At the end of the day, its just a TV show right? It sure is and it is not written exlusively for Doctor Who fans.... if it was, the show would not have come back at all - look at the state of the show in it's dying years in the late 1980s, tired old ideas, poor writing and an over reliance on the show's past.

This series was written for the general public (there are a lot more of them than there are of us!) and despite the subtle nod to us fans with little things here and there, RTD and crew pitched the show at Saturday night family audiences.

Where am I going with all of this you are no doubt asking...? Well I guess I am responding to much of the criticism Parting of the Ways received in relation to the plot, the tying up of the many threads from various stories from the season (in particular the Bad Wolf reference), and the traffic-jam climatic moments of the episode leading to the regeneration.

I will be the first to admit, that with my "old fan" hat on (I can't believe Ive been a fan of (and watching) this show for over 20 of my 32 years!!), much of what happened in the episode in relation to bringing all the threads together isnt perfect. But if I put my "general audience member" hat on, I agree that yes the plot is a little creaky, but the writing (do not confuse the two!) is very clever. When youve got 45 minutes to squeeze in the culmination of the 12 previous weeks plus explain and execute a regeneration to a relatively new audience - and manage to do so in a reasonably coherent manner, you should be given credit.

Those audience members RTD and co have aimed the new series at probably would not have got themselves all worked up over the the holes in the plot. They would have enjoyed it for what it was - fast paced, action packed adventure with edge of your seat moments. A regular cast so tight, you believe in their relationship and enjoy the chemistry between the two. Add to that the return of the Daleks and the "death" of the main character and you really cant go wrong - mission accomplished!

With that out of the way, I'd like to put my "old fan" hat back on and look at the moments in the episode that caught my attention the most. Firstly, The Daleks - they look great, but talk far too much. Less is more...part of their menace is their limited vocab and their silent gliding around (matched with relentless and indiscriminate killing!). As soon as you give the Daleks a vocab that goes beyond the obligitory "Exterminate!" and the like, they seem to lose that menace. The Emporer Dalek looked impressive, but the effect is probably more suited to the big screen.

I still cant work out if the regeneration sequence in the TARDIS is a post-production add on... sometimes it seems to be so. But looking at the events leading up to it, you would also be justified in thinking that it had been there all along. After kissing Rose (nicely done RTD and totally believable within the context of the story), there is a moment where the Doctor looks as though he knows just what he has done to himself in saving Rose from the power of the vortex. But then at the start of the final scene, it doesnt feel as though he is aware of his impending change.

Much has been written about the scene, how it seems to walk away from past regenerations and makes light of it. Personally I find it totally in character with Eccleston's Doctor. It was sad. Yet he found an irony in the events that were about to occur. He was sad to be leaving Rose - yet happy in knowing he will still be with her in his new form. The scene was not bogged down in Timelord gobbly-gook about regenerating (note the term wasnt used at all!), a simple explanation was all that was required and then the change took place. It is different to the past. But then they have all been different - no one regeneration looked the same as the one before it. So I had no problem with it.

The departure of Eccleston is a real loss. You simply cant argue over his talent as an actor. He also did a great job when some of the scripting let him down earlier in the season (Aliens of London!!). He was a Doctor you could not help but like. It was one hell of a job to pull off - and one hell of a risk for an actor of his ilk. Had the role got into other hands, the success of this season may not have been as great as it is.

So enter Doctor no.10 - I remember at the end of Caves of Androzani, I was very excited about Colin Baker. Those few lines he said to Peri got me hook, line and sinker - we all know what happened with The Twin Dilemma!! So this time round, Im going to reserve my judgement. I hope the Christmas special wont ignore the regeneration and the ramifications of the change on the Doctor - Tom Baker's post-regeneration antics were fun and a good way for the audience to settle in with the new Doctor. Hopefully time will be set aside in the special for this.

And so Season One comes to a close. Here in Australia, we're almost half way through the season on the ABC, so for me there is still joy in watching it unfold through the Australian side of things. Parting of the Ways achieved all of it's objectives and more. It has been one hell of a ride and the culmination of the season with the Doctor's regeneration was the icing on the cake.

