Rose

Ok, get the gripes out of the way and done with.

For me, the story moved at such a pace that the suspense never built. The opening scene with Rose in the basement of the store and the activation of the Autons is a case in point. Effect followed cause too quickly. Probably caused by the need to set up the main characters and still tell a story in only 45 minutes.

No cliff-hanger into the second episode. Part of the magic of Doctor Who for me as a child (who was 6 when Jon Pertwee tumbled out of the TARDIS in Spearhead from Space) was the week spent imagining how the Doctor/companion would get out of the mire they were left in at the end of the previous episode.

No regeneration. Having watched the supporting programmes that preceded and followed Rose: yeah ok RTD, you've got a point, lets not confuse the target audience by introducing the main character only to have him change his face.

The new Doctor - he's a funny so and so - sometimes eccentric (bordering on Tom Baker, referring to us as blundering apes, the cheek!), sometimes comic (the scene in front of The London Eyes was class), sometimes a dork (the 'Vindaloo' walk to the TARDIS with Rose), sometimes vulnerable (those 'save me Rose' eyes), but brilliant....... as if Chris Eccleston is capable of anything less.

Rose - a character that grows on you (pun intended). Faced with the choice of chips, telly, a wally for a boyfriend and a 'compensation culture' mother she showed loyalty and only ran off to the TARDIS at the second offer. Just the right hint of hidden depths to make the character really interesting and a touch of Buffy when the occasion demanded without turning her into a Buffy clone.

Production values were good throughout. Special effects on the whole were strong, although the 'deadly dustbin' appeared cartoonish when it warped to swallow Micky.

Autons were and still are my favourite of all the monsters. Interesting, the Auton gun sound effect sounded just like it did in the 1970s.

The story raced along (as I have said previously, a little fast for my taste but certainly acceptable for a modern audience) with interesting continuity references. What is this war, did the Doctor's involvement lead to his (recent??? - the mirror in Rose's flat) regeneration and will it tie in with Big Finish CDs or the EDA books?

Overall 7/10

But the real acid test - my godson and his sister (7 and 5 respectively) both liked it, although it was a little scarey when all the dummies came to life and started shooting everyone.

RESULT!