Look Who's back! On Saturday 15th April I sat through that dance program in sheer excitement waiting for the return of Doctor Who in it's second run - this time with a new Doctor.

After the simply amazing Christmas Invasion, New Earth seems slightly down in comparision to the christmas classic, which was arguably the best of the new generation of Doctor Who. As expected, David Tennant (the Doctor) was on fine form, delivering the part in such a way that makes most of the episode's flaws seem minor and almost unnecerssary to the whole structure. His sidekick Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) presents some problems toward the episode...

Unfortunately Piper is trying so hard to sound humourous, but fails miserably and sadly sounds very unlike Rose and actually more like herself when she's not possessed. Fortunately, Zoe Wannamaker (voice of Cassandra) is here to save the day! Her credits include many comedy's including the more recent My Family which give her a good boost during the belly-laugh scenes such as 'Oh my God! I'm a chav!' Which has caused laughs world-wide according to producer Phil Collinson.

Moving on from the characters, I'd like to present some slight niggles I had with New Earth's story. First of all, it has the potential and looks like a classic Doctor Who episode with freaky zombies in their hundreds creeping out of green tombs with a kind of "urghhh" noise (very reminiscent of The Tomb of the Cybermen).

However, the core audience for Doctor Who is children and for them to enjoy it they must understand the story. I think the story was delivered in a terrible way by the actors. An example of this is the confusion caused when Cassandra possessed Rose. There was no sign that Cassandra WAS Rose when not talking, and as the episode went on, I found myself believing that we were seeing the real Rose and not a possessed form. Another flaw in the story was the whole idea of the zombies and their purpose; which I must admit, I found confusing until watching the episode back.

Another surprising addition to the story was the Face of Boe. Many people have told me how pointless the scenes were, but I think they added a flair to the episode. My theory is that "the secret" has something to do with future episodes, as 'Boe did state the Doctor will meet him again. Not pointless, just mild hints.

Although the overall episode was average it is no change to last years Rose which featured a similar feeling to this episode, and thankfully last year things picked up as the series went on. Some of the acting was poor and delivered the story in a confusing way but other than that it was okay. I still think that Russell T. Davies cannot write Doctor Who. This is because most of his episodes have been average (except The Long Game). Let's face it, RTD really need's to start changing things in series three because series after series of mildly-entertaining Doctor Who will not suffice die-hard fans. My prediction is that after Tooth and Claw things will start to hot up and we will realise that this is a mere light-hearted opener to what will be a fantastic series.

Just seen the first episode of the new series- a day late, sadly. Okay, postive comments first! David Tennant is looking good, he's funny, sharp and intense, and most importantly the on screen chemistry with Billie is bubbling away nicely. For this new series to work I think this had to be a major priority. Rose's character gives the programme an essential dose of humanity, an emotional depth which the show needs to maintain if Doctor Who is to continue to maintain both its quality of story telling and it's broad appeal. Somthing which Russel T will need to have in mind when searching for a new companion for the Doctor!

Billie was superb in this episode, she was both funny and sexy when "pocessed" by Cassandra- a lovely performance.

The Cat people were beautifully realised and the city scape was stunning. Efforts were made to dazzle in this first episode, but sadly the story wasn't really up to it. Up until the last twenty minutes "New Earth" was enjoyable enough, but it seemed to lack any real emotional depth. This ommision was fair enough, but when the story tried to reclaim lost ground it really lost its way.The "lepors" simply wearn't scary, nor did you feel any empathy for them; the acting was far too "pantomime" for my liking. The scene towards the end when the diseased people were "healed" was reminiscent of "The Doctor Dances" from the last series (my favourite episode by the way), but had none of the emotional punch. And the final scene with Cassandra was just plain silly.

Doctor Who works best when it's grounded in the world we know, when history and everyday life is subverted and becomes scary. This episode lacked those essential qualities, I just hope that future episodes will reclaim lost ground.

What a smacker ... and the episode was pretty darn good too!

Was it just me or did that kiss not last ages? Billie Piper playing Cassandra certainly did not miss the target, that's for sure.

Chris Eccleston must have been raging he didn't hang about for a second series and missing out on the big kiss off after all that flirting in the last series (though he did get some lip action with Captain Jack in the end!).

