Doctor Who - Series 4 Vol.2 [2008] | ![Doctor Who - Series 4 Vol.2 [2008]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51TaYJ86ewL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Directors: Douglas Mackinnon, Alice Troughton, Graeme Harper
Actors: David Tennant, Freema Agyeman, Catherine Tate
Studio: 2 Entertain Video
Category: DVD
List Price: £17.99
Buy New: £10.67
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Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 2792
Format: Pal
Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 180
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5014503260620
ASIN: B001A47GAW
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: July 7, 2008
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Three words: EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT! August 17, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Series 4 of the new Doctor Who has been in my opinion, one of the finest series ever. David Tennant remains as brilliant as ever, and if anything changes, it's that he can only get better as time goes on. Catherine Tate, has surprised and amazed me, with her portrayal of Donna Noble in this series, making the character such a credible, efficient and lovable assistant to the Doctor.
All this excellence continues in this fine volume of the fourth series, as Russell T Davies revives another old villainous race from the Doctor's past, introduces more allies and facts from the Time Lord's past (the older series to be exact) and includes some more good old interaction with one of history's greatest figures.
To start of, we have (essentially) a three-part mini-arc that features the welcome (first) return of Martha Jones (the excellent Freema Agyeman) to the series. The two-part episode "The Sontaran Stratagem"/"The Poison Sky" shows Martha as now being a fully-qualified doctor and member of modern-day U.N.I.T. (old allies of the Doctor). This features the return of the dreaded Sontarans after a twenty-year absence from our screens, who've arrived with an insidious scheme to dominate the Earth and empower their own empire.
Having never heard of the Sontarans before, I found them to be unique and interesting villains. As with Daleks and Cybermen, Davies works his reinvention magic again, portraying the Sontarans as a notorious threat and enjoyable adversaries. Their leader General Staal is fantastically acted by Christopher Ryan (Mike of Young Ones fame) and the Sontarans' background and purpose are greatly intriguing, thus making for another high-quality episode.
But there are many other things that make this two-parter so outstanding. Such as the somewhat reluctant alliance between the Doctor and U.N.I.T. over ideals and methods, and the superb interaction between Martha and Donna. Those expecting a childish-fight between the two assistants need not worry. I was pleasantly surprised to see Donna and Martha form a fast-friendship and good-heartedly gang up on the Doctor at one point, it makes for fun viewing. Catherine and Freema have such good chemistry with one another, and both their characters develop excellently as a result. Each are given a fair share of the spotlight, with Martha having made quite the life for herself and being subjected to the Sontarans' manipulation, and Donna's torment over whether to tell her family what's she doing, and her courage and companion's role being truly tested for the first time.
After all that, we have what is personally one of my all time favourite episodes, "The Doctor's Daughter", which closes this mini-arc featuring Martha. I really can't understand why there were people who didn't like this episode, as it puts the Doctor in a situation I've never seen him in before and is thus brilliantly presented. Those who've watched the older series will already know that fatherhood is nothing new to the Time Lord, but that doesn't alter anything here, in terms of excellence, character-depth and development.
The character of Jenny (wonderfully portrayed by Georgia Moffett) starts out as being a new soldier that's not likeable, with the Doctor refusing to accept her as his child, and Donna playing the part of peacemaker and helping them both. Jenny's origin is plausibly executed and ties-in nicely with the episode's plot, featuring a war between humans and a new species known as the Hath. As the Doctor tries to stop the fighting, the interaction with Jenny helps him to relate to her in a creative way. The nature of the human/Hath conflict is fascinating, Jenny's development makes her an outstanding character (which I hope we'll see again), Martha's interaction with the Hath is cracking and Donna once again proves how brilliant she is solving things that not even the Doctor can see. All of this coupled with the emotional and surprising ending, makes "The Doctor's Daughter" a true classic.
This volume's final episode on the other hand, "The Unicorn and the Wasp", is without doubt, one of the daftest episodes I've ever seen. In 1926, the Doctor and Donna meet the great Agatha Christie (portrayed by Fenella Woolgar) at a private party, before the night of Christie's real-life disappearance. The premise for this episode, is basically a murder-mystery featuring an infamous jewellery thief known only as "The Unicorn" and yes...a giant wasp.
It is truly one of the daftest episodes ever and just so silly. However, if you can accept that this episode isn't meant to be taken THAT seriously, then there is fun and humour to be found watching this. Fenella Woolgar as Agatha Christie is the highlight here. She portrays the legendary writer so credibly and tying her role here to the real-life disappearance and amnesia is clever. I enjoyed seeing Felicity Kendall appear as well, but all in all, "The Unicorn and the Wasp" is an episode that's perhaps too barmy and sci-fi for its own good.
Overall, the second volume of Doctor Who Series 4 is fantastic. David Tennant remains the man, and Catherine Tate (and the Donna Noble character itself) really starts to emerge as one of the greatest companions ever to the Doctor. There're so many great moments here, excellent guest-appearances and it's essential because of what it means. Given the VERY heavy, psychological nature of the remaining six episodes (which are all major), this volume kind of ends the Series 4 status quo, as it's all horrors, pains and nightmares from here on out.
A truly excellent DVD that reminds us of the brilliance of Russell T Davies' Doctor Who. I'd totally recommend it and have only one thing else to say.