Roll on Season Two and Doctor Who number 10!!

So the first new season of Doctor Who is now over and viewers are debating if it went with a bang or an even bigger bang. After the cliff-hanger of "Bad Wolf" I was in seventh heaven, feeling like I did as a kid watching Peter Davidson. "Parting of the Ways" had a huge mandate to cover in 45 minutes, wrapping up the Dalek invasion storyline, resurrecting an old enemy, solving the riddle of the Bad Wolf and killing off the latest incarnation of the Doctor. So, for those interested, did it pull it off?

Yes and no is the answer. This episode is a perfect reflection of this new series as a whole with it's moments of divine inspiration which is inevitibly followed up by lack-lustre resolutions. In my mind there are several flaws in this episode and as seems to be the tradition in reviews I suppose I should get these out of the way first.

1) The 45 minute episode format. This really could've worked and I was looking forward to a Dalek two-parter but with so much of the first episode given up to amusing if dissapointing antics in reality-show hell it didn't leave enough time to develop the characters or story-line. In the end it felt too rushed by the end and this could have been more easily dealt with. ( See point two)

2) Russel Davies writing. Now I was a fan of his previous work, the man can write. But ever since I heard his comments about detractors of the new series being 25 guys who aren't gonna watch the show anyway I have seriously gone off the guy. So here goes as I invoke the wrath of the daleks, er RTD fans, as I blaspheme. The guy is a great guiding light for the series but shouldn't be allowed to write for it as he doesn't seem able to balance various story threads. This has been evident right from the first episode, ie juvenile comedy with high drama, and in this episode the pacing of the story is off balance.

3) Deus ex machina is one of the most criticised and over-used plot devices in sci-fi and here we go again. Granted given the lack of time left by the end of the episode there was no other choice but again, better writing could have given us so much more.

4) Plot holes: Go on, watch this episode again and think about what is going on. Quickly, as happens in most of this season, the plot falls apart. For example, Rose lives but it is the Doctor who cops the whack? How does Rose remember a helicopter landing that she never saw? The Daleks have apparently gone mad because they were lonely? Hell they never were sociable creatures so I am sure missing Mrs Jones cocktail party would not have pushed them over the edge. Also there is no explanation given as to how the Daleks breached the TARDIS in the first part, or why they didn't just kill the Doctor if they are so afraid of him. Still not sure what the Dalek Emperor was up to and it just seemed a bit convoluted.

5) The shameless ripping-off of every other series. From classic Doctor Who to Buffy, RTD can think of very little original plot devices or imagery. The regeneration is Spike's death, Rose possessed is Buffy harnessing the first Slayer, the Doctor kissing Rose was Cordy and Doyle in Angel, Daleks made out of humans, the Doctor sacrificing himself for his companion, abandoning Capt. Jack. Done, done, done and done.

Okay guys, crucify me later because despite all this I loved the episode. This was event television of a high order and quality with excellent performances. I was on night shift when this was shown and went into work 1 hour early so I could sit in the staff room and watch it.I loved it when the Doctor materialised the TARDIS around Rose, which was not without precedent in the classic series. It was unexpected and exciting, my inner child was very happy. The CGI was good but on the small scrren I was watching it on it became hard to make out details in the space scenes. The acting was simply superb.

Billie Piper can move me just by watering up and she has been the real star of this series beyond a boubt. The scenes with her mother were superb even if they slowed the story down. When she tells Jackie about seeing her dad die I was engrossed in her performance, even Camille Coduri was good.

John Barrowman, who I have adored since I saw him in Sunset Boulevard, has been a great addition and ths is his finest hour (so far!). When he was left behind at the end I was saddened because he is a fine addition to the TARDIS crew. I know he will be back but hey. And the kiss? Come on, for the first time we have a bisexual character who isn't about the issues. The Doctor accepts him completely and isn't embarassed by this display of affection and friendship. What greater statement to make to the younger generation. This is the best way to portray these issues, don't make an issue, just accept it and the audience will too.

