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Doctor Who - The Complete BBC Series 1 Box Set [2005]
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| Editorial Reviews: | | |  | | 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 | |
| Custom Reviews: | |
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| | I must admit I was given this, I didn't buy it, but that isn't to say I would not have bought it, I was, and still am, a huge fan of the original DR Who. However despite all the reviews this is not realy Dr Who at all.
Talk about dumbing-down, a program that was en enlightenment in its time, that managed to push back the boundaries of TV and SF whilst maintaining a responsible atitude toward society has become "Creature Shop meets Eastenders" starring Billy Piper. There is no doubt that Billy looks nice, and it is her show, there is no doubt of that either, but the Dr has died. In the place of an excentric but highly civilised and intelligent man has arisen a 900 year old bore with the psychological development of a randy 14 year old and the intelligence of a high school drop-out.
In this first series the Dr continually refers to Rose's (B.Piper) ex-boyfriend as Micky the Idiot, without cause, needlessly puts Rose's life in danger on several occasions, is rescued by Rose on several occasions because of his own incompetance, displays sufficient cowardice to get an ally needlessly killed and even commits murder. Not once does he solve a problem using his mind, and on many occasions he looks stupid, and is always upstaged by Rose i.e. Billy Piper, to top it off he is arrogant and boorish in his general atitude.
In short this program is a colourfully produced, wonderfully staged insult to the spirit and character of the real Dr Who and a disgrace to the BBC.
| | The classic is called classic because it is | |
| | The original Doctor Who is always the best. I grew up with Peter Davison as the Doctor but my personal favourite is Jon Pertwee.
I am glad Doctor Who is back and its hard to compare this with the original series because the original series was much better. However the Surround Effects on the new ones as well as Special Effects has brought Dr Who to a new generation. Chris Ecclestone is not really that good to be honest with you but everyone has a favourite Dr. Just glad to see it back.
| | "His Dark Materials: The Northern Doc!" | |
| | My favourite show returned and in better form than anyone could have believed. Overall this is a triumphant return in the form of a very rare beast; an updating that works. The roots of The Police Box Show are still there; tardis, lovely new version of the theme, a slightly mysterious loner, companions, monsters, time and space and good triumphing over evil.
The 1st new doctor for some time Christopher Eccelston is great. He is a dark loner but this is subtle and never overdone. Intense but not in a pretentious way that would have gone against family entertainment. He is less obviously eccentric than his predecessors but has a fondness for corny humor that is topped off with a toothy grin.
Billie Piper is the best companion in some time and works as the viewer identification.
Of the stories themselves are all of a good standard, with only "the Long Game" a tale of aliens running news feed statellites having ideas that don't gel too well.
The opener Rose introduces the concept of the show in a way Paul McGann's movie failed to. This is a high incident romp that whets the appetite for what's to come featuring old monsters Nestenes & Autons.
After the contemporary opener it's into the far future for "The End of the World" & Victorian Cardiff for "the Unquiet Dead" the new show's 1st classic.
There is more emotion at the core of new Who as we frequently meet Rose's mother and her ex-boyfriend and look at the consequences of being the people left behind. Also Rose instinctively saves her father's life after visiting the day of his death and then the resulting time paradox is meshed with the emotional fallout.
The Daleks triumpantly return with better effects and design and re-establish their menace in an episode featuring just 1 and then in a breathtaking CGI battle for the series finale.
New villains the Slitheen getting similar airtime, are a hit too with their wearing victims skins like a suit and their "gas exchange" causing excessive wind! Guaranteed to have the young ones sniggering.
New character Captain Jack is introduced in the blitz and goes on to be an excellent addition with Steven Moffat's writing and John Barrowman's acting.
This is the same old show and nods to the past are subtle not suffocating, Unit soldiers in the background, daleks ships like in their comic strips.
The extras include a fun commentary for every story, cut down versions of all the companion documentary show Dr Who: Confidential episodes, some video diaries and featurettes. All in all it's a pretty full package and sets the template for furture box sets.
The only gripe is the lack of Eccleston's presence on the extras. He is in some Confidential bits and a Breakfast Time interview, not the better 1 out of the 2 he gave either.
Still a highly recommended purchase especially at the marked down prices that it's come down to after 2 years.
The Police Box show is in safe hands
| | This is pulp riding of the coat tails of a great series and special effects | |
| | The original Doctor Who was about ideas. That has gone. The original series lasting for 27 years manage to keep the feeling, mantras, and backstrory/culture(mostly). In this revamp all that is thrown away. This is worse even than the Peter Cushing movies for losing the plot. Science Fiction is escapism. The more you try to bring in gitty reality and ordinary people's unbalanced personalities, the more it becomes something else. In science fiction you travel to other worlds. In this, you never leave Earth (unless its to go to New Earth or New New Earth). Aliens are replaced by horror movie products such as were-wolves or the devil or zombies. I guess this is what happens as our society because more "educated" but less aware of what science is about. The so called "high-points" of all the series so far is to bring back old creatures for the classic series. Without that this series would have almost no new ideas. I have kept watching these series as I have always been a Doctor Who fan but without the name it would just be a fusion of James Bond and bad horror. The creators of this series eliminated all the back-story from the previous series (ie. the other Timelords, Gallifrey etc). Many people feel bitter that Chris Eccleston left after this series but the fact is that David Tennett was better. Its a shame that Billy Piper didn't leave at the same time as she is a very poor actress.
| | | I have been watching Doctor Who since 2005, and have caught the odd classic episode as well. When Doctor Who came back to our screens, I was sat, glued to the TV every Saturday night in amazement. I loved it, it was so different to everything else that was on the box. And yet, looking back now having seen series 2 and 3, it could have been so much better!
The acting could sometimes be completly spot on, and other times...downright cheesy. The scripts ranged from the inspired and brilliant Empty Child to the dull predictable Boom Town. The effects for the slitheen were unrealistic, the scenes between the Doctor and Rose-ditto-the list goes on and on. Although I'm a massive fan of the new series, and the spin-offs, I feel it could have had a better founding 1st season.
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