I remember it being... inconsistent! Ive seen some great Who in my time, and some complete tosh. This was somewhere inbetween.

The producers freely admit that this episode is largely a 'comstruct' for the purpose of introducing the ideas to a new generation of kids.

I feel the 'proper' stories will start next week, give it another chance.

(also next weeks is the most lavish expensive episode of them all, so it will be nice to see what they managed with it)

I've only seen a small bit of the earlier stuff (some Tom Baker eps), but it was also very cheesy...

In tonights one, i really liked the Doctor, however, that was about it. Mickey and the Mum were extremely annoying, the Autons (and wheelie bins) were a bit naff and generally it came off like a bad cBeebies program with too much slapstick pandering to kids. Great, get kids watching, but i think it needs to be a lot more balanced.

I do like Ecclestone as the Doctor though. The bit where he was describing how he can feel the earth revolving was very good and i got the sense that if the show was given a slightly more serious slant i could really get into it. A bit of balance is all it needs.

It was also very, very British and i can see why the American networks are rejecting it. It almost seems like they injected Britishness into the show.

I'll be watching next week, with the hope that it gets a bit more balance and a lot less cheese.

Doctor Who is cheese. At least that's the way I remember it. However I don't remember it being quite this funny. Piper and Eccleston actually have a decent chemistry between them even if she is a bit rubbish, but no worse than expected. Eccleston on the other hand is a nice mix of humour and seriousness.

I'll definitely be watching.

I was pretty happy with it -- there's certainly scope for it to improve, but it was good enough as a series-opener.

In the long run I think my only real concern is the format -- 45 minute stand alone eps -- which dosn't allow for much development of other characters.

Minor gripe with this one -- why introduce the conspiracy theorist just to kill him off? He could easily have been a recurring character.

A few people have grumbled about Christopher Ecclestone's accent, but personally I found Billie Piper's far more noticeable.

It was more hyperactive than a US airforce pilot on speed. Ecclestone and Piper were both very good, but you barely had time to notice before the action shot off again. TV for the texting generation. They need to calm down all the kiddie stuff and get some decent stories going. Davis's fanboy credentials showed up in all the wrong ways, he was winking at the bloody camera every other second. Felt like a Doctor Who parody a lot of the time. That's why US fantasy works, it plays things straight. We British are scared to let our guard down and run with it.

Eccleston was very good though. If they calm things down, dump the cobblers techno music and reign in the kiddie stuff, it could be entertaining, but it's never going to be great sci-fi ; just like the original really.

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by Callum

In the long run I think my only real concern is the format -- 45 minute stand alone eps -- which dosn't allow for much development of other characters.

Minor gripe with this one -- why introduce the conspiracy theorist just to kill him off? He could easily have been a recurring character.

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1) I agree the format is a bit restrictive, fortunately 6 of the 13 episodes are tied up in two parters.

2) I believe that character does return, after all, hes only dead in the present!

I'm glad to hear that there will be some two-parters so some of the storylines can be fleshed out and we can have the great cliff-hangers Who was known for.

And, I agree with Wo. In the first ep of a new series, there is a lot of exposition of the characters so plot any storyline will always feel rushed. But, as has been said, I think the eps from now on will return to the great stories Who was known for.

I agree with Maff about the Doctor's little speech about the Earth spinning. Reminded the audience that this person is actually an alien. And I think he caught the quitkiness of the Doctor while stamping his own uniqueness on the role.

I think the series will be a good one.

Oh yeah, I actually thought Billie Piper was very good. A very believable companion - vulnerable but ballsy as well.

(Edited by Whistler 27/03/2005 11:19)

Interesting that the Guardian review explictly compares it with Buffy:

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However, it's not the contemporary values that make the show. It is its clever imitation of US hits such as Buffy and Angel : a mixture of smart, ironic humour and creepy horror. 'That won't last,' says the Doctor, peering at a couple posing for the pages of Heat . 'He's gay and she's an alien.' And Rose has some equally sassy gags. Told that an Evil Intelligence is going to bring all the world's plastic to life, she gasps: 'What, even breast implants?'

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I did wonder if we'd get the same mix of exaggerated real life, monster of the week vs series arc episodes, and knowing laughs.

I only saw the first 10 minutes - had to leave for work - but it looked promising.

It was aping Buffy, but it isn't a patch on it yet. "Welcome to the Hellmouth" might have had the production values of a Skoda, but the razor-sharp script and expert pacing shone through. The Doctor ain't there yet.

I've had the image of the 'T-1000 Wheelie Bin' playing in my head most of the day, and hopefully it'll have stopped by the time I have to take the bin out!

I think some of you are expecting too much from the show. It was always cheesy TV, primarily aimed at kids. You have to remember that when you look at it now. 16 years have passed since we last had a proper Saturday evening version of the show, so maybe your memories have gone a little awry. Those of us who watched it the first time round are adults now so maybe we're looking at it slightly differently. It does exactly what it says on the tin. Good family sci-fi drama aimed at kids young and old, with fun storylines.

But what the show always had was that unnerving creepiness to it.

And the first ep *did* have that.

This is exactly the same show but with 21st Century production values brought to it. It's silly to compare it with Buffy. The only thing it has in common is the 45 minute episodes

I took it completely at face value, i didn't look for too much and i totally enjoyed it. I enjoyed Christopher Ecclestone's performance as The Doctor, made me laugh once or twice with his almost whimsical type of humour and i even liked Bille Piper too, she wasn't in the least bit annoying to me. I'll definitely be tuning in again on Saturday (or at least taping it to watch at a later date )

I've always hated Doctor Who and thought it was just as crap as every other series, but only more so cos of Billie Piper.

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by Callum
A few people have grumbled about Christopher Ecclestone's accent, but personally I found Billie Piper's far more noticeable.

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The north joke didnt work seing as he didnt sound like he was from the north.

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by JtB
(quotes)

The north joke didnt work seing as he didnt sound like he was from the north.

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Perhaps that's because you come from there, because he certainly sounded Northern to me.

The accent was as Manc as it gets

I loved it.

Nuff said.

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by Whistler
(quotes)

Perhaps that's because you come from there, because he certainly sounded Northern to me.

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Eccleston was born and raised in Salford, and thats his natural accent.

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by Wobag
(quotes)

Eccleston was born and raised in Salford, and thats his natural accent.

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Yeah, I know that