Doctor Who - The Complete BBC Series 1 Box Set [2005] [DVD] | ![Doctor Who - The Complete BBC Series 1 Box Set [2005] [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Z%2BSUiwxgL._SL160_.jpg)
| Actors: Billie Piper, Christopher Eccleston, Camille Coduri, Noel Clarke, John Barrowman
Studio: 2 Entertain Video
Category: DVD
List Price: £69.99
Buy New: £13.49
as of 22/11/2009 03:32 GMT details
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New (22) Used (11) Collectible (9) from £13.20
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Rating:  115 reviews
Sales Rank: 416
Format: Box set, PAL
Languages: English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired), English (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region: 2
Discs: 5
Number Of Discs: 5
Running Time: 585 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.8 x 1.5
EAN: 5014503177027
ASIN: B0009AK57Y
Theatrical Release Date: November 5, 2005
Release Date: November 21, 2005
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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Amazon.co.uk Review
It was always going to be a risk for the BBC to revamp iDoctor Who/i--few television programmes inspire as much rabid and cultish adoration. With the 2005 series, however, the BBC have really outdone themselves. Their updated iDoctor Who/i 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 iDoctor Who/i is a hero for the new millennium. i--Robert Burrow/i
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 115
 Fantastic! November 22, 2005
Good Wolf (South West, UK)
22 out of 23 found this review helpful
No need to go into too much detail - this relaunch of Doctor Who was the best thing to happen to television in years. The original series managed it in 1963 and this new version has managed it in 2005 - it#x27;s well-written drama with a warmth, wit and imagination far in excess of any other sci-fi show. There are some rather dull people around who have bemoaned the progress the new series has made, who seem to think that genuine, emotional drama and proper, rounded characters have no place in sci-fi (indeed, some of them have contributed reviews to this site). But anyone who#x27;s still got a sense of fun in them, anyone who#x27;s after a wonderful ride through time and space, should hop aboard the TARDIS. You#x27;ll never regret it!pThe DVD extras are great, too - particularly the audio commentaries from clearly enthusiastic cast and crew.
Doctor Who - Better than Ever! November 30, 2005
tigerthedog (Rochdale, UK)
69 out of 75 found this review helpful
When it was revealed that the BBC and Russell T Davies had plans to revive Doctor Who, which ended in 1989 I was somewhat worried and sceptical about the idea. I remember thinking that Doctor Who is a national institution, and if the BBC got it wrong and messed it up, then the millions of Doctor Who fans would never have let it go. I was also a bit concerned about Billie Piper playing the role of the companion, Rose Tyler, but thankfully it transpired that all of my initial quibbles were completely baseless because the series turned out to be far better than I ever could have hoped for. I thought Doctor Who was at its peak during the 1970#8217;s with Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, but Christopher Eccleston#8217;s doctor was just as good. I can#8217;t recommend this box set highly enough, and due to the fact that Doctor Who has received nothing but praise this year, as well as a stack load of awards, you can#8217;t go wrong buying this. It makes for great viewing for the whole family, and its definitely been the highlight of 2005 television for me.pChristopher Eccleston manages to put so much energy, humour and action into his Doctor, and as well as making him accessible to the Doctor Who fans, he has a kind of manic appeal that will make him instantly popular with new Who-fans. Billie Piper proved everyone wrong, and turned in a brilliantly consistent and emotional performance as the Doctor#8217;s companion Rose Tyler. The TARDIS looks great also, especially the interior, which won#8217;t disappoint fans at all. There are the return of some old enemies for the Doctor to fight, such as the dreaded legends that are the Daleks, as well as the terrifying plastic/dummy-model Autons, that made two appearances in 1970 and 1971. This set also pioneers some brand new adversaries such as the Slitheen, The Gelf, etc, which all prove to be thrilling, and will keep the children hidden behind the sofa. The special effects are also great; and make big improvement on the laughable sets and models used in the original series.pThere are thirteen episodes; and here they are: (* rating out of 5)brROSE (disc 1, original airdate: 26/3/05): In the first episode of the series, Rose Tyler meets a strange man and battles a cavalcade of plastic shop dummies. ****brTHE END OF THE WORLD (disc 1, original airdate 2/4/05): In her first trip through time and space, the Doctor takes Rose to a strange space station, thirty minutes away from the end of the world. ****brTHE UNQUIET DEAD (disc 1, original airdate 9/4/05): The setting for this episode is a Cardiff Christmas in Victorian London back in 1860, we sees the Doctor, Rose and Charles Dickens (Simon Callow) take part in a sinister s#233;ance when the dead begin walking. (Note: This episode is given a 12 certificate for scary