Blu-Ray Review: Great Box Set of ‘Doctor Who: The Complete Specials’

CHICAGO – The last five hours of David Tennant’s spectacular run as the tenth doctor of “Doctor Who” have been collected in a great Blu-ray box set from BBC Home Video titled “Doctor Who: The Complete Specials”. Tennant was recently voted the most popular doctor in the long history of the beloved show. Watching these five hour-long specials makes it clear why.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

Tennant has been the charming lead of “Doctor Who” since 2005 and is now passing the torch on to Matt Smith, who is seen at the end of the final episode of this collection. Smith has some big shoes to fill. When Russell T. Davies reinvigorated this franchise in 2005, he exceeded all expectations, delivering a show that has been one of the biggest in the U.K. and around the world for the last five years.

Doctor Who: The Complete Specials was released on Blu-ray and DVD on February 2nd, 2010.
Photo credit: BBC Home Video

The great Christopher Eccleston opened the door in 2005 but he was quickly replaced by Tennant who has done a remarkable job in his time in the legendary TARDIS. Tennant is now moving on but “The Complete Specials” serves as a great climax for the character.

Doctor Who: The Complete Specials was released on Blu-ray and DVD on February 2nd, 2010. Photo credit: BBC Home Video

The five episodes included in “Doctor Who: The Complete Specials” are “The Next Doctor” (originally broadcast December 25th, 2008), “Planet of the Dead” (April 11, 2009), “The Waters of Mars” (November 15th, 2009), “The End of Time, Part I” (December 25, 2009), and “The End of Time, Part II” (January 1, 2010). All five are presented on their own disc in 1080i that looks good but not great. The HD quality is a bit flat and not significantly better than the standard DVD video, but the episodes themselves and the seven hours of special features more than make up for any technical stumbles.

Official synopsis: “This stunning collection of Doctor Who specials - The Next Doctor, Planet of the Dead, The Waters of Mars and The End of Time, Part One & Two - is a must own for all Doctor Who fans. The four imaginative, action-packed specials are the farewell to star David Tennant, and Russell T Davies, the mastermind behind the rebirth of the modern Doctor Who. The specials culminate in the dramatic regeneration of the Doctor, giving fans their first glimpse of the eleventh Doctor, played by Matt Smith. The specials are packed with a terrific lineup of guest stars including Michelle Ryan (“Bionic Woman”), David Morrissey (“State of Play,” “Sense and Sensibility”), Lindsay Duncan (“Alice in Wonderland” (2010), “Rome,” “Under the Tuscan Sun”) and many more that we can’t reveal just yet!”

Special features include “Doctor Who Confidential,” “Doctor Who at the Proms,” Deleted Scenes with introduction from Russell T. Davies, “David Tennant Video Diaries - The Final Days,” “Doctor Who BBC Christmas Idents,” Audio Commentaries, and “Doctor Who at Comic-Con”.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com