Doctor Who: The Complete Thirteenth Series - Flux [DVD]

This series is so wonderfully mad; with so many characters and so many things happening at once, it takes my breath away. At the heart of it all is the Doctor and her companions, getting separated and lost in space and time, universe in crisis; where revelations about the Doctor's past, many of the Doctor's old enemies, and some intriguing new ones menace everything; giving everyone a part to play and a chance to be a hero.

“Doctor Who: Flux” was the first story since the franchise revival in 2005 to tell a large, multi-part story (other than the occasional two-parters or episodes referencing previous events.). The story focuses on the Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) partering with Yasmin Khan (Mandip Gill) and new companion Dan Lewis (John Bishop) to investigate an anomaly called the Flux, that will destroy the universe and time itself. Along the way, they travel to modern-day Liverpool, England, Sevastopol during the Crimean War, Medderton in 1901, Medderton in 1967, and Liverpool in 1904.The Doctor and her companions face familiar enemies in the form of the Sontarans and the Weeping Angels, but also encounter new aliens, like the Lupari – a canine species that bonds with and protects humanity. New enemies Swarm and Azure remember the Doctor from her days working for the Division on Gallifrey, but the Doctor doesn’t recall these events from her days as the Timeless Child, thus giving Swarm and Azure a psychological advantage. The Grand Serpent (Craig Parkinson), an additional new enemy, plays a key role meddling in UNIT’s history. Joining the mystery are Vinder (Jacob Anderson), a human from the future stationed on an Observation Outpost. He witnesses the oncoming Flux and seeks to warn the world. Meanwhile, his pregnant spouse, Bel (Thaddea Graham), makes her way through the aftermath of the Flux, using a device to find her way to Vinder. Finally, a Weeping Angel sent Claire Brown (Annabel Scholey) to the past, where she befriended a scientist studying psychic phenomena and met the Doctor, discovering that she has access to information related to Division. Joining the new characters are Jo Martin as the Fugitive Doctor and Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart.In terms of structure, the use of a whole season to tell an interconnected story resembles the twenty-third season of the original “Doctor Who” run, which told the story, “The Trial of a Time Lord.” The narrative focus of “Flux” works to its strength, though it takes repeat viewings to catch all the narrative threads and see how they connect. This Blu-ray set is a great addition to any “Doctor Who” fan’s home media collection. Special features include character introductions, trailers, a story breakdown, John Bishop’s video diary, a behind-the-scenes featurette about the directing of this season, and more.

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This is possible the most complicated Dr Who story line told on TV. It mixes the old-Who "multiple episodes telling one story" with the new-Who time format. The result is a 5 hour long single story. Old-Who collections ("Key to Time", "Trial of a Time Lord") and new-Who story arcs (independent stories with a theme) don't come close.The result is a level of complexity that can be bewildering if you don't pay attention.At first glance it's a bit of a mess; all these people, all this jumping around... why is there a 19th century Liverpudlian appearing at random spots? Add in background from the Timeless Child storyline and Division and it's really complicated. But as the story continues these threads start to coalesce and make sense.It feels like a good book where you have to hold these threads in your head and wonder how they fit together and then marvel as the pattern emerges.For people used to the normal Who story telling, this is a massive divergence in expectation. The scope of the story is so much bigger! It doesn't feel like a normal Dr Who story... it feels _better_.And it's done well. The extended time allows us to focus on the other characters and make them human, rather than just plot stand-ins. The professor becomes a fully fleshed character, for example.The only reason I gave this 4 stars is because the ending felt a little weak. Most of the threads got tied off nicely, but the final jeopardy just... fizzled. Weak.So pay attention; don't look away. The story is complicated but rewarding. Possibly (IMHO) the best Who story so far.

Excellent. Really enjoyed this series. Hard to follow, but really liked it.

Sharp enough resolution to make rewatching the shows enjoyable.

Llegó en buen estado y a tiempo. Gracias.

I enjoy both the new and classic Doctor Who. I started with Tom Baker.I don't over analyze it. I like Jodi, and Mandip, and was surprised that two characters (companions) were not allowed the customarygoodbye episode. Especially since they served two seasons. However, John is lovable, too.I am often bummed when a companion, or doctor changes.Inevitably, I warm up to the new ones, even if it takes awhile.I enjoyed this series.