When I reviewed AOL, I said that I felt RTD was a very clever writer.... The Long Game supports my opinion totally. I have read some of the initial reviews on this site of this episode and I have to say I believe some them miss the point - completely.

The Long Game may not be the most Earth-shattering episode of Doctor Who but it serves it's purpose effectively with a storyline that DOES get you thinking. RTD is making a statement here, one that is very relevant to what is going on in our society. One only has to take a closer look at how "free" and "unbiased" media is fast becoming a thing of the past to see where he is coming from. The Murdochs of this world (and I here I hang my head in shame, for his "empire" was born in my city, Adelaide, South Australia) ensure that independant media is something we can no longer take for granted. The vast majority of what we read, what we see and how it is presented to us is is slanted very much toward a certain political ideology (and I wont use this review to wax lyrical on what I think about Rupert's conserative views). We must rely on our Government media outlets such as the BBC and here in Australia, the ABC for that "unbiased" point of vew that is crucial.... right off the soap box and on with The Long Game.

Some criticism has been written about how the episode looked. I do agree it looks somewhat plastic and cheap. But if one were to place this in the context of the story, then I feel the design is about right. The Doctor soon clocks that all is not what it seems. That it is all a little too good to be true, so with this in mind, does it not make sense that everything would look just that little bit too shiny, too false?

Simon Pegg's performance as the Editor was a brilliant. Just enough menace and black humour to not only believe he was a threat but to also relish his evilness. It was not overdone or hammy.

The regulars were in fine form. When I reviewed AOL I felt Eccleston's Doctor was at risk of becoming almost irrelevant - too much the fool. Since then, the greater complexities of this Doctor have been fleshed out. In Dalek, we saw the many layers of the last Timelord. The effect the time war has had on him. Eccleston's skill as an actor were clearly evident. In this episode I felt he had settled nicely into his performance and I sensed little touches of Hartnell and Baker (C) popping up now and then - reminding us that despite his youthful exterior, this was a well travelled Timelord who no longer suffers fools gladly. Billie Piper was once again in fine form, and I dont think I can add much more to what has already been said in other reviews. RTD obviosuly enjoys writing for Rose - it shows.

Bruno Langley's Adam is a less successful character. Im not so sure he is as capable an actor as our time travelling duo. I went back and watched his performance in Dalek and noted in some early scenes with Billie Piper he was not very believable. Where was the boy genius? He lacked the depth that Mark Strickson played with ease as Turlough ( I wont use Matthew Waterhouse as a comparison in anyway here, as I believe Mark Strickson's Turlough is a more suitable character to use). Turlough was played with just the right complexity that you were compelled to follow his misadventures as he grappled with the Black Guardian. Adam seems to just fumble about, I couldnt see the cogs in his head turning (something the actor has a responsibility in showing!) to make me believe he was either a genius or someone whom I wanted to follow and see what he was about to get himself into.

For me there isnt too much to gripe about. The episode is consistant with the vision of the production team and fits nicely into the season thus far. If there is one thing that let it down it was the character of Adam.... which it would seem (for now atleast) is no longer something to worry about! It was well paced and generally well acted. I cant see how any ardent fan or your general audience member would not enjoy it - if one looks at the dross on television these days (Celebrity Wrestling...? dear oh dear!) we shoud not have much to complain about with The Long Game.

So, what did I like about The Long Game?

It was nice to see the (pregnant!) Face of Boe. The way Adam was 'seduced' by the creepy/sexy/maternal nurse into having the implant was believable - the temptation and eventual submission were well portrayed, and I found myself thinking, "Yes, Adam is wrong, but in his place, I'd be sorely tempted."

The editor was exactly the kind of man who will serve an unjust ruler loyally, and take sadistic pleasure in the power this gives him, but will ditch his master without a moment's hesitation when the game is up.

It's true the editor was played as a comedy villain, but I thought Simon Pegg's somewhat pantomime performance didn't reduce the character to a stock meglomaniac. He's not evil, he's not insane, he's an ordinary, everyday bastard, just like your boss. It pains me to say it, but to me the editor felt a lot more real as a person than Davros ever did.

As for what I didn't like...The sets and costumes looked like they were trying to do Blade Runner on the cheap. I'm sorry, but adding smoke and garish colour scheme to burgervans and background characters with punky hair does not look futuristic. It looks like 'futuristic' looked in 1981.

