THE latest series of adventures featuring Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor took us on a roller-coaster of emotions – and that’s just in five episodes!

This two-disc set contains the five episodes so far broadcast as well as some interesting extras.

But the focus is on the adventures and the lead-up to episode five and the departure of companions Amy and Rory, played magnificently by Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill.

The first episode, Asylum of the Daleks begins with the Doctor, Amy and Rory being abducted by the Daleks and forced to go to a place where even the Daleks are scared to go.

But, you just know that the Daleks asking the Doctor for help sounds fishy and you can be sure that they have an ulterior motive.

In this episode, we get a tantalising introduction to Oswin (Jenna-Louise Coleman), who is set to be the Doctor’s new companion and she leaves him with a special gift (no spoilers).

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship is exactly that. The trio, along with Rory’s dad, end up on a spaceship where there are dinosaurs roaming free.

Off to the Wild West for episode three and A Town Called Mercy, where a cyborg is terrorising a town – but why?

As the Doctor, Amy and Rory walk into the town, the township hopes he can solve their problem.

It’s the first wild-west Who story since The Gunfighters back in 1966.

The Power of Three yet again shows how strong the bond is between the Time Lord and his companions, which is a fitting introduction to the fifth story.

The Daleks pottered around Manhattan in David Tennant’s era, and this time it’s the Weeping Angels – and watch out for the Statue of Liberty!

River Song (Alex Kingston) joins the fray as we say a tearful farewell to Amy and Rory.

(I know I said ‘no spoilers’, but everybody knew about this anyway!)

The acting in these stories is of the highest calibre as the emotion – especially in the final story – just oozes from the screen.

Gillan and Darvill played two well-loved characters and their leaving the series will cause a big hole.

We await the Christmas episode – and Oswin – with bated breath.

The extras include the five vignettes entitled Pond Life which highlights how the Doctor keeps popping in and out of Amy and Rory’s lives, sometimes even leaving little presents – like an Ood.

There’s also a prequel to Asylum of the Daleks and a small featurette about the making of the Gunslinger from A Town Called Mercy.

The Science of Dr Who is a production by BBC America and has scientists, theoretical physicists and actors discussing whether things like time travel, regeneration, cyborgs, sonic screwdrivers and even the TARDIS, could exist.

The five stories really form a short story arc culminating in the departure of Amy and Rory, and as such has to be amongst the strongest stories ever in the long history of the show.

BBCDVD 3697.