Product Details

• Actors: Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, Alex Kingston
• Format: NTSC, Color
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 6
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC Warner
• DVD Release Date: November 9, 2010
• Run Time: 655 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B003EV6DBM
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #272 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

  #5 in	Movies & TV > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Series & Sequels
  #4 in	Movies & TV > Television > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Doctor Who
  #7 in	Movies & TV > Cult Movies > Sci-Fi & Fantasy

• For more information about "Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Series" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Matt Smith and Karen Gillan star as the new Doctor and his companion in an all-new series of Doctor Who. After his explosive regeneration, the Eleventh Doctor awakes to discover his TARDIS is about to crash! After falling from the sky, he pulls himself out of the wreckage to come face-to-face with young Amy Pond. The Doctor promises to take Amy to the stars. But first they must divert an alien plot that could destroy the Earth. The Doctor makes good his promise, and Amy boards the regenerated TARDIS, ready to take to the stars on a series of wild adventures that will change her life. As always, wherever the Doctor goes, his oldest enemies, the Daleks, are never far behind. They are hatching a new master plan from the heart of war-torn London in the 1940s. But they are not the only strange creatures the Doctor and Amy must face--there are also alien vampires, humanoid reptiles, the Weeping Angels, and a silent menace that follows Amy and the Doctor around wherever they go.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant revision of a beloved series, June 7, 2010

By	A. Gammill (West Point, MS United States) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Series (DVD)

OK, it's a little premature to judge something that hasn't been released yet. And I'm sure I'll make a few additions to this review when the set is released. In the meantime, this review is meant to enlighten you about Series 5 of Doctor Who.

I'm sure I wasn't the only fan who was skeptical that this lanky upstart Matt "Who?" Smith (Ha! Did you see what I did there?) could replace the wonderful 10th Doctor, played by David Tennant. But we long-time fans have come to accept that the role of the Doctor is going to change every few years. And in the case of Matt Smith, the role couldn't be in better hands.

But Doctor Who doesn't just have a new face in front of the camera; Steven Moffat, writer of such modern-day DW classics like "Blink" and "The Girl in the Fireplace" took over the showrunner position from Russell T. Davies. And again, the show couldn't be in better hands. Moffat has been very vocal about his reimagining of the series as a sort of dark fairy tale. And this is evident right from the start, as the TARDIS crash-lands in the back year of 8 year old Amy Pond. The figurative monster under Amy's bed is actually a crack in her wall, one that will have cosmic consequences throughout the season.

New companion Karen Gillan (playing the adult version of Amy) brings a spunky kick to the new Doctor's adventures. Yet one can still see hints of that lost little girl from time to time. Gillan and Smith perfectly compliment each other, as both appear wise and experienced far beyond their years. She almost immediately endures herself to the Doctor (and the audience, hopefully) in the 2nd episode, "The Beast Below," by preventing the Doctor from making a terrible mistake.

The series touches on more familiar territory--the Daleks, the Weeping Angels, the mysterious River Song--yet stays firmly entrenched in the fantasy world Moffat has helped to create. As the bowtie-wearing Time Lord, Smith channels Doctors of the past from Patrick Troughton to David Tennant. He is, as Amy Pond notes in the first episode "a mad man with a blue box." And despite his seemingly unhinged nature, Smith gives the Doctor great dramatic weight when needed. . .whether it's righteous indignation at alien (or human) stupidity, or trying to protect his new companion from the inevitable fate that befalls all his fellow travelers.

Doctor Who carries on in fantastic style, and I for one hope that Smith and Gillan stay with their roles for years to come. I congratulate Steven Moffat and his team for honoring the legacy of Doctor Who, but making it all their own at the same time. Highly recommended.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a convert, June 30, 2010

By	Nyo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Series (DVD)

I was very unsure of whether I would warm up to the new cast even as far as midseason. I had absolutely loved David Tennant and Chris Eccleston, and these were some very large shoes to fill. Fortunately, Matt Smith gave me a delightful surprise and ended up owning the character in his own lighter way. He isnt as grave as the 9th doctor, nor as intense as Tennant's take. Considering the things that were happening in the doctor's life at the time those actors were portraying him (lost love, recovering from a lost people) it is not surprising that Smith's version is less damaged and more carefree. Don't get me wrong, I ADORE the previous incarnations, I'm just saying the evolution in personality at this time makes sense. It's reminiscent of when Tom Baker took over the reins in the early seventies with his big grin and goofy scarf - just replace it with big hair and a goofy (but cool) bow tie.

I wasn't at all sure about Amy until I realised later in the series that we weren't talking about 'just' Amy but her interraction and role in a larger cast of characters including River Song. When placed in the Doctor's 'party' of travellers, she is an effective companion. She certainly isnt pulling off all the notes and expressions of Donna Noble or filling the doctor's heart and soul like Rose Tyler, but at this stage of the doctor's life I think that with the rest of the ensemble she does an admirable job. It's important not to consider her as a replacement for companions of the past because if you do, she doesnt feel (to me at least) like she is completing the picture, especially in the beginning episodes when you really focus on her.

It's definitely not the same as previous seasons. The darkness often appears and a few episodes have very sad moments, but theres a resilience in Matt Smith's doctor and an impeccable sense of comedic timing. If Tennant's doctor towards the end was a 'glass is half empty' kind of guy, Smith's is almost certainly 'half full'. Despite his youthful appearance he comes off as far far older. An excellent change of tone for the series and I am looking forward to next season!

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Matt Smith and Steven Moffat = Awesome!, June 29, 2010

By	Ken Porter - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Series [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

I've been a Doctor Who fan since I first stumbled upon a David Tennant episode late one night with a friend of mine. Since then I've come to realize the complexity of Doctor Who and its unrivaled science fiction flare. When Tennant was leaving, I have to say I had my doubts. How could anyone fill that role? But then I saw The Eleventh Hour and Matt Smith, as well as the lovely Karen Gillan, stole my heart. Steven Moffat, who wrote many of my favorite David Tennant episodes, took the helm and made the show what it deserved to be. The added budget and HD quality has only made a great story look fresher than ever. The cinematography has been stepped up, and every episode feels like a movie. This series has also done incredibly well to have nearly every episode bleed into each other and effect the overall plot and finale. I downloaded every episode when they aired, but I'm definitely going to buy the Blu Ray when it comes out. I want to support this series and Moffat especially.