The Doctor has gone from being annoyingly enthusiastic with a big cheesy grin, to being impatient, judgemental, and inconsiderate of everyone except Rose. Why does he almost simper over Rose while being unfair and hostile to Adam (and indeed Mickey). This isn't a love story, and as RTD knows perfectly well, the doctor has never had a sexuality. At least, not the kind that ordinary humans have.

The dead Suki grabbing the editor's foot as he tried to make a run for it. The way the Doctor estimated the duration of technological retardation to a year's accuracy - progress just doesn't work like that! Yet another 'bad wolf' reference. All these things annoyed in small ways.

More than all that, the question I came away asking was not "How did the big monster on the ceiling get there?" It was "Why is Adam in the script at all?"

Perhaps this is just RTD playing games with audiance expectations - introducing a new companion, then instead of having the doctor travel with them for a while, dump them immidiately. So the whole point of introducing Adam was to surprise us by dropping him. This is the kind of pseudo-interesting idea beloved of students on Media Studies couses - and yes, I was one of those a long time ago.

Besides, hasn't it already been done? Wasn't there a female companion introduced in the Hartnall era who was killed in the next adventure?

Maybe Adam is there to keep the gay male viewers entertained. Whereas once there was Louise Jameson's bikini to keep the dads watching, we now have the cute gay boy from that soap opera. Written by gay blokes, watched by more gay blokes, and played by a straight one.

No. I don't think the reason is as vaccuous as that. I think the only reason to give Adam half the plot of an episode, and leave him in schtuck back on earth, is to reintroduce him later. Give us a companion, make us care about him by giving him a sympathetic subplot and lots of screen time, drop him in a dangerous situation ("They'll dissect you in seconds"), leave him - and us - to stew and worry for a few weeks, then bring him back. We'd be pleased to see the familiar face, a dangling plotline gets resolved, and we get to see him saved and redeemed. The doctor admits he behaved like a judgemental arsehole (which he did - very strange characterisation), and lets Adam back on the TARDIS. We'll see, I suppose.

The satire in New Who is welcome. But the problem is, it's just so patronising. In World War Three we had "Massive Weapons of Destruction, capable of being launched in 45 seconds". This is a good throwaway line - it makes it's point, brings a smile of recognition, and doesn't bog the action down by being long or didactic. But then the line got repeated by Andrew Marr. And then again by a TV presenter. It's like RTD assumes we're too slow to 'get' the joke first time. The point is laboured further when Harriet(?) asks something like "Will people believe it, just because it's on television?" and Rose replys, "It worked last time".

Having 'done' the war, we now get Immigration 'tackled' in The Long Game. What the editor says is substantially correct, "A word in the right place, repeated often enough...Create a climate of fear, and it's easy to keep the borders closed". Cathica's vague, puzzled justification for the lack of aliens, about "all the threats", none of which she can specifically remember, is absolutely in keeping with the easily manipulated public who like to think they're well informed and liberal.

Politics is nothing new to Doctor Who. The Masque of Mandragora and The Curse of Peladon were concerned with social manipulation through religion. Full Circle and The Sun Makers used notions of economic class. And so on. The political content is less intrusive in The Long Game than in World War Three - perhaps because it's more integral to the plot - but I still feel like I'm being lectured on basic media theory by a well meaning but finger-wagging teacher.

The Long Game wasn't actually bad. It was just uninteresting. I think we're entitled to more from Doctor Who.

Those in the 'anorak tendency' jumped on the luke-warm previews as proof that this new series of Doctor Who had finally tripped itself up. "The Long Game" certainly does not have the instant impact of the other episodes, but it was not exactly clear why so many vultures were up in the air ready to swoop. Maybe some fans are too eager to jump on every little glitch, for "The Long Game" was understated, but by no means bad.

The episode was a light satire on media power, focusing on an intergalatic organisation which controls the broadcasting of news and information, and where human nature is manipulated for all its negative traits. Certainly this was yet another episode where the money pumped into the new series was spent for all its worth; the effects were fairly impressive, although the "spike" didn't seem to cause its users much affect- even the earlier episodes would have made it clear what was happening without a standard "What's happening Doctor?" explanation. The idea was certainly interesting, with a mysterious upper-level controlling the space station masked by its distance from the 'slaves' in the lower decks. Humans are always going to strive for promotion, and this device was executed well.

