Smith and Jones

Series 3 had so much to prove. The astonishing departure of Rose, played so emotionally and brilliantly by David Tennant and Billie Piper, and an OK Christmas special meant that the stakes were really high for Series 3: especially with the arrival of a new companion.

So - where to begin? Well how about with the new baddies, the Judoon. Surely these Rhino Police have to be one of the best costume effects ever produced on Doctor Who: with a great voice provided by Nick Briggs (who also makes the Dalek and Cybermen voices: though you wouldn't have known from this performance!). The creatures were imaginative and scary, with just a dash of absurdity - just enough to make me hope that we haven't seen the last of them.

And David Tennant seems to have grown into The Doctor's shoes now. I have to confess I never really liked Chris Ecclestone that much: he seemed to take the whole thing (and himself) far too seriously. I've loved David Tennant from the moment he first spoke: he seemed to have pitched The Doctor's voice exactly write: RP but without the stuffiness. David seems more sure of himself in the role, and seems to know where the boundary is from gurning at the camera to being twinkly-eyed. For me he is probably now my second favourite Doctor (Tom Baker, of course, being the favourite!). This episode wasn't really about The Doctor in any case, but there was enough for me to just feel very happy that we have David Tennant in the role.

And so to Martha Jones. Freema Agyeman is absolutely superb as Martha Jones, a feisty, funny and far more intelligent companion than Rose. I love her warmth (both with her family and to The Doctor) and her sense of adventure and wide-open view of the world. Russell T Davies has done a great job over the last series of letting chinks of light through to the 'Earth' characters, so that we don't have to waste any time getting over their disbelief in Aliens. They've seen spaceships crashing through Parliament, so humans know Aliens exist. Thank God! I miss Rose enormously, but Martha is clearly going to make a great companion for the Doctor, and I like very much that Russell has managed to write a very different dynamic between the Doctor and Martha.

If Episode 1 is anything to go by, Doctor Who seems somehow bigger, better and more confident in itself. After the big, dramatic, emotional ending of Series 2, Russell T Davies seems to have continued confidence: the script for his last few episodes have all been excellent (ever since those last two episodes of Series 2) and I just can't wait for more. No more going out on Saturday nights: Doctor Who is back -bigger and better than ever.