates!

[JiminyCrick91]

Net,

I had read an earlier post that there is some speculation that this Christmas special will not be included on a "series" set. Do you have an update on that one? I'd hate to run out and buy it only to have it included on a set later.

Also, you mentioned that there will not be a "complete" Series Six set, as with prior seasons. Is that true or just more fan speculation?

Thanks for the frequent updates!

I hear that it at least with R1, there will be in the Series Six set but it will not have one or both of the extras on the stand alone BD.

I still want ACC on BD but I can't find it anyplace. Also disappointing is the lack on the BBC online Confidential mini-Episodes with YouTuber Charlie McDonnell. I find that guy delightful plus seeing Matt Smith go crazy about badgers makes me smile.

-Skyler

[2099net]

The speculation now (and it is speculation) is that in place of the UK Vanilla releases, the UK will get two two disc sets (seasaon 6, season 6b/7) soon after the episodes of each air, and as normal around Xmas, a complete 6-6a/7 set will be released.

No word on the Christmas Special, but as JC points out, in R1 at least, it has been confirmed ACC will appear in the boxset, but may be missing a supplement or two (presumably its possible the Confidential could just be a cut-down). This confirmation from BBC America is on TVShowsOnDVD somewhere apparently.

[Prince Charming 12]

Thanks for the update Jiminy and Net!

If it is only missing a supplement or two, I think I will hold off on buying it and wait for the complete series at year end; which I am glad to read is still the norm. I like collecting the complete sets so I avoid those "in-between" releases. Speaking of complete sets, has there ever been any indication of releasing the Classic Who seasons in that format someday?

[JiminyCrick91]

Speaking of complete sets, has there ever been any indication of releasing the Classic Who seasons in that format someday?

I don't see it happening any time ( ) soon. Especially with so much missing in part from the William Hartnell & Patrick Troughton years. Yes there are the telesnaps and soundtracks but it's far from the same.

-Skyler

[2099net]

As you most probably know the schedule is for the classic Who releases to finish in 2013 - the 50th anniversary year and we seem to be on target. Given that the UK and US releases are now more or less unified this will be true of the US as well as the UK.

So I would bet on the first* season set being available in 2014. But that's just my guess.

* Of course the Key to Time season and the Trial of a Time Lord season are already available.

[Prince Charming 12]

That's probably a pretty good guess Net. I always believed that at some point, after the initial restoration was completed, that the BBC would (better yet should) release those seasons in complete sets. I never understood the logic, if there really was any, with this restoration schedule anyway. I mean, it never made sense the way the team bounced around restoring stories from multiple seasons in the same year. I guess the way I would have done it was to begin with Season 1 and end with Season 26.

For many years, PBS stations were running the Classic Series in a seasonal format - from 1 -26 Jiminy. While it would have been neat to view them, I don't feel that it detracted from the overall season nor would it if they were ever released that way on DVD. The probability of recovering some more of them is very low so BBC "go with what you got"!