Doctor Who as you've never seen before (Doctor Who - The Infinite Quest (DVD))

Member Name: mikebelgrave

Product:	Doctor Who - The Infinite Quest (DVD)
Date:	19/08/08 (38 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A nice bit of fun when you;ve seen everything else

Disadvantages: Only one episode, not great value for money

Originally broadcast as 3 and half minute episodes on the children's show Totally Doctor Who this DVD brings together all 13 episodes to make it the same length as a usual live action episode.

The story is voiced by David Tennant and Freema Agyeman in their roles of The Doctor and Martha Jones and is perfect companion to the TV series when you're a Doctor Who addict and have exhausted both Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

The Infinite Quest is the journey of the Doctor and Martha and they search for a fabled ship called The Infinite, which can grant any person their heart's desire.

Of course no episode of Doctor Who wouldn't be complete without a villain and in this we have Baltazar, who they meet at the start of the episode and put in prison. A few years later he's released as a reformed character, but we soon discover this isn't the case and is after The Infinite. He's the usual over the top camp despot hell bent on taking over da yooniverse innit. Cue the Doctor and Martha to get there first.

This gives them time to get to the planet Boukan where the last of the universe's oil is being drilled, then planet Myarr where there is a way between humans and insects.

As it's animated they can really let their imaginations run away with them and they do. The oil rigs on the planet Myarr and walking robots that have weapons on them. However all the way through you can't help but notice it feels like the whole thing's been animated in flash and considering it has been broadcast on TV and released on DVD that the animation could have been a little better. Don't get me wrong, it's no way terrible, but I feel corners have been cut to cash in on the successful revival of the show.

As the story is for children it is a little bit light on plot and characterisation and it is noticeable that every 3 and a half minutes it leads up to a cliff-hanger. This does make for slightly irritating viewing at first but once you get into the swing of it, you stop noticing.

David Tennant really gives it his all and it sounds like he and Freema are really enjoying themselves, especially when the doctor pretends to be a pirate and Martha tries to join in. Liza Tarbuck and Anthony Head are also pretty good, but I find everyone else in the episode puts barely any effort into their parts. I wonder if any of them apart from Tennant and Agyeman were in the same room when they recorded the voices.

Due to this being a single episode on a DVD it comes with plenty of extras such as interviews, deleted scenes, various featurettes and photo gallery but it's just padding really. It would have been nice if they added Scream of the Shalka which was an internet only flash episode made in 2003. In reality it should have been tacked on as an extra in the series 3 boxset. It's really for the die-hard fans and children, whom I'm sure will love it if they like the TV series.

For this I give it 4 of 5 for plot, 3 for animation, 2 for value for money. This is why I have it an overall 3 out of 5.

Summary: Doctor Who animated