Doctor Who: Series 2

It's good to see David again.

Oh boy I'm probably going to get such hate mail over this but here we go. Series 2 of Doctor Who is definitely an improvement over the first, true there's still some hit and major miss stories but overall I enjoyed it more than the first. It really does feel like the writers found their groove and stuck with it until really Matt Smith came on board but there is a reason for that. So where were we? Oh that's right, Mr. Tennant. The beginning of many a fangirl's obsession in this show's history, seriously I'm hardpressed to find someone who doesn't like David Tennant as The Doctor. Now I'm not saying he's overrated, he is really incredible, practically born to play this role, his charm and personality are synonymous with Doctor Who nowadays. And he really won hearts over the course of four whole series, even being able to challenge Tom Baker as the best which is tough to do for anybody. Lord knows how Peter Davison felt. But anywho, we still have Rose on board and I still like her (kinda), I'm not quite sure who I like her better with though, the 9th or 10th Doctor, but regardless she has great chemistry with David, and Billie is still great friends with him all this time later. However I have things to say...about the finale. Um, could you lower the pitchforks please? I'll come back to it later. The style remains much of the same but more noticeably refined, and the effects all around have gotten better. The stories though are mixed. I hate New Earth, so much it drives me insane, it reads like a 15 year old wrote fanfiction with all that nonsense innuendo and subpar setting but it still works if you can look past it's faults for the most part. School Reunion was my personal favorite, I mean come on it's hard to go wrong with bringing back the best companion of the lot and the dynamic it provides is both fun and incredibly endearing. The Girl In The Fireplace practically is worshipped by fans though I found it to just be nice and with some legitimate good moments with a gorgeous score. The Cybermen story was cool but after that boy does it spiral down. Love & Monsters, need I say more? Just don't watch it, listen to me for at least once please do not do this to yourself. It is bad and Fear Her ain't much better. Anything else I want to bring up before I'm eviscerated? Uh, Murray Gold is an outstanding composer, there's more nonsense about dangerous adventures, the last bit before the end of the series is still really funny to me, oh and Torchwood is a massive raging prick and I swear every episode was throwing that name out like a 90s show trying to make a catchphrase stick, Elisabeth Sladen is still royalty and forever shall be, we get some absolutely stand out acting from the headmaster in the same episode with her I mean it is a crime we haven't seen more of him in this show. But um....okay, this is spoilers kinda but it gets brought up again and again for many series to come so it is necessary. I have nothing against the Doomsday finale, it brings Daleks and Cybermen together for the first time and it's great, returning the just recently established parallel worlds was nice, but I don't like the ending. Not in a, this has emotionally devastated me and I do not like it, I mean it did nothing for me. First off, the whole relationship thing, just....ick, incredibly wrong, dumb as a rock I would say. Sorry but the companions are not girlfriend material and I completely disagree with it, it's a crush she has and nothing more but they keep trying to hammer it in and it honestly makes Rose unlikable. Fast. People kinda lost their minds when the 8th Doctor kissed his companion back in 1996, you'd think they learn. Rose's "death" had no emotional impact for me, now when I first saw it and I watched her hands lose grip I freaked the hell out! Like whoa, are they really gonna kill a companion? Little did I know they have done it before and will continue to do so. But then oop, she gets saved and it honestly should have just ended with him walking away from the wall. The whole "dream" made me roll my eyes in contempt, which PS. You can never argue that it was a good idea, but the whole teary eyed beach scene just killed the emotion for me. All you need is them on opposite sides of the wall with that fantastic score playing, and The Doctor walks down the hall and we see him in his Tardis crying. Perfect, good emotional impact, didn't overstay it's welcome, a shocking end to the series. It would have blown people's minds. But noooo! Here's some scene ripped out of The Notebook and the two of them (mostly) confessing their love. Great job guys. Ugh! So yeah, ending was a mess, had it's fair share of awfulness, but regardless series 2 is very good and was only the beginning for future travels of many people's favorite Doctor. So if series 1 got your attention and you wish to see more, well knock yourself out! Just skip the last two before the finale, trust me on this.

