The Return of the Doctor

DOCTOR WHO HAS RETURNED!!!!!!!!

As you can tell I might be a little excited, and slightly enthusiastic about this momentous event. I have become a Doctor Who fan just in the last year, specifically last fall sometime in November when I was in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England and my professor showed me an episode. I was immediately hooked. So, like any good fan of a television show I immediately set out to catch up on what I had missed so far. The unfortunate thing about the series is that it is THE longest running show in the history of television, longer than MASH by a long shot, so I had to pick a spot to start at. Many people recommended to start with the ninth doctor played by Christopher Eccleston then to David Tennant the tenth doctor and go from there. So as soon as I returned home after semester in December I began watching what was to be approximately five years of television as fast as I could. I think I finished somewhere around March. And of course now that I'm caught up I have to watch the episodes in order as they come out, just like everyone else. Boo.

Anywho, the new series debuted in the UK April 4, but not until the 17th in the states (on BBC America I think). But seeing as I don't have cable I was thinking I'd have to sit around for ages until I befriended someone who did. Luckily I found a post in the comments area from a DW site by someone saying where to find the newest episodes. Thus, my journey began in downloading the first episode without David Tennant as the Doctor :( AKA, Matt Smith as the eleventh doctor. So far, I still love the show and the first episode back was amazing. But there was something missing, a spark, a facial expression, a voice inflection. Something. I'm sure it's just because it's only the first episode of a completely different character in a completely different body, thus new actor and personality and show writers. I hope they are able to locate that spark that the tenth doctor had and apply it liberally to the affected area-Matt Smith.

I'm also a fan of his newest assistant, though I hope she gets less wide-eyed and stops questioning every single thing. Though as I said before, I'm guessing it's just because it's the first episode, what else is she supposed to do. I did notice however there seems to be a bit more underlying sensuality to the dialogue. Where was that in the last series with Tennant? I just don't think it really fits with the new doctor, he's not very attractive in my books. The intro theme has been adjusted a bit and rerecorded and there is a new logo as well as the intro graphics and the tunnel of "timey-whimey"-ness the TARDIS hurls through. Speaking of the TARDIS, the inside is completely redone! It is not shown until the very end of the episode so the suspense is built. Though there are many new gadgets and staircases and nooks and crannies, it feels smaller on the inside than the tenth doctor's TARDIS did. (*Ahem, that's what she said). Maybe it's the ceiling that impedes to low or the shape of the walls or even the more orange color scheme, it just looks cramped. I expect things will pan out a bit in the future and more of it will be revealed. Oh! And there's no more ramp up to the middle, it just sort of get there. I was sad to lose the old TARDIS feel.

So that's it for now. A blurb and plug for the new Doctor Who series, make sure to catch it on BBC America or somewhere online, it is going to be fantastic!

Thanks for reading!