Rose

The first episode of the long-awaited new series accidentally leaked its way onto the net. It's given fans a chance to whet their appetite, particularly fans located in countries without a television deal in place. The leak has prompted a lot of media reporting on both sides of the Atlantic. But perhaps the biggest shock to fans is the realisation that, finally, it's real. Doctor Who is *back*!

But what of the episode itself? How can the story, how can anything, live up to the hype, the promise and the dreams we've had for fifteen years?

Rose, fortunately, is fantastic.

It's not just okay, or as good as could be hoped for in the circumstances, it's utterly, utterly wonderful. There are so many great things about Rose, none of which I'm going to spoil. But after the first five minutes I was grinning like a fool and that grin never left my face for the next 24 hours.

The new show is smart, sassy, witty, scary, laugh-out-loud funny, touching and clever. It's got all these things in spades, although for my money it's the humour which succeeds best of all. Doctor Who, as a television show, was fundamentally a funny show. That's something that got lost when it made the transition to fan-produced property and something which I'm very glad to see return.

Perhaps the biggest adjustment long term viewers may have to make is to realise that it's a character piece, not a plot-driven spectacle. Which is fantastic, IMO, because it's the characters we really care about. There's a reason it's called Rose and not Return Of Some Extraterrestrials.

Rose herself is fabulous, carrying much of the episode. She's recognisably a companion, but without some of the more embarrassing touches. Billie's acting is the real shock though: it's fantastic. Stunt casting a celebrity pop singer sounded like a recipe for disaster, but I'm extremely pleased to report that she's amazing.

What blows everything out of the water, though, is Chris Eccleston's Doctor. He's incredible. What's more, he's unlike any Doctor we've ever seen and the complete antithesis of what you'd imagine the Doctor should be... except that he's utterly convincing. Right from his (fabulous) first appearance, you're never in doubt that he's the Doctor. What's more, he gets actual acting to do and carries the role with a boyish enthusiasm that's incredibly infectious.

I'm amazed at just how great Rose truly is. I honestly never thought they could recreate the series I fell in love with, preparing myself to adapt to whatever new incarnation it appeared in... but somehow they have. There are lots of little moments that really set it apart, but they're best seen without spoilers. Try and see this without ruining it for yourself if you can, it's really worth it. Doctor Who is back, but it's like he was never away.