The episode felt somewhat deflated because it did suffer from being in 'fast-forward'. Adam's character did have something to do, but it was fairly clear that RTD didn't know what to do with him, so treated him as a kind of modern day Adric. His bumbling into the Medical Floor and operation didn't really have much point to it, and although it was stitched onto the narrative it still felt as though his wanderings were separate to the plot. The Doctor's joking to the effect that Adam was Rose's boyfriend brought to mind the sniping shortness of Peter Davison and Tom Baker, and suggested that the hints of a Doctor/Rose affair are being put to one side in these later episodes.

Rose was not well used in the episode either, but Simon Pegg as the Editor certainly was. His sci-fi kudos was lifted in "Shaun of the Dead" and in this role he managed to weigh up sinister evil with a cool cunning side. He and Christopher Eccleston had a great tussle together, working off each other very well. Yet again, more hints of "Bad Wolf", which was highlighted in a very subtle line from Rose. The Editor and, erm, "Max", were a good team together, with the balance of power shifting in well executed scenes. Sadly, the two female characters seemed too neatly packaged and did not convince.

"The Long Game" may now be shown up by the neigh-sayers as the first loose thread in the fabric, but it was a clever concept which failed to be executed well throughout. It did have too easy a conclusion, although the typical Doctor Who moral tail packed a sting. This episode certainly had some good humourous lines and Christopher Eccleston maintains his high standard of emotion. Playing on the power of the media can often result in less than satisfying stories in many kinds of programme, so it can be excused that it's difficult to put together Doctor Who and such a topic. Certainly this is not the 'beginning of the end', and some fans would like it. Good, just not up to the high standard thus far.

Alanis Morisette are you out there? If so how do you like this for a definition of irony: - A public service broadcaster revives a forty year old television program which, against all the odds, proves a popular move with the Rupert Murdoch owned Sun newspaper, DVDs and merchandise are imminent. One of the episodes of said revived TV show is implicitly about the power of the media and subliminal messages, the result being a intellectual stagnation. Meanwhile on Independent Television channel 1 (ITV1) Chesney Hawkes has just won 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' this is followed by minor celebs making TV comebacks by performing in gladiatorial combat reminiscent of the Roman (human?) empire. I need a piece of paper to work out if this episode is a poor man's 1984, a BBC lead charge against 'I'm a Celebrity...' (but somehow not Strictly Dance Fever) or sombody taking the Mickey. My confusion is not helped by Dr Who Confidential talking about Simon Pegg like HE is the second coming.

Taking this one at face value it had filler written all over it, not that that makes it poor, it was just a bit of a mixed bag. So, what was right, the special effects were on form, Simon Pegg was suitably enjoying himself, although not the Alan Rickman/Sheriff of Nottingham he was made out to be, the sets were great and the script wasn't lacking, embarrassing or silly? Which for me has been a recurring flaw this season. The final scene was like one of the more memorable episodes of the twilight zone, with a grange hillesque wearing clothes in the swimming pool mix of scary, self implicating and also funny and was a refreshing alternativ to the TARDIS dematerialisations were getting used to. I also enjoyed the banter between the Doctor and Rose their relationship being suitably ambiguous to those within, and outside, the diagesis.

So what was wrong? Well not much, more nitpicks than anything else, the year 200,000 seems a bit far in the future for suits to still be in fashion. For that matter the 'future' episodes being set in the year 5 billion and 200, 000 smacks a little of the school playground "lets play Dr Who, lets pretend its the year 50 gazillion, def it lets play conkers". Still its a minor quibble. I also felt that making the episode a crisis threatening all of humanity was a bit ambitious, after all its a bit difficult to contextualise a plan of that magnitude when you can't see its effect, or even the cause for that matter. I also didn't really understand the Jagrophess's plan or how it would make a profit. Like TEOTW, AOL/WW3 the real villain was money which, frankly, is wearing a little thin. Like a bad episode of The Next Generation the moral is plain to see and I prefer my ethical musings to reside in the shades of grey, like a good episode of Deep Space Nine, or Dalek for that matter. I wasn't sure if Adam had had a personality transplant or if his story was a clever cautionary tail? The face of Boe must be a fellow time-traveller or a creature of extraordinary long life, but again intra-series continuity is nice to see.

Overall I enjoyed it but I didn't feel compelled to watch it again on Sunday, Dr Who confidential provided a worrying insight though, Davies seemed to imply that this episode was part of the/a story arc, this completely passed me by and I had no unresolved questions (that I didn't think were attributable to flaws in the script the script) by the episode's end, perhaps all will be revealed and the episode will improve when placed in context? The real twist ending is that despite any criticisms I've made out of all 7 episodes which have aired I'd probably place this one third behing Dalek and TUD in order of preference. I can't decide if that says something good about this episode, something bad about the overall series quality or is a manifestation of my own intellectual stagnation following too much crap telly, wouldn't that be ironic?

