8.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
In 1963 an old fashioned Police Call Box sat in a junk yard at 76 Totters Lane. An old man out and about exploring. A young girl wise beyond her years attending Coal Hill School. Two teachers become suspicious. Barbara and Ian suspect the girl is in trouble. They follow her home. The girl, Susan Foreman, vanishes into the junkyard. Barbara and Ian investigate. They discovered the Police Box. "It's alive!" says Ian, he feels a faint vibration coming from within. The girls grandfather returns. He confronts the two teachers who accuse him of holding the girl inside the Police Box. They hear her call out to him from inside. Barbara and Ian push their way in and discover a world they never thought possible.
Starring: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker (I), Peter DavisonSci-Fi | 100% |
Adventure | 36% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080i (upconverted)
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: Dolby Atmos
Atmos and 5.1 only on the Sea Devils
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Eight-disc set (8 BDs)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
When you're a Time Lord, you really don't need to worry about things like a traditional forward chronology, and as I joked most recently in our Doctor Who: Jon Pertwee: Complete Season Two Blu-ray review, that may mean that the BBC's release strategy for this incredibly long lived series can resemble a ping pong match at times. Thus far and with regard to the Jon Pertwee incarnation of the Doctor, in addition to this release and the aforementioned Complete Season Two, the venerable BBC has seen fit to also release Doctor Who: Jon Pertwee: Complete Season Four, though in terms of that "traditional forward chronology", it may be salient to note that the release regimen offered the fourth season on Blu-ray first, the second second and the third third, so to speak, which I guess is mostly traditionally chronological. This particular batch of episodes originally aired in the first six months or so of 1972, but perhaps quaintly, they may suggest more of a "sixties" attitude than some of the pseudo-mod elements that would define the Tom Baker era of the series (and don't get me started on the BBC's mind boggling releases, or lack thereof, for those particular Doctor Who years).
Doctor Who: Jon Pertwee: Complete Season Three is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of BBC with AVC encoded 1080i transfers in 1.33:1. Just as there seems to be no real logic in how BBC is choosing to release these standalone series, there's also a sometimes baffling variance in quality between seasons, and for whatever reason, I'd actually rate this near the top of the Jon Pertwee releases thus far, but that may be damning with faint praise, as fans who have been collecting these upscaled releases may already be aware. There's quite a bit of filmed material here, some of which actually has what I'd state is at least a relatively "true" high definition appearance, though that said, there are certainly some deficits in both detail and palette at times. But even some of the videotapes material here doesn't have the really ragged appearance that has afflicted several other seasons of the series, though I don't want to mislead anyone into getting their hopes too high. There are still regular manifestations of everything from aliasing to ghosting to moire patterns, so set your expectations bar appropriately.
Helping to seal the deal for this set at least for audiophiles may be the addition of DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and even a Dolby Atmos track for The Sea Devils, with all episodes offering DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono tracks. I have to say as far as surround reimaginings of mono tracks, both the 5.1 and Atmos versions are commendably free of that kind of quasi-phased quality that often attends such efforts, but that said, the actual surround activity tends to be limited to the sporadic sound effects and score. All of the mono tracks offer secure fidelity and clear reproduction of dialogue, effects and score. Optional English subtitles are available (and commendably they're offered on the supplements as well).
Disc One - Day of the Daleks
- Sunday Best - Terry Nation (HD; 9:20)
- Free Thinking - The Daleks (HD; 43:15)
- Abridged BBC Audiobook - Side A (HD; 45:00) features Jon Pertwee.
- Abridged BBC Audiobook - Side B (HD; 44:42)
- Episode One (SD; 24:36)
- Episode Two (SD; 24:35)
- Episode Three (SD; 24:20)
- Episode Four (SD; 24:18)
- Radio Solent Jon Pertwee Interview (HD; 3:52)
- Radio 4 Today (HD; 2:09)
- Episode One (SD; 24:42)
- Episode Two (SD; 24:32)
- Episode Three (SD; 24:08)
- Episode One (SD; 24:26)
- Episode Two (SD; 24:24)
- Episode One (SD; 25:08)
- Episode Two (SD; 25:08)
- Episode Three (SD; 24:02)
- Episode Four (SD; 23:59)
- Episode Five (SD; 24:34)
You can almost feel the Doctor Who writers trying to stretch out a bit this season with some more thoughtful enterprises, but there's still the unmistakably goofy "kiddie show" ambience here that can tend to drive more modern day Doctor Who fans a little batty. Video, while still far from optimal, actually looks relatively decent, contextually speaking, and audio is fine, aided by the 5.1 and Atmos versions on The Sea Devils. As with virtually of these standalone Doctor Who releases, the supplementary package is absolutely outstanding and may help to counterweigh the deficits in the video presentation for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.
1963-1964
1964-1965
1965
1966
1967
1967
1967
1970
1971
1972-1973
1974-1975
1976-1977
1977-1978
1979-1980
1980-1981
1982
1983
1985
1986
1987
1988-1989
1989
The Star Beast / Wild Blue Yonder / The Giggle
2023
50th Anniversary Special
2013
1965
Doctor Who Docudrama / Includes 'An Unearthly Child' Bonus DVD
2013
2020-2023
1966
2009
1966-1969
Budget Re-release
1987-1994
10th Anniversary Collector's Edition | Limited
2014
1995-2001
The Director's Edition | Remastered
1979
1975-1977
Budget Re-release
2001-2005
45th Anniversary Edition
1978
2019
2016
2000
The Remastered Collection
1978-1980
2018