Two days ago, I left secondary school for good, only a short A-level period away from the outside world. Today, I saw ‘The Doctor Dances’, on the same evening that I read Lance Parkin’s ‘Gallifrey Chronicles’, freshly arrived from Amazon. It made me realise how symbolic it all is, in a way that I had hardly looked at before. I had been nostalgic and quite depressed, that my schooldays were over, and with them, the Doctor that I had grown up with – I was sure that Parkin’s novel would see the death of my beloved 8th Doctor. The new series had come and now nearly gone, and mostly I had been quite miserable at that too. But now… now I can see it in a new light, because in a way, the new series marks the end of one era, and the beginning of another. I will move in a new direction, and it seems that ‘Doctor Who’ can move with me.

The world outside is certainly a very evil place, and I am very well aware that real life is not like ‘Doctor Who’, but today I was allowed to feel just that little spark of hope that can make all the difference. “Today, everybody lives!” The image of the Doctor, laughing with joy, arms flung out and surrounded with light, like an ancient wizard, fey and mighty, is one that I hope will stay with me forever.

This, finally, and in ‘The Empty Child’ last time, was the Doctor, and I love him, fictional or not. Don’t we all? Or why are we on this site? The characterisation, that is, the writing, and what he does and says, were so triumphantly right, and it proves that even if maybe real life cannot, ‘Doctor Who’ can still be like ‘Doctor Who’. This week it was ‘Doctor Who’, not “Russell T Davies Presents ‘Rose’, featuring Christopher Eccleston as Doctor Who”! It was superlative. Funny, romantic, with a superb spaceship special effect, touching (particularly Jack’s apparent sacrifice), dark, dangerous, haunting, exuberant.

So, now I can think of the new series in a better light altogether. I can forget ‘Aliens of London’, ‘Rose’, ‘The Long Game’… as somebody important once nearly said, whatever happens, we’ll always have London, 1941, we’ll always have the Doctor. And he dances! I love it.

I really hope Steven Moffat is reading this, somewhere, because I’d like to finish with some personal praise - : Mr Moffat, you are incredible. You are, as the Ninth Doctor would say, “fantastic!”; as my friend Luke would say, “a legend”; as I would say, “stupendous, life-enhancing, cool”! Well done. Thank you!

Exceptional, these two episodes represent the greatest achievement of the new series yet and showcase Stephen Moffat’s not inconsiderable talents. I knew he was a clever man when he subverted the sitcom genre with his delightfully rude and well constructed comedy Coupling but he manages to stretch himself even further with Doctor Who, thanks to its flexible format and the opportunities that affords.

He manages to script a story which touches upon many genres without siding with any of them and the result is a pleasing mix of comedy and drama which entertains to the hilt whilst telling a story that is worth following. I went and saw Star Wars this week and was blown away by its incredible production values and clever jig-sawing of all the elements that needed to be in place for Episode Four but The Doctor Dances impressed me more and not because of superior special FX (which it does boast for a TV series) but because of one scene. It comes at the climax of this episode where the Doctor and company are sheltering from the rampaging hordes of gas masked zombies and he convinces Nancy to reveal her secret to the brother. All the elements of the story converge and finally it makes wonderful sense, not only this but it utilises the morals of the setting (time period) to make a point and provides a supremely touching revelation to boot. THIS is storytelling, not the predictable dovetailing of plot details of a prequel (which with Terminator 3, Revenge of the Sith and Enterprise seems to be all the rage these days) but good, wholesome plotting that satisfies and surprises. It shocked me to think there is very little of this on television at the moment and it pleased me to see Doctor Who getting a nod in the Daily Express this week as the one bright spot in the otherwise mundane TV schedules.

It is also a delightfully optimistic story which revels in its happy climax. It isn’t the mucky, syrupy dreck that most American shows climax on with everybody grinning insanely, being pretty and pretentious but the sort of joyful, punch the air happiness that comes with a man who has confronted so much pain and misery being rewarded with a ending to a crisis that results in everyone surviving and prospering! The Doctor has never quite been this delighted by the outcome of one of his adventures and its is wonderful to experience, he positively glows with pride that the death count for this crisis is zero and considering the danger and the possible nightmarish outcome it is hard not to share his joi de vivre! Not only that but the story exploits the joy the Doctor and Rose can bring to peoples lives with their travelling. Nancy, surrounded by zombies and bomb explosions curses the war and their eventual downfall. Rose unexpectedly gives her the gift of knowledge, revealing the German defeat and bringing a touch of hope to Nancy. I found that very touching.

