Doctor Who: The Complete Matt Smith Years Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Doctor Who: The Complete Matt Smith Years Blu-ray Movie Review

The Blu-ray release of Doctor Who: The Complete Matt Smith Years includes every season, episode, Christmas special and film that features Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith... minus Doctor Who: Deep Breath, the first episode of Series 8 (starring Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor), which includes a brief but memorable cameo by Smith. You'll have to pick that one up separately, via its standalone release or the upcoming Complete Eighth Series set. The Complete Matt Smith is presented in 1080p with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround (even those seasons that were previously released in 1080i with DTS-HD High Resolution audio). The 16-disc set breaks down as follows:

• Discs 1-4: The Complete Fifth Series, starring Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill
• Discs 5-8: The Complete Sixth Series, starring Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill
• Discs 9-12: The Complete Seventh Series, starring Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill
• Disc 13: The Day of the Doctor, starring David Tennant and Matt Smith
• Disc 14: The Time of the Doctor, starring Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman
• Disc 15: An Adventure in Space and Time, starring David Bradley and Jessica Raine
• Disc 16: Additional Special Features (Matt Smith Years Exclusive)

Doctor Who: The Complete Matt Smith Years Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Like the Doctor Who: Series 1-7 Limited Edition Giftset, the seasons, special episodes and films in The Complete Matt Smith Years set feature first rate 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentations, including those seasons that were previously released in 1080i. And, for all intents and purposes, the new 1080p presentations are as close to perfect as any Doctor Who fanatic could hope for. The old 1080i releases were no slouch, so the upgrade isn't game-changing or life-affirming. Most viewers won't even notice the difference without comparing screenshots or scrutinizing individual shots. That doesn't mean there aren't notable improvements, though. Superior quality abounds -- slight as it may be -- and the few issues that haunted each season and special's 1080i predecessor have, for the most part, disappeared. Any unsightly business that remains is merely a product of the source and/or the show's modestly budgeted VFX. Nothing more sinister.

Colors and primaries are striking, fleshtones and saturation are lovely on the whole, black levels are bold and wholly satisfying, edge definition is clean and refined, textures are exceedingly well-resolved, and delineation is excellent. Detail is terrific too, with clean, sharp edge definition and refined textures. Moreover, significant artifacting, banding, ringing and other mishaps are kept at bay. Yes, blink-and-miss-it aliasing still manages to creep in from time to time, grain-like noise is an inherent part of the image and, every now and then, contrast is superheated to the point of being a tad overbearing. But once again, the series' source and photography are the culprit. And none of it amounts to anything of consequence. If you didn't pick up the Doctor Who: Series 1-7 Limited Edition Giftset and are itching to replace those 1080i BDs, this is the next best thing.

Day of the Doctor follows suit with a 1080p/MVC-encoded video presentation that can be viewed in 3D or 2D, both of which impress. Briefly released in theaters and sporting more cinematic flair and a bigger budget than a typical Doctor Who episode, the 50th Anniversary special doesn't drift too far off the series path. Colors are a bit washed out and contrast a touch stark, but fans won't flinch. Primaries nevertheless pop, skintones are lifelike and nicely saturated, black levels are deep and sinister, and delineation is suitably revealing. Detail is crisp and rewarding as well, with exacting edges (free of any ringing) and exceedingly well-resolved textures. Significant artifacting, banding and aliasing are nowhere to be found, any noise is inherent to the photography, and Zygon transformations and other visual effects shots are the only source of anomalies. The same high praise extends to the 3D experience. Filmed in native 3D, the special boasts notable depth and dimensionality, with a number of sequences and elements that are quite convincing. (The three-dimensional Gallifreyan art and the various interiors of the TARDIS spring to mind.) For those whose displays are prone to crosstalk, ghosting is minimized, and there aren't any real distractions to speak of. All told, Day of the Doctor offers one of the best high definition Who presentations out there.

And Time of the Doctor? It's noisier and a bit more problematic than previous Smith-helmed series releases -- with spikes in grain, black levels that range from dusty to deep, and contrast inconsistencies aplenty -- but any perceived loss in quality is purely subjective. Colors are bold and naturally saturated. Detail delivers, without anything in the way of mishaps or shortcomings, and macroblocking, banding, aliasing and other poor sports are nowhere to be found. There's the usual FX-born blemishes Whovians have come to expect, but each instance is easy to shrug off, making Time's encode as commendable as those that come before it.

