The Empty Child

I am a long lapsed Doctor Who fan. We parted ways some time in the Tom Baker era. Nothing personal Tom В– you may well have been the best - but I was getting older and my interests were wandering elsewhere.

Occasionally I crept back for a peek. Each time, each reincarnation, reconfirmed my opinion that the Doctor was no longer worth the candle. I enjoyed the movie. Mr McGann did fine and I was left thinking I may have dismissed poor old Sylvester just a little too lightly. But then the Doctor was gone for good, and I felt no serious loss save for that nostalgic tug we always feel when some piece of our youth disappears forever.

But now, remarkably, the Doctor is back. And even a lapsed devotee like me is going to be curious enough to sit and watch, despite all the hype.

I have endeavoured to maintain a cool and critical view of this unexpected rebirth. But I had to admit to liking some of what I was seeing. Then В“DalekВ” came around and I had to struggle to maintain my glee В– after all what would my wife think. I had never admitted to any kind of Sci-fi weirdness. She knew I watched STNG, but only if there was no washing up to be done.

But now В“The Empty ChildВ” has aired. My wife is figuratively, if not quite literally, behind the sofa and even I might have succumbed to a very uncharacteristic case of the creeps if I had not been overwhelmed by a much stronger emotion of simple joy.

Why had I been so reticent? After nigh on a decade when the broadcasters have seen fit to churn out bilge in place of entertainment on a Saturday evening, why could I not have been quicker in embracing the jewel in its midst?

I had always thought of Steve Moffat as a good comedy writer. Clearly he is simply a good writer. And I can only assume he is a Doctor Who enthusiast. This was a Doctor Who of the old school. You could imagine this story being told thirty years ago. Maybe not so slick back then В– production values are two generations further on and steeped in CGI. Maybe no so graphic either В– eight year olds are two generations further on and horror has suffered from inflationary pressure just as much as cash. But В“The Empty ChildВ” is old fashioned, creepy, claustrophobic, classic Who. The fact that it shines so brightly now is proof that good stories and good storytelling are the ultimate measure of good television.

It was an excellently told story, well directed and well acted. The whole thing was a pleasure form start to finish. This whole series is a triumph, make no mistake.

I see criticisms, but only from those who study episodes like documentaries В– introduce something new by all means, but if you dare create any inconsistency with three hundred previous episodes then a plague on your house. Sorry folks, but this is drama. Invent anything you like В– if it works itВ’s good. If you can please an old Pertwee era enthusiast like me and still show millions of new viewers for the next couple of generations that quality television is not В“Big BrotherВ” or В“Pop IdolВ” then you deserve an unqualified В“Well DoneВ”. Or more to the point В“Encore, EncoreВ”.