I am totally gaga over the new Doctor Who, courtesy of the BBC. It's still got nifty sidekicks, quirky doctors, danger, aliens and some odd science, but it's great adventure and features some outstanding acting from some of the cream of the crop of British acting.
Both Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant are fantastic. They are goofy, eager, energetic, but with a sophisticated charm that shows a depth of character.
And it's so well written. There's all sorts of talk about this being the golden age of television because of serial dramas like the Wire and Deadwood. And it's true. But I think that some more credit should be given to Doctor Who. There are several episodes that are outstanding in their complexity, tension and character development. Most of the series is just really fun, a little Buffy-ish at times, but there are particular episodes, especially "Blink", written by Stephen Moffat the incoming writer and executive producer in 2010, that are extraordinary and like nothing else on TV.
Check it out. If you're not into sci fi, or don't possess whimsy as a friend tends to put it, then just watch "Blink". I was so freaked out and scared. I can't remember the last time I was so tense. I even thought about turning it off to catch my breath and calm down.
A new Doctor will appear sometime later this year. My fingers are crossed. He has some big shoes to fill. And why can't the Doctor become a woman? Hmmm....
Here's some info for finding episodes on the web. They're also snuck onto youtube through coded titles like DW S1E1. (Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 1) So you can give that a try too if you're interested.