I was very pleased to hear that James Dawkes was returning to direct Doctor Who next year as his work on this parter is astonishingly good, almost to the level of a feature film. In fact scrap that, compare the look of this story to a recent British flick…Shaun of the Dead say and this comes out smelling of roses. The idea of setting the story entirely at night was a smart move and gives the story some visual flair; adding much menace to the interior and exterior of the spooky hospital, providing some shocking action sequences punctuated by German bombs exploding and offering some memorable scares with the groaning gas masked victims lurching from the mist swathed darkness. I always think the best camera work is that which you don’t even notice, as though you are watching a genuine event rather than a television programme but the flashiness of the camera work here is too good to ignore. I particularly found the rush along the hospital corridor at a skewered angle and settling suddenly in front of the masked child inventive and scary but the story is packed full of odd, disturbing angles that enhanced the feeling of disturbed reality.

Delight can be the only word to express my feelings on Captain Jack joining the TARDIS crew…and anyone annoyed about that particular spoiler must have noticed that he is turning up in the second batch of Ninth Doctor Adventures from BBC Books. The banter that flew about between Jack, the Doctor and Rose was electric and delivered to comic perfection by the actors who clearly have a great rapport. The ‘whose sonic device is better’ scene was extraordinarily witty with that glorious balance of scares (the approaching masked victims) and the laughs that leaves you on edge but enjoying yourself immensely. The Doctor’s anger towards Jack was understandable and not at all the ‘he fancies my bird!’ jealousy I was expecting. When we realise the extent of Jack’s involvement and the horror of what he has caused to earn a quick buck it is hard to sympathise with the guy. But then the rug is pulled out from under us twice when we realise why he trying so hard to earn the money and more importantly when he gets to be the hero of the piece by jumping on top of a German bomb that is about blow the Doctor and Rose (and many others!) to pieces. His attempted sacrifice is enough to prove to the Doctor that he is worth having about and I punched the air with delight when they turned up top rescue him. John Barrowman just doesn’t annoy me in the way he clearly has others, I find his mix of charisma, wit and egotism extremely attractive and after twenty years of watching Doctor Who I think I have earned the right to fancy the pants off of a member of the TARDIS crew. And wasn’t the way they dealt with sexuality just wonderful? No preaching or melodrama, just a subtle metaphor and we realise which way he dances (every way!) and Doctor Who quickly becomes far braver than most telefantasy shows by daring to include a bisexual male character rather than jumping on the far more relaxed lesbian bandwagon.

Richard Wilson was not in the story as much as I would have hoped (two scenes!) but he makes the most of his screen time and manages to avoid saying “I don’t believe it!” once and for that I am grateful. The story belongs to Florence Hoath as Nancy who performs wonders but with material this strong it is hardly a surprise. Nancy is a beautifully fleshed out character who, as I discovered more about her, I liked her all the more. Her quiet warning to the children she feeds that she is putting them in danger showed a keen intelligence and willingness to put others before herself and her bravery at facing the responsibilities of admitting her indiscretion at the climax and claiming her son reveals how truly strong she is. She gets some very funny scenes too, notably her sudden power snatch from Mr Lloyd.

There isn’t much more to say about this glorious episode except that it works on practically every level and Stephen Moffat should be forced to write more episodes in the future. This writer/director team is opening season two and for that we should be very grateful, the shows future is clearly in some extremely talented hands.

And the Doctor dances! How great is that?

Limericks to make Rick Smile or as Milk Cries

There once were some nanogenes from deep space
Who landed and misread the human race
With magical employ
They masked a small boy
But read the dominant gene with such grace.

Here were scenes of magical quality
As the Mill healed with versatility.
With golden light suffused
And a Doctor enthused
With euphoric acting quality.

There once was a chilling tape reel to reel
Bringing horror needing my nerves of steel.
With typewriter tapping
And my comfort sapping,
Due to a superb atmospheric feel.

There now is a Tardis musical hall show
Full of warm banter where insults will grow.
Heated male rivalry
To impress Rose nicely
Will develop characters and the show.

