New Earth

What a smacker ... and the episode was pretty darn good too!

Was it just me or did that kiss not last ages? Billie Piper playing Cassandra certainly did not miss the target, that's for sure.

Chris Eccleston must have been raging he didn't hang about for a second series and missing out on the big kiss off after all that flirting in the last series (though he did get some lip action with Captain Jack in the end!).

Watching it in his Salford home, I wonder what he made of it all.

I was very impressed. The touching start as Rose says her goodbyes before joining the Doctor was a nice and somewhat understated introduction given all the whoo-hah and hype that has surrounded the show over the past week. It was a simple and effective start.

The arrival in New, New York couldn't have been much better and I loved the wee robot spiders returning and of course, Cassandra. That was good we actually got to see Zoe Wanamaker in the episode too. What with Anthony Head and Pauline Collins still to come, the show really has attracted some A-list actors to the series - something which was impossible when the show came to an end in 1989 when Bonnie Langford and Ken Dodd were the celebs we had come to expect. How times have changed!

The lift shower scenes were terrific and funny and I loved the references to the NHS and the Doctor's concern about the lack of a shop. The Sisters of Plentitude were absolutely terrific and terrifying in equal measure judging by the Tardisode which was very scary indeed.

The true purpose behind the sister's plan was well executed and even the Face of Boe speaking was worth the wait and gives a sense of mystery in the same vein as the Bad Wolf intrigue from the last series. It might have been good if a few clues were offered but he disappeared just like the Tardis!!!

Given that the team working behind Dr Who now know they have a lead actor who will stay for the course, it is interesting to note how much the BBC are supporting the show with "Totally Doctor Who" and even reference made on the Radio 5 Live News Bulletin this morning!

One thing that did strike me after the Christmas Invasion and New Earth is that we still haven't really seen the Doctor and Rose adjusting to each other yet though they seem to get on pretty well! With the Doctor being out of action for most of the first episode while Rose was taken over by Cassandra for the majority of New Earth, it has been an interesting dynamic on Russell T Davies part and we will have to wait until Tooth and Claw to really see the relationship grow.

A very satisfying start to the new series and one which Russell T Davies can take some pride in. I thought it was good that the Doctor took Cassandra back to when she was a human and the final end. You never usually find out what happens to some of the Dr's enemies at the end of episodes but it gave something of a human touch, with overtures to "Dalek".

Tennant is very much his own man with his new uniform, sense of humour and manic personality which is shaping up to be very exciting.

Perhaps the highest complement you can pay to him is that it did not really strike you at any point that he was not the Doctor and he seamlessly fit in to the role as if it had been his all along. A very polished performance by both Tennant and Piper and something which looks positively sparkling. Who-rah!!!