Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		4.0

Doctor Who: Series Six, Part One Blu-ray Movie Review

"Reminder: do not interact with headless monks without divine permission..."

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown July 19, 2011

It finally happened. As much as I resisted its quirky charms over the years, as often as I politely declined its invitations, I finally took Doctor Who's hand and stepped into the swirling abyss. And what a wild, funny, brilliantly penned seven-episode plummet it's been. Doctor Who: Series Six, Part One is one of the most addicting, brain-bending, side-splitting five hours of sci-fi television you're likely to encounter this year, and easily trumps the vast majority of genre programming on this side of the Atlantic (or the other). I'm not sure what pushed me over the edge -- the Doctor Who Christmas Carol special (which I previously raved about in my official review), Matthew Smith's spirited turn as the good Doctor himself (not to mention Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill's performances as the Doctor's endearing companions), or executive producer and head writer Steven Moffat's wilier approach to the Who mythos and multi-verse (Russell T. Davies helmed Doctor Who's 21st century revival through Series Four, before a very deserving Moffat was given the reigns on Series Five) -- but here I am, free-falling and loving every minute of it.

The Doctor and his allies face the greatest evil in Earth's history...

If the seven episodes that comprise Series Six, Part One struggle, it's only because the first two episodes -- "The Impossible Astronaut" and "Day of the Moon" -- set the bar so impossibly high. At the risk of slipping into deep, hyperbolic waters, I'd even go so far as to call the blistering two-parter the best ninety minutes of sci-fi in recent memory. (Yes, it's really that good.) To divulge too many plot details would simply be mean-spirited, though, as the joy of "Impossible Astronaut" and "Day of the Moon" is truly in the discovery of the opening tale's time-hopping, labyrinthine secrets. Suffice it to say, the source of the "silence" that was alluded to over the course of Series Five, and the meaning of the ominous warning "silence will fall," are revealed in their entirety. And the intense, altogether engrossing payoff is every bit as scary, fascinating and exceptionally well-developed as Who fans have come to expect from the machinations of the show's greatest Big Bads. What awaits those who venture into the "silence" of Moffat's initial Series Six volley? Time travel, Richard Nixon, memory tampering on a grand scale, a mysterious astronaut, a terrified little girl, Apollo 11, a chilling pregnancy, Area 51 and one of the creepiest orphanages my nightmares have seen fit to latch onto. Confused? Excellent. As I said, the joy is in the discovery. Moffat weaves a painstakingly careful path through the episodes that, fittingly, leave viewers with more questions than answers. But, oh, what wonderfully dark dreams, ambiguous allusions and unsettling foreshadowing those questions entail.

"The Curse of the Black Spot," on the other hand, is more of an episodic, standalone story. Threads from "Astronaut" and "Moon" are strung through "Black Spot," but rarely get tangled in what is otherwise a fun, simple little romp aboard a 17th century pirate ship. It seems a vicious siren (Lily Cole) is determined to devour every sick or injured man, woman or child on the ship. The crew has been reduced to a handful of people, among them the ship's captain (Hugh Bonneville) and his young son (Oscar Lloyd), and it's up to the Doctor and his companions to uncover the nature of the creature before it can lay claim to every survivor. If there's any throwaway episode in Series Six, I'm sad to say it's "The Curse of the Black Spot." It isn't bad by any means -- I wouldn't even call it average -- but it's a bit lightweight, especially compared to the heavy, heavy episodes that surround it. Episode four, "The Doctor's Wife," is outstanding, and easily one of the best TARDIS-centric episodes I've seen. (Go easy on me, lifelong Who zealots. Keep in mind I'm a fairly recent convert.) After following a distress signal through a rift in time and space, the Doctor expects to find another living Time Lord. The entity he finds instead puts Amy and Rory in harm's way (as always), tries to escape into the known universe, and inadvertently gives the Doctor an opportunity to learn a great deal about the TARDIS; far more than he ever knew before. Here, Moffat and his writers are in top form, focusing on their heroes without allowing the twisty nature of the tale to overwhelm the evolution of the characters involved. Dialogue is as brisk, bouncy and sharp as ever -- even though Series Six continues to prove itself far darker and bleaker than previous Who outings -- and plotting, pacing and character development follow suit with startling precision.

Moffat explores the notion of identity and sentient existence yet again with "The Rebel Flesh" and "The Almost People," another two-parter. While neither episode is as refined or remarkable as "The Invisible Astronaut" or "Day of the Moon," "Rebel Flesh" and "Almost People" are just as twisted, action-packed and, in some ways, surprising. The Doctor, Amy and Rory come across an island factory in which the workers use expendable clones of themselves -- in seemingly never-ending supply -- to perform the dangerous task of harvesting acid for the mainland. Inevitably, a solar tsunami strikes the factory and all hell breaks loose as the clones gain sentience and take issue with everything their human controllers have been forcing them to endure. "Rebel Flesh" and "Almost People" could have probably been condensed into one episode, but only at the expense of a lot of terrific scenes featuring the Doctor and his companions. It becomes quite clear in the course of "Almost People" that the two-parter is really about our faithful trio; not the rebellious "gangers" and their human masters. The final scenes alone spin Series Six on its axis, and Moffat thrusts Amy into the spotlight as the anchor point to which everything in the first seven episodes of Series Six is chained. Thankfully, the last episode in Part One, "A Good Man Goes to War," isn't just a top notch twist-n-turner; it closes out the first seven episodes with exacting ease and emotional power. Amy and Rory are no longer companions, at least not as far as the show is concerned; they're full-fledged players in the narrative, and their surge in importance is both appreciated and refreshing. The plot brings together a slew of characters -- new and old, alien and human -- and very little falls flat; no small feat considering just how unwieldy it all could have become.

