TV Gold

I thought this episode was a vast improvement on Episodes 1 & 2 despite the trailer for it actually putting me off watching it !!

I was however, pleasantly surprised by it. Perhaps the fact it was the first episode not written by Russel T. Davies? Hmmm.

Anyhow, what does everyone else think of the new Doctor Who?

As a fan of the original series (being aged 42!) I was more than prepared to be disappointed by the new series. However, I was hooked from the first five minutes of the first episode "Rose". It was slick, pacy and very enjoyable to watch. I took to Billie Piper as Rose straight away - an excellent choice for the 21st century companion. Initially I was surprised by the Doctor's Northern accent, but had to grin when Rose asked him about it and he replied "Lots of planets have a North". This put the tongue firmly into the cheek as far as I was concerned, the writers already trying to predict any criticisms which viewers might have and countering them in advance. How many other shows would be smart enough to do this?

By episode 2, with its large collection of aliens onboard the ship to watch the destruction of planet Earth, you knew you were definitely on more familiar Doctor Who territory. And when Rose went off on her own and spent much of the episode away from the Doctor and having her own life/death crisis, this was classic heroine in peril as so many Who companions had endured in the past.

My own 13 year old son had always wondered why I had an interest in (quote): "an old programme"; he had endured the occasional classic episode on video. He even missed the first two episodes of the new series (living at his mother's) - and it took some bribery to get him to agree to watch them on my dvd-recorder when he came to visit during the week. But when he did, he was hooked within 10 minutes!!!! He missed episode 3 because his mother didn't have it on: and the first thing he demanded on coming to visit me last night was "did you record Dr Who? Put it on now.....please, Dad!" Testimony that the BBC have got it spot on this time, producing something so different than the usual trash that fills the schedules on British tv these days. Doctor Who is now the highlight of the weekend in this household. Long may it last!!!

Yeah the new Doctor and Rose Doctor Who series combination is certainly way cool, really great and I'm really looking forward to the DVD box set in November. But seeing that the series is being reviewed to such a positively obscene extent (e.g. over thirty reviews alone for episode one "Rose" looking at the bottom of this page = <a href='http://www.gallifreyone.com/episode.php?id=2005-01' target='_blank'>http://www.gallifreyone.com/episode.php?id=2005-01</a> to see what I mean) there seems little point in offering any further comments on the series here at TV Gold.

All we can do here I feel is acknowledge that it is an undisputed triumph, truely vindicating the decision to bring it back and move on!

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