After the average episode that was The Long Game i was hoping that Fathers Day would be a little more exciting and interesting as it dealt with a theory pondered by many peole: what would happen if i could go back in time and change this, that and the other? So im glad to say that this episode marked an excellent return to the extaordinary form of the new series of Doctor Who!

This story, in some places, felt like some from the old series, especially when we see things from the point of view of the monster (in this case called the Reapers, but i dont think they were ever called by this name on screen, unless i just missed it). As for the Reapers, what can i say? They were one of the most brilliant monsters to ever grace Doctor Who! They had a unique quality to them and looked as if they burst through a rip in time! The location where this story was filmed also looked stunning as it really felt like the eighties. The appearance of baby Mickey was also a great idea.

As usual the lead characters acted amazingly and convincingly and the guest cast also gave good performances. Surprisingly i couldn't see any Bad Wolf references, i thought it would be sprayed on the wall in the background of the play park, or that Rose would mention a Bad Wolf bedtime story told to her by her father.

So, this story was a great comeback after a perfectly fine story that just wasn't up to the high standards of the others. This story is definitely one of the best in the series so far, congratulations to Paul Cornell! As for the preview of next weeks, well, after i retrieved my jaw from the floor after seeing the awesome effects of the blitz, it seems that this series is just getting better and better. I cant see for the life of me why some people complain about looking forward to the preview when we should be more concerned with the episode that is being shown. The previews are an amazing way to hook the audience, tantalising us with some of the best parts of the upcoming story in such a hectic rate that it really catches your attention. On top of that it has the fantastic theme tune blaring over the top of it! It also gives rise to an amusing observation about Doctor Who fans: You know you are a Doctor Who fan when at the end of your day there is a preview of tomorrows events...

Y'know, since reading much of his earlier Doctor Who work, I had high hopes for Paul Cornell's contribution to the new series. I also had fears that the frantic pace of the show's new format would detract something from the story, which I felt the previous episode (The Long Game) suffered from somewhat. I really had no need to worry did I?

Absolutely fantastic episode. Personally I love stories concerning time getting coked-up, but as well as satisfying my fanboy needs, this was a superb slice of moving drama with some fantastic character moments. Billie Piper continues to astound me with the depth of her acting abilities- tonight's episode being (in my humble opinion) her finest work in the series. Mr eccleston doesn't disappoint either, only continuing to make us all realise we're going to miss him once David Tennant takes over. The darkness that is usually only glimpsed at in the character of the Doctor came to the fore on numerous occasions during 'Father's Day', which was a wonderful thing to behold. Its the moments of darkness in his character that make us remember just how old and how alien he is.

The Reapers were fantastic. I am curious though; They seemed much more realistic than the shot we saw duing the showreel that was broadcast on the Jonothan Ross show before the series started- could it be they were unfinished then and had some extra work done before broadcast? They certainly seemd to be textured much more convincingly. Superb design for Doctor Who monsters as well- that sudden movement of the wings was quite a sight to behold.

The flawed bits of the series, i.e. Jackie and Mickey, regained some ground with a great performance from Jackie and a sweet story point with the little boy as a young Mickey.

Rose had some excellent exchanges with her father, especially the dialogue regarding why he shouldn't 'go there'- classic! The drama was beautiful once it had been established that her dad realised who Rose actually was. His final sacrifice was moving and superbly handled.

If anything seemed rushed in tonight's episode, it was the transition from Rose's parents wondering who she was to believing she was a time-travelling version of their baby. That felt like there had been a little too much script pruning to make it fit the 45 minute slot. It was still great, but that one moment was tonight's weak point for me.

Quite a shock to see the Doctor actually get eaten though!!!

Great episode, moving, poignant and extremely well-made. The nods to the 80's way of life were excellent.

I hope that the bext series contains episodes as good as this and "The Unquiet Dead" and "Dalek". While RTD's scripts have been brilliant, the guest writers seem to have given it that little extra push and have made this series incredibly special. I don't want it to end.

If Russell T Davies' stint on Doctor Who has offered any single quality, it has to be diversity. From the dark suspense of "Dalek", to the light retro pulp sci-fi of "The Long Game", we are now swung head on into the rollercoaster of the human condition: "Father's Day".

I have quite enjoyed the new Dr Who series, as a long time fan from when it first started. I understand that they have adapted the new series for those who might never have been able to watch it before. And although I have accepted there has to be change, and I have allowed for the new Doctor Who's attitude, tonight's episode just didn't ring true to me.

The Doctor can be arrogant a bit of an enigma, but would he really be so stupid? I am having a hard time swallowing the fact he keeps putting his emotional attachement to Rose before everything else.

Knowing he is the last of the Time Lords and that is a weighty responsibility, he still goes ahead to take her back in time to the moment of her father's death on a whim, and his little lovers tiff with her when it all goes pear shaped is making him look pretty pathetic and totally unbelievable.

Come on, the Doctor has dealt with the human race before, he has had other companions, and he was emotionally attached to them. But I think they have taken the Rose/Doctor relationship a bit overboard, and it's starting to irritate me now.

When is the series going to concentrate about aliens and adventure instead of how much the Doctor loves Rose? It's starting to make me nauseous watching them together, and all that petty jealousy and bickering whenever another man comes into Rose's life.. even her father. This episode more than any others brought that out and spoilt it for me. I also thought it was a bit cheap of the BBC to plug one of their other top shows, Only Fools and Horses, making out Rose's dad to be like Del Boy.