Chris Ecclestone has grown from irritating (all grins and "fantastic!") to a watchable and likeable Doctor. He never fully nailed the part for me but I guess I will just have to accept that as he ain't coming back which is a real shame.

David Tennant, a few seconds and I think I may like him. The regeneration was too short and easy on the Doctor but this is a talented actor, a fan of the series and a Scot so am gonna allow myself to be biased on this one, lol.

It will be interesting to see how this episode will be viewed 15 or 20 years down the line but for that 45 minutes I was engrossed. There is much more I could have said about the episode and the other actors but I want to leave with how I felt at the end of the episode. The exitement knowing the Doctor was coming back, the elation at a gripping story with thousands upon thousands of Daleks flying through space (that was kinda cool!) and the sense of loss that until Xmas saturdays will no doubt again be dull and uninspired veiwing. Farewell Chris, you will actually be missed.

I believe it was Harlan Ellison that once said that it's much easier to criticise a bad film, because there are more things to write about. In which case, this review of В“Parting of the WaysВ” would be extremely short. This is an episode that will definitely divide fans because it flies in the face of every single convention that's been touted by traditionalist Doctor Who fans since 1963. Russell T. Davies said he wanted to write a space opera in which anything can happen. He has succeeded beyond my wildest expectations.

This episode reaches the blackest depths of despair, and finally achieves the greatest heights of emotional triumph. So first В– the Daleks. There was never any reason to be afraid of them in the old series. As Jon Pertwee once said, run up a flight of stairs and you've got them beat. One of RTD (and Rob Shearman's) greatest achievements is to make the Daleks the genuinely scary menace they were meant to be.

From the very first opening salvo, you know that none of the people on that Station are going to make it. RTD promised a bloodbath and that's exactly what we got. The bloodthirsty violence during the siege very much reminds me of 'The Caves of Androzani'. It's not a matter of whether anyone will survive В– more a matter of seeing how many horrible ways RTD can kill people. It also brings home (as if there needed to be any doubt) just how horrifyingly dangerous the Daleks truly are. The slaughter of the survivors on Floor Zero, and Lynda's death via explosive decompression, will probably give me nightmares for weeks.

Fortunately, RTD contrasts that with Rose's reluctant return to the 21st Century.Which gives the audience a breather from all the bloodshed occurring on the station. It's also an opportunity to see just how much Rose has changed since she first entered the TARDIS. Her remark В“There's nothing here for me anymoreВ” is deeply hurtful to her loved ones, but also contains an element of truth. And as for that В“so-called controversial kissВ” between Jack and the Doctor, I would think we've come far enough that such an action should be seen for what it truly is В– an expression of caring and love from Jack to two people that are very important to him. I'm thrilled to hear that Captain Jack will be back in Series 2. John Barrowman's charisma and sense of fun made Boom Town and Bad Wolf lots of fun to watch. The TARDIS just wouldn't be the same without him.

But the capper to an already spectacular episode is THOSE two sequences. The revelation of who Bad Wolf actually was, was a major surprise to me. I thought the Bad Wolf was an evil malevolent entity, instead it was a В“goddessВ”, sending messages of hope and salvation throughout time and space. It borrows heavily from the Buffy fourth season episode В“PrimevalВ”, but at the same time is solidly based in Doctor Who lore. But is it plausible, based on what we thought we knew about the TARDIS? Every Who fan knows the TARDIS is a living machine, but never until know have we realised the sheer power encased within it. This isn't just a case of Rose saving the Doctor. It's a united effort by the two В“womenВ” in his life that love him the most В– both Rose and the TARDIS, to save him and provide him with redemption. And it works beautifully.

Then there was that regeneration sequence. I've played that moment over and over a dozen times now, and it still brings me to tears. This is the Ninth Doctor's final heartfelt farewell, and Christopher Ecclestone pulls it off beautifully. Thanks to Rose and the TARDIS, he was finally able to find redemption В– defeat the Daleks without compromising his love of life and antipathy towards bloodshed. But the cost is his life. In that moment of regeneration, it is not death, but salvation and exultation that we see.

