The Parting of the Ways

What a splendid episode. This series didn't grab me from the off, and I watched out of loyalty and nostalgia for the first few episodes. But Father's Day drew me in and by the Finale I was completely in love with this incarnation.

The Doctor's combination of dark and cheeky shone in Parting of the Ways. The choice of "coward" out of the Dalek's options was very refreshing in a world of Jack Bauer-like fascist boy's own heroes.

The writing still leaves something to be desired - a little less carry on, a few more snappy one liners would bring the standard even higher. I was going to say more subtle emotional dialogue, but I don't think the under-15s would really put up with that, and this is for them....mostly.

Two major moments stolen almost in their entirety from Buffy, but RTD and his cast have the chutzpah to carry it off. Eccleston’s pillar of fire moment was much more enjoyable than James Marster's (as in Spike in Buffy) effort. Eccleston's Doctor has charm and cojones in equal measure, and his exit made me cry like no UK TV show has made me cry in a long while. At last, a home-grown genre show that isn't afraid of a bit of emotion. Though I was tickled that he didn't say "I love you Rose" (which I was dreading) and, instead, went for the disarming egotism of "I was brilliant".

The other notable Buffy theft, Rose's revision of the Uber-Buffy (season 4 of Btvs) was actually rather moving. Our lady of the immaculately-smudged makeup, she was. Though, one question...why does the heart of the TARDIS turn you posh, eh? Seemed to work on her and the Doctor both.

The Rose and Doctor kiss felt earned. The Jack and Doctor kiss showed an impressive insight into the minds of 15 year old girls (and possibly women of all ages). How'd you keep your female audience interested? Make the chaps kiss. See, women and men aren't all that different after all.

The daleks were the one part of the episode that I didn't really care about. Perhaps they're just too familiar an image now. Perhaps I've seen too many daleks-trying-to-get-upstairs cartoons. That, and growing up on the Tripods, which were far scarier. But the effect of the situation on the characters made up for the lack of a (for me) fully realised villain/threat.

The moment when the Doc sent Rose home was heart-wrenching. Mum turning up with a big rescue truck was ace. Mickey was almost bearable. The Doctor was on his finest hammy-but-loveable form.

So, new doctor. I think I'm going to like this one too. He has a mad look in his eyes - startled rabbit that's just escaped from an animal testing place where they're pumping them full of new and exciting drugs.

The big question aside from "will Tennant be as good" is....are they going to go back for Jack?