Doctor Who: Series Seven, Part One

The 21st-century BBC revival of Doctor Who has become one of the network's most popular exports. Bowing to demand, this set features the opening half of the seventh season—a mere five episodes—while the sci-fi favorite lies in hiatus before the second half starts in 2013. These are the final segments featuring the time-traveling Doctor (Matt Smith) with his only married team of companions, Amy and Rory Pond (Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill). After some very colorful adventures—featuring the mad extraterrestrials, the Daleks; a western town under threat from an alien gunman; and an attack on Manhattan by the creepy “Weeping Angel”—the Ponds make a poignant and profound exit. Doctor Who remains as inventive as ever, and the farewell to the Ponds, along with a return visit by River Song (Alex Kingston), will make this of great interest to fans. Extras include the documentary “The Science of Doctor Who,” the five-part web series Pond Life (essentially a series of cheeky promotional spots), episode prequels, and the featurette “Doctor Who at Comic Con.” Although the complete season will eventually be issued in a single set, interest is likely to be high when the new episodes are broadcast. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)