Watching it in his Salford home, I wonder what he made of it all.

I was very impressed. The touching start as Rose says her goodbyes before joining the Doctor was a nice and somewhat understated introduction given all the whoo-hah and hype that has surrounded the show over the past week. It was a simple and effective start.

The arrival in New, New York couldn't have been much better and I loved the wee robot spiders returning and of course, Cassandra. That was good we actually got to see Zoe Wanamaker in the episode too. What with Anthony Head and Pauline Collins still to come, the show really has attracted some A-list actors to the series - something which was impossible when the show came to an end in 1989 when Bonnie Langford and Ken Dodd were the celebs we had come to expect. How times have changed!

The lift shower scenes were terrific and funny and I loved the references to the NHS and the Doctor's concern about the lack of a shop. The Sisters of Plentitude were absolutely terrific and terrifying in equal measure judging by the Tardisode which was very scary indeed.

The true purpose behind the sister's plan was well executed and even the Face of Boe speaking was worth the wait and gives a sense of mystery in the same vein as the Bad Wolf intrigue from the last series. It might have been good if a few clues were offered but he disappeared just like the Tardis!!!

Given that the team working behind Dr Who now know they have a lead actor who will stay for the course, it is interesting to note how much the BBC are supporting the show with "Totally Doctor Who" and even reference made on the Radio 5 Live News Bulletin this morning!

One thing that did strike me after the Christmas Invasion and New Earth is that we still haven't really seen the Doctor and Rose adjusting to each other yet though they seem to get on pretty well! With the Doctor being out of action for most of the first episode while Rose was taken over by Cassandra for the majority of New Earth, it has been an interesting dynamic on Russell T Davies part and we will have to wait until Tooth and Claw to really see the relationship grow.

A very satisfying start to the new series and one which Russell T Davies can take some pride in. I thought it was good that the Doctor took Cassandra back to when she was a human and the final end. You never usually find out what happens to some of the Dr's enemies at the end of episodes but it gave something of a human touch, with overtures to "Dalek".

Tennant is very much his own man with his new uniform, sense of humour and manic personality which is shaping up to be very exciting.

Perhaps the highest complement you can pay to him is that it did not really strike you at any point that he was not the Doctor and he seamlessly fit in to the role as if it had been his all along. A very polished performance by both Tennant and Piper and something which looks positively sparkling. Who-rah!!!

This show is simply magical.

Were there problems with the plot? Of course. Did it matter? Not a single bit. Ok so why did the humans have clothes? How did they know language? And there are about a billion questions about the nuns and New Earth. Still, the show is 45 mins long now and it's not going to change. More than anyone I miss the 6 part episodes where every character had a chance to shine but look at what they were able to do here! From the opening shot with flying cars and a huge New New York to gaze at, to Billie Piper steaming up the screen (and dare I say acting very well also!), to the flawless portrayal of David Tennant, this show is absolutely brilliant. It's just a wonder to watch!

I would go so far as to say that some of these plot holes and strange characterizations make it the classic Doctor Who redesigned as opposed to a brand new show with merely the Doctor Who name (which they easily could have done).

The Face of Boa is awesome! He looks cool, he gives great dialog and we will be seeing more of him! What more could you want? As for Cassandra, I admit that she was so incredibly evil and prepared to kill all aboard Satellite One that it's hard to swallow that she merely gives up. I was half hoping for her to jump into her younger self when the Doctor walked off but I feel like we had had enough of her anyway. She was good enough to visit again but not good enough to be a reoccuring character in my opinion.

Also in my opinion, this show rivals anything on television right now, plot holes or no. The effects are top notch, the acting is great, the Doctor has been recast superbly and we are in store for one hell of a ride. I can't wait for next weekend!!!

It is a strange thing. I was eagerly awaiting the latest Dr Who episode, however my enthusiasm was mixed with a certain trepidation. Russell T Davies was the writer and I hadnВ’t been very impressed with his previous work. The rumours on the grapevine had further fuelled my anxiety. When I sat down to view this episode, I had no expectations of greatness.

Which is just as well. New Earth isnВ’t a bad story, it has a few good moments and Billie Piper puts in a decent performance. Sadly it shares the same flaws as itВ’s predecessor The End of the World.