And what an entrance for the new Doctor! I'm amazed that lines that when read in isolation, can (thanks to David Tennant and RTD), encapsulate such humor and charm, and also give us a brief glimpse into what this new Doctor will be like. After Ecclestone's emotional farewell, I laughed out loud in sheer absolute joy at the Tenth Doctor's first appearance. Onwards to the Second season!

The vanquished Daleks behind them and the TARDIS speeding on, Christopher EcclestoneВ’s Doctor regenerates into David TennantВ’s, Rose Tyler looks on aghast, and we all count the weeks to The Christmas Invasion. So ends The Parting of the Ways, a parting with Captain Jack Harkness perhaps, but not yet for Rose and the DoctorВ…

I have always found the best part of Doctor Who the regeneration scenes. Even if you were losing your favourite Doctor, the excitement of a new actor taking the role and how the changeover would be portrayed always made a satisfying end to a season. It also made the wait until the next one even more unendurable. This time round itВ’s the same again, although it all seems so rushed and I didnВ’t want Ecclestone to go. Not yet. Although I am with the critics who wince at EcclestoneВ’s grinning and gurning, I have warmed to him as the series progressed, and think he excels in this episode and the previous Bad Wolf. There is less of the folded arms and wide grins and more of the type of acting IВ’ve been expecting. IВ’m thinking of his portrayal of the Doctor as the ultimately lonely traveller; he knows heВ’s going to inevitably lose Rose at some point, in these episodes realised either through sending her home in the TARDIS, or by her apparent untimely death. Ecclestone conveys what heВ’s thinking remarkably well in such moments, just by the look in his eyes. Unfortunately, however, he canВ’t resist giving one last big, cheesy grin before he vanishes from our screens.

In many ways, this is the most satisfying episode of the entire run. It lacks the emotional depth of FatherВ’s Day or perfect plotting and suspense of The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances adventure, but wins out on the excitement factor of the relentless Dalek presence, Joe AhearneВ’s superb direction, a suitably menacing soundtrack and of course the brilliant Billie Piper. Rose here proves herself the perfect associate (as the DaleksВ’ so neatly put it) of the Doctor, leaving her past behind perhaps now for good to travel on into the future to save him. There is also the repetition of deaths and rebirths that echoes throughout Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways that prepare us for the regeneration (Rose thought dead but then discovered alive, Jack dead and then resurrected, Rose telling her mother how she witnessed the death of her father, the Dalek rebirth at the expense of the human race and so on). Finally, The Parting of the Ways works because it is, for children at least, suitably scary. I know В‘watching from behind the sofaВ’ is an old chestnut, but even before sheВ’d peeked out from the sofa, the sound alone of the Emperor DalekВ’s voice was enough to scare my six year old daughter out of the room.

Humour doesnВ’t threaten to swamp this episode as much as others penned by RTD. The TARDIS materialises and its crew emerge to face a chorus of В‘exterminateВ’ from a party of Daleks, only to remain safe behind a handy force field. В‘None points!В’ quips the Doctor. Minutes later, when the Doctor is flippant with the Emperor DalekВ’s newly found godlike status, we get a metallic chorus of В‘blasphemy!В’ from the metallic hordes. Rose enduring some inane dialogue between Mickey and her mother about pizzas is amusing as well as contrasting with the world thousands of years in the future that she feels more connected to. Thankfully gone are attempts at satirising Reality TV, replaced by the unsavoury realisation that the Daleks are harvesting the Big Brother/Weakest Link winners and losers for their own ends. I also join the critics who dislike the Reality TV subject; it isnВ’t witty enough as a parody of these shows even if the timing is right (Big Brother running at the moment, The Weakest Link conveniently repeated before the Bad Wolf episode) and it isnВ’t convincing enough to work as good science fiction. This type of thing would work well maybe in the pages of 2000 AD, but not really in Doctor Who.

