The Eleventh Hour - Gaz

So there we have it, the debut episode of the new, new, new Doctor Who and what a cracker!

New show runner Stephen Moffat has delivered his vision of Doctor Who and what a refreshing visit to the past it is, for despite everything he has said in the media to the contrary, his Doctor has very strong roots to all that have come before. From styling to script writing, it's a blend of so much, I love the script that seem to be channeling the late Douglas Adams. The dialogue is brilliant, my favourite line of the episode - "you're Scottish, fry something", in fact I loved the whole food sequence, it was glorious.

That's the writing sorted, so how about the actors? Well I agree with Jones, they were never going to cast a Muppet as The Doctor, unless of course Jim Henson is alive... but that's a conspiracy theory for another conversation. In many ways, as the new, new, new Doctor Matt Smith has had a pretty good set up, poor old Chris Eccleston had to deliver the role as if he'd been in it for years and he did it well, and David Tennent had the luxury of an existing companion and a building love story. Well Matt just has a the world looking at him... waiting.

He's done well, very well in fact. It's obvious despite looking to be about 19 and weigh less than a pack of frozen peas, he has the ability to use his voice and presence to become a commanding presence that quite frankly, even I'd be a bit scared of.

Companions have been a tricky part in the history of Doctor Who, the last six five years have shown that, get it right, Billie Piper, and the world loves you, get it not so right, Michelle Ryan, and you get a bashing from the fans and there is a lot that has fallen in-between. Karen Gillan certainly has arrived, though I'm not sure we have seen all she can do, right now it's just a wide eyes despite what is going on, but the dialogue is great and a nice rapport has been set from the start.

I'm not going to say a lot about the story, it's pretty cut n' paste sci-fi template, just add an escaped alien prisoner and some hi-jinks will occur. Prisoner Zero itself seemed a little strange, it's just a CGI version of a dodgy sock-puppet, but the Atraxi... they'll give little kids the creeps.

It's a great start for this series with so many new, new, new things, I'll be waiting for next weeks episode very keenly.

I liked:
The new, new, new Doctor
The great dialogue
The art direction of the episode
Amelia Pond
New title graphics

I disliked:
The new theme, maybe a good one is hiding in there underneath the effects
Prisoner Zero
The music seemed to be stolen from too many familiar scores, such as Brasil, Harry Potter, Battlestar Galactica

I need to be convinced:
Amy Pond
Shiny new Tardis exterior... looks a bit glossy
Rory
Silence will fall...