Doctor Who: Deep Breath Blu-ray Review

     Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1 ES Matrix)

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

Release Date: September 9, 2014

Run Time: 70 minutes

 

        “Doctor Who” is one of the strangest series in television history, if only for its ability to change the entire dynamic of the show every so often without losing the spirit of what was created with William Hartnell half a century ago. With the departure of Matt Smith as the doctor, we have moved on to the Twelfth Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi. Not only does the face of the doctor change, but the personalities and nuances in performances have an altering affect on the entire dynamic of the series.

 

        “Deep Breath” is a thirteen-part storyline with the newly regenerated doctor arriving in Victorian-era London, following the materialization of a dinosaur. There are cyborgs and spontaneously combusting animals, all in the bizarre sci-fi fashion of the series, but the emphasis for much of this first story remains on the doctor’s struggles with post-regeneration. This includes Clara’s difficulty accepting the change to an older doctor, altering the dynamic that they had come to rely on. Much of this is generally resolved by the end of the storyline, but it certainly alludes to a shift in the narrative towards a more classic doctor.

 

        The bonus features include a prequel scene, and three featurettes: a behind-the-scenes featurette, one about the transition to a new doctor, and “The Real History of Science Fiction: Time.”

 

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 7.5/10

Historical Significance:  8.5/10

Special Features: 6.5/10



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