These gripes aside, RTD does finally get to prove himself as a worthy Doctor Who writer. Even if he does have to start three of his episodes with a space station in the far future overlooking Earth (the modern equivalent of the old overused В‘gravel pit in SurreyВ’ setting), he manages to find the right mix of straight sci-fi and traditional drama when he moves on to The Parting of the Ways. Although he canВ’t resist having Captain Jack kiss the Doctor full on the lips, he also has the Doctor plant a huge smacker on Rose, although this is more of a В‘kiss of lifeВ’ than anything untoward. His camp jokiness, aside, Captain Jack emerges in these episodes as a worthy addition to the cast after taking something of a backseat role in Boom Town. His presence is now necessary, as he takes the role of the heroic gunslinger to the DoctorВ’s В‘thinkingВ’ role, and Jack becomes the В‘killerВ’ while the Doctor eventually confesses to being the В‘cowardВ’.

There are other memorable moments too; the Doctor sending Rose home in the TARDIS (EcclestoneВ’s poignant pause before doing this is perfectly timed), Rose seeing the hologram of the Doctor and thinking this will be the last time she will ever see him, the В‘deathВ’ of Captain Jack and the sight of the Daleks drifting into view outside the space station, coming to exterminate Lynda, and EcclestoneВ’s final scene, preparing Rose for what is to come. The regeneration scene I thought was handled just right, and as EcclestoneВ’s head moulded itself into TennantВ’s I almost thought I saw the face of an Auton appear in between, bringing the series full circle.

Some things didnВ’t work so well. The Doctor is disappointed when the Emperor Dalek professes no part in the Bad Wolf scheme and we then expect something really startling. The real explanation is a little messy; when Rose picked the letters from the BAD WOLF CORPORATION logo to scatter them into the past, I half expected them to rearrange themselves into another word, an obvious anagram and explanation IВ’d missed. But Bad Wolf is Rose, empowered by the energy of the Tardis, a trick weВ’d been half expecting since this power was revealed in Boom Town.

This rather too neatly solves everything. The Earth is saved and the Daleks are destroyed. Even dead Captain Jack is resurrected. For the purposes of the storyline, the DoctorВ’s regeneration is induced. Most surprising was the death of Big Brother survivor Lynda, groomed as a potential new assistant in Bad Wolf where The Doctor and Rose are separated for most of the episode. Lynda В‘with a YВ’ asks to be taken away on the DoctorВ’s travels and he is initially keen on the idea. During their scenes together I almost forget about Rose and wonder how Lynda will interact with TennantВ’s Doctor. When The Doctor and Rose are reunited, Lynda is forced into the background, even receiving a couple of jealous looks from Rose and her chances of a future with The Doctor slip away. I wonВ’t write Lynda off entirely, however, as Captain Jack has already been brought back from the dead. Perhaps he needs as associate tooВ…

But letВ’s not quibble. I enjoyed it all, would watch it all again and again rather than face more repeats of Only Fools and Horses Christmas specials, and have now camped down for the long wait until Christmas, safe now in the knowledge that Billie Piper is staying on, at least for one more season, and that RTD and his team have pulled it off. LetВ’s hope it doesnВ’t go to their headsВ…

Series end, so excuse me if I get a bit indulgent....

A colleague of mine has a young relative who has been watching this series. Apparently, his latest 'trick' is to open the letterbox of his front door and intone "Are you my mummy?"

The children shown on 'Doctor Who Confidential' visiting the Blackpool exhibition were as thrilled to see a Slitheen as they were a Dalek...Seeing their happy faces, I was reminded of my younger self, visiting the Longleat exhibition soon after I had 'fallen' for this wonderful programme; that moment had happened with 'Castrovalva' episode one; so the Fifth Doctor is *my* Doctor....

Point is...this season has been totally 'inclusive' and we have a new generation of fans out there; and I think that is terrific. Personally, I agree with Tom Baker that no-one has ever 'failed' as the Doctor. Peter, Tom and Patrick are my particular favourites, but every Doctor has a following and this will continue...which is well cool. So....for a lot of people, Chris Eccleston will be *their* Doctor. Even if Chris might currently feel a bit ambivalent about his time on the programme, I hope (and believe) that he knows this. So I want to say...thanks, Chris. You did us bl**dy proud.

