Doctor Who: Series 2 - Volume 4

David Tennant
Billie Piper
Peter Kay

This latest collection of episodes from the 'second' series of Doctor Who again features a couple of cracking instalments, although this time there's one that's attracted a heavy amount of criticism too.

So let's start with the good. Stretching a tight budget to its limits and in the process delivering a cracking piece of science fiction, the two-parter that kicks off with "The Impossible Planet" and concludes with "The Satan Pit" takes place in the far reaches of the Universe, on board a craft that's been sucked into a black hole. Only it isn't. It's mysteriously defying the pull of the black hole, and there are other sinister goings on too. There are no spoilers here, but rest assured that this is tense, gripping television, with a surprising number of behind-the-sofa moments. And if the second part doesn't quite match up to the strengths of the first, it still rounds off a satisfying, enjoying story.

As for "Love & Monsters", there's a hard core that believe it to be an innovative, interesting experiment for Doctor Who. This reviewer, however, sides with the majority. By leaving the Doctor and Rose pretty much entirely on the sidelines, and giving centre stage to primarily irritating and clumsy characters (epitomised by Peter Kay's desperately unconvincing baddie), it becomes easily the weakest episode since the Who revival, and leaves you hoping that it's an experiment not to be repeated.

Still, this disc is still very much worth it for two of the episodes, so buy it with those in mind, and treat the third very much as an anomaly, no matter what your thoughts on it. And brace yourself for the next disc too--it's a corker? --Simon Brew