scenes) *****brALIENS OF LONDON (disc 2, original airdate 16/4/05): A UFO spaceship crashes into Big Ben and lands in the Thames, and the Doctor meets the Slitheen. ****brWORLD WAR THREE (disc 2, original airdate 23/4/05): As the threat of the Slitheen intensifies, planet Earth is plunged into its first interplanetary war, and Rose takes on a dangerous assignment. ****brDALEK (disc 2, original airdate 30/4/05) Its what we#8217;ve all been waiting for#8230; the return of the Daleks; and they#8217;re better than ever! The Doctor meets his most infamous enemy. ***** (Note: This episode is given a 12 certificate for scary scenes)brTHE LONG GAME (disc 3, original airdate 7/5/05): Rose and the Doctor arrive on Satellite 5, a sinister television complex, ruled by a hideous creature and the Editor, played by Simon Pegg. ****brFATHER#8217;S DAY (disc 3, original airdate 14/5/05): Billie Piper gives a thoroughly tremendous performance in this emotional drama-based episode, in which Rose goes back in time to meet her deceased father, but unleashes a deadly threat upon Earth as a consequence. *****brTHE EMPTY CHILD (disc 3, original airdate 21/5/05): The character of Captain Jack is introduced in the first of a two-part episode set at the height of the London Blitz, where a strange gas-mask clad child is stalking the streets in search of its #8216;mummy#8217;. *****brTHE DOCTOR DANCES (disc 3, original airdate 28/5/05): The child plague spread in the concluding part. *****brBOOM TOWN (disc 4, original airdate 4/6/05): The Slitheen are back in an episode where the Doctor questions his right to kill. *****brBAD WOLF (disc 4, original airdate 11/6/05): The penultimate episode of the series and the first in a two parter, which sees Captain Jack, Rose and the Doctor trapped inside some horrific #8216;games#8217; and the return of an evil foe. *****brTHE PARTING OF THE WAYS (disc 4, original airdate 18/6/05): In the last episode of the series, Planet Earth is involved in a horrific war. This episode is particularly moving, and features an ending you won#8217;t forget.pIn terms of special features, there is plenty to enjoy. All thirteen episode are accompanied by optional audio commentaries by members of the cast and crew, such as creator/writer Russell T Davies and Billie Piper. There lots of nice features, including all 13 edited editions of Doctor Who Confidential on Disc 5, Billie Piper#8217;s video diary, Mark Gatiss#8217; writing journal, Russell T Davies on the first week of filming, The Adventures of Captain Jack, features on the special effects such as Deconstructing Big Ben and much more besides. The discs are presented in a lovely TARDIS box, and there is also a Collector#8217;s Booklet included too. In conclusion then, I can#8217;t recommend this set highly enough, and I want to say a big thank you to everyone involved for bringing back Doctor Who bigger, better and bolder than ever before. I can#8217;t wait for the Christmas Special!
Finally, some decent British Television! And sci-fi at that! April 22, 2006
G. Francis (Lincoln, UK)
23 out of 25 found this review helpful
I was born in 1984 so I'm of that generation who really missed-out on "Doctor Who". I had no Doctor to call my own when I grew up, and little knowledge of the series outside of the cult symbols of the Daleks and the TARDIS. (When I was still at senior school we had a Christmas quiz one time and one of the questions was to name any of the actors who had played the Doctor - no one could answer, which proves the point.) But then the new series came along, and I, like many other people, became a convert. I'm a big "Star Wars" fan and I love the "Harry Potter" books as much as the next person, but forget "Revenge of the Sith" and "Half-Blood Prince" - "Doctor Who" was *the* event of 2005, without a doubt.
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br /So, what made it work? Well, it's simple really: well-written stories, excellent casting with some superb actors, special effects better than what's usually seen in any British TV series, and a show that was as much about the characters as it was about the monsters and the spaceships. Though its eccentricity when compared to the likes of "Star Wars" and other sci-fis threw me off to begin with, I soon settled in to the show's wit and charm, and I love its ability to never take itself too seriously, which is the downfall of a lot of modern fantasy stuff. Also, the fact that it was thoroughly entertaining and accessible for both children and adults was a real bonus, especially since so many things - even "Harry Potter" - seem to be getting to that level at the moment where they're too dark for younger audiences to enjoy. How wonderful it is to safely be able to sit back with either young kids or your grandparents and still feel comfortable about watching something together!
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br /The show's power for me lays in its characters, though, and every week, though I loved the monsters and the fantastical adventures, I wanted just as much to see what the next development might be in the relationship between the Doctor and Rose, or to see how Mickey and Jackie were getting along without them, if we had an adventure that took us back to present-day Earth. It just made it all feel so much more realistic, though it's ironically choc-full of the impossible!
