This review is almost as much of a review of reviews as it is of the episode in question, Aliens of London. First off, let me start by saying I am American. I have been a fan of Doctor Who for many years and unlike growing up in England, this is out of the ordinary. Just the thought of a Police Box that is rougly the size of an American state like Texas on the inside just fascinated the hell out of me. Tom Baker was my 'first doctor'. I also have fond memories of watching Peter Davidson when he first got broadcast in the States. Then it seemed I moved on to more American fare for awhile, the likes of Star Trek. It took a few years of maturity (and a good job that gave me the money to buy past episodes) but in the 90's I became a super huge fan of DW. I love all Doctors and almost all episodes from Hartnell and "The Space Museum" to Sylvester McCoy and "Rememberence of the Daleks". I start out my review of "Aliens of London" this way because I'm not even English and I saw the complexity of this episode. I have read so many reviews that talk about :

- "The farting". The aliens talk about this after they take over the General and say it is getting ridiculous and needs to be solved. It's better than the trash can belch in "Rose", at least this is explained as something they can't help. To think that RTD put this in here for a laugh is, well, laughable.

- The music. Look I know this is an important issue to alot of people (especially since I read about it in every single review) but seriously, unless you're talking about the use of Britney Spears in "The End of the World", the music is in the background and it at the very least secondary to the episode itself.

- The unrealistic reporting. In reviewers from England's defense, I am not from there and do not see news reports there on a regular basis. Perhaps to someone who lives in England and sees these newscasts on a regular basis this is an important issue of realism what with the music in the background and the "incredible" reaction of the amateur news reporter but as an American, I can tell you that FOX News and other 24 hour news channels report very much like this everyday about the Michael Jackson trial, Scott Peterson (a wife killer here if you don't know who that is), and Terri Schavio ("coma" patient in the States). I very much believe there would be graphics around new logos, amateur and veteran news reporters on the story and maybe even background music accompanying their reports if this were to happen in real life. None of this looked bad to me as an American.

- The Pig. This is up for debate. I thought that the idea of the aliens augmenting a pig to suit its' own purposes was a pretty cool thing. Could have been a dog, could have been a cat, could have even been a brainwashed human (but what fun would that be?). They chose a pig and I believe the "mermaid" analogy the doctor came up with explains it well.

Ok a few complaints I've read that I agree with :

- The Bad Wolf deal. Like another reviewer has said, why mention it several times and then have some kid spray painting it on the TARDIS? Also as this same reviewer said, this had better make sense some day.

- No mention of the Time War. This is forgivable, can't drop words just for the sake of saying them but I'm anxious. I want to know what this is all about damnit!

- Rose's mom taking her daughter being gone for a year so easily. This is just about unforgivable as any parent in the world would have just about gone insane. Is Rose the type to run off without saying anything? If so at least that would be a reason for her "mum" to accept that she is back and 5 minutes later let her and The Doctor into her house to watch the alien ship on TV. (and also like another reviewer has said the fact that she knows the name of the TARDIS without her ever hearing it is annoying. How hard would it have been for him to say something like "Oh great let everyone into the TARDIS" or "Don't bring anything domestic into my TARDIS" but no, she never hears it and knows the name. Sigh.).

- The metal zipper being soooo obvious on the policeman. That looked horrible and since every other zipper was invisible what the hell was the point?!

- The Slitheen. Hmmm... this one is up for debate too. They almost look like Mr. Ed, little clay puppets bouncing around. Some shots looked ok, some did not but overall they aren't the most impressive looking aliens ever.

- U.N.I.T. Very underused. Also, am I the only ones who wonder why the simple words "Attack plan Delta" allow these soldiers to take orders from The Doctor? Who the hell is he anyway? It would be like me walking into an attack in the Pentagon and ordering soldiers around with Attack plan words. This has been done in the past in Doctor Who and done much better with just a simple security clearance statement. This would have made much more sense in my opinion. Also what would have been the harm in getting Benton, Yates or even The Brigadier in on the action even if it was a small part in the background. People new to Doctor who wouldn't know who that man in charge was and old fans of the show would have cheered. I know they are trying to get away from the old show entirely but I honestly would see no harm in it.