Ahhh....Billie. Obviously I should be getting around to the episode I'm supposed to be reviewing, so I'll keep this short....*Superb* performance. Throughout. Reached a peak here, but there weren't any troughs! Give her a flaming BAFTA...what a star.

Oh yeah, 'The Parting Of The Ways'....Beautiful. Classic. Ten out of Ten, again...Might sound silly, but I'm still feeling quite emotional about it all, so just some disjointed thoughts about the episode...

Captain Jack...Excellent. We see a man here doing the right thing because he is fundamentally decent. Brilliant performance by John Barrowman, who has really excelled in the role.There were a lot of great 'Jack moments' in this episode. "We've got a fully functioning force-field...try saying that when you're drunk.";his rousing call to arms; his kissing his friends goodbye; his 'death'....I'm pleased it's not the end of the Captain. I've just got my fingers crossed that, as we didn't actually see the 'extermination effect' on Lynda, she might've somehow survived too...and maybe 'hooked up' with Jack? She was such an appealing character and I loved the moment when she and the Doctor get really awkward and completely fail to kiss...Awwww. And the look on Roses face! Green monster time, which is pretty apt in this show! (Okay, I thought Jo Joyner was gorgeous, too...)

The script was rammed with quotable lines, but I particularly liked the scene when Roses 'loses it' in the Cafe and and gives her "He takes a stand..." speech about the Doctor. When she talked about her Dad too...very rewarding stuff. Mickey and Jackie coming through when push came to shove was also a lovely touch.

(Switch to 'Smug mode') I was convinced that Rose was Bad Wolf, but kept quiet, even to my friends who have followed the series. Billie really *shone* in the scene when she was 'at one' with the Time Vortex. (To the Dalek Emperor; "You are tiny..." Go, girl!)

I don't know whether all the kissing (Jack/Rose/Doctor) will go down well with everyone, but context was everything here. The Doctor *knew* the implications when he 'absorbed' the Vortex, thus saving Roses life...and I am a complete sucker for self-sacrificing gestures. (Fifth Doctor fan, see!) I found it very touching when the Doctor and Rose kiss and, in effect, he signs his own death warrant. The Ninth Doctor 'returns the favour' as Rose had saved in his life in the very first episode. There is clearly a deep love that has developed been these two and I have not got a problem with that...I think this Doctor always knew he wasn't going to last long, you know.

The final scene...awesome. Superbly done. That final shot of Chris smiling (not gurning, thank you very much!) and then...BAM. We have a new Doctor. Goosebump time. So...

Cheers, Chris. You know what? You were fantastic.

Hello, David. Welcome aboard. I think you are *going* to be fantastic. Just those few moments at the end seemed so *right*, y'know?

Thanks to all and sundry for making me feel like a kid again of a Saturday evening. There are so many other moments I could go on about because I think this was a bit of a masterpiece...but I think I'll s*d off before I turn into a complete 'luvvie'!!

Liked it when the "Ann-droid" got blown up, by the way....Don't diss us Welsh, eh, Russell?! (Not being at all serious. I'm sure Miss Robinson got the joke!)

It's gonna be an extra cool Christmas this year... 'See' ya in December!

The new era of Doctor Who seems in many ways just to have begun. Only 13 weeks ago the 9th Doctor ran onto our screens with his Leather Jacket, his manic grin and his love of the Fantastic. Now the 9th Doctor is all finished on TV, but itВ’s hardly an end to this new world. Russell T Davies Doctor Who (it is his, more than anyone else) has amazed us over the last few months В– and now we have a show that is popular, loved by the media and trendy В– three things that Doctor Who of the past only rarely achieved.

Christopher Eccleston has been at the forefront of this revival. His portrayal of the Doctor was bang up to date, yet still the old Time Lord we know and love. His performance over the season has been universally excellent В– it has been a thrill to watch him beat the Monsters and put the world to rights. ThereВ’s been talk that if Eccleston only wanted to do 1 season, then he should have not been allowed near the TARDIS, that another actor would have been better for longevity purposes. I, for one, would have much rather seen 1 brilliant season of Ecclestons Doctor, than none at all. His Doctor can stand alongside previous Doctors with no shame В– his Doctor has been another wonderful ingredient in the exquisitely tasting cake that is Doctor Who.