There once was an accidental error
Where the son filling his Mum with terror
Was seen walking away
Yet “to your room you stay,”
Was to the same wall breaking junior.

There once was a Captain Harkness
Who with good gadgets did impress.
But why keep the bomb so
When with beam he could tow
And dump it in the ocean with finesse?

There was once a Moffat so rare
Who gave us hope, love, and despair.
Dancing on Tardis floor,
Characters to care for,
And a Doctor mature - full of care.

There once was a seminal marked spot
Where writing, effects and acting hot
With direction true,
Combined to a brew
Potent and strong as the series best plot!

There once was an actress called Florence
Who gave an enthralling performance.
This actress will do
For assistant TWO
And should not be her last appearance!!!!

There now are themes homosexual in kind
Not adding to plot but testing my mind.
Dancing as metaphor
For a gay Doctor?
I hope issues, like guns are left behind!

10 episodes in and I have a serious problem.

I'm running out of superlatives to describe just how good this show is.

I'm now going to commit an act of profound blasphemy, and state that TEC/TDD is now officially my favourite number-one Doctor Who story of all time. Even both 'City of Death' and 'Weng-Chiang'. Why? Because it takes everything that made the classic series so appealing, and adds a new layer of modernity to it that doesn't compromise what makes Doctor Who so great.

For instance, the solution to the cliffhanger is the most inventive resolution I've ever seen - "GO TO YOUR ROOM!". Brilliant. Not to mention Jack's sonic disruptor, and what the Doctor did to the factory at Villengard. And that "Sonic envy" dialog features the funniest mention of the Sonic Screwdriver I've ever heard. And those references to "Dancing" during the episode. It took me two viewings to finally understand what the characters were referring to. "The world doesn't implode if the Doctor dances". Maybe the Doctor wouldn't, but I might.

Only two episodes in and I'm sold on Captain Jack Harkness as a potential companion. He adds a totally new dynamic to the Doctor Who-Rose relationship, especially considering his romantic predilictions can go either way. And John Bannerman brings a real charisma and charm to the role. I'm not entirely sure what'll happen next regarding these 3, but I'm sure it will be interesting.

Apart from having great leading actors, this new series has also had outstanding actors in the supporting roles. As of now, Florence Hoath is definitely my favourite supporting actor in the entire series thus far. The role of Nancy turns out to be incredibly central to the plot and its resolution, and having an actress that can bring real passion and life to the role is incredibly important. And Florence Hoath does just that, and more. We care about what happens to Nancy, and for that reason the resolution to her situation is incredibly uplifting and optimistic.

And the resolution to this episode is the icing on the cake. May I respectfully suggest that RTD send these episodes to Steven Spielberg, just to show him how it's done? The ending is uplifting, cathartic and optimistic without being overwhelmingly schmaltzy or sugary. It's the perfect resolution to everything that's happened before that point, without being contrived or pandering to the audience. Full credit to Steven Moffatt and RTD for conjuring up a great ending.

This two-parter is definitely the highlight of the entire season. It is a great example of what Doctor Who is capable of, when you have a group of talented and creative cast and crew working on this show.

Magic, absolute magic...

I had terrible forebodings about this one. As Steven Moffat was the writer, he of the nevertheless excellent "Coupling", I was expecting something lightweight and comic, and I feared the worst even after the excellent Empty Child. How wrong. This episode brought all the best elements of the new series to the boil, and how.

As mentioned in my Empty Child review I was concerned that Captain Jack might be an intrusive and OTT presence, but the interaction between the Doctor, Rose and Jack is excellent, skipping blithly over the occasional duff line knowing an excellent follow up is never far away. The exchanges between the Doctor and Jack regarding blasters and screwdrivers is simply a delight. Even the potentially stomach churning stuff at the end involving dancing works a treat. Don't remember much bisexual tension in the original series... plus ca change!

Speaking of the 'classic' series, one of the key elements was fear, and this two-parter wrung about as much as could be hoped for; even for someone way beyond his childhood years, the hairs stood up on the back of my neck both when our heroes realise the tape has run out and the child is actually in the room, and even more when Nancy points out that an invisible presence is working the typewriter. This is Doctor Who as I remember it, and more; thrilling, intelligent, emotionally involving, darkly comic and SCARY.

