The Next Doctor
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Standard DVD
5-episode
box set
NTSC Region 1
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Standard DVD
5-episode
box set
PAL Region 2
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Standard DVD
1-episode
volume
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See below for Blu-Ray options
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(Doctor Who Story No. 204, starring David Tennant
and David Morrissey)
- written by Russell T. Davies
- directed by Andy Goddard
- produced by Susie Liggat
- music by Murray Gold
- 1 episode @ 60 min.
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Story: Materializing in London in time for Christmas 1851,
the Doctor suspects he has stumbled upon a future version of
himself who is hot on the trail of the Cybermen. What mysterious
incident has caused the new Doctor's memory to become
scattered? Why have the Cybermen entered into an alliance
with a vindictive woman in red? And what horrors await
England should the CyberKing finally arise?
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DVD Extras include:
- Dr. Who Confidential making-of feature (55 min.) (box sets only) with
David Tennant (The Doctor),
David Morrissey (The Next Doctor),
Dervla Kirwan (Miss Hartigan),
Velile Tshabalala (Rosita),
Paul Kasey (Cyber Leader),
Ruari Mears (Shade),
Tom Langford (Frederic),
writer Russell T. Davies,
producer Susie Liggat,
director Andy Goddard,
1st assistant director Richard Harris,
Lasso trainer Guido Louis,
stunt co-ordinator Tom Lucy, and
special effects supervisor Danny Hargreaves.
- Deleted & Extended Scenes (box sets only, 3 min.)
- "Doctor Who at the Proms" concert celebrating 4 years
of Murray Gold's music, hosted by Freema Agyeman (59 min.)
- (included in both box sets and single volumes)
- includes the skit "Music of the Spheres"
starring David Tennant, written by Russell T. Davies,
directed by Euros Lyn.
- English subtitles
Buyers' Guide Review
by Martin Izsak
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(A more in-depth analysis, containing "SPOILERS" and intended
for those who have already seen the program, can be accessed
here.)
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Russell T. Davies is back writing his
fourth Doctor Who Christmas Special in as many years,
turning out a fairly successful little adventure without it becoming
anything too groundbreaking or extravagant.
The TARDIS starts the adventure off right for the first time in a long
time, giving us a good solid materialization to begin with, and a proper
interior/exterior demonstration later on. Full marks.
And the setting is largely an enjoyable success as well. After giving
us a good dose of alien planets during the last few stories, coming back to
London, England has regained its charming place in Doctor Who's variety.
This tale also boasts the most successful Christmas atmosphere of any of
the program's recent Yuletide specials, primarily by coming back to the
industrializing Charles Dickens era of 1851 from which so many other
Christmas stories and programs take their cue. It helps evoke the nostalgia
for those simpler by-gone times when one takes a break from routine to
focus on family and good will. We also get a decent dose of snow, both
on the ground and freshly falling, something that appeared all too sparingly
when previous specials were idiotically shot in the middle of summer.
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David Tennant's Doctor nicely goes through a whole sequence full of
the logical reactions to meeting future versions of himself that was usually
denied other returning Doctors during previous multi-Doctor specials.
New Doctor David Morrissey has a decent crack at embodying the title role
here. I suspect he might make a good Doctor, yet not one of my top
favourites as Tennant and the first five have managed.
And we do see some of the fun that existed in past multi-Doctor
adventures.
Our villains have a human co-conspirator in this adventure, as they
often do, and not surprisingly Davies turns yet again to a woman for the
part. Is he playing it safe once again? She certainly isn't the most
interesting character we've seen on the show....
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Music by Murray Gold
A suite of original music new for this story
is available on:
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The Cybermen make good returning villains in this story, well-matched
to the industrialization theme in the story that opposes the Christmas ideal.
And it's actually ironic now that we should actually want both, in order to
get the nostalgic Christmas atmosphere right. The Cyber Leader has a new look
to differentiate himself from the others, which is good. But I think
it goes a bit too far in one way....
The story's weakest point is probably in the new black furry
cyber-creatures, mostly because they really don't make enough sense.
You be the judge.
Although suffering a bit of a slump in the middle sections, we do
at least get some successful mid-story action stratagems during several
sequences. Not bad.
But it really is the final sequence that pulls out the stops and makes
the story really exciting once again, coming to a very satisfying
finish that gives the Doctor all the right things to do. And the wrap-up
is very satisfying as well. Good job.
In the end, this is a decent and modest little adventure. Although
"Voyage of the Damned" (story no. 193) is
still a better story, this one probably suits the notion of
Christmas Special a bit better, noting also that Christmas Specials are not
the ideal vehicle for good Doctor Who adventures in the first place.
This story is miles ahead of both
"The Christmas Invasion" (story no. 171) and
"The Runaway Bride" (story no. 182),
and proves once again that good Doctor Who Christmas Specials are possible.
And to all a good night!
"The Next Doctor" has become available on DVD and Blu-Ray,
however it was NOT shot in high definition like the rest
of the stories in the 5-episode box set.
Click on the Amazon symbol for the location nearest you
for pricing and availability:
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DVD NTSC Region 1
5-episode box set
for the North American market:
in the U.S.
in Canada
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DVD PAL Region 2
5-episode box set
for the U.K.
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Standard DVD
1-episode volume
NTSC Region 1 - U.S.
NTSC Region 1 - Canada
PAL Region 2 - U.K.
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Blu-Ray NTSC Region 1
5-episode box set
for the North American market:
in the U.S.
in Canada
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Blu-Ray PAL Region 2
5-episode box set
for the U.K.
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