Aliens of London' seems to signal a return to 'Doctor Who's origins. The double episode felt a lot closer to the old format, allowing a slightly more complicated plot, more character development and a cliff-hanger ending. The A-plot also returned to prime 'Doctor Who' territory, refreshed with 21st century cgi, whilst the novel treatment of the companion -- torn between old & new attachments -- made a great soapy counterpoint. The extensive use of news reports contributed to the contemporary feel that has characterised this series, and I adored Andrew Marr's cameo & the snatch of 'Blue Peter'.

The action plot, however, was rather pedestrian, with too many of the twists being oversignalled & overlaboured. Much of the action required a degree of idiocy that stretched plausibility ... even for civil servants/MPs/military, sacrificing any tension & menace. The pacing sagged in the middle, & even towards the heavy-handed, repetitive climax. (And someone should inform the BBC that running spoilers for the upcoming episode over the credits works spectacularly poorly with a cliffhanger.) In the heavy focus on the two leads, secondary characters have all been relegated to cardboard.

Billie Piper is continuing to do a fine job, and I love the ambiguity she's projecting in her feelings for the Doctor. I pray, however, this strand remains ambiguous (I don't think I can bear another Buffy/Angel scenario). On the other hand, I felt at times Eccleston was walking through his lines in this episode. I'm not yet enjoying Davies/Eccleston's version of the Doctor, with the ubiquitous grin -- I think it's high time for those dark secrets to come out.

After the dark-toned 'Unquiet Dead', 'Aliens of London' was definitely heavy on the humour. One or two one-liners stood out (in particular the one where the boyfriend says he isn't seeing anyone else because everyone thinks he's a murderer); however, there was way too much schoolboy humour for my taste. I'm probably not the primary audience for the series, but a little of that kind of thing goes a long long way.

Overall, a mixed bag. By no means my favourite of the series so far, but I'm beginning to feel the connection with the old 'Doctor Who' at last.

Russell fleshes out the back-story of Rose in an admirable attempt at making the Doctor and Rose more believable. The pre-credits flashback re-introduced us quickly to the events of 'Rose' and the revelation of a 12 months absence made me chuckle like an eight year old again. The plot shone through as great SF and could have been taken from a Pertwee (or early Tom Baker) episode - Aliens duping the public with a false 'first contact' crash landing in order to gather all the experts togethor at Number 10 - Genius (or as the Doctor would now say 'Fantastic)!

The effects were good - certainly an improvement on the good old days, but that is to be expected. Billie continues to impress with her great acting and gutsy exposition. Chris, whilst swaggering with confidence and his Northern yet other-world mannerisms, sometimes makes me cringe with some decidedly un-Doctor-ish dialogue ("trying to save the world", and don't get me started on the 'when did it become acceptable to use the word 'fart' topic'). I can't help but think that he struggles with the more eccentric and esoteric qualities required for the role. I also cringed at Russells beief that the kids absolutley require burping/f*rting (I hate that word) in the mix to entertain. When I was an eight year old, Doctor Who would never employ such cheap, tacky devices to keep me interested and entertained. Please Russell - no more wind gags! It just isn't the Doctor.

Knowing that Chris has 'thrown the scarf in' we can hope that the tenth Doctor will maintain that manic grin but temper it with a more confident darkness (something that even Sylvester McCoy managed to do well eventually). The Unquiet Dead remains my favourite so far (not a whiff of Russell and his wind gags) and was definitely genuine Doctor Who for my money. Maybe Russell should consider taking a step back from the scripting (although his plots are great) and allow writers to remain more faithful to his oft-quoted Doctor mythology. I look forward to 'Dalek'.

The views I have had with the first three episodes was that I initially loved them unreservedly, but then upon rewatching them started to nit pick - but that’s not to say I didn't love them.

Just to clarify I love the theme tune, love Billie as Rose, Love Chris as the Doctor, Love the wind effects the TARDIS makes, love the style, love the in-jokes to Who past and other media. Just LOVE IT.

But on first viewing of Aliens of London I just didn't like it. But to explain , I was looking at it through the eyes of average Joe Public and not mine.

So, although the effects were brilliant at the start, the pig alien and the comic farting aliens embarrassed me from their smirking and giggling "Human" disguises to the child entertaining farting. It didn't help as I work from 7pm on Saturdays in a social club but put the telly on so I'm joined by my peers.

Furthermore, although generally impressed with Chris Eccleston, (and I'll say now, at least with him leaving we can get on with a regeneration story) he was just a bit too smarmy in this story.

The climax was disappointing too as the effects were a bit ropey , the aliens still like men in suits and too many cliffhangers! Finally being spoilt by next week's preview.

However, That was after my initial viewing. I watched it again when I got home from work (and more times after) and discovered that I actually do quite enjoy the episode.

I understand the point of the pig and it was realised quite well and quite spooky in it's build up. I understand why the aliens fart (but still don't like it - but then I've never found farting funny - prude maybe).

Billy is still Brilliant - Chris was a bit manic but not as bad as I first thought.

I still stick by my opinion that there were too many climaxes and the Doctor's was actually the weakest but it was played out better than I first thought. The aliens did become more realistic on their second showing and I'll have to reserve final judgment when they get more screen time next week.