-The trailer for the next episode. Why oh why have a "cliffhanger" that is resolved in the previews for the next episode? Seems so obvious that this defeats the purpose of a cliffhanger (even though we all know the Doctor wouldn't die or anything).

Some good stuff about the episode that has mostly been mentioned in other reviews...12 months instead of 12 hours. Very very good. Acted well, TARDIS is not 100% under control, all done very well. Alien ship taking out Big Ben....looked good cool effects, very good. Still not sure about this TARDIS design though. Hitting it with a hammer... hmmm. It looks pretty cool, and maybe we will find out that the TARDIS was damaged in the Time War and is in a little worse shape than we are used to. Amusing though and also well acted by CE.

All in all Doctor Who is an excellent show to be watching and if you love the show as a whole as much as I do, there's a good chance you have enjoyed all four episodes and can overlook some small problems for the excitement you feel when you hear and see the TARDIS materialize. Time for World War III!

For a season with budgets unparalleled by anything that proceeds it (and that includes the TV Movie) this episode was played out on a very small stage. Despite the grandiose title, and the gravity of the ultimate threat- here we are presented with a (small) handful of sets, a mocked up Number 10 exterior and some garages. Now let me put this into context; through necessity the programme has in its past had to make the most of a very limited number of sets and locations, but has in turn succeeded in being epic, dramatic and convincing (e.g. Inferno). Here, however, the limited scope of the production (and lets be fair- the narrative too!) looks very amateur. It all looked a bit CBBC.

I'm not a fan of CGI, however you may be- if so, skip this paragraph. But lets be honest about it, in the main it's really not that good is it? I think CGI bears all the hallmarks of a technique very much in it's infancy. In the same way that CSO (ground breaking in the early 70's) always looked like CSO; CGI always looks like CGI. So what does this episode make of it? Well, in the main it's OK. The emergence of the Slitheen however from inside the (rubber?) disguises was rubbish. It looked like something out of a PC game from the early 90s. They only become convincing when we move into men in costumes/animatronics, but by this point the damage has been done. It's interesting that the best effect (the much trailed Big Ben crash) is actually a model shot. You get the feeling from the new show that The Mill are really pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved on a TV budget with CGI, and I salute this as it's very much in keeping of the show's traditions.

Although intriguing and at points, mesmerising in his portrayal of the Doctor thus far, CE seems to have lost his way a little in this episode. I'm not the first to say this I know, but the Doctor's... lets be kind... enthusiasm....is now becoming a little bit tiresome. This is characterised by the toothy grin and the constant cry's of 'Brilliant!'. 'Ace!' anyone? It's old hat to show the Doctor frustrated by the ignorance of mere mortals (i.e. Mickey), but here it's played with such venom that one wonders why the Doc doesn't just sod off and leave the Earth to its fate. Some ropey acting doesn't help CE either, most notably when he interrupts the briefing at Number 10 (the radar blip etc etc). He trys to be Tom Baker, and to be fair the moment is clearly written for Tom Baker's doctor (circa 'Seeds of Doom')- but CE isn't Tom Baker. So the soliloquy seems stagy and strangely alienating. Basically, it's a pants execution of a potentially dramatic plot point. I'm sure though it's nothing a bit of coaching from the Director could not have solved. Billy of course continues to act CE off the screen.

With the narrative scope of say...'Timeflight' and the subtle comedy of say...' The Creature from the Pit' I have to say this is the worst outing so far for the new Doctor. Even it's strongest moment (the execution of the tragic mutant-pig and the Doctor's subsequent reprimand of the guard) is ripped off from 'Full Circle'.