After the high of last weeks 'Dalek' I sat down to watch 'The Long Game' with much less expectation and a feeling that I just wouldn't enjoy this as much.

I was half right, it wasn't as good as 'Dalek' but I enjoyed it a lot better than I thought I would, considering the last offering from Russell T Davies.

'The Long Game' was Easily as good as 'The End of the World', which had been my favourite Davies script so far. It was quite a nice (but obvious) take on the media and how they can manipulate the public and our beliefs and opinions.

It looked good and the acting from guest as well as regulars was fantastic. The lighting was suitably creepy and the corpses genuinely chilling, which I'm sure will result in a few complaints to the BBC - and as any Who fan knows if parents are complaining then the series is doing something right.

Christopher and Billie shined yet again, I just hope that Billie Piper can generate the same on screen chemistry with David Tennant, though I'm sure the relationship will be different.

Bruno Langley as Adam was far better here than in 'Dalek', chancing his luck for personal profit and being caught out. I feel the only reason for his inclusion in this episode was for us to see that the Doc will not tolerate a companion that tries to manipulate time travel for their own ends. It will be interesting to see if he is so quick to throw Rose out next week as she obviously saves her father and changes history.

Tamsin Greig was very good in this episode, gently, but greedily, encouraging Adam to go for the more expensive surgery.

What a performance from Simon Pegg, easily stealing the show, which is not an easy task with Chris and Billie on form. The Editor was such a fantastically calculating villain. Pegg's performance just reeked of smugness, I was really hoping this arrogant business man he would be a recurring villain. I also hoped for a brief while that he was another Time Lord, though, to be honest, I didn't really hold out much hope for that.

The Editor in Chief (I will not even attempt to spell the full name) looked horrific with some very good CGI, this monster was only let down by my one major disappointment with the episode: The length!

I'm sure I will not be the only one that thought this episode was a fantastic episode 1 & 2 of a classic series 4 parter. The end was wrapped up far too quickly, this episode (like most, if not all of the one parters) could have benefited from a second part. I am so frustrated that the only two parter so far was that pathetic pile of crap 'Aliens of London' and 'World War III', what a damn waste. Davies has written three good single episodes which could have benefitted from a second part and the one that does get two parts is the one that should have been shortened, very frustrating, but at least Davies is back on form.

All in all not the best episode so far - the best two being 'Dalek' and 'The Unquiet Dead' but 'The Long Game' certainly has a good shot at third place.

Oh, and over half way through the series already, time flies when you're having fun.

Nice to know that the new series can make some really naff Doctor Who…

Following on from Dalek was always going to be a chore and to be honest they probably should have avoided having Adam around for another episode and headed straight into Fathers Day which thanks to a gripping trailer looks set to be one of the best of the year. The Long Game just doesn’t have the oomph to be placed where it is, at the halfway point in the series and the signpost of quality for the rest of the year now that the audience has been won over.

There have been some mightily unfair statements made about Russell T Davies’ scripts in comparison with Gatiss and Shearman, which to me seems a tad ungrateful since we wouldn’t be enjoying a new series of Doctor Who if it wasn’t for him. What’s more he shaped the first season, which has so far proven to be delightful with some of the most consistent and evolving characterisation Doctor Who has ever boasted. What’s more the first three scripts he has written (Rose, Aliens of London and World War Three) have all been winners in one way, the first a confident re-introduction of the series, the second a healthy dose of domestic drama and the third a humorous and dramatic slice of action adventure. The Long Game is the only stumble he has made in my eyes, simply because there was so much potential in this idea and much of it is largely wasted.