But I do think the program should abandon trailers for two-parters and tone the music down.

Not the best of the four to date be still a whole lotta fun and so much better when I watch it for myself then what I would presume the general public would think of it! I’m going rate it fourth, though, after The Unquiet Dead, Rose, and The End of the World.

A confident episode in the new series with some great moments but unlike the other episodes, there are sadly some poorer scenes.

It was an interesting idea to bring the Rose's family back into the picture; portraying a very human side to the companion (she still has a life and a family). The concept of the Doctor brining her back was a good idea and excelled in places, however when the alien story took over the plot began to deeper with great intrigue.

The concept of these aliens was strong, I quite liked the idea of them zipping open their heads, however the flatulence and even CGI from underneath the suits was a little poorer, I liked the concept that as aliens there is something not quite right, paralleling to that of Third Rock from the sun in one sense, but I was unsure to whether the flatulence was for this idea or to make the kids laugh.

The pig was an intriguing idea and hard to make judgment simply because of what may develop in the second episode. And that is what we have to understand about Aliens of London, it is in all sense a two parters, two parters are notoriously slow allowing the story to develop for a stronger second part, so I am not too surprised or disheartened that this episode is the weakest, every series has one especially that of a 13 parter.

A good classic cliffhanger though with every character facing their own imminent death, I look forward to seeing how this story and indeed the characters develops.

Being a long-time Doctor Who fan is, at the moment, something of a treat - people keep coming up to me and saying "You know, you were right, it's actually very good!" And tonight's episode got the thumbs up from the previously uncommitted in our house (although, after last week's murdering corpse, the smallest viewer - 2 year's old - had to make do with only the first 50% of the show).

Tonight's episode rattled along and paid homage to that most familiar of Who storylines - the taking of central London by aliens ... and these ones were undeterred by the congestion charge (although I did pick up on the quip about Ken Livingston). And the first multi-part story gave us our first cliff-hanger (and a decent one is was too). But ... the story doesn't seem to have got very far as regards the main action. Aliens have landed in London and taken on key positions of authority - the Doctor knows that the spaceship in the Thames is a decoy and now all 'alien experts' (that is experts ON aliens, as opposed to experts who happen to be aliens) are now trapped in 10 Downing Street where they can be eliminated. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great story (I especially liked the line about a spaceship ploughing through Big Ben was "just too perfect"), but it feels a bit slow compared to the snappy one-parters.

While I'm feeling in critical mood -

1. The "Rose-returning-home" plot is something completely new for Doctor Who and a storyline that us 30-somethings will need to get used to. It did seem to get in the way of the action in this episode - although it was very well performed throughout (good line about Micky not seeing anyone else; "mainly because they thought I was a muderer").

2. Connected to 1 - I hope the "vague romance" thing between Rose and the Doctor can be alluded to rather than overtly mentioned (which is more in keeping with the traditional perspective of the show). It wouldn't be out of place anywhere else on TV, and it's not detracting from things here, but I would hate it to become central to the series. Maybe others will disagree, maybe it's just the older fan in me being used to a more paternalistic Doctor who dominated rather than allowed the companion to have such prominence.

3. The grin accompanied by "fantastic!" is obviously here to stay, so I'll just have to accept it. However, it would be better if the Doctor could respond with a little more gravitas when the world around him explodes.

4. Have the BBC made their first SFX bungle? The little heads on the aliens don't appear too realistic when the creatures are in motion - they appeared to bounce a bit like one of those "back of the car" toy dogs. Maybe it's about getting the balance between horror and humour that the BBC spokeman was talking about last week ...

5. ... finally, farting aliens are no problem, but please, PLEASE don't have this "emerging" as a key plot twist - "We're safe, Doctor, the aliens have all left and returned to their planet ..." -RASSSPPPP!! - "Oh my God, they're behind you!"

These "not-particularly-large-grumbles" aside, this continues to be very, very good TV and the show manages to combine storylines on many different levels (something which the best of the 'classic' series managed to do on occasion).

What was that assault on my eyes! I'm afraid, unlike last weeks triumph, this week was very badly written and acted by Chris Eccleston. The Doctor simply wouldn't be surprised by an alien crash landing! He's got to stop all the laughing a happy smiling, his portrayal of the Doctor has been very weak so far although he does serious so much better!

All in all this episode with all the toilet humour was, well, boring. The fart gags for laughs was funny at first but then it went on and on. The cliffhanger took ages to develop, and when the cliffhanger happened which was actually really good they spoiled it by telling you how they all get out of it, i.e. Mickey comes in to save Rose's Mum, and then they try and salvage it by putting it if I save the world I'll loose you.. Like the Doctor would care.

The special effects and the directing of course are all up to A1 standard, Keith Boak is clearly an excellent director, I'm glad Euros Lyn doesn't do anymore this season as his direction has been weak at best. Loved the spaceship crashing into Big Ben and I also liked the Doctor's UNIT reference, where's Lethbridge Stewart to sort it out!

All in all, I know it’s a harsh review, but that’s two stories now (End of the World being the other) that have been very weak and not that entertaining and the two lowest rated episodes. It’s a great romp for children, but can't it have just a little hint of seriousness for us Mum's and Dad's - even just a little?