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br /Billie Piper is an absolute revelation as Rose - I had my doubts at first, but from the moment you set eyes on her in part 1, you know she's a gifted actress. Put her together with Christopher Eccleston, one of the most talented and gritty actors in Britain today, and you've got an absolutely electric combination. Talent ahoy! They're both extremely capable of bringing every aspect of the scripts - from the dry humour to heart-wrenching emotion - to life, and are the driving force behind what proves to be a very energetic, intelligent and moving drama series. Though some episodes prove to be superior to others, there's never a terrible one, and this box set is well worth the investment if you have the cash. The extra featurettes give the enthusiastic Whovian something to get their teeth into, and I guarentee you will never find some more hilarious audio commentaries than you do along to some of these episodes, which, as well as revealing the actor's thoughts, also reveal some incredibly funny asides and memoirs of the on-set hiccups.
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br /Though there are some fans of the classic "Doctor Who" who dismiss the new series (like any fan who treasures the originals, I guess), no one can deny that the new "Who" was a huge hit and that it's an incredibly well-made drama/sci-fi series. Now showing in its second season on BBC in the UK, the first shall always be remembered as the one that set the benchmark for the rest to follow, with a Doctor of the likes that we've never seen before (I personally don't think we'll ever see another Doctor as great as Chris Eccleston, but we all have our favourites, don't we?).
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br /So, just sit back with the whole family, relax, jump behind the sofa if you have to, and enjoy what is the best of British family drama. Thank you Russell T Davies - we owe you one.
Great show May 19, 2006
Alistair Duncan (UK)
69 out of 78 found this review helpful
Like many of the other reviewers of this series, I loved the show. As a fan of the previous Doctor Who series I was hoping for much. I was not disappointed. A small number of reviewers have given the series a rough time. They fail to appreciate that in trying to make the show accessible to everyone the BBC were bound to make it inaccessible to some. Look at all the modern sci-fi shows out there today, how many are really suitable for the entire family to watch? The answer - very few.
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br /Admittedly I do agree that Russell T. Davis' episodes tend to be worse than the others and I too find the epsiodes dwelling on Rose's family to be boring. I can't wait to see the back of her mum and Mickey. I guess we'll have to endure them all the time that Rose is the assistant.
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br /I bought the individual DVDs as they came out during 2005 and recently sold them to "upgrade" to the box-set. In some respects I wish I hadn't bothered. I enjoyed having Doctor Who - Confidential included but we should have been given the full versions and not the "cut-down" editions which are dull. The best part of confidential was getting the opinion of the past Doctors. This is absent from the cut-down editions.
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br /So if you're thinking of getting the series for the first time - buy this box set. If you have the individual DVDs - keep them and skip this.
Utterly brilliant. October 7, 2005
Mr. James A. Coleman (UK)
27 out of 30 found this review helpful
With 42 years of history, and a 26-year long TV show to match up to, the BBC have braved the wrath of millions in bringing back this historic show. It could have been done with top of the range effects, distracting from the storylines, or it could have been done with wobbly sets and cheap costumes, which seems to be about all anyone can remember of the classic series. Instead it nicely covers the balance, Making a fine distinction between being able to use top quality effects, and actually using them. pThe storylines, in general, have been faultless. A trip to see the end of the World, fighting the remains of an alien civilization with Charles Dickens, creating a tear in time which can only be solved by a sacrifice, and a child moving around London during a World War 2 air raid, looking for his mummy, and not stopping for anyone. pI suppose that now is the time I should mention the Daleks. These have been brought back bigger, better, and shinier than ever. The episode "Dalek" is pure class. Incredible drama is provided by Chris Eccleston, and the Dalek scenes are well handled, without looking tacky or predictable. My only complaint (and it is stupid, but it's the only way I can really fault this episode) is the overuse of "Exterminate". In the very first Dalek story, that word was never even used! Once a Dalek said "They shall be exterminated", but that was it. Now, it seems to be its entire vocabulary! What possible reason did it have for using "Exterminate" as its last word? pBy far the best episode though was The Empty Child. Physical injuries acting as a plague, moving from person to person, infecting everyone the Child touches, turning them all into mindless gas-mask wearing zombies, looking for mummy. Creepy on every level, highly dramatic, and superbly directed. The risk you often run with a longer story is making the second half live up to the first. "The Doctor Dances" remains highly dramatic. The horror of the first episode is gone, but the thrill is still there. Chris Eccleston has his finest hour, and it's hard to stop smiling when he is so cheerful at the end. He has reason to be happy, and when he so gleefully cries out "just this once, everybody lives!" it's a magical moment, showing just how fine an actor Eccleston really is. pAs with any TV show, there are both ups and downs, but such superb episodes as "The Unquiet Dead", "Father's Day", and of course "Dalek", "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances" make this boxset worth buying even if you didn't want the others. In all honesty, I can't stand the last three episodes, but the others are so wonderfully done that it doesn't matter. pBuy this. You won't regret it.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 115
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