Above all else, Series Six, Part One makes the wait for Part Two nearly unbearable. That's not only a testament to Moffat's grasp of the characters and mythos, but he and his writers' savvy scripts, his handle on dialogue and tone, his cast's incredibly focused performances (Smith, Gillan and Darvill are flawless), and his decision to infuse Doctor Who with a sense of ongoing, episode-to-episode danger and darkness reminiscent of that in Torchwood (until now, a far stronger show, in my humble opinion). Even the series' special effects have improved -- mainly due to Moffat's penchant for shadow and blackness, I'll grant you -- as has its overall design sense, be it makeup, physical sets, props, aliens and the practical effects and CG involved in their creation. Essentially, Moffat has dialed back the cardboard-n-rubber camp-factor just enough to retain the feel of what has come before while looking toward the future of what he would like the show to be. I don't know if Series Six, Part Two will be as captivating, thrilling and game-changing as Part One, but I certainly can't wait to find out. The next episode, "Let's Kill Hitler," due this September, can't come quickly enough.

Doctor Who: Series Six, Part One Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

There seem to be two prevailing opinions of BBC Video's recent high definition Doctor Who releases: some consider BBC's 1080i presentations to be mildly impressive but noisy and imperfect, while others, like myself, are far more pleased with the results. Series Six, Part One probably won't defy that trend. Personally, I remain ecstatic. As far as I'm concerned, BBC Video's 1080i/AVC-encoded Series Six image is nothing short of stunning. Colors are exceedingly accurate and altogether beautiful; skintones are warm, lifelike, and rarely falter; and contrast is dead on, black levels are rich and inky, and delineation is both natural and revealing. Detail, as always, is excellent throughout. There are a few shots plagued by distracting noise and some that appear a tad soft, but my complaints -- if you can even call them that -- end there. Fine textures are exacting and exceptionally well-resolved, edges are crisp, refined and clean (without any significant ringing to speak of), and clarity skims the rim of perfection. Moreover, aside from a few artifacts and color bands, the image is unhindered and the encode is as proficient as one could hope for. I didn't catch sight of any experience-spoiling anomalies, and crush, aliasing, smearing and aberrant noise simply aren't a factor. Tossing in the word "impeccable" would be overstating things, I'll admit. But I have to say the Series Six, Part One presentation comes commendably close. Frankly, I can't imagine any of the episodes could possibly look better than they do here. Perhaps if they were presented in 1080p, I suppose. Otherwise, I doubt I could be much happier.

Doctor Who: Series Six, Part One Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

And, like previous Doctor Who releases, Series Six, Part One boasts a terrific 2.0Mbps DTS-HD High Resolution 5.1 surround track. (Not to be confused with a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio mix.) Dialogue is bright, clear, nicely grounded and neatly prioritized, and sound effects are both effective and energetic. LFE output is noteworthy as well. Hurtling ships, deadly asteroids, swirling vortexes, blazing solar tsunamis, power surges, implosions, explosions and the ominous music that accompanies the series' villains are all bolstered by the LFE channel and, barring a few weak-willed thooms, little drifts off the rails. The rear speakers are also engaging, and do a fine job enveloping the listener in atmospheric ambience, TARDIS noises and environmental nuances; enough to easily label the experience immersive. Some front-heaviness puts a damper on all the fun, but it's the exception rather than the rule. Likewise, some less-than-convincing directional effects feel forced and artificial, although that may very well be in keeping with the at-times madcap tone of the show. All in all, there isn't much in the way of distractions or disappointments, meaning series fans will quickly be absorbed by Moffat's Who-verse and BBC Video's DTS-HD HR track.

Doctor Who: Series Six, Part One Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The only extra included on the 2-disc Blu-ray edition of Doctor Who: Series Six, Part One is a pair of "Monster Files" featurettes (HD, 24 minutes) that provide an overview of some of the aliens, monsters and creatures that rear their heads in Series Six. It's an uncharacteristically anemic supplemental package, though -- previous Doctor Who Blu-ray releases boast commentaries, behind-the-scenes documentaries and much, much more -- I wouldn't be surprised at all if the inevitable release of Doctor Who: The Complete Sixth Series (or even the eventual release of Doctor Who: Series Six, Part Two) is packed to the brim with special features. Hopefully, the "Monster Files" aren't the only things we'll get for Series Six.

Doctor Who: Series Six, Part One Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Moffat doesn't reinvent the Who wheel in Series Six, Part One, but he certainly improves upon it. With a sharper focus and with more immediate ramifications, richer characters, more monumental episode-spanning storylines, deeper emotions, darker overtones and a careful blend of humor, thrills and drama, Doctor Who is steadily working its way up the list of my favorite shows on television. Honestly, Series Six, Part One is worth the cost of admission for the first two episodes alone; two of the best hours of sci-fi I've seen in some time. The BBC Video Blu-ray release is one to own as well, at least if you're a fan of the series. With a high-quality AVC-encoded video transfer and a strong 2.0Mbps DTS-HD High Resolution 5.1 surround mix, it takes little effort to overlook the 2-disc set's near-barebones supplemental package. Season Six, Part One finally converted me to the Who fold. I know not every longtime fan or relative newcomer will react as positively to its seven episodes as I did, but I couldn't ask for much more from Moffat, Smith and the Who cast and crew.