He's Back And It's About Time

The new series of Doctor Who returned to TV in Australia last night after a long hiatus. It's a wonderful mix of old and new. The single episode format was a little disappointing, but the production quality has been boosted. Too early to make a call on the writing, but the first episode, Rose, was pretty good.

Strangely called Series I, suggesting a break with the past, the new series stars Christopher Eccleston as the ninth doctor, who looks the goods. Much was the same: the enigmatic doctor, the travelling companion (Billie Piper as Rose), the TARDIS (albeit with a new, more alien interior), aliens, action and good vs evil. But there's also new stuff, eg. Rose cried when she realised the Doctor was an alien - culture shock - suggesting an exploration of the impact the Doctor has on the world around him.