Since the Doctor was taken from our screens in 1989 we all have deliberated over what a new series of the adventures of the Time Lord would be like.. and here it is. How apt that the first episode would be called ‘Rose’, perhaps a telling sign from the pen of Russell T Davies of how the series would pan out. Since then is there not, somewhere deep in the heart of every Who fan, a profound feeling of disappointment? You disagree? Well just take a look at episode five; World War Three...

It is understandable that the new series had become more character driven that previous adventures and a clear instrument for the deployment of such a writing style is a series that is so Earth-centric it could give Jon Pertwee a run for his money. But unlike Pertwee’s Earth bound exploits, the new series seems to be less about the Doctor and more about relating the audience to his character, of which we have seen little. World War Three, in a now predictable trend, is so Human we forget the Doctor is from another planet, never mind the notion that we may one day see him on foreign soil. One could spend hours discussing the Slitheen alien family, their intentions for exploiting Earth and it’s peoples or their baffling flatulence, however, to do so would assume that they mattered at all. Their threat to humanity seems lost in a vapour not emanating from their posteriors but from the clouds of dross flowing from Rose’s tower block home.

The Doctor’s new companion’s domestics were adequately, if not overly, explored throughout the first two episodes, so why oh why are back at the tower block from hell, swallowing down even more home made shepherds pie when we are still too bloated from the previous visit? I care as much for Rose’s family life as I care for Tegan Jovanka’s. Some have argued that the new series suffers at the hands of it’s new 45 mins format. I would argue that it is the 30 mins plus spent per episode on the relationships of the characters that leave little time for the story to develop. Such relationship explorations have, so far, born no fruit; as there has been more death in the past five episodes than in some Doctor’s lifetimes, yet we feel nothing at these incidental character’s passing. And, it seems, nor does the Doctor.

It is ironic that the best episode of the series so far has been the only one not written by Davies (Mark Gatiss’ The Unquiet Dead)? What we all want to see from the series is some classic alien adventures, a bit more time in the TARDIS and a few twists in the plot that lend a kind of selfishness to the Doctor’s advisories to which every human can relate.

Well, it took 5 episodes, but we have now officially reached "Worst Episode Ever" of the new Doctor Who. The last paragraph, incidentally, may contain spoiler material for episode 6, but nothing major.

It all started when last week's cliffhanger had its tension reduced somewhat by the appearance of a fit & healthy Doctor viewed in the "Next Time" teaser. The cliffhanger was further undermined by a far-too-speedy resolution in the last shot of the pre-title sequence for "End Of The World".

Overuse of the farting effect of compression continued to annoy, turning sections of the plot into something akin to the children's shows Pip & Jane Baker turned out in the 1980's. Fears that multiple doors in a corridor during a chase scene might lead to some kind of Keystone Kops sequence were thankfully not realised...

Then the alien plot is revealed - and is actually a bit naff. A bit like the West Lodge's plot for Argolis in Leisure Hive, but with less finesse and imagination. And the plot is resolved a good 10-15 minutes before the end of the episode.

Which brings me to my final gripe for the first two-parter. Last week, I applauded RTD for being the man to write a story that explored the ramifications of a companion's sudden departure into time and space. I still think this is a valid concept to explore, but, as is the case with the 9th Doctor's backstory, something to explore when the plot allows. It should complement rather than replace the action. But with the Slitheen seen off by about the 32nd minute, this subtext (to quote Rupert Giles) rapidly becomes the text.

On the plus side, we have a stirling performance (for once) from Mickey, as he realises his differences with the Doctor are petty in the face of global peril. Jackie turns in a credible performance as Rose's mum, more intent on her daughter's safety than that of the world.

Eccleston's occasional "grinning idiot" approach seems to be lessening in its visibility, and a superb poignancy is reached as the Doctor is faced with a final option, that means saving the world could lead to Rose's death.

Whilst "World War III" represents the worst plotting of the series thus far, the CGI and physical effects are still of a high standard, and the "Next Time" sequence sets the pulse racing as we get our appetites whetted by the re-appearance of the Daleks!

The subsequent episode of Doctor Who Confidential had a sneak preview, including a shot that pays obvious homage to the pepperpots' first ever appearance 40 odd years ago....

See you next week....

Ok, it's hands up time.

Last week I gave a very negative review of AoL .. mainly down to my inability to see past fart gags ... but as the week progressed and I watched the episode a few more times it definately grew on me, so I was curious and eager to see WWIII.

And my, was I wrong last week.

WWIII is a Russell T Davies tour de force. The plotting, the acting, the deliscious, edible dialogue are at their height. The Slitheen - who I was really not convinced by - were wonderful: funny and dangeorus and very, very Doctor Who. The use of UNIT without going into detail, but seeing it lovingly reproduced on Mickey's computer was a lovely nostalgic twang. The whole thing was directed with a buoyancy, a bubbliness and a vigour and the special effects were one hundred percent wonderful.

In the acting front even the Slitheen actors seemed to have calmed down this week, and were all the more dangerous sounding for it. The look on the female Slitheen's face whilst trying to hold the Doctor's gaze was fantastic.

And then we come to the Doctor. My, was this not perfect. Christopher Eccleston should be mourned greatly when he leaves, because this was classic Doctor Who. No actor, even on their best day, could beat this performance. Everything he did oozed "Doctoriness". There was the manicness of Colin, the madness of Tom, the authority of Jon .. everyone was there in his face.. and not a little of McCoy, as Time's Champion rose up again to take control. Amazing, wonderful and intoxicating. Given a few years Eccleston would have been everyones favourite Doctor.

