Review of The Complete Sixth Series
DVD Release Date:  22 Nov 11
Original Air Date:  25 Dec 2010 – 01 Oct 2011
Doctor/Companion:  Eleven, Amy Pond, Rory Williams, River Song
Stars:  Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, Alex Kingston
Preceding Story:  The Big Bang (Eleven, Amy, Rory, River)
Succeeding Story:  The Doctor, the Widow & the Wardrobe (Eleven)

Since the blog began with a review of the first episode included in this boxed set (A Christmas Carol), I won’t go into details about my views on each one. As a reminder, though, I’ll list for you the thirteen regular episodes of the series here, with links to the associated reviews:

• The Impossible Astronaut
• Day of the Moon
• The Curse of the Black Spot
• The Doctor’s Wife
• The Rebel Flesh
• The Almost People
• A Good Man Goes to War
• Let’s Kill Hitler
• Night Terrors
• The Girl Who Waited
• The God Complex
• Closing Time
• The Wedding of River Song

Look back over that list and take a moment to think about what this series was. There was some great stuff (as The Doctor’s Wife), some stinkers (I’m looking at you, Rebel Flesh/Almost People), and some mixed bags (Good Man gave us both the scintillating Mdme. Vastra and the regrettable “kitchen sink approach to cameos”). Mostly, though, it was about something “inevitable” (the Doctor’s death) that we all knew was never going to happen. I’m not sure why Moffat decided to go that route. As I’ve said before, no one over the age of eight ever believed the Doctor was really and truly dead – or at least that he would really and truly remain so. That takes a heck of a lot of suspense right out the window along with your credibility. So I suppose in the end, it was all a question of how he’d get out of it, rather than of whether.

The other arc of the season was River: who is she, and who is she to the Doctor? I don’t believe we’ve still got the answer to that last question, but clearly they are at least close. Some fans may love how things appear to have turned out, others may hate it, and still others (like me) may still be waiting for the other (the third?) metaphorical shoe to drop. Regardless, I think I personally find the episodes that include River to be the ones most worth re-watching (with the exceptions of The Doctor’s Wife – my all-time favorite (to date) of Eleven’s stories – and possibly The Girl Who Waited).

So is the boxed set worth it? For Whovians, the answer is a resounding “Duh!” Some good stories, some iffy ones – the usual mixed bag. The extras are worthwhile, too, though I’m beginning to wonder what they’ll do for Series Seven, without Confidential around from which to filch all that ready-made content. At least they can keep doing commentaries.

DVD Extras (highlights)

Commentaries

Several of the episodes have commentary tracks available. These include The Impossible Astronaut, The Doctor’s Wife, The Rebel Flesh, A Good Man Goes to War, and The Wedding of River Song. For The Doctor’s Wife, it’s poor Neil Gaiman (writer) all by himself, talking about script versions and from whence the ideas sprang. One wonders if he might have been lonely, but he actually provided some nice insights. The rest are all the usual mishmash of actors, directors, and such. Good Man offers insights from the vfx supervisor and Wedding from the Grand Moff  himself, so those add a touch more interest, as well.

“Confidential” episodes

As in previous DVD releases, episodes of the behind-the-scenes spinoff show have been boiled down into 15-minute chunks, rather than being presented in their entirety. Originally broadcast as full 45-minute episodes just like the parent show, Confidential loses a bit of its quirky charm by being hacked down this way, but the essential bits remain, and some parts have been removed and included under a different name (“Monster Files” about various different creatures) elsewhere on the boxed set. There’s also an episode for the Night and the Doctor shorts (see below).

Exclusive Extra Scenes

Along with the Comic Relief specials “Space” and “Time,” The Complete Series includes four new scenes about what happens inside the TARDIS at night. (Don’t let the labeling that claims there are five Night and the Doctor shorts fool you. The “fifth” one is actually just an extra/deleted scene from the beginning of Closing Time, and only involves Craig, Sophie, and the baby.) Two of them explore the Doctor’s time with River in more detail, and are thereby both fun and somewhat insightful. The last bit of “Last Night” also makes me appreciate Matt Smith’s acting ability all over again. (Say, is that the dress she’s wearing at the beginning of Day of the Moon?)

Neowhovians everywhere are likely to love The Complete Series, just because it’s the latest series all in one place. Obviously, everyone has their own favorite and least favorite episodes (or moments within episodes), so each disk will  hold a different amount of charm for each individual viewer. Aside from wanting the set in order to be a completist, though, I recommend it for those Night scenes. Removed from the necessity to advance a plot, they allow us one more chance to see the Doctor just be the Doctor. And honestly, what more does any breed of Whovian really want?