'Doctor Who: Season Six, Part 1'
(Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, et al / 2-Disc DVD / NR / 2011 / BBC Video)
Overview: Matt Smith and Karen Gillan make their triumphant return as the Doctor and his companion in an all-new series of 'Doctor Who!' The new series will split in two parts, with DVD/Blu-ray release dates in July and in early November, closely following their premiere runs on BBC America, and then a complete series gift set just in time for the holidays ... of course! Here in Part 1, the Doctor, Amy and Rory find themselves in Sixties America, battling the invasion the world forgot, then journey on the high seas of 1696 aboard a pirate ship, to solve the mystery of the Siren.
DVD Verdict: Quite why, save for monetary reasons, this sixth season of Doctor Who has been released in two parts is beyond me - and everyone that I've spoken with too! I guess they wanted to get it out before the whole series had aired on BBC America, but they have always been complete box-sets before now - so me confused!
Anyway, as usual, Matt Smith is fun as the Doctor here in season six and reminds me very much of a youngish Patrick Troughton! I'm not kidding you, as this has been said before by others, but yes, I am a lifelong fan - back from the black and white days!
But I (lovingly) digress ... I will admit that some of these sixth season episodes are a little darker than they have been in many a while. Some dark sets, gloomy settings, and long indepth script moments adorn this first part of the cult British TV series. Indeed, most of the episodes are complex and as much as I will admit I liked them better the second time around of viewing, the sense of a recurring theme and "secrets we'll reveal later" gets old fast!
The companions aka The Ponds have been far more fleshed out this series and I am actually starting to enjoy Gillan's performance - which is something I had a problem with in series five. And Rory gets better with each passing episode. And I know that most all Dr. Who fans will probably be waiting for the entire Series 6 box-set to come out (hopefully before Christmas, which makes great sense, of course), but (like a handful of others) just can't wait for that day to come!
I recommend the show, and this (half) season, to anyone who doesn't want their Science Fiction experience to be limited to Star Trek, good though it can be. Indeed, the show is (still) in safe hands with Moffat. Roll on Series 6 Part 2! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:
Monster files - Get under the skin and inside the minds of the new Doctor’s most challenging opponents - included in this release:
The Silence and Gangers
Official Site