Again, I made a mistake during Rose to criticise Noel Clark .. here Mickey is brilliant and the acting superb. Although I'm not convinced in the soap opera style part of the show, RTD does it withaplomb and the actors are clever and understated and real.

So, a reviewer putting his hands up - not once but twice and saying he was wrong. Is that a first?

Straight to the point - I disliked Aliens of London (AOL), many of the component parts were strong, but overall it was poor. As a result WW3 gave me concern and I doubted that I would have anything positive to say.

The first ten minutes of WW3 carried on in part where Aliens of London left off. Notably with juvenile running aliens straight from a Benny Hill sketch, pointless farting and the aliens popping in and out of the human’s skins to continuously use the Beeb’s latest special effect.

Then something most unexpected happened, I started enjoying it. The plot seemed to run out of the effects of the production teams enforced eight cans of red bull and everything started to calm down. With the change in pace the quality of acting by the regulars shot through the roof and the storyline started to appear well thought out and provided clever twists. The fact the Slitheen were a family and not a race was a cunning plot that the show had not before offered, in truth this almost explained some of the silliness from AOL.

For someone who hates soaps I am finding the relationship between the Doctor, Rose and her family an interesting storyline and one that brings a new side to the role of the assistant. Christopher Eccleston, who at times looked lost in AOL, again settled down as the Doctor throughout WW3. Christopher’s superb treatment of hatred of one on ones with Rose’s mum, his off – on relationship to Ricky (sic) and his subtle displays of the Doctor’s inner feelings and loneliness gives the ninth Doctor an interesting new, but yet identifiably old, persona.

I will never rate AOL/WW3 as one of my favourite Doctor Who’s but the WW3 element ensured it rose above the Underwater Menace / Paradise Towers concerns I held last week.

Bring on the Dalek my faith in Doctor Who has been restored.

Well I thought Aliens of London was great but this was immense!

World War III had everything from Penelope Wilton becoming Britain’s first non-Dalek woman prime minister to Mickey saving the day by firing a missile at Downing Street. (Good tie in with the BBC website, I was wondering how to get the password to the UNIT section!)

Plenty of character development too as the Doctor makes his peace with Mickey and Rose finally cuts the apron strings to commit herself to a future with the Doc.

The comedy in the episode (the look on the policeman’s face as he bursts in on the Slitheen) was well balanced by the drama as the Doctor wrestled with his conscience about putting Rose’s life at risk.

There was nothing in this story about the Time War, so I hope to hear more about this in the coming episodes.

Finally a word about the numerous complaints about Russell’s style, listen carefully, IT’S 2005 NOT 1975. Fans who remember the Doctor from twenty years or more ago have to accept that television and audience tastes have changed over that time. RTD had to completely reinvent the format in the same way Philip Hinchcliffe did to move it on. He has given us a rather insecure and damaged Doctor but these are insecure and damaged times and as we watch the story develop over the coming weeks we will hopefully understand more about why he is behaving in the way that he is.

I would much rather see a flawed hero like Russell’s Doctor that any number of bouffant buffoons and vapid vellour clad bimbos in Trek or such like pap any day.

In any event, BRING ON THE DALEKS.

When this episode finished, I felt "Its back!". I felt like the show I've loved for nearly all my life had returned. After watching episodes 1-3, I'd thought, in the words of Roy Walker [Catchphrase], "Its good but its not right". "Aliens of London" was promising with a complicated plot and "World War Three" was even more complicated. I think the new series has finally found its feet. And I do apologise for saying RTD can't write good sci-fi - this story has caused me to eat my words!

The plot about turning the earth into one giant piece of real estate was a very original way of concocting an 'invasion' story which in the end wasn't about an invasion at all. Brilliant stuff. Even at the last few moments, we were stil guessing what the hell was going on and how the Doctor would get out of it. The finale had echoes of 'The Seeds of Doom' [which, coincendentally, is my fav DW story] but the Doctor was, as in the aforementioned story, out of real options. A very satisfying episode to a great story. The finale was not quick but was allowed to breathe. I'm beginning to believe the series should all be 2 parters but that may not be practical. Plus there was hardly any farting so that was nice - seeing my sole quibble virtually airbrushed out.

The acting was good also. The PM reminded me a lot of Paul Whitsun-Jones from 'The Mutants' and 'The Smugglers' but the actor in this case was better. Mickey improved too. I felt that as the Doctor got to like him more, so did I. He's not so bad. Christopher Eccleston's 'promise' to stop the Slitheen was powerful and I loved the line "Mickey, you were born in the dark!". Penelope Wilton was a good character also and I'm almost sorry that the Doctor didn't join Rose and her mum for shepherd's pie. Well done all.

I still think the Brig should have been in it. DW Confidential did a whole documentary on him and still there was no sign of him. Why do the documentary and have him not even comment on the new series? Please bring him back RTD! It's not fanwank - the Brig is the best. UNIT weren't fanwank were they?

And I was slightly quizzical about the nuclear codes protocols thing. I know the UK relies on its nuclear arms technology from America but does it really hand over its codes to the UN? Surely not!

Overall; brilliant. I'm pleased. Seriously thinking of sending a thank-you card to RTD. Daleks are next and there seems to be hints of 'The Space Museum' and 'Jubilee' so I hope its not a carbon copy of those. However, I've heard good things about the episode and you can always rely on Rob Shearman to do us proud!

The new series is finally settled. Hooray! Roll on the rest!