This is the first time I've scanned some other reviews online before writing my own, and it's shocked me to see how many people reacted badly to this episode. This seems to have divided the Doctor Who diehards and the rest of us even more than 'Dalek'. After I watched 'Dalek', I felt that we wouldn't see a better episode this season. I'll have to watch 'Father's Day' again to be sure, but I might have been wrong ...

Paul Cornell was probably the most prolific and exciting of the new generation of Doctor Who writers to pick up the reins when the show went off-air. It's only fitting, then, that he gets a shot at it now it's back, and he does wonderfully. What's especially telling, though, is that 'Father's Day' only feels half-Who. The other half is sheer mainstream drama, a lovely counterpoint to last week's episode, which was about as Who as you could get. Slightly melodramatic at times? Well, maybe, but this is Saturday evening television, not gritty Monday night BBC2. And it's a million miles away from the slapstick of episodes 4 and 5, the only major misstep for me this year.

It's interesting that Simon Pegg was initially pencilled in to play Rose's father. He can perform serious drama just fine and would have been great, but it's gratifying to see that Shaun Dingwall, brought in when Pegg couldn't make filming for 'Father's Day' and did 'The Long Game' instead, does a cracking job of portraying the man who was never as perfect as his widow made him out to be but, at his core, would have made a wonderful father to his little girl. The moment where he realises who Rose is and they hug is a highlight of the season so far. And, yet again, Billie Piper shows why she is one of the new series' biggest assets. Thank Gallifrey she's staying for another season.

Speaking of which, as each week goes by I'm getting more and more disappointed that we won't get more Ecclestone. The ninth Doctor is the most interesting incarnation in decades. I love David Tennant's work and it's good to know the Doctor is in safe hands, but more Chris would have been great.

Special mention should go to the CGI again this week - with few expensive sets to build the budget was clearly free for good monsters, and the Reapers are by far the best we've seen so far. Slick, scary and possessing a truly alien feel.

As in 'Dalek', the incidental music was a bonus instead of an annoyance.

Overall, 'Father's Day' is probably the strongest episode of the season in terms of sheer drama, everything from the Doctor's furious disappointment with Rose to her touching final moment with her Dad played beautifully.

In the end, how you feel about it is going to depend on whether it's great Who you want to see - this is it, but not in the form most fans would prefer - or just good TV. When they brought Who back we all hoped for a slick new version that wouldn't embarass itself. What we've got instead is something far superior, a show which really makes the most of the versatility of its premise and allows its characters to behave like real people. We should be grateful.

In the end, though, it really won't matter. There are millions of people out there who will never buy a DVD, book or toy, or attend a convention as we have, but who will continue to watch as long as the show demonstrates this quality. And that means more Who in production which is Just Plain Good.

This episode of Dr Who will do something that no other will - it'll make you cry. At the same time, it'll blow away any critics of Billie Piper's acting ability since her performance is spot on, and very moving. In fact, everyone in this episode acts their socks off to produce an excellent piece of well-crafted character driven drama. No wonder Dr Who in the UK is knocking the pants off ITV's Saturday Night offering - Celebrity Wrestling !. I'll step into the TARDIS anytime, thanks.
The Doctor takes Rose back to 1987 to be with her father in his dying moments after a hit and run accident. On the second attempt, Rose saves his life and changes the timeline, creating a 'wound' in time. This heralds the arrival of the Reapers, bat-like creatures apparently created by time itself to act as antibodies and cleanse the wound by wiping out the human race. With no TARDIS and everyone trapped inside a church, can the Doctor save the situation ?.Well, this time the answer is 'no', beacuse for once, he has no plan !. Although the final solution is easy to work out, thanks to skillful writing by Paul Cornell, fine performances from the cast and lean direction, the story manages to lose none of it's emotional impact and the closing scenes will guarantee not a dry eye in the audience. This is Dr Who at it's very best where the SF element of the story plays second fiddle to the human drama and characters.Being a time-paradox story, there's a lot of fun to be had too - 1980's fashions and subtle references to the era (US fans might find these puzzling), large mobile phones, Rose as a baby and her future boyfriend Mickey as a toddler. The scene of him on the swing in the kids playground, watching all around him mysteriously vanish as victims of the Reapers is geniunely spooky. It was also a nice touch having the car that killed Roses' father, appearing and disappearing as it runs around the outside of the church, almost like it's stalking it's intended victim.But you know they're all in deadly trouble when the Doctor makes a shocking discovery about the TARDIS.This episode has some beautiful perfomances and emotionally charged scenes, especiallly between Rose and her father when he realises who she is and what must be done to save the day. Although inevitable, the ending is still very powerful and sad.