The story is a collection of good ideas which are not cemented together with the glue of a good plot. I liked the idea of a hospital with secrets, it was also good to see Cassandra back. However it is marred by RTDВ’s inability to use simple logic.

The most troubling elements concern the guinea pigs in their closets. I canВ’t think of any reason why they knew language? How could they move when cooped up cells for all their lives? Why were they wearing clothes? Why not grow bodies without the thought processing parts of the brain. Surely the Sisters should have known better.

Strangest of all, why did all the В‘FleshВ’ look like lepers. If they had been infected with every known disease, IВ’d expect them to show different symptoms. Instead they looked as if they had wandered off the set of Terminus

The worst part of the story though was the way in which it was concluded. The Doctor cures the lepers by spraying them with a mixture of all cures the Sisters have gathered. Intravenous cures. That is poor science and is more suitable for the realms of fantasy.

In the far future Modern faculties still use pulley operated lifts. I suppose RTD thought that would look cool, just like the improbable fan from TEOTW.

Cassandra is a character with an iron will to live. Well until the end anyway when she has a sudden change of heart and just goes quietly. What a cop-out.

Also the scenes where she complains about Rose being a Chav are jarring. Cassandra is a lady from 5 billion years in the future, she should have no idea what a Chav is. Then she starts mangling slang once in RoseВ’s body. This highlights a problem I have with RTDВ’s scripting, which is his insistence on cramming in contempary culture into every story. Bad Wolf was a good example of this.

The whole body swapping/possession element was hackneyed. How many times has this Sci Fi staple been used now. No new twist was added to the stereotype.

The Face of Boe doesnВ’t contribute much but I think that something is being set up for later, so IВ’ll let that pass.

The acting in this story was competent, though nothing stellar was on offer. Billie Piper was effective in portraying Zoe WanamakerВ’s mannerisms, though my dislike of the Rose Tyler character prevents me from being too effusive in my praise. Zoe Wanamaker was decent as Cassandra, though I doubt it is really a role that tests her abilities.

David Tennant as the Doctor, hmmn. IВ’m still undecided. He gurns a little too much in this story and he hammed up his atheistic scenes near the end. He is pretty good when quieter though, he just needs to turn the volume down a bit.

The SFX was OK, apart from the opening scene on New Earth. The CGIВ’d flitters looked awful and totally artificial.

Murray GoldВ’s music was poor once again. His music never stops and the Bondish strains played during the dramatic scenes were very irritating.

OVERALL GRADE 5/10

A unaffecting opener, entertaining but full of holes.

The Doctor and Rose find themselves 23 years after the events in THE END OF THE WORLD on the planet New Earth. The Doctor has received a message from the Face of Boe and they travel to a hospital run by Cat Nuns where he is a patient. The Hospital seems to be able to cure everything and everyone. Meanwhile, Rose gets separated and finds herself at the mercy of the bad old trampoline herself – Cassandra, who did NOT die on Platform 5 apparently. As Cassandra implements her plan, the Doctor finds himself facing the terrible secret of the Cat Nuns and we find that there is a terrible price to making the sick well.

On the plus side, this episode is very fun and witty. The dialogue is top notch and very fun to listen to. David Tennant falls into the role of the Doctor with ease giving the character a much more energetic and manic Doctor than Eccleston gave us. Billie Piper is absolutely brilliant with what the story does to her character. It’s her best performance yet. And of course Cassandra is just a great, wonderful character and it’s good to see her back. The Special Effects are amazing and the make-up on the Cat Nuns is perfect. Or should I say purr-fect? Okay, I’ll stop.

On the negative, there are so many things going on that the plot falls by the wayside in many places. I had the same problem with this that I had with THE LONG GAME. I think the story concepts are bigger than the 45 minute time frame allows them to be. GAME had a great concept with a piece of meat controlling the populous through the news and there was a resistance to that which the never explore in depth, NEW EARTH with the concept of killing one creature so another can live, also not explored. But am I asking too much from a 45 minute episode? Maybe. At least those concepts are out and we can talk about them, which is something that the new series has that Big Finish does not have – commentary on social and societal issues. But when all is said and done, this is a really good episode. It is scary, funny and thought provoking. It’s good Doctor Who. It's good television.