The climax, as Nancy admits her dark secret and the Doctor wills the nano-genes (is that the right spelling?) to recognise her DNA as she holds her son, is emotionally tense and thrilling, and what could have been sentimental and cloying is instead gripping and truly euphoric. And we the viewers get an extra bonus; following that fabulous climax, we get Captain Jack waiting for impending death having rescued everyone by removing the German bomb in his spaceship - a wonderful scene, deftly played by John Barrowman, who far from being the embarrassment I expected, makes one root for the character and add another delicious slice of last-minute tension to the mix.

Bit concerned about next week from the teaser... haven't been too impressed with RTD's writing contributions save the first two episodes, and can't see why they are resuscitating the Slitheen, of all the new characters introduced... but I'll wait and see.

As a continuation of the previous episode Empty Child, this was all about maintaining the excellence that was displayed then. I had rarely enjoyed any single episode of Doctor Who as much as Empty Child В– and I was expecting the same kind of atmosphere, the same kind of excellent period detail, the same kind of imaginative SFX, and the same kind of wonderful character interplay. Especially between the 3 leading wonderful characters В– the 9th Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack.

Thankfully and brilliantly The Doctor Dances was as good as The Empty Child, and in quite a few ways better. Everything about Empty Child that I liked В– Characters, WW2 atmosphere, dark Blitz streets, creepy Hospitals В– were all here again.

3 things distinguish it though:-

Captain Jack and the Doctor interaction.
Stories magnificent resolution.
The Doctors joyous final scenes.

The Doctor was always going to be suspicious of Captain Jack. The obvious attraction from Rose towards Jack would have stirred things up plenty, but with Jack also being a fellow Time Traveller В– well, thatВ’s going to impact on the Doctor too. Thankfully thereВ’s no excessive childish jealousy exhibited by the Doctor В– and Rose is sensitive enough to deal with both the men in her life in this story. Captain Jack is a very good character, charmingly played by John Barrowman. ThereВ’s plenty to like about him, whatever age or sexuality you are.

The story is brilliant from Steven Moffatt. If ever there was a story this season that you wanted to spend more time with, that deserved to be fleshed out, it was this. The episodes were magnificent, with sparkling dialogue throughout. But it is that scene with the Doctor, the child and Nancy at the end that epitomized the excellence present here. Christopher Eccleston has never been as good as he was right there. The sheer joy of his solving of the puzzle. The sheer happiness when it all turned out wonderfully. It was hearwarming, and I felt like punching the air in delight.

It wasnВ’t only this scene that brought the episode into the upper realms though. The one that followed it, with the Doctor, Rose and Jack in the TARDIS almost equalled it in boldness and love of life. Has there ever been a Doctor/Companion team so suited to one another as the 9th Doctor and Rose? They will have a wonderful season together soon, and it has been a tremendous friendship. Yes, it would have been nice for it to continue, but what we have is great.

IВ’m beginning to feel rather sad that things are coming to close. We now have only 3 shows left. There are all by Russell T Davies, and the next 2 episodes donВ’t sound nowhere near as exciting as this Blitz story. It will be wonderful to look back on the season as a whole, and I am looking forward to resolutions of certain story arcs. But personally I virtually always prefer these kind of isolated stories. ItВ’s wonderful that Steven Moffatt has already been confirmed for the 2nd Series.

The sheer excellence of this 2 parter, and the previous Historical of the Season Unquiet Dead, proves beyond doubt that Doctor Who works better in the past, with futuristic elements. I love the diversity of the season, with its past present and future storylines В– but it is the Past that I adore on DW. More please next season.

It occurred to me the other day that we are missing something with new DW В– books. DW was always just as much about enjoying the books, as enjoying the TV. The same stories in both, and I enjoyed them both too. ThereВ’s no sign of books for the new TV series, apart from original novels. ThatВ’s pretty good, for the first time original books featuring the characters currently on TV. And in this day of DVDs, well past Videos even, novelizations of TV episodes probably arenВ’t as relevant. Personally though I would love to see them В– especially this 2 parter В– how brilliant it would be to go into great detail about the Doctors adventure in the Blitz.

I really didnВ’t think the 1st episode (Empty Child) could be topped В– but the season has done it yet again. Better, bolder, more inventive В– brilliant Doctor Who. 10/10