Of all the episodes in the new series, I had been looking forward to this one most of all. The idea of time being unforgiving, somehow managing to always thwart those who would interfere with it, has held much fascination for me. Importantly, the idea that the Doctor acknowledges the inflexible nature of time (despite being a Time Lord) has conveyed an overall sense of responsibility to the series.

I believe the original premise for 'Father's Day' was to have Rose confronted by an inability to change past events (her father's death), presumably becoming part of the history she was trying to avert; the story was to be devoid of special effects, instead concentrating on the attendant emotional issues and would have been a brave and unique homage to a sci-fi concept that has been much examined.

The writer, Paul Cornell, admittedly taking the story in his own direction, explored the consequences of Rose actually altering events; an opportunity was thus provided to make the point that the life of a seemingly ordinary man could possibly distort history if that man is supposed to be dead.

The duplication of the Doctor and Rose, separated by only a few minutes served to highlight the practicalities which must be observed when time travelling. Such considerations, it must be said, are not wholly original, similar ideas having been explored in other sci-fi shows and films. However, the 45 minute duration (highly criticised in relation to some previous episodes) imparts a sense of urgency and real time dilemma to the situation as these practicalities are addressed.

Although the story could have worked with the minimum of special effects, I thought the physical manifestation of Rose's actions (The Reapers) was highly effective. They retained a sense of the gothic aspects of the series, especially in the context of the church setting, and also visualised the vengeful nature of time. Almost immediately after Rose's intervention, Cornell created a sense of impending doom by initially showing our flawed universe through the eyes of the Reapers; the first handful of deaths and their ambiguous manner being in the spirit of the classic series. The mental trauma suffered by Mickey in the park was deeply disturbing, as his friends (and mother?) were removed from time; this unease was later intensified by the discarded bike and child's shoe.

The idea of an adult Rose interacting with a father she has saved while her one year old self is in close proximity was a masterstroke in terms of the wealth of possibilities which time travel can present. Rose telling her parents to stop arguing was poignantly ironic, as her desire to experience and interact with both her parents (as a family unit) resulted in her doing so in a way typical of dysfunctional families, as a mediator and referee.

In his previous contributions to Doctor Who, whether they have been books or audios, Cornell has always involved the reader/listener on an emotional level and for this rare talent, deserves kudos. I feel that, for Father's Day, the writer has again achieved this objective and there is no doubt that this is the most emotive and sympathetic episode of any series of Dr Who to be given screen time. Cornell succeeded in making the viewer care about the relationship between Rose and her father; additionally, we were shown that there are as many meaningful issues in the past of any one person as there are in the landmark events more usually visited by the Doctor and his companions.

Generally, the acting performances were polished yet natural. Eccleston portrays sympathy, empathy and admonishment in terms of the Doctor's reactions, together with a wistfulness in that, although he admires the Earth and humanity in general, he is incapable of experiencing the simplicities which he knows make humans so special. The most impressive aspect of Piper's performance was the fact that beneath the understandable exuberance at what she had achieved, there was a sense of guilt and a defensive need to justify her actions to the Doctor, whilst knowing he could not accept them.

Shaun Dingwall's portrayal of Pete Tyler's self sacrifice was beautifully balanced; rather than the tediously clichйd 'a man's gotta do...' diatribe, we were treated to the enormity of the situation being resolved in terms of a Father's responsibility for his child's actions. His awareness of his inadequacies, together with his genuine gratitude for the few hours spent with his future daughter, imbued a sense of credibility to an unlikely action on his part.

The understated direction rendered the viewing seamless in terms of fluency and characterisation. Perhaps the most impressive directorial achievement was in conveying the idea that the car was the true 'Reaper', destined to endlessly circle the church until it's hitherto thwarted purpose was fulfilled.

In terms of the causality and continuity dealt with in stories where people return to (and interact with) their own pasts, I suspect that the time paradox aspects of the episode will be criticised, yet there is no virtue in this; self righteous statements of the 'that couldn't happen because...' type have no merit because time travel is wholly theoretical and hence hypothetical. If anyone can demonstrably disprove the interpretation of the subject by people such as Wells, Heinlein, Cornell or indeed anyone who has written fiction on the subject, then please step forward: it's a non-starter.

I think, as Doctor Who fans, we have all waited and hoped for an episode that is perfect, that conforms to our own perception of what makes the show great; if adequate budgeting is discounted from the criteria, then, for many, such episodes have already happened during the classic series. The current series makes it possible to assess the show in an entirely new way; distractingly poor sets and effects are now a thing of the past and for this reason, a fresh opportunity to revisit the expectation of the perfect episode is afforded.

I have been a fan of this show for thirty years and hence I'm not fickle in the sense that, due to the big budget and higher profile, I have abandoned the old series in preference for the current one; however, I genuinely believe that, due to an understanding and incorporation of the elements of the show which have made it so thought provoking, writers such as Mark Gatiss and Rob Shearman have created near perfect episodes in the best spirit of the classic series. Cornell, however, has fashioned something which, to me, transcends the different factions of sci-fi and fantasy and is able to stand up and be counted outside of the sphere of Who fandom.

Thank you, Mr Cornell, for a perfect episode of Dr Who and a generally superb piece of television.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, following on from last week's disappointment, a complete TV classic - not just for Doctor Who.

In reviewing this triumph of an episode I run out of superlatives.

Firstly, the script is as close to perfect as makes no difference. The plot is taught, both emotionally and theoretically resonant and breathes whilst maintaining a relentless pace, and still having room for some neat ironic humour which only adds to the growing drama. The direction complements this wonderfully, producing a tense, gut-wrenching spectacle, which the quality of the acting reinforces further.

Ecclestone's performance has arguably been variable during the series, and coming after his ruthlessness in "The Long Game", his compassion here might seem incompatible; but in this story we get unprecedented depths in the actor's portrayal and in the manner the character is presented. This doctor can be cold come certain situations, but his concern, affection even, for the characters in this story, is as beautiful here as in any story from the original series. He is furious with Rose for interfering with time, but this anger does not stop him loving her deeply and wanting to find another resolution of the crisis, rather than Pete Tyler having to die twice. Ecclestone's doctor has always been absorbing to watch, but here one warms to his charismatic portrayal more than in any other episode hitherto. Two particular moments stand out - the depth in Ecclestone's eyes and his desire to help Rose when she asks to go back to the accident a second time, and his worry as he knows the dangers of interfering with history. Secondly, his care for the marrying couple, particularly the line "who says you're not important?"

Pete Tyler is a marvellously well written character, played to perfection by Shaun Dingwall. He is totally believable, and we get to know him in considerable detail for just 45 minutes. Endearingly fallible, it's a splendid touch that he of all the 1987 characters understands quickest what is going on - suggesting that, for all his being a failure, Rose's dad has passed his ability to accept new, perhaps wild ideas to his daughter.

The relationships are magnificently realised in this story, for example Rose's realisation that her parents weren't happy and that Pete was far from exemplary, both in marital and in business terms. Billie Piper has repeatedly surprised throughout this season with the quality of her acting, and in "Father's Day" she is quite superb, being totally believable to the point where I almost forgot this tale was fictional.

The special effects are stunningly impressive, particularly in the realisation of the Reapers, and in the hit-and-run car continually appearing and disappearing. They are almost incidental to the story, however, which is, quite simply, as moving a small-scale character-driven piece of drama as I have seen in years.

The script wrung every opportunity for emotional tension out of the idea, whilst actually managing to make sense with surprisingly few holes. I liked it that the Doctor explains that he can't go back and save his own people, presumably because of time paradoxes, which is a question a few of us have raised from the earlier episodes.

Gut-wrenching human drama; the unremitting tension of the characters being trapped in a church under siege from ruthless alien creatures that cannot be reasoned with; magnificent acting all round; a heroic Doctor to believe in; tremendous characterisation; superb incidental music throughout; and intelligent, thought provoking insights into the way we view our history, why certain things cannot be changed, whilst showing what is worth fighting for.

For a single 45 minute episode to encompass so much is a towering achievement - can it get any better than this?

What a strange, wonderfully enjoyable, yet intellectually disappointing episode this turned out to be, in the end.

Emnotionally, it's absolutely spot on - the shots of Rose as a child being told wonderful daddy stories by her mother which set the tone of wistful longing; the urge to go back and see him which the Doctor can now satisfy for her; the desperate second thrust to save him and create her perfect world for real; the slow disintegration of that dream in the cold light of day, followed by the growing bond between them based on real interaction ; and of course, the final sacrifice.

Lovely, lovely stuff. But questions kept popping up for me all the way along, and DW Confidential didn't answer them, though I was hoping it would. Because this was such a good episode from the touchy-feely angle, I really wanted it to be as good from the cold logical one as well.

But: it isn't. The Doctor is completely happy to take Rose off to an event he must know will be emotionally impossible for Rose to resist interfering with. And sorry, no: after 900 or so years of visiting Earth and similar cultures, and scenes like the one where he rounds on Nyssa and Tegan for asking him to go back and save Adric, it's quite obvious he does - he must - know just exactly what that may invite for both of them. The "alien not in touch with human emotions" just doesn't work at all, as any kind of convenient excuse. A Time Lord - particularly this Time Lord - happy to risk the potential destruction that he knows may be unleashed by this action doesn't work either.

Then there's the "time has been damaged" response to Rose saving her father. Why? What exactly does that mean, anyway? She changes the present, and thus the future. So what? Suddenly "time has been damaged"? How, exactly? Why, exactly?

This, with the appearance of the Reapers, and the car repeatedlyappearing and disappearing in some sort of implied time-loop , is wonderfully eerie, but smacks far more of Victorian pseudo-moralising on the possible dangers of interfering in things that we don't understand, than it does of any real scientific understanding of time and time travel and changing the course of events.

Then there's the disappearing 'inner' Tardis. Hang on a minute, there. The outer shell is just an appearance generated by the Tardis - there is NO matching inside. Again: a wonderfully compact visual statement of the changes that have occurred - but really, no, not possible...

And so on. The finale is deeply touching. But suddenly, conveniently, we are asked to just accept that with his death, everyone reappears as normal and all memory of events is erased. Time, as it were, jumps back to the point when - what?

They were just about to enter the church for the wedding? How, then, to explain that dad is suddenly dead just up the road, and everyone is looking outwards, not in? The final scenes suggest that Jackie doesn't know who the mysterious strange girl is who stays with him until he dies... yet previously she had a three-way fight with her?

Or are we back at the point where it all began - in which case, the wedding party is inside the church, not outside...

So. Greatly enjoyed by all, I'm sure. But like a dream, when you wake up and actually think it through, it's quite clear it couldn't really have happened that way.

Shame.