Keep `em comin'!
Sontarans, The Doctor's Daughter and Agatha Christie! July 27, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is the second instalment of the fourth season of Doctor Who, featuring 4 episodes starring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor and Catherine Tate as his companion Donna Noble.
The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky is an excellent, action-packed 2-parter, which sees the return of the Sontarans to the show after a 20 year absence, as they were last seen in `The Two Doctors' in 1985. It also sees the return of Martha Jones, who has now joined UNIT. There is plenty to enjoy here - loads of good set-pieces, some lovely moments featuring Grandad Wilf, played by Berbard Cribbins, and I really like the new re-design of the Sontarans. Admittedly, they're not the most menacing aliens to date, but they're funny and obsessed with war. Christopher Ryan is awesome as General Staal. 9/10
The Doctor's Daughter comes next, and well, I'll be honest, this episode really wasn't my cup of tea, despite some really good performances from David and Catherine. But, sadly, the story feels underdeveloped and rushed and feels some downright awful/cheesey moments. Georgia Moffet, real-life daughter of Fifth Doctor Peter Davison is decent as Jenny, but ultimately the character and premise do not manage to live up to the premise, because with a better script the idea could have worked brilliantly. Ah well, at least we get some lovely descriptions of Time Lords and Gallifrey. 5/10
The Unicorn and the Wasp is also concluded, and is probably a bit of a love/hate episode. Personally, I absolutely loved it. It has a wonderful ensemble cast who all play to their roles brilliantly, and a brilliant, witty script from Gareth Roberts that delivers probably some of the funniest scenes in Doctor Who's 45-year history. Fenella Woolgar is the perfect Agatha Christie, and the whole 1920's murder-mystery setting is a real treat and suits the feel of Doctor Who superbly. One of my very favourites. 10/10.
So an enjoyable romp of a two-parter, a bit of a clunker and a bonafide classic. A worthwhile purchase, especially if you're not holding out for the boxset in November.
 Should have been a 3 story disc. July 8, 2008
5 out of 9 found this review helpful
I think they've made a mistake here, tacking on the wonderful Agatha Christie related story, almost as an afterthought on the end of the three Martha episodes.
The Unicorn and the Wasp is far superior (in my view) to the preceding stories, and would have fitted in much better with the two stories following it, about the library.
The actress playing Agatha Christie here, certainly was a masterpiece of casting as she really does look like her, but the Sontaran episodes do not go with this at all, and I feel they were the worst episodes of the whole series, (every time I see a Sontaran, I think of Phil Mitchell from Eastenders!) though the Doctor's Daughter story was a little better, only for the inclusion of the fish people though, not for the 'daughter' who I found really annoying, though not as annoying as I usually find Martha, though if anything she was at her best in the Doctor's Daughter story, certainly not as intolerable as I found her in the last series with all that silly mooning around drooling over the Doctor who was obviously not interested in her, and who could blame him?! She was so drippy. This whole series should really have been all about Donna and keep bringing Martha back was taking the spotlight off her, I hope they find a way to return Donna to her rightful place as best companion the Doctor has ever had!
 Great stuff June 23, 2008
7 out of 9 found this review helpful
Doctor Who series 4 volume 2 contains four episodes. I know alot of people have given Catherine Tate (very unfair) stick, I think she is great as Donna Noble in Doctor Who and has an excellent on screen chemistry with David Tennant.
The first story is the two parter The Sontaran Stratagem / The Poison Sky which sees the return of the Sontarans (who appeared in the classic stories The Time Warrior, The Sontaran Experiment, The Invasion Of Time and The Two Doctors). Also making a very welcome return is Martha Jones superbly played by Freema Agyeman. This story moves at a cracking pace with UNIT playing a major part. It's just like the good old days in the Jon Pertwee era.
Next up is the much hyped Doctor's Daughter. I have to say that I didn't enjoy this story very much. The plot was rather predictable with an obvious ending. I have a nasty feeling we havn't seen the last of the "Doctor's Daughter".
Things were back on track with The Unicorn And The Wasp in which the Doctor meets Agatha Christie. Now I am a great Christie fan and it was nice to count all the book titles included in the script. I even own a copy of the book Death In The Clouds with the giant wasp on the cover (painted by popular cover artist Tom Adams).
This is the vanilla edition with no extras but it does not spoil your enjoyment - great stuff.
A Brilliant Collection of Episodes June 16, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
The Sontaran Strategem/The Poison Sky were good but they aren't the best of the DVD, there are a few funny moments though e.g when the Doctor turns on Tommy Zoom to ignore the Sontaran war cry and of course Donna's "Back Of The Neck". Also a good way of introducing Donna and Martha your immediate reaction when they see each other is "There gonna kick off" but then they turn on the Doctor contradicting his size!
Doctor's Daughter amazing Georgia Moffet does a fantastic job portraying Jenny and its always great to see Donna contradict the Doctor and trying to include Jenny. And it was good to have Martha go off on her own adventure for a bit and not rely on the Doctor.
The the Unicorn and the Wasp what can I say - absolutely FANTASTIC! The whodunnit theme is excellently mysterious and the constant jokes throughout this spectacular episode e.g. "Copyright Donna Noble" and the absolute classic poison scene with a shocking antidote!!!
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