Blu-ray Review - Doctor Who: Series 6, Part 1

It might just be the best series of Doctor Who yet. It's certainly the most ambitious. And while series 6 is on hiatus until the fall, it's probably a good idea to go back and look over the first seven episodes of the season, just to see if you missed anything. Knowing Steven Moffat's detail-ridden writing, I'm sure there are plenty of easter eggs for us to try and find out before the midseason premiere, "Let's Kill Hitler," airs in September. That's whatDoctor Who: Series 6, Part 1 (out on DVD and Blu-ray 7/19) is for.

Let me tell you what you already know: Doctor Who looks fantastic on Blu-ray. Despite the show's relatively low budget, the high-definition shots are gorgeously crystal-clear. Lily Cole's Siren from the third episode, for instance, glows a dazzling green that is so much brighter than it appeared on the original BBC America broadcast. Everything seems sharper, and everything pops. It's all quite memorable... even the Silence.

The set includes the episodes "The Impossible Astronaut," "Day of the Moon," "The Curse of the Black Spot," and "The Doctor's Wife" on the first disc, while the second disc carries "The Rebel Flesh," "The Almost People," and "A Good Man Goes to War." Also included in the set are the behind-the-scenes vignettes called "Monster Files." Disc one's Monster File focuses on the Silence. In ten minutes, you learn about everything from their conception to the prosthetics used to portray them on screen. The same goes for the Gangers on disc two.

The episodes themselves are all fantastic, though the two-parter "The Rebel Flesh"/"The Almost People" drags a little toward the middle. Even "The Curse of the Black Spot," which could have easily been a terrible episode, is surprisingly enjoyable and entertaining. I wasn't kidding when I said this might be Doctor Who's best season yet. And if you're like me and just can't wait until the fall to see the Doctor again, then this is the set for you.

Doctor Who will return in the fall with the episode "Let's Kill Hitler."

You can order the Blu-ray of Doctor Who: Series 6, Part 1 on Amazon.

Doctor Who: Season Six, Part 1 The DVD set is also available.