Product Details

• Actors: David Tennant, Michelle Ryan
• Format: Color, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (DTS-HD High Res Audio)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC Warner
• DVD Release Date: July 28, 2009
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0016821YI
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #14,710 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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• For more information about "Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead [Blu-ray]" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

David Tennant began his victory lap as the Tenth Doctor with this engaging special episode of Doctor Who, one of four from 2009 that brought his tenure as the Time Lord to a close, and the first to be shot in HD. Tennant's palpable energy and quirky charm are the engines that drive Planet of the Dead, and he's well-matched by Michelle (Bionic Woman) Ryan as his one-off companion, Lady Christina de Souza. The lady's chosen profession--jewel thief--launches the story when she attempts to evade the police on a tour bus occupied by the Doctor. As things of this nature often go in Doctor Who, the bus slips through a wormhole in time and space and winds up on the desert planet San Helios, which harbors both the industrious, fly-headed Tritovores and a species of stingray-like creatures with voracious appetites. The script by Russell T. Davies and Gareth Roberts (the first shared writing credit since Davies revived the series in 2005) makes fun references to all manner of desert-bound cinematic adventures, from Flight of the Phoenix to Pitch Black, and if there are a few too many well-worn moments to rank it among the best Tennant episodes (the psychic bus passenger is a bit convenient), the chemistry between Tennant and Ryan, as well as fine support by comic Lee Evans and Noma Dumezweni (returning as UNIT Captain Erisa Magambo from the Rose Tyler era) and the striking Dubai locations, should keep most Who fans entertained. The sole extra is an hour-long episode of Doctor Who Confidential that covers the special episode’s production and location filming. --Paul Gaita

Product Description

Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 07/28/2009 Run time: 60 minutes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead" - Brilliant and in HD!, July 29, 2009

By	allangiven.com - See all my reviews

Just released on Blu-ray yesterday is the recent Easter episode of "Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead." This is the start of the last four hours of David Tennant's tenure as the Doctor and is the first time the series is available in HD. It lives up to a Doctor Who fan's expectations brilliantly!

As writer and executive producer Russell T Davies states in the bonus material, the attitude for the episode was to "go for broke," and they certainly did. The story follows the Doctor and fellow London bus passengers through a wormhole to a deadly alien world where they must contend with humanoid flies and a swarm of armor plated stingrays. As exciting as the action is, the real draw of the series is the depth of the characters involved. The adventures through space and time provide an interesting backdrop to a story of the last member of a destroyed race who is destined to travel the universe essentially alone forever. Tennant continues to play the Doctor with the same quality that has earned him a National Television Award for Outstanding Drama Performance, and the highlight of this episode is the addition of Lady Christina de Souza, brilliantly portrayed by Michelle Ryan ("The Bionic Woman"). Ryan plays the sexy blue-blooded jewel thief with strength, wit, and an edge of irreverent fun and is a quality match to Tennant's Doctor. The chemistry between the characters drives the story as the Doctor meets an equal. One of the great aspects of Doctor Who is the strength and intelligence of the Doctor's companions. These are characters that don't just go around being saved by the Doctor but actively help him save the universe. This episode continues that tradition in spades.

This is the perfect episode to launch Doctor Who in HD. The alien world features the stark beauty of the Dubai desert, and the panoramas of the desert dunes set against cloudless, arid skies are great in HD. The special effects and alien creatures also look good as do Tennant and Ryan, which can't be said for all actors in HD.

The bonus material consists of the 60-minute special, "Doctor Who Confidential." It features interviews with the cast, crew, and creators, as well as behind the scenes footage of the making of the episode. It is quite a story that includes bringing a London double-decker bus into the middle of the Dubai desert, dealing with sandstorms, and creating alien flies. Some memorable moments include the crew sweeping the desert by hand to remove footprints in order to create a "pristine" set. It gives a good sense of all that goes into the production of the episode. Davies gives insight into how the story developed, and the actors share where their characters come from.

All in all, the Blu-ray version of "Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead" is entertaining both visually and dramatically, and the bonus documentary is just enough to add to the experience without overloading the viewer with less than quality material. I recommend it to Doctor Who fans and newcomers alike.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the Best, but Enjoyable, July 28, 2009

By	Alyssa Zulueta (San Francisco, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

Pardon me, I'm going to nit-pick for a second: not EVERYONE knows about the Doctor, just U.N.I.T and Torchwood, and they've always known about him. (He worked with U.N.I.T back in the 70's, when the Timelords exiled him to earth and he didn't have access to the TARDIS.)
Now that I've revealed my geekiness, I will say that I LOVE the new series even more than the classic series. This is not one of the best (and yes, "Blink" is one of the best ever), but it's enjoyable, nonetheless.

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a Good Start to the HD Format, November 3, 2009

By	Jason Sum (IL, USA) - See all my reviews

BBC Video put out a ***** Star BR Disc
It's a Stand-Alone "Special" Episode That doesn't really Tie into any of the Previous Seasons
Which in a way can be a good thing to lure new viewers into The Doctor Who Universe

It's Doctor Who in HD!!!!!

The PQ is @ The top of the List (I think it was shot in HD to begin with)
It just looks so Slick and at times close to 3D
The Audio also being in DTS makes it a must have
My Only major problem with the BR is Lack of any extras on the Disc
(BBC Could have went crazy and gave Fans allot of extras Like They did with the Recent RED DWARF BR Set)

The Episode is very good with Michelle Ryan starring opposite The one and only David Tennant

If u have a BR Player / Doctor Who Fan it's a Must have to add to your collection
Overall I gave the BR 9/10