A massive part of this new series has been Rose В– and as befitting the season as a whole Rose has plenty of impact in the finale. It can be strongly argued in fact that this season Rose has been as dominant as the Doctor, if not more dominant. This hasnВ’t been a problem, as Billie Piper is the single biggest success story of the season. I am delighted she is doing another full season. Best Actor/Actress this year В– definitely Billie Piper as Rose.

The final episode offered thrills, spills and a huge amount of emotion. It felt like the end, but also a new beginning. It was epic in all kinds of ways.

I was astounded at the scope of the story on offer here. CGI showed the Daleks in all their magnificence, but Russell Ts story was full of the emotional drama of the one, or the small group. The episode was brilliant because it focused on a small group, and how they were trying to save the world against this powerful aggressor.

Both the Doctor, Rose and Jack had a huge part to play in this salvation В– each extremely heroic in their very unique ways. It was wonderful how the Doctor sent Rose back, to save her. He cared that much about her. It was even more wonderful that Rose demanded a return to the future (the scene with the truck pulling the TARDIS console was tacky, but so very Doctor Who) and achieved it. She cared so much about him. As she turned into Super-Rose it was glorious to see her saving Jack aswell, destroying the Daleks, and saving the world. It was magnificent that the Doctor saved Rose, but sacrificed one of his lives in the process. It was a stunning regeneration scene, rivalling the 5th/6th Doctor transformation for its impact and self-sacrifice.

The Daleks were big here В– really big. The re-introduction of the emperor Dalek was a master stroke. Turning it into a God allowed the episode to address huge issues relating to beliefs and ideals. The Daleks might have been servants/drones to the super being, but they have never had such a strong motivation as they did here. Russell Ts story was grand in so many ways.

I struggle with Science, always have and will. When DW was more scientific before (eg Season 18) I didnВ’t get it. As a result I didnВ’t get the Bad Wolf scenario at all. The clues written everywhere was a pretty cool idea, but the resolution stumped me. The making of the jigsaw to me was far more interesting than the finished picture. All that Time Vortex creating Super Rose, and the Daleks being wiped out В– no, didnВ’t understand the why at all. What I do know is that it looked brilliant, that I cared about these wonderful characters, and that they succeeded because they were selfless and heroic В– thatВ’s classic Doctor Who, and I really couldnВ’t care less about the scientific mumbo jumbo explanations. This new Doctor Who doesnВ’t lose the viewers with its technobabble В– it focuses instead on characterization and the interaction between those characters. ThatВ’s the main reason for its success.

So the season ends, and the 9th Doctor is now the 10th Doctor (nice cameo by David Tennant В– promising). Russell T gave us a speech for his demise that was totally appropriate. Christopher Eccleston as the 9th Doctor has been Fantastic В– the whole series has been Fantastic in fact. It has exceeded my expectations on virtually every level. The reaction of my friends and family has been amazing В– and itВ’s wonderful to see the magic of DW (that I have felt all my life) have an impact on them.

I look back at DW 2005 with a huge dollop of affection. I donВ’t recalll any other Series of Doctor that has been so chock full of brilliant moments, wonderful scenes and brilliant characters. I love the old Doctor Who a great deal, but I have to admit that this new show is superior in so many ways. Wonderfully aswell, it has always been totally, definitively Doctor Who В– the same show, but better, that I have loved all my life.

With the recent announcement of a 2nd and 3rd Series we have so much more to enjoy of new Who. I am sure that David Tennant will continue the grand tradition of Who В– and be excellent too. HeВ’s stepping on board a cruise liner, majestically sailing through the oceans of the world, dazzling so many people with its grandness. I look forward eagerly to all the wonders it will pay a visit to.

Doctor Who fans have never had it this good, ever. TV has never had it this good В– the stunning adventure continues. 10/10