Doctor Who Series Three

Something’s happened to Doctor Who! Something bad.

Between the last series and this (the third) season, the show seems to have lost its mojo, and I’m not talking about Billie Piper here. David Tennant is still excellent (how lucky are they to have such a watchable and talented actor in the role!), but for some reason I’m just not feeling the love. I’m not sure if it’s me that’s changed or the series itself. Admittedly, I caught the first episode (’Smith and Jones’- not bad, a definite improvement on the other two season openers ’Rose’ and the lamentable ’New Earth’) the day before I flew out to Canada, then missed the next two episodes, and caught the Dalek two-parter on my return, and oh my God! For the first time I’ve been able to categorically say that an episode of new Who was actually, to use the correct critical term, rubbish. Clichéd, plodding and, for the most part, downright silly. The entire adventure robbed the Daleks of all their menace and that’s not a good thing. Bringing the Daleks back for a third time in as many seasons was always going to be a tricky thing to pull off, and unfortunately for me it just didn’t work - and the dodgy “New Yoik” accents didn’t help one bit. This third series simply isn’t gelling for me. I don’t know how the rest of the viewing public feels (although I have heard that viewing figures are generally healthy) but it’s lost something. That said, this week’s episode, ‘42’ wasn’t too bad - apart from the dreary Michelle Collins who can do no right in my opinion, sorry. The episode was fast-paced and diverting, but again lacked that special ingredient that makes you want to see it again and again.
Anyway, after all that moaning, I’ll probably see it through to the end of the series (John Simm as the Master should be good) but I really need to see something good to restore my enthusiasm. I wonder if David Tennant will stay for a third run . . .

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