Season 27

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the season. After patiently waiting 16 years to see some new TV Who, I was not disappointed! Having watched Dr Who from the very first episode in 1963, and seen all the episodes preceding this new season, with the exception of Power Of The Daleks Episode 1 shown in 1966, I was very interested to see whether this new series would live up to expectations.

Certainly the previews seemed favourable, with praise being heaped on Russell T Davies’s writing abilities by Chris Eccleston. RTD returning the compliment and praising Chris and Billie Piper’s acting talents.

Well I think it has and there are some great, imaginative storylines, with some good, logical dialogue too!. For Whovians, they must be happy, because for me, the stories were well researched, and it is obvious that RTD and his supporting writers have done their homework on previous Dr Who stories, and have taken elements from these stories to creat their new stories. Continuity is in evidence relating to earlier stories, lots of explanations were heard, although no reference was made to the eighth Doctor and his regeneration. Maybe this will appear in future story lines.

This new series offers much though, and brought Doctor Who into the 21st century for viewers of all ages to engage into. This was particularly evident in the first episode called “Rose”, with the typical family domestic scenes. Most of the elements from the earlier series were still there, but it deals with emotion and relationships as well here on Earth, as well as in time and space. This additional element has made the show more mainstream, and more people have probably tuned in to watch, on top of the cult hardcore fans. Giving the Doctor a northern accent was an imaginative idea.

I did feel you could suspend belief that some of the stories actually happened. A throwback to 60’s and 70’s Who. Very pleased to see this element again. The special effects were used sparingly and not over done, and were very well done too! The incidental music was appropriate and it was great to hear human choirs for the powerful emotional segments of the stories. The theme tune, bringing back the original timeless theme was a masterstroke! This was overlaid with what sounded like the 1996 movie score. Clever!

The production had an epic feel to it, almost cinematic. I do miss the sounds and incidental music of the Radiophonic workshops though, used to great effect especially in the 60’s stories which added fear and menace to them. However Murray Gold is a good composer in the new series with his use of human choirs etc., are so much better than the whaling synthesisers used in the 80’s, which never quite worked for me. He captures the mood and emotion of the stories.

There are so many influences and ‘nods’ in the new series used for the Dalek stories, from Sci fi films, including the movie from 1996, TV21 comics and of course previous Who stories as well. Great to see! My favourite stories for me, has to be “Dalek” and “Bad Wolf/Parting Of The Ways”. Having been frightened as an impressionable child by the first Dalek story in 1963, these latest Dalek stories continue that vein!. Not since Dalek Invasion Earth in 2164 have I felt so chilled by the pepper pots! Although “Power and Evil Of The Daleks” in 1967 were scary too!

But of course some of the other new stories were very well done as well and I liked the idea of The Bad Wolf theme running through the stories. Chris Eccleston and Billie Piper are great actors, and John Barrowman as Captain Jack grew on me towards the end. Overall, some of these new stories must have put many viewers “behind the sofa” again, after a long wait, in my case, probably the 1970’s “Horror Of Fang Rock” being perhaps the last one that made me scared. Furthermore I am sure many younger viewers would be attracted to the show by its fantastic production values and quality stories.

Watching the new series of Dr Who has made me realise that it is one of the finest TV productions made in years. It’s so nice to have a quality programme in 2005 rather than a quantity of programmes which we seem to have through a myriad of banal TV channels.