Season Two finished airing here in the States a couple of weeks ago, so I feel it may be time for me to offer a review. I’m a long-time Dr Who fan (not fanatic) and I was happy to see the series finally resurrected – wait, maybe that should be “regenerated” – after such a long hiatus. It seemed we weren’t going to see the series broadcast here so I ended up buying the UK boxed set and watching it on our region-free DVD player.

Series One was great. Christopher Eccleston was a “fantastic” Doctor – he had me convinced from the first episode. (Also my affection for the show may have been boosted by the fact that the enemy-du-jour was the Autons, who I remember fondly from the first Pertwee episode “Spearhead from Space” which is also the first Dr Who series I actually remember in any detail.)

I liked the fact that there were hints and references to the classic series even while the producers were ostensibly defining a new canon, in which any particular established fact about the Doctor could be revised to suit the new series. Take the Dalek episode for example. Awesome. Loved it.

Things got a bit shakey plot-wise during the final episode but I didn’t let that detract from my enjoyment of the whole.

Season Two was broadcast here on the SciFi channel this fall. With Series Two, everything “went pants”. For a start, the music was just annoying. Horrible. Over-the-top crap. Continuous, underlying yet too loud, swelling orchestral scores are simply and completely the wrong direction for a Doctor Who series. -10 points for that.

Mainly, though, I have a big problem with David Tennant, playing the role of the Doctor’s 2nd (10th?) incarnation. I’m sure he’s a competent actor but the Doctor he ain’t. Perhaps it’s because he is the first actor to play the Doctor as someone obviously physically younger than me (which just feels wrong) but mostly his attempts to play flippant and goofy are just… disturbing. Apparently Mr Tennant is a fan of the classic series. Perhaps he is too much of a fan. It’s like he studied Tom Baker’s playbook but didn’t understand his character at all.

I thought it was way too soon to off Eccleston’s Doctor after just one series but now I think a fatal accident can’t happen too soon to the 10th Doctor. I’d gladly trade one Time Lord regeneration for a chance to see Bill Nighy in the role.

Oh – and Ian McShane for The Master! Sign the petition.