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DVD Doctor Who - The complete third series.
14-Dec-2007 -

 

  

Possibly the best season since Tom Baker hung up his scarf

Warner Home Video, together with the BBC, have released the complete third series of Doctor Who. The fans concerned that the departure of popular companion Rose (Billie Piper) at the end of the second season might spell an end to the venerable UK science fiction series' revival were soon reassured by the program's third series, which is compiled in its entirety in this six-disc set.
 
Not only did Freema Agyeman (as Earth doctor Martha Jones) prove to be more than a worthwhile replacement for Rose, but the quality of the series' 14 episodes maintained--and in many cases surpassed--the blend of wit, excitement and drama brought by head writer Russell T. Jones when he revived the program in 2003. Highlights from the third series include the Christmas special "The Runaway Bride" (starring comedian Catherine Tate as a temporary companion to the Doctor as he mourns the loss of Rose), "Gridlock" (the Face of Boe summons the Doctor and Martha to a future New York City to stop an invasion by his old enemy the Macra), "Human Nature" and "The Family of Blood" (a two-part serial in which the Doctor changes his biological form to escape the clutches of an alien brood who seek his immortality), and the three-part "Utopia," "The Sound of Drums" and "The Last of the Time Lords," which not only revives the Doctor's greatest adversary, The Master (played by Derek Jacobi in "Utopia" and John Simm in "Drums" and "Time Lords") but also revives Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) and introduces his new position with the Torchwood team.
 
The extra's
Supplemental features are included on each of the six discs in the set; chief among them are commentary by Jones, Tennant, Agyeman, producer Phil Collinson, and members of the writing and production team (in various permutations) on each of the 14 episodes. The Doctor Who Confidential series, which aired on BBC Three and offered behind-the-scenes looks at elements from each episode, is included in its 15-minute "cut down" version (as well as an hour-long episode that covered a live performance of music from the show by the National Orchestra of Wales and hosted by Tennant), as are several video diaries shot by Tennant, who proves as engaging behind the camera as he is on the show. A smattering of deleted scenes, outtakes (mostly featuring Tennant reacting good-naturedly to his own blown lines), BBC promos for all 13 episodes (including the amusing "Vote Saxon" spot, which offers Sharon Osbourne and UK pop stars McFly throwing their support behind the Master's disguise as a human MP in the series' final two episodes), and trailers for other BBC series like Jekyll, Torchwood, and MI-5, round out this terrific set.
 
The music.
The series started in 1963 and ran till 1989. The famous Doctor Who theme, that also has been used for the 1996 TV movie as wel as in the new 2005 series is composed by the legendary Ron Grainer. Among other wellknown composers for the first series are Mark Ayres, Richard Rodney Bennett, Geoffry Burgon, Tristam Cary and Stanley Myers.
 
For the 1996 movie the music was written by John Debney and has only been released on CD as a hard to find composer promo.
And then there is the new music for the 2005 series. Ron Grainer's theme has a new, fresh arrangement by composer Murray Gold, who also is responsible for the music in the series. Silva Screen Records has released untill now two CD's with Murray Gold's music from Doctor Who. 
Both albums include the 'must have' new version of Ron Grainer's immortal theme. Murray Gold's music will be selected cues from both the Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant seasons and is a mixture of light, ambient electronic cues and heavy, orchestral cues for the action sequences.
The 2 Neil Hannon songs were written for last year's Christmas Special The Christmas Invasion (Song For 10) and this year's Christmas Special The Runaway Bride to be shown on Christmas Day (Love Don't Roam). Neil did not perform the song in last year's Special but will do in this year's. The album of the Series 3 features 2 songs - My Angel put the Devil in Me and The Stowaway, both performed by up and coming singer songwriter Yamit Mamo.
The orchestral cues are performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales who are also performing much the same music in the Children In Need Concert on 19th November. The Crouch End Festival Chorus also feature on the CD. The booklet will contain detailed notes by the composer about the cues.
 
All episodes are mixed in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, which adds an extra dimension in watching these DVD's.
 
The DVD is available from Warner Home Video and Amazon.com.
 
The CD's are available from Silva Screen Records and Amazon.uk.


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