Please start concentrating on other things than Rose, thank you.

This has got to be the episode least like Doctor who of the whole 42 years. But it was a triumph. The best piece of Doctor Who drama I have seen and probably the best already drama too. I even had to endure heckling during this episode. Regular eaders interested in my rveiews may know that I have to watch this episode at work as I am a bar manager at a social club but I have the tv on for the first hour or so (until the lottery is called). My first viewing of each episode is supported by a handlful of members who come through the door at 7. There was an elderly gentlemen who complained all the way through about "this c**p", yet my veiwing was not spoilt despite this.

It has become common to bash Murray Gold's incidental music in this series (sometimes even by me) but apart from a weak score during the first Reaper attack I was thoroughly impressed. I liked the "McCoy" era sting during the point of view shots at the start and it was quite emotional (my boyfriend Gary was in tears) during his 'piano' accompaniment during Rose's final scenes with her father.

Which brings us to the crux of the episode - A relatively straight, moral emotional tale that just happened to have monsters in it. EVERY performance was deep and portrayed with a huge amount of feeling. It was a very somber episode but still not maudlin. Billie Piper remains excellent as is Chris Eccleston. Shaun Dingwall was the perfect person to be Billie's father even though her was never around later (as is the want of the plot).

And the Reapers - Bloody marvellous - again the best monster I've seen in this series of Who, possibly any series of Who and probably any series..... The effects seamlessly blended the creatures with the live action even with clever little touches like one scraping rubble from the church walls with it's 'claws' All kudos have to go to the Mill for their efforts. I had no thoughts of CGI when I watched this as opposed to the floating dalek in that episode.

More back story to keep the arc-interested happy and a simple yet effective time jumping moral dilemma for the rest. I can't fault it. RTD still trailing I'm afraid - But to your credit, you're a bloody genius (I'm sure you've heard that before).

I'm a little confused how much has been remembered by others outside the TARDIS crew but to be honest I don't think it really matters that much.

I'm rating it 2nd after The Unquiet Dead and before Dalek, Rose, Aliens/WWIII and The End of........

I've just watched ep 8-Fathers day and it's safe to say I am impressed, very much so infact I would be bold enough to say that it clearly ranks (as did Dalek a fortnight before) a as a classic.

Although on one hand this is "traditional doctor who", it's also one of the most innovative of the series. It is a story told through rose's eyes and as a result broke new ground evoking emotions not seen since the joy of Adric getting squashed whilst trying to rid the world of beryl Reid! Whilst many will complain that the doctor is the star of the series and he's not getting the lions share of the story (a fault of last weeks ep),this week it acted as an advantage and highlighted the sheer talent of Ecclestone who reduced to the role of support act managed to give his greatest performance yet. Stripped of his usual goofiness the doctor became likable, serious and more powerful, imagine Davidson mixed Pertwee with rather that Colin baker mixed with McCoy. It also made Doctor who a drama once again yes we had monsters, bloody good ones in a cgi sort of way but also we cared about the characters we felt for roses as she dealed with her dilemma, we cheered when a little Mickey ran away from the reapers, we felt shocked to find out that roses dad was useless and felt guilty that we'd misjudged Jackie so badly. The Biggest shock of the story however came from the realisation that perhaps rose used the Doctor agreeing to go with him on his travels not through as we thought through love but as a means to an end planning to get the doctor travel back to the 80's after all. As usual Billie piper stole the show I hope she goes on to bigger things (and by bigger things I don't mean series two of hit me baby one more time!)

The support characters were all good well rounded and acted to perfection, a special mention must go to the excellent Shawn Dingwell who played roses dad, left with no option he had to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save the world it was a role the Simon Pegg passed on after seeing the long game I bet he's kicking himself. Camille coduri had more to do in this episode which was good because she has become the best reoccurring character since the brigadier. The main plaudit goes to Paul Cornell however he is my favourite doctor who writers who over the past decade wrote some of the greatest doctor who novels too date. Let's hope his association with the series doesn't end here. And nnote to BBC books pay this man a bundle to publish a novelisation of the episode and no don't get Terrence Dicks to write it.

If I have a fault with this episode it would be with the length whilst esp. like aol/ww3 are not bad episodes fathers day would be more suited to a two part format. Infact I think that's the fault of the series on a whole everything runs two fast blink and you miss it.

All in all one of the best stories to date keep up the good work! PS isn't it nice finally not to be embarrassed when people ask you what you favourite program is!

Brilliant. Just brilliant. Very emotional and domestic for Doctor Who, very much like 'The Butterfly Effect' but still very good.

The prelude was slightly puzzling and swift but the story was uncomplicated and it felt really realistic and genuine. A much better turn from Cornell than his previous Scream of the Shalka story which, although enjoyable, was quite generic. This was a masterpiece.

Camille Coduri was excellent and wideboy Shaun Dingwall as Rose's dad slowly and gradually found a warm place in my heart. And I have no qualms in confiding that the odd tear did drip several times during this episode.

Eccleston seemed a lot more comfortable with this material and I loved the bit when he was talking to the baby and his subsequent chat with Rose. You see the warmth between them, and Billie Piper does the out of her depth look really well.

This certainly goes as one of my favourite episodes of this series, alongside Aliens of London/World War Three (Somebody please tell me the agreed overall story title for eps 4 and 5!!!). I've been waiting since March for Steven Moffat's Blitz story as its an historical era I am interested in and the clip shown on Jonathan Ross of it seemed shit scary! Roll on, roll on!