Doctor Who: The Complete Matt Smith Years Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Each series episode, Christmas special, anniversary special and film is presented with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround. LFE output is aggressive and booming, throwing its weight behind every explosion, implosion, TARDIS crash, hurtling spacecraft, doomed planet, Dalek blast, Cybermen assault, lumbering beast and destructive interstellar event the Doctor encounters. The rear speakers are convincing and nicely populated too, with slick, smooth pans and accurate directionality (especially in more atmospheric or frightening episodes, where nightmarish happenings are made that much more intense by the already engaging soundfield). Better still, dynamics are quite excellent, and dialogue remains clean, clear and carefully prioritized throughout. The series' music comes on a bit strong on occasion, but it hardly amounts to an issue. Bottom line? No complaints here.

Doctor Who: The Complete Matt Smith Years Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Blu-ray release of Doctor Who: The Complete Matt Smith Years includes all of the supplemental content from its previously released season/special/film BD counterparts -- among them episode audio commentaries, "Doctor Who Confidential" featurettes, video diaries, Monster Files, prequel webisodes, documentaries and much, much more -- as well as an exclusive bonus disc with a number of additional features:

• The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Death of the Doctor (HD, 55 minutes): This two-part story hails from Doctor Who spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures and guest stars Matt Smith (as the Eleventh Doctor of course) and Katy Manning as Jo Grant, a former companion to Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor. In it, Sarah Jane (Elisabeth Sladen) is informed by UNIT representatives that the Doctor has died. Regeneration being as it is, she has her doubts and goes along willingly, anxious to investigate. Soon, though, Sarah Jane really is racing to save the Doctor as a more nefarious plot involving the Shansheeth reveals itself. The episodes are presented with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix.
• Doctor Who Proms 2013 (HD, 77 minutes): The TV cut of the 2013 Doctor Who Prom, a sweeping concert performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales that features appearances by Matt Smith, Fifth Doctor Peter Davison, Jenna Coleman, Neve McIntosh, Dan Starkey and Carole Ann Ford. After a selection of brief interview segments, the Prom slams into high gear as large display screens are filled with series video clips, audience-invading aliens attack, members of the supporting cast appear in costume, behind-the-scenes footage is played, and the orchestra does what the orchestra does best, all of which converges to create a unique musical event. The Prom is presented with a 2.1 Mbps DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix.
• Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide (HD, 123 minutes): A fun memory-loss short starring the Doctor (Smith) and Clara (Coleman) kicks off this solid (albeit slightly over-produced) 2013 BBC Three documentary. Though longtime fans won't learn much of anything they didn't already know, newer members to the Who fold will drink in an entertaining history of the saga and breakdown of the good Doctor, framed by numerous clips, interviews and other amusing surprises.
• The Day of the Doctor: Script to Screen (HD, 16 minutes): Smith, Tennant, Coleman and Stephen Moffat discuss everything from secret Doctor handshakes to the excitement leading up to the 50th Anniversary special, and the joys and challenges of shooting Day of the Doctor. Interspersed with footage of the special's first table read are interviews galore, though I would have much preferred an uncut presentation of the entire table read. Ah well. Completists can't be choosers.
• The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot (HD, 32 minutes): A very funny self-deprecating short film starring, written by and directed by Peter Davidson. As the film rockets along, several aging Doctors -- Davidson, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann -- grow more and more nervous and distraught as Moffat and Team Doctor Who fail to call with an offer to appear in the 50th Anniversary special. This is hands down the gem of the Matt Smith set's exclusive bonus disc, with cameos by Moffat, Smith, Tennant, Coleman, Russell Davies, Hobbit filmmaker Peter Jackson, Ian McKellen, John Barrowman, Dan Starkey, Matthew Waterhouse, Georgia Moffett and more. Presented with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix.

Doctor Who: The Complete Matt Smith Years Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you don't already own the Doctor Who: Series 1-7 Limited Edition Giftset or the previously released Matt Smith seasons and specials, or if you're a completist eyeballing the exclusive bonus disc included in the 16-disc Complete Matt Smith Years set, you could certainly do worse. This is still something of a gratuitous double dip, but it provides fans another way to upgrade their 1080i/DTS-HD High Resolution Doctor Who sets without splurging on the full Series 1-7 giftset. It makes for a great gift on its own too, if that is the Whovian in your life doesn't already have a shelf of Who-rays. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)