I have heard many people complaining about the 45-minute episode format, saying that it just isn’t enough time to tell a satisfying story with any great depth. I have dismissed their comments up to this point because RTD and company seem to have produced a winning formula, one that leaves no time for flabby padding or needless digressions from the plot (a common problem with the old six part Doctor Who stories). But with The Long Game the formula has failed totally, as this was a story that begged to be told at length and on a much grander scale than it is. The central idea of the episode (a media controlled culture with the news used as a weapon to enslave the human race) is fantastic and it is obvious why RTD was so keen to use it but it is abused on a script that has to move so fast that we never get to see the culture that is being manipulated or even glimpse at the Earth besides an establishing planet wide shot and consigns the story to three rooms. Establish the setting and the problem, deal with the problem, that’s about all the length allows this episode to do. Even worse is the Doctor’s casual “I’m leaving and you can sort out all the consequences…oh and the Earth should develop at its usual rate now I’ve interfered…okay byeee!” (okay he doesn’t say it quite like that but it is equally blaze and thoughtless) because the episode doesn’t have any time to deal with the cost of his actions. I understand the limitations 45 minutes places on a writer but compared to RTDs last script World War Three, which managed to give its plot amazing depth without affecting the high action content this is lazy work.

Vengeance on Varos managed to exploit its media theme by cutting the action with scenes set in the average workers home and showing the reactions of regular person receiving the transmissions. And it managed to be traditional Doctor Who run-around with it. The Long Game only wants to be a traditional Doctor Who story with none of the cleverness of Varos, and it wants to be traditional in the sense of the old series AND the new series. You’ve got the smooth talking villain who answers to a horrid creature (old series). And you’ve also got Adam’s first glimpse space being that of Earth from a space station and a quick call home to his parents (both scenes pasted here directly from The End of World). It merely enhances the feeling of lethargy to the script that we’ve seen it all before in both series and that there is little to distinguish itself as anything special. A great shame as I fear this would have made a fantastic two parter with two plotlines taking place, one on the station and one on Earth so we can witness cause and effect of this fake media sham.

Adam, What is the point? To show a teenager on the road to villainy, his ambitions cut short by the Doctor? To show how well Rose has adapted to the time travelling business? To put a bit of male totty on the screen to keep my boyfriend Simon happy? Just because…? Whatever the reason this has got to be the biggest misstep the series has made yet. Not only does it split the episode in half and thus leave us with even less time to explore the BIG IDEA OF THE WEEK but by writing out the character after just one week it exposes as a monumental waste of time and the viewers attention. I don’t want to insult Bruno Langley who gives everything the script requires of him but he is lumbered with a totally thankless character, one I didn’t warm to OR dislike (which I fear was supposed to be my reaction…lets be honest I think we would all have a stab at what Adam tries in this episode). He was just sort of there, going through the motions, not giving enough of a personality or motive or screen time to make his character anything but worthless. It isn’t RTD’s fault; I didn’t think much of Adam in Dalek either (and he was practically ignored in favour of the much more interesting plot anyway). The best thing I can say about this gaping hole of illogic is that Langley is mouth wateringly gorgeous and even that wasn’t enough to keep me interested. Guess I’m not as shallow as I thought.

I want to say something nice about The Long Game so here I go! Simon Pegg! Wonderful, marvellous, witty, engaging, lickably perfect Simon Pegg! What an actor! RTD how right you are when you suggest how mind numbingly dull this episode would be without Simon Pegg. This character is the only one who was scripted with any real style and Pegg brings the Editor to life with charismatic relish. Every line that came out of his mouth was a delight and I was cheering every time the episode returned to floor 500 and this quirky character. He is basically the same as every other quick witted stooge who appears to be running the show in Doctor Who with that marvellous mix of humour and horror (there was a spine tingling shot of the Editor when he says “GOT YOU!”) and gets the same fate as is the usual ( a horrible death). Who cares? This is the best ‘villain’ we have had yet, funnier than Van Stratten, better acted than Mr Slitheen and creepier than Cassandra. Pegg was inspired casting and actually makes this traditional role (which in other hands would be as clichйd and dull as the rest of the episode) something special and the episode well worth watching in spots.

Even the Doctor and Rose are wasted, left to do all the boring investigating whilst Adam gets up to the mischief. The usually dynamic pair are joined by some particularly unmemorable guests characters (I forget their names, such was their impact) and the tedium is infectious. Eccelston seems as bored as I was; at least until he is paired up with Simon Pegg and then at least there is some electricity. But that only comes at the end of the episode; we all know where the Doctor is going to end up but it seems to take age for him to end up there. Instead of enjoying himself spitting insults with the Editor he rambles on about plumbing for Christ sakes!

Add to all this an uninspiring production (the lighting is pretty good, especially on floor 500 but the sets look particularly plastic this week and it is the first week I have actively disliked the music) and truly lousy final joke and you have the first stinker of the new series.

After his previous magic I expected much more than rehashed old stories from RTD. There are many similarities to The End of the World. Except one, this was &%$#.