Doctor Who - Series 5, Volume 3 [Blu-ray] [Region Free]

I don't get with all the Matt Smith haters, he is a great doctor. Alright i prefere DT but MS comes a close secord and is great. Volume 3 is the weakest out of all the volumes but its still great. Amy's Choise is amazing and it really shows what a wonderful actress Karen Gillen is. I would give it 4.5 mainly because i feel Cold Blood is a bit slow but it really picks up at the end and has a great twist.

Well, if you've already seen the original broadcasts then you will already be wise to the three episodes (7, 8 and 9 ). This is half-way through the series. Personally I like the darkness of Amy's Choice and its denouement and the foretelling the demise of one of the main characters. Toby Jones gives a wonderful performance as the menacing Dream Lord? But Who is he?

The Silurian story ( The Hungry Earth, Cold Blood) might give the Silurians more depth and complexity than previous incarnations, maybe humanising them a bit too much in my view, but even Silurians involve, I suppose! Myra Syral is very good as the geophysicist and her ending unexpected!

If you buy all the new series DVDs as released as I do then you will already have bought or about to buy it. Amy's Choice is definitely better than the Silurian episodes. I'm sure some Dr. Who fans appreciate some stories more than others.

Make up your own mind!

Three wonderful episodes on this volume so if you don't plan on getting the full series, I would at least recommend this one and the Time of Angels two-parter. Amy's Choice was a myterious episode and had bit of the classic who feel about it. Toby Jones was some inspired casting for the character of the Dreamlord and played it quite well.

The Hungry Earth seemed a bit filler-ish for the conclusion, "Cold Blood." But nevertheess, it's worth watching as it reintroduced a new tribe of Silurians - although personally, I preferred the others. More alien-like, you see.

Cold Blood contains a balance of action and diplomacy. On the one hand, the Silurian military prepare to take over the Earth, on the other, Amy helps in negotiating peace between the two owners of the planet. But with a cry of "EXECUTE HER!" it swings into gear as the Eleventh Dctor gleefully announces that it's squeeky bum time. But I wasn't prepared for what was to come and change the course of the series...

....

The following review contains SPOILERS for the Doctor Who Series 5 finale and should be viewed with caution. You have been warned....

....

.....

.......

..........

Alas, "The Big Bang" has aired and Series 5 has come to a close. In retrospect, I have really, really enjoyed this series. Full of Doctor quirks fabulously pulled off by Matt Smith. Anyone still not rating him against previous doctors needs to ride off on their high horse and stick with repeats.

"It's a fez... I wear a fez now... fezzes are cool."

One of the great features of this series for me, was, the ending. For the first time in New Who history - we got a happy ending. No deaths, no sadness, no loss. Two companions and the same Doctor heading off into the new series on a new adventure. It put a smile on my face and that smile is still there. I only wish they kept the fez. Never gonna do it without fez on....! I'd be singing it if I could.

"You'll dream about that box..."

Matt Smith was, as ever, wonderful. Playing The Doctor really suits him and so long as the character writing level remains high, I'm happy for him to stay on for quite some time. In the meantime, put your arms in the air and wave your head about in between!

"Something old... something new... something borrowed..... something blue."

I don't think the scripts and directing have been that generous to Karen Gillan this series. A bit too much shouting for my liking. But when she gets the chance she pulls it off. There was certainly a lump in my throat as she learnt of the lone centurian watching over her for almost 2000 years.

"Say it again. One... more... time."

Alex Kingston / River Song. I love this character and this actress. Such a unique character with such mystery as we progress backwards through her timeline. I'm very much looking forward to learning a lot more about her next series (we were promised by The Moff!) but at the same time, I hope some questions are left unanswered. For example... The Doctor's name! Her stand out scene for me this series was definately confronting the lone Dalek as it cried for mercy after looking her up. She's definately hiding something, but she has a good alibi - Spoilers!

"Hang on kid. This is where it gets complicated."

The prize for the scene that made me almost fall off my seat this series goes to (you were warned of spoilers) little Amelia opening the Pandorica to reveal big Amelia... Amy. Some genius writing by Steven Moffat as we find out what happened between Amy being shot and her taking The Doctor's place in the ultimate prison... albeit confused as to why the sonic screwdriver could open so many deadlocks so easily... and quite suddenly. Regardless, Moffat even threw in some harmless time travel humor. After all, this is a show about Time... don't forget that!

"Don't worry your majesty.... we're on our way."

Extra special mention to Arthur Darvill as Rory Williams giving an excellent performance this week and providing a lot of the emotional value this series. I'm thrilled that he appears to have joined the TARDIS crew permanently as he heads off with both The Doctor and Amy (in full wedding attire!) to investigate an egyptian goddess on the loose on the Orient Express..... in space.

So it is with great sadness that I bid farewell to Doctor Who and hope that Christmas can get here that much sooner. GERONIMO!