Series 3 tomorrow, definitely need to see that one again. So what will happen next after this crushing and unexpected ending for The Doctor? Time will tell, it always does.

Doctor Who: Series 1

Time enough at last.

Yeah the day was never far away when we traverse in time and space, watching the longest sci-fi series in history. But I am so happy I did, it's been ages since last I watched Doctor Who! Not since Peter left but different time, different place...sort of. But this was the first for me and how did it all begin? I have absolutely no idea. There was a time I never heard of The Doctor, a TARDIS, what a Dalek is, or even what a sonic screwdriver looked like. And then it was there one day out of the blue, in 2010 when I was digesting series after series on BBC America at my grandparent's house. Needless to say I was hooked. And you know what, this is a very admirable beginning to a revival of a show that hasn't been around since the late 80s. I thoroughly enjoyed series one, I love our Doctor as he was the first for many as he enters the world of young Rose Tyler as he takes her on many adventures through space and time. So let's talk about the episodes first before we get into pros and cons. The majority of the episodes, at least 90% are all good though I will admit The Empty Child was sort of blah for me except for Captain Jack. The series starts off perfectly, it ends perfectly, there's lots of good moments and a few great characters that people still remember today. But as always the devil is in the details! Our Doctor in his 9th incarnation really and I do mean really, doesn't get the appreciation he deserves. I always liked Christopher Eccleston in this role and I've only grown to love him more and more each time I see him. He is so different and built this mystery once again for new and even old audiences, he's cheeky and fun but hides deep emotional scars from a cataclysmic war that completely wiped out his race and you see that wrath and deep sadness throughout the series. And his effects are still felt today, it is because of this Doctor that made the show more popular than it ever was and for that he has my respect. I really like our first companion, Rose is a formidable match for The Doctor, is quick on her feet, inquisitive, and has become a beloved companion because of her relatability and charm. Plus her story arc is one of the more interesting stories in the new series. And I...mostly like our side characters. Now Jack Harkness is awesome, John Barrowman is the man and can charm the pants off of anybody ever, and the actress who plays the female Slitheen is sort of okay in Aliens Of London but she frickin' owns Boom Town, I mean spectacular acting! But when it comes to Rose's mom and boyfriend, ugh. I mean they get better but it's pretty insufferable in this series, especially with Mickey being a total bitchy twat. And this aspect bugs me but I kinda get why they did it, throughout not just this series but every other one, characters bring up the question of, is it safe to travel with The Doctor? Oh he's dangerous, leads a life with death and devastation in his wake which okay fine, it's kind of true. It always has been true but it's this new and honestly for the better thinking, you couldn't run off with a stranger time machine or not. Back in the 60s and 70s nobody really cared, you just went on adventures and fought aliens and monsters, absolutely no questions asked even if you were bloody teenagers! But the world has evolved and the creators looked at the old series and brought up modern moral questioning. I can appreciate that effort, but here's the thing: I don't give a flying got-damn hell about that because this show is supposed to be pure escapism fun! It's true but damn, I do not watch a family orientated sci-fi show to debate on moral and philisophical grounds, I watch it to enjoy the fun and creativity. And this aspect only bothers me more and more until it's culmination in series 8 or 9 to the point where I'm bashing my skull in. Something else I actually never noticed before is well, the first series has a bit of cheese to it and most of the time it is done straight and done well. However! Though the effects aren't excellent I can give a bit of pardon to the TV show in 2005. But the weird musical stingers for creepy scenes, in fact the creepy scenes themselves, they just feel very Goosebumps. Some of the acting is a bit off but the vast majority is done really damn well. There wasn't much to hate beyond a few aggravating bits, the stories are still solid despite them but some details throw it off a bit. But I've met people before that have no issues at all so you have to judge for yourself. The first revival series of Doctor Who is a fine beginning and should be seen even if you have reservations with the show, you'll know if you want more by the end of the series. I give it 3.5 stars, check it out and give Chris some credit, he is criminally underrated.

Tomorrow, new beginnings and quite possibly the most loved Doctor of them all.