Doctor Who series 6 (or 32 if you're being exact)

How awesome was the first episode of the new series of Doctor Who last night?

Perhaps a bit too scarey for its timeslot (compare it to the X Files which was usually on around 10 at night) but then again that's what Who is all about. The children of Britain are back behind the sofa where they belong.

With the exception of the Dalek redesign I love the direction Stephen Moffat has taken the series, I think it will be remembered as another golden era in the long history of the show.

I need to start by saying that I love Dr WHO.

As a boy, I grew up with classic STAR TREK, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost In Space, Marine Boy, Blake's 7, Thunderbirds, Stingray and the Doctor. As a family we have as much as there is to have on DVD - with several more on pre-order, one adventure on Laserdisc (Terror Of The Zygons - cracking it is too), have dozens of autographs and have had the enjoyment of meeting personally a good number of Doctors and cast, at signing and memorabilia events. My son lives and breaths WHO.

When it came back...Ecclestone was excellent, Tennant made the role his own, and then came Matt Smith, and I was not so sure to begin with. When I saw his publicity photos I thought, 'this is just a boy really, how is he going to play a 900+ year old Timelord?'

The truth is...brilliantly. The chemistry between him and Karen Gillan is there in abundance. Just as it was between Ecclestone and Piper, and then Tennant and Piper. Just as it is, sadly, sorely missing between Gillan and Darvill.

Matt has proven himself well up to the huge role that is the Doctor with apparent ease. Very impressive indeed actually, for such a young man. His quirky 'sees everything through the eyes of a child' approach really works fantastically. The role is certainly in the hands of the right actor.

And the show is in the hands of the right producer in the Grand 'Moff' His first full season as show-runner was stunning. All the actors settled into their respective roles very quickly and season five, I am sure, will be remembered as a high point of the show.

As for season six. I am not enjoying it as much as I thought that I would, mainly for one reason...whilst Moffat/Smith's first season will be remembered for having everything balanced just right, I suspect that most folks will eventually look upon season six as having the balance slewed over too far into the setting up of things early, with the intention of partially paying them off at the close of the first half of the season...and then fully at the end of the season proper.

It was a brave move to open the series with a cliff hanger and then not really answer any question in the concluding part...only pile on more questions. Brave indeed. But I really think that it will come to be regarded as going a bit too far in that 'build the mystery' direction.

It's not that I am not enjoying it, but there should be at least some satisfying answers, even if each 'answer' only leads to two/three more perplexing questions.

That said, Smith continues to be excellent, Gillan continues to be an easy equal to Piper, Kingston just looks red hot and gorgeous in those jodhpurs and Darvill is...well, just...there. How many times will

Spoiler:

I am sure that when we get to see the whole pay-off, it will be spectacular and I will say "Oh yes, I can see why now" but just for right now, it is elluding me.

I would agree that his series hasn't been as good so far, but I still think it's still miles ahead of anything we saw in the RTD era.

I am a bit miffed that they're doing the American pause in the middle of the series thing, just seems a bit odd.

I actually quite liked Rory in Series 5 and the Christmas special, but they just don't seem to be doing anything with him at the minute other than constantly going "Oh my God! They killed Rory....oh wait he's actually fine." It's becoming part of a naff joke. I think he's a good character and a good actor, but so far these series he hasn't really had a chance to shine.

I do like the way the Moff does creepy stories. He finds one creepy concept that's guaranteed to make us shudder and uses it really well to send the inner child in each of us diving behind the sofa. I think the Silence are a good example of this, and next weeks episode looks pretty scary too.

Moff has said that even though fans are trying to work everything out that there's one thing we've all missed. After the last episode I'm wondering if its to do with....

Spoiler:

May be totally wrong but something to think about.