Doctor Who: Series 2 - Volume 2 [DVD] [2005]

The last series continually took me by surprise! I sat down expecting to lightly pass 45 minutes and became well engrossed, drawn in, amused and often moved. The new series and the new Doctor built brilliantly on the strength of series one, at the same time bringing a freshness and vitality to the show. These episodes are among the best so far, and show the imagination and inventiveness of the writers off well. Tenant is brilliant as the Doctor, compassionate to the oppressed, ruthless to the guilty, and always switiching effortlessly between playing it for laughs and serious drama. Piper shows herself to be far more than just a good actress too; her range is impressive, complimenting Tenants Doctor perfectly. All of the episodes on this disc are strong, my personal favourite being "The Girl in the Fireplace," when the doctor falls for Madame De Pompador in a plot that twists space and time while having some genuinely jumpy moments- check out the tick-tock robots face masks! "Tooth and Claw" is also fantastic, scary and atmospheric, with a memorably haunting performance from the boy who eventually becomes the beast. "School Reunion" sees the return of Sarah Jane Smith and the iconic K-9, and is lighter than the other two. That said it has it's brilliant moments of emotion as Rose finds she's not the only woman the Doctor has ever shared his adventures with. Tenants playimg of the "You'll age and I won't" scene is moving, and gives us insight his character.

Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the episode but the DVD as a whole is poor value. I'm a big fan of the vanilla releases as I'm not a huge admirer of extras on DVDs but this release was just a huge disappointment for me. One episode (albeit an hour long instead of the usual forty-five minutes) selling at the same price of a release with 3 is just daylight robbery and the addition of the DW Confidential Special is a poor substitute for further episodes. At least last year's Christmas Special had "New Earth" with it too.

On a slightly more positive note David Tennant was usual exceptional self, Catherine Tate wasn't the nightmare I was dreading and the Empress of the Racnoss was a truly impressive creation. But I'm sorry Amazon, until this one drops in price I won't be partaking of it, completist even though I am.

This DVD continues the second series of the BBC's hit revival of 'Doctor Who' and contains three episodes. David Tennant's perormance as the Tenth Timelord remains strong, energetic and vibrant, whilst Billie Piper as Rose Tyler remains his equal in every way. This disc contains no special features, but there will be a 6-disc boxet released in November that comes crammed with bonus material and content. But if you're like me and can't wait that long, this DVD is definitely a must-buy when it is released. The three episodes on the disc are all of an extremely high calibre, and the standard set so far by the series is maintaned. So, where is the TARDIS taking us this time...?

The three episodes contained on this disc are:

The Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel

Writer: Tom MacRae

Director: Graeme Harper

Originally broadcast 13/5/06 and 20/5/06

These two-episode make up this series' first double-length episode, and are special due to the fact that the metal monsters that are the infamous Cybermen are back, bigger, badder, and better than ever before. Last year, the Daleks made a triumphant and successful return to television, and this year it is very much the turn of the Cybermen, the emotionless steel giants, who haven't been seen on television since the Slyvestor McCoy era of the late 1980's. There is a wealth of the things to enjoy in this two episodes however, as the Doctor and Rose find themselves on a strange parallel version of Earth after the TARDIS crash lands. In this alternative Earth, things are very different, Rose's dad is still alive, Mickey is reunited with his grandmother and there are zepplins, strange blue-tooth like headsets, and bizarre factories of carnage all over London. The new design of the Cybermen is stunning; they look beautiful! Their return to this series was superb, and the 2006 spin on the monsters is very satisfactory, such as the scenes in the factory where Rose and Pete Tyler have to go undercover and when the Doctor realises that they have no emotions. This episode is also important because Mickey Smith, Rose's poor, long-suffering boyfriend is finally given a chance to prove himself, and the result is very memorable and exciting. There are some great moments in this two-part story but I won't spoil them. All I will say is that the Cybermen are back, and their absolutely brilliant!

The Idiot's Lantern

Writer: Mark Gatiss

Directed by: Euros Lynn

Originally broadcast 27/5/06

Mark Gatiss' (aside from being part of the dark and hilarious 'League of Gentlemen') coined last year's excellent episode 'The Unquiet Dead', but his offering for Series 2 is even better, and this episode drips with atmosphere and tension, as the Doctor and Rose travel back in time to 1953, the year of the Queen's Coronation. It is testimony to the skills of the team behind the show that it really feels like th viewer is in the period, an experience further enhanced by the terrific sets, props, clothing and realisitc dialogue and characterisation. The main plot of this episode is that people are vanishing as a result of televisions, and the Doctor must unlock the secret of 'The Wire' and find out how the television is taking over the world. Tennant and Piper are great throughout, and although The Doctor's homage to Elvis (the hairstyle) is a bit much, this episode is a lot of fun. Great stuff, with an electric climax (literally)...

There are a number of guest stars that make appearances in this series such as Roger Lloyd Pack (Trigger from 'Only Fools and Horses') as the evil brainchild of the Cybermen, John Lumic. Shaun Dingall reprise his role as Pete Tyler, Rose's father in the two Cybermen episodes, and Mauren Lipman is terrifying as 'The Wire' in 'The Idiot's Lantern'. The collection of episodes is brilliant, with superb performances, writing, direction, special effects, etc, and this DVD is one that I'd highly recommend.