This second DVD set from the new series contains episodes 4 through 6 of the new series. For my review of the first three episodes, you can read my review here.

Aliens of London/World War Three: This 2-part episode, The Doctor and Rose return from their adventures in time and space. However, while the pair believes that they have only been gone 12 hours, it seems that they have actually been gone 12 months. However, domestic drama is put aside when an alien vessel crashes into the Thames. Downing Street is locked off, and members of the cabinet begin to act strangely. Something is afoot, and it is up to The Doctor, Rose and Harriett Jones, Member for Flydale North (Penelope Wilton).

After watching countless episodes of aliens invading the home counties of England, it was great to see a full-blown 'invasion' story take place in the heart of London. Images of the alien craft smacking into Big Ben will forever be a part of WHO history. These episodes were reminiscent of the Jon Pertwee-era, in which a small band of 'people in the know' would fight off an alien menace by themselves. The special effects may have improved, but the spirit of adventure hasn't. This 2-parter is a lot of fun.

Although this is some of the finest science-fiction done for the small screen, this two-parter is not without its faults. Many have complained about the 'fart jokes', and I also feel that were completely out of step with the rest of the show. Sure, there is an in-story explanation for the excessive wind, but I just think that it lowers the tone of what is an otherwise impeccable series. The final scenes of this story, where Rose's mum waits for her to return in "10 seconds" is one of the bigger tear-jerker moments in the series (the biggest being in the forthcoming "Father's Day", found on Volume 3). It is moments like this that make the original series seem 'twee' by comparison. It is just a shame that the producers felt the need to add toilet humour to the mix, in some misguided attempt to appeal to the masses. With multi-faceted stories like this, one hardly needs fart jokes to appeal to the larger audience. Still, having now watched this 2-parter a number of times, it stands up to repeat viewing and stands out as a strong entry in this new series.

Dalek: Answering a distress call 52 levels below the Utah desert, the Doctor and Rose discover that billionaire collector Henry Van Statten has a massive museum filled with alien artifacts. Further investigation reveals that the source of the distress call was from one of the Doctor's oldest enemies - a solitary Dalek. The conflicted Doctor can't understand how the alien got there, before his worst fears come true and the Dalek escapes...

When the announcement of a new Doctor Who series after a 16 year absence came out, one of the first questions fans asked was "Will the Daleks be in it?". The estate of Terry Nation, creator of the Daleks, had the rights to the creatures tied up in legal loopholes for years. However, by the time the series started, all that had been sorted and the Doctor's biggest enemy would face him again. So was it worth the wait? When I first saw this episode, I was disappointed. The finale sees the Doctor picking up a gun and seemingly willing to use it on the Dalek, something that is completely out of character. However, re-watching this in the context of the rest of the series makes me view the episode in a different light. The Doctor is someone who has been pushed to the edge by the Daleks, and he has seen his entire race destroyed. Even the noble hero is likely to act irrationally in those circumstances. Further, a new audience gets to see how vicious one Dalek can be in this episode. This makes the season finale, involving an army of Daleks, even more chilling. Not the strongest episode in the series, but a necessary plot to show just how far these characters can be pushed emotionally.

In my review for Volume 1, I commented that this series had been a triumph from start to finish. Despite the odd hiccup (or should that be fart?) in these episodes, nothing has really happened to change my mind. What makes this new Doctor Who so appealing is a strong cast, some excellent stories and an emotional core that appeals to a broad cross-section of the television audience.

Given that these episodes follow on directly from those on Volume 1, and come from the same source, I will repeat many of the comments I made in that review. Given that the first series finished only a few months ago in the UK, you couldn't get episodes any fresher than this. As such, this transfer looks magnificent. No film blemishes of any kind can be seen here, with a spotless image free of any flecks and specks. This is definitely going to be an advantage of living in an age of digital television.  

Colours are bright and vivid, and detail levels are high. Despite the fact that there are a few 'dark corners' explored in these episodes, detail is never lost in them. Black levels are similarly solid. There are some scenes where a great deal is happening at once, with a flurry or colours, but the transfer never has any trouble with these scenes.

Unlike the first disc, I didn't really spot any aliasing this time out. A fine show from start to finish.

Naturally, the front speakers do all the work, although surround effects can be heard in the rear speakers. They are just more subtle than some of the more dynamic soundtracks. The soundtrack isn't designed to blow your windows out (not yet anyway), but still provides a solid mix with enough surround effects to keep you immersed in the world of The Doctor.

I still found myself having to crank the amp up occasionally for dialogue. This was not often, and it possibly the result of my self-induced deafness at the moment, but it was noticeable. Otherwise, dialogue, sound effects and music are all exceptionally clear.

There are no extras on this disc.

Fear not, fellow WHO fans. Village/BBC DVD have announced that they will be releasing a box set at the end of the year - shaped like the TARDIS, no less - containing the entire first season and a wealth of bonus material. Fans may want to wait for that little number.

Doctor Who fans will need no convincing, as they will no doubt have already bought this DVD and played it to death. Whether you are an old fan or a new one, there is no doubt that this is one of the most satisfying seasons of Doctor Who in its forty-two-year history. Only the most hardcore of fans will let the few minor quibbles I had with these episodes stand in the way of having a bloody good time.

Some may be disappointed that we only get three episodes per disc, but at 135 minutes it is still the equivalent running time to a feature film. Fans may still want to hold off until December, when a complete boxset - include bonus features - will be released.

Recommended.