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Doctor Who Series 7, Part 1 Blu-ray Review

The seventh series of “Doctor Who” starts off with mixed results.

After an uneven series 6, “Doctor Who” seems to continue along the same frustrating lines thus far in the first 5 episodes of series 7. Here’s my breakdown on the episodes included on this set:

The new series opens with the much anticipated “Asylum of the Daleks” which turns out to be somewhat of a bust. Not only does showrunner Steven Moffat mess up Dalek continuity, but he also essentially reboots it. Why are the new Daleks working with the old after they destroyed them? Why are Daleks using humans when all they ever preach is Dalek purity? Why is the show title being used in a poor attempt to create humor? None of this makes any sense, but thankfully there is one highlight here with a certain character. I won’t spoil who shows up in this episode, but I will say it’s an intriguing new character who will be featured in upcoming episodes.

Next up is “Dinosaurs On A Spaceship” which is a rather silly, throwaway romp. Humor wise, there’s a lot of annoying elements here including the wisecracking robots and Rory’s profoundly annoying dad. Still, there’s a few laughs here and it’s interesting to see a dark side of the Doctor appear again.

Following ‘Spaceship’ is the best episode of the series thus far, “A Town Called Mercy.” This episode sees the much welcomed return of the Doctor in the old west as he encounters a cyborg gunslinger and a mysterious alien. It’s a visually stunning and exciting adventure that also boasts some really deep character moments.

The fourth episode (“The Power Of Three”) revolves around mysterious boxes appearing around the globe. The story starts off strong with a likeable new U.N.I.T. character being introduced, but it sadly ends with a rushed whimper. It felt like a 2 parter crammed into one.

Last, but not least is the pivotal episode, “The Angels Take Manhattan.” By now, it’s no secret that this episode sees the departure of Amy and Rory. I won’t give away any spoilers here, but suffice to say, it’s an emotionally satisfying episode with some nice noir elements. I could have done without the groan worthy Weeping Angels humor though.

Summary: While these episodes aren’t “Doctor Who” at its best, fans of new DW should still check them out if for no other reason than to see ‘Mercy’ and ‘Manhattan.’

Video/Audio:

The episodes, which are presented in widescreen 1080i, appear a bit fuzzy in spots, but generally look impressive. From the piercing blue sky in ‘Mercy’ to New York locals in ‘Manhattan,’ the show certainly looks better than it ever has.

Between Murray Gold’s rousing score to the roars of dinosaurs, the 5.1 DTS-HD audio track delivers the goods.

Extras:
* “The Science Of Doctor Who”- A BBC America special where everyone from “Doctor Who” showrunner Steven Moffat to theoretical physicist Michio Kaku discuss scientific aspects of DW ala the TARDIS, time travel, alien beings, the gadgets, etc.
* Doctor Who At Comic Con”- Footage of Steven Moffat, Karen Gillan, Matt Smith, Caroline Skinner, and Arthur Darvill at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con. Fan interviews and fan questions are also spliced in here and there as well.
* “Asylum Of The Daleks Prequel”- The Doctor gets a dream message where he discovers he must go to Skaro.
* “The Making Of The Gunslinger”- No, this is not a making of featurette, but rather a tie-in with “A Town Called Mercy” that shows how the gunslinger came to be created.
* “Pond Life”- A cute little Amy and Rory centric 5 part web series that is worth watching just for the Ood character alone.
*Trailers for “Copper,” “Spies Of Warsaw,” “Sherlock,” and “Luther.”

December 3, 2012 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | 11th Doctor, Amy and Rory, Arthur Darvill, Daleks, Doctor Who Series 7, Karen Gillan, Matt Smith, Part 1 Blu-ray Review, Weeping Angels