I'll sit through the concluding part of this story because I'm a fan for my sins, but I know I'm treading water until the Daleks come back. Just like old times then! Five out of ten- must try harder.

Expectations were high for episode 4 of this historic new series of Doctor Who, after the exciting trailer shown at the end of episode 3. Just seeing Big Ben destroyed by an alien spaceship crash-landing is enough to get any viewer's attention.

So the stakes were high at 7pm, as the nation gathered on or behind their sofas to see the first two-part episode of the new series.

Aliens of London began with a traditionally disastrous materialisation of the TARDIS in the wrong time, meaning Rose was not back home 12 hours after she left, but 12 MONTHS!!! Of course the Doctor doesn't realise this until he sees a poster about Rose Tyler being missing. After a lengthy discussion (or argument) about where Rose had been for 12 months, the Doctor and Rose see a spaceship land directly in the centre of London in the Thames. Being unable see anything due to the crowds, Rose suggests they watch it on TV.

After the Doctor gives Rose a TARDIS key, he materialises in the hospital, where the alien is being, just as the alien is banging on the door to the horror of the supervisor. After a bit of lock picking, the Doctor opens the door to find a room full of military soldiers, who promptly point their large guns at him. At this point, the supervisor opens the door to the alien and screams. On hearing the noise, the Doctor, in typical fashion, goes straight from being the prisoner to being the commander and leads them to the source of the scream. As the soldiers check out the rest of the building, the Doctor finds out the escapee is still in the room. He chases the creature, which looks just like a pig, into the corridor only to see it shot in the head by one of the soldiers. He realises it is a normal pig with wires in its head.

Meanwhile, at 10 Downing Street, it turns out that the Prime Minister has gone missing and another minister is taking the reins. It turns out however, that this MP is one of the aliens and kills the General in the room in full view of another MP hiding in the cupboard. The Doctor returns to Roses estate to find (well start) a row between Rose and her mum because of Mickey revealing a few secrets, after which Roses mum phones the police. The Doctor tells Rose of his intention to keep a low profile, then walks out of his TARDIS, only to be surrounded by troops and helicopters and police. Mickey makes a run for it, as the Doctor and Rose get into luxury car to 10 Downing street. After waving to the press, the Doctor makes his way to a briefing while Rose is taken to one side the MP who saw the Aliens earlier. One of the aliens that the MP saw earlier, walks in just after one of the PM's staff. The Doctor interrupts the briefing to give his own analysis that this is all a trap. He is of course right and so the aliens at the front of the room start to unzip their heads and transmogrifying and promptly start electrocuting the Experts in the briefing room. The alien in the room with Rose has also transmogrified in her true form and is now throwing the member of staff against the wall. The Doctor and the Experts are still being electrocuted and the episode ends in the first cliff-hanger in the new series.

Wow, is one of many words that spring to mind. This was undoubtedly the best episode so far. But what made it the best episode so far and (wait for it...) was it worthy of Doctor Who?

Well, the short answer is the Story, the Graphics, the Direction and yes it's Doctor Who alright. The longer version is a bit more interesting though.

The Story was much better than previous episodes; it had all the ingredients of a good Doctor Who. Aliens, multiple storylines, mystery, twists, humour, the Doctor's habit of stumbling into trouble and the all-important cliff-hanger. We have yet to see how it ends of course, but this was a great beginning. The Doctor is back in his usual swing with aliens invading Earth, but with state-of-the-arts graphics and visuals.

It seem that no expense has been spared on this episode with the Graphics so much more realistic, real moving solid aliens and military and civilian vehicles galore and all of it used so well. As if that wasn't enough, you also see Big Ben destroyed, a spaceship land in the Thames and full BBC news reports, complete with Andrew Marr.

The Director, Keith Boak, has done a great job with this episode and his directing compliments Davies’s first great script for the new series. The way in which the shots were taken was completely appropriate to the script and Boak really captures the important and exciting moments in the episode like the Doctor being surrounded by soldiers and police and helicopters and the particularly tense moment where the Doctor crawls round the corner to see the alien (or pig in this case) for the first time.

So the verdict? Brilliant. This episode really captures what Doctor Who is all about, Danger, Mystery, Adventure and that is what made it special and not just like your average sci-fi churned out of the production machine by force. Doctor Who is back.

There was, in fairness, a lot that I loved in this episode, but I'm going to start complaining...

I think RTD delights in winding people up! The pig in a space suit was initially a bit of a shock (though we had been warned about it in various interviews with Ecclestone). The explanation that followed, that aliens had grafted the pigs head onto a bipedal body and the comparison to constructing fake mermaid bodies was wonderfully creepy, disturbing and - for me - satisfying.

However - the MPs farting and chortling (another slightly more obvious wind up) was a bit too much. Like burping bins, I think it's too much to expect people to believe that aliens disguised as humans would behave like that especially when they clearly don't behave similarly out of their disguises. I think the problem is that they didn't look like aliens disguised as MPs laughing and apparently farting, they looked like actors performing for a childrens programme.

This I think is the chief problem with many aspects of the series - Christopher Ecclestone, in his worser moments, looks like an actor trying to playing a part, whereas Billy Piper (one of the best things about the series) comes over as a real and believable character. It's a little unsettling really that the performance of the companion is so much better than Doctor. There is a lot to like about the portrayal of the ninth doctor (especially the child-like excitement he sometimes gives off) but overall it misses the mark. Alot was made of Christopher Ecclestone's reputation for darker, brooding and moody roles and whether or not he'd be able to demonstrate a lighter side as the Doctor. And I think, to and extent, this concern has been justified - he looks to me like an actor to whom this kind of role doesn't come naturally and he's having to REALLY work at it. And to be honest he doesn't come anywhere near Troughton or Tom Baker - it's a completely different league.

The episode featured a lot of emotional drama, frank exchanges and even had the Doctor warning Rose not to defile the TARDIS with domestic issues. I'm all for this - I think it makes fantastic and moving drama to bring the companion back a year later and to have to face the fact opting out of your own life in that way has massive consequences for others. However (here I go) it occasionally got a bit too pedestrian and predictable, as though we were watching a thinly concealed soap opera. Much of the 'domestic' element was brilliantly woven into the narrative but occasionally it grated in that the point RTD was trying to make became a bit overdone and preachy.

'Overdone and preachy' nicely sums up another gripe of mine. The first news presenter was so ridiculously over the top, he sounded like he was reading some dramatic ancient prophesy. No BBC news reader would EVER speak like that - he sensationalised the space ship in a cringingly amateur tone of voice such that it was completely unbelievable. Andrew Marr however was very good.

The Slitheen do look wonderful though - I got twinges of that 10 year-old thrill of fear when they emerged and advanced on various parties. Their innocent baby faces contrast wonderfully with their huge frame and clawed hands making them visually jarring and really quite disturbing.

Lastly the incidental music... I've complained about this before and it was so bad this time I will again. WHY do we need puerile clarinet 'speed reading' music when the Doctor reads through the information handed out to the alien experts towards the end of the episode? It was clear from the performance what was happening - it's patronising and undermining to any seriousness on the part of the actors when the music describes what's happening on screen in the same way it does in a circus ring or on toddlers' television. I don't think children need chirpy twiddles to aid their understanding - I rather think they'd appreciate a show that treats them more like adults.

In summary, a rather harrowing episode for a nit-picker like me. The very contemporary feel and use of realistic news reports are very refreshing and lend an immediacy that's quite exciting.

Asides from the above complaints I'm obviously enjoying the series otherwise I wouldn't be watching and then ranting after every episode. I am however looking forward to some other writer's work - Mark Gatiss's contribution was by far and away the best so far and I'm very curious about Rob Shearman's 'Dalek'. Onwards!

Poor acting and juvenile aliens marked Rose's return to London after her brief travels with The Doctor.

After the promise of a spectacular crash landing, an alien invasion and above all a new alien we were treated to the worst characters ever to appear in any serial science-fiction, children's or otherwise.

The Doctor has agreed to take Rose back home and through the versatility of the TARDIS re-assures her that she will return a mere twelve hours after she left with the Doctor in the wake of the Nestene invasion. Unfortunately after missing the mark last week by ending up in Cardiff 1869 instead of Naples 1860, Rose is returned not twelve hours after she left but twelve months.

Predictably it hasn’t been good for those she left behind, the cowardly boyfriend Mickey and her overprotective mother Jackie, neither have whom have changed much still coming off as very shallow characters. Camille Coduri seems to be stuck in a role she played several years ago and Noel Clarke is still showing less emotion than he did when an Auton replaced him. The domestic scenes that attempt to address key issues in Rose’s absence seem out of place as they reveal little about the characters or the situation in which they have been thrown. In fact some plot points seem to get a single line afforded to them before being all but forgotten.

The impact Rose’s disappearance and subsequent returned while addressed was not explored deeply enough, another casualty of the stories reduced runtime, considering this was the first of a number of two-part stories expectation was high that a more well developed story would have emerged. Sadly this was not the case as the re-appearance of Jimmy ‘moxx of balhoun’ Vee as a false alien was hastily explained; presumably to give the new aliens more screen time.

Here lies the rub. In the trailer we were afforded a glimpse of the new aliens The Slitheen, insect like larval creatures with terrifying claws and fangs. As highly publicised as the Face of Boe, their increased screen time and the appalling realisation of their shape shifting abilities, threatened my viewing support. Instead of a race of merciless invading aliens we are treated to a scatological cacophony, which instead of inconveniencing the aliens causes them to laugh like schoolboys. The juvenile attitude they have to bodily functions and announcing that they have been busy enjoying themselves with wives and mistresses reduces any impact they once had to an uncomfortable embarrassment.

Upon hearing of the two part episodes I was looking forward to a return of the classic Doctor Who cliffhanger that set it apart from other programs of its time. Even this was handled poorly with a series of anticipated attacks and laborious reveals of the aliens. Three cliffhangers for the price of one not being the value item it appeared to be, plus the inclusion of a sneak preview of the next episode made the cliff hanger redundant as it revealed that sure enough all threatened characters would survive their ordeals. The zip in the forehead was a nice touch but Aliens in human skin smacks far too much of Men In Black as much as The observation deck at the end of the world reminded one entirely of the Restaurant at the end of the universe, an environment people are sure to become familiar with through the release of the recent feature film version of The Hitchhikers’ Guide To The Galaxy.

Another nice touch, well received is the nod to UNIT, as is the news coverage of the alien’s crash landing. This was unfortunately overdone and I felt the story sagging somewhat as the Doctor struggled to glean information from the broadcasts amidst the general chatter of Rose’s family and friends. In fact I wanted The Doctor to get off his behind and blag his way into the thick of the action, and hopefully find a military foil akin to Group Cptn. Gilmore, Winifred Bambera or even the good old Brigadier himself. As for him having changed so much they wouldn’t recognize him, you can’t help thinking this is rather a poor excuse, as it never bothered him in the past. This is an issue one can let pass though as continuity of the original, while acknowledged, is not a requirement of this new series.

Overall this episode stands as a low point of this and the history of the program, which will hopefully be rectified in upcoming episodes.

What the Shakespeare! Following Gatiss's foray into what the series is capable of RTD comes back on board with a mix bag that, for the first time in four weeks, left me wondering who'd won Ant Vs Dec. It was Dec by the way, Ant ended up taking a jungle shower, which (in case you were wondering) isn't something you order from a Malaysian prostitute. Purile you say? Well it wasn't much different on the Beeb was it?

Coming from a Tom Baker background for me this one was doomed to failure, a time travel show set in the present, UNIT (the purview of Pertwee), Micky and Mrs Tyler and a cameo from Andrew Marr. However, cunningly, this one was set a year in the future showing the TARDIS in full cock up mode and the implications of travelling through time per se. This was very clever and Mickey's 5 arrests coupled with council estate gossip gave a glimpse of what may have happened in the lives of 900 years worth of companions. Micky had his acting head on (well more so than in Rose anyway), UNIT was actually a welcome cameo and the news footage was a healthy dose of realism. Clips from Rose at the start of the episode looked better than I'd remembered and suggested that this is best viewed as a 13 part story rather than a series of individual episodes.

So what did go wrong? The aliens fart, and their transition from rubber to CGI is as obvious as the moveable items in the background of a Scooby Doo. That plump woman is from every children's programme of the last 15 years and every third episode of Peak Practice, Heartbeat & the Bill and was a face too familiar, and rosy, for a villain. Worst of all the incidental music would need to be toned down for an episode of You've Been Framed. It could just be Lucasphobia, but I've had my fill of interstellar flatulence, perhaps its rampant postmodernism knackering TV innocence but End of the World's deadly fans - post Galaxy Quest and now the Austin Powers laughter just didn't sit right. Am I thick? Is this homage to homage, cultural bricolage gone mad, or is it actually making the mistake that Lucas makes and Pixar doesn't i.e.aiming entertainment at children based on the fact that children (as well as adults) like it?

Doctor Who has always been more Harry than Dennis Potter, but that doesn't mean its crap or just for kids. It doesn't have to be a realistic and hard nosed social commentry and rubber monsters don't matter when its Tom Baker and not Rose's Mum struggling against them. I remember an Australian programme where aliens-in-disguise sweated intensely whenever their plan went pear-shaped because of a couple of meddling Kylies. Seeing that antipodean chauffeur mopping his brow filled me with fear, the Blazing Saddles trumpathon did not. The trouble is when it starts to slip enough for your mind to wander it all falls apart. Last week the snow on the TARDIS drifted away when it dematerialised, this week the graffiti stays put (it must have been one of those anti time and space travel spray paints from Halfords - don't leave your century without it). The alien plot was bizarrely complicated, still I suppose an open invite to a SETI convention in the local rag wouldn't have grabbed the Doctor's attention would it? Why was the tubby fella next in line for PM? Why didn't any of the Cabinet race to No.10 of their own volition? Why not make a suit of the PM rather than his underlings, the aliens seemed bigger than the suits so don't tell me they could only mimic fat people? And whilst we all know it's a 13 part series, so no one major is going to die, having a triple cliff-hanger followed by clips from next week does seem a bit pointless. The trigger happy army will shoot an unarmed pig but obey an intruding unidentified leather jacketed Manc who says "pattern delta" in a stern voice. The police and Rose's mum think Micky killed Rose on the night that marauding living shop window dummies shot shopping Londoners left right and centre? Rose, who actually abandoned Micky only a couple of days ago, has missed him whilst also travelling to the years 5 billion and 1869 (stopping off for chips midway) and has also decided that the Doctor is much more important than a boyfriend, it was only two episodes ago she was scratching her head at joining him in the first place?

Overall I didn't like it, apart from the bits I didn't think I'd like, whether this was symptomatic of the unfair juxtaposition with The Unquiet Dead, initially forgivable teething problems with the new series starting to grate or just the episode in its own right I don't know. I'll be watching next week and IF I do get the TARDIS series box set Aliens of London is one I'll avoid but with Micky and Rose's mum set to appear in the Dalek two parter I hope the series doesn't suffer from more CHAV than wheat. Whatever I think, and I accept that I come from a vocal group that may not necessarily be the target audience, I can only imagine that any battles for the remote control next week will be harder to win if it's the Doctor you want on, and that can't be a good thing.