8.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
All 14 episodes from the second series of the relaunched sci-fi adventure drama, starring David Tennant as the latest incarnation of the legendary Time Lord. In this series, the tenth Doctor takes companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) to New Earth and struggles to overcome the effects of regeneration. In the opening Christmas episode London is deluged by Santa Claus impersonators and Christmas trees intent on malice. Mankind is threatened by a planetary invasion and there's only the Prime Minister to battle it out. The episodes are: 'The Christmas Invasion', 'New Earth', 'Tooth and Claw', 'School Reunion', 'The Girl in the Fireplace', 'Rise of the Cybermen', 'The Age of Steel', 'The Idiot's Lantern', 'The Impossible Planet', 'The Satan Pit', 'Love and Monsters', 'Fear Her', 'Army of Ghosts' and 'Doomsday'.
Starring: David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whittaker, Christopher EcclestonAdventure | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 88% |
Fantasy | 82% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p (upconverted)
Aspect ratio: 1.75:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Note: This version of this series/season is available as part of BBC's Doctor Who Limited Edition New Who Collector's Set, featuring what BBC is describing as a
"newly upscaled" video presentation.
The so-called second series of Doctor Who is notable for a number of reasons, including the fact that it introduced David Tennant as the
tenth (tennanth?) incarnation of the titular time lord, as well as the fact that its inaugural episode, "The Christmas Invasion", was evidently the first
Doctor Who "special" produced expressly to help celebrate that holiday. On a more mundane (literally, as in "world"ly things like commerce)
level, this series/season also rather vigorously promotes the then new Torchwood
, a production which has itself trundled off into whatever nook and/or cranny of the space time continuum cancelled shows are consigned to.
That "tie in" aspect may actually come off as somewhat quaint, all things considered, though the baker's dozen of episodes (plus the Christmas
special) offer other, less "spinoff
specific", enticements.
Doctor Who: The Complete Second Series is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of BBC with AVC encoded (upscaled) 1080p transfers in 1.76:1. In going back and looking at the episodes included in Doctor Who: The Complete David Tennant Collection, I'd have to say that while, yes, there is some improvement in these new upscales, it's probably not going to be overly revelatory to anyone, and in fact things still have a somewhat processed, digital look, especially in some of the VFX moments. That said, I'd probably argue that fine detail is at least marginally improved on practical items like fabric textures or even some of the sets and other props. The palette looked more or less identical to my eyes when stacked up against the original release. There are occasional noticeable upscaling anomalies, including some minor stairstepping.
Doctor Who: The Complete Second Series offers generally very enjoyable immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks. While some of the best surround activity attends to some of the bigger effects sequences, there's actually good attention paid to more "everyday" ambient environmental effects in any number of outdoor scenes (the Tennant era in particular liked to get "out and about" for at least some moments of virtually every episode). There are some fun panning effects as the TARDIS whirls through space (and/or time), and the kind of enjoyably goofy clamor inside the TARDIS courtesy of various (literal) bells and whistles offers really good immersion. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
Series 2, Disc 1
- Backstage at Christmas
- Episode 1 - New New Doctor
- Episode 2 - Fear Fear Factor
- Episode 3 - Friends United
- Episode 4 - Script to Screen
- Episode 5 - Cybermen
- Episode 6 - From Zero to Hero
- Episode 7 - The Writer's Tale
- Episode 8 - You've Got the Look
- Episode 9 - Myths and Legends
- Episode 10 - The New World of Who
- Episode 11 - The Fright Stuff
- Episode 12 - Welcome to Torchwood
- Episode 13 - Finale
David Tennant steps into the role of Doctor Who quite effortlessly, and I'm not especially loathe to admit I prefer Tennant to Christopher Eccleston. The fact that there's continuity courtesy of several supporting characters helps to make this a relatively seamless transition, though on the minus side, this series/season seems to "recycle" ideas quite a bit of the time. This is just one of four "newly upscaled" series/seasons offered in BBC's Doctor Who Limited Edition New Who Collector's Set, and as long as expectations aren't outsized, there are at least some marginal improvements in video quality when compared to the older transfers. Audio is generally nicely immersive, and the supplements are very enjoyable. With caveats noted, Recommended.
2005
Remastered
2005
2005-2006
Remastered
2006-2007
2007
2009-2010
2009
2009
Remastered
2007-2008
Remastered | The Next Doctor / Planet of the Dead / The Waters of Mars / The End of Time
2008-2010
2008
2010
Remastered
2010
2010
2011
2011
Remastered
2010-2011
2011 Christmas Special
2011
2012
2013
2012 Christmas Special
2012
2011-2013
2013
2014
Keepcase
2014
2014
2014
2014
2015
2015
2015
2017
2016
2017
2017
2017
2018
2019
2018
2020
2021
2021
2022
2022
The Star Beast / Wild Blue Yonder / The Giggle
2023
(Still not reliable for this title)
1977-1978
50th Anniversary Special
2013
2009
10th Anniversary Collector's Edition | Limited
2014
2018
Collector's Edition
2020
2020-2023
1966-1969
2018
40th Anniversary Edition
1982
1977
1999
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2019
2015
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2009
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2017
2005
1983
2002
2016