So finally the eleventh Doctor Who has arrived, debuting properly together with his first complete Doctor Who episode, ‘The Eleventh Hour’ over the Easter weekend in the UK. The hour-long first episode of Doctor Who series 5 was created by new series entrant Steven Moffat, and if it’s a good instance of things to come with this series, then followers of the longest running sf TV show in history are in for an amazing ride. Matt Smith is instantly likeable as the eleventh Doctor who, who, despite his youth, brings with him a great deal of that all-important genius and gravitas that the Doctor always needs.

He’s immediately into the part, and commands each scene he’s in. Amy Pond, played by Karen Gillan, is going to take somewhat more getting familiar with, and I’m already tired of everybody talking about how engaging she is. With a bit of luck the focus will shift to her acting and the stories once she is not running round in a kinky policewoman’s outfit. This primary tale within the eleventh Doctor Who series is a pretty standard earthbound SF tale, however it’s in how things are brought to a climax that the beauty of Moffat’s screenplay lies.

The way during which the eleventh Doctor Who overcomes the newest threat, and saves the world in simply twenty minutes, is outstanding. The episode is superbly put together, and whereas the effects are a little bit unwieldly now and again, it is probably one of the best ‘New Doctor’ episode we’ve had since the TV show got here again in 2005.

The editing and direction are great, however the music is not ideal in a couple of places, most particularly the new rendering of the famous Doctor Whotheme tune. I do like the brand new title sequence however. The new TARDIS is superb, the eleventh Doctor Who shows potential and Amy shows potential. Altogether, it is an amazing start to what’s going to optimistically be a historic run of this rightful institution of genre television.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,