Doctor Who: Series 5 - Volume 1 (2010) (Blu-ray)

The best thing about these 3 episodes is Matt Smith. He is just wonderful, nailing the essence of the Doctor from the second he appears.

Sadly however, the start of series 5 is in no way comparable to the far superior prevous 4 series. The new production team under the guidance of Stephen Moffat have lost their way already and this reboot to a very successful BBC series is unwarranted and unnecessary.
The scripts are lacking any depth as viewers have become accustomed to. There are plotholes aplenty and the stories jump from place to place without any particular explanation as to why.
Direction is dire and there are many continuity errors in the scenes. Surely the producer should have noticed all these before transmission? This series has had far too many already in the these first 3 episodes, more than the previous 4 series put together.
I was always worried about Stephen Moffats appointment to Doctor Who as in the late 1990s, when he was interviewed by DWM, he… more »

The best thing about these 3 episodes is Matt Smith. He is just wonderful, nailing the essence of the Doctor from the second he appears.

Sadly however, the start of series 5 is in no way comparable to the far superior prevous 4 series. The new production team under the guidance of Stephen Moffat have lost their way already and this reboot to a very successful BBC series is unwarranted and unnecessary.
The scripts are lacking any depth as viewers have become accustomed to. There are plotholes aplenty and the stories jump from place to place without any particular explanation as to why.
Direction is dire and there are many continuity errors in the scenes. Surely the producer should have noticed all these before transmission? This series has had far too many already in the these first 3 episodes, more than the previous 4 series put together.
I was always worried about Stephen Moffats appointment to Doctor Who as in the late 1990s, when he was interviewed by DWM, he said that if he was in charge he would reboot everythig, Doctor 1, day 1. Over 10 years later, he has done just that more or less with an awful new title sequence and rearrangement of the theme and a terrible new logo leading the way. More importantly, TARDIS redesigns I can live with, but the actual overhaul and redesign of the Daleks in epside 3? Absolute nonsense - not needed at all. They now look like Renault Meganes.
The CGI, for once, is also highly questionable... its no way near as good as it was - why??
These first three stories also lose the pace and colour of the superior previous series and whereas Doctor Who used to leave you wanting more, this series seems to plod onand on ... we are only just finished ep 3 as i write and it feels like its been on for far longer! I'm almost bored with it now.

As for the colour. If you are going to make a series for HD, then lets see the colours! They seem to now be shooting it in drab, unexciting, grainy styles. Awful.

This is certainly not the Doctor Who I've been watching all these years and even though I know Stephen Moffat has his fans who will argue he can do no wrong, I would disagree. This series of Doctor Who in these first 3 episodes is dull, boring, inconsistent, drab, slow and just plain self congratulatory. His philosophy of "if it aint broke, lets fix it anyway" just doesn't sit well.

A leading man like Matt Smith needs much better scripts. Very disapointing.
RTD - come home!

Much has been written regarding the casting of Matt Smith in the titular role, and whether or not Doctor Who would skew towards a younger audience. This is a view I never shared with fellow fans or the series' detractors! Peter Davison (the fifth Doctor) wasn't much older than Matt and his incarnation was far from infantile.

Doctor Who has always been a show with the broadest appeal and why would Steven Moffat break what isn't broken (unless you count the final few seasons of Russell T Davies' tenure, which fell into self-parody)? Incidentally, Steven Moffat's 'The Girl in the Fireplace' (S2) is one of my all-time favourite Doctor Who stories. So, I was hoping for a move towards darker fairytale motifs in the new season.

Geronimo! Here, we see the adventures of our beloved Time Lord framed as a fairytale. Not a fairytale in the mainstream sense, as popularised by the Hollywood studio system, but as a darkly lyrical coming of age story penned by the Brothers Grimm or Lewis… more »

Much has been written regarding the casting of Matt Smith in the titular role, and whether or not Doctor Who would skew towards a younger audience. This is a view I never shared with fellow fans or the series' detractors! Peter Davison (the fifth Doctor) wasn't much older than Matt and his incarnation was far from infantile.

Doctor Who has always been a show with the broadest appeal and why would Steven Moffat break what isn't broken (unless you count the final few seasons of Russell T Davies' tenure, which fell into self-parody)? Incidentally, Steven Moffat's 'The Girl in the Fireplace' (S2) is one of my all-time favourite Doctor Who stories. So, I was hoping for a move towards darker fairytale motifs in the new season.

Geronimo! Here, we see the adventures of our beloved Time Lord framed as a fairytale. Not a fairytale in the mainstream sense, as popularised by the Hollywood studio system, but as a darkly lyrical coming of age story penned by the Brothers Grimm or Lewis Carol.

Moffat's narrative adroitly references famous literary works with gusto: from a red apple to being late for a very important date. It's haunting, poignant, brilliant...

Aside from Murray Gold's continued attempts to destroy the iconic main theme (the original will never be surpassed) and not at all reflective of his compositions therein. Doctor Who S5 is off to a superlative start - Matt Smith and Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) are effortless - and the return of iconic adversaries, throughout the season, will bring more twists and turns than any rabbit hole that Alice (or Amy) might tumble down.

Matt smith has done a brilliant job already of filling the shoes of the doctor in this classic sci-fi series, he plays the character with a fresh approach and steals aspects of all the previous actors who have played the doctor, hes the first doctor so far of the series who has settled into the role quite quickly and comfortably I think. But his performance is boosted along the way with the help of Karen Gillian who is the best assistant so far in the new series since 2005, she plays the role of the still mysterious Amy Pond who has such a great approach to her role too, the pair are great on screen together in all the episodes, the stories are fantastic so far, darker and with great dialogue and the odd humour. Victory of the daleks alone is one of the greatest stories ever in the series, fantastic acting from all involved, great story and an epic and inventive return of everyones favourite enemy the daleks! Great show certainly for the true doctor who fan, but its worth waiting for… more »

Matt smith has done a brilliant job already of filling the shoes of the doctor in this classic sci-fi series, he plays the character with a fresh approach and steals aspects of all the previous actors who have played the doctor, hes the first doctor so far of the series who has settled into the role quite quickly and comfortably I think. But his performance is boosted along the way with the help of Karen Gillian who is the best assistant so far in the new series since 2005, she plays the role of the still mysterious Amy Pond who has such a great approach to her role too, the pair are great on screen together in all the episodes, the stories are fantastic so far, darker and with great dialogue and the odd humour. Victory of the daleks alone is one of the greatest stories ever in the series, fantastic acting from all involved, great story and an epic and inventive return of everyones favourite enemy the daleks! Great show certainly for the true doctor who fan, but